Returned this game.

[Chazemataz]

Am I the only one who found this game to be totally overrated, over-hyped, dull, and simplistic?
I got so frustrated that I simply returned Spore to Circuit City today. The reason wasn't because of DRM, though that was one of the things that helped me make the decision. The head of EAxis of Evil implying that his customers are stupid and don't understand DRM is unnaceptable and ignorant.
Anyways, here is Spore the way I experienced it:
Cell: about 20 minutes choosing what my creature was going to eat. I was still pumped, I mean this was the game that I had been excited for for about 2 years, so the stupidity didn't quite hit yet.
Creature: Could've been so so amazing, if how my creature was made actually impacted gameplay. If i recall correctly, there was a video of a creature picking things up with its tail and whatnot. Not in the game. Fighting was a bunch of button mashing and no Oblivion-esque physics engine. Resulted in me shaking my head profously after Creature stage was done.
Tribal: Played on easy, beat it. Medium beat it. Hard didn't even break a sweat. Button mashed my way through more random creatures and some of mine got killed by meteors.
Civilization: What is this?! All I did was build a bunch of buildings and vehicles. Took me like 30 minutes.
Space: I got to fly around to a bunch of bland, uninteresting planets and confraternized with pixelated alien icons. Woo.

Call me a bitter Sims fan, but I found this game to be unacceptable. And I dont blame it on Will Wright. The game would have rocked if it wasn't for EA taking out the best parts to put in EPs.
EA, your customers are not dumb. Take a hint, I hope the 2,078 1 star reviews on Amazon teach you something: DON'T DO THIS WITH THE SIMS 3.
You may wreck Spore and totally defame Mr. Wright, but please do not destroy the best selling game of all time.

/End angry, sleepless-cause-of-school induced rant..

[HyjaClinton]

I'd return it if I didn't buy it online EA.com
;-;

[Nova]

EA, your customers are not dumb. Take a hint, I hope the 2,078 1 star reviews on Amazon teach you something: DON'T DO THIS WITH THE SIMS 3.
Damn! 2,078 1 star reviews?! EA won't be sucking money out of people over this game that's for sure.

[twigglebby_SC]

im going to wait like a couple of months after the sims three comes out just incase they do reck it... i was going to get spore but i heard many complaints like this one.. im not even going to bother now..


if they do reck the sims three im going to be soooo pissed off man i hope they dont because so many people are going to buy it the day it comes out and if it sucks that will probly be the end of the sims... for alot of us any way.

[Stasisesque_SC]

I got so frustrated that I simply returned Spore to Circuit City today. The reason wasn't because of DRM, though that was one of the things that helped me make the decision. The head of EAxis of Evil implying that his customers are stupid and don't understand DRM is unnaceptable and ignorant.

I got off "lucky" with my copy of Spore.

Due to EA's massive cockup with the European release, I managed to get a copy of the game completely missing DRM. However, it was also missing the bloody executable - and if my techy of a boyfriend hadn't been home, I'd never have been able to play the game.

As for the game itself - yes, it fell victim to the overhyped craze, but then so have hundreds of games (AoC and WAR being the most recent, outside of Spore); nonetheless it is enjoyable enough to keep my interest. I will not be buying any EPs or additions, though - not even if they sold them for a piece of string and gave away a ferrari with every purchase.

[heavenzdvl987_SC]

It seems that most of the 1 star Amazon reviews have to do with DRM, not the actual Spore content.

[kustirider2]

I got off "lucky" with my copy of Spore.

Due to EA's massive cockup with the European release, I managed to get a copy of the game completely missing DRM. However, it was also missing the bloody executable - and if my techy of a boyfriend hadn't been home, I'd never have been able to play the game.



What do you mean by 'DRM' ?

[HystearicalParoxysm]

DRM = Digital Rights Management. Generally you hear it in regards to music downloads but it can be applied to any digital intellectual property such as games, books, etc.

