Topic: Is Spore Dead?

[Ichthyostega]

With the total lack of updates and announcements recently (sans the robot parts), do you think Spore will die? With the current financial situation Maxis is in, the future of Spore doesn't look so bright.

What do you think?

[Summoner]

Its dead hahaa

[Darth Grievi]

It's definitely looking that way.

To be honest, I'm surprised how little I care.

[gec05]

Yeah, I'm really disappointed they slacked off on improving the game. No news is good news? I think this is an exception. I think all the pessimism finally got to them. Too bad though.

However, this thread is totally Helio-G bait, so watch out guys.

[ɐןsǝ⊥]

It's dead, we all knew it would die. They weren't doing well financially and their game was critically panned.

[Yokto]

From what i understand it still sold pretty well. It was not the new Sims but that a bit high to expect. Especially considering it lacks the game play element being very shallow. Even Galactic Adventure is very shallow. And unlike the Sims you can not really decide on how much you wish to invents in to the game. Now if they had made the game deeper and more complex then it might have had more longevity. But game play wise there is essentially no choices. You have 2.5 archetypes though the game but is just down to button pressing and no real choice. If we had more goals then just evolving in to a space empire it probably would have been more fun. The Sims is a very open world where you have fairly different ways to tackle a situation and to get to different goals.

I feel is a bit sad that this game might die out because it does have potential. The editors are really fun to play around with it is just sad that the same creativity was not exported to the game it self. Sometimes is even a bit annoying on what limits they put on the player in the later stages.

[gec05]

The creators were really great by the way. In fact, they spent so much time on that, that they practically disregarded game play.

In a sense though, that's all Spore is, a creator tool. Looking at your creations alone is essentially the only fun part of the game.

[MasterChiToes]

Spore died the day it was nerfed... Remember compound verbs?
Bite + Move = Drag
Now it is all dufus Clicks to Attack/Befriend.

Bah Humbug 

[Yokto]

I am not sure how the context sensitive part would have made a game out of it. Also there still some part of that left. You can for example pick up stuff and ether give it or throw it at people.

But the thing is what you do in the game also need to have some impact or it will just feel like a shallow. When your choices have consequences then it feels more real and more engaging.

The design aspect give you two types of rewards that makes it valuable for the player. Directly it makes the game look pretty. It is fun to see something you have made in the game comes to life. Especially if it is cleaver. You can also share it with others giving you creed which is the other aspect of what makes it fun. If users felt even more connected to there creation via them having stats that actually matters leading to a deeper design the just the superficial which is often the case of many items in the game then it would be even more engaging i think. How to do this however i am not sure. And the editors them self are still very strong so it would not really be a area where the developers need to focus more. (Though i do think that a change in the creatures section would have help. One that try to meet some middle ground between how the stats are calculated pre and post game release. Nether system really promotes creativity.)

Is there a topic about how to make a game out of spore anywhere?

[Fumanchu]

I think Spore was intended to be Will Wright's swan song, something he could be proud of, and go out with a bang.  Instead, it's kind of been a whimper.

Hype really floated the game when it first came out.  No matter if you had your hopes dashed (like me) or you were satisfied with the end product, Spore still managed to do well initially.  But it was hobbled right out of the gate due to the simplistic gameplay.  EA/Maxis was't sure who their target demographic was and thus botched marketing opportunities everywhere they could, resulting in more disgruntlement from the few hangers-on left.

Even Will Wright pulled a Pontius Pilate and figuratively washed his hands of the whole Spore product (except with receiving royalty payments, no doubt).  He seemingly wanted to distance himself so much from Spore (which was his last videogame) that he's decided to pursue development of TV shows instead.

It seems to be a common complaint (with legs) that whenever a promising developer pairs up with EA, you can rest assured Quality will take a nosedive.  Instead, the end goal is Quantity (read: micro-transactions or endless expansion packs).  These aren't bad ideas, but you need to have that solid foundation and that core group of gamers you know will pimp the product to their friends.  Without that, you run the risk of driving sales right into the ground.

