Spore space phase is 15-20 hours, has one ending

by Ross Miller { Jul 17th 2008 at 7:30AM }

Will Wright's Spore is aiming to set precedents in many ways, and it's also set to break a long-standing Maxis tradition: the game ends. Producer Thomas Vu told us that the space phase of the game is what he considers the RPG phase, with 15 to 20 hours of gameplay and -- prepare to be floored -- one ending. No matter how your species lives its existence, it always ends the same way as you make your way to the center of the universe.

Unsurprisingly, Vu said the game has a twist ending. Also unsurprisingly, he was mum on what that twist is. We'll have more from our exhaustive session with Spore later this week.

Update: Vu contacted us to clarify that the ending is optional and wanted to stress that, if anything, the space phase is sandbox like the rest of the game. The 15- to 20-hour statistic is an estimated minimum to reaching the end.

Tags: e3, e3-2008, maxis, spore

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

Ethan @ Jul 17th 2008 7:38AM

Do you always evolve into Will Wright?

jynxycat @ Jul 17th 2008 7:52AM

Meh.

Rather the game have one good ending, than multiple endings which are lackluster... *coughbioshockcough*.

Dale Massey @ Jul 17th 2008 7:59AM

Hmm... could the universe implode on itself, starting the game again with a single molecule spore?

OMGOMG @ Jul 17th 2008 10:41AM

Oh god.

mr mobius @ Jul 17th 2008 11:10AM

It obviously something on a universal scale and that would make sense. Big Crunch.

It wouldn't be some Biblical ending like an apocalypse because that would cause too many protests from different factions. Taking a scientific theory is the least controversial route to take.

RyanTheHeretic @ Jul 17th 2008 3:52PM

Escape would make me god.

BigD145 @ Jul 17th 2008 1:50PM

@mobius

It's only the least controversial if you live in reality. Not many people do.

ThornedVenom (Harley Quinn Defense Force) @ Jul 17th 2008 8:53PM

What is the Universe zoomed out the point that you realized that the entire Universe was all just but a Spore atom?

Neil @ Jul 17th 2008 8:06AM

iMac with a Core 2 Duo processor can run spore?!

Dale Massey @ Jul 17th 2008 8:16AM

Seeind as it can run on an XP machine with a 2.0GHz P4 processor, I'm gonna go with "yes".

Nathan @ Jul 17th 2008 8:59AM

I'm running the creature creator on a iMac 2GHz Core Duo (not Core 2 Duo) so I'm going to assume the full game will run on the same.

Okänd @ Jul 17th 2008 12:14PM

The game is being made for both Mac and PC so yeah, an iMac can run it.

ogvor @ Jul 17th 2008 12:39PM

I'm running it on a MacBook Pro Core 2 Duo, though I'm in Bootcamp since I don't have OSX 10.5

Mromson @ Jul 17th 2008 8:13AM

My first guess is...
a) There's a god. (You)
b) Big Bang crap, everything starts anew.

Habiib @ Jul 17th 2008 11:10AM

c) both

ThornedVenom (Harley Quinn Defense Force) @ Jul 17th 2008 8:54PM

In that case, Will Wright is the God of Gods?

ZEEEEEUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUSSSSSSSSSS

Michael @ Jul 17th 2008 8:14AM

I think you either meet God, get crushed or you ascend to a higher being like an ancient in stargate. But thank you for ending my simcity 4 city is still going with 9 million people all complaining about something.

Luke @ Jul 17th 2008 9:49AM

I always get bored and go Godzilla on my city.

Monkeys Suck @ Jul 17th 2008 8:17AM

Anything good always ends with everyone dying at the end.

tc @ Jul 17th 2008 8:29AM

at least this does imply something more of a linear gameplay system.

Don't get me wrong, i love this open ended stuff. But there needs to be some kind of narrative.

ballistic3188 @ Jul 17th 2008 8:32AM

i believe the will be the reapers come in a destroy all life on all the planets

j.howlett @ Jul 17th 2008 8:37AM

a universe within a universe. it can go on forever like two mirrors facing each other.

Jomolungma @ Jul 17th 2008 8:56AM

Does it end in some South Park Guitar Queer-o way?

