Topic: Featured Creatures - Enough Already!

[geekorama]

Alright, I think this forum post is long overdue. Maybe I'm alone on this boat, but does anyone else get tired of seeing creatures that look like telephones, boats, cars, trains, etc; basically material objects, making it to the featured creature list?

I mean, seriously, it's great that you can make a lamp or motorcycle with the creature creator... but it is so impractical and in reality the creature won't even move properly or function well in the game that it's pointless. Yes, it's cute that you can make a ps3 controller.. we get that, but enough is enough.

What's happening here is people forget that there's an actual game here and that those objects people are creating will end up in your game! So, featuring every telephone, television, or PlayStation3 and encouraging people to make creatures that are absolutely useless in- game will only hurt the game in the long run.

Is anyone else on this boat with me?

Geekorama - SporeTube.com

[DarkDragon]

What? I like my TF2 Sentry creature 
But it wasn't featured 

[Absinth]

Yeah i agree with the op, most of these featured creatures i don't want in my game!
They should be featuring more gamingsteve creations btw! 

[LadyM]

No, I've made some things that looked like other objects. I think it takes creativity to make a creature that looks like an object plus it still moves and acts like a creature. Did you see the Viking Ship, it's awesome.

[xDreamache]

The issue is that there's no game to go along with the CC so people are really exploring every possible avenue, everyone knows they can create a creature, and everyone has already, so naturally everyone is becoming more compelled with unique content (non-creatures).

Once spore releases, and it becomes painfully obvious that those non-creatures will not perform well, we'll see those sort of creations drop off quickly.  But until then, people will remain intrigued by that sort of thing.

[geekorama]

If it moves cool, will survive and do well in-game, great! I'm talking about the cars, trains, and planes that wobble around and have broken animation,

[SouledOne]

The issue is that there's no game to go along with the CC so people are really exploring every possible avenue, everyone knows they can create a creature, and everyone has already, so naturally everyone is becoming more compelled with unique content (non-creatures).

Once spore releases, and it becomes painfully obvious that those non-creatures will not perform well, we'll see those sort of creations drop off quickly.  But until then, people will remain intrigued by that sort of thing.

Yeah, I'm of a similar opinion. It seems like people are doing this mostly because they don't have access to the vechicle/building editor yet... Though when that comes around they'll probably just start making some that look like creatures for the heck of it using the new editors.

[geekorama]

The issue is that there's no game to go along with the CC so people are really exploring every possible avenue, everyone knows they can create a creature, and everyone has already, so naturally everyone is becoming more compelled with unique content (non-creatures).

Once spore releases, and it becomes painfully obvious that those non-creatures will not perform well, we'll see those sort of creations drop off quickly.  But until then, people will remain intrigued by that sort of thing.

I suppose you're right, Dream. I forgot the human-nature factor. Though, I just wish the people in charge of selecting the creatures that will get featured would see that fundamentally, encouraging this isn't good for the game and we'll end up with lots of junk. I guess it just kills the lore of being able to see things evolve in the universe. I don't want to take over planets full of walking telephones, wobbling vehicles, etc - If I wanted that I'd play ToonTown with my son

[Feigro]

The issue is that there's no game to go along with the CC...

On an entirely unrelated note I use this to rationalize the Freds and Sarahs of the sporepedia. I mean, some people may just want to name their creatures that sort of thing. Which is fine of course. But I can't help but wonder if some people simply don't realize they're designing a species of creatures as opposed to a single entity, like a making your own teddy bear or toy and naming it Oswald.

Anyway, excuse the tangent. I don't pay attention to the featured stuff at all. The most attention the sporepedia really gets from me involves me sifting through the first couple of pages  now and again.

[xDreamache]

The issue is that there's no game to go along with the CC so people are really exploring every possible avenue, everyone knows they can create a creature, and everyone has already, so naturally everyone is becoming more compelled with unique content (non-creatures).

Once spore releases, and it becomes painfully obvious that those non-creatures will not perform well, we'll see those sort of creations drop off quickly.  But until then, people will remain intrigued by that sort of thing.

I suppose you're right, Dream. I forgot the human-nature factor. Though, I just wish the people in charge of selecting the creatures that will get featured would see that fundamentally, encouraging this isn't good for the game and we'll end up with lots of junk. I guess it just kills the lore of being able to see things evolve in the universe. I don't want to take over planets full of walking telephones, wobbling vehicles, etc - If I wanted that I'd play ToonTown with my son

Well, I can't be certain but I'd imagine that there isn't actually someone behind a computer, selecting featured content. I'd imagine the creatures that get displayed in featured content, are based on an equation of creature views, and ratings.  Though I could be wrong so correct me if it was confirmed otherwise.

