Do games feature too much item collection?

[StaceyPowers]

In another thread, @Reality vs Adventure mentioned that collecting items can break immersion. I've noticed this too, but it is not the only reason item collection annoys me. It also plays to my OCD, and can result in annoying completionist episodes where I want to move forward, but feel stuck until I finish collecting. Sometimes I am relieved to end up in areas or situations where item collection is impossible. Does anyone else think games simply feature too much item collection?

[Justin11]

I think the items makes some gamers to have that completionist tendency, they want to collect more items,as a result of that, they play by all means to progress to the next phase in order to unlock more items. 

[Head_Hunter]

When you're faced with more of the items you have no choice but to continue playing to see if you'll unlock more of them. 

[Reality vs Adventure]

A lot of items in games have nothing to do with completionism, it's just there just to be there. That's what breaks immersion for me. Games try too hard to have all sorts of things to craft, potions to make, and that type of design takes away from the scenery. I even find myself missing out on what a character is saying because I'm looking around for stuff before the character leads me off somewhere. I walk into a room, and I have to remind myself to STOP, just look around the room first before searching for things. Games that don't have so many things to look for end up being much more immersive for me. It's those times when I can break away from robotic gameplay and pay attention to surroundings and put some thought into that instead, is when I enjoy the game the most. That's what brings about memories, not the dizzying haze of looking which way for items. 

[Withywarlock]

I'm in a decent enough mood to say more than 'which games?', and say that when a game made in about the past ten years has collectables it's because of a misguided attempt at 'engagement' and getting one's money's worth. This is the result of the 'hours per dollar' mindset that has plagued forums and comments sections for over a decade now, and game devs/publishers aren't complaining with how much money it makes them.

It is exhausting to see this in just about most every game I pick up, which is why I've limited my video game time considerably. It's also made the transition to the tabletop difficult, where if I fail to notice loot, that's it, my chance has gone and it aggrevates me that in vidya I can just... y'know, keep looking and it will always be there in the mercifully static digital world.

Collectathon fatigue is one of the reasons why I'm grateful when a game is only 30 hours long or whathaveyou. Play enough of such slogs and phrases like 'less is more' and 'too much of a good thing' begin to make sense.

[Boblee]

On 3/31/2022 at 10:59 PM, StaceyPowers said:

In another thread, @Reality vs Adventure mentioned that collecting items can break immersion. I've noticed this too, but it is not the only reason item collection annoys me. It also plays to my OCD, and can result in annoying completionist episodes where I want to move forward, but feel stuck until I finish collecting. Sometimes I am relieved to end up in areas or situations where item collection is impossible. Does anyone else think games simply feature too much item collection?

Too much of it sure does break immersion and becomes tiring along the way especially when there is no way you would skip them even if you wanted to. 

[Empire]

Darksiders II was HORRIBLE for this. Almost every chest was useless but there was always the chance it contained the puzzle-solving key in it so you had to look no matter what. Beyond that, the animation for opening an already out-of-the-way chest completely stopped your character to play an overly long animation.

[NightmareFarm]

Yes some games are bloated with collectibles nowadays. DBZ Kakarot is a good example of this. The open world is absolutely scattered with orbs and other things floating around and it's an eyesore. 

Edited April 14, 2022 by NightmareFarm

[Heatman]

On 4/14/2022 at 12:34 PM, NightmareFarm said:

Yes some games are bloated with collectibles nowadays. DBZ Kakarot is a good example of this. The open world is absolutely scattered with orbs and other things floating around and it's an eyesore. 

The most annoying thing is that most of these items doesn't have much use for you. Why do they have it all over the game in the first place is what I don't understand? 

[NightmareFarm]

1 minute ago, Heatman said:

The most annoying thing is that most of these items doesn't have much use for you. Why do they have it all over the game in the first place is what I don't understand? 

Yeah, it's pretty much just "more is better" philosophy even though they dont realize that it feels like unneccesary filler that the game could do without.

[Justin11]

It's indeed demoralizing seeing more if the items that looks thou like the loot boxes. Since their based on Epic free games, the only way of making money out if their games is via those pay to win items. 

[Yaramaki]

1 hour ago, Heatman said:

The most annoying thing is that most of these items doesn't have much use for you. Why do they have it all over the game in the first place is what I don't understand? 

It's usually just to sqeeze a few hours of extra gameplay out of the game and let's not forget tie an achievement/trophy to it and you're good to go, if they woulden't why would anybody bother.  I'm guilty of this myself because there is something satisfying clearing out an entire map, i've done it pretty much with every open world game i played just to get that elusive trophy/achievement and once it pops i feel like i've wasted my time.

Edited April 26, 2022 by Yaramaki

[Boblee]

9 hours ago, Yaramaki said:

It's usually just to sqeeze a few hours of extra gameplay out of the game and let's not forget tie an achievement/trophy to it and you're good to go, if they woulden't why would anybody bother.  I'm guilty of this myself because there is something satisfying clearing out an entire map, i've done it pretty much with every open world game i played just to get that elusive trophy/achievement and once it pops i feel like i've wasted my time.

It's just like my brother who's big when it comes to collecting items and trophies, there is no way he wouldn't collect them all unless he's never going to continue. 

[Heatman]

Collecting skulls in Halo 2 is a typical example of how much it's frustrating when it gets to that very task. The game is already difficult enough. 

[Justin11]

I am looking up to achievements playing Motor GP 21, it comes randomly which I used to unlock quality rides with better nitros.