Spore technology
From SporeWiki
The game engine software which will run Spore has much potential in many different kinds of games -- not just "evolve life in the universe"
The game tool itself: The Server, The Software/Game Engine/Program
Contents |
[edit] Procedural Programming: More algorithms, less data
The earliest computer games were severely limited by memory constraints, forcing things like levels to be generated algorithmically, procedurally, on the fly: there simply wasn't enough space to store pre-made levels and artwork. Today, most games include (measuring by memory space) thousands of times as much data as algorithmic mechanics. For example, all of the buildings in the large game-world of Grand Theft Auto were individually designed and placed by artists.
Because the Spore game-world is procedurally generated, it can be as large, varied, and detailed as it needs to be without an expensive team designing each element individually. Because of this malleability, users' creatures will react realistically to a wide range of customizations.
In Wright's first public demonstration of Spore, he created a tripedal creature in the creature evolution editor. The game then figured out how a lizard with three legs and a prehensile tail should walk. Wright then showed several more pre-made creatures which moved realistically, despite their exotic design.
Wright noted several times that for this particular project, he hired a handful of demoscene programmers and artists, simply because the whole procedure approach of content generation was never anything new to the demoscene due to the size limited intro categories, as shown by productions such as .kkrieger.
[edit] Generative Systems (The Tools)
The living, vibrant, always-changing experience of Spore will come from its generative systems, which develop by combining the following elements:
[edit] Procedural Methods
The Spore Engine
Spore will not be dependent on a pre-developed narrative. Instead, a set of rules will be built into the software, which aims to simulate many aspects of the physical world, accurately and efficiently according to the limits of our hardware and software. This allows the user to play as they would in the real world, and develop their own stories from their own experience
[edit] Customizable, User-Created Content
"Artist-in-a-Box"
Like some kind of supernatural Creator, the user has the freedom to use their own imagination and creativity to create original designs that may not be logical, realistic or efficient, but simply fun.
[edit] Artist-as-Programmer
"Ya canna' change the laws of physics, Cap'n!"
A proposed concept, where users would be allowed to edit the actual physics of the game-world (essentially, giving them the ability to modify the game code in new, unexpected ways). It is unlikely that the developers themselves would allow such high-level alteration -- but users have always found ways to modify commercial games.
Such a tool would allow users to create new game elements, functional parts for other editors, and more.
Possible Functionality -- See the Unreal Engine
- Enabling users to create functional parts
(Currently limited to the developers)
- would only expand the power of the game
- Allows users to more accurately simulate real-world systems (or create completely unrealistic dynamics)
[edit] Content Sorting
i. Based on how you play
[edit] Game-Play (The Experience)
How do you use the generative systems in an entertaining way?
- More than just a sandbox, or a toy.
- Real evolution is slow, and involves a lot of dying.
- Fun and exaggerated elements - will broaden the playing audience. If it's too realistic, why not just experience real life? Needs elements of fantasy, and things currently impossible in the real world.
- The "playability" programmed into the game.
[edit] Metastate Transitions
- Player's Role
- Level of Control
- Game Play
- "Competition leading to cooperation,
leading to a level jump and starting over"
- Balance in all Modes
- No Set Goals, but still Meta-Goals
[edit] Time
- Perpetual
- No game "end"
- Persistent (not yet)
- Keeps going
- Runs in background all the time
- Online persistency?
[edit] Making the game your Original personal story (The Personal Result)
- What do you get out of it?
- Progression/molding
- Using it the way YOU want to
- Want to be a carnivore, you have that option, same as anything else
- Using what you created to tell and progress a story...
- Using the game and your creation to make the game what you want it to be
[edit] Reaction (The Community Result)
- What do others think of your designs? Do they like it, do they hate it?
- does it influence the community?
[edit] System Information
- User Interface
- Screensaver
- Customizable Downloads
- Exportable Models/Animations
- Screenshot Editor