Spore's DRM allows you to install the game unlimited times on a single computer, but three times total on three different computers. So you can uninstall/reinstall as much as you want on the computer you have now and it'll make no difference but if, say, you install a copy on your home computer, your work computer, and your school computer... and then you get a new home computer, you won't be able to install it on the home computer without contacting EA and presumably providing your proof of purchase or receipt or other information to allow you to install it again.

I have heard that they're changing it to five rather than three, would patch it if their DRM authorization servers ever went down, and are working on a system to give back installs when you uninstall so it's really not that bad.

However, I really do agree with the shallow gameplay. I don't think it's quite as bad as the OP makes it out to be - it is kind of fun here and there but the main fun is in the creator stuff for creatures, buildings, etc. - once you go to play them whatever you made really doesn't matter and it's stupid easy. It's also painfully crippled by its obvious lack of expansion packs. I've not played a game before (including TS2) that was so obviously cut down and lacking because they clearly planned to put all the fun stuff in the EPs. Feels rather like buying a car and having to wait three months for the seats to arrive, and then another three to get the tires.

(As an aside, you CAN pick stuff up with your tail, if you make an arm your tail and put a grasper on the end. My current creature that I evolved to space phase uses an arm for a neck.)

[HCAC]

All I can say is I respect the EA players here, being a long term member (if sometimes absent) of this site.

I also read the poor reviews and thought something MUST be wrong for so many low ratings.

Hopefully this will wake up the EA corporation so SIMS 3 is not full of spyware, limited installations (Microsoft Word...!), and other glitches.

I find myself watching the videos of Sims 3 and thinking, 'how much of this WILL ACTUALLY make it to the game in a year??' (and do I want to pay $50 for it??)

[HyjaClinton]

Oh my. It got 1 1/2 stars! I shoulda checked that before I bought it.
o.< Well I certainly AM NOT buying EPs for this.
-keeps on telling self that until she believes it-

[beeps]

The game was definitely over-hyped and under-qualitied (if that's a word LOL). If every stage was as interactive as the Space Stage, the game would have blown my mind...

Cell Stage - This stage is very, extremely simple. But really, isn't that what this stage should be? I wouldn't assume that cells do much or are very complex in real life. Nevertheless the pretty colors of this stage keeps me entertained!

Creature Stage - I enjoy this stage. It can get a little repetitive, but I like the POV and the camera mode. The epic creatures are epic win in my book! I have only once played it on "hard," and it kicked my ass several times before I could complete the stage.

Tribal Stage - This is another stage that can get repetitive, yet I still enjoy it. Maybe I like repetitiveness? Side tracked, anywho... I like sneaking food away from tribes, befriending them before blind-siding them with an attack and domesticating other species. This is an easy stage for me, no matter what level I play it on, because I enjoy it!

Civilization Stage - This is where the game gets tedious for me. I strongly dislike having to make vehicles and buildings from scratch. I end up making crap things that are really ugly just to get on with actually playing. The game play in this stage is fine, not exceptional by any means, but it's probably the easiest stage to grind through (besides Cell Stage).

Space Stage - Tonight was the furthest I have gotten so far with this stage, and it's pretty interesting. I find it very difficult to fight in flight, and it's really annoying how often you have to deal with stuff like attacks or paying for a friendship or etc. I will have to download the mod for that.

I feel as though I will get my money out of it, but I can see how this game isn't for everyone. I hope EA redeems themselves with the Spore EPs!!!

[Soeverein]

The head of EAxis of Evil implying that his customers are stupid and don't understand DRM is unnaceptable and ignorant.

Reminds me of Sony's digital business director at the time they included rootkits with all their music CDs:

"Most people, I think, don't even know what a rootkit is, so why should they care about it?"

FWIW: this the the definition: A rootkit is a program designed to take administrator control of a computer system, without authorization by the system's owners or legitimate managers.

It seems that most of the 1 star Amazon reviews have to do with DRM, not the actual Spore content.

