Will Wright spills some Spore beans to GameSpot
GameSpot got the chance to speak with Spore creator and gaming guru Will Wright in what turns out to be a very lengthy, but quite juicy interview -- at least in certain parts. So, for your convenience, we've highlighted some of the better bits of information to slip out of Will's mouth.
Check after the break for Will's view on E3, next-gen, and the future of Spore.
A playable Spore at Leipzig
We'll have [Spore] on the floor so that people can actually come up and experiment with it. We'll be doing demos. [Editor's note: According to EA, Wright himself will be present on the floor, giving demonstrations in person.]
-- Wow, those are some lucky German gamers. We've never wanted to be in Germany so bad before.
Thoughts on E3 and its future
E3 was always a one-month distraction as we were trying to get together our presentation, and that takes away from your development timeline. E3 is turning into some kind of "industry insider" thing. So, Leipzig might become the big show that we attend every year. Who knows.
-- So, Leipzig is the new E3? Wow, who woulda thunk that? By the way, someone tell Will he is considered an "industry insider."
Talking next-gen
We were kind of assuming that the next-gen consoles would all be superpowerful, but now we're looking at how expensive the Sony [PlayStation 3] is, trying to leverage the value of Blu-ray; we look at how cheap the Nintendo Wii is going to be and its innovative controller; we're looking at Microsoft's early mover advantage and its focus on network games.
-- See. Even Will thinks the PS3 is expensive.
Spore's future beyond the PC
We're certainly looking at [Spore] as a franchise. The PC [version of the game], for me, is the tip of the iceberg. We're not announcing anything yet, but it's pretty obvious that I want Spore to take over the world (laughs). I think [Spore] definitely wants to go beyond being a computer game. I don't feel Spore is as constrained to its original platform.
-- Oh, Will, you're such a tease. Just come out and tell us we can play it on our BlackBerry. You know you want to.
A release date
We're saying the second half of next year [2007] for now.
-- We would have been happier with tomorrow.
There's some other interesting stuff in the entire interview, like technical things about the game, so check it all out if you are so inclined.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
pat @ Aug 9th 2006 8:01PM
The industry needs more people like Will Wright
Dan Uebes @ Aug 9th 2006 8:03PM
That's not soon at all. No it isn't, no it isn't.
T-Bag @ Aug 9th 2006 8:15PM
Is that a gay bar? Look at the douche behind Adolf.. I mean Wright.
thunderleg @ Aug 9th 2006 8:20PM
At least by then I'll have a killer rig.
Assuming I'm still into gaming at that point in my life... :(
Geist @ Aug 9th 2006 8:36PM
Oh awesome, I'm not the only one who first saw Hitler in that picture. Phew.
Also, yes, more Wright is needed for the industry. I'm totally looking forward to getting this game. PURCHASING IT, no less (just commented in the pirating post,) because this is totally worth it.
cringer8 @ Aug 9th 2006 9:05PM
T-Bag,
Will looks *nothing* like Adolf Hitler. You should pay more attention in your summer school history class. You don't even have to read, just look more closely at the pictures. You can handle that, right?
Actually, judging by your views on homosexuals, maybe you shouldn't read up on Hitler...
Back on Topic, is Leipzig open to the public?
Dr. Tubesteak @ Aug 9th 2006 9:37PM
The IGN interview with Will sucks compared to one Gamespot did. Actually, you could wipe your ass on a sheet of notebook paper and get a better interview than IGN.
FimShady @ Aug 9th 2006 9:54PM
Thanks for putting in the bit about how the ps3 is expensive. Heh, thanks for pointing it out. Heh. No one has said that before.
Fanboys are sucking the life out of the internet.
murc @ Aug 10th 2006 12:25AM
This game just keeps looking better & better (except for its launch date of course). But I think I speak for 95% of the gaming community when I say "take your time and make one helluva game", I hate it when companies decide they want the game out by Christmas...No Matter What, I prefer they release it when there done and satisfied with its performance.
I will definitely buy this game...I hope it comes out for the 360 though...I dont own one yet, but I'm planning on buying one when the PS3 drops (you know damn well MS will lower the P-Tag). I love computers and all, But mine is a year or 2 old, and by the time this game release I dont think it will be capable of running it smoothly...While the X360 has plenty of power to boot, and no need to spend like a grand on modifications to make the game run smooth.
Ur doing a great job w/ the game so far Will. keep up the good work.
dish @ Aug 10th 2006 12:37AM
@8
maybe you (the actual fanboy) should realize that the ps3 is expensive
Hiro Protagonist @ Aug 10th 2006 12:47AM
He also mention Nintendo's Wii was cheap and Microsoft was an early mover.
He said nothing of Sega, so that's good for them right?
Oh wait.
KerB @ Aug 10th 2006 1:35AM
Second half of 2007? Why? WHyyyyyyYY???!?
*cries in a corner*
DocGonzo @ Aug 10th 2006 9:06AM
#8
Fanboys are ruining the internet? Why is it that every time a simple fact is mentioned (the fact in question being that the PS3 is going to cost $600 for the system alone) somebody screams 'fanboy'? I mean really...its kinda sad that you leap to Sony's defenses so fast.
As to Spore, I can't wait to see it on Wii ^_^ then again, I can't wait to see it on PC either, but now we have to wait a full YEAR? what happened to 'march 2007'?
vidGuy @ Aug 10th 2006 9:19AM
This is the part of the IGN interview I was interested in:
IGN: Would the game need to be tailored for each system?
Will Wright: Yeah, that's something we're looking at. There are definitely things that work better on PCs than consoles. We might focus on certain aspects of the game for each version. The editors are a very big part of the game, but maybe it's difficult to navigate through them on a console. There are some things you really want to do with a mouse.
IGN: Do you have any ideas of how the game would play on the Wii?
Will Wright: We've been messing around with the Wii dev kit and we're really interested in the possibilities there. It's possible the editors might be more manageable on that system.
It sounds like he's saying the Wii will be an easier port because the remote acts like a mouse. This is HUGE. Hopefully we'll see true FPS controls on the Wii, a first for console gaming.
Sean DL @ Aug 10th 2006 7:57PM
I'm more hoping for a DS-Wii/PS3-PSP connection for Spores then anything else...
You know how awesome it would be if you can make your creatures on your handheld and then transport them to your planet on your home console would be?