Spore

[Avé]

http://www.amazon.com/review/product...DateDescending
810 1 star reviews all complaining about the DRM. I can't tell if people are actually complaining about the gameplay, or if they're nitpicking every minor flaw as a way to make EA look bad for its faulty business strategy.

I've been hyped up for this game for a long while now. Was planning to pick it up within the next week, but all the bad press is making me reconsider. Wafik's review in spam made it sound great, but then Zosi's make it sound eh. The regular reviews that I've seen make it sound decent, but still kind of lackluster. Any personal opinions?

[Elesirdur]

I'm guessing the DRM down-rating on Amazon is Anonymous' doing (or some similar group that's purely doing it for spite or lulz)

It's funny that I had been looking forward to this game so much over the past few years but now that it's here, I'm finding it hard to go and buy it. Maybe if I hadn't got a new TV and PS3 recently...

[Zosi]

Thanks for making a topic in general, easier to stay on topic here. Not going to repost my post from spam, but I'm interested to hear what other people think.

[Zosi]

I'm guessing the DRM down-rating on Amazon is Anonymous' doing (or some similar group that's purely doing it for spite or lulz)

It's not Anonymous, they take credit when they do stuff. This is just a (hate the buzzword, but it's appropriate) flash mob that latched onto the idea of ratings-bombing. PC gamers really are that pissed off about the DRM, and it's much more crippling than it was for games like Mass Effect, where you can just buy it and use a crack and still get 100% functionality. Ratings-bombing is harsh, but it hits EA where it matters, in the wallet, and educates potential buyers about what they're getting into.

[Quicklet]

I was on Amazon fully intending on buying it the other day. After seeing the warnings about the DRM and SecuROM stuff (at that point there were only about 50 1-star ratings), I rated it down too if only because I was completely turned off to buying it because of the DRM.

Having to install invasive software as a reward for buying a legit copy is not my idea of fun, not to mention with my routine reformatting habits (at least twice a year), that guarantees my 3 hassle-free registrations get used up within a year and a half, meaning I'd have to explain to some (incompetent) CS rep why they need to let me activate it, and there's no way I'm bothering with that.

(Don't get me wrong, the game seems decently fun though dumbed down from the original concepts they were touting, but it's just not worth the hassle nor do I want to legitimize EA's attempt at controlling people's PCs for the sake of their wallets.)

[Katlan]

The game looks like a huge achievement, I'm just not really a "sim" person so... while I admire what the game has accomplished, its just not my thing. I havent seen it get anything lower than a 8/10 (but again, havent looked hard)... What are most of the complaints about though? Did ppl expect a "sim" and a action game experience or something?

and whats a DRM?

[Quicklet]

Digital Rights Management. If you know anything about Warden running in the background of Blizzard's games in order to prevent hacking, this is kind of the "anti-piracy" equivalent for music/offline games, except the program they use to implement it, SecuROM, has superuser access, is uninstallable (unless you reformat), and supposedly will run in the background even when Spore is not running. So it's essentially malware/spyware.

You can read the part about EA's use of it in previous games at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SecuROM#Controversies

[Boyiee]

I was just about to go buy it, but now I'm wondering if I should just torrent.

I guess it's better to try before I buy as well... but with the DRM, which is safer?

[Lebzile]

Digital Rights Management. If you know anything about Warden running in the background of Blizzard's games in order to prevent hacking, this is kind of the "anti-piracy" equivalent for music/offline games, except the program they use to implement it, SecuROM, has superuser access, is uninstallable (unless you reformat), and supposedly will run in the background even when Spore is not running. So it's essentially malware/spyware.

You can read the part about EA's use of it in previous games at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SecuROM#Controversies

Jesus, are you serious? That's fucked up of EA to do, I was looking forward to this game to, but if it's DRM is like that, fuck them. I had more fun with the creature creator anyways.

[Quicklet]

AFAIK (according to Wafik), the cracked versions run without the DRM, you just won't be able to access any of the online/downloadable content (which is fine if you're just trying it out).

[Boyiee]

AFAIK (according to Wafik), the cracked versions run without the DRM, you just won't be able to access any of the online/downloadable content (which is fine if you're just trying it out).

Yeah but it's Uninstallable right? You mentioned the DRM requiring reformat, so the torrented version I should be able to uninstall and buy the real version If I like the game enough, right?

[Zosi]

The game looks like a huge achievement, I'm just not really a "sim" person so... while I admire what the game has accomplished, its just not my thing. I havent seen it get anything lower than a 8/10 (but again, havent looked hard)... What are most of the complaints about though? Did ppl expect a "sim" and a action game experience or something?

and whats a DRM?

The critical reviews are generally high, user reviews a bit lower. As far as sim games go, it's certainly a major effort, and the results aren't entirely bad. It has some rough edges, and it's possible that things will get adjusted in the future.