I remember right before Spore came out there was a post by someone that said something like: "Spore will be a game I will play for 20 years and then I will pass it on to my children, since by WW's estimate you could play your entire lifetime and still not see all there is to see."  He was flamed for basically saying the equivalent of having his own father tell him about a fascinating game called Pacman he should play.  Of course, then I played Spore and realized I'd really have to dislike my kids to want to foist it upon them even a year later (which is incredibly generous).

Long-winded, but this forum is dead anyway, so there you go.

[martyk]

Especially considering it lacks the game play element being very shallow. Even Galactic Adventure is very shallow. And unlike the Sims you can not really decide on how much you wish to invents in to the game. Now if they had made the game deeper and more complex then it might have had more longevity.

Well that's the problem isn't it?  Too stipped down to appeal to hardcore gamers, yet still too complex for casuals.  It's in a sort of limbo.

Also:

Long-winded, but this forum is dead anyway, so there you go.

You havn't posted in a year.  You're not exactly in a position to declare the forum dead.

[Yokto]

Especially considering it lacks the game play element being very shallow. Even Galactic Adventure is very shallow. And unlike the Sims you can not really decide on how much you wish to invents in to the game. Now if they had made the game deeper and more complex then it might have had more longevity.

Well that's the problem isn't it?  Too stipped down to appeal to hardcore gamers, yet still too complex for casuals.  It's in a sort of limbo.

That is a myth. In the olden days they lived by the creed easy to learn and hard to master. Today is just easy to learn. The Casual gamer likes games which still takes skill and have depth. But you have to make the game so new players can play it at there own pace as slowly develop. This is part of what makes a game fun. To get better at something. To improve. One do not have to be the best player in the world. But is always fun to see that one have manage to become a little bit better then before.  The trick is making it rewarding. Not punishing the player to much for failure but rather encourage the player to try again and improve.

[GroxGlitch]

Ugh, I know what that's like. For example, a somewhat gem of a game called S.L.A.I., or Steel Lancer Arena International (Don't ask about the name, I don't know, look at the devs.)
You start out underpowered, and then you tooth-and-nail your way to the class rankers. Think the most insane boss fight, multiply it by 40, then arm the character with a toothpick, and you get the Class Rankers in SLAI. They are waaaay too overpowered, to the point of being hacked. And the worst part? You loose money when you get killed. So it's not "Oh well, I lost, too bad.", it's "Oh my god! I just got killed in 0.6 seconds and just lost 1,490,000 moniez!!!11!". And, it all honesty, I would have prefered Spore be like that, then what it is now. I mean, Spore simply gives you NO challenge. So, if you like hardcore, you're outta luck, but if you like simple, then this is the game for you. The vehicle editor is completely redundant, past giving your unit health, speed, and attack. Actual design plays no role. You could have the legs upside down, it still moves as if they were right side up. 

[Luminar]

It would have helped significantly if Maxis hadn't basically looked down on the community and fanbase the entire lifespan of the game by squashing support for game mods, keeping a comparativley tight leash on their forums, offering absolutely no communication with the community outside of extremely limited and highly patronising "features" of asking a stripped down set of questions to some random-ass staff member, stonewalling feedback of both technical and suggestions for improvement and just generally not being there when their presence could have done a lot for the game's longevity.

If you shake crumbs and scraps down at the people trying to enjoy something and treat it like the second coming of christ people are going to get patronised very quickly and leave, and when that happens your product starts dying. Sure, the core product could have been more, but it could have gone so much further if EA/Maxis weren't so condescending about their community.

[Lush City]

Its a shame. Any game capable of establishing an entire net subculture must of had some potential. Too bad I never got the chance to really get into it.

[gec05]

Before the game came out, it was the best times we ever had here.

The release of Spore ruined it over time.

[Yokto]

Oh so you really want spore 2 so you can wait? 

[gec05]

Heh, they probably won't get it right until Spore 3.

