What do you think about acheivements in video games?

They are simply amazing. If you say otherwise I expect a real response instead of "You don't get anything for them."

Getting acheivements in games makes me feel like a peice of shit. Why would you put acheivements in a game like Eternal Sonata? Or Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter? Or Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion? It just doesn't make much sense to me. It makes me feel as if Microsoft is using it as a ploy to get people to buy their games.

I feel they ruin my experience with the game as I have to go out of my way and get them instead of enjoying the game.

They're not a huge part of gaming for me, but that's because I know I'll never be able to compete with people and their huge score. I think it's great for people who are into competition or get that rewarding feeling when they see the "Achievement Unlocked" graphic appear.

Don't have a problem with them, but could live without 'em.

I love them, or I love seeing "Achievement Unlocked" followed by that "Pu-lump-sound"

I don't go out of my way to get them on my first playthrough, I just like getting them as I go along. In fact, I don't even go back to get them that often, it's just recently since Giant Bomb started the achievement rating.

I love 'em. As someone who normally never plays a game more than one time through, they add a lot of incentive for me to keep playing a game even after i might have finished it.

they're the most idiotic things ever invented

Depends on the achievement, I like the achievements were you really have to something for it, I hate those achievements you get for completing an level. Sure it helps my virtual penis......ehh I mean gamerscore to grow, but I want to get the feeling that I accomplished something. So from your poll, I'm okay with them.

This is the second time I've suggested you use the search bar. I'm pretty sure there was a thread like this a few days ago.

I like achievements.  On my first playthrough, I really don't look at them or attempt to do anything crazy to get them.  However, I feel they really aid replay value and provide some form of "checkpoint" system that was missing before.
Some games can be long and turn into a grind.  With achievements, you always feel like you're accomplishing something, and when you get those "accidental" ones, it feels like a testament of your skills.

They are enjoyable. As far as I can tell the only people that dislike them think they matter somehow.

They are only there to say "Look, I am better than you... I have more achievments" and just to make games more replayable, and you should be able to do these things without achievments. I don't really see a point to them myself =/

They really annoy me, partially because of people e-penis issues about it but also because it takes me out of the experience. The amount of times ive been really enjoying a game then the "acheivment unlocked" graphic comes up with the sound as well, then I look around and go "oh ye, I was playing a game". I ended up telling it not to show them on my 360, on Steam games with acheivments like Team Fortress 2 Ive left them on because I feel they are better integrated in to the game and the style of game that im playing it dosent take me out of the game (or if it does it dosent matter).

I also hate the fact that they arent equal, like Avatar on 360 versus the points in the Orange Box (360 version). They end up barely feeling like achievments. 

The last complain really is that most achievments feel like they are patting me on the head and saying "Good Boy, heres a biscuit". I really dont need to be told that I done well by finishing a level, I already feel my own sense of achievment or perhaps lack of (because of a shoddy game).

Depends on game.  I screw them off in rpgs but not the case in action games or shooters.

And Paxy, you realize it's the unlocking of an achievement that is the fun, not getting points for it?  And as far as totals, it's getting them all in a particular game, not just any game. 
It's like an unlock challenge system that's required in every game and is unified.  That's damn good and I think I speak for the majority when I say gamers like to unlock things and ber completiionists.

I love achievements. I feel that they add great replay value to a game, and get me to do things I necessarily wouldn't normally try to do otherwise.

I think its kind of fun to see how much people have played with certain games, and have leaderboards for gamerpoints and stuff. So "love em".

i'm okay with them... I don't really care, and never go out of my way to get them, but sometimes looking at them gives me new ways of enjoying myself, and experiencing the game.