Achievements are milestones stored in an XBox 360 gamer's history, worth a particular amount of "GS", that adds to their overall GamerScore.
They aren't redeemable for anything, they're simply a way to track your progress on the XBox 360.
At least, that's what they're supposed to be.
Unfortunately, some people use underhanded tactics- boosting, glitching, gamertag-swapping, and save-downloading to improve their gamerscore; these people have lost touch with what the very point in earning an achievement is- it's to remind you of an accomplishment in your past, not that of someone else whom you paid a Microsoft Points card to do for you (there are people selling their very gamertags as a matter of fact) or downloaded their save.
Not of a match where you boosted the achievements, and certainly not of some exploit that makes earning the achievement easier.
True gaming started long before achievements were ever conceived by Microsoft, and true gamers don't choose games based on the achievement difficulty, they choose them because they have a compelling story, exciting gameplay, and addictive multiplayer action.
In fact, true gamers don't limit their scope to games with achievements at all, they open up their eyes to the Wii, to a degree, knowing that the Wii's graphics are inferior to the 360's, but its unique control style makes for some memorable entertainment- not to mention the fact that the Wii is slowly producing more and more online multiplayer-supported videogames.
Any gamer will choose to play a game on the XBox 360 if it's multiplatform, only buying Wii games that are exclusive to the Wii (the same analogy can be made for the PS3, since the 360's HD graphics, 5.1 sound, leaderboards, and achievements make the games more enjoyable) and that's alright, that's normal, that's wanting the best version of the game you can buy.
But by no means, should anyone who considers themselves to be a serious gamer, lend out their gamertag to other gamers, download saves of other gamers, or use other immoral methods to obtain achievements- that ruins the very point of earning the achievement, it's like stealing Monopoly money, it's redeemable for nothing, except the pride you have in having earned it.
Think of why they list the date of when you obtained the achievement- achievements are there not so much to show off to your friends, they're there to remind you of when and how you obtained said achievement, of when you earned that achievement, that milestone, that's why only you see that date, that marking of when it was that you earned that achievement, that accomplishment.
It is wrong to use underhanded tactics to obtain achievements; it's like entering the special olympics and winning- yeah, you won, but now everyone thinks you're a retard.
Each one of my achievements, I have earned, I have put in the time to truly achieve them, and know that I have achieved them, for that is the only reward of an achievement, the knowledge that you did something worthwhile, and if you didn't do it, then why are you so proud of yourself?
See? There's no point in earning an achievement unless you yourself earned it, without the use of illegitimate methods, that is what an achievement is for, that feeling you get when you see "achievement unlocked" pop on the screen, and you know that your hard work has been rewarded.
Remember, achievements weren't invented with the XBox 360.
Achievements, in their true form, can be obtained in any game, remember the first time you beat Earthbound?
That feeling that you had achieved something big, that you had accomplished something huge, that your goal had been reached, that's the feeling a person should have when earning XBox 360 achievements- if you're not getting that feeling, then you're doing something wrong...
Think of gamerscore, as Monopoly money- you wouldn't boost on Monopoly would you?
Would you look your family in the face and ask them to let you win so that you can have all the Monopoly money? Would you ask someone to exchange seats at the table with you because they have more Monopoly money than you do, or trade real money for their seat? Of course not, and if you're a reasonably minded person, you wouldn't "boost", exchange your gamertag with anyone, or download saves of others' accomplishments either.
What if you had rented a Super Nintendo title back in the old days, with the gamesaves directly embedded in the cartridge.
What if that cartridge contained the previous player or players' gamesave(s)- would you skip major parts of the story and gameplay, and start from where the other gamer left off? No of course not, not if you are a true gamer, you would start a new game (erasing a previous save if need be) and enjoy it from beginning to end, the way games were meant to be played by their creators.
We've put a lot of emphasis on what the proper way to watch a film is over the last decade, that directors had no intention of their films having a great portion of their picture cropped off (the "Pan & Scan" process) so now when we watch films, we watch them in widescreen, we see the original theatrical versions.
Even more important than that, much more important, is that we play videogames the way that they were meant to be played, that we don't use exploits, that we don't gamesave or gamertag-swap, that we don't cheat in any way, shape, or form.
That we have fun in becoming more and more capable of handling the tasks the game has set forth, that we level up whether it be an RPG or not, that we get better until we feel that we have achieved our goal- the real achievements are in the mind they're the things in life that you've accomplished, whether it be on an XBox 360 game, or any kind of game, whether it even be a videogame at all maybe you accomplished getting that promotion at work, or you earned all As on your report card, that's an accomplishment, that's an achievement; you can't have someone else go into work and get that promotion for you you have to get it yourself.
