Spore

[gstelmack]

Bought 2 copies this weekend (me + wife + 5 year-old daughter + 4 computers at home = 2 copies needed). Wife and I both having fun, although we're both still in the Creature phase (although we're working on the last brain expansion). I definitely see things I'd do differently next time through, so I don't think replayability (at least once more) will be an issue.

My daughter is not into the main game, as she doesn't like creatures attacking her. Although, and I'm sure my "no violence on TV" friends here will love this, while watching my wife she has finally realised that some creatures are really mean and just begging to be eaten, so we'll see if that changes. She LOVES the creator though, and is creating some awesome buildings and cars and ships. Looking forward to those populating my world.

[RendeR]

I worked through a 4th planet last night, went as anti-death as I could in each phase. Couldn't help but destroy 3 of the 5 other tribes though and I used religious eforts to convert every single city on the civ phase.

I am getting ready to start the space age and I'm doing it as a Shaman. The special ability this gives you?

One step return flights to your home planet, no matter how FAR you are away. Thats a HUGE bonus in the space race.

[RendeR]

I don't see the issue with replayability at all. Every single game can turn into a different result. everything leading up to space is really only there to develope WHO you are in the space segment.

I see where people find the critter stage a little tedious, even frustrating on the hard level (grumbles) but there are enough options in each stage that you can turn out as any of 10 different styles of race once you hit the space age.

I'm trying to see if I can get all 10, somehow I don't think that is going to be easy.

[gstelmack]

Did forget to mention: I'm gstelmack in Spore. I'll be adding some of you to the buddy list soon. I have kids, so my content should be safe.

[Bonegavel]

why is it so hard to find users on the spore.com page? Type in Thomkal and you get everything but Thomkal. I don't get it.

[Bonegavel]

Bearcat
JeeberD
RendeR
Kerg01
mrsachmo
UncleMatch
Mayser
CoffeeW
Thomkal
gstelmack

[Bonegavel]

Originally Posted by Bonegavel

why is it so hard to find users on the spore.com page? Type in Thomkal and you get everything but Thomkal. I don't get it.

Well, all I'm doing now is typing in directly

hxxp://www.spore.com/view/profile/username

seems to work

[RendeR]

I had trouble finding meyser, but everyone else came right up.

[Bonegavel]

I knew the scroll wheel made pieces bigger/smaller (fat/skinny) but it didn't dawn on my until yesterday that you could do it to the body section. D'oh! I was messing around with the spine but I never made the body section bigger or smaller with the scroll wheel until yesterday. I was always using what shape was resulting from my spine adjustments.

[Mustang]

On Xspore (and other sites) there are steps to mod your files in order to make attacks and eco disasters occur less frequently so you can actually explore the galaxy.

They are indepth manual steps right now, but hopefully someone will create something more automated if you aren't comfortable changing files.

[RendeR]

There are things/steps you can take in the game to make them occur less frequently as well, everything that happens in the space stage is based on what you do previously.

I'm tryin to figure out how I could possibly have changed the ways I've done these first games to get those other results, very intriguing.

The depth of this game is far more deceptive than many believe.

[RendeR]

I just domesticated 3 animals, my next task is to kill the Epic Creature in tribal stage.

[RendeR]

Ok that went rather easily, though it cost me 6 tribesman. Took down the 1000 hp epic beasty, gave us TONS of food. throwing spears FTW!

[RendeR]

back in a bit, need food!

[Galaril]

Originally Posted by Bonegavel

Bearcat
JeeberD
RendeR
Kerg01
mrsachmo
UncleMatch
Mayser
CoffeeW
Thomkal
gstelmack

You add me to the list and I also got kids so my content is safe as well. Our user name is Galaril

[illinifan999]

So I know there are 2 versions of the creature creator, the free one and the one that isn't free that has more parts. Do you still need to buy that if you buy the game? Or does it come with it?

[Shkspr]

Comes with it. The creature creator is, how you say? Oh, yes. Extinct.

[spleen1015]

When I installed Spore, it uninstalled the Creature Creator.

[illinifan999]

Ok thanks guys!

[MacroGuru]

My name is macroguru for this.

[gstelmack]

So I hit tribal stage last night. Is it normal that when I click a creature and tell him to do something, he gets a question mark over his head and then sits there for a minute or more before going off to do whatever I told him to do?

I swear my creatures would go from full to starving by the time they got over to the animal to hunt it...

[Neon_Chaos]

Originally Posted by gstelmack

So I hit tribal stage last night. Is it normal that when I click a creature and tell him to do something, he gets a question mark over his head and then sits there for a minute or more before going off to do whatever I told him to do?

I swear my creatures would go from full to starving by the time they got over to the animal to hunt it...

Are you herbivore or carnivore?

[gstelmack]

Originally Posted by Neon_Chaos

Are you herbivore or carnivore?

Carnivore into Predator, despite my best Omnivorous efforts...

