Video Game Achievements Calculator

The completion time estimate provides a general approximation rather than an exact prediction. Its accuracy depends on several factors:

• The consistency of achievement distribution throughout the game
• The accuracy of your estimate for achievements earned per hour
• How well the difficulty factor reflects the game's actual challenge

For the most accurate results:

1. Research the achievement list to identify any particularly time-consuming achievements
2. Consider your familiarity with the game genre when setting the difficulty factor
3. If possible, base your "achievements per hour" on early experience with the game

Remember that some games have achievements that require specific circumstances or significant grinding, which can substantially increase completion time beyond the estimate.

"Missable" achievements are those that can be permanently missed during a playthrough if certain actions aren't taken at specific times. They're important to achievement hunters for several reasons:

• Prevent Wasted Time: Missing one can require an entire new playthrough to obtain
• Require Planning: You often need to know about them in advance to ensure completion
• Impact Completion Difficulty: Games with many missable achievements are generally more challenging to complete

Common types of missable achievements include:

• Choices that lock out certain storylines or areas
• One-time events or boss fights with specific completion requirements
• Collectibles in areas that become inaccessible as the story progresses
• Character-specific achievements when characters may leave your party
• Limited-time seasonal or event-based achievements

When using our completion time calculator for games with many missable achievements, consider increasing the difficulty factor to account for the additional planning and potential replays required.

Each gaming platform uses its own system for calculating achievement scores:

PlayStation Trophy System

• Bronze Trophies: 15 points each (easiest to earn)
• Silver Trophies: 30 points each (moderate difficulty)
• Gold Trophies: 90 points each (challenging)
• Platinum Trophy: 300 points (earned by collecting all other trophies in a game)
• Points contribute to a trophy level, which increases on a curve (higher levels require more points)

Xbox Achievement System

• Uses "Gamerscore" with points assigned to each achievement
• Typical achievements range from 5-100 Gamerscore
• Traditional games have 1,000 total Gamerscore available
• DLC often adds additional achievements worth 250-500 Gamerscore
• No equivalent to PlayStation's Platinum trophy

Steam Achievement System

• No built-in point system - all achievements have equal value
• Displays percentage of total achievements earned per game
• Shows percent of all Steam users who have earned each achievement
• Some community tools assign point values based on achievement rarity

Our trophy score calculator approximates these systems to give you an idea of your standing, though exact implementation may vary slightly from the platforms' actual algorithms, which can change over time.

The importance of achievements varies widely among players. They can enhance enjoyment for many players by:

• Providing direction: Suggesting activities or challenges players might not otherwise try
• Creating goals: Giving additional objectives beyond the main story
• Extending playtime: Offering reasons to continue playing after finishing the main content
• Recognizing skill: Acknowledging when players master difficult gameplay elements
• Building community: Creating shared experiences among players

However, achievements aren't essential to enjoying games, and focusing too much on them can sometimes:

• Turn gameplay into a checklist rather than an experience
• Force players into playstyles they don't enjoy
• Create frustration with extremely difficult or tedious requirements
• Distract from the core gameplay experience

The healthiest approach is to use achievements as an enhancement to your gaming experience rather than the primary reason for playing. Focus on achievements that sound fun or interesting to you, and don't feel obligated to chase those that don't appeal to your playstyle.

Some achievements have become legendary for their difficulty or time investment. Notable examples include:

• "Seriously..." series (Gears of War): Each game has a "Seriously..." achievement requiring massive grinding, like getting 10,000 kills in the original game.
• "Mile High Club" (Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare): Complete a special mission on Veteran difficulty with an extremely tight time limit.
• "The Stanley Parable: Go Outside": Don't play the game for 5 years after your last play session.
• "Bladder of Steel" (Rock Band 2): Complete the 84-song Endless Setlist without pausing or failing.
• "Trail Blazer" (Trials HD): Complete all extreme tracks without faulting once.
• "Good Luck" (Super Meat Boy): Complete the entire game without dying.
• "Renowned Physicist" (Half-Life 2): Carry a garden gnome through the entire game to launch it into space.

When planning your achievement hunting using our calculators, consider researching if the game has any notoriously difficult achievements. For games with extremely challenging achievements, you might want to increase the difficulty factor in the completion time calculator significantly.

Remember that achievement difficulty is subjective - what's nearly impossible for one player might be routine for another, depending on skill level and experience with the genre.

Finding the right balance between achievement hunting and enjoying games is important for maintaining a healthy relationship with gaming. Here are some approaches that work well for many players:

• First playthrough focus: For your first playthrough of a game, consider ignoring achievements entirely and simply enjoying the experience. Save achievement hunting for subsequent playthroughs.
• Natural achievements first: Prioritize achievements that align with your natural playstyle. Only pursue others if you're still enjoying the game.
• Set a completion threshold: Instead of aiming for 100% completion in every game, set a personal threshold (like 80%) that feels satisfying without requiring the most tedious achievements.
• Recognize diminishing returns: Be aware that the final 10-20% of achievements often require disproportionately more time and effort than the first 80-90%.
• Take breaks: If achievement hunting starts feeling like a chore, take a break and play something else. Return when you're genuinely excited about the game again.
• Be selective: Choose to fully complete only games you truly love, rather than trying to master every game in your library.

Our progress tracker can help with this balance by showing your current completion percentage. If you're already at 70-80% completion with only the most grindy achievements remaining, consider whether pursuing them aligns with your enjoyment of the game.

Remember, achievements are meant to enhance your gaming experience, not detract from it. If hunting achievements isn't fun anymore, it's perfectly fine to move on.