Topic: Depth of Ecology in Spore

[Caltrop]

One thing I would like to discuss in this thread it the ecological system in Spore; How we think it might work, how we would like it to work. It'd be really nice if the devs could look at these suggestions. [Hint  ] Here are some ideas for things I would like to see:

-Evolution: The other species in the game shouldn't stay stagnant as you evolve! That makes no sense at all, does it? In real life, ALL creatures evolve, not just homonids. Besides, having to deal with the evolutions of other creatures makes the game deeper. Think about it: In the GDC 2005 Spore, we saw that Spider-Creature chase down the Willosaur. Luckily, the hoppers were slower then Willy, and got eaten instead. What would happen if hoppers got faster, or the Spider Creature? Or if an entirely new species evolved carnivorism and started hunting Willosaurs? It would result in the EVO stage being a constant evolutionary arms race: which is exactly what it the natural would is like!

-Extinction: If one particular species of plant or animal is predated upon too much, I want it to go extinct. It would be highly unrealistic to find some creature spawn out of nowhere after you ate/shot/captured the last of its kind 2 hours ago. Further, this would help support evolution. Without the extincted thing in the food chain, predators need to adapt for new prey, or other creatres can evolve into that former critter's ecological niche.

-Invasive Species: If I capture a few creatures from Planet A, and drop them in on Planet B, I want to see how Planet B adapts to these new critters. I want to see the Aliens ( ) multiply, diversify, evolve, and interact with the natives. Will they be immediately destroyed by the natives? Mesh nicely into the established ecosystem? Or even become the dominant species on that world? It'd be very fun to do this sort of thing. Or even make a critter from scratch and plop it down on a planet and see how the species  does.

Well, that's all I can think of for now, but I'll probably add more as I think them up. What do YOU guys want to see, pertaining to Ecology in Spore?

[GCool]

Most of what I would like to see, I have said before.

I like your ideas though.

I would really like to see path splits in evolution, since this game has every creature coming from a seperate bacteria. There should be branches, so you could make big variants (2 new species from one old - like Lions and Tigers) or breeds (like different types of dog - but not wolfs, as they are a slightly different species)
That would just make the game more realistic.

I would also like to see more natural evolution - you can't just go from 2 arms to 10, you would have to add different stages of arm - starting at small single joint and ending wherever. Or work from a 5 fingered hand up or down a few fingers (since most creatures on this planet started with 5 fingers, even horses and dogs, so I assume that'd be a safe place to start...)

Obviously, packs of animals - kind of like having a non-sentiant tribe - it wouldn't be the same as a herd, since this isn't just for protection, this would be strategic combat.

I would also like to see if there is some way of setting how trusting your creature is. There are some creatures on this planet that are naturally trusting of humans, and others that are naturally scared.

Emotions would be good, for any stage of evolution past bacteria, and would also fit well with trust. Imagine how a creature would feel being torn away from its herd by a UFO, then dropped down on another planet...


I also think it'd be fun to have your own creature get abducted at some point, then having a short single-player mission to try and escape the UFO *nod*

[Caltrop]

I would also like to see more natural evolution - you can't just go from 2 arms to 10, you would have to add different stages of arm - starting at small single joint and ending wherever. Or work from a 5 fingered hand up or down a few fingers (since most creatures on this planet started with 5 fingers, even horses and dogs, so I assume that'd be a safe place to start...)
at some point, then having a short single-player mission to try and escape the UFO *nod*

Yes, I would like that as well. Although, Will Wright has told us that we need to accumulate some sort of 'points' to purchase advancements. So if you only make X amount of points before laying your egg, you can only advance that much. So that would logically slow down evolution to make it more realistic. Likewise, I imagine that NPCs (Non-Player-Creatures) could be hinded by a similar point system, if thay evolve as well.

[starsnuffer]

Regarding the trusting-ness of your creatures didn't will wright mention in the video that how you behave in the individual eating stage of the game would help determine how your creature behaved and interacted?  That if you went alone and hunted by yourself that your creatures would stay distant through the game but if you found others of your species and moved in a pack you would be a more social creatures?

On fun things to do to test creatures i make out of the blue I'd rig up a gladitorial planet where I'd have my unholy army of creatures from planets i've raided, or my own monsters taht have proven themselves in the ring. and I'd set my new creature( or a group of them) down into progressively more difficult bouts of fighting that I'd watch and evaluate what type of body type works best for various things.  I can just picture a big cube with spines fighting off a pack of little rats.

[JakeCourtney]

Those are nice ideas and I hope they can be included in the game.

[lxix]

Added to these ideas, I would like to see random variety in the creations. For lack of a better word, let's call it a deformity. Every so often, there would be a rare chance for the computer to randomly 'adjust' an attribute during evolution. Maybe tie it in with the 'civilization' stage by running a polution-free society or just chalk it up to the randomness of Nature.

[GCool]

The randomness thing could work.
I definatly would like to see a leader creator, like, if you have a pack, you could deform one of your creatures to make him stronger or maby give him spikes, or another weapon, and have all the others follow him.

[Petike]

The NPC creatures are coming from other players, so someone created their whole evolution. If there is a connection between the creature and the evolved version of the creature, the program can download a next stage of them when you evolve, I hope.

[huggkruka]

It's not certain the Spore engine can evolve creatures on it's own. Therefore I'd say your first point is not very likely to happen(even though it would make more sense).
Extinction is another of those things that should be in the game for added realism, but seeing as we only have maybe a dozen species on the planet(as far as we know) then extinction might screw up the eco-system too much.
Your last point is good and I would think it'll be in the game. The point of abducting and dropping is lost if the new critters just run around and get familiar with the system immediately.

[Leng]

i think i like petike's idea about popping up the next (or one of the next) creature(s) from the other player's evolutionary tree.

but really i came to this thread expecting a discussion about behavior and interaction, so i'll just make one now;p

i would like to see a wide variety of interactions with the environment, creating the feel of a living, breathing ecosystem, not just a place where one thing eats another thing.  these should include, but not be limited to:

creating a home by digging into wood or into the ground, or by gathering twigs to make a nest, or by evicting the previous tennant of such a demesne

day/night cycle (w/ diurnal and nocturnal creatures)

seasonal cycle (w/ optional periods of hibernation)

laying one's eggs in the dung or even the body of another animal

traps, even something as simple as laying a carcass out in the open to attract tasty scavengers

plants tending to grow well when excrement or uneaten parts of prey are left lying around (the sloth makes sure to carefully deposit it's waste to fertilize the tree it eats the leaves of)

and don't say we can't code it..  really. 

[Brutus]

 1: no one knows.

2. yes, thats will be in , coz animals dont spwn, in this game they must breed, so if theres one left it will die with the species

these 2 will be in because its a working ecosytem so it has to be in otherwise the hole thing would fall apart

3. yes this again will be in

[CommunistHamster]

I very much like the lastb 2 suggestions, and the first one.

I want to introduce the spore equivalent of [that toad] to [australiaplanet]

[Brutus]

well if the second 2 werent in, it wouldnt be an ecosytem engine would it, because it would suck, so thay have to be in.

[Alowan]

Going one step up the other player made creatures evo tree would be nice.

Would also add diversity.


Since someone said some posts back that there only is around 5-10 species each planet, i got a question, dosent the pc auto download new creatures so there keep comming new races etc?

[Petike]

To tell the truth, we doesn't know how much species are on a planet, I think this is one ecological system: http://img266.imageshack.us/my.php?image=sporebig38he.jpg