Blizzard's Principle Game Designer on Changing Difficult/Luck-Based Achievements/Trophies in Overwatch

[Grample_Gust]

During Overwatch's Reddit AMA on Thursday, I asked:

 

"How will Achievements in Overwatch be addressed as the game’s balance continues to evolve? Will we eventually have a reliable way of obtaining ultra-rare achievements like Cratered, Rapid Discord and Window of Opportunity one day? Or will achievement hunters be left to fight the insane odds in Quick Play and Competitive games forever?"

 

"I understand this question only matters for a niche group of players, but as someone who likes to achievement hunt games to completion, I’m super interested in any opportunity to make getting those sprays depend less on luck and more on skill!"

 

 

I actually got a response from Scott Mercer himself:

Quote

Making adjustments to achievements is extremely tricky, and we have to do it on a case by case basis. We've had to change a few due to some heroes getting larger reworks where an achievement became literally unobtainable, but making very difficult to earn achievements easier can feel bad for those who have put in the time and energy to earn them.

 

Link to official thread

Edited July 31, 2020 by Grample_Gust

[Shadiochao]

The Baptiste one is a mess. I'm a platinum level Baptiste on both PS4 and PC, and so far I haven't ever managed to amplify 2500 damage in a single GAME, let alone in a single round and also without dying. 

 

Not to mention his ultimate charge is significantly slower than it used to be.

[sepheroithisgod]

I get what they were going for with the trophy list, but it took a long time to earn the trophies legit. I did everything up to Doomfist legit and it really is just pure luck to be given the opportunity you need.

I think a more generic list that was like win x games as x or kill x players as x would have been a better fit. Especially with the major reworks that keep doing.

Edited July 31, 2020 by sepheroithisgod

[HuntingFever]

Here's my answer to that:

 

1: Don't make the trophies luck based in the first place (seriously, who thought that was a good idea?)

2: Nothing can ever take away how the previous earners managed to get their trophies but it's time to stop thinking about the past and focus on the present.

[LittleBlueMacaw]

They could go the Mass Effect route:

Keep the current conditions for a trophy but also add a second one (like play x hours/get x kills with this character or whatever).

 

That way, players who already earned a difficult trophy prior won't feel that bad.

 

Or they could enable trophies in arcade.