In fact that just gave me an idea to try out, I'm going to feature a single creature at xspore and tell people to rate it high and give it comments - to see if it becomes featured or not. So that will give it high ratings, high views from the traffic, and comments. This will test whether or not its someone picking and choosing, or automated. And the creature won't be great, it'll be your average creature.

[Gorman Conall]

I agree I'm tired of it too.

It should be cool looking yet creative creature that get featured not over top insane creatures that nobody would want to encounter in spore because it may look neat on a still photo but looks horrible in motion. I'm not just talking about real world objects ether. I'm talking about some other over the top creatures as well.

In fact seeing all those creatures made me make the decision that only my own creatures and creatures i approve of will be in my game.

I have seen some really cool CREATURE LOOKING CREATURES that should be popular or even featured but they are over shadowed by this nonsense.

[CosmicD]

lol, if they first add my musical note creature to the featured list they may change their outlook.

Anyway, yeah it's this group that somehow is very technical and specific about our creatures, and would like to see them treated in a "serious" manner.

Maybe if they want to continue awarding creatures like the "imitation of objects" catagory: they can divide the featured list into several types.

Maybe they can do a favorites of fantasy creatures, surrealistic creatures, object creatures and parody creatures maybe ? (or "featured creature with the best story of the day"

just an idea.

[geekorama]

Maybe they can do a favorites of fantasy creatures, surrealistic creatures, object creatures and parody creatures maybe ? (or "featured creature with the best story of the day"

just an idea.

Speaking of ideas (yes, I know I'm going off topic so feel free to get back on it). I was looking for a new category to use on SporeTube -- "Parody" is it! I had writer's block and couldn't think of a word that'd fit a lookalikes theme. Those I'm ok with, though possible copyright infringements, they are always fun to see. Thanks for the idea. If you ever visit SporeTube and you see the "Parody" video category, Cosmic, you know how it got there

[Hydromancerx]

I made a Fishing Pole but i also make realistic Earth animals and exotic aliens. So I think there is room for all (except penis monsters ).

[Rct2mad]

I did like the paperclip creature though 

[Notorious B.O.B]

The issue is that there's no game to go along with the CC so people are really exploring every possible avenue, everyone knows they can create a creature, and everyone has already, so naturally everyone is becoming more compelled with unique content (non-creatures).

Once spore releases, and it becomes painfully obvious that those non-creatures will not perform well, we'll see those sort of creations drop off quickly.  But until then, people will remain intrigued by that sort of thing.

Yeah, I'm of a similar opinion. It seems like people are doing this mostly because they don't have access to the vechicle/building editor yet... Though when that comes around they'll probably just start making some that look like creatures for the heck of it using the new editors.

ok, this is completely off-topic, but how did you get your creature to do a somersault in your avatar?  I haven't figured out how to do that!

Back on topic, I do believe that limiting creativity is exactly what WW was trying to eliminate when he made this game.  So, I say, let the people do whatever they want!  Who cares if they don't walk well?  Who cares if they wouldn't work in-game?  NO ONE!  That's who! (well, no one should care, doesn't mean no one does).

[Treechu]

Hey here is an idea. When the real game comes out and you see realistic objects with broken movements;

BAN THEM

: D

[Logan Felipe]

It'd be nice to see a creature featured that isn't a fruit of vegetable for a while, if only for some variety...

[pathegnome]

im not a huge fan of those kind of creations.  Those kinds of things will be much more well created in the vehicle or building editor, but i imagine alot of the people making those things don't know about the other editors yet, shrug.

[Gungnir]

Until the actual game come out, I'm fine with it. Until then, it's kinda cool to look at how they did it.

[HarvesteR]

my guess is that the sporepedia we are seeing now is a very simplistic version of what it'll become eventually...
this won't come automatically though... i think it will involve the Spore team realizing that the current format of the sporepedia doesn't give much room and flexibility for browsing through millions and millions of creatures... i mean... there's over a million creatures uploaded already, and if you create one, it'll just get lost in the rushing torrent of creatures that get added all the time... it's like YouTube, where hundreds of videos are being uploaded at the same time... the YouTube guys did a LOT of work with their browsing and searching systems so you can find what you're looking for... i think in time, the Sporepedia will do just that

i hope at least... the current design of the sporepedia is way too simplistic to accomodate such large amounts of creatures

BTW, they've yet to add a sporepedia database for vehicles, houses, UFO's and whatnot when the full game is out.. so they better come through on this

Cheers

[DaMuncha]

BTW, they've yet to add a sporepedia database for vehicles, houses, UFO's and whatnot when the full game is out.. so they better come through on this

Cheers

Theyre probably going to do the exact same thing. But have a vehicle/building/ufo section for those types.

[Ondaderthad]

On the other hand...

I think i will at least try once to play a planet filled with only mundane objects.

