[CAT] Scratching Post

The whole release of Spore has been nothing short of a classic examp[le of EA bolloxing a can't miss project. They promised us a science game, but partway through the development, EA added a "cute team" to make the game less science based so it would appeal to children under 10. The game feels incredibly unfinished in parts, and this is because we will be offered expansion packs to fill in the gaps. They added a DRM policy that immediately had most of the potential market in an uproar, and this same DRM has caused the game to be the most pirated of all time. Both the PC and Mac versions of the patch have a 50% failure rate, and it's come to light that it's the DRM hindering the PC version of the game.

Could they have done anything else wrong?? The really sad part is that there are aspects of the game that are incredibly addicting, and I can only imagine how good it could have been if EA didn't get in the way. I think this could be the last big Maxis game, cos their credibility has been shredded since Spore's release.

** bump ** So who's not playing it anymore? Anyone interested in selling me a copy?

Promised mine to Sam. if he gets bored with it and you're still interested, you can have it.

Ive had this quite a while, but barely touched it.
Played it the past few nights and think that its Ok, doubt id get full on into it, but its a decent game and you gotta love the originality of it.
Feels like around 5 games we have played before rolled into one.

I played very basic in that i just attacked everything. Must of had it on easy setting as I rarely needed a plan, i just made units and killed.

What was the general CAT verdict on it then?
Looks ok to me, but it didnt blow my socks off.

Looks ok to me, but it didnt blow my socks off

pretty much it. each stage of the game is fun on its own merits, but once you get to the last stage, its just a game of babysitter trying to make sure everyone likes you or an exercise in futility if you piss everyone off and they all attack you.

great concept, got EA-ized and the rest is history.

It blows.

It's not the game that was promised to us. It was stunted and ripped apart so that pieces of the original game could be sold back to you as expansions. The game has been out a year, the 3rd expansion was just released. Couple that with the intentional decision to go with cute, cuddly and impossible to fail (the original design would have allowed you to create creatures that weren't viable and would have died...the game that was released does not) instead of a science-y game and you have total and utter fail.

Spore is not a game in and of itself. It's a collection of 5 really crap minigames.

Ahhh, would have been nicer if the creatures could fail. Requiring more strategic thinking, planning how they would (or would not) exist.

I guess you are saying, nice concept, but dumbed down for Americans and Choda?

There was some pressure that a game that was too much about science and evolution would put off the Fundies down souf. So yes, there's your answer.

fallout 3 was much the same way. I lost interest without even finishing it because by the time i got into it, there were already 3 expansions out. Now they're up to 5 and the game hasn't even been out for a year. No reason you should have to buy the rest of the game after forking over $60.

Makes me sad because i really enjoyed it while i was playing it.

Hmm, Im ok with expansions if they actually expand the game.....not finish it off.
Half life 1 + 2 were complete games and i was very happy with them as they were. So the expansions were well received as i wanted more HL, and i got it for a decent price. the orange box is a great example of how to do it well.

Valve is always the example of how to do it well.

in the case of fallout 3, they didn't necessarily finish or change the story (to my knowledge) but were more of sidequest type things. I do agree, if they actually added new worthwhile things, it would be fine, but all they did was add a few new weapons and armor and give you some new quests. Things that would have been patched in previous years for free.

But i'm denied 15-20 hours of game play because i am choosing not to fork over $50 ($10 each) after shelling out $60 for the retail to play them. That isn't right.

The industry as a whole is doing this shit now, and I doubt there is any turning back.

Hmmm, I hear your points guys, but gamers do frigging whinge.
Im thinking that if the game off the shelf is fine then its all good, any free add ons is a cool bonus.
I can understand any disappointment or let down, but if its a good game you cant whinge.