[RendeR]

Anyone else have a really hard time finding the probiscus (omnivorous mouth piece) in the tidal pool stage? I've only found it 2x out of 4 tries.

[RendeR]

DOLA to add, having the probiscus when you move to the critter stage makes the whole food issue FAR easier, its also easier in tribal stage as it allows you to hunt or gather and collect mad amounts of food.

[CleBrownsfan]

After a couple weeks after it's release are you guys still liking Spore? I'm still on the fence about getting this one. I've been told if you like Sims - which I have played and liked - then I should like Spore. But I just don't want to get another game that has no real "lasting appeal"...

[sachmo71]

Originally Posted by CleBrownsfan

After a couple weeks after it's release are you guys still liking Spore? I'm still on the fence about getting this one. I've been told if you like Sims - which I have played and liked - then I should like Spore. But I just don't want to get another game that has no real "lasting appeal"...

Actually, I would break it down like this:

if you have kids, buy it now. the fun you can have just making things is well worth it, and then you can bring your creations to life in the game.

if you are just going to play it for yourself, i would wait for the first patch. my favorite stage, space, finally revealed it's annoying side...constantly being called across the galaxy to save my colonies. it's really interrupting to the flow of the game. That means that each level has a pretty big annoyance, and would probably cause many adult gamers to just move on.

[sachmo71]

Buddies (please make a note if you have inappropriate content)

Bonegavel - unclematch
Sachmo71 - mrsachmo
RendeR - RendeR
Mustang - kerg01
Bearcat729 - bearcat
JeeberD - JeeberD
spleen1015 - mayser
CoffeeWarlord - coffeew
Thomkal - Thomkal
Yellow5 - Yellow5
Gstelmack - gstelmack
Galaril - galaril
Macroguru - Macroguru

[Mustang]

Originally Posted by sachmo71

constantly being called across the galaxy to save my colonies. it's really interrupting to the flow of the game. That means that each level has a pretty big annoyance, and would probably cause many adult gamers to just move on.

I had made a note up above that there are mods that you can do to reduce this.

[spleen1015]

Originally Posted by sachmo71

Buddies (please make a note if you have inappropriate content)

Bonegavel - unclematch
Sachmo71 - mrsachmo
RendeR - RendeR
Mustang - kerg01
Bearcat729 - bearcat
JeeberD - JeeberD
spleen1015 - mayser
CoffeeWarlord - coffeew
Thomkal - Thomkal
Yellow5 - Yellow5
Gstelmack - gstelmack
Galaril - galaril
Macroguru - Macroguru

You won't see anything inappropriate from me. I like my creatures to be simple, not a lot of crap all over them. I prefer bipeds for some reason was well.

[sachmo71]

Originally Posted by Mustang

I had made a note up above that there are mods that you can do to reduce this.

I saw that, but don't want to abandon my current game. Maybe on the next go-round.

[darkenigma510]

any good Spore mod sites out there?

[RendeR]

Originally Posted by sachmo71

if you are just going to play it for yourself, i would wait for the first patch. my favorite stage, space, finally revealed it's annoying side...constantly being called across the galaxy to save my colonies. it's really interrupting to the flow of the game. That means that each level has a pretty big annoyance, and would probably cause many adult gamers to just move on.

I've played through to the space staqge (and into it a bit) 4x now and I have yet to see anything annoying on any level? What have people been reporting?

I've been called to save a colony of an ALIEN race one time, never my own. Maybe I've just been really lucky thus far?

[gstelmack]

There were some hints above that actions earlier can affect this. Perhaps violent carnivores get attacked a lot by alien races, while peaceful herbivores do not?

[sachmo71]

Not sure. My race is middle of the road, so i can't be sure. Nor can I be sure that the notices are coming more frequently as the game goes on, but I can attest to the fact that there is a lot more to do, and less time to screw around. Then, suddenly, you are bombarded with messages from all over. Some races giving you tribute, some races demanding money, and those take time to deal with. And then every 480 seconds the game checks for aliens\pirates\enviornmental disasters occuring on one of your colonies. Or maybe it checks for EACH colony, so it seems to happen more frequently.

Either way, I can't really play the game the way I want. When I have to go to each colony to get spice, and then trade it to get cash... This is why I would suggest an adult gamer wait for a patch. Or buy the game, suffer through creature, and hack your .exe before you start!

[Bonegavel]

Originally Posted by RendeR

I've played through to the space staqge (and into it a bit) 4x now and I have yet to see anything annoying on any level? What have people been reporting?

I've been called to save a colony of an ALIEN race one time, never my own. Maybe I've just been really lucky thus far?

I'm a full fledged carnie and I came across 1 race that eventually allowed me to ally with them but I also came across a race that attacks my colonies every other turn. Very annoying. They won't leave me alone and they always have like 8 or so ships that I have to kill. They are relentless.

