OK, so a release date for the elusive Spore has been confirmed (September). That’s good. But then ExtraLife’s Scott Johnson sent us a tip today that linked to screenshots of the DS version of Spore. They’re bad.
Now, I fully realize the DS has no chance against the PC in every department imaginable, but these screens are just atrocious. It’s free range creature customization meets Bratz as far as I’m concerned, and the more I look at them this morning the more I consider that sentiment to be an understatement. Perhaps this is because there’s a mobile version of Spore being developed alongside the DS version. It’s apparently sucking the life out of the DS version.
While I appreciate the bone Will Wright and company are throwing DS owners, sometimes when circumstances like this arise I’d almost prefer they didn’t bother.
[Thanks, Scott]
The team working on this version must take the short bus to work.
I don't get it either, judging solely from the screenshots.
But perhaps we shouldn't judge too harshly until the game actually arrives, after which it becomes perfectly fair to point and laugh mercilessly. BOOM BLOX also looked bad from the early screenshots – but recent trailers were more appealing because you could see the game in motion. Maybe this will be the same kind of thing?
I don't know… I liked Animal Crossing: Wild World, and I liked it a LOT! These screens show the same kind of cuteness in the DS translation of Spore, which is not bad.
If the behavior of the creatures created shows a decent AI and believable functionality, I don't see a reason for not usiing an "Animal Crossing"-type of engine on the DS.
I'm going to have to disagree with Jack on this one…or at least give the game the benefit of the doubt. I actually kind of like the paper cutout style, and it may look great in motion.
They look different than they were before… I don't really like it.
I'm with Doofus – I won't judge a game on art style alone. This game looks okay, and with the Spore concept behind it, I'm on board.
PC version is all I need.
I hate to say, this is possibly the most childish comment I've seen on this website. I thought this kind of comment was normally reserved for flaming on fanboy sites.
The Sims was never an advanced looking game, it had its own style and got people hooked on its gameplay
Maybe alot of effort is being put in from developers in to the gameplay of this game.
I TOLD YOU!!!! Especially you used cisco…well, I think so anyway. Who was saying that it's an unexpected privaledge that the DS is getting spore?
Anyway, as I said earlier, I fully expected it to be broken as well as effortless, that seen as it was coming out on mobile phones a DS version is hardly a coup, and that in the end they'll be similarly shit.
Jack, elmer, let me give you just one word on judging a game by its art style alone when said art style is perceived as "childish": CELDA!
Invis, I have no problem with Celda. Then again, the Celda series wasn't developed hand-in-hand with a mobile phone version.
Who knows how it plays bot the creatures and ui look terrible.
It reminds me more of the Paper Mario style, which I love. Also, keep in mind that many cell phones are now capable of greater visuals than the DS, so simultaneous development is not as negative as you may think. Hell, the Kingdom Hearts games coming out in Japan look way better on cell phones than the DS version.
You know what would be badass? If the creatures you design in the DS version could be downloadable onto worlds in the Wii or 360 version! Too much to ask?
3 words is all that is needed in response to this article.
Wait.
And.
See.
wii wii, four words is all that's needed to respond to your comment:
"the title said 'could'" 😉
Looks fine to me. I think cel shading is the only reasonable way to adapt a high-poly game to a low-poly device.
That said, mobile phones are lower poly still, and what's showing in the 14 screenshots I've seen of Spore Creatures is too much to work on a phone unless they're targeting the fraction of 1% of the market who has one of those 400MHz Frankenstein's PDA-phones.
I think it looks really cool and I'm excited to try it out.
@ Jack…
Thats 4 words AND a Smiley !
=)
I'm interested in this. I don't really care how it looks because it might just be playing to the DS' limitations. Low graphics might mean more content packed into the cartridge.
Well, in that case, ANY game that hasn't come out 'could' suck when it finally hits the shelves!
Writing it off just on looks? That's bordering on crazy 😛
I actually like the look, better to have funny 2D cut-outs than hideous amorphous 3D blobs with barely-discernible features.
Get the "it's being made along with cell-phones" mentality out of your head please. Plus, I'm sure the cellphone version might only feature one of the aspects of spore and not be as in-depth as the DS version.
If you've read N'Gai's recent interview with Wright you'd know that they're working on each part making sure they work properly. Also, I believe this one will also be able to produce animations procedurally so that'll be sweet (and interesting to watch).
Still… can't wait for the Wii version to finally make it way through! (They're still working out controls and such though).