[GroxGlitch]

They could go to Spore 2000, it won't be the ubergame it was meant to be, until someone overthrows EA as the owner of the game. EA'll never get it right!

[Gorman Conall]

The current game is pretty dead, but I wouldn't be surprised to see Spore 2 to come in a  few years.

Also Grox, it was not EAs fault in the slightest, in fact EA gave Maxis and Will Wright all the time in they needed. It was Maxis and Will that made spore the way it was, it was their choices and decisions. EA had nothing to do with it.

I think this Spore is dead because Maxis knows no amount of Xpacks will bring it to the glory we hoped for. They know what we want and what we are angry about and they already have the ground work laid out for Spore 2 using Spore 1. I suspect Spore 2 will make us drool again. However this time, don't expect to hear a peep about it until a few months before its release. They wont make that mistake again.

That said, while I want and hope Spore 2 is the thing we all originally wanted. Spore 1 is a great game in its own right. If none of you had knew what spore was prior to purchasing it. You all would probably love it.

[Plank of Wood]

... There's a Spore 2?

[Gorman Conall]

Not confirmed no, but I would bet on one being in development. I just wouldn't bet on hearing about it for a very long time.

[Yokto]

Spore 2 could be the reboot it needs. With it one can focus more on the gameplay rather then the mechanics. Spore is a rather great milestone technically but there is no real game there. Three is no challenge or real choice. Making meaningful choices is what make a game interesting.

That is why i think the first stage was considered to be so much fun for many. It was simply but you felt you had choices. When you designed you little organism you placement of defenses matted. In later stages is mainly just buying parts that gives you a ability.

The greatest challenges one could undertake in the game was actually self imposed. That is great but it still did not give you a lot of options. You have to make the game more complex i believe. Let people explore the hole depth of the game.

Bah.. I am just rambling. >_<

[Flisch]

The current game is pretty dead, but I wouldn't be surprised to see Spore 2 to come in a  few years.

Also Grox, it was not EAs fault in the slightest, in fact EA gave Maxis and Will Wright all the time in they needed. It was Maxis and Will that made spore the way it was, it was their choices and decisions. EA had nothing to do with it.

This is funny: If it would have been an awesome game, it would've been a new EA title.

But when it turns out bad it was Maxis' fault.

Let's face it: Maxis is currently owned by EA. If Maxis is doing something wrong, EA isn't doing their job right.

[MasterChiToes]

Spore is a rather great milestone technically but there is no real game there.

OMG, Spore is Avatar! 

[Yokto]

Except Spore did not break any sales records. (But it did sell pretty well as i understands it.)

[Gorman Conall]

The current game is pretty dead, but I wouldn't be surprised to see Spore 2 to come in a  few years.

Also Grox, it was not EAs fault in the slightest, in fact EA gave Maxis and Will Wright all the time in they needed. It was Maxis and Will that made spore the way it was, it was their choices and decisions. EA had nothing to do with it.

This is funny: If it would have been an awesome game, it would've been a new EA title.

But when it turns out bad it was Maxis' fault.

Let's face it: Maxis is currently owned by EA. If Maxis is doing something wrong, EA isn't doing their job right.

I cant tell if you are on my side or are sarcastically disagreeing. People developed a blind hate for EA (for no real reason that I can conclude) that blinds them to anything logical. Maxis screwed up Spore, you can see from the various interviews and videos. Spore came out exactly how they wanted it, but how they wanted it was not how we wanted it. EA put a trust in Maxis that they don't normally do, but Maxis had such a great track record they put a lot of faith in them and gave them pretty much everything they needed.

In one interview it wasn't until the guy that worked on Civilization came aboard that they even implemented difficulty settings, and only then it was because the Civ guy INSISTED it was a necessity. Maxis made it clear from the beginning that they were creating a toy not a game. A they made a pretty damn good toy, just a really bad game.

If you wanna hate spore and blame someone, at least blame the correct people.

[Flisch]

Let's face it: Maxis is currently owned by EA. If Maxis is doing something wrong, EA isn't doing their job right.

