As a programmer, I'm interested in the procedural art content.

 

 

If I were an artist, I don't know if I would be

Well, someone has to create the foundation artwork, the backgrounds, the way the creatures stretch and shrink.

 

I really dug the sound effects in the toolbox, too. Good feedback and funny!

The impression I got was that the way the creatures stretch and shrink is all done procedurally as well.

 

 

I couldn't imagine it otherwise, or you'd need art teams to work on it for every possible permutation of creature.

Yeah, but some creature somewhere needs to be drawn ...

Which creature? Some of the add ons that you can "evolve" may be, but there's no reason why they couldn't be procedurally generated either.

 

I mean, I can procedurally create stuff myself (though anything beyond basic geometry is probably starting to get a bit over my head).

It's breathtaking scope; I don't know how you can call it simplistic: everything from the microscopic life in a drop of water all the way up to galaxies of star systems!

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Because it looks simplistic.

 

I can build a star destroyer out of legos (well, not really, but it can be done) but it's still using simple toys to do it.

 

Even Will Wright said that it was like a simple game of sim city (for the city level) and Civ (for the civilization level)

Apperances are not necessarily revealing of character or content, and it's in that last part I'm expecting Spore to succed. It doesn't need to look complex to be so.

But ... you don't WANT it to be complex, the interface has to be simple! And a lot of the complexity of the games is just diminishing returns. The fact that Spore has a bunch of these god game concepts knitted together.

 

And it's interacting with everyone elses' game contents. (w00t)

I like complexity.

Indeed

I like complexity too, but not just for the sake of complexity.

Complexity? How much more complex can you get, modelling LIFE from single cell to multiple solar system?

Next step up, the universe.

Yeah, the thing that defines Spore's greatness will really be the detail, I think. For example, the video showed a creature with two heads - does that mean TWO brains, or just one brain? Are these two heads used by the creature like humans use two arms, or do they act independently? What is the mechanism that controls what they can and cannot eat (since we edit their physical attributes, not, say, how their organs are designed)? Are we able to dispense with skeletons altogether and create creatures that have their bones on outer shells (like ants), or even gooey globs without bones (snails' insides)? Can we have nine-tailed creatures, and can we attach spikes anywhere on a limb, or just preset parts? These are all things that can't be answered by a presentation that just shows what COULD be done, not EVERYTHING that can be done. And it would be unreasonable to expect it to.

 

Still, lots to drool about. The only disappointment was the Terraform (GECK!) feature.. I had rather hoped that each planet's distinctive features helped shape what kind of life survives/thrives there: for example, you need only create some kind of atmosphere (not necessarily oxygen-rich) on that rock in the presentation, then create creatures that are built to survive in such a cold place. Or planets that have much higher / lower gravity, etc.... instead of every planet being like Earth after Terraform, and no life available before Terraform. Perhaps I missed something, though.

Looks fantastic. Can't wait for release.

Yeah, the thing that defines Spore's greatness will really be the detail, I think. For example, the video showed a creature with two heads - does that mean TWO brains, or just one brain? Are these two heads used by the creature like humans use two arms, or do they act independently? What is the mechanism that controls what they can and cannot eat (since we edit their physical attributes, not, say, how their organs are designed)? Are we able to dispense with skeletons altogether and create creatures that have their bones on outer shells (like ants), or even gooey globs without bones (snails' insides)? Can we have nine-tailed creatures, and can we attach spikes anywhere on a limb, or just preset parts? These are all things that can't be answered by a presentation that just shows what COULD be done, not EVERYTHING that can be done. And it would be unreasonable to expect it to.

 

Still, lots to drool about. The only disappointment was the Terraform (GECK!) feature.. I had rather hoped that each planet's distinctive features helped shape what kind of life survives/thrives there: for example, you need only create some kind of atmosphere (not necessarily oxygen-rich) on that rock in the presentation, then create creatures that are built to survive in such a cold place. Or planets that have much higher / lower gravity, etc.... instead of every planet being like Earth after Terraform, and no life available before Terraform. Perhaps I missed something, though.

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Yeah, you did.

 

He used the "Genesis Device" as a cheat (advanced ability for the UFO). Remember he started off creating volcanic eruptions to create the atmosphere (just after the creature subject to the "abduction" exploded).

 

Also, I see no reason why there can't be invertebrates of any design: after all vertebrates are in the minority.

A population of snails?...

Think Mothra.

Did anyone catch any flying creatures in that video? I wonder if all the weird beings are earthbound or if you can give them wings.. and bombs.. and laser cannons in their eyes!

Sharks with frickin' laser beams? Why not!

Thousands of simultaneous planets in a universe = laaag

You can build flying vehicles, at least. Not sure about flying creatures.

 

He used the "Genesis Device" as a cheat (advanced ability for the UFO). Remember he started off creating volcanic eruptions to create the atmosphere (just after the creature subject to the "abduction" exploded).

 

I see. Good then.

Thousands of simultaneous planets in a universe = laaag

 

Nope.

Instead of being a MMORPG it just downloads all these other animals and then you can use and manipulate them in your game...

 

So you can easily wipe out another players race... but he will never notice, so to prevent people who are playing filthy online and keep it fun for everybody...

Complexity? How much more complex can you get, modelling LIFE from single cell to multiple solar system?

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Looked about as simple as playing with PlayDough and using it in a gimped Sim/Civ game

Because it looks simplistic.

 

I can build a star destroyer out of legos (well, not really, but it can be done) but it's still using simple toys to do it.

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In the game using conventional content (pre-rendered/pre-modelled/manually animated) you can't even do this. There is a difference between simplistic look and simplistic substance.