Achievements like recent video games
 

So in order to make things more interesting and give an incentive to my PCs to try new things and be familiar with more rules, I decided to take a page from the playbook of recent video games and introduce achievements into my campaign.

The idea is that if a player accomplishes an achievement or a certain group of achievements, he gets a reward (maybe a perk, a minor item, a free character point, a one time bonus to a skill roll, etc.).

I figured that you all, being as creative as you are, could help me come up with some more of them. I've already got a decent amount, but I'm sure there are plenty of good ideas out there. Don't feel like you need to come up with a big list, either. Any feedback is appreciated.

Here's what I have so far (campaign is a post apocalyptic setting where guns are the primary weapon):

Headshot - Shoot an enemy in the head
STFU Marvin! - Shoot an enemy in the face
in ur eye! - Shoot an enemy in the eye
You're so lame - Cripple an enemy's leg
SWAT Disarm - Shoot an enemy's hand and cause it to drop held weapon
You Don't Get to Play Anymore - Cripple both arms and both legs on an enemy without killing it outright

Punch - Punch an enemy
Head Punch - Punch an enemy's head
Kick - Kick an enemy
Strangle Kill - Kill an enemy through suffocation
Blunt Trauma - Kill an enemy with melee crushing damage
Prison Shank - Stab an enemy in the vitals

Explosive Kill - Kill an enemy with an explosion
Ground Zero - Cause an explosion at 0 yards range from an enemy
Trap Kill - Kill an enemy with a planned trap
Eat Your Pineapple! - Throw a grenade such that it hits an enemy in the head

One Shot Kill - Kill an enemy with one blow
Lights Out - Instantly kill an enemy who is completely unaware of you
Double Kill - Kill two enemies in one turn
Triple Kill - Kill three enemies in one turn
Rambo Kill - Kill an enemy with automatic gunfire
Spray Fire - Spray automatic fire (using rules for Spraying Fire)
Monster Kill - Kill 4 significant enemies within 10 seconds
Ludicrous Kill - Kill 5 sgnificant enemies within 10 seconds

Float Like a Butterfly - Dodge 2 attacks in the same turn
Incoming! - Perform a Dodge and Drop
Back the Truck Up - Perform a Retreat
Don't Touch Me - Perform a Parry
Seriously, Don't Touch Me - Parry twice in one turn
What is the Matrix? - Actively defend against at least 3 separate attacks and at least 6 bullets in one turn

If You'd Have Only Moved - Overpenetrate one enemy to injure another
Wall H4x! - Fire through a barrier to injure an enemy on the other side

Sneaky - Avoid detection using Stealth
The Forest Came Alive - Avoid detection using Camouflage
Combat Medic - Perform first aid or related skill on a friend during combat
One Man's Trash - Scrounge a useful item
Are You Going to Finish That? - Scrounge something to eat

Diplomat - Convince an enemy to surrender without bloodshed
Devil's Advocate - Convince an enemy to willingly serve you in some way
Infiltrator - Mingle incognito with members of an enemy faction

Unlawful Entry - Gain entry into an owned building by means of Forced Entry or Lockpicking
I Found This - Steal something valuable
Let Me Help You Carry That - Steal something valuable that someone is carrying

Re: Achievements like recent video games
 

I prefer to avoid such metagaming.

I think it's generally enough to have the occasional NPC say "Hey, you're the guy who..." If they are good enough, they may find that their reputation has beaten them to their destination. They may find it difficult to live up to.

Re: Achievements like recent video games
 

I prefer to keep the rewards in-character but I do make over certain impressive deeds or occurrences out of character.

GURPS CABAL includes some "impossible" achievements listed as feats required to reach the highest ranks, like for a vampire to meet the mentor at noon in a churchyard. I came up with a few others I used in-game like recovering from decapitation unaided, spending the night naked under icy water, and filling a ten-gallon urn from a slit wrist.

Re: Achievements like recent video games
 

I like the idea, but I would find it irredeemably silly in most campaigns. I certainly wouldn't give any bonus CP or abilities from them! It could be a cute addition to a setting inspired by video games.

Re: Achievements like recent video games
 

I Put On My Robe And Wizard Hat - Successfully use Sex Appeal

Re: Achievements like recent video games
 

WHY WON'T YOU DIE ? Kill an enemy by reducing him to -5xHP with a melee weapon by hitting him at least 5 times.

Re: Achievements like recent video games
 

You know, for a DF themed game, some of the Munchkin cards might be good inspiration for suitable for Achievements:

Unnatural Axe - Kill 50 undead with an Axe
Duck of Doom! - Fail your dodge roll 4 consecutive times and survive
Loaded Dice - Roll 2 consecutive critical hits.
Mutilate the Bodies - Take an opponent to -10xHP

Nymdok
p.s. Im not really sure why you'd do this, but Im interested in seeing where this topic goes :)

Re: Achievements like recent video games
 

I was actually thinking of running a "kids get sucked into a video game world" game, and this seems like the sort of thing that would be necessary... just be sure some of them are "secret achievements".

Shoot First... - Kill an opponent, then succesfully interrigate the corpse.

Leap of Faith - Take enough 2xHP damage from a fall and survive.

My Love for You is like a Truck - Take the Beserker Disadvantage, then, without activating it, kill 37 hostiles... in a row.

Re: Achievements like recent video games
 

Me neighter but it could lead to funny game situation, especially to see players trying to achieve some of these achievements. I have a few others :

The nutcracker: Perform 50 successful groin hits.
Stop blocking my hits with your face: Perform 50 successful face hits.
Johnny Bravo: get physically harmed 20 times because of your Lecherousness disadvantage.
The Bob Pinciotti: Hit an opponent with a Banjo.

