Spore Prototype Games

Cross-posted at Code.Implant.



I just noticed that GameDev.net posted a news item about the Spore prototype games that have been made public. From the Spore website:

"One of the ways in which we explore possible design directions is by building simple, playable prototypes that we can play around with to get a sense for a particular system.

Usually these prototypes are never seen by the public, but we thought some of the more intrepid players out there might enjoy playing around with a few of our early Spore prototypes. Keep in mind these are not tested, supported or even easily explained."

This is a rare opportunity to learn about a team's creative process, so I'm going to download each of these games to try to gain some insight into their design approach and thought mechanisms.

A few of them remind me of old demo simulations I used to build as a hobby (i.e. Conway's Game of Life), while others look like they're stripped down versions of specific gameplay used in Spore. Cool stuff. I look forward to playing with them.