True. If I were to judge the game without mentioning the DRM, I would give it 1.5 stars. Or can't you give half stars? In that case I'll be merciful and give it 2.

I agree with pretty much all of the arguments by the OP.

I have heard that they're changing it to five rather than three, would patch it if their DRM authorization servers ever went down, and are working on a system to give back installs when you uninstall so it's really not that bad.

And here I disagree completely.

The problem is not semantics such as 3 vs 5 installs. The problem is that these kind of activation schemes are used at all. What is wrong with the old system of checking whether the CD is in the drive?

What's the reason for these activation schemes?

Is it:

a) trying to stop piracy? Because in that case, it's not working. So it misses its use and at that point only turns into EA attacking their legal customers. I used to have a gaming PC on my dorm that wasn't connected to the internet for 2 years at all. That's fine, because in general I only play single player games. The problem with modern games is that even single player games won't run on a non-connected PC, because they have to activate.

b) Is it a conspiracy to end PC gaming and convince valid customers to get consoles instead? In that case they're working well to achieve their goal. I can't wait until I get my 360, and you can rest assured not a single one of the games I get for it will be by EA.

[HystearicalParoxysm]

Soeverein - I'm not saying DRM is a -good- thing but that their DRM scheme - with the proposed changes, isn't really all that bad a scheme as DRM goes. That was my point - not that I want to kiss and hug and make out with their DRM, just that it doesn't suck as much as it could, and sucks less with their changes than it did.

Also, no-cds already exist for Spore (not really sure why considering it doesn't require the CD to run but I think it prevents the SecuROM/activation stuff from happening) so having the CD in the drive is no deterrent to that level of small-time "piracy" - with Spore, or with other games. Don't know of any CD-required games that -don't- have no-cds for 'em.

I'm personally against all DRM/anti-piracy schemes - I think if you treat your customers like grownups and don't make it more of a pain in the ass for paying customers, they're more likely to pay. Anyone who doesn't want to pay isn't going to and nothing you do is going to stop piracy. I highly respect the ideas of companies like Stardock, which release games with -no- deterrents on them and as such, have gained higher sales because people like not being treated like criminals and thieves when they've actually paid for a product.

[Soeverein]

Also, no-cds already exist for Spore (not really sure why considering it doesn't require the CD to run but I think it prevents the SecuROM/activation stuff from happening) so having the CD in the drive is no deterrent to that level of small-time "piracy" - with Spore, or with other games. Don't know of any CD-required games that -don't- have no-cds for 'em.

Well yeah. That's my point kinda. But at least a CD check is non-intrusive. I don't think many people have ever gone "OMG I need to insert my CD, my rights are being infringed"

As far as Spore's no-cd crack ... the name is kinda betraying. The no-cd crack for Spore completely disables Securom and removes the activation system in its entirety. Also, it was released online 2 days before the actual game.

Just to say that it doesn't matter how complicated the DRM system is made, it will always be cracked. If you are going to add DRM anyway, might as well make it a low-level and non-intrusive DRM was mostly my point.

I'm personally against all DRM/anti-piracy schemes - I think if you treat your customers like grownups and don't make it more of a pain in the ass for paying customers, they're more likely to pay. Anyone who doesn't want to pay isn't going to and nothing you do is going to stop piracy. I highly respect the ideas of companies like Stardock, which release games with -no- deterrents on them and as such, have gained higher sales because people like not being treated like criminals and thieves when they've actually paid for a product.

I agree completely.

Personally my favourite developers at this time are Stardock and Paradox Interactive. Paradox is the one behind games like Europa Universalis. Both refuse to use any DRM and instead tie their CD keys to support and patches only.

[Safyre420]

Chaze, dare I ask if you like rts and mmo's? many of the gameplay elements I've really noticed that have gotten me very addicted to spore were those elements. I'm very much a civilization crack head, I was hoping there'd be much more in the way of civilizations but I also didn't expect it to be what I was hoping. Spore isn't a game for the simulator type gamers(ie sims 2) Spore really does take some thinking and planning, whether it be creating your creature, planning how you'll take out the other cities or conquering the galaxy. If you want something sims 2 like(which I think a great deal many were expecting something sims like) then you should wait for Sims 3, Spore isn't the game for you.