Re: Achievements like recent video games
 

This is definitely for a less serious campaign, which perfectly fits the group I'm with. I probably should have included that I introduced achievements during the last session and everyone loved the idea. The players got really into it, but I'll certainly have to be careful about any rewards that I give out.

Like I said, it also gave the players incentive to try new things and understand rules that they hadn't considered before. Since everyone is relatively new to GURPS, this is pretty important. Most of us have a D&D background, so some are not used to the options above and beyond attack rolls that GURPS allows in terms of solving problems. I see achievements as a way of getting the players to look around and explore now that the d20 blinders aren't on, so to speak.

And I'm definitely going to add the ideas you guys listed. The players will totally love Robe and Wizard Hat, Why Won't You Die, Duck of Doom, and Shoot First especially.

Thanks, keep em coming!

Re: Achievements like recent video games
 

That's all totally going in. Unfortunately no one has Lecherousness, though :/

Re: Achievements like recent video games
 

I have long toyed with the idea to start a new sci-fi game with a typical ego shooter: blue team vs red team, CTF, or what have you; with typical ego-shooter-antics (such as HEAD SHOT!) giving a free reroll.

Of course, after the carnage, it would turn out that the whole thing was some sort of game show/tournament/sporting event. That would explain the shooter tropes.

The OP would be quite handy, but a bit too extensive for my taste.

Re: Achievements like recent video games
 

I even have ideas on the rewards the players could get from these achievements :

The nutcracker: Perform 50 successful groin hits. Reward: Give 1pt in TA (Brawling Kick/Groin).
Stop blocking my hits with your face: Perform 50 successful face hits. . Reward: Give 1pt in TA (Skill used for the face hits/Face).
Johnny Bravo: get physically harmed 20 times because of your Lecherousness disadvantage. Reward: Gain DR10 (against physical harm caused by Lecherousness consequences)
The Bob Pinciotti: Hit an opponent with a Banjo. Reward: Gain Signature Gear (Indestructible Banjo). Could even unlock the Banjo DX (Average) melee skill for that player. Further Bob Pinciotti achievements could enable the player to spend points on Weapon Master (Banjo).

Re: Achievements like recent video games
 

Those are exactly the types of rewards I was thinking of giving out. Nothing terribly awesome, but still worth going after if for nothing else but the novelty.

Re: Achievements like recent video games
 

Bob Pinciotti? Why not El Kabong?

Re: Achievements like recent video games
 

In the right campaign, this can be tons of fun. At first glance, I thought this would be a good tool to encourage your players to learn the system and try new things. I'm glad you're using it this way. I also like the really silly rewards that come with it.

Here's one to encourage social skills:

Coward Achievement: Successfully talk your way out of a fight 10 times. Reward: Gain +1 to move when fleeing from danger or battle.

And another battle-oriented one:

Grenadier: Successfully (without injury to yourself or your team) lob a live grenade away from yourself or your team that has been thrown at you. Reward: Gain +1 to the skill Throwing: Grenade, but only to return them

Re: Achievements like recent video games
 

Another idea you could steal from computers games (although mroe for melee than ranged) could be combos.

For instance if you sucesfully make a "Kick (torso), Kick (torso), Kick (Face)" You get a free Kick (skull) at +2 dam.

This will fit persferctly with "combination" attacks and be very suitable for DF games IMO.

Combos could be secret technique perks you have to learn by ancient masters who often require you to do certain things in order to "unluck" the combo.

Re: Achievements like recent video games
 

Well, I'm a big That 70's Show fan. And how can you not love Bob ?

Re: Achievements like recent video games
 

Hm, I'll have to see which one my players recognize better...

Ha, love it.

If I ever do a Street Fighter campaign, this would work well.

Re: Achievements like recent video games
 

Some based on quotes:

I know kung fu - Gain a skill through any method other than normal learning.

Some fava beans and a nice Chianti - Stretch your rations with the help of another.

Do you want a peanut? - Humiliate a foe in rhyme.

Springtime for Hitler - Have a plan that depends on failure be foiled by your success.

The fall will probably kill you - Survive an extremely high fall into water.

This is the War Room! - Get in a physical altercation with an ally.

Re: Achievements like recent video games
 

Thanks! Ideas like that will definitely help to spread the focus of the game around to other things besides combat, which is a problem when you come from a D&D background.

Re: Achievements like recent video games
 

I'd be wary of things that rely on things that are outside the player's control (like rolling multiple criticals), but the idea is cute all the same.

A friend of mine had a somewhat similar idea for his Kerberos Club game, where the achievements were specific to individual characters and related to their personality, background and "themes".

Re: Achievements like recent video games
 

Everytime I see this thread the temptation to run a Scott Pilgrim style game just gets harder to resist. Either way, assuming such a game...

Up, Up, Down, Down, Right, Left, Right, Left, B, A, Start--Obtain 20 1ups as a party.
(As long as two or more PCs are wearing no shirt, shirtless PCs gain the benifits of the Gunslinger Advantage, have unlimited ammo on any used two-handed gun, never need to reload, but die immidiately upon taking any amount damage.)

Should Have Taken that Skateboard Proficiency--Obtain an amazing weapon no one in the party has a skill to use, then discard it.
(The next time you find an amazing weapon, the GM will have looked at your character's skills ahead of time to make sure you can utilize it.)