Spore: A Failure?

[Gelion]

I am instantly turned off by "drug" games. One or two expansions is the maximum I am willing to tolerate.

 

[cfkane]

It seems like an idea that can be improved upon by a better-planned sequel.

 

[Rub'Rum]

It seems like an idea that can be improved upon by a better-planned sequel.

Yeah, because 8 years of development was really not enough time to plan Spore well.

 

[salty mud]

I think (hope) Spore has lost all credibility now. It will take some serious work on Maxis' part to create sequel what they can succesfully promote now.

 

[Rub'Rum]

I think (hope) Spore has lost all credibility now. It will take some serious work on Maxis' part to create sequel what they can succesfully promote now.

I kind of hope you're right. But I'm wondering if that's only true of us, gamers who actually take part in online discussions about games. AKA at best 10% of people who bought the game.

 

[Lord_Iggy]

EA will have to make a game which actually makes significant strides towards the original ideal of Spore before I even consider ever buying anything from them again.

 

[draggar]

I think Spore is in my book as one of the biggest disappointments of all time. I blogged about it a few weeks ago (link in my sig - I don't feel like re-writing it all).

The game has huge potential but after a few plays, I completely lost interest in how linear and redundant the game was.

Not to mention the fact that it's killed my anti-virus program's automatic updating system.

 

[SpurnSpore]

Sad to say I don't play it now,dabbled with the creators very rarely now too and when I opened sporepedia to see new creatures made with the C+C expansion and not able to be viewed or downloaded without the expansion,It was like the final nail!
The CC expansion is $30 AUD not $20 and that was even too much.
Even "casual gamers" will lose interest eventually.
There is just so much lacking or taken out for later ,that could have been there to sustain an interest.

 

[Chieftess]

Sad to say I don't play it now,dabbled with the creators very rarely now too and when I opened sporepedia to see new creatures made with the C+C expansion and not able to be viewed or downloaded without the expansion,It was like the final nail!
The CC expansion is $30 AUD not $20 and that was even too much.
Even "casual gamers" will lose interest eventually.
There is just so much lacking or taken out for later ,that could have been there to sustain an interest.

I guess you know a game is bad, or has low replay value when the best part about the game is the free (give or take) editor.

 

[Voltron81]

Spore is a great game and you can spend ALOT of time in it.

Space is cool. The great thing about it is the beginning. in the MOO series all races started out the same. You start out BEHIND. You play catch up. I play aggressively and i am fighting battles with the little laser. Space is MASSIVE. Pulling a MOO2 and having every planet under your control would be painstaking and a pain in the but with ecodisasters and pirating. It is also very benificial even for me, playing aggressive, to have races around that i can use to buy certain things cheaply from or to sell that lucrative type of spice to. So in the vastness of galaxy. It is unecessary to control all. There are too many stars anyway. Hundreds. Maybe thousand(s).

Civilization phase is neat with several ways to play it out. It is no Civ4 but was never meant to be. its a straight diplomatic, convert, or conquer. You can make a pluthera of customized vehicles and buildings. Like in dune, spice governs and must flow. Take as much as you can, as quick as you can.

Tribal is fairly linear. Music to unite, weapons to conquer. I found counter attacking after you are assualted will typically annilate them.

Creature stage is the coolest. You have dinasours (called epics) You gather "piecies" such as a type of leg or mouth in the form of bones or alpha leaders of the other creatures. You get DNA from befriending or killing creatures.

Cell stage is just fun. Like pacman on steroids. You get to eventually eat the things that terrorized you earlier.

-----

It is obvious they are trying to create another "Sims" game. That is to say they can make tons of money on the expansion packs. Too many things left undone.

1.Evolution stops in tribal phase. Can we not evolve into cybernetic, energy, or machines? This one bugs me the most.
2. The co-op sharing is a double edged sword. You have lazy people that often throw three unpainted boxes in there and call it a building.
[to those who havent played: It would amount to you opening a civ 4 mod and find found in using a white cube as a unit. A white cone for a building. A cylinder for a fighter] This bogs down the beauty of the game and hampers game play experience. As of now there is no way to filter out "crap" creations. If you have a young child playing: some players feel the need to make buildings look like people doing inappropriate things. Or they use cuss words for the names of their creations. You can report these easily with a click but its like a hydra.
3. Space is the climax but you are limited. I wont give anything away to those who have not played it through, Once you do the main stuff, its kinda like, what now? You spend alot of time getting a creature there but then you done really.

-----
Now having said all of that, the game is worth it. Its a game that is fun for a long time, you put it down and play civ4 for a while then go back scoff at civilization phase and repeat.