[Arthwen1985]

Well, I'm glad i read this before even considering saving money for it...

[kinneer_SC]

What's the reason for these activation schemes?



c: Stop the second hand market.

[craptastic]

I'm not so disappointed that I would return it..it's a nice little time waster for times that I have nothing to do. Not worth the money, but I guess that teaches me to buy before reading reviews. I'm definitely very disappointed..the preview videos that I've been drooling over for about 2 years now look nothing like the final result. It was a massive disappointment for me.
That being said, probably my biggest fear now is that they're going to do the same thing for TS3. I've been even more excited about that then I was about Spore. If they mess it up too, I don't know what I'll do.

[GiipsySimKittyn]

I'm not so disappointed that I would return it..it's a nice little time waster for times that I have nothing to do. Not worth the money, but I guess that teaches me to buy before reading reviews. I'm definitely very disappointed..the preview videos that I've been drooling over for about 2 years now look nothing like the final result. It was a massive disappointment for me.
That being said, probably my biggest fear now is that they're going to do the same thing for TS3. I've been even more excited about that then I was about Spore. If they mess it up too, I don't know what I'll do.

I guess at that point, you'd just fall back on to the sims 2 like the rest of up =P But seriously, I also hope they don't screw up the sims 3. After hyping it up, I'd hate to see them have to deal with a bunch of angry sims addicts, if the final product is no up to par.

Sheesh...can you imagine that? A whole mob of angry simmers? I wouldn't want to be the object of anger in that situation :blink:

[craptastic]

I guess at that point, you'd just fall back on to the sims 2 like the rest of up =P But seriously, I also hope they don't screw up the sims 3. After hyping it up, I'd hate to see them have to deal with a bunch of angry sims addicts, if the final product is no up to par.

Sheesh...can you imagine that? A whole mob of angry simmers? I wouldn't want to be the object of anger in that situation :blink:

Hopefully TS3 will be to TS2 what TS2 was to TS1. (Try saying that 10 times fast. :lol:) I imagine they'll lose a lot of customers if they mess this up. Especially after they've been hyping it up so much.

But I guess you're right. There's always TS2.

[JanePstar]

1 things for sure, I'm not buying this game. Spore seems fun. My dad told me about it, He's always telling me about different games to try and get my mind off sims, I can't help it. I'm in love<3 (12 Ep's and I'm going strong) Anywhos- I checked Spore out, The only think I don't like is the fighting. I'm not an adventerous game kind of girl. I love making families etc. =) So Spore isn't for me. It looks for, for maybe a little boy.

[kennyinbmore]

It looks for, for maybe a little boy.

I said that months before it was released :D

[JanePstar]

I said that months before it was released :D
Well the day that my dad mentioned it to me, I checked it. I'm not wasting my money on it. So I'm still not changing my mind. Do you have it? If so, Is it any good? I MIGHT check it out later on in life. haha

[HystearicalParoxysm]

I haven't played Spore in at least a week, probably more. I'm bored of it and strongly considering uninstalling it.

Went shopping a couple days ago and was in a computer store... saw Spore in the Kids section of the games area... and thought how remarkably appropriate a place that is for it. If you're 10, you'll probably love it. If you're old enough to have pubes, probably not.

[simsample]

I love making families etc. =) So Spore isn't for me. It looks for, for maybe a little boy.

Don't say that, because then people will say The Sims 2 is a girl's game, which is opening a whole other can of worms! :D

[tinyhayuk14]

I've got to admit at first I loved spore but now I havent even bothered to get to the space stage. Like BP i dont enjoy making the vehicles etc from scratch and so I get bored and dont play. Real shame about this game! Two years is a long time to wait for a game that I played for a few days!!

