Spore

tba

really.i.thought.it was.a.good.example.of.emergent.content

steviec

I still like it, it just came at an unfortunate time. Decent expansion packs may bring me back in future.

nyarlothothep

Identified one major problem with Spore...the frequency of pirate attacks/eco disasters is really really annoying, its a chore. Fortunately there's code to reduce them, but that was a really major obvious flaw. Overall I really like the design, graphics and music, the strategy element is fun and fortunately its not turn based (which I really hate).

cherryghost

the chority of the space age done it for me. overall i managed to squeeze 15 hours out of it, then got annoyed with the constant distress signals. they better fix it. its a good concept, the game, but it falls apart in almost every stage of the game. im utterly disappointed in it

kenyard

yeah the space age takes ages and is massive alright! i just put every possible item on colonies - turret, other things and made them all T3.. takes time and costs a bit but stops the annoying crap... iv decided to give up on allies... theyre just annoying. still have the ones i created but theyre getting annoyed caus i wont save their planets anymore...

decided to take on the grox and make my way to the middle if i can...not going well :L

Pyr0

I just stocked up on Power and Health packs and flew under constant fire (captured a planet here and there to resupply). Make sure you have loads of money to do it too !

kenyard

yeah i have 60mill atm... not worried bout cash

i terraformed grox planet... wasnt expecting them to get angry :pac::pac:

Maximilian

Seems EA have wasted no time bringing out an expansion ($20).

Spore is just another excuse for them to shovel more add-on rubbish down people's throats.

http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=259323

Shiminay

Worked with The Sims...

thelordofcheese

Maximilian wrote: »

Seems EA have wasted no time bringing out an expansion ($20).

Spore is just another excuse for them to shovel more add-on rubbish down people's throats.

http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=259323

Are you telling me you're actually surprised? I mean really?

(also: i'm now interested to see what the content is, even if it's more bits and pieces for the creature creator, i'd buy that)

thebman

lol, creature parts. How about making the game fun?

Its a bit tedious after a while. Everything looks nice but there is fook all to do in the space age except the same few mini-missions to get money to buy terraforming tools and everything else is optional and then you get attacked just to p*ss you off into exiting the game.

They should release updates that make each stage have more depth. That would be cool. You buy it, you play through the simple stages and then they release an add on for each stage that makes it more like the full released games they copied those game play elements from and you play that and then they release another and so on.

So that they evolve the game to actually have some bloody depth for people that don't find creating random creatures fun. I'd just buy an RPG game if I wanted to go through character customisation. Its considered a chore in mose of those games anyway so why they thought it would be a good idea to make it a third of their game, I have no idea.

Maximilian

thelordofcheese wrote: »

Are you telling me you're actually surprised? I mean really?

(also: i'm now interested to see what the content is, even if it's more bits and pieces for the creature creator, i'd buy that)

Who said I was the least bit surprised? Inevitable wasn't it? I think if I was surprised by anything, it's the speed at which they are bringing it out. You have to wonder was it a case of deliberately excising content from the full game in order to release it as an expansion.

thelordofcheese

brim4brim wrote: »

So that they evolve the game to actually have some bloody depth for people that don't find creating random creatures fun. I'd just buy an RPG game if I wanted to go through character customisation. Its considered a chore in mose of those games anyway so why they thought it would be a good idea to make it a third of their game, I have no idea.

The point of spore from the get-go has always been to make cool creatures and share them and all that.
If that's not something you like the idea of then you probably shouldn't buy spore.

Maximilian wrote: »

Who said I was the least bit surprised? Inevitable wasn't it? I think if I was surprised by anything, it's the speed at which they are bringing it out. You have to wonder was it a case of deliberately excising content from the full game in order to release it as an expansion.

If it's just new bits for the creatures then it could well have been pieced together between the game going gold and now (plus a little longer, i mean it's not out yet), or just leftover stuff that was cut early and now they have the time to put it back in.
I wouldn't be surprised if stuff was cut at various points with the idea of "we can reintroduce it later if we want to" it's been a very sucessful model for EA and Maxis so far. It makes sense too, people will buy it, especially if it's priced reasonably.

Personally, i'm hoping for some kind of proper cybernetics style bits, i want to make cyborg or fully machine based creatures.

kenyard

Personally, i'm hoping for some kind of proper cybernetics style bits, i want to make cyborg or fully machine based creatures.

doubt it mate

Specific content in the Creepy & Cute Parts Pack is another unknown, although the title gives a fairly clear indication of what's on offer. No motorbikes, then.

looks like its just gonna be a load of flashy parts.... although they would have to double the amount of parts in my opinion to make the addon worth buying IMO...

give or take its probably gonna be a free download in ~3 months time anyways before they release a second one to entice ppl to buy the second one

thelordofcheese

kenyard wrote: »

doubt it mate

a man can dream, a man can dream.........

kenyard wrote: »

looks like its just gonna be a load of flashy parts.... although they would have to double the amount of parts in my opinion to make the addon worth buying IMO...

