Spore

[Iane]

Well I tried the Creator as it was a $2 deal here in OZ with local newspaper and found it fun to play around with.

Done the Pre order thing and got the Galactic Edition - now I gotta say Maxis has another winner here and can this company not make games that are fun to play (hmmm maybe Sims<---- but that's just me) - Spore allows you to create and upload your creations and to date has a online database of 6 million creations from people all over the world.

Some very clever ideas behind this game - make a game with very little content and then let the gamers create the rest for you - when you play a certain stages in the game it will grab from the internet other users (and yours if lucky) creations and add them to the game and with the database growing with each hour you will be lucky to play the same creatures twice

I'm addicted and so are my Kids

http://www.spore.com/view/profile/Gunlok

[BasiliskWrangler]

I think I am going to grab a copy today. I've always liked "god games": Populous is still one of my favorites.

Jedi: I haven't heard of the 3 install limit...I'll be curious to see if they stick to it given the public's disdain for this type of DRM. Didn't another game eventually give up its install limit (perhaps BioShock or something like that?) because of public outcry?

[Iane]

I looked this up and found that spore was gonna be like Mass effect and have 10 day reactivation as well but was removed and yes the 3 install limit is on spore as well - this I didn't know but have left a message on EA's forums (not that they would care anyways) saying Spore will be my LAST EVER EA purchase due to the bullshit protection

[Dragonlady]

Looks like I won't be getting in anytime soon. The only Mac machine I have that would work on it needs to be upgraded to 'Leopard' and perhaps some graphic stuff. Oh well. Maybe I can put an upgraded computer on my Xmas list.

[Kreador Freeaxe]

Looks like I won't be getting in anytime soon. The only Mac machine I have that would work on it needs to be upgraded to 'Leopard' and perhaps some graphic stuff. Oh well. Maybe I can put an upgraded computer on my Xmas list.

You should. This 24" iMac is a beautiful thing.

[BasiliskWrangler]

So, does anyone have an opinion on Spore? I have a copy here still with the wrapper on- a friend of mine isn't having a very fun time with it and I'd rather not open the game if it's not very enjoyable.

[macdude22]

I'd like to but those honkeys at GametreeOnline haven't sent my download link or key 26 hours after order. So much for digital distribution and instant gratification, I could have driven to EA by now to get a copy.

[Iane]

So, does anyone have an opinion on Spore? I have a copy here still with the wrapper on- a friend of mine isn't having a very fun time with it and I'd rather not open the game if it's not very enjoyable.

I think with any game it all boils down to what you like - Spore starts off as a simple game of eat to survive - coupled with being a game Editor (e.g Create something else to survive better) then turns into a RTS and then Space exploration and conquerer but all along the way you have the option of creating your OWN content to play within the game and upload for others to play if you wish and Spore will take time if you wish to follow that path so if you don't like doing any of this then you won't enjoy Spore.

I like the mix of styles and enjoy creating my own content to use and upload so yes I'm enjoying Spore

[tdisen]

Much of the biased consensus I've come across is that the evolutionary stages your creature goes through are watered down versions of better games. Like they tried to put too much into it and just kind of ended up with a whole lot of "meh".

I won't be buying until EA changes their mind on the copy-protection, and it seems the reviewers over at Amazon.com are with me. I would love to see EA back-peddle on this one.

Check out the hilarity:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000FK ... roduct_top

[Samurai Drakon]

Much o' th' biased consensus I've come across be that th' evolutionary stages yer creature goes through are watered down versions o' better games. Like they tried t' put too much into it 'n jus' kind o' ended up wit' a whole lot o' "meh".

I won't be buyin' 'til EA changes thar mind on th' copy-protection, 'n it seems th' reviewers o'er at Amazon.com are wit' me. I would love t' see EA back-peddle on this one.

