Originally Posted by rune_74 
But you don't have to get those achievements or challenges. I never made a character with only using edged weapons because I did not care about the achievement.
I can tell you for a fact that the game was not made from the ground up for challenges and achievements.
I guess CRPGnut argument is that it influenced the game design enough to make it a (subjectively) poorer experience. Where exactly did you feel that was the case, CRPGnut? Which elements do you think suffered from compromises made due to the existence of challenges?