[Yokto]

I cant tell if you are on my side or are sarcastically disagreeing. People developed a blind hate for EA (for no real reason that I can conclude) that blinds them to anything logical.

Yeah people have no reason to hate EA.. Well.. Except... For... You know... Bullfrog Productions, Origin Systems, Westwood Studios, Pandemic Studios. If you where a fan of any of those game makers then you might not agree. >_>

[Plank of Wood]

Bullfrog Productions

HOW DARE YOU SPEAK THE NAME OF THOSE INFINITELY YOUR GREATER!

[Yokto]

Ehh.... What is up with plank? I like Bullfrog Productions. Why the hell would i mention a loooong list of EA divisions that EA closed down if i did not like the division? The only ones on that list that i am not that familiar with is Pandemic. And they seem cool to.

Btw Maxis can sort of be added to the list now just so you all know.

[Plank of Wood]

Ehh.... What is up with plank? I like Bullfrog Productions.

YOU SAID THEIR NAME AGAIN!

YOU ARE NOT WORTHY OF MENTIONING THEIR GREATNESS!

I CURSE YOU WITH BLOATY-HEAD SYNDROME FOR THE REST OF ETERNITY!

[Granite T. Rock]

I haven't touched the game in a year but I was thinking about getting the expansion packs and giving it another whirl... I did like making creatures.

On another note....  The Dr. Pepper promotion is certainly them doing something towards the game.  Down but not out? 

[Yokto]

The problem with that promotional stuff is that only people form US can officially get there hands on it.

[Plank of Wood]

It's Bioware Bazaar all over again!

[Lush City]

The problem with that promotional stuff is that only people form US can officially get there hands on it.

Doesn't Spore have a mostly US player pool?

[Flisch]

The problem with that promotional stuff is that only people form US can officially get there hands on it.

There are computers outside of america?

Like... ones that run Spore? o_O

Someone should inform EA!

[Yuu]

There are computers outside of america?

Nah, it's probably just another one of those things the conspiracy theorists have been cooking up recently.

Computers can't possibly exist outside of America.


Though, yeah, that Dr.Pepper promo kinda left out a massive portion of the fanbase.

[Krakow Sam]

Say what you like about Spore, but my kid cousins love that game. Love it.


I was personally disappointed with it, but I doubt my cousins are an isolated case. The groundwork is layed down for sequel after sequel and as those kids they will buy them.

So yeah, I think we will be seeing more spore in the future, and unless we're lucky I don't think they have any incentive to actually 'fix' anything much.

[Yokto]

EA would be dumb not to develop a sequel. Now that they have the basic foundation laid down it will take them less time to.

Still EA sometimes seem to think is a good idea to not produce games just to save money. (Though i wonder how they plan to make money with that economic model )

[Skyward]

EA would be dumb not to develop a squeal.

That is precisely why the sequel lies in limbo.

[Hydromancerx]

Spore is not dead if they learned from their mistakes. Such as making a shallow game for "casual gamers". Also the whole cross platform BS is just silly. Focus on one platform with one game. Once you get it right THEN cross platform it to other games systems. Seems to me they were trying to do too many things and the game became, well repetitive and shallow. The editors on the other hand were awesome! May I say a giant leap for games. But there just was no game left to play once you played it once. However I must say that Galactic Adventures was a step in the right direction. Too bad it was not included in the base game. I think things would have been much diffrent if it had been. Also I think the lack of the flora editor and water stage was a big mistake. In addition Spore 2 could be good if say the AI is improved. For instance one thing i was hoping for Spore originally was to be able to create species that had their own behavior and fit into a more complex ecosystem. Similar to what was set up in Sim Life or Sim Earth.

[Tonjevic]

What's this about Maxis being in financial difficulty?

I mean, spore was pretty crappy, but Maxis' franchises still sell reasonably well, don't they?

[GroxGlitch]

No! 4.6 Billion dollars a year is never enough to lead a decent lifestyle. Everybody knows this!