"The Paperclips Shaman wants you to acquire some eggs from the Vikingships tribe..."

[Danzik]

Yokto's Funquai made the featured creatured.

Check it out here.

[Flak]

What? I like my TF2 Sentry creature 
But it wasn't featured 

LINK!!!

And it's not all bad:

http://www.spore.com/sporepedia#qry=ast-500002964969%3Asast-500002964969

GO JALEHO!!!

[Ryuukuro]

The last few days I've been seeing "realistic" creatures featured.  Not actual cats or dogs or et cetra but more sci-fi movie monster types.  While the object creatures will be weird, I think they'll find their place in the game.  It just depends on where they show up.  I probably won't want any on my home planet but, if they animate well and they're reasonably anthropomorphic, then they might be interesting on some alien planets. 

I think one of the beautiful parts of Spore is also it's greatest inherent problem: everybody gets a say in how things are run.  Just like actual democracy in which everyone of age gets to vote, even if they're not smart enough to do so, everyone who plays Spore or has the CC can make and distribute whatever they want, including cutesy wootsies (which I make a lot of) and objects (I made a teapot monster!) and weird things (I made a guy who eats things via hand puppets!)  Just remember that, since Spore is YOUR game, you have that nice, big ban button that Treechu mentioned.  Or, you might see how it turns out.  I didn't think I would be making so many cute monsters like I do, but they're fun to make.  And I do still have that dream of making an entire city out of cake...

mmm... cake...

[Pietoro]

I think one of the beautiful parts of Spore is also it's greatest inherent problem: everybody gets a say in how things are run.  Just like actual democracy in which everyone of age gets to vote, even if they're not smart enough to do so, everyone who plays Spore or has the CC can make and distribute whatever they want, including cutesy wootsies (which I make a lot of) and objects (I made a teapot monster!) and weird things (I made a guy who eats things via hand puppets!)  Just remember that, since Spore is YOUR game, you have that nice, big ban button that Treechu mentioned.  Or, you might see how it turns out.  I didn't think I would be making so many cute monsters like I do, but they're fun to make.  And I do still have that dream of making an entire city out of cake...

Yeah, I'm excited to eventually compare my game's universe with others and see how the tastes are different. I think it's cool to be able to see everyone's own personal style in their creatures.

[DarkSkies]

I agree OP creatures should stay creatures
but thats why we have the choice to delete or ban them

[Darcie]

if it doesn't animate correctly then it shouldn't be featured.

[Beatnuki]

Wow, all this talk of paperclips and teapots inspired me to do a Sporepedia search; seems my ideas weren't so original after all! 

I can relate to it being a little grating when featured critters aren't strictly speaking actual creatures, but at the same time Spore has always, to me at least, been a kind of caricature and parody of the universe. I'm personally looking forward to coming across really weird and wonderfully wacky creations as a result of that.

[Uroboros]

Good job, Jaleho, Yokto!

Though it does make me wonder how exactly they're picking out their featured creatures. I mean, not to be 'holier than thou' or anything, but look at this one :
http://www.spore.com/sporepedia#qry=ftr-ftrd%3Asast-500003584525

[Daxx]

One would hope that the tendency to pick "innovative" creatures (which actually aren't that innovative since everyone and their sister has a crack at making objects eventually ) will die a death in favour of nicely made creatures which animate cleanly and look cool.

You know, like actual creatures people would want to download.

[Uroboros]

Yep. I still think there is something to be said for a cleanly designed creature, even if it isnt greatly original. Im already sick of seeing all the 'scorpiontail' and 'underbody stinger' designs. It seems people just cant get enough detail parts, too. I made a rather simple, cutesy creature called the "Roiler" as part of a creature-making game me and some friends take part in. Because I deliberately picked textures and colouration that was somewhat bland and smooth, and it lacked masses of detail parts, it got downvoted the moment it got shared.

We all have our own tastes, but all I really want is for creatures to animate well, with a minimal of phasing. Its hard to be original when there are so many creatures out there, but from the overall list of unfiltered creatures, I cant help but worry about what i'll get auto-seeded into my first playthrough. For all the tacked on parts, most of them are still quite bland and have no character. All I can do is upvote and comment on the ones that are good...

I dont mind novelty creatures, myself. I just have a certain taste.
http://www.spore.com/sporepedia#qry=usr-Uroboros%3Asast-500003088161

[liveoctopus]

I'm pretty sure somebody is handpicking the featured creatures because there's a separate listing for the most popular, highest rated ones.

I remember a couple days in a row when the entire first row of featured creatures was all creatures that look like something, and I wish that whichever person at Maxis is in charge of picking those out would give it a rest. Sure, it can be clever, and if you want to feature the best ones, fine. But let's also feature some creatures that are, you know, creatures.