As stated before, collecting things is part of my nature. This doesn't just apply to video games, but it definitely affects how I play games pretty heavily. I not only have a compulsive need to find all hidden collectibles in a game, unlock all upgrades of things, and check off every item on any list possible in a game, but I also have to get the highest ranking/medal, finish any side objectives, and kill all optional bosses. Normally this isn't that big a deal, but this need has repeatedly marred my experience with a game. Super Mario 64, Fez, Assassin's Creed, and Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood are all memorable (or recent) experiences where the need to collect everything ruined or severely marred my experience with the game. It seems pretty strange to have such a strong compulsion to collect things that it will turn a game from something to entertain me to something to punish me or make me work.
I can come up with reasons to try to explain the need (finding game design flaws so I won't make the same mistakes, bragging rights, getting the best ending, etc.), but honestly none of that comes into play while I'm under the effect of Gotta Catch 'Em All Syndrome (GCEAS). If you give me an in-game to do list or list of unlockables, I will do everything I can to finish them all off. The trick to overcoming GCEAS is learning when to override that. I've apparently been able to override it universally for Achievements (unless the game is all about unlocking achievements). I can override it if I see no hope of ever completing it or it's WAY too time consuming (Final Fantasy optional bosses, I'm looking at you and your 50 health bars...). I can override it if I realize I've already missed something that I can't go back and get anymore (which is a HUGE design flaw in my opinion).
What I'm really curious about is other people suffer from GCEAS and to what extent. Are there some things they have to collect/complete and others they don't?
We suffer the same illness.
ReplyDeleteIn terms of overcoming it, I think I'm like you. I'll evaluate the difficulty of the item in question and try to determine if it's worth my time.
Achievements: worth it if I'm going to do them anyway (common). Not worth it if I have to play an extra 10 hours after having beaten the game just to get some arbitrary score achievement (esp. if there is no reward for achievements, which is also common).
All the red coins in Mario Sunshine: Worth it until I had to do the stupid jumping levels within a specified time.
All the spiders in Ocarina of Time: Worth it until I couldn't find one and my roommate told me you got some lame reward for it.
I got all the red coins in Mario Sunshine and I remember exactly what part you're talking about. Although, getting all the stars in Mario 64 made me hate it more than the red coins made me hate Mario Sunshine. Stupid lousy clock level...
DeleteI try not to find out about what you get from side stuff until afterwards just because I don't want that to make me stop caring about the extra stuff.
I also can't seem to go back to a game to do stuff I left behind once I've finished a game. Even if there's an expansion pack or good DLC, I find it hard to go back and play a game I've already completed. Which is probably why I make sure I do all side stuff before completing a game. :)