iOS Game Center Achievements vs In-game local achievements vs neither?

#1

Hello all,

I just wanted to see what are your thoughts on implementing game achievements and if you feel this adds value to a game. Note: I am only building for iOS.

Which option do you think most users/players/gamers would refer? -

  1. Game Achievements via Game Center support
  2. Game Achievements through your own in-game structure (so no Game Center support. For eg, creating your own list of achievements and displaying them locally as appropriate, like in a achievements screen)
  3. Don’t bother with Game Achievements, no one cares…

Anyone here, as a gamer, agree with point 3?!.. Or do you always prefer iOS games with Game Center support? Does anyone here think point 2 is a “lazy/poor man’s version of Game Center”?

Good to know what you, as both a developer and as a gamer, think!

Thanks for reading and any feedback and thoughts!

Cheers, [import]uid: 175094 topic_id: 36473 reply_id: 336473[/import]

#2

From a developer’s perspective, leaderboards, achievements, etc, are tools to engage the player and get him/her to engage other players and thus increase your install base. So the social aspect of achievements is important if you as a developer worry about getting more players.

On top of that, achievements even if they’re local will keep a player engaged for a longer time. This can be useful if your game is ad based as it provides more opportunity to serve up stuff. Achievements can also be used to increase your fan base (say you get a reward for liking the game developer on facebook or following them on twitter)

As a gamer, I enjoy having achievements if they’re well done and hopefully have some humor in them as well.

[import]uid: 9035 topic_id: 36473 reply_id: 144823[/import]

#3

Thanks for the reply back! For me personally, as a gamer, i’m not too bothered with achievements especially since I find many games these days dumb it down (for eg, play five games and upgrade and you get an achievement - what’s the point of that?). Although as you mentioned if it is well done with some humor then it can be fun to see the achievement unlocked.

My initial plan was to have just a handful of in-game achievements - and actually make them bit more challenging to achieve - but then i thought if i’m doing achievements and the game is iOS then i may as well go the official Game Center route… However, looking at these forums to integrate this seemed like its a bit of a hassle!..

Just wondering, i saw this page http://www.coronalabs.com/blog/2012/01/17/tutorial-game-center-integration-ios/ Does anyone know if this is still valid and up-to-date given it was written up over a year ago?

Cheers, [import]uid: 175094 topic_id: 36473 reply_id: 144868[/import]

#4

From a developer’s perspective, leaderboards, achievements, etc, are tools to engage the player and get him/her to engage other players and thus increase your install base. So the social aspect of achievements is important if you as a developer worry about getting more players.

On top of that, achievements even if they’re local will keep a player engaged for a longer time. This can be useful if your game is ad based as it provides more opportunity to serve up stuff. Achievements can also be used to increase your fan base (say you get a reward for liking the game developer on facebook or following them on twitter)

As a gamer, I enjoy having achievements if they’re well done and hopefully have some humor in them as well.

[import]uid: 9035 topic_id: 36473 reply_id: 144823[/import]

#5

Thanks for the reply back! For me personally, as a gamer, i’m not too bothered with achievements especially since I find many games these days dumb it down (for eg, play five games and upgrade and you get an achievement - what’s the point of that?). Although as you mentioned if it is well done with some humor then it can be fun to see the achievement unlocked.

My initial plan was to have just a handful of in-game achievements - and actually make them bit more challenging to achieve - but then i thought if i’m doing achievements and the game is iOS then i may as well go the official Game Center route… However, looking at these forums to integrate this seemed like its a bit of a hassle!..

Just wondering, i saw this page http://www.coronalabs.com/blog/2012/01/17/tutorial-game-center-integration-ios/ Does anyone know if this is still valid and up-to-date given it was written up over a year ago?

Cheers, [import]uid: 175094 topic_id: 36473 reply_id: 144868[/import]

#6

From a developer’s perspective, leaderboards, achievements, etc, are tools to engage the player and get him/her to engage other players and thus increase your install base. So the social aspect of achievements is important if you as a developer worry about getting more players.

On top of that, achievements even if they’re local will keep a player engaged for a longer time. This can be useful if your game is ad based as it provides more opportunity to serve up stuff. Achievements can also be used to increase your fan base (say you get a reward for liking the game developer on facebook or following them on twitter)

As a gamer, I enjoy having achievements if they’re well done and hopefully have some humor in them as well.

[import]uid: 9035 topic_id: 36473 reply_id: 144823[/import]

#7

Thanks for the reply back! For me personally, as a gamer, i’m not too bothered with achievements especially since I find many games these days dumb it down (for eg, play five games and upgrade and you get an achievement - what’s the point of that?). Although as you mentioned if it is well done with some humor then it can be fun to see the achievement unlocked.

My initial plan was to have just a handful of in-game achievements - and actually make them bit more challenging to achieve - but then i thought if i’m doing achievements and the game is iOS then i may as well go the official Game Center route… However, looking at these forums to integrate this seemed like its a bit of a hassle!..

Just wondering, i saw this page http://www.coronalabs.com/blog/2012/01/17/tutorial-game-center-integration-ios/ Does anyone know if this is still valid and up-to-date given it was written up over a year ago?

Cheers, [import]uid: 175094 topic_id: 36473 reply_id: 144868[/import]

#8

From a developer’s perspective, leaderboards, achievements, etc, are tools to engage the player and get him/her to engage other players and thus increase your install base. So the social aspect of achievements is important if you as a developer worry about getting more players.

On top of that, achievements even if they’re local will keep a player engaged for a longer time. This can be useful if your game is ad based as it provides more opportunity to serve up stuff. Achievements can also be used to increase your fan base (say you get a reward for liking the game developer on facebook or following them on twitter)

As a gamer, I enjoy having achievements if they’re well done and hopefully have some humor in them as well.

[import]uid: 9035 topic_id: 36473 reply_id: 144823[/import]

#9

Thanks for the reply back! For me personally, as a gamer, i’m not too bothered with achievements especially since I find many games these days dumb it down (for eg, play five games and upgrade and you get an achievement - what’s the point of that?). Although as you mentioned if it is well done with some humor then it can be fun to see the achievement unlocked.

My initial plan was to have just a handful of in-game achievements - and actually make them bit more challenging to achieve - but then i thought if i’m doing achievements and the game is iOS then i may as well go the official Game Center route… However, looking at these forums to integrate this seemed like its a bit of a hassle!..

Just wondering, i saw this page http://www.coronalabs.com/blog/2012/01/17/tutorial-game-center-integration-ios/ Does anyone know if this is still valid and up-to-date given it was written up over a year ago?

Cheers, [import]uid: 175094 topic_id: 36473 reply_id: 144868[/import]