SPORE SimEarth game

[Chieftess]

My only "problem" with Spore is that it seems more like a interesting concept than an actual game (think Black & White). The gameplay and mechanics are too vague at this point. But, here's hoping for the best.

If you watched the 2005 GDC video, it had a lot of gameplay. Of course, there's not much to show right now since there's only a few dozen (or hundred at best) creatures. Remember, in the first video, Wil Wright said that the start of the game is more like a "tutorial" for the space stage. You could concievably play any game you want - Galatic Civ, or Galatic Zoo.

Personally, I'm gonna see if I can create a planet by smashing asteroids together, and plopping down a few amoeba, and play with those. (Maybe even make the planet a really huge desert planet, or ice planet)


To sum it up:

GDC 2005 - Wil touched on all the stages of the game. He tried to touch on the tribal and stages a bit more - he's the SimCity guru, of course!

GDC 2006/E3 2006 - After much fan discussion on what they wanted Wil to show (animal stage - mostly the creature editor, and space stage), that's what he focused on.

During GDC 2005, he didn't show a whole lot of options, probably for two reasons - 1, he had a limited amount of time to speak, and 2 - many options probably weren't finished (just placeholders) or buggy.

 

[Volstag]

If you watched the 2005 GDC video, it had a lot of gameplay. Of course, there's not much to show right now since there's only a few dozen (or hundred at best) creatures.

Oye, I watched the video (along w/ numerous others). It may simply be the "demo" nature of the presentations, but I'm left with numerous questions: how is trade handled, how is diplomacy handled, does diplomacy have any tangible effect on your success or failure, what are the advantages/disadvantages of certain buildings / creatures / planets, etc. What advantages do carnivores have over herbivores, or omnivores?

From watching the demo, Spore definitely looks intriguing, but it seems awfully simple. Again, this may be a product of the presentation itself, but it seems like way more emphasis has been placed on the creation of creatures, buildings, etc, than actual gameplay. Especially the "space" aspect of the game... it seems like when you reach that point, you're basically just "browsing". Can other intergalactic civilizations attempt a takeover of your homeworld? Can your planets be destroyed, etc?

-V

 

[Chieftess]

Oye, I watched the video (along w/ numerous others). It may simply be the "demo" nature of the presentations, but I'm left with numerous questions: how is trade handled, how is diplomacy handled, does diplomacy have any tangible effect on your success or failure, what are the advantages/disadvantages of certain buildings / creatures / planets, etc. What advantages do carnivores have over herbivores, or omnivores?

From watching the demo, Spore definitely looks intriguing, but it seems awfully simple. Again, this may be a product of the presentation itself, but it seems like way more emphasis has been placed on the creation of creatures, buildings, etc, than actual gameplay. Especially the "space" aspect of the game... it seems like when you reach that point, you're basically just "browsing". Can other intergalactic civilizations attempt a takeover of your homeworld? Can your planets be destroyed, etc?

-V

Judging from one E3 clip, it seems that other races can attack your planet (remember the one at the end where Wil got a popup from his home planet saying they were being attacked?). I think this is meant to be more of an evolution game than a galatic-empire-type game.


how is trade handled, how is diplomacy handled, does diplomacy have any tangible effect on your success or failure,

It could be that they're working on this aspect right now (They probably wanted to get the evolution part working first), but, Will did mention that you could do those things.

what are the advantages/disadvantages of certain buildings / creatures / planets, etc.

Obviously, flying creatures can't be caught as easily if they're flying away from a land creature. But, Wil didn't really describe the building's functions much. Although, Wil did say it's like a mini SimCity game, so I'm guessing they function like housing (allows more population), commerce (probably for your civ points?), and industry (maybe building points) - or commerce and industry could be reversed. That would be my guess; I don't think it's intended to be like a strategy game, however... in the GDC 2005 video, Wil did point out that giving creatures spears (barracks?) in the tribal stage makes them more agressive. He gave them drums (culture/music/entertainment) to make them more peaceful (balanced). So, I'd also guess that there will be (and now that I remember...) buildings that affect how your tribe forms their culture and such.

If you remember, one group of tripod were more agressive - they had an industrial-styled city. Wil's group had a Dr. Suess appeal, and were peaceful cowards. So, while the buildings may go for "civ points", they will affect your tribe's attitude later on. In fact, Wil did say (and infer in both 2005 and 2006) that every action you make helps to determine your creature's personality. So, having your creatures in a pack early on makes them more social - maybe they'll be a bit more peaceful. If they're not pack animals, they might be more territorial or something. Like-wise, building more barracks might make them more war-like.

