Achievement Burnout: How to cope with never being Complete

ArchMikem · October 2023

Hi. Welcome to an impromptu Ted Talk I guess.

This is the current state of my Achievement List;

Now I'm definitely what you'd call a "Casual" player. Even though I have the ability to log on multiple times a week, and I've been playing since the late Summer of 2015. I've had ample time to Achievement hunt and fill these bars like so many others have done as shown in that Club thread in here. Buuut, being a Solo player that doesn't chase the META and is pretty subpar at PvP, I was always going to be lacking at some categories. That said, as time continues on and Content continues to be released, new Achievements added along with new progress bars, my list of partially filled bars has gotten longer, and longer, to the point where scrolling thru it all actually causes a bit of...inadequacy? I discovered that feeling just last night as I was looking for things to do after getting my two Event tickets.

Of course I already knew I have a plethora of Achievements to look into, get at, do some work toward. I had pretty much accepted there will always be a chunk of Achieves left untouched, even the Character Achievements hasnt been 100%, because I've never once been a Vampire or Werewolf, as neither of those fit my playstyle nor Character choices. But as the years pass by and more Content gets added and the Achievement list gets ever longer to scroll thru, just the number of partial bars is starting to mock me. I spent a couple minutes reading the Achievements for Necrom, realizing their conditions and saw things like, "Oh *** good luck with me." and "Wanna get Savior? Grind the three Job brokers for a Month straight." and "Buddy just don't even bother." That last sentiment rings true every time a new Trial is added.

BUT, it's okay though in the end right? It's just a game, none of these achievements actually amount to your real world worth, they don't speak to your ability to persevere and overcome seemingly unobtainable goals, they don't give you a real sense of accomplishment, a feeling of competence, of completion. Right?

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UntilValhalla13 · October 2023

If it helps, they also mean nothing in the game as well.

alternatelder · October 2023

I gave up long ago caring about majority of achievements. The ones I did like completing zos messed up and decided to lock it behind an ugly mount- earnable from a group (pretty much mandatory) activity. There's like one day or two days out of the year where I get extremely bored and look over them and decide which ones I can temporarily cure my boredom with.

Necrotech_Master · October 2023

i still would like to earn what i can, majority of the ones im missing are from dungeons on vet mainly because ive never really focused on getting them lol

im not the best at pvp either but i still eventually got a character to grand overlord lol

kargen27 · October 2023

From time to time I look to see if I am close to one and then maybe try and finish it. Other than that I kind of ignore them. When I still needed trophies for those achievements if the daily or weekly endeavor was kill things with weapon skills or poison I would go kill things that might drop the trophy I need.

KlauthWarthog · October 2023

ArchMikem wrote: »

That last sentiment rings true every time a new Trial is added.

Want a cheap and easy laugh at the game's expense?
Mehrunes Dagon, the literal God of Destruction, has, at the climatic battle for the Deadlands arc, about 47 million health.
Ansuul, a thing nobody heard about which lives inside a dude's head and is the last boss on the latest trial, has about 160 million health.
The thing that lives inside a dude's head is more than 3 times as tough as the literal God of Destruction.

TaSheen · October 2023

The best thing about being me is that I'm not a completionist, and I don't care about achievements. My mother was (not with games - she thought games were stupid and useless) but with life. You can't be a completionist with life....

I'm so not into achievements. Yay me!

AcadianPaladin · October 2023

There are achievements in this game? To what purpose do they serve?

fall0athboy · October 2023

I've long since known I was never going to be good enough for the vast majority of vet trials, or vet content, so I just shrugged and decided "everything but vet" would be my goal.

It got extended to "at least complete the vet dungeons" when I realized some weren't *too* hard.

disintegr8 · October 2023

Also been playing since 2015 and don't care about achievements.

I completed master angler with a friend, completed Cadwell's silver and gold once and at least complete each new zones quest line once. Apart from that the achievements mean nothing to me.