[sachmo71]

Originally Posted by Bonegavel

I'm a full fledged carnie and I came across 1 race that eventually allowed me to ally with them but I also came across a race that attacks my colonies every other turn. Very annoying. They won't leave me alone and they always have like 8 or so ships that I have to kill. They are relentless.

Do you have any allied ships with you? they sure make things easier.
A lock-on feature would be GREAT in this game.

[Critch]

I bought the game the day it was released and I still havent managed to register it so that I can share and receive other user's stuff.

I've got a couple of support questions in there, both that are guaranteed to be answered within 24 hours and both have no response at all after 5 or 6 days. Oh well, at least the game isnt appealing to me so I don't feel I'm missing anything.

[Thomkal]

Originally Posted by sachmo71

Buddies (please make a note if you have inappropriate content)

Bonegavel - unclematch
Sachmo71 - mrsachmo
RendeR - RendeR
Mustang - kerg01
Bearcat729 - bearcat
JeeberD - JeeberD
spleen1015 - mayser
CoffeeWarlord - coffeew
Thomkal - Thomkal
Yellow5 - Yellow5
Gstelmack - gstelmack
Galaril - galaril
Macroguru - Macroguru

Had problems finding several of these because it requires an exact match. So several of them need to be capitalized before you can find them, and one needs the capitalization taken off.

UncleMatch
Kerg01
Bearcat
CoffeeW
macroguru

I think those are the ones I couldn't find originally. As you can see from my page, I'm still hanging out in the creature part of the game. Haven't played much, and still getting used to the creature creator.

[MacroGuru]

Originally Posted by Thomkal

Had problems finding several of these because it requires an exact match. So several of them need to be capitalized before you can find them, and one needs the capitalization taken off.

UncleMatch
Kerg01
Bearcat
CoffeeW
macroguru

I think those are the ones I couldn't find originally. As you can see from my page, I'm still hanging out in the creature part of the game. Haven't played much, and still getting used to the creature creator.

I thought I hooked up my account, it is now correct and should be able to add me.

[Bonegavel]

Originally Posted by Thomkal

Had problems finding several of these because it requires an exact match. So several of them need to be capitalized before you can find them, and one needs the capitalization taken off.

UncleMatch
Kerg01
Bearcat
CoffeeW
macroguru

I think those are the ones I couldn't find originally. As you can see from my page, I'm still hanging out in the creature part of the game. Haven't played much, and still getting used to the creature creator.

ah, good catch! I must have must have gotten lucky with my caps when I added.

[CleBrownsfan]

Not sure if this has been posted but here is a pretty funny review of spore:

hxxp://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/zero-punctuation/218-Spore

[RendeR]

It was kinda funny. I think spore may well out-do the sims over time, Spore seems to have been laid out perfectly for expansion after expansion, added depth in each level, adding new levels, it will go on and on and on.

10 years from now the game may well be what we all had hoped it would be right from the beginning, but they want to be able to squeeze every penny from this cash cow so we'l ave to wait for it to happen over time.

[CleBrownsfan]

So I broke down and purchased Spore. I installed it but I don't see any shortcuts to start the game... I'm having a rough time lately with computer games so this doesn't shock me that I can't find a damn shortcut

[Alan T]

Originally Posted by CleBrownsfan

So I broke down and purchased Spore. I installed it but I don't see any shortcuts to start the game... I'm having a rough time lately with computer games so this doesn't shock me that I can't find a damn shortcut

This happened when I installed it for my wife on her vista system too. You have to manually create the shortcut yourself. No problem on XP from what I saw.

[Bonegavel]

Originally Posted by RendeR

It was kinda funny. I think spore may well out-do the sims over time, Spore seems to have been laid out perfectly for expansion after expansion, added depth in each level, adding new levels, it will go on and on and on.

10 years from now the game may well be what we all had hoped it would be right from the beginning, but they want to be able to squeeze every penny from this cash cow so we'l ave to wait for it to happen over time.

I will happily pay for this. I don't mind paying folks to make games I want even if I have to take baby steps. Nobody else is even dipping their little toes in waters such as these.

[Thomkal]

There is a patch out now for Spore. You can download it in game if you load the EA Download Manager first. I didn't download the Download Manager because you supposedly can download the patch without it. I would advise not downloading it quite yet though as some people are reporting problems with it. Like slow loading of certain graphics after not having a problem with them before the patch.

[Thomkal]

Originally Posted by RendeR

Anyone else have a really hard time finding the probiscus (omnivorous mouth piece) in the tidal pool stage? I've only found it 2x out of 4 tries.

I've never found it, have a creature in the tide pool now ready to evolve to land, but trying to find that piece so I can try an omnivore. I'm finding it hard just finding the comet pieces at all.

[sachmo71]

Urk...downloading patch now.

[Groundhog]

I haven't played this since 3 days after I bought it.

And I noticed the price had been slashed by $20 since I bought it, too.