Given the sheer variety of what's been achieved so far, adding about another 1/4 of parts would be more than enough.
I was attacked by a race that traveled about the universe in giant flying grovers. GROVERS man..... it was horrific yet beautiful.

God knows what i'd be attacked by if they doubled the available parts.

kenyard wrote: »

give or take its probably gonna be a free download in ~3 months time anyways before they release a second one to entice ppl to buy the second one

Actually, if the Sims model is what they're going on i might hold out until they combine 3 or 4 expansion packs into one "ultimate" pack.
Then i can have my own race of atomic monsters! Atomic supermen with octagonal-shaped bodies that suck blood out of... *ramble* *ramble* *ramble*

thebman

thelordofcheese wrote: »

The point of spore from the get-go has always been to make cool creatures and share them and all that.
If that's not something you like the idea of then you probably shouldn't buy spore.

Well see I would have been into all that had the look of the creatures had made a blind bit of difference to how they act or whatever.

It seems no matter what the design they just act the same. They pretty much said that was by choice so as not to interfere with the looks of some of the designs or some nonsense but I don't see the point in creating something for the sake of creating it.

Basically there aren't enough limitations to make it like your engineering a creature or a vehicle. Your just allowed do anything and break sense and rules and that is supposed to be fun and it is for about 5 minutes until you realise there are no rules and nothing you ever do will make a major difference to how your creature or plane or building acts.

Spore is all superficial changes with no major effects coming from the changes you make except at the very earliest stages when your a fish.

Its like they started out with that idea in mind and figured it would be too much like hard work to continue it. I read an interview with a developer where he pretty much said that this was the case although he said they stopped doing it in the later stages so as not to interrupt peoples creativity.

What the hell is the point of being allowed design creatures and ships if the changes you make have no effect other than superficially? It just doesn't make sense to me to do it that way. I guess its for the artistic or some crap, certainly isn't for the people who want to add different body parts and see what effect is has on an animals ability to survive in the world because it just doesn't seem to make any difference in this game.

thelordofcheese

brim4brim wrote: »

Well see I would have been into all that had the look of the creatures had made a blind bit of difference to how they act or whatever.

It seems no matter what the design they just act the same. They pretty much said that was by choice so as not to interfere with the looks of some of the designs or some nonsense but I don't see the point in creating something for the sake of creating it.

The it's not for you, simple as. I guess this kind of fun doesn't click with everyone.

(protip: how you build your creature makes a difference right up to the CIv stage, which is pretty much the point it should stop making a difference, seeing as you're begining to use complicated tools to do stuff for you)

However, i love this line.

brim4brim wrote: »

Its like they started out with that idea in mind and figured it would be too much like hard work to continue it.

If i didn't have a personal ban on using ol' rolleyes, you'd be seeing a legion of them.

Canis Lupus

thelordofcheese wrote: »

The point of spore from the get-go has always been to make cool creatures and share them and all that.

There I was thinking the idea behind Spore was to make a game. Sure if it was all about the creature creator people could have just stuck to the free download.

Also, what's the point of making a cool creature when the vaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaast majority of the game is in space, you're ina spaceship and anything 'cool' about your creature that you made is completely defunct?

thebman

thelordofcheese wrote: »

The it's not for you, simple as. I guess this kind of fun doesn't click with everyone.

(protip: how you build your creature makes a difference right up to the CIv stage, which is pretty much the point it should stop making a difference, seeing as you're begining to use complicated tools to do stuff for you)

However, i love this line.

Only somethings have an effect. There are lots of things that don't seem to make much difference at all.

I would have settled for only up to the tribal stage with a huge set of rules so that all your changes have an effect and you can totally arse things up or make a god of an animal but it just doesn't have enough affect.

I can't imagine someone making a hummingbird type creature fo example using this thing where it actually gets around like a humming bird.

Your just forced down the path to get you out into space and the tribal stage with no depth to these stages so you could arse around with a hummingbird type creature like above.

Just my 2 cents.

Maximilian

I went back to play Sins of a Solar Empire after playing Spore and I'm still paying it two weeks later. Its a far better game than Spore could ever hope to be. I'm not sure Spore is much of a game at all. Seems more like a creature designer - Sim Creature.

thelordofcheese

Canis Lupus wrote: »

There I was thinking the idea behind Spore was to make a game.

It is a game, the focus of the game is on the player generate content, jesus do we really need to start this shit again, do we?
I know you wanted something else from spore, you wanted a horrible bloaty mess that was as 'deep' as populous, Civ and Sins combined. I think you're wrong and a terrible person, but we have been over this. Like twice.

brim4brim wrote: »

Only somethings have an effect. There are lots of things that don't seem to make much difference at all.

I would have settled for only up to the tribal stage with a huge set of rules so that all your changes have an effect and you can totally arse things up or make a god of an animal but it just doesn't have enough affect.

