EA’s Spore Creature Creator is not that fun
I spent some time with EA’s Spore Creature Creator over the weekend and I have discovered it’s not that fun. The idea behind it is that you can create your creature and then import it into Spore when it is released in September. Besides creating your creature, there isn’t much to do in the creator.
I did not spend time with the full version because I do not feel it’s worth even $10. After testing the trial, I’m convinced I was right.
The full version of Spore will have several phases for your creature which will “evolve†it based on the traits you select, starting with the “pool†phase where it is a single cell. After a while you will spend “DNA points†and select different traits for your creature.
After the pool phase comes the creature phase, then the tribal phase and you can take the game all the way to the space age and engage in an intergalactic journey. The online play will allow you to visit other planets and see creatures created by other users.
The full version of Spore looks like it will be a lot of fun but the Creature Creator falls flat on its face with the limited version EA has supplied. Even the $10 full version isn’t worth it.
Spore’s most interesting aspect is the ability to evolve a creature from a single cell and select traits that continue from this stage. The Creature Creator will be available in Spore if you want to jump right into a game, thanks but no thanks.
The very nature of Spore and one it’s most interesting aspect is the ability to evolve a creature but not simply build one using pre-selected parts. I have no doubt that these same parts will be used if you evolve a creature but may be limited in what you can select. It may all depend on how it evolves from the “pool†phase.
If the Creature Creator had actually consisted of the “pool†and “creature†phases, I would have been much more impressed. EA should have included that with the $10 Creature Creator. That’s the only reason it would have been worth buying.
Based on the way things are progressing, it’s unlikely EA will release a playable beta of the game before the September release. Even if it does, I’d bet dollars to donuts that it doesn’t have the “pool†phase. Thanks for nothing EA. Though, I am not surprised.
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13 Responses to “EA’s Spore Creature Creator is not that fun”
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June 22nd, 2008
you just want a free copy, don’t diss something you have no clue about okay child?
June 22nd, 2008
What were you expecting? The name “Creature Creator” is pretty obvious, and I think it’s pathetic to review it without even trying the full version. Last time I looked, over 800,000 player-created creatures had been uploaded at Spore.com. 800,000! In five days!
I’m guessing you must not be that creatively inclined if you didn’t enjoy the Creator, because those of us who are have spent hours upon hours building one creature after another. Some of the things on the Spore website are simply amazing.
June 22nd, 2008
Dude,what are you talking about?The creature creator is indeed fun.It allows you to be cretive and has alot of possiblites.The trial doesnt have as much and I admit it gets boring after a while but the full version is alot better
June 22nd, 2008
I think the “Creature Creator” delivers exactly what it promises: the ability to create and share a virtually unlimited number of unique creatures. If that prospect excites you, then the $10 is, in my opinion, completely worth it. If you’re hankering for a real gameplay experience, then yes, you’ll have to wait until September, but if you want a taste of how Spore’s procedural programming works, then this product definitely delivers.
The beauty of Spore, potentially at least, is that it works on so many levels. Some people will want to spend hours crafting and tweaking their creatures to perfection, while others will want to whip up a creature in five minutes and dive right into gameplay. For the latter, yes, the Creature Creator would be a bad investment, since all it offers in the way of gameplay is a flimsy “test drive” mode. For the former, though, of which I think I’m one, it feels like Christmas has come early.
I’d love it if EA would release other editors in the coming months before the game’s release, so that there will be thousands of buildings, vehicles, and UFOs to use in the full game, in addition to the almost one million creatures that now exist in Sporepedia.
June 22nd, 2008
I look at the scc as a utility more than a game. As a utility, it’s worth much more than $10. I’m not artistically inclined at all, yet I can make models that good in twenty or thirty minutes. It’s very liberating.
So, no, it’s probably not a game worth paying for. But as a toy? A utility? It’s priceless.
June 22nd, 2008
I never claimed this to be a review. Yes, I knew the creature creator would be just that but it is lacking any element of gameplay but the inclusion of the pool phase would have been a great addition. That’s why I’m not impressed with it, that’s really the only reason and is reason enough for me not to buy the full version. Though, I do intend to buy the full version of Spore.
June 22nd, 2008
This is a horrible review. What do you expect out of what will be a fraction of what spore is?
This isnt a game, its a creative tool to create creatures.
Your review it as if its a game, in which case by itself is not amazing.
This isnt the case though.
Ohh i know where your issue is… you want to play Spore so badly… you can not wait to get your creatures playing in full version of Spore
June 23rd, 2008
There was never any mention that there would be actual “game play” in this “creature creator”. If you’re interested in designing, being creative and having fun making something out of nothing than you’d probably find the full version of this program interesting. Otherwise, yea if you’re looking for some sort of game play than you might as well wait until Sept.
Coming from a concept artist and someone who loves to design creatures, I think that the $10 was definitely worth what this program offers. Just my opinion.
June 23rd, 2008
So basically, you are commenting that you don’t find this free early release taster very interesting, whilst recognising that it is only one small aspect of the game. Truly insightful dude.
June 23rd, 2008
I’m going to respectfully disagree. I thought the creature creator was a lot of fun, even though I played the trail version.
June 23rd, 2008
So you’re basically a trolling ‘blogger’ then?
June 23rd, 2008
Go shoot some people in a hectic online bloodbath and leave the real fun to the creative people.
June 24th, 2008
Damn, this blogger is just a straight hater. “>alert(‘hater!’);