Man... 1/5s everywhere
Yohoho an' a bottle o' rum
Ye can nah expect t' stop th' pirates if EVERYONE be a freakin' 'pirate'. Ye got t' adapt t' them , 'n EA hasn't learn't that yet

If yar curious 'bout them 'pirates', watch these mighty good documentarrarries. Also, they be free! ... 'n get an english t' pirate translator, jus' look fer it! Har har har
http://www.stealthisfilm.com/Part2/download.php --- Thar's part 1 'n part 2

[macdude22]

Atrocious DRM aside (Bender's discount DRManariam, means discount DRM), now that I finally have the game I'm having a blast. I had to tick down the graphics a bit on my 2 year old imac but it still looks pretty decent. While the evolutionary stages do seem "dumbed" down a bit from what was hyped up they are still pretty amazing for the whole package. I was hoping for more of a SimEarth or SimLife kind of setup where you could modify the environment to affect the evolution. This will probably be an expansion pack since it sounds like EA wants Spore to be the next Sims franchise.

If you can swallow the DRM BS (or "find" it) this really is a fantastic game, maybe it doesn't live up to the hype but it's so ambitious, grand, and advanced that it's still light years ahead of anything we will probably see for years to come.

[Thoht]

From what I've heard alot of content that appeared in previews was removed, such as the fl0w-like stage... :/ However, I enjoy tinkering alot with my PC, and reinstall my OS ever so often, so it's a no go with that freaky DRM and install limit.

I doubt I'd even bother downloading it, I'd rather not touch anything from EA at all. I fear they are going to have Bioware proper ****ed too before we see the end of it, which is a shame really. I already fear what will become of Red Alert 3. R.I.P. Westwood Studios.

[Scryler]

I've heard that once the Spore DRM is installed on your computer, the average player can't get it off, even after finishing the game. It's been known to damage both software and hardware and some software won't run after DRM is installed. Software intended for "legal" purposes. Plus, it appears to send information from your computer to EA (one guesses it is EA, since there is literally no information about this). Many people are really dismayed about this particular DRM. The other aspect is that one ultimate goal appears to be that of preventing 2nd hand sales. Because of the 3 activation issue, some people view this as "renting" the game rather than buying it. And, since it hasn't appeared to slow down piracy even from the start, there is a lot of suspicion that piracy isn't the real purpose for utilizing this type of DRM.

I have plenty of problems just trying to install games w/o this type of DRM, so I decided to skip Spore, even though it does sound very interesting.

[VPeric]

To be honest, the game is nothing special. I only managed to get to the middle of the second phase before getting bored to tears (apparently, the last stage is the "real" game, but I don't have high hopes). The first phase is similar to Flow (mentioned above), ranking it up there with "somewhat amusing" - thankfuly, it's fairly short so you won't actually get bored. The second (Creature) phase, however, plays like a dumbed down WoW (8 skills + "loot" collecting), and is simply not fun. And the amount of times you'll have to charge at a creature (press 2), and then bite and swipe at it (1 and 4) and then wait for the countdown to expire, makes this phase tiring.

However, the Creature Creator is pure awesome, there is no other way to put it. Creature phase has a lot of options, and you can literally spend hours tweaking spine length, spike size, mouth width and everything else you can think of. I also hear the later Creators, for buildings and vehicles, are just as fun with even more components.

Final verdict? Worth it for the Creature Creator alone, and you might just happen to like the main gameplay too.

[Thoht]

I've heard that once the Spore DRM is installed on your computer, the average player can't get it off, even after finishing the game. It's been known to damage both software and hardware and some software won't run after DRM is installed. Software intended for "legal" purposes. Plus, it appears to send information from your computer to EA (one guesses it is EA, since there is literally no information about this). Many people are really dismayed about this particular DRM. The other aspect is that one ultimate goal appears to be that of preventing 2nd hand sales. Because of the 3 activation issue, some people view this as "renting" the game rather than buying it. And, since it hasn't appeared to slow down piracy even from the start, there is a lot of suspicion that piracy isn't the real purpose for utilizing this type of DRM.

I have plenty of problems just trying to install games w/o this type of DRM, so I decided to skip Spore, even though it does sound very interesting.

That's what I've heard as well.

Rootkit.

If the game is a must, one is probably better off buying the license and downloading a cracked version.