I don't enjoy PVP enough to get any character to Grand Overlord, my highest level is about 35.

RicAlmighty · October 2023

The only achievements I am even remotely interested in for this game are the ones that unlock dyes. Otherwise, I couldn’t care less about achievements or getting them. Can’t be obsessive about something you never look at!

Hlaaluna · October 2023

There is nothing worse than a game with nothing to do. I have been playing since 2014 & still have many achievements to do. I don't chase them and I don't do the ones that bore me. I hope I never have my achievements fully done.

spartaxoxo · October 2023

Personally, I recommend going for a personal list of achievements rather than all of them. For example, deciding to do all justice achievements. If you look at as your tale of the vestige, and pick a personalized list for yourself, then it won't bother you as much to be unable to get literally all of them

Braffin · October 2023

ArchMikem wrote: »

BUT, it's okay though in the end right? It's just a game, none of these achievements actually amount to your real world worth, they don't speak to your ability to persevere and overcome seemingly unobtainable goals, they don't give you a real sense of accomplishment, a feeling of competence, of completion. Right?

Right.

Hapexamendios · October 2023

It's easy enough f you don't care about be a completionist. I don't care.

colossalvoids · October 2023

Well as a hunter of sorts it's fine with me that I'm lacking in some departments because I've chosen to quit raiding couple years back and participating in game way less than before, lost interest in grind etc, in a sense I have a good amount of stuff to do now when and if I'd decide to waste a year or two being "ESO main".

Just ask yourself if those are worth the hassle and if it will make your actually happier rather than not doing them now and enjoying what you're doing rn instead.

Haenk · October 2023

I'd say: Ignore it.
Gaming should be fun, IMHO. And this includes a "Do what you want.", no one is pressuring you, so don't pressure yourself.
Unless you take ESO as a fulltime job, it is almost impossible to "complete" this game - and even then, it will last only for a couple of weeks.
With limited time, set a small goal - this will get you motivated. (I'm trying to complete crafting, which will probably take years. And that's fine with me.)

Another good idea is to just uninstall the game for a while; I already did that a couple of times - it is refreshing to play a different game. WIth a little distance, you can later decide to return or not to.

Katzenzunge · October 2023

I've never cared for in-game achivements, either because I knew I wasn't gonna get them due to skill/dedication, time, or a group that's needed for them. Multiple games, I might add. Even single-player games actually. I never was the type-A-gamer, especially since many achivements demand different difficulties.

It's schrödingers achievements for me : Do I not care for them because I'm aware I'll never get them, or do I never get them because I don't care for them?

The only thing I'm currently doing is, similar to what @RicAlmighty said, hunting down the (for me attainable) achievements for different dyes. The exploration and delve ones, that is.
Oh, and the ones needed for the Companion-Bff-Status.

Other than that? I'm happy when something pops up, but I don't check it.

jtm1018 · October 2023

achievement burnout is for over-achievers!!!

just have fun, its not a job!!!

get out if your burned out!!!

Jaimeh · October 2023

I forgot about completionism the moment I made my first alt character years ago, and all sense of progression went out the window, but I never looked back. It was so much fun experiencing different roles and specs within roles, and doing various contents with different characters--I think it was the most enriching part of my game life (and hence why I wasn't on par with AwA, because it ruined a big part of it, since I never really cared where achievements gathered in the first place). That's not to say I don't go after achievements, on the contrary: if it's an activity I enjoy doing, and find it challenging but rewarding, then I really like to go for the associated achievements, but if it's something that I don't like doing, and/or it's tedious, then I'll skip it, even if it's easy and only requires a time sink. I prefer to do what I enjoy when I play, and sometimes this might mean grinding for something, if for eg., it's a mythic that will make my characters better at the content I enjoy, so it's not the grind I mind, it's more about what the grind is for, and when it's for an achievement associated with an activity or content that I don't like or can't do, then I just don't worry about it. Different people get different satisfaction from their gameplay, but for me not being compulsive about every achievement point, and instead focusing on what I liked to do has been really enjoyable thus far, and also has kept the game from feeling boring or like work.

peacenote · October 2023

That cat looks so sad. :'(

I find it ironic and can't resist pointing out how far after the release of AwA this post was written. Hence it didn't solve the problem.

