A Bunch of Pixels

[Greenskull]

You know what bugs me? When people say things like "Why would you go through all this trouble for a bunch of pixels?"

Prime example: armour in Halo. I've heard countless people state that you aren't very smart if you seek after such a thing. This also applies to any other unlockables in a game, even achievements.

This is where I get ticked off. How is getting an award in a video game any different than getting an award for, say, a sport? Sports are hobbies. Gaming is a hobby. If you accomplish something at your hobby of choice then you've done something to make yourself truly happy. You display your "trophy" proudly on a "shelf".

I can understand people not caring about such things, but that doesn't give them to right to put other people down for caring. If I got an award at something that isn't my main hobby, let's use school as an example, I don't really care. It's a "whatever" kind of thing. But there are people out there who DO care A LOT. In gaming, I am one of those people.

When I got recon in Halo 3 before it became available to the general public I was ecstatic. I accomplished the toughest thing you could accomplish. I gained a trophy that not many others had. It's like climbing Mt. Everest. If you were one of the people who did that you'd feel great. There are countless people who have tried and failed. There are few who have actually performed such a feat. That's how I felt when I rocked my Recon in matchmaking.

Just as a little bit of a tangent here, this also applies to avatar clothing. There are quite a few people on these forums who are apposed to spending money on "a bunch of pixels." You know what? If I want to dress my virtual self in fancy threads I will do just that. Nobody has a right to tell me otherwise.

So that was my little rant. I'm sure many of you achievement hunters and completionists know exactly how I feel.

- Greenskull

[PredArtagnan]

Expressing yourself online is just as valid as expressing yourself in any other way really.

I mean if we're looking at the overall picture here, all pursuits in life are ultimately pointless. You get a nice house, a nice car... whatever.... ultimately it's all worthless and one day it'll be gone.

My biggest gripe with the few friends I have who tell me that I'm stupid for wasting money on virtual items, is that those same friends will go out every Friday night and do the exact same routine spending money on alcohol and clubs.
Now.... how is that any better? They are pursuits which are limited to the moment. The next day, they have nothing to show for all that expenditure.

But if that's seriously what they enjoy, what right do I have to judge them and tell them otherwise? It'd just be nice if the door swung both ways.

[Greenskull]

Expressing yourself online is just as valid as expressing yourself in any other way really.

I mean if we're looking at the overall picture here, all pursuits in life are ultimately pointless. You get a nice house, a nice car... whatever.... ultimately it's all worthless and one day it'll be gone.

My biggest gripe with the few friends I have who tell me that I'm stupid for wasting money on virtual items, is that those same friends will go out every Friday night and do the exact same routine spending money on alcohol and clubs.
Now.... how is that any better? They are pursuits which are limited to the moment. The next day, they have nothing to show for all that expenditure.

But if that's seriously what they enjoy, what right do I have to judge them and tell them otherwise? It'd just be nice if the door swung both ways.

well said

[RUL Horizontal]

It mostly has to do with what others can physically see you've accomplished... If you actually climbed Mt. Everest, you would be famous in real life because you did something in real life. In the gaming world, you would be famous in the gaming world, like your fame in matchmaking with your recon armor.

It's mostly just what your friends see and understand themselves, if they played the game themselves, they would understand.

Also playing video games is 'lazy' to a lot of people, especially the ones who've accomplished things.

[Juxtapose]

Expressing yourself online is just as valid as expressing yourself in any other way really.

I mean if we're looking at the overall picture here, all pursuits in life are ultimately pointless. You get a nice house, a nice car... whatever.... ultimately it's all worthless and one day it'll be gone.

My biggest gripe with the few friends I have who tell me that I'm stupid for wasting money on virtual items, is that those same friends will go out every Friday night and do the exact same routine spending money on alcohol and clubs.
Now.... how is that any better? They are pursuits which are limited to the moment. The next day, they have nothing to show for all that expenditure.

But if that's seriously what they enjoy, what right do I have to judge them and tell them otherwise? It'd just be nice if the door swung both ways.

The house, the car, etc. are assets and investments that contribute to your overall financial portfolio and are part of what will allow you to provide for your family.

