I'm surprised no one has replied to this, I usually don't listen to hype when they say "could be the best game ever..." but, after watching this 35 minute video I have to say; This is one of my TOP 3 most wanted games.
Here's the skinny for people not having the time
6 Phases (courtesy of 1Up.com)
- Tidepool phase: In the game's initial state, the action most resembles a sort of free-form Pac-Man.
- Evolution phase: Once your creature begins to grow and take on a distinct physical form, the game switches to a more Diablo-like feel. With its emphasis on battling other creatures to strengthen yourself while making forays away from your safe haven, this section is very much about growth and development.
- Tribal phase: When your creation has achieved a satisfying level of physical development, you can focus on its intelligence. At this point, you relinquish control of an individual and instead move to a streamlined RTS interface, caring for an entire tribe of your homebrewed beasties, giving them tools, food and slowly upgrading their state of existence.
- City phase: Here the game becomes more like Wright's own SimCity, with emphasis resting primarily on building up the technology, architecture and infrastructure of your race's dwellings.
- Civ phase: Once your city is established, you can zoom out to the global scale. Here your people begin seeking out other cultures in a Civilization-style experience. Interfacing with the rest of the world can be tackled in many ways, be it militaristically or diplomatically; on foot, in boats or by airship. Ultimately, however, the goal is for your creatures to conquer the planet.
- Invasion phase: Once the world is your oyster, you can move on to other worlds in your solar system to colonize or terraform. And beyond that you'll find other solar systems, scattered throughout a beautifully-rendered galaxy in which planets lurk among dust clouds and black holes spew ejecta. Here you set forth to make contact with other planets.
Here's some more tasty tidbits of info...
- Immense editing tool. Add arms, legs, feet, etc. Change the sizes of everything you add. Depending on what you add, and how you add it...determines what the computer feels how the creature would act. Walk, fight, communicate, etc...
- The game will be constantly connected to the internet, where it will seamlessly download other creatures and tendencies from players around the world to populate your world...your galaxy...your universe. From the GDC video...every creature that populates your world, has been created by someone else who is also playing the game. Later on in the game, in the Invasion Phase; you can travel to other worlds that are actually other user created worlds (that the computer controls based off that particular users creations and tendencies) and you can make first contact, destroy the planet, capture creations and bring them back to your world..etc...
- Everything is done procedurally. Basically, that means that every time you play is different, everything happens in real time (no scripted events). You can add whatever you want to your creation, and the computer will calculate how the creature will behave.
This game, if delivered with all the GDC video features, will be amazing. Will Wright is known for taking what seem to be mind boggingly complex ideas and cutting them down so your average Idiot Joe can use it (ie Newberry94005
).
02-March-06, 03:16 PM
Spore Video from last years GDC 
Linear Mode
