Could Spore Change D&D Forever?

[Kaodi]

I think that that may be an overstatement, but I hope it grabs ones attention.

I was just reading through a description of the creature designer in Spore, and it got me thinking; could this allow an average person to design a supercool creature, develop stats and abilities for it, and let them finish with an end product with a modicum of traction? Well, maybe not... I mean, the artistic style of Spore isn't exactly the artistic style of D&D, but if you were to submit some screenshots of your " Sporeling " (their term, not mine) to a real artist who could create a nittier, grittier version from a solid image...
Basically, my theory is that when Spore is released, we might start seeing some new monsters on these boards or WotC with pictures of Sporelings attached! Maybe that doesn't sound very exciting, but I think the potential for exploitation of the tool is there.

 

[Rl'Halsinor]

To add to what you said, think of what the NWN community did with the game tool set. They are a very creative bunch that went beyond anything BioWare imagined. The issue is whether or not the makers of Spore will release a tool kit. If they do what you theorize could come very true.

 

[trancejeremy]

Well, sort of the whole point of Spore is that it pretty much is the tool kit. That is, rather than having a fairly complicated out of the game editor, that's all part of the game itself. (Though how powerful it is remains to be seen, until it actually comes out).

 

[Asmor]

I think that that may be an overstatement, but I hope it grabs ones attention.

I was just reading through a description of the creature designer in Spore, and it got me thinking; could this allow an average person to design a supercool creature, develop stats and abilities for it, and let them finish with an end product with a modicum of traction? Well, maybe not... I mean, the artistic style of Spore isn't exactly the artistic style of D&D, but if you were to submit some screenshots of your " Sporeling " (their term, not mine) to a real artist who could create a nittier, grittier version from a solid image...
Basically, my theory is that when Spore is released, we might start seeing some new monsters on these boards or WotC with pictures of Sporelings attached! Maybe that doesn't sound very exciting, but I think the potential for exploitation of the tool is there.

From what you say, I'm guessing you haven't seen it in action? There's a video of Spore that was taken during a convention in E3 that shows the game throughout almost every level, from cellular to intergalactic. It's like 20 minutes long, but very worth it if this kind of thing seems cool to you.

 

[Steel_Wind]

If something as broad and dominating as WoW has little real effect on D&D, I expect something as overhyped as Spore will not even register on the radar.

Sorry. Spore is trying to position itself as The Sims in terms of Will Wright cleverness....while I expect Peter Molyneaux's Black & White is a better model of how overhyped Spore will prove to be.

 

[Piratecat]

From what you say, I'm guessing you haven't seen it in action? There's a video of Spore that was taken during a convention in E3 that shows the game throughout almost every level, from cellular to intergalactic. It's like 20 minutes long, but very worth it if this kind of thing seems cool to you.

Anyone know of a link?

 

[Xael]

Anyone know of a link?

Here and here.

 

[Morrus]

Here and here.

Looks interesting. But the demonstrator keeps on going on about how things are "procedural" or or "procedurally generated". What the hell does that mean?

 

[Xael]

Looks interesting. But the demonstrator keeps on going on about how things are "procedural" or or "procedurally generated". What the hell does that mean?

That the movement animations and other stuff is generated on the fly, I think, and not created in advance.

I could be wrong.

 

[DaveMage]

To add to what you said, think of what the NWN community did with the game tool set. They are a very creative bunch that went beyond anything BioWare imagined.

I have great respect for that community. The guy who created the NWN version of Rappan Athuk did a fantastic job. I think it's the only way I would ever have gotten to play RA all the way through, so I'm loving it.

I just wish someone would do the same thing with other huge published modules I want to go through - like the WLD or Shackled City.