How can one improve Spore's creature stage?

This thought has caused some insomnia last night, but I was think of how one can improve upon Spore's creature stage.

As you know some people have called for a more serious, less cartoony version of Spore, during the few years in which Spore was relevant. Now there is an issue with attempting to make the game more scientific.

The process of evolution by natural selection is all about the probabilities. Those with the right traits that shifted the odds in their favor for survival and reproduction become the baseline for the next generation. However, without abstraction, this process makes for a boring and/or frustrating game.

With minimal abstractions, one is either playing as some force that shapes the world or some force that induces mutations. Either way, it is the algorithms that are doing the heavy work of shaping the look and behaviors of your creatures as well as ultimate survival of the species.

However, with Spore's level of abstraction, the player has total control over the look and behavior of the creature. However, the process of evolution is basically no longer there and it becomes a simulation game about making odd looking (but not necessarily functional) creatures.

So what would be a good level of abstraction for a hypothetical game that seeks to improve on Spore's creature stage?

If I'm understanding you right, I think there is a project like this in development called Grandroids, from the maker of Creatures.

Also wow I can't believe I forgot all about Spore.

I think Spore needed improvement, but not by becoming more serious or realistic.

The gameplay for the cellular and civilization stages need the most work, I think. The strategic gameplay in the latter needed to be a little more complex.

But the space stage was pretty great, and that's really the main draw of the game for me.

I really would've liked an ecosystem... system, rather than the "run around, kill nests to extinct species, etc" bit. A bit more depth to the stage, so that the species that exist in it interact more than just having an yes/no switch for aggressiveness. The ability to have and influence an actual food chain would've helped, maybe a web/experience system for parts (in addition to the fossil system, so that the player still has the freedom to give their creature the look they want) so that evolving makes more sense - it's always annoying when you want to evolve a creature along certain lines, only to be forced to change your plans on the fly because the parts you want just plain fail to appear.

Also, slowing down how quickly the player cruises through the first few brain sizes - in fact, replacing the DNA system with some other kind of experience system in general would probably be a good idea.

As for the other stages, tweaks to the Cellular and Tribal stages to make them less... like means to an end, especially the Tribal stage which is almost ridiculously repetitive. Likewise, I'd say that even though the Cell stage is probably the most fun to just pick up and play, I wish it didn't just lose any incentive to play once you got everything they wanted you to get.

In general, the best way to improve the game would've been to make ways for each of the stages beyond just the Space stage could've been self-sufficient for longer.

Oh, and better diplomacy in Space stage.

edited 12th Apr '14 7:52:47 PM by KnownUnknown

Honestly, I though the Creature (and to a lesser extent, Cell) stages were the best parts of Spore. It was everything else that kinda sucked.

Personally, I have good idea as to the Tribal stage.

One can either starts out as a nomadic tribe and possibly develop into an primitive agrarian society.

In addition to basic survival needs, there will be development of the culture of your tribe.

Where your tribe settles, what animals are either hunted by or domesticated by your tribe, and other factors shape the culture of your early civilization.

I think the Tribal and Civ stages should've probably been fused in some way into one stage.

edited 12th Apr '14 11:18:12 PM by KnownUnknown

I wish they had kept the sea stage.