[Plank of Wood]

... In case you're serious, There are G8 countries that don't make 4.6 billion. The hell did you get that number from?

[Clarke]

... In case you're serious, There are G8 countries that don't make 4.6 billion. The hell did you get that number from?

Actually, the G8 country with the lowest GDP is Russia, with 1.29 trillion.

[Lush City]

Wasn't the G8 rendered defunct by the G20?

[Tonjevic]

I still wanna know where that 4.6 Billion figure is from. That seems more like a figure that would apply to all of EA -- I want to know how the maxis bit specifically is doing.

[Plank of Wood]

... In case you're serious, There are G8 countries that don't make 4.6 billion. The hell did you get that number from?

Actually, the G8 country with the lowest GDP is Russia, with 1.29 trillion.

GDP =/= Profit.

Go to jail. Do not pass Go. Do not collect $200.

Or I'm wrong and I embarressed myself.

Eitherway, 4.6 billion is a HUGE amount. The Republic of Mongolia doesn't make that.

Wasn't the G8 rendered defunct by the G20?

That really doesn't matter for the sake of this arguement in any sense whatsoever.

[Lush City]

You act as if anyone gave a turd about Mongolia. Large corporations have been making more than third and second world countries from day one, there's nothing special about EA.

[Plank of Wood]

You're missing the point. He wasn't talking about multi-million companies like EA, he was refering to Maxis. And Maxis doesn't produce Madden '08 by the truckloads.

[Tonjevic]

I guess EA doesn't release revenue data from their individual marques.

[Yokto]

Maxis do not really exist any more. Just so you all know.

[GroxGlitch]

That's my point. The good ol' Maxis we all know and love was absorbed by the money-grubbing sore that is EA. I was referring to EA.

[Yokto]

And i am just making it clear that they do not even have a real studio any more. The name is still there but is just that. A name. Though that i guess is a rare honor in the EA sphere as normally when they cancel a studio the name also vanish.

[Luminar]

There's some "darkspore" rumour going about based on the usual scummy snooping of what companies have been registering as trademarks, if anyone cares.

[Haseri]

A rumour? Might as well Google it to see some truth.

[Flisch]

Just because they registered that trademark doesn't mean they're gonna make the game.

It's often that they just don't want anyone else to trademark that name.

[nurizeko]

Hmmm, been a while. Dunno if Spore is truly dead but the game basically ate my best and oldest save, rendering the Noripod empire (and I spent hours on it so this was a pretty large empire with all tech and space game toys) a distant memory, mainly because I basically re-installed because the game started going weird on me after the save delete and if the Noripod empire was bugged it was basically game over because it had its massive tendrils in every spiral arm.


Hows the Gaming Steve Spore community?.

[Plank of Wood]

Hows the Gaming Steve Spore community?.

"Ahahahahahahah" sums it up nicely.

[RiseWhirled]

Reading this thread just now, has given me an overwhelming urge to restart from cell stage, and defeat the Grox.

I'm reinstalling Spore.

[Lush City]

Just a question. How did the poll get that huge? I didn't even knew we had that many members,let alone ones who were actualy active.

[Clarke]

http://www.gamingsteve.com/blab/index.php?topic=1038.0

[Plank of Wood]

Just a question. How did the poll get that huge? I didn't even knew we had that many members,let alone ones who were actualy active.

... Oh lol.

[RiseWhirled]

...Gamingsteve has 4375 members total.

[Skyward]

But think of how many are still active, and how many never even posted once.

[Yokto]

We are all active of course!

[RiseWhirled]

Around a hundred? Less?

[Flisch]

138 members are still active.

[Lush City]

All  active? Wow.

[gec05]

Hows the Gaming Steve Spore community?.

Where the hell have you been?

Ah, well I can't blame you. A lot of people left because of Spore.

[Yuu]

Hows the Gaming Steve Spore community?.

They have moved on to the next world...

[Lush City]

You make it sound so, operatic.

[Yuu]

 


Anyways, yeah, anyone interested should really go look into that site. 

