Spore Failed Science

[Ball Lightning]

Science Mag over the last month has got four scientists together to rate Spore on its science credential. They have revealed that Spore has only managed to achieve one rating of A. Below is the full list of what the scienceguild gave Spore, enjoy! Please feel free to comment about it.

For the full report card click here.

To see who the scientists who did this report click here.

The CELL and CREATURE stages

Organismic biology: D-
Evolutionary processes: F


The TRIBAL and CIVILIZATION stages

Cultural anthropology: C-
Sociology: B+

The SPACE stage

Astrophysics overall grade: B
Astrobiology overall grade: C

 

[North King]

From what I've seen, there's nothing truly surprising in there. Well, except that it earned quite that high a grade in Sociology.

I'm really glad I read reviews of this before buying.

 

[JtheJackal]

So Rhinoceros' didn't get their horn by getting it as a reward for making friends with a nest of squirrels? I knew I should have double checked before I turned in my biology report.

 

[GoodGame]

Amusing excerpt from the Science article, that I'm sure Phlegmak will especially enjoy:

"Spore is essentially a very impressive, entertaining, and elaborate Mr. Potato Head that uses the language of evolution but none of the major principles," conclude Gregory and Eldredge.

In the spirit of fairness, I had a copy of Spore sent to Michael Behe, an intelligent design advocate based at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. After playing Spore, he concluded that it "has nothing to do with real science or real evolution--neither Darwinian nor intelligent design."

As Gregory and Eldredge argue, if Spore's biology is based on any theory, then--surely, by coincidence rather than scholarly effort--it is Lamarckian evolution.

 

[moscaverde]

Lamarckian evolution is much more fun to play.

 

[North King]

But it is conceivable that you could make a game where you at least include common ancestry. Spore has nothing of the sort.

 

[Abaddon]

The biggest failure in creature stage is that it doesnt cost to alter your beast, merely to buy the parts..

Thus after a while you can TOTALLY alter your creature, no obvious evolutionary path etc.

 

[Lord_Iggy]

Unless you roleplay it.

 

[Yashed To]

At least Spore should have added the Spaghetti monster as a deity. Only theory worth following gameswise.

 

[NASAROG]

Spore and Science do not belong on the same continent.

 

[Phlegmak]

Amusing excerpt from the Science article, that I'm sure Phlegmak will especially enjoy:

"Spore is essentially a very impressive, entertaining, and elaborate Mr. Potato Head that uses the language of evolution but none of the major principles," conclude Gregory and Eldredge.

In the spirit of fairness, I had a copy of Spore sent to Michael Behe, an intelligent design advocate based at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. After playing Spore, he concluded that it "has nothing to do with real science or real evolution--neither Darwinian nor intelligent design."

As Gregory and Eldredge argue, if Spore's biology is based on any theory, then--surely, by coincidence rather than scholarly effort--it is Lamarckian evolution.

I have not played Spore and I don't intend to anytime soon, but I'm surprised that Behe didn't say it was Intelligent Design.

 

[Peck of Arabia]

That's brilliant, it got it's A in "galactic structure". Nothing to do with evolution, and it's impact on the game is largely minimal too- apart from the whole "Grox at the centre of the galaxy" crap

 

[PreLynMax]

BL, Spore failed in a lot of things. Not just science.

 

[Bill3000]

...it's a video game?

 

[JonathanStrange]

Oh, I thought it was "Orgasmic Biology" and surely Spore did better there.

 

[Rub'Rum]

BL, Spore failed in a lot of things. Not just science.

It doesn't seem to have failed in the money-making department, which is all that matters for them really.

 

[El_Machinae]

We wouldn't complain about the science too much if it hadn't touted itself as trying to be true to the science. A concept in evolution is that you're a slave to your history (thus our vestigial components), which is only partially mimicked in the game, because you only have so many components, and new components can only be built off of old components.

 

[Chiyochan]

I have not played Spore and I don't intend to anytime soon, but I'm surprised that Behe didn't say it was Intelligent Design.

most creationists cant deal with the fact that its the same thing because they believe in their all powerful benevolent god,

If they where not so butt hurt they would be able to say spore is the product of "unintelligent design"

...it's a video game?

yes, an extremely poor one that delivered on none of its promises,
have fun playing your extremely watered down WoW clone with built in potato head
better get working on that "kill 11 gynoid" quest you got.