I can't imagine someone making a hummingbird type creature fo example using this thing where it actually gets around like a humming bird.

Your just forced down the path to get you out into space and the tribal stage with no depth to these stages so you could arse around with a hummingbird type creature like above.

Just my 2 cents.

I'd hate to play your version of spore. Any kind of attempt to make a creature that i'd want to make would be hampered by thousands of rules that you could never hope to explain to the player.
To hell with that.
It may not be as 'deep' (one of these days i'm going to make one of you people explain what you mean by that) as people say they want, but dammit, at least i can throw stuff together and follow an idea i like without having to worry about will this be an evolutionary dead end and will i have to start again.

Canis Lupus

thelordofcheese wrote: »

Stuff

You're right, we are going in circles. If you're happy you paid money for a repetitive, poor art gallery then so be it.

EDIT: Altho you haven't addressed my second point above. I'd just like to hear your thoughts on that seeing as creature creation seems to be high on your list as to why you like the game.

thebman

thelordofcheese wrote: »

I'd hate to play your version of spore. Any kind of attempt to make a creature that i'd want to make would be hampered by thousands of rules that you could never hope to explain to the player.
To hell with that.

You wouldn't have to explain them at all. The rules are just the physics of the world we live in. Then you've made a playground for people who like science to mess about with creating a creature to see what works and what doesn't in the world.

You know more of an evolution simulator (like Forza for Evolution basically) than an artists canvas which is all it is in its current form. I really fail to see the point of making original content that only differs from the other content in appearence and not in how it acts in the world.

I have photoshop if I feel artistic, I don't need Spore to make stuff. I just don't see the appeal. I know that means I should just not play the game but its just very disappointing considering I did buy the game and considering the evolutionary parts were being highlighted long before the game was released as if it was actually going to be able to do what I have described.

Considering the above, I think the current implementation of the game is just dumbed down so that anyone can play it. I don't see the point of a game with no challenge.

It may not be as 'deep' (one of these days i'm going to make one of you people explain what you mean by that) as people say they want, but dammit, at least i can throw stuff together and follow an idea i like without having to worry about will this be an evolutionary dead end and will i have to start again.

Not Deep = Remove any traditional game play elements like puzzles and challenges.

These are the things most gamers expect to see in games. There is no challenge to spore. Everything is so easy and irrelveant, it game is restricted so you can't go wrong and if you can't go wrong, you can't succeed so there is no sense of accomplishment.

thelordofcheese

WARNING: multi-quote nightmare ahead! - NO REFUGE

brim4brim wrote: »

You wouldn't have to explain them at all. The rules are just the physics of the world we live in. Then you've made a playground for people who like science to mess about with creating a creature to see what works and what doesn't in the world.

You know more of an evolution simulator (like Forza for Evolution basically) than an artists canvas which is all it is in its current form. I really fail to see the point of making original content that only differs from the other content in appearence and not in how it acts in the world.

Man, i fucking hate forza. I also hate those kind of games that are obsessive about being realistic. I just don't see they point, i use games a method of escapism, i don't want to play spore and my Penisauros Dix to be impossible because physics say nothing can be that tall without being crushed under it's own weight.
Also if you've been on the internet for five seconds or more you should realise that most people have a very poor grasp of biology and evolution, you'd end up with a hell of alot of confused people if we went the forza route.

brim4brim wrote: »

I have photoshop if I feel artistic, I don't need Spore to make stuff.

Isn't this is the same argument as "i have a real guitar, why would i play rockband"?

brim4brim wrote: »

Considering the above, I think the current implementation of the game is just dumbed down so that anyone can play it. I don't see the point of a game with no challenge.

I think you need to be less simplistic (i don't mean that in a bad way) with your definiton of game. You don't have to compete directly against the AI for it to pose a challenge, some games are just fun to play with. Animal crossing, for example.

brim4brim wrote: »

These are the things most gamers expect to see in games. There is no challenge to spore. Everything is so easy and irrelveant, it game is restricted so you can't go wrong and if you can't go wrong, you can't succeed so there is no sense of accomplishment.

i disagree, i think the sense of accomplishment is there, it's just not the traditional "Go from A to B to get item C".

Canis Lupus wrote: »

You're right, we are going in circles. If you're happy you paid money for a repetitive, poor art gallery then so be it.

EDIT: Altho you haven't addressed my second point above. I'd just like to hear your thoughts on that seeing as creature creation seems to be high on your list as to why you like the game.

Ooops, sorry about that.
I actually don't see it as any sort of hinderence, i mean you've designed everything about your race anyway, so while you can't see your creature, you do have the spaceship which you designed. And after the creature it's something alot of people put alot of effort into.

I won't deny space needs an expansion to make it less of a chore, those motherfucking turrets i place on my colonys need to actually start doing stuff, but i'm still impressed by the size of it and i'm seeing new stuff all the time that literally makes me go "Wow, that's nice"