Its great for kids. Great for adults. Combat isnt bad really. Simple is better in a game of this scope. It is alot of fun earning achievements like "Epic Killer" and "devourer" or "Everyones BFF"

I dont think it lived up to the hype "yet" I hate the idea of having to buy 15 expansion packs to get to what a game should of been originally. (Like the sims 2)

The game as it stands: Its worth it. Buy it. Play it.

 

[PreLynMax]

Spoiler :

Spore is a great game and you can spend ALOT of time in it.

Space is cool. The great thing about it is the beginning. in the MOO series all races started out the same. You start out BEHIND. You play catch up. I play aggressively and i am fighting battles with the little laser. Space is MASSIVE. Pulling a MOO2 and having every planet under your control would be painstaking and a pain in the but with ecodisasters and pirating. It is also very benificial even for me, playing aggressive, to have races around that i can use to buy certain things cheaply from or to sell that lucrative type of spice to. So in the vastness of galaxy. It is unecessary to control all. There are too many stars anyway. Hundreds. Maybe thousand(s).

Civilization phase is neat with several ways to play it out. It is no Civ4 but was never meant to be. its a straight diplomatic, convert, or conquer. You can make a pluthera of customized vehicles and buildings. Like in dune, spice governs and must flow. Take as much as you can, as quick as you can.

Tribal is fairly linear. Music to unite, weapons to conquer. I found counter attacking after you are assualted will typically annilate them.

Creature stage is the coolest. You have dinasours (called epics) You gather "piecies" such as a type of leg or mouth in the form of bones or alpha leaders of the other creatures. You get DNA from befriending or killing creatures.

Cell stage is just fun. Like pacman on steroids. You get to eventually eat the things that terrorized you earlier.

-----

It is obvious they are trying to create another "Sims" game. That is to say they can make tons of money on the expansion packs. Too many things left undone.

1.Evolution stops in tribal phase. Can we not evolve into cybernetic, energy, or machines? This one bugs me the most.
2. The co-op sharing is a double edged sword. You have lazy people that often throw three unpainted boxes in there and call it a building.
[to those who havent played: It would amount to you opening a civ 4 mod and find found in using a white cube as a unit. A white cone for a building. A cylinder for a fighter] This bogs down the beauty of the game and hampers game play experience. As of now there is no way to filter out "crap" creations. If you have a young child playing: some players feel the need to make buildings look like people doing inappropriate things. Or they use cuss words for the names of their creations. You can report these easily with a click but its like a hydra.
3. Space is the climax but you are limited. I wont give anything away to those who have not played it through, Once you do the main stuff, its kinda like, what now? You spend alot of time getting a creature there but then you done really.

-----
Now having said all of that, the game is worth it. Its a game that is fun for a long time, you put it down and play civ4 for a while then go back scoff at civilization phase and repeat.

Its great for kids. Great for adults. Combat isnt bad really. Simple is better in a game of this scope. It is alot of fun earning achievements like "Epic Killer" and "devourer" or "Everyones BFF"

I dont think it lived up to the hype "yet" I hate the idea of having to buy 15 expansion packs to get to what a game should of been originally. (Like the sims 2)

The game as it stands: Its worth it. Buy it. Play it.

I fail to aknowledge this foolhearty, yet completely inaccurate review.
Someone should spend time to play other games more often before standing by a clearly horrible one.
Or maybe he hasnt read the history on Spore and it's true potential, which turned out to be a disappointment.
However, your review is an insult to hardcore games worldwide.

 

[Daftpanzer]

@Voltron81, may I ask, how long have you been playing? How many games have you started?

When I was playing my first game, I would have readily supported Spore as being a worthwhile purchase. I role-played it, I took my time (I thoroughly explored my home continent in the creature stage), I took about a gigabyte's worth of screenshots and I could believe that I was having much more impact on the game-world-thing than was actually the case.

As I started other games on other planets, I came to realise its all pretty much the same no matter what you do, and no matter what you create. And then, there was nothing to look forward to.

I've only gone the whole route into space twice, and I never felt like playing much after that. The most fun for me was just going off exploring, letting your homeworld get attacked etc, but going as far as you could before your money ran out. Then quitting without saving. I've never found the will to play through all the mini-games to get the terraforming tools. Still, I feel like I've already seen 99% of what Spore has to offer.

I don't touch Spore now, except rarely to play with the editors, play some of the cell stage and explore some planets. I WANT to like it more but I just can't.

The only thing that makes it a worthwhile purchase for me is that I would have been constantly wondering about it, if I hadn't been playing back in September. I saved myself some stress in that way. And I did have a fun and unique experience in my first game for which I have to thank Spore.