Last I will just say that although I enjoy working through a list of accomplishments, such that AwA removed a lot of fun for me in ESO... I also hate endings. So I choose to equate the never ending achievements with how I feel when I start a new book or TV series which I know has many, many books / episodes. How I feel is happy and excited that the fun won't end for a long time.

Vevvev · October 2023

I understand the feeling, but you didn't do the vampire and werewolf achievements, which you can essentially knock out in a single afternoon for very little cost, and are complaining about not achieving everything?

Okay... strange choice, but that bar will never be 100% complete as a result. The gold cost to cure both curses is very miniscule and there's players giving bites for free all over the place. Do it for the dyes at least.

BXR_Lonestar · October 2023

Here's a tip:

STOP. Playing for achievements. Just play for fun. That is kind of the point of a game - to play it for enjoyment. If you're not enjoying the game, its time to put it down and play/do something else.

ghastley · October 2023

Achievements were only ever a means of tracking what a character had done. With AWA, even that went away.

aru · October 2023

I feel lucky that I don't feel your will in this anymore. Many moons ago I had been trying to be full achievement in every game I owned on Steam. Luckily that ambition is long gone. My advice would be to let it go.

Necrotech_Master · October 2023

KlauthWarthog wrote: »

ArchMikem wrote: »

That last sentiment rings true every time a new Trial is added.

Want a cheap and easy laugh at the game's expense?
Mehrunes Dagon, the literal God of Destruction, has, at the climatic battle for the Deadlands arc, about 47 million health.
Ansuul, a thing nobody heard about which lives inside a dude's head and is the last boss on the latest trial, has about 160 million health.
The thing that lives inside a dude's head is more than 3 times as tough as the literal God of Destruction.

actually is worse than that, it doesnt matter how much hp they gave dagon because its a story level quest you could complete it while sleeping just about, while you need 12 coordinated players to kill the trial boss lol

Veinblood1965 · October 2023

I go after all the ones I can get just for something to do. I stay away from the dungeons and fishing ones. Recently doing the larceny achievements for the new expansions, I've got a 350,000 bounty ha!

Tenthirty2 · October 2023

ArchMikem wrote: »

Hi. Welcome to an impromptu Ted Talk I guess.
...
BUT, it's okay though in the end right? It's just a game, none of these achievements actually amount to your real world worth, they don't speak to your ability to persevere and overcome seemingly unobtainable goals, they don't give you a real sense of accomplishment, a feeling of competence, of completion. Right?

TBH I can't remember the last time I looked at my progress bars for achievements.
And you are right, they don't mater.

Do you have FUN playing? That matters.

But achievements? Meh.

The ones I may decide to earn are the ones with a reward attached (I know, so shallow of me lol)
So if there is a nice dye I'd like, title, cosmetic or pet, that kind of stuff.
But even hunting those is an occasional thing.

I do make achievements for myself, just to see if I can do them. Like solo a hard dungeon, etc. But even then when I finish it the achievement for me is having DONE it, it's THAT feeling that is the reward. I could care less if a progress bar somewhere gets more filled in or not.

Some people do get enjoyment out of filling the meters and ticking all the boxes, nothing wrong with that. That's fun for them.

But for those that wrestle with the subject tho it's probably adulting that gives some the mindset of "MUST COMPLETE <things>! "
It feels similar to job tasks and projects, (Gotta fill those meters, complete projects, don't leave work half-done!

)

And for a job\career, sure those things matter.

A game? Not so much.

Games are supposed to be fun, not a job.

