Spore - Who is getting it?

**Crandaeolon** · 09-11-2008, 16:09

I wonder if people saw these yet:

http://multiplayerblog.mtv.com/2008/...ews/#more-8789

When I talked to Wright, I had played deep into the Space Stage, which I was enjoying. But I had seen complaints from hardcore game reviewers and message board posters that all of the stages have less complex gameplay than many gamers had hoped. As wonderful as the content creation and sharing options are, the one consistent complaint I’ve seen is that the gameplay seems to have been “dumbed down” for the sake of appealing to a more casual audience. Was it?

“I’d say that’s quite accurate,” Wright told me. “We were very focused, if anything, on making a game for more casual players. “Spore” has more depth than, let’s say, “The Sims” did. But we looked at the Metacritic scores for “Sims 2″, which was around 90, and something like “Half-Life“, which was 97, and we decided — quite a while back — that we would rather have the Metacritic and sales of “Sims 2″ than the Metacritic and sales of “Half-Life.”

And one way of getting there is to present a narrower range of options than a hardcore player might be expecting?

“Yes,” he said. “Part of this, in some sense was: can we teach a “Sims” player to play an RTS [or Real Time Strategy game]? … I think the complexity we ended up with was toward that group.”

So, basically, Wright is admitting that the game is "dumbed down" to attain better sales.

And here's EA CEO on future plans for Spore:

http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/53925

"We've got a clear, obvious and very compelling post-launch monetization opportunity," Ricitello explained during a conference call. "This is a game where basically, the parts are what make the sum of the product work."

"Monetization opportunity." Nice, eh?

**doc_bean** · 09-11-2008, 16:48

Originally Posted by Crandaeolon

So, basically, Wright is admitting that the game is "dumbed down" to attain better sales.

Honestly, that's just good marketing strategy (look at the Sims !). Wright can't be blamed for that. not every game has to go for the critical acclaim or the hearts of the so-called hardcore gamers

**Crandaeolon** · 09-11-2008, 19:20

I'm not arguing that Wright doesn't know how to sell games, or even that games should appeal to the "hardcore" or critics. Hardcore players are, after all, a minority in a hobby that has only recently become mainstream and critics, well... let's just say they aren't worth much anymore.

The relevant bit here is that Spore is neither a good game nor a good "storytelling device" (which Wright envisioned it to be) in its current state. The charm and depth are superficial. Gamers are noticing it too, I'd wager that even the draconian DRM notwithstanding, public opinion of the game will steadily decline for a while. (Metacritic user score 5.5 out of 10 at the time of writing this.)

**Abokasee** · 09-11-2008, 19:58

I've already got it, (many of you may of seen my creations, since it seemed to DL the creature alphabetically based on the creator, you can tell which ones are mine, mine are the Proper ones with names like: Cursed one and Ranixian Sand Traveler etc, and not: bob 2)

I have to say, its very good, but im slightly disappointed, for example theres no plant editor, I would of like to have a Carnivore and Ommivore mouth at the same time, and be able unlock parts for both, I'd perfer it, if I could assemble my own fleets from my own world using cash or the allies section for freebies.

Strangely though, I seemed more pissed off with the fact that my vehicles didnt fire the 2 auto-cannons I gave them, they just lopped some random chunk of earth 251 feet into the air.

More has come to mind, its too easy to win Tribal and Civ stage, and Space is just agtonizingly annoying, seriously don't declare war till you have at least most of the higher mid-range equipment and 4 allies.

**Kekvit Irae** · 09-12-2008, 05:28

I am extremely disappointed in the game. Yes, I am having fun, and yes I am loving the game, but it just didn't live up to the hype for me. fl0w has more depth than the cell stage, tribal and civilization stages are just tacked-on RTS minigames, and the only enjoyment I get is from doing what I want, when I want, and to whom I want in the space stage.

Sadly, I wish I named my creatures Sisyphus, because that's what it feels like when I'm fighting the Grox. When I conquer one planet from their empire, two more pop up on the fringe. I popped my head in to a black hole and warped myself to the other side of the galaxy, and yep, the Grox are there too, thus making eliminating them an impossibility. I just don't have the time nor dedication to conquer the entire galaxy. Apparently the only enjoyment I have left with this game is trying to cut a swath through to the center of the galaxy to find out what is there, as well as searching for the Sol system (which is actually in the game).

**doc_bean** · 09-12-2008, 15:30

Originally Posted by Crandaeolon

The relevant bit here is that Spore is neither a good game nor a good "storytelling device" (which Wright envisioned it to be) in its current state. The charm and depth are superficial.

The same applies to The Sims. I don't think it was meant as a 'storytelling device', Soren (the guy who developped CivIV and then transferred to the Spore team) has said as much.

I figured out a long time ago that Spore just wasn't for me, and the comments I've read here and elsewhere confirm my views on what the game would turn out to be.

**shlin28** · 09-14-2008, 12:27

I got it, and here's my opinions on the 5 stages:

Cell - great fun despite its simplicity.

Creature - I had imagined that it would feature wandering animals... instead of aninmals staying in their nests!

Tribe - Tried to act like an RTS but it is not, why can't they just stick to a RTS interface???

Civilisation - Short and simple, spam vehicles and bomb the others to oblivion. Still, it has a certain charm to it, unlike the Tribal phase.

Space - VERY VERY VERY fun! and I just started it

(Hunting Pikachus right now

)