[Safyre420]

Like a few that have stated that they don't like vehicles from scratch, I didn't either but as I've actually made a few and found it to be quite an exciting/irritating process. You can use premade stuff if you really want to. Only thing I have to say is give it a try, you are mostly limited by your imagination, if you're like me and your imagination runs rampant than you might be limited by what is given to you to use XD

[Phyllis_SC]

They let you return a computer game? I've never been able to return a PC game after it's been opened. If I could return the game I would.

[kennyinbmore]

Well the day that my dad mentioned it to me, I checked it. I'm not wasting my money on it. So I'm still not changing my mind. Do you have it? If so, Is it any good? I MIGHT check it out later on in life. haha

I have it but barely played it. I got bored in the cell stage. My 7 year old loves it though. After his homework is done he heads straight to the computer. I think he was in the tribal stage last time I checked

[Nixy Valentine]

I'm sure this is going to be pretty unpopular, but I'm really enjoying Spore. I don't think it will be quite as long-lasting for me as The Sims, but I got more gameplay out of it than I do most games. I agree the Civ stage isn't that great, but overall it's a lot of fun and I would recommend it to anyone who likes simulation or strategy type games.

[JanePstar]

I have it but barely played it. I got bored in the cell stage. My 7 year old loves it though. After his homework is done he heads straight to the computer. I think he was in the tribal stage last time I checked
Haha, But we're all simmers right? xD

[coltraz]

I've got to reinstall all my old games. I think I'll leave Spore out of the rotation, though. Sorry EA, Will Wright, and my creatures... but it's just not really worth the time.

[kennyinbmore]

Haha, But we're all simmers right? xD
Yuppers. As someone else said though The Sims and Spore are two different type of games, so I'm not surprised it bored me. The Sims has more to keep me interested. My poor son likes both though, it's funny watching him switching back and forth between games :D

[Litarose177]

I bought it, all excited by the hype & all....I think I left off on Civilization stage.....I got so bored with it. I am probably going to uninstall it & see if I can sell it back to Gamestop for store credit along with the gameguide I bought for it. I just hope the fact that my CD/DVD drive acting funny now has nothing to do with SecuROM. :eviltongu

[ElPresidente]

I haven't played Spore in at least a week, probably more. I'm bored of it and strongly considering uninstalling it.

I stopped playing at Day 2. So bored.

[xteenah]

I didn't buy it. I saw commercials and ads for it but it didn't interest me at all. And I'm glad I didn't buy it considering from experiences such as yours from customers. It's a shame

[kennyinbmore]

I bought it, all excited by the hype & all....I think I left off on Civilization stage.....I got so bored with it. I am probably going to uninstall it & see if I can sell it back to Gamestop for store credit along with the gameguide I bought for it. I just hope the fact that my CD/DVD drive acting funny now has nothing to do with SecuROM. :eviltongu
Securom doesn't damage hardware

[siva]

I eagerly waiting to play this game online.
----------
siva

[Mollypog]

This game disappointed me completely. Sadly, I let myself buy into the hype. I think the biggest mistake they made was in trying to incorporate too many "types" of games into one game. In doing so, they made game play of each section of the game very shallow and simplistic. It's far too late for me to return the copy I bought, but I will never waste a single penny on an expansion.

[Lumino]

Well this totally changed my mind about buying the game :)

[Nyami]

I don't like Spore. I abandoned it completely after getting to the center of the universe. It's just boring to me. The Sims is way more my cup of tea :P

[meggie272]

Don't like Spore much. I find it fun for ten minutes and then get completely bored.

My nephew is addicted to it and can't figure out how I spend so much time on The Sims 2. He says "aww, spore's way better, sims 2 is boring..."

!!!!!!!?!!!!!!!!??????????????????!!!!!!!!!!!! *gaak crazy relatives*

[Kissamies]

Yeah, Spore... No much actual gameplay in the game. You'll only like this game if you really like designing things for appearance only. I actually liked the cell phase most and that's just a glorified flash arcade game. Great technology, though. Maybe someone will make an actual game around it someday.