[Prok]

Just because they registered that trademark doesn't mean they're gonna make the game.

It's often that they just don't want anyone else to trademark that name.

I haven't followed games during development too much other than Spore, but this Darkspore name trademark seems to have gotten some games reporters' attentions. Does anyone know if this is usually the case with trademarked names?

[Clarke]

I'm betting on it being a publicity stunt, or possibly even insurance against somebody poking fun at it through a fake game.

[Hydromancerx]

Hows the Gaming Steve Spore community?.

They have moved on to the next world...

Hopefully being on a separate forum will keep them active and independent of Spore.

[gec05]

Not quite, but we're currently arranging new management by merging the Spore RP people with the General RP people. It will be something entirely new, possibly with a new Star Trek motif, hopefully with a more character-driven focus than on an entire species or race. Kosmosis as it is now still feels like were dragging all the old Spore ideas we just can't seem to shake off.

[Yuu]

Raz seems to have done a more character-centric thing with his Tunmu, by using a single Drazu as his central character.

I'm planning to do the same, actually.

The only problem is it didn't seem to catch on with the others.   

[gec05]

Well, maybe you can try something a little more traditional and organic for a change.

[Yuu]

Maybe...


>_>


>_>


In the prequels. -_-'

[neroli]

If it's not dead, it will be because of mods, because of people who work their way past the awful "game design", when it's really software draped on a cheap-ass marketing plan.  The last Sims I ever saw, years old, I hated for the same reason - you design, if you're like me, maniacally, then there's nothing to do with it.  But everyone online has the same complaints and there's mods that apparently work fine, to turn it into a real game.  Which it isn't, I mostly only play independent or fairly obscure stuff, and it's so easy to see marketing driven screw the people who buy this fake game design behind it.   

I want it to work, really bad - it's really sci-fi, and creative (the sims could only be a designing game for me at best, sci-fi is heaven), if you can get that to work, it's my kind of perfection.  So I've put in some mods that are working for everyone else (they're at sporebase, as far as I know, all kinds), now that I found out where the right place on a Mac is - no result, I'm wondering if you're supposed to do an AppCleaner and reinstall or what.  I was always tech hopeless, and not young, so I may need the most for compleat idiot help ever seen for game mods.

In the end it's up to real people, the players - no way I could have not seen Maxis design was just screwing the game to death, as soon as tech support miraculously got it to work at all, but still love the idea and want to get a game out of it (so nice to find people who get that it means beating EA first).  And it's a huge irony, for an awesome idea with great software, they just kicked it so hard with the greedy crap.  Here's hoping players save the great part - they seem to be, my lack of helpfulness is actually from a math related learning disability, so it's just a matter of having faith in good hackers beating the jerks.  Which seems to be going great, if I can ever get the "make my downloaded mod work" thing figured out. 

I saw a really good breakdown of the G nations thing, if I could find it.  Also if someone could please tell me (maybe with pictures) how to make my mods work - mediafire being down might have something to do with it...       

[CosmicD]

this is so incredibly weird. It must have been 2 years (give or take a month) ago that I played it. I remember this time of years 2008 I couldn't almost sleep the last few nights till it came out. Played hundreds of hours in the creature editor during summer holoday and I didn't anticipate a game this much since the first star fox.

I was enthousiastic , hell I even interviewed one of the developers as a complete nobody. Spore made a game journalist ad interim (very briefly) of me. Then when I played it a month.. bang, there was a fatigueness I can't describe. I kept on saying to my friends, the editor is cool, I even liked the civilisation stage (more than the space stage really) , because it could get intense... But once my creature was near the center I just thought I evolved 'enough" Tried to do some other creatures , evolved them to tribe and stuff like that, created some ships and messed around. But beyond the creating process I just didn't do anything with it anymore.

it all looked very pleasing and the creation of things was fun, but the gameplay especially when you did the space age long wasn't really immersive anymore.

[Lush City]

Sounds like you got out the "honeymoon phase."