Alcohol and clubs, though I'm not a huge fan of clubs myself, have a strong potential for opening up interactions with the opposite sex. And I'm talking about more than intercourse.

If you're seriously comparing avatar clothes to a house, car, etc. it simply tells me you have yet to truly learn and truly appreciate the value of money.

[Greenskull]

Expressing yourself online is just as valid as expressing yourself in any other way really.

I mean if we're looking at the overall picture here, all pursuits in life are ultimately pointless. You get a nice house, a nice car... whatever.... ultimately it's all worthless and one day it'll be gone.

My biggest gripe with the few friends I have who tell me that I'm stupid for wasting money on virtual items, is that those same friends will go out every Friday night and do the exact same routine spending money on alcohol and clubs.
Now.... how is that any better? They are pursuits which are limited to the moment. The next day, they have nothing to show for all that expenditure.

But if that's seriously what they enjoy, what right do I have to judge them and tell them otherwise? It'd just be nice if the door swung both ways.

The house, the car, etc. are assets and investments that contribute to your overall financial portfolio and are part of what will allow you to provide for your family.

Alcohol and clubs, though I'm not a huge fan of clubs myself, have a strong potential for opening up interactions with the opposite sex. And I'm talking about more than intercourse.

If you're seriously comparing avatar clothes to a house, car, etc. it simply tells me you have yet to truly learn and truly appreciate the value of money.

My arguement is made clear right there. Money doesn't buy happiness. You are obvously a person that values money. I used to think I did, but I don't. I don't care about investments or anything of the sort. I want to be happy in my gaming world. I want to have "assets" in games as apposed to real life. I value my gaming awards just as you value money.

[Harflin]

Win thread is win

[Nova102]

Win rant is win

Fix'd

[Juxtapose]

Expressing yourself online is just as valid as expressing yourself in any other way really.

I mean if we're looking at the overall picture here, all pursuits in life are ultimately pointless. You get a nice house, a nice car... whatever.... ultimately it's all worthless and one day it'll be gone.

My biggest gripe with the few friends I have who tell me that I'm stupid for wasting money on virtual items, is that those same friends will go out every Friday night and do the exact same routine spending money on alcohol and clubs.
Now.... how is that any better? They are pursuits which are limited to the moment. The next day, they have nothing to show for all that expenditure.

But if that's seriously what they enjoy, what right do I have to judge them and tell them otherwise? It'd just be nice if the door swung both ways.

The house, the car, etc. are assets and investments that contribute to your overall financial portfolio and are part of what will allow you to provide for your family.

Alcohol and clubs, though I'm not a huge fan of clubs myself, have a strong potential for opening up interactions with the opposite sex. And I'm talking about more than intercourse.

If you're seriously comparing avatar clothes to a house, car, etc. it simply tells me you have yet to truly learn and truly appreciate the value of money.

My arguement is made clear right there. Money doesn't buy happiness. You are obvously a person that values money. I used to think I did, but I don't. I don't care about investments or anything of the sort. I want to be happy in my gaming world. I want to have "assets" in games as apposed to real life. I value my gaming awards just as you value money.

No dude, money doesn't buy happiness, it contributes towards the essentials of life that provides happiness, security, and peace of mind.

You've never had to pay a mortgage payment, or worry about having food on the table, or worry about loosing your job because of the drastic effects that will have on your kids. Hell, I haven't even had to worry about that last one yet, but someday I probably will.

And in times like those, you _will_ care about your investments, as they'll be able to support you when you need them. Your recon armour, as cool as it is, won't.

There is nothing wrong at all with gaming awards. I enjoy earning them, I love collecting Achievements, but to say that they're more valuable than a home is nothing but naivete.

I understand where you're coming from, and the basis of your, and the others, arguments, but you've taken it to very unrealistic proportions.

Don't believe me. Go and ask Sinnix. I recently read about the troubles he had last fall with his job loss. It sounded quite terrifying, and no amount of avatar clothes could help him then.

[Greenskull]

I agree that all of that stuff is important, I'm just ranting about people saying that my choices are wrong. There is nothing wrong with spending money on what I want or being proud of what I want.