Achievements are like a Diary or Journal of your gameplay progress, and to have achievements that someone else has earned is like to take a page from their diary and stick it into yours; all of a sudden, things aren't making sense, your diary is off-track, it no longer aids you as it no longer tells of your hard work, but that of others.
I'm extremely cautious, I won't let anyone near my XBox 360, or my XBox 360 remote, even if I'm signed out- that's because to me if I were to obtain an achievement that I had not earned all of my gamerscore would be tainted.
Your gamerscore is your progress, like the Wii "Fitness Report", it's a reflection of how far you have come, to not earn the achievements you display to others, is to falsely represent yourself, to lie about yourself with the hopes of others' finding you more appealing as the end result, but they're not...
Most people by now can recognize a ridiculously high gamerscore for what it is, and even if they are gullible enough to believe it was gained legitimately, they're looking at that person's gamercard, which, by having obtained achievements through exploits, has separated from the person themselves, has become an entirely different entity, tainted through use by individuals other than the gamertag's rightful owner, or by other contributions made by outside sources (gamesaves, for example)
A gamercard that has gone through that change, is no longer personal to the owner, its very soul has been lost, the points associated with it are null and void at that point since it's impossible to differentiate between what the owner obtained and what they had others obtain for them.
Think, there is at least one person out there, who could be living your life better, than you presently are- would you have that person take your life? Take possession of your personal body, your soul, so that they may accomplish more in life than you might've?
I sure hope not. If you would, then you definitely need to better your self-esteem, for even if there is someone out there who could live your life better than you, that's not what life (or videogames) are about- it's about occasionally screwing up, making your own mistakes, learning from those mistakes and becoming a better person (or a better gamer- see where this analogy is going?) as a result, evolving from where you were the previous day, whether it be that you're a recovering alcoholic trying to take it one day at a time, or a videogamer who is increasing in skill over a period of time, further developing your abilities until you're able to obtain the achievements you want, until you've become familiar enough with single player to start playing multiplayer, these are fundamental changes that your mind goes through.
People who obtain achievements without having earned them, are reverting to a very childlike state, "Mom, can you do my homework for me?" is a good example of what people sound like who ask others to get achievements for them.
Just as that child is forfeitting their education, their right to call his/herself a student, so are videogamers who use exploits to further their gamerscore or leaderboard position forfeitting their right to call his/herself a gamer.
Equally bad, or possibly worse, than those who obtain achievements without having earned them, are people who boost leaderboard positions- they have no skill whatsoever.
I earned the #1 spot on Mortal Kombat Deception's Puzzle Kombat for over a month after its release, by winning match after match with talent that I'd perfected by playing hard AI in my spare time.
I earned the #1 positions I once held on Frogger and Paperboy's online versus modes when I still took the time to play those games. It's the competition that makes multiplayer fun, it's the challenge that makes single player fun, and it's the replay value that makes earning achievements fun- bottom line, earn your achievements, it's what the real gamers do.
The same goes for people who obtain ranks on multiplayer videogames illegitimately; which is to say, through boosting, standbying, bridging, gamertag-swapping, or other means. There's no point whatsoever to a person having a rank that they themselves didn't earn.
In fact, when they do decide to play a match legitimately, their high rank will put them up against competition well beyond their real skill level, and in the face of true gamers, will ultimately fail.
These people are attention seekers, whether it be attention toward their gamerscore, their leaderboard position, or their rank.
Psychologically, their problem could stem from their early relationship with their parents, and whether they didn't give them enough attention, or were possibly too attentive.
A gamer's main goal shouldn't be approval from, or the attention of other gamers.
Their goal should be to get better at a game, through experience and hard work, so that they can be proud of their accomplishment.
If they can't be proud of it, if it gives off a negative feeling to them, it's no longer an achievement- it's the reverse, a mark of shame that signifies weakness on their part.
Bottom line, if you're planning on joining the same Zone I'm in on XBox Live, the "Pro" Zone, then play professionally.
If you're going to use exploits, glitches, or other immoral methods to obtain achievements, leaderboard position, or TrueSkill rank, join the "Underground" Zone, or better yet get off of XBox 360 entirely- play a different console, and learn what real gaming is all about, then when you feel you have discovered the truth about the art of videogaming, return to the XBox 360.