One day ZoS will shut down the servers for good, or I'll drop dead, or the Sun will explode, whatever and my accounts and characters will all still have unfilled progress meters, even my main.

I don't care, I've already raised and trained a small legion of immortal badasses. I've already done things that I previously thought "I couldn't do that."

Those are my achievements.

Doing all the things just to do them won't make you happy.
Just enjoy doing the things that do and you will achieve happiness.

Wolf_Eye · October 2023

RicAlmighty wrote: »

The only achievements I am even remotely interested in for this game are the ones that unlock dyes. Otherwise, I couldn’t care less about achievements or getting them. Can’t be obsessive about something you never look at!

This. The only ones I care about are the dye unlocks (and the pet/mount/costume unlocks).

In other words, if it doesn't give me something in-game, I could care less about it.

But I also was never big on achievements in the first place. I remember the times before Xbox Gamer Scores existed (I think those were invented in early 2000s). I know that the concept of achievements was probably a thing before then, but that was, in my opinion, the point where achievements became the norm. After that point, everybody was suddenly adding achievements to their games.

So I was able to approach them from the point of view of "this was a thing that didn't exist before and now it does". And, as a result, I always saw them as nothing more than "stickers for doing extra stuff not important for the completion of the game".

Great for people who like stickers, and also great for people who, like me, who don't particularly care about stickers (because then we can proceed to ignore them).

Maybe my description and viewpoint will help? In my opinion, if it's causing you stress or upset of any kind, you should strive to try and look at them through the lens of "I don't have to do this if I don't want to". You are not a horrible gamer if your in-game "score" is low. The score means nothing.

Wolf_Eye · October 2023

Tenthirty2 wrote: »

ArchMikem wrote: »

Hi. Welcome to an impromptu Ted Talk I guess.
...
BUT, it's okay though in the end right? It's just a game, none of these achievements actually amount to your real world worth, they don't speak to your ability to persevere and overcome seemingly unobtainable goals, they don't give you a real sense of accomplishment, a feeling of competence, of completion. Right?

TBH I can't remember the last time I looked at my progress bars for achievements.
And you are right, they don't mater.

Do you have FUN playing? That matters.

But achievements? Meh.

The ones I may decide to earn are the ones with a reward attached (I know, so shallow of me lol)
So if there is a nice dye I'd like, title, cosmetic or pet, that kind of stuff.
But even hunting those is an occasional thing.

I do make achievements for myself, just to see if I can do them. Like solo a hard dungeon, etc. But even then when I finish it the achievement for me is having DONE it, it's THAT feeling that is the reward. I could care less if a progress bar somewhere gets more filled in or not.

Some people do get enjoyment out of filling the meters and ticking all the boxes, nothing wrong with that. That's fun for them.

But for those that wrestle with the subject tho it's probably adulting that gives some the mindset of "MUST COMPLETE <things>! "
It feels similar to job tasks and projects, (Gotta fill those meters, complete projects, don't leave work half-done! )

And for a job\career, sure those things matter.

A game? Not so much.

Games are supposed to be fun, not a job.

One day ZoS will shut down the servers for good, or I'll drop dead, or the Sun will explode, whatever and my accounts and characters will all still have unfilled progress meters, even my main.

I don't care, I've already raised and trained a small legion of immortal badasses. I've already done things that I previously thought "I couldn't do that."

Those are my achievements.

Doing all the things just to do them won't make you happy.
Just enjoy doing the things that do and you will achieve happiness.

You know, now that you mention it, it's also possible the reason achievements exist is for those who want goals but don't want to have to come up with ideas for what those goals should be. The achievements act as a sort of "ready made" goal that you can pursue (or not) at your leisure without having to brainstorm anything up.

Dojohoda · October 2023

To me, achievements in ESO are a list of possible things to do in the game. The achievements I get merely reflect my gameplay and what I have decided to do in the game. While some achievements can give me a big sense of accomplishment, it's a personal experience but it is meaningless to my life in any positive way.