Brainstorming for a gaming "challenge checklist" for 2020
I realize this is a little early and that I've been doing a lot on Tildes lately, but I'm really into this idea and I know a lot of people will soon be busy with holiday plans (if they aren't already). As such, I figured it was better to go ahead and propose this now rather than wait:
What are challenge lists?
In reading circles, it's common for sites to put out yearly "challenge checklists". They are lists of different criteria with stuff like "Read a book published in the year you were born" or "Read a book with the name of a country in the title", and the idea is that you try to complete the list over the course of the year. Here are some examples from 2019:
The Idea
I think it would be neat if Tildes came up with a gaming version of one of these challenge lists for 2020. Why?
- It's fun
- It's great for diving into your backlog (if you have one)
- It gives you incentive to play games you might otherwise overlook
- It's fulfilling to work towards a goal
- I haven't seen a gaming version of this idea before, so we could (maybe) be trailblazers!
- But mostly it's fun
The Process
I was originally considering coming up with my own individual list for myself, but I think it would be neat if we did a community version instead. As such,
- If you are interested in participating in a 2020 gaming challenge list, let me know in this thread.
- If you have ideas for criteria for the challenge list, also let me know in this thread.
- If you have any other thoughts on this setup, let me know.
This is a brainstorming thread, so feel free to submit any and all ideas you have. Throw everything at the wall. We'll see what sticks afterwards.
To be clear, the challenges are more about playing certain games than they are about completing specific tasks within games. So "play a game in which you can pet a dog" works, while "pet the dog in Zork II" does not.
After we finish brainstorming, I will compile all submitted criteria into a poll and we can vote on the ones we most like. Then, after voting, the top [number TBD] entries from the poll will become our challenge list for 2020.
Here are some of the ideas from the personal list I started, to get the ball rolling:
If I may make a suggestion, Sekiro is a great candidate for this one. The Japanese voice acting is brilliant.
I'm not sure I'm parsing the idea correctly. Is the goal here to come up with your own challenge checklist, or to compile a public one that you and others may choose to follow? Is it supposed to be a personal challenge or a sort of a public cooperation?
Good question.
Compile a public one that others choose to follow. In the same way that Book Riot has one list that their readers use, I figured we could have one list for Tildes users. Each person completes their own checklist in 2020, but the checklist is the same for each user.
My vision is that potential challenge ideas get posted here, then we pool and collectively vote on the ones we want for Tildes' list for 2020.
I would probably give a few a shot if we did something
Play a game that is >20 years old (emulate)
Play the first game you ever played (or the oldest you remember)
Play a game that uses a different input method to what you are used to (eg if you usually play with a keyboard and mouse, try a game designed for controllers)
Go here, pick a random genre, and play a game from it.
Play a game you can purchase for under $3 (inc sales).
Play the oldest game (by release date) in your library
Play the game with the highest / lowest metacritic score in your library
Play a game that won a steam award either this year or a previous year
Play the game that has been on your wishlist for the longest amount of time (and still is)
Could probably think of more.
These are great! Most of the challenges I've seen narrow the field while still allowing for reader/player choice, so it might be worth rephrasing ones that call out a single specific game like "the oldest game in your library" to "one of the five oldest games in your library" (or something to that effect).
On the other hand, since we're making our own, who says we have to mimic what's come before? I like the ones you've written as you've written them.