Its a great technical achievement, but it seems they backtracked on the real potential. I hope future expansions/sequels get closer to the original vision that so many wanted to be realised. I count myself fortunate that I didn't really follow Spore's development until the last few months, or I would have been even more disappointed.

I should add that I don't play much PC games in general these days, except nostalgia trips and customisable things. Shadow Warrior, Tyrian, Battlefield 1942, Age of Kings and Open Transport Tycoon Deluxe recently. And of course Starcraft which I can play online with a 56k modem

 

[Hitti-Litti]

I fail to aknowledge this foolhearty, yet completely inaccurate review.
Someone should spend time to play other games more often before standing by a clearly horrible one.
Or maybe he hasnt read the history on Spore and it's true potential, which turned out to be a disappointment.
However, your review is an insult to hardcore games worldwide.

Umm... Spore is NOT made for hardcore gamers. Spore is a game that everyone can play, you don't have to play a long tutorial or read a huge manual to learn how to play Spore. Spore is something that you can just take out of its package and start playing.

 

[American Empire]

I have Spore. It's an easy game for me when I get bored or tired. It's not a complete failed game, just, a nice, slow, family-friendly game for everyone. That's all. Their websites also starting to thrive also so it makes as a good, strong community as well.

 

[Voltron81]

I fail to aknowledge this foolhearty, yet completely inaccurate review.
Someone should spend time to play other games more often before standing by a clearly horrible one.
Or maybe he hasnt read the history on Spore and it's true potential, which turned out to be a disappointment.
However, your review is an insult to hardcore games worldwide.

I followed spore for quite awhile actually and while I respect your view on this game I disagree. Something is not inaccurate because it differs from your view or experience. As stated, this was meant to be something different and broad, not for the hardcore gamer.

As for how much i played it. A lot. It is a good game and worth it, if you do not mind the limits i stated. Its true that i was disappointed in it. Somethings were too simple and other things tedious. Yet, it is game worth playing and challenging if played on hard. There are different routes and different bonuses that make each path unique and fun.

I think, the problem here, it is too broad. They are wanting the next Sims 2. Riddled with expansion packs and extras. There were a hundred ways to make the game better. Any game is like this. Yet, it is not a bad game.

@Voltron81, may I ask, how long have you been playing? How many games have you started?

I am uncertain really. I have over a 100 hours i know because of i got that achievement. I started over several times, I have had about 5 cell to space games.

It varies as you take on different traits. Herbavoire, carnivore, herbivore, agressive, etc... IT does make a lot of difference in your abilities but as far as making alot of differences later on, you are kinda right.

The difference is about on your civilization has to play more than affects, which i dont think was whole heartedly the intention. Yet, i have find being aggressive makes war easier but diplomacy a pain and vice versa.

Dispite the limitations it is still a good game. Like Daftpanzer said hopefully the expansion packs will bring out what it originally was meant to be, but i will not like it on levels as i stated before 15 expansions pack does not equal 1 inspiring game. I too have not touched it since i came back to civ4 but it doesnt change that i might go back or that it is a failure.

It is the first of its kind really. the civ1 perhaps of its era. Or it could be a flop. I say give it its due, try it for what it is, not what you want it to be, and you will have fun.

 

[Lord_Iggy]

Only Civ 1 was a really excellent game. Spore is just an excellent concept.

 

[Daftpanzer]

@Lord_Iggy, is it possible that all those who love to hate Spore (including me) have finally altered your opinion of it?

You're supposed to point out the good parts, while I criticise it, and we both win

 

[Lord_Iggy]

I haven't played Spore. The initial joy of the game has been dulled by my distaste for their 'Creepy and Cute' parts pack. I'd play it if I had spare time, but I don't.

Anyway, I am increasingly regretting the 'what could have be', and have a rather large article on what needs to be done to restore what could have been.

I'm also faced with a moral quandry about asking for Command and Conquer: Red Alert 3 for Christmas- it looks like a very good game, but I don't want to break my goal of not buying anything more from EA. I suppose I'll make a judgement call after I've tried the demo.

Anyway, yeah, I feel kind of down about the game- its repetitiveness, where there should be none, has gotten to me.

 

[Murky]

I kind of liked the cell phase. It would've been nice for it to have been expanded a bit more.

 

[King of Town]

I agree.The cell phase is easily, to me, the best part of the game. I used to like this game, but like everyone else has said it just gets old quick. I was very excited when I first got it, and told my friends about how cool it waas. I have lost all credibility now...