What's the big deal about Spore?

Can someone who's anticipating this game explain what it's all about?  I keep hearing that it's ambitious, but I'm not reallly sure what that means in the context of the game.  Apparently, it's kind of an evolution simulator, I take it?

Graphically, it looks like an N64 game from the clips I saw (granted, they were from a long time ago.)

Is it just Wright's pedigree that's making this so hyped?  What's the draw?

--Dave 

Graphically, it looks like an N64 game from the clips I saw (granted, they were from a long time ago.)

DaveGray

If you're trying to figure out the big deal based on graphics, then you just wont get it.

Unlike some other games out there which are being hyped based on namebrand alone or pretty screenshots or a cutscene video, the people looking forward to Spore are doing so because of the actual gameplay content that was demonstrated in a 35 minute in-game demonstration.

Anyway, I'll just repost what I said in another thread:

This game is like Pac Mac, The Sims, Civilization, and Homeworld all rolled into one while allowing usermade content to be added seamlessly to the gameworld and gamegalaxy.

You don't just make an animal and have it walking around.....you try to create an advanced civilization.....and while you're doing that the CPU is also creating its own advanced civilization as well as using content uploaded from other users for your single player game.....in other words, the game looks for relevant content from what other people, just like yourself, have made for their single player game and uses it to populate your game world / galaxy.....this isnt like mods where you have to go searching for it, the game automatically downloads any uploaded relevant content and adds it to your single player game to expand your world and galaxy beyond that.

Second, once you've made a civilization thats advanced enough.....you can go out trying to conquer territories on your world or form alliances....once you've advanced further, you can now do interplanetary space travel and try to terraform, conquer, or ally with other worlds outside of your solar system.

So what makes it "GOTY" worthy....its pretty much the most ambitious Sim and Strategy and Puzzle game ever developed, in addition, it will greatly expand on how content from an online community can seemlessly expand and enhance a single player experience....if Spore actually manages to live up to what its claiming to do, it'll be beyond what any other game has done in how expansive and limitless it can be, in addition to how a community can enhance every single person's copy out there.

Robnyc22

I'm not trying to figure out the big deal based on graphics, per se, but generally, games that are pre-hyped like this are done from: 1) previous entries in the series or 2) graphical or otherwise technical prowess.

Since this is a new franchise, I thought that people may have seen something I hadn't.

--Dave 

No hype, just brilliant gameplay. The ability to shape your own species, the deep system of evolution, the social aspect and just the sheer scale of the thing makes me go "woooooow..."

P.S. The graphics were ok. I don't understand what yall talking about...

I'm not trying to figure out the big deal based on graphics, per se, but generally, games that are pre-hyped like this are done from: 1) previous entries in the series or 2) graphical or otherwise technical prowess.

DaveGray

You just don't get it. The excitment is for the gameplay and direction not visual or technological prowess. In Spore you get to design you're own species from single celled organism all the way to space traveling society. You can even design your own custom building and spaceships as well. Gameplay > graphics.

The same video as the youtube one but a little bigger.

I think an important part of it is the influence that all the players will have in the experience of others with their user created content, it is sort of game 2.0. As forums are part of web 2.0 because some users write what others read.

It's not really the graphics or even really the gameplay that interests me that much.  It's the ultimate customization.  If they implement everything that they talked about in the video demonstrations, two people could be playing spore, but really playing two completely different games.

It's more that I feel this will be a stepping stone for future games.  Once they get the groundwork set, these ideas could be incorporated into other games fairly easily.  I'll expand my point later, but for now I'm taking my mom out for mother's day. 

Everyone's so quick to jump on me....

Let me rephrase. I am not making a statement about graphics being important.

I'm simply saying that games that are hyped like this are usually done so for graphical or technical prowess...like Crysis or Doom 3. The only other case that I can think of for this level of hype, having seen so little, is sequels.

Since, based on the videos I've seen, graphics are clearly not the draw, and it isn't a sequel, what was the draw to the masses?

And to whoever was saying things about the gameplay...we know nothing about the gameplay. All we have for this game is a concept. An ambitious one, of course, but it seems awfully little to get excited about.

--Dave

We know about the gameplay because we've seen gameplay videos, it's not just a concept, it's real. Imagine a system where you can create any kind of creature you want, like molding it from clay, and the game can bring it to life for you. That's what Spore is capable of.

I have SEEN Will Wright evolve a species from a microrganism to a universal dominator. I doubt that anything in a video game will ever amaze me again. 

I just watched that 30 something minute demonstration video.

Definitely unique.  If it can be done correctly, I imagine it can offer a lot.  I think that they may have trouble making it fun, though.

--Dave 

Spore might not appeal everyone, but its basically the ultimate sandbox game. That much is clear from the video showing gameply. If you're a fan of customization, building, and simulations, Spore seems pretty bad ass.

Dave, how often you play strategy or simulation games?

Spore might not appeal everyone, but its basically the ultimate sandbox game. That much is clear from the video showing gameply. If you're a fan of customization, building, and simulations, Spore seems pretty bad ass.

Dave, how often you play strategy or simulation games?

XaosII

I don't, really.  I've been playing games for a long time, though, and played Populous and SimCity when they first came out.  Even then, while the concept was interesting, and I liked screwing around with playing God, I don't remember even playing the game seriously for any extended period of time.

It's funny that you mention "being a fan of customization".  I'm nor really sure how much I am.  I like being able to customize a character, for example, but even games that let you customize levels get away from me.  Spore seems to dwarf anything in that respect, and to be honest, it seems a little bit daunting.