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[Sylverone]

Oh boy. I read the title of this topic and smelled controversy. Personally, I am grateful that Toady has given us some numbers to watch, counting down to the release. His constant design notes mean that there is something new to look at each day, and I don't know about everyone else, but I find it reassuring, even if it is just a few sentences at most.

Here's what I propose; keep an eye on those numbers, and get all the play you can out of the current version while it's still current, because things are about to CHANGE.

=====on-/off-topic divider=====

It seems my theory was correct, and I hadn't even planned on asking; the DF forums do have some Spore watchers. Personally, I don't think EA is crazy enough to not release, especially considering that the game is already completely playable.

Also, if we're going to hold off-topic discussions, let's try to keep at least half of each post on-topic, or take it somewhere where it can be discussed more fully. I'm not trying to play forum police here, but I think it's reasonable to ask this much.

[BurnedToast]

What? The screenshots for spore on the official website don't look super cartoony. I mean yeah, it's not super mega ultra hardcore realistic, but I think the art style is not really that bad.

Anyway, who cares? Graphics are the absolute least important part of a game in my opinion (though most people seem to care about nothing else   ). I love DF even though it has no graphics to speak of, I would love it if it was ultra-realistic graphics and I would still love it even if the dwarves looked like cartoons.

who cares what a game looks like if it has solid and fun gameplay?

Anyway - to the original poster, I don't see any reason to release it now. Waiting another week (or month, or however long it takes) won't hurt you.

[ghor]

quote:who cares what a game looks like if it has solid and fun gameplay?

I have a feeling this is the reason Spore has been delayed. Someone at the office said "ok, this is cool, I like the creatures you can make and all... but where's the game?" That they somewhat recently hired Soren Johnson (lead designer on Civ4) also suggests that they haven't really managed to turn the fascinating simulator into a fun game quite yet.

[Funkadelic Jive Turkey]

My long indignant reply:

quote:Originally posted by Sowelu:
<STRONG>You wouldn't hassle a painter to release his creation a couple weeks early.  Why do you think it's okay when it's a programmer? </STRONG>

But you'd love to get a sneak peak at a work in progress! (Which essentially is what either version of DF are.) Especially with musicians, I know fans love the idea of hearing a song live or a studio version before it hits on an album. Not to say that being forcefully persistent is good with anything. (ex: "I want sex, I want sex, sex, sex, come on!, gimme, gimme, gimme!...How about now?" -See where that gets ya, and if the answer is lucky I'd like to meet your friends.)

quote:Originally posted by Savok:
<STRONG>I propose a different solution, and one that works perfectly, if you can do it: Get a life.</STRONG>

Personally I have one, but DF ownz mah w3rld. I work, go to school, have other hobbies, and surprisingly some friends too; but that doesn't satisfy my DF fix. Yesterday I was out with friends till about 3:30 or so, but a part of me was still thinking (against better judgement) "I hope it's out when I get home."

quote:Originally posted by Silveron:
<STRONG> This place is almost as laid back as old people on their last visit to Florida. XD</STRONG>

I'm going to become a junkie to pacify my DF anxiety. (But before angry parent mobs blame Toady and games, let me just add that I really want to be cool.)

@ Thallone: Hey FU!!!!!! I'm still waiting for the Brothers Karamazov sequel!  

quote:Originally posted by Slartibartfast:
<STRONG> More likely, Spore is being kept back because EA has entered some financial Deep Shit. At least that's what I read a while ago. </STRONG>

You...complete...me. Is that true? Sweet hell I hope so.

[LSTAR]

quote:Originally posted by Funkadelic Jive Turkey:
<STRONG>

I was out with friends till about 3:30 or so, but a part of me was still thinking (against better judgement) "I hope it's out when I get home."</STRONG>

Haha! Don't I known that feeling!

quote:Originally posted by Funkadelic Jive Turkey:
<STRONG>You...complete...me. Is that true? Sweet hell I hope so.</STRONG>

So do I, for so very long EA has embodied everything I hate about gaming.

[Sylverone]

Alright, since it appears this has turned into the official Spore discussion topic, I'll go with it.

quote:More likely, Spore is being kept back because EA has entered some financial Deep Shit. At least that's what I read a while ago.

Where did you read that? I haven't gotten that impression; just that they want to push the date into the next fiscal year, possibly so that it doesn't overshadow the release of one of their other games (if there is another to be released soon),  maybe because it's a better financial choice to release it then, or because of a situation like the one ghor proposed; they found that gameplay (or some other aspect) needs a bit more work to work perfectly with the rest of the game.

I could be wrong, though. Perhaps they are very busy hand-polishing each and every gold-plated Spore release disk with a microfiber cloth. If that's the case, I reserve my copy.  

[Tilla]

Being privvy to EA's financials as someone who worked there, I don't believe it's even possible for any 