DRM is a category of systems that are supposed to prevent software piracy. You have to activate online when you install Spore, and every time you connect to the update server or go online from within the game. That's pretty standard for multiplayer games. What's less standard is that the game has a limit of three "activations", which get used up when you change computer hardware or reinstall after a reformat. You can call EA to "reset" the count, but they're supposedly very anal about it, requiring you to give proof of purchase, etc to make sure you're the original owner. That's what caused so much uproar. It's tolerated in Windows XP/Vista, but a game is a very different situation, and EA in particular handles it very badly.

The really hilarious part is that this particular DRM system (which was also used in the PC version of Mass Effect) ENCOURAGES piracy, because the pirates actually get a functionally superior version. People who know they'll get burned by the activation limit won't bother spending money, they'll just torrent a copy, play it until they get bored, and be done. Sales would be higher if they had stuck to simple one-time activation at install and CD key verification for online stuff.

[Zosi]

Yeah but it's Uninstallable right? You mentioned the DRM requiring reformat, so the torrented version I should be able to uninstall and buy the real version If I like the game enough, right?

You can uninstall the torrented version. If you install and play the retail version, it will install SecuROM which is *NOT* uninstallable.

[Askari0]

In terms of a review I really agree with what all IGN said in their video review. That is that the game is amazingly innovative and combines many of the great genres of today's gaming culture and does a good job doing it. But the game becomes very repetitive after a while (i.e. Kill these monsters, harvest food to get more tribesmen to go kill these people) Where the game shines the most though is obviously the incredible creature and vehicle creators. I myself have found myself spending an hour or more just messing around and having fun with it (And yes as a matter of fact, I have made a flying penis monster xD).


From a standpoint of gameplay and time wise, you will be spending the most amount in the Space stage. And on the individual stages, they all have their fun at the beginning but once they start getting repetitive there is no going back. They stay dull pretty much up until the end of the stage.

I also find the space stage horrendously annoying and bothersome. You are constantly called around the galaxy when your random city in the middle of effing nowhere is being attacked. This is said to be like end game is to FFXI but to me it just seems like mindless questing, most of the quests falling into just one of a few categories. There is though a fairly good storyline to the stage. I have yet to see it all but it seems to me that I am being led to the center of the universe and that I might be learning about how it was made which is pretty cool.

As for an overall rating I would have to give it a 6/10 because it is trying to be a bunch of games in one which it does fairly well but there are much better games out there for each genre. I think this game would be great for someone new to gaming that doesn't know what type of game they might like. It's innovative and fun, but only for a short while in each stage.



As for the DRM, just get a pirated copy it's easier, cheaper, and less of a hassle that having to deal with the DRM like I do.

[Darunia]

I think this game would be great for someone new to gaming that doesn't know what type of game they might like. It's innovative and fun, but only for a short while in each stage.

Agreed on this part.
I enjoy the building and strategy aspects to games, SupCom, Black & White etc. This game got me hooked on the idea i could design my own buildings, vehicles and space craft, what it failed on was how short lived this section of the game was and how overall unimpressive it was. Where is the fun in designing your buildings when you can only fit maybe 5? in a city wall limit. This may be my obsessive compulsiveness showing but in Black and White i was the kind of player who, even though already winning the land, would not move to the next level until the entire island was a densely populated city, such a sense of accomplishment that is lacking in this game.

All in all id say 5/10 at best. Graphically its a 10/10, unbelievably beautiful game however that's where the greatness ends.

[Correction]

What's this I'm hearing about the game only really lasting four hours?

It sounds short by any measure of the word 'sandbox game.' I certainly never got any of my Sims to Mayor in four hours.

[Kyo]

yeah the story so to speak if you rush through it is extremly short, Ive heard 4-6 hrs.

[GRT]

For games preceded by huge marketing campaigns, the reviews often come down to meeting expectations. If they are met, then the reviews are good, if not, then I really don't think the critics are to blame.

For me personally, I'm not a huge Sims fan. I think if I ever do play the game I should give it a good review, since few things can go wrong in a Sims game that I wouldn't expect already.

[Epical]

Pirated it on purpose to skip all the DRM/SecuROM bullshit.

As for the gameplay itself, it's VERY basic... almost kiddish, to be completely honest. Only the aesthetic is really about evolution, the strength of your creature is purely based on stats of the "body parts" you find around the world that lie in little bone piles. One of the biggest turn offs for me is the fact that one minute your creature can look like X, and 10 seconds later look COMPLETELY different. Many times did I just on-the-fly change the way my creature looked (added more legs, claws, back spikes, whatever), from one minute being a swimmer to a fucking T-Rex-looking thing.

Now, I did just finish the Tribal stage (I'd say about ~3.5-4 hours in), and according to Ars the game is supposed to pick up in the Space stage. The first 4 stages are pretty much tutorials. So far, 3/5 from as far as the GAME goes. 10 years worth of development? Please.

[Souj]

anyone have a specific torrent your using? ones I'm trying all have like just 1 seeder.