How about adding a balance-versus mode and achievements to the game? A Few Ideas

[POOH]

1. For the PVP, each player usually have a huge level distance or at the highest level of the game with the ultimate equipments. Players with poor equipments can never achieve the pleasure of PVP. Besides, the battle between two characters with ultimate equipments is usually really quick which like “one-hit kill”

So, my suggestion is how about create a mode for versus which can only use the default character? Each class has one default character with default level, skill and equipment so every people at any in-game process can play together with high balance. And of Course, people can still choose to play with unlimited rules battle if they want to.

2. Add some achievements into the game may guide people play with unnormal style. Like No-Potion using at act 1, Die 0 time play though the game, NPC survive during a Boss Fight, etc… and unlocked some secret area or items after gaining several achievements.

3. Create a Total random 100+/F Dungeon for the End-game Content, every monsters at the Dungeon are set on highest level (or even higher than the player can reach). The Maps are totally random and the only thing fixed is there will be a Boss Fight for every 10/F. And of course, gain an achievement after play though the Dungeon.

[alucidzombie]

well i hadn't thought of this before but now im wondering, is GD going to have achievements?

[NZSpy]

Originally Posted by alucidzombie

well i hadn't thought of this before but now im wondering, is GD going to have achievements?

It's been brought up before in other threads. The Devs haven't mentioned anything that I know of. I would imagine this would take some work adding it to the existing engine which would take way from developing the core game.

I wouldn't expect to see it.

[eisprinzessin]

I despise achievements unless they provide us with feedback on how we play, and if this can be improved.

Edit: My apologies for the negativity .. that's not fair in a new member's first thread. Welcome to the forums, POOH

[Keyrock]

I'm all for achievements. I feel they add new goals for the player to hunt after they have already completed the game, tried the different builds they wanted to try, and seemingly have nothing more to do in the game. They could be nothing more than titles that could be visible by any other player (and yourself of course) listed under the player name, or they could give very small bonuses. For example (note: I'm going to use some devices from Titan Quest assuming there is some sort of equivalet in Grim Dawn, this is all for the sake of example anyway):

Invincible - Complete the entire game at Normal without ever dying once [+1% Damage Resistance carries over into Epic]. Do it again through Epic [+2% Damage Resistance carries over into Legendary]. Do it again through Legendary [+3% Damage Resistance to any future character].

Self-sufficient - Complete the game at Normal without ever using any shrine [drops become a tiny bit better {mainly more potions} carries over into Epic]. Do it again through Epic [slightly better drops {more potions and better potions} carries over into Legendary]. Do it again through Legendary [better drops {more better potions and you get special drops a tiny bit more often for any future character}]

The Brute - Complete the game at Normal without ever using an activated power [+1% Damage carries over into Epic]. Do it again through Epic [+2% Damage carries over into Legendary]. Do it again through Legendary [+3% Damage to any future character]

Note: When making a new character and having Legendary Achievements available you would be able to select one, and one only, Legendary Achievement to add to that character (i.e. you could add +3% damage or +3% damage resistance but not both)

[ZorusX]

One thing I always preferred over achievements was the trophy style system. Where instead of individual or meta-achievements you earned increasingly better trophies (bronze,silver, gold, platinum) based on performance. Although trophies do tend to favour time-trial type systems, like racing lap speeds, number of items collected in a certain time, enemies killed in certain time, level completion time etc.

[Tenka]

pooh, the game will feature a challenge mode, but it will be a damn sight more interesting than Torchlight recreated in Grimdawn.

Please no achievements. ARPG's are already an addictive "effort ->reward" system for delivering fake sense of accomplishment without achievements, let alone Keyrock's idea of sending us to meta game hell.

I'm not a fan of PVP in ARPG's myself (not opposed to it, just not a fan) but your idea is interesting. Like a hire car race.

[The Wuggly Ump]

I really dig achievements when done right. I still remember how incredibly disappointed I was by GTA IV's achievements - the epitome of sandbox gaming and it was all boring crap like "kill ten mans with [x] gun". I wanted things like causing a chain-reaction explosion of 20 cars while on fire or some shit.

An example of a good achievement is the one in Bioshock that you get for taking a picture of the guy who gave you a camera to take pictures of people you kill - after you kill him.

(If that was incomprehensible I apologize, I haven't slept well)

Torchlight had some pretty good achievements for an ARPG. The horse one was funny, and getting achievements for using a bunch of mods was a great idea.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, I really like achievements if they're awarded for doing something specific and fun. If they're just keeping track of some statistic in the game, I have no interest in that.

[alucidzombie]

i like achievements that promote a different way of playing the game, and like The Wuggly Ump was talking about, the kind that are for doing something you wouldn't necessarily do in a 'normal' playthrough of the game without experimenting a little.

the "Little Rocket Man" achievement in Half-Life 2 Episode 2 was a great reason to replay a game that i wanted to replay anyway (it requires you to take a garden gnome statue with you through the entire game, and place it in the rocket at the end of the episode) and it got me to play through the game with a different mindset. I suppose you could offer a similar type of alternative play style by offering optional quests at the start of the game or even before starting a new game with some kind of exclusive in-game reward.

The main problem with achievements is seeking them out just to "catch 'em all" and not just getting excited and feeling rewarded when they happen to pop up for something you were already doing. For some people playing the game becomes about getting the cheevs and they lose a lot of the fun that way (and im entirely guilty of this on occasion).

In summary, i have no freaking clue if i'd want achievements or not!

[Malpheas]

I'm for achievements attached to crafting if that improves crafting results. I guess what I am talking about is a sort of Quest for Glory crafting related proficiency system... I know that's out of the question for GD, but still... lol