Removed features

The game Spore has had several major changes since first demonstrated at the GDCe 2005 show. Some players complain, claiming that the older versions of Spore was better, but there are many things today that never existed in the previous game (creature interactions are more advanced today).

Some of these removed features were however, possibly removed because they were glitchy (such as the Ocean stage), or that they were removed for a future expansion. The style and graphics of Spore which hasn't changed too much, but the artistry is more cute in today's Spore, in order to attract a wider variety of players, however, this has still caused some upset with players who want a more realistic game. Features could have also been removed because Maxis was being experimental with what parts would work, and what might not, and to see what players wanted. Will Wright hinted this in the Ask Will Wright interview.



Cell Stage
The cell stage in previous demos was quite similar in gameplay to today's. However, its style was different and more realistic. The cell editor was more free to create different body plans than that in modern Spore. There was also different type of cells with different movement, shape, diet, and ways to kill it, for example small bubble like bacteria would float around and eat you if you got too close but could only be killed with the spike part, another example is trails of brown smoke that chases the player around with no definite body structure and could be sucked up using a proboscis.

Creature Stage
The creature stage hasn't changed greatly since the demos, with many gameplay features (perhaps even more than as seen in the demo's), however, blood was removed to make the game more appropriate for young children. There is still a blood effect in the cell stage, when a cell has been killed, it releases Meat chunks and a small pool of blood. The ability to carry food was also taken away, for example; a predator dragging prey to safe place to eat it.

Different eyes had different kinds of sight in the old Spore. This was removed so it would not annoy players. Now there is only sight and blindness. However, the player can use stylefilters to change the look of the game in different ways.

The behavior of the animals also seems to be more realistic than it is today. In today's spore creatures rarely leave the perimeter of their nest, and today's creature stage possibly has a simpler ecosystem (until space stage). In 2005 however, small rabbit-like creatures hoped around, grazed, or simply wandered off with no nests for them. However, this feature does exist in the game, just alot more rarely (Rogue creatures and hunting packs).

Another feature that was removed from the game was procedural mating, which was demonstrated in the GDC 2005 Demo. The main reasons for this are that it would have been very difficult to animate Creatures that had certain features, such as spikes on their backs or unusal body shapes. The other reason it was likely removed was that it would offend younger players, and the fact that the Creatures would growl in pleasure whilst mating would have landed the game with a much higher ESRB rating. In the current Spore, Creatures will simply flirt, and the player's creature will go off to lay an egg within the nest.In 2006 Wright showed us that after mating, the creature you mated with laid the eggs unlike today where your creature lays one egg. It was also seen that the player didn't automaticly enter the creature creator after an egg has been laid, instead, the player and his mate would protect the eggs from scavengers for a few seconds, then the eggs would mature and the player had the choice to enter the editor by clicking on the eggs or not evolve by waiting for them to hatch. Furthermore, it was seen in the preview that after evolving the player starts out as a baby creature that he can play for a while and then it grows up. Playing as babies does exist today however only to learn certain skills and does not act as a real avatar.

Procedual verb
In language, a verb is a word that expresses action. (To write, to live, to be, etc.) In Spore, procedural verb is used to describe actions taken by the creature, "procedural" referring to the technology used to design the game. During his 2005 GDC presentation, Will Wright mentions as his creature begins to eat that he has given it (the Willosaur) the verb command "eat". He proceeds to demonstrate the ability to combine two verbs and create another when he gives the Willosaur the verb command "eat" and "walk" simultaneously, creating "drag", as the Willosaur drags its prey backwards with its teeth.

Method
It is unknown whether verb commands must be given manually (ie. typed) or via another method, but it is widely assumed that Will simply walked backward with the corresponding keyboard command while the Willosaur was eating to create "drag". His commentary includes phrases such as "tell him to walk", which does not specify exactly how the creature is "told".

Tribal Stage

 * Hut editor - The ability to create huts was probably removed because tribal gameplay is short, and requires the player to manage the tribe's health and wellbeing.
 * Shops - Shops may have been an early concept of the Sporepedia.

Civilization Stage
The older versions allowed the player to choose the walls and turrets, but now it is determined by the kind of city - the player has either started the game earning those features or has conquered that city. Underwater vehicles were also available.

Space Stage
The space stage also hasn't changed a great deal, there is likely to be more gameplay today than in the older versions. The galaxy in the older demo's appeared to be slightly smaller than today's Spore. The galactic view also seems more realistic with stars that all seem to glow white (the color of the star became apparent when getting closer). There was also more space between stars, taking almost ten seconds to get to a nearby star (this was removed to make travel easier). The terrascore system was also different with the lowest T-score of a planet being 0 and highest being 10. It was said in an interview with gaming steve that T-0 planets could not be terraformed and that you had to reach a T-6 score to support life (this was probably removed to make terraforming less complicated). Will also said that you could research genetics and enter the flora editor.

Molecular Stage
Not much is known about this stage, and it may have never existed as far as a concept. However, it was said that it operated more like Tetris. It was likely scrapped because molecules can't think for themselves, and the Panspermia theory (that life is brought to planets via comets) was favored to make the game more exciting.

Aquatic Stage
The ocean stage was removed not long after the demo in 2005. It had problems with navigation and animation, so it was removed from the game. Maxis has hinted the possibility of an expansion.

City Stage
This stage was merged with the Civilization stage. It appeared to have agriculture (which has now been set back to the tribal stage).

Plant editor
The plant edtitor was created so that the player could customize plants on the player's homeworld. It still in fact exists in the game, but it is just an artifact, which is quite glitchy. The editor can be accessed by starting the game with sporeApp.exe -state:FloraEditor. Maxis has hinted that the editor will be included in a future expansion.

Hut editor
The ability to create huts has now been removed.

Galactic editor
This feature allowed the player to customize the galaxy at the end of the game using a Gravity tool. Although it has been removed, the prototype Particle Man has been released, which works in a similar manner.

Cake Editor
This was found as a strange piece of code which starts the game in a funny way. It included Harvester vehicles - vehicles specifically used for harvesting resources (this action is now done by any vehicle).

Weather editor
Not much is known about this editor, but it may have been possible to edit planets while in the space stage, or even the players homeworld prior to gameplay. The weather editor does in live on some ways, in the Adventure creator and by terraforming planets in the space stage. Wormulon  Talk to me  15:57, October 3, 2010 (UTC)

Species Shuffler
Species Shuffler was a tool that randomized creatures on a planet. It was removed because it came with the Wanderer philosophy (when the player has skipped stages), and hasn't earned the tool.

Underwater Vehicles
"...and once you've unlocked all the types of vehicles: land,air,water,and underwater..." Will Wright in 2005.

In the 2005 demonstration of Spore Will Wright gave a quick tour of the civilization stage. While introducing the different types of vehicles he mentions underwater vehicles. Underwater vehicles no longer exist in spore, as were underwater cities, the ocean stages and so on.

Features that have returned to the game
Some features have found there way back into the game, perhaps through the amount of players requesting these features.

Asymmetrical creatures
This ability was once in the game, but now it has been brought back in Patch 1.05.

Planet Editor
The planet editor returned in the Adventure creator, so the player can create unique planets for Adventures. This came back in the expansion Spore Galactic Adventures.