Good I'm cynical of the hype and didn't actually buy it. The other reasons include not trusting EA and disliking draconian DRM. I don't like online checks at all and absolutely draw the line on limited activations.

I don't think many people have ever gone "OMG I need to insert my CD, my rights are being infringed"
Some people however, go "OMG I'm a careless idiot who always loses or scratches his CDs! Online check is soooo much better!"

[Elyasis_SC]

I still play the game. But mostly I just use it to build stuff. Making vehicles is pretty cool. ;)
I have so much space on my HD it wouldn't matter if I never played it.

[I.nfectious_SC]

i've never even had the slightest inclination to buy this game, but then I don't for many games. i'm VERY picky over which games i'll buy and which I won't. At the moment i'm still only 60/40 over the sims 3 or not. I probably will get it but only after it's been out for a few months

[stevihj]

Securom doesn't damage hardware


According to what is going around about the lawsuit, Securom has damaged hard drives. Don't ask me how. I only heard part of the complaints about securom. The lawsuit is completely about securom though. Apparently it wasn't part of the original end user agreements when it first put on games.

I have heard rumors that this lawsuit is the real reason for the delay of Sims 3s release. EA is waiting to see if they can ship as is or if they have to print all new discs without securom.

Well, that what I have heard from a variety of sources. What is true - there is a lawsuit against EA and it is about securom. I guess we will have to wait and see what happens.

Hopefully EA loses, just like Sony did in the 90s, and they will have to remove securom from all of their products.

[kennyinbmore]

According to what is going around about the lawsuit, Securom has damaged hard drives. Don't ask me how. I only heard part of the complaints about securom. The lawsuit is completely about securom though. Apparently it wasn't part of the original end user agreements when it first put on games.

I have heard rumors that this lawsuit is the real reason for the delay of Sims 3s release. EA is waiting to see if they can ship as is or if they have to print all new discs without securom.

Well, that what I have heard from a variety of sources. What is true - there is a lawsuit against EA and it is about securom. I guess we will have to wait and see what happens.

Hopefully EA loses, just like Sony did in the 90s, and they will have to remove securom from all of their products.


That's one of the complaints in the suit but take it from a guy who's A+ certified, it's impossible for software to damage hardware, with the exception of a virus wiping a hard drive but even then the drive isn't damaged just the data. By the way the new release date is June and this lawsuit probably won't even have gone to trial by then(if it even does), so that's not the reason for the delay

[KyleTheArtist]

I have not played it, but I simply don't like alien makers so that's a turn off right there for me... Also I hear dad in law calling tech support a lot 'cuz his spore is glitchy...

[Ledgo]

I've debated it a couple times. Space Stage was what I looked forward to and it honestly sucked the fact I had to wipe everyones bottom for them because they can't do it themselves. Only a few times I have managed to last more than twenty minutes and it sadly ended with me leaving when I got thousands of pleas sent at once, half being "We want tribute!" and the other half "We're under attack!"

Despite what I read, creature stage was the best of all my experience.

[Kody_Boye]

I picked it up a little while ago (I managed to bea tit with the help of cheats) again, but you know what for?

To make creatures.

Really, that's the only thing I find interesting (though the fact that some of them defy logic is... sad. I also hated how they downsized all the creatures.)

Other than that, I feel bad that I spent fifty bucks on it. It's the same with Fable 2 and Left For Dead. I beat Fable 2 three times, then when I went to download Knothole Glade (the free thing,) I got a stupid submarine. WTF?! You talk to the guy and it comes up with a thing that says 'you must buy this to play Knothole Glade.' And L4D... I LOVED it... I still do, but only MultiPlayer (it's one of the best multiplayer games I've ever played, really.) I hate the fact that they releaed it with only four levels...

So, yeah. It's sad when they overhype something. The only really good game purchases I've recently made are Fallout 3 (a few months ago) and (just recently) Sims 2. :howdy: