The Official Spore Thread

[Emorex]

Yeah sorry i don't like constant rehashes and sequels. I also don't like rushed software because EA is cracking the whip. And I especially hate in game advertising and or software bundled with misleading DRM. Its funny to actually find someone sticking up for them. They are implementing this crap on us and instead of siding with your peers you side with EA?

Why don't you do me a favour and name one good thing that EA has done for pc gaming in the past 5 years. Seriously, aside from the botched ports and them taking sports away from us what have they done that would warrant you sticking up for them?

ps-referring to my comment as "retarded" is not only insulting but also grotesquely bigoted

Why don't you do us a favor and say one thing you have accomplished by insulting EA? Have you ever developed a game? Have you ever worked for upper management? 'Cracking the whip' happens all the time, in every single industry. People get pushed or nothing will ever get done on time. You are talking as if you have created a multi billion dollar game. If you can't do any better, you should refrain from insulting a company.

Back on topic, when I try playing the game on my laptop (3 GB RAM, Dual core T5750, Geforce 8400m), the recommended settings are Low and they look TERRIBLE. Everything is blocky, and terrible to look at. I tried upgrading to high or medium and I found that I lagged a lot. Any solutions? I am running it at 1280x800.

[Fourjays Veteran]

Why don't you do us a favor and say one thing you have accomplished by insulting EA? Have you ever developed a game? Have you ever worked for upper management? 'Cracking the whip' happens all the time, in every single industry. People get pushed or nothing will ever get done on time. You are talking as if you have created a multi billion dollar game. If you can't do any better, you should refrain from insulting a company.

Back on topic, when I try playing the game on my laptop (3 GB RAM, Dual core T5750, Geforce 8400m), the recommended settings are Low and they look TERRIBLE. Everything is blocky, and terrible to look at. I tried upgrading to high or medium and I found that I lagged a lot. Any solutions? I am running it at 1280x800.

Is the laptop video card supported (I know some games are picky about them)?

My machine is a 2.8Ghz P4 (no HT), 1Gb RAM, 256Mb 7600GT (AGP) and it's smooth at 1440 x 900 with everything "high" apart from the shadows which are "medium". Unless the 8400m is seriously underpowered compared to my video card then it must be a bug or incompatibility of some sort.

The Sims division has been taken over by EA themselves now, afaik. Same for Sim City. Chances are Maxis are either working on expansions or a Spore 2 now. Hopefully a Spore 2 is more like a Maxis game usually is...

It seems that Dice and Maxis are the "innovators" at EA. Once they've got a game established, EA take over and Maxis/Dice start on something new.

[Kushan]

It's a low-end graphics Chipset, it's not really designed for heavy gaming. In saying that, though, updating to the latest drivers often helps.

[Emorex]

Regarding sims 3, I watched this video a while ago with the producer. He said that Will Wright will 'probably' not be involved in this, and he should be proud of what they are planning to accomplish. So, I think Will Wright may be moving onto a new IP.

It's a low-end graphics Chipset, it's not really designed for heavy gaming. In saying that, though, updating to the latest drivers often helps.

Thanks, I forgot about updating the drivers. Also, is spore considered to be 'heavy gaming'?

[Kushan]

Nah, Spore is designed to appeal to the masses, so try updating drivers and let us know if it helps.

[Minifig]

I've been enjoying it A LOT so far.. except for the take over the world stage. It seems a bit too .. odd.

Here's my guys:

and here they are for the Tribal stage:

Be sure to take off the "-Armored" when you save him for the tribal stage .. otherwise he may not work.

[Morgan]

Cool creature!!!

[.KICK]

I think his efforts will be sooner put into Sims 3 than Sim City 5. Has Sim City 5 even been announced? :/

Screw Sims 3, I want Sim City 5 :woot:

Judging by what most people are saying about the game, I don't think I'll buy it :/

[TruckWEB]

Screw Sims 3, I want Sim City 5 :woot:

Judging by what most people are saying about the game, I don't think I'll buy it :/

I welcome a new Sim City 5, as long as it's not like the flop Simcity Societies.

As for Spore, I lost $49. The fist 2 stage are fun, but they are real quick, just passing fun until you get to Tribal. And it gets a little bit boring after that and Space is crazy, tedious.

[Fourjays Veteran]

I'd pick it up if you can get it cheap some time. My first impressions were wow, then they were "ok that's a bit lame but nothing an patch/expansion can't fix" now they are a bit "played it enough". I think once you've played through to space as a herbivore and a carnivore, or just an omnivore you've seen all there is to see. Then once you've got to the centre of the galaxy (which I haven't, but from the glimpses of spoilers I've had it doesn't sound worth the hassle of passing the impossible Grox), there is little incentive to play again. Unlike the Sims or SimCity, there is no continuous gameplay. Maxis games tend to make their own genre, but Spore seems to be a mash of existing ones that don't work together particularly well.

How I think Spore should have been like:

You start the game as a cell on a planet. You evolve through to a fully fledged creature (battling, socializing and running away from other creatures to survive, who are also just trying to survive - survival of the fittest, not survival of the player) and when you're brain gets big enough you start a fire. Then, instead of evolving the creature, you get points for evolving your buildings/units in the same way. All the other creatures have made tribes, etc in the same way, all over the planet and you can battle them, ally with them or whatever you want. Until eventually you have enough points to buy a spaceship. Then at this point you travel space, meet other creatures, settle on their planet, build an armada and wreak havoc... anything you want. Then when you discover the centre of the galaxy, you get a new gadget for your spaceship - a life creator. This then means you can go to any planet, terraform it, create a cell creature that you can then take control of if you like. Then you can go through it again, but like the Sims, it isn't a "new game" but a continuation. So you put a cute little cell on the nicely terraformed moon orbiting your planet. Then you can evolve it to, say, a carnivorous robot race that eventually devours the planet that created it. Or becomes a valuable ally. This would also show the very nature of the universe - things constantly changing, evolving. Your original species could eventually use up all resources on the planet and go extinct, or anything...

In short, it needed to draw a little more from the Sims core gameplay in order to tie it together in an infinite loop that you can do anything with, rather than chopping it up into a processional game. It would make more commercial sense too - I am struggling to see how they can add expansions to Spore, without drastically changing the core game. If it was on an infinite loop they could do things like "Spore: Global Warming" (adds climates and climate change) or "Spore: Galactic Warriors" (adds space armadas and space battles... Star Wars anyone?).

[+longgonebn Subscriber²]

I've been enjoying it A LOT so far.. except for the take over the world stage. It seems a bit too .. odd.

Here's my guys:

and here they are for the Tribal stage:

Be sure to take off the "-Armored" when you save him for the tribal stage .. otherwise he may not work.

Awesome stuff, my creatures were hard to put clothing and armour on, it didnt look right.

[Minifig]

Space.. is... NUTS.

---

My stuff..

Search for ADB on the Sporepedia to see their proper names if you care to save them. (these images are just for show!):

Space Craft

Plane:

Boat:

Vehicle:

Factory:

Entertainment Center (which I'm really proud of):

Home:

City Hall:

Tribal:

Regular Creature:

:)

[+longgonebn Subscriber²]

Man those are some nice stuff, I need to get passed trible stage, but too many other games to play as well.

[solardog]

Snoot

[Morgan]

Wow, that's some really awesome stuff guys!

[Fourjays Veteran]

I like you're entertainment center. :p

As a sociable herbivore "Wizig":

After leaving the tidepool.

End of evolution.

Me be tribal Wizig!

Tally-ho, a, what what?

City hall, not particularly imaginative of me.

Wizig House of Lights!

My selection of vehicles.

As a vicious carnivore "Karatang":

After leaving the tidepool. Maybe not that scary...

Quickly evolves though.

Mighty tribal warrior will crush puny Wizig... if he ever meets him.

Time to swap the feathers for a decent helmet.

Again not very imaginative.

My selection of vehicles.

In the carnivore game, I ate every creature around. No mercy. Hard to be a merciless carnivore when the prey goes and hides behind a bush, quaking in it's boots - they look so sad. :(

[+longgonebn Subscriber²]

Wow u played through 3 times already? Nice.

[Morgan]

Dude those are awesome!!!

My spore usernamre is 'morganw' if any one wants to add me :)

[+longgonebn Subscriber²]

I tried finding you, says there are no matches.

[Morgan]

I tried finding you, says there are no matches.

Hrmm, that happened to me and another friend, he could find me, but I couldn't find him :(

[Kushan]

It's a big universe, maybe it just takes time =P

[Golferjim]

Anyone know how much the Spore Galatica edition costs in NZD..

Going to get this game in the weekend :D

[+longgonebn Subscriber²]

Hrmm, that happened to me and another friend, he could find me, but I couldn't find him :(

hmm I will keep trying. Thanks.

[Morgan]

hmm I will keep trying. Thanks.

I see a bmangamer but I don't know if that is you. Apparently you can also login @ Spore.com and add people too.

[+longgonebn Subscriber²]

Yea, bmangamer is moi. Trying Spore.com but I can't find where to add people.

*edit, found you, and added!