Blazur @ Jul 17th 2008 9:01AM

Excitement++

Bobobobby @ Jul 17th 2008 9:05AM

How does a game that let you fly all around space exploring planets and has no story ends? Simple. Some thing happens where every thing dies. Now is that thing a god? A robotic force coming back after so many years of hiding to wipe the universe of life? Or the universe falling apart and imploding on itself? Well that we will have to see, but every things going to die. That is my guess, thats the only way a "sandbox" game like this can end, unless they add a story line that you follow.

I am rather disappointed though, is this guy telling us that when you get to the space stage, the number 1 thing Will won't shut up about, is that you only get 15 hours of game play and you are forced to start over? That is the way it comes off when you hear "only 15 hours of game play before the game ends."

I hope the ending is optional, I would rather like to keep my universe for more then 1 day. Since I know I will be playing this game a lot when it comes out.

DoggySpew @ Jul 17th 2008 11:37AM

Actually, the game does not end after the "ending".
After the ending, you can just continue with the game.

Ranus Studios @ Jul 17th 2008 9:06AM

It turns out it's man.

Habiib @ Jul 17th 2008 11:11AM

You are ... obsolete!

Vladeon @ Jul 17th 2008 9:10AM

Spoiler Alert:
The supermassive black hole in the center of the galaxy is actually Will Wright's head, the game ends with your planet/species getting consumed by Will Wright.

ThornedVenom (Harley Quinn Defense Force) @ Jul 17th 2008 8:56PM

OM NOM NOM NOM

Dan @ Jul 17th 2008 9:19AM

Ok, as long as we're guessing the end: Your entire universe turns out to be a tiny spore of a new one (start over at germ stage).

Blazur @ Jul 17th 2008 9:44AM

Oh that would be so golden.

mr mobius @ Jul 17th 2008 11:13AM

That would be a brilliant ending. It would also be the least controversial.

aristokrat @ Jul 17th 2008 11:27AM

That's what I was thinking: infinite reducibility.

MrSpaceCowboy @ Jul 17th 2008 10:07AM

My prediction: After a few millenia, your creatures will lose all faith and belief in you (their god) and you will cease to exist.

It's preaching atheism! :D

SkreeHunter @ Jul 17th 2008 12:49PM

The game ends up being very pro... uh... you know. Theistic since you kind of are their god.

Jyrrah @ Jul 17th 2008 10:13AM

My guess would be you try and reach the center only to find out that the stars supernova'd. The resulting radiation wave will destroy all life in the universe.

dustandechoes91 @ Jul 17th 2008 10:22AM

The Real Ending:

Despite whatever cool creatures you make, the humans still come out of thier caves and steal all your creations' ganmen. Then they get a giant spaceship and go kill the anti-spirals.

Jfk Aok @ Jul 17th 2008 10:24AM

Wait, games like this shouldn't have endings?!

Danieru @ Jul 17th 2008 10:46AM

This sounds like a diversion to me. At the game's 'end' I'd bet a bundle that it starts all over again in some way. Perhaps there is a big-bang type event, but more likely the camera will continue its panning out, only this time from the player's perspective it will look as though the universe is suddenly contained inside a single cell, a cell that once again starts the beginning of a new game. An infinite zoom-out if you will. It goes out so far that it starts back at the beginning.

Badger_badger_badger @ Jul 17th 2008 11:02AM

SUCKED INTO BLACK HOLE

Cynic @ Jul 17th 2008 11:17AM

The game ends when all the creatures in your civilization decide to accept a buy-out offer from EA.

KarlW @ Jul 17th 2008 1:22PM

And they release a rubbish port of themselves on the PS3

macshome @ Jul 17th 2008 11:32AM

Well, SimCity 2000 actually had an ending you could reach as well. It was more an easter egg though as I don't see how anyone could reach it without cheats.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6RT5ooUW-g

Mitch @ Jul 17th 2008 12:10PM

how about an ending similar MIB. Where this huge universe you have been growing through and exploring all this time, is on the back of another amoeba based lifeform and the game will give you the option to continue with the existance of your spieces or start a new organism in this new "larger" galaxy.