This week, Valve revealed a new look and fresh features for Steam Achievements. A new update, currently available as a beta, basically overhauls Steam's Achievement platform while also adding something called Achievement Sets.
Games that added downloadable content after a game's release caused a bit of an issue for completionists. Currently, if a player perfects a game and that game then receives DLC that adds in more achievements, suddenly that game is no longer shown as having been perfected. This new system with Achievements Sets, aims to fix that.
Achievement Sets can also separate single-player achievements from multiplayer achievements. The sets are specified by developers and seem to allow for up to eight additional "class-based sets."
In games that support sets, you still unlock achievements by playing the game as usual. But when you browse what you have unlocked afterward, Steam will break the long list of game achievements into the developer-created sets, making it easier to see what you have completed and to find other related achievements you can unlock next.
Each Achievement Set also has its own progress bar showing how far along you are in that area. Once you have unlocked every achievement in a set, Steam will commemorate the moment and add a "set complete" trophy to your profile. If new achievements are later added to the set, your completion is preserved.
As a game grows, developers can create new sets to hold achievements for the added content. These new sets make it easy for returning players to see what new things they can unlock, while also preserving their prior completion status until they play again.
Each Achievement Set also has its own progress bar showing how far along you are in that area. Once you have unlocked every achievement in a set, Steam will commemorate the moment and add a "set complete" trophy to your profile. If new achievements are later added to the set, your completion is preserved.
As a game grows, developers can create new sets to hold achievements for the added content. These new sets make it easy for returning players to see what new things they can unlock, while also preserving their prior completion status until they play again.
We are also introducing the ability for game developers to archive individual achievements or entire Achievement Sets. We think there are a lot of fun ways games can take advantage of the temporary nature this can add, such as adding achievements to season-based games or enabling time-limited holiday achievements.
Once archived, users who had already unlocked the achievement or set will still see it on their profile. However, archived achievements won't show up on the profile pages of users who missed the unlock nor block their progress toward completing a set or game. Anytime an achievement can no longer be unlocked by users, it should be archived.
Once archived, users who had already unlocked the achievement or set will still see it on their profile. However, archived achievements won't show up on the profile pages of users who missed the unlock nor block their progress toward completing a set or game. Anytime an achievement can no longer be unlocked by users, it should be archived.
Global stats are now just a toggle instead of a completely separate page load. Valve also updated the search and filters so that you can find specific achievements faster or filter between things like locked or unlocked achievements.
Being able to compare your achievements against your friends has also been improved. You can now compare acchievements against three friends at a time. The comparison with friends shows set completions and progress in DLC sets. There's now a "more accurate total achievement count" that will allow you to more easily compare progress with friends. This total is now based on achievements each player can actually earn, "which may vary depending on the add-on content they have and whether cgertain achievements are time-limited or archived."
Valve has also expanded and improved areas where your achievements are displayed.
You'll see your completed sets on your profile in the Recently Played section, your Games List, your Library, and more.
- The Perfect Games tab is now called Completed and expands to show both completed games and games with completed achievement sets.
- Games with completed achievement sets can now be added to the Completionist Showcase, in addition to completed games.
- Games played via Family Sharing are now displayed in the Games List.
- Friends with playtime in a game through Family Sharing are now eligible for friend comparison.
- Store and Library game pages will now show if a game has achievement sets.
As always, Valve is looking for feedback during the beta period.
The following games have already added achievement sets:
- Against the Storm
- Age of Wonders 4
- American Truck Simulator
- Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® 4
- Crusader Kings III
- DREDGE
- Euro Truck Simulator 2
- Forza Horizon 5
- Flock Around
- He is Coming
- LEGO® Batman™: Legacy of the Dark Knight
- Left 4 Dead 2
- Portal 2
- PowerWash Simulator
- PowerWash Simulator 2
- Team Fortress 2
- Victoria 3
