Black_V!per

A lil tid-bit on some spore updates:
Procedural Programming: The Secret behind Spore

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=Sarc=

Looks like the article was inaccurate and has been removed. It was a big controversy of procedural programming vs. object-oriented programming. I wonder what the article was about...

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Mudshark

It wasn't about procedural vs. object-oriented programming at all, it was the fact that the author just blatantly didn't understand the concept he was talking about. He was using the term 'procedural programming' to describe procedural content generation (which is completely different).

While I can see how somebody could make such a mistake, the fact that he was trying to pass it off like he understood the topic but couldn't even get the terms right got the slashdot nerds up in arms

Basically what he was trying (and failing) to talk about is algorithmic content generation. You know how some games have a feature to generate a random map to play on (think the random map function in Civilization)? That's algorithmic content generation. Instead of having someone create the content (in this case a map) by hand and include it in the game burned directly into the CD or whatever, a programmer creates some algorithm that automatically generates the content on the fly, at runtime.

There are several benefits to doing this.

* You don't have to pay as many content developers
* It reduces the overall size of the application since you don't have to store all the pre-generated content.
* It allows for (practically) endless replayability and variation in gameplay.

And also some downsides:

* Generally the generated content just feels random and sterile. There isn't that human element that knows it would be interesting to put a bunker at grid 34x67 because that's a choke point.
* It can be difficult to code an algorithm that generates content that is interesting to a human.

Anyway, that whole point is that Spore is supposed to rely almost completely on algorithmically generated content (all the worlds, creatures, animations, etc...) and that's what makes it special as a sandbox.

What many people fail to realize is that this concept has been around from the beginning of electronic games and it's not a panacea. Back in the day, developers had to fit their entire game into just kilobytes of memory. So they often didn't have room to fit all the code and sprites AND pre-generated content like maps. So they generated them at runtime to save space and still provide variation for the player.

Sometimes it worked great and sometimes it failed miserably. It remains to be seen how Spore fairs.

Tonk

a release date: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000FKBCX4/
3/1/08

finally, this game has looked awsome for 2 years now

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Augustus Gloop

I'm pretty sure that release date is bunk. Unless you hear something official from the Spore team itself, retailers make up release dates to sell pre-orders and then just shove them back when the game isn't ready.

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Tonk

good point, but this is amazon we are talking about, they are not known to do that, ill look some more tho. i cant wait for this game to come out.. 2 years of hype is enough

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-Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely, in an attractive and well preserved body; but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, a beer in the other, body totally worn out screaming "YEEEHAW, WHAT A RIDE!!!" - my grandpa

-My New Rig: cpu: AMD 6400+ 3.2ghz dual core mobo: Asus Crosshair ram: 8gb (4x2gb) geil exotera 4-4-4-12 video card MSI 8800GTS 512mb (g92) Vista:x64

Laptop: Dell i9300 2.16ghz-2gb ram-6800-17" 1920x1200

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Augustus Gloop

Dear Spore Developers,
Where is the news about Spore? Where are you with the game? I'm bothered by the notion that the game seemed so finished in all the presentation videos you showed, but we haven't heard anything in a long time. What more is there to do? Please don't revamp the engine 100 times, just release the game.
Your friend,
Augustus

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MasterEditorInChief

Like many a good game, I guess we'll just have to wait. Just think about the great games that didn't hit their initial release date.

- Every Metal Gear Solid game to date

- Super Mario Galaxy

- Warcraft 3 (not too sure about WoW on if it missed it's inital release date, but knowing Blizzard...)

- Halos 2 and 3

- Kirby (yes, the pink ball with clown shoes)

- Any Grand Theft Auto past 3

- The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (pushed to back the Wii launch)

- many more...

Games take time, and I guess Will Wright wants to make it perfect.

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Gambit7

I think the main reason why this game was delayed is simply because of lackluster results in the closed beta process. The testers (and Wright himself) simply werent turned-on by the game. And when you really think about it, there's nothing really inherently compelling for the long term Spore player. It's one saving grace is the quasi-multiplayer aspect, but the fact remains you're simply using other people's content to populate your own universe, which in reality is just a lazy way to develop a gamespace (albeit smart).

I think in the end Spore will be a temporary Fad type of game. I like the premise behind it, but I just dont see the bigger picture working for it. I know they were having definite issues putting the "GAME" into the game, as it was at its inception a very linear and easy game to play. In reality, it's just a pure sandbox with the challenge removed. At least with the Sims, there was an inherent gameplay mechanism you could perfect. And if you really stop to think, Spore is just another version of the Sims, 'cept with a more robust character generator.

If they can employ a more competitive aspect and make the multiplayer interface more robust I could see the game working. But otherwise (I'll coin the cliche phrase) "meh"


p.s.
i'm still gonna buy it though

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Augustus Gloop

Err... that sort of sim life/genetic algorithm game is as straight up my alley as it's possible to get. I'm actually excited about limited multiplayer aspects, because I imagine the amount of griefing from pre-teen amoeba will be limited as well.

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Tempus

I too look forward to a superior single player experience. I wish more games would focus on that, rather than relying on multi-player experiences to make up for an otherwise weak game.

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3) Support game play in a near-simulation environment. Where the focus of play would not be solely on doing what it takes to win, but doing so utilizing real-world combat strategy and tactics rather than leveraging exploits provided to players by the design of the game engine.

Gambit7

Oh, believe me, I LOVE the generic code behind the game - it's pure genius. BUT, that doesnt make a good game... and that's why you see the game delayed so much and currently under the radar. They know it's not good, and they're looking to make it better.

We'll see what they come up with.

As for the multiplayer, it's no different then what you get with the Sims.. except instead of you having to physically find content to inject on your own, it's done automatically. What I dont want is this mechanic to make it so transparent that there is no multiplayer aspect at all and hence a viable competitive gameplay mechanism is lost.

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CingularDuality

It was just a few years back that my opinion was the exact opposite of yours. I'm definitely right there with you now, though. It's hard to find good multiplayer gaming at 3am during the week...

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Slurm_Cola

I'm with ya man. I so look forward to this game, but this waiting is tiresome.

Squinty

Recent Spore Press Release. Looks like they plan to release a Spore Creature Creator before the main game so people can start designing creatures, they can eventually import into the full spore game.
Full Version Here:
http://www.spore.com/press_042508.php

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