Topic: Creature Part Stats.

[Bastardman]

They're just upgrades of the other mouths, though, aren't they? Each tier has both herbivore and carnivore mouths. But this would mean that once you reach level 4, you could basically roll all over every other creature on the planet, except the ones that are also level 4. I mean, having different damage ratings for different mouths isn't such a bad thing, but twenty times the damage?

Come on now.

It just sounds like the creature stage might turn into one of those RPGs where after you've level-grinded enough, you go back to area 1 and fight those 20 HP slimes, hitting them for 8000 damage a hit.

[stuck]

The game will create a balanced ecosystem, so the game should always feel the same. You will (hopefully) have only a little easier time with better mouths. Since when did you have to rely on only your mouth? Besides, it is an older build so more mouths/tweaking/weapons have been added since then.

[Areku]

Hopefully they will all balance out in the end, ecosystem wise...remeber that Will said you will never be top predator in the world, but you also have to realize that there will be less superior creatures as well. Hopefully it will balance though...

[Bastardman]

The game will create a balanced ecosystem, so the game should always feel the same. You will (hopefully) have only a little easier time with better mouths. Since when did you have to rely on only your mouth? Besides, it is an older build so more mouths/tweaking/weapons have been added since then.

The question is when does it create a balanced ecosystem? When you first leave the cell stage? Or every time you evolve? I know there are going to be creatures that are at roughly equal power to your own, but that doesn't mean it's going to be fun having other creatures hanging around that you barely have to even look at to kill.

I mean, the creatures you fought at brain level 1 are hardly going to simply disappear once you get access to the ubermouths, are they?

[/lurk]

The game will create a balanced ecosystem, so the game should always feel the same. You will (hopefully) have only a little easier time with better mouths. Since when did you have to rely on only your mouth? Besides, it is an older build so more mouths/tweaking/weapons have been added since then.

The question is when does it create a balanced ecosystem? When you first leave the cell stage? Or every time you evolve? I know there are going to be creatures that are at roughly equal power to your own, but that doesn't mean it's going to be fun having other creatures hanging around that you barely have to even look at to kill.

I mean, the creatures you fought at brain level 1 are hardly going to simply disappear once you get access to the ubermouths, are they?

But then you'll be able to go after fiercer, more nutritious vegetables.

[Bastardman]

With your +5 Fangs of Willosaursbane? 

[Gungnir]

.... or get a chainsaw appendage....

You're kidding, right?

[Chaosenigma]

Ecosystem anyone?

Spore might just repopulate and add new content based on your power, scaling to your level if you will. In most RPG's after you get levels up and better equiptment there's almost always something that was hard that becomes easier to kill. Same might happen to spore, Moving from plants, to things the size of mice, to more giant man-eating spiders. etc. etc.

I would say once you reach tribe stage the ecosystem is set in place for your planet and no more content is added to your planet, but rather once you reach the space stage content is once again put into your universe.

And if there are uber easy creatures, yay genocide!

[Bastardman]

Spore might just repopulate and add new content based on your power, scaling to your level if you will. In most RPG's after you get levels up and better equiptment there's almost always something that was hard that becomes easier to kill. Same might happen to spore, Moving from plants, to things the size of mice, to more giant man-eating spiders. etc. etc.

Spore is not an RPG, though. You're evolving, not levelling up.

[Iryn]

They've been stressing the fact lately that, no matter how you make your creature, it can survive in the world. I think it was on some of the  new IGN videos.

[dafool]

Think maybe like in TES IV: Oblivion. When you go up a level(evolve) every other thing goes up a level. If other creatures dont evolve then they might just gain alot of health points or do more damage. So, If you stay at low level(dont evolve) then everything stays the same.

[Bastardman]

They've been stressing the fact lately that, no matter how you make your creature, it can survive in the world. I think it was on some of the  new IGN videos.

I'm not worried about not being able to survive, I'm worried there'll be no challenge once you've "levelled up" a certain amount and that the game will encourage you to grind and get the "best" parts and stats. Plenty of other people have expressed this concern on the forums, but this thread strongly suggests that those fears were well-founded.

Think maybe like in TES IV: Oblivion. When you go up a level(evolve) every other thing goes up a level. If other creatures dont evolve then they might just gain alot of health points or do more damage. So, If you stay at low level(dont evolve) then everything stays the same.

Everyone's still going to be trying to get to the highest level of parts, though, and nothing has ever suggested that the game could intelligently evolve other creatures by itself. It seems unlikely to me.

[Iryn]

I think in the GDC video Will said that you would never be top of the food chain for very long.

I've watched that video too much.

[dvalladt]

Well, the costs of the best mouths (damage) and feet (speed) are very high, so maybe you have to sacrifice some things to have those ubermouths and uberfeet. Also there's that theory of having to upgrade the brain before you unlock every column of parts, and that unlocking probably costs more DNA points... I also hope it's not so easy to get to the top of the food chain...

[aquaman]

I'm not sure if brain size costs DNA, you just need enough.  In one of the videos from GC, the person doing the demo said that as you collect DNA this bar fills up, and once it is full your brain size increases.  Now I don't know if your DNA is then deducted or it remains the same and you can use it for future use.

EDIT - Yay!  Post 1000