What advantages do carnivores have over herbivores, or omnivores

If you look at the creature editor, you can tell. Obviously, they're powerful, but they won't always be at the top of the food chain. (What fun would it be to eat up all the creatures on the planet? Your creature would starve...)

 

[Volstag]

I don't think it's intended to be like a strategy game, however...

That's, unfortunately, what I'm thinking too. Definitely going to keep my eye on it though.

-V

 

[Chieftess]

That's, unfortunately, what I'm thinking too. Definitely going to keep my eye on it though.

-V

There is the issue of a fanbase. Maxis' fanbase is in simulation games, not strategy. I think the closest it'll come to being a strategy is making choices like, "Do I make my creature a pack animal (high social structure), or solitary (probably more warfare in the tribal stage)", "Do I use my 500 evolution points for flippers, or legs? Or save up for something else?", "Do I make my creature really big and slow him down, or make him small and stealthy?", etc.

 

[a space oddity]

Having followed the lectures & interviews closely, I think the socalled "civ-phase" *will* be about strategy. One of the many interesting features of Spore is the mixture of genres.

It will most likely not be direct strategy (as in "I will send my Tank this way and station my Archer on the hills") but it will allow specializing cities and directing effort in certain directions depending on the way you intent to dominate the world. The latter being the only way to enter the next phase.
One of the features shown in the '05 GDC lecture was the "icon-ization" of cities when zooming out, IMHO a wink in the direction of us civ-fans.

 

[Chieftess]

Having followed the lectures & interviews closely, I think the socalled "civ-phase" *will* be about strategy. One of the many interesting features of Spore is the mixture of genres.

It will most likely not be direct strategy (as in "I will send my Tank this way and station my Archer on the hills") but it will allow specializing cities and directing effort in certain directions depending on the way you intent to dominate the world. The latter being the only way to enter the next phase.
One of the features shown in the '05 GDC lecture was the "icon-ization" of cities when zooming out, IMHO a wink in the direction of us civ-fans.

There was actually a game (I forget what it was called, but Brian Reylonds mentioned it back at the Apolycon - might be in their video) that you could zoom out, and all of the units, cities (camps?), etc. became icons. It actually ruined the game because too many people played it that way. I think zoomed in, you'd see the units fight eachother or something. So, zooming out to show an icon has been around before.

 

[Lord_Iggy]

Well, as a person who has played sim earth for several hours straight on numerous occasions, I think that even if this is almost a pure simulation game I'll still love it.

Thanks for the wiki link BTW.

 

[a space oddity]

There was actually a game (I forget what it was called, but Brian Reylonds mentioned it back at the Apolycon - might be in their video) that you could zoom out, and all of the units, cities (camps?), etc. became icons. It actually ruined the game because too many people played it that way. I think zoomed in, you'd see the units fight eachother or something. So, zooming out to show an icon has been around before.

I'm sure it'll be just cities, very much the same way it happens in cIV.

 

[jalapeno_dude]

This looks very cool!

 

[Trogg]

The wiki does have lots of information but theres so many gaps and unkowns. I just can't wait for it to come out! Yaaar!

 

[Lord_Iggy]

You just found it now JD?

 

[jalapeno_dude]

You just found it now JD?

No. But I just found this thread now.

 

[Osymandias]

some questions it thought of recently to the (interested) forum-members:
1. is it now 100% confirmed that the spore-modells are exportable to 3dsmax?
2. would it be then theoretically possile to export those modells from 3dsmax to civ4?

/edit: i frogot: go spore! go spore!

 

[a space oddity]

swould it be then theoretically possile to export those modells from 3dsmax to civ4?

Now that would be cool! Since they've printed some of the creatures made at the E3 convention on a 3D printer, I guess they can export it to some kind of 3D standard. If you want to ask Will Wright directly, PM me, and I'll send you his e-mail address.

 

[a space oddity]

A great chance to get a hands-on experience with Spore for those fortunate enough to live near Leipzig (Germany) this week. Apparantly EA will have Spore on-the-floor as they call it open for the public to play around with during the game convention there.

 

[Osymandias]

don't rememeber me about that
i live just some kilometers (well....actually about 450km ) away from it and can't visit it, because it's during the week and i haven't time

but do you think that, based on the public version, a demo could be released?

 

[a space oddity]

It lasts upto and including Saturday Sunday. Will Wright will only be there on Thursday an Friday to present Spore, so he's not around. But who cares if you can actually try the game yourself...?!

I live in the Netherlands, so it's too far away. I'm hoping for some new info and hopefully a new video.

 

[Lord_Iggy]

Hmm, how come these things never happen in rural regions of northern Canada?

 

[a space oddity]

Hmm, how come these things never happen in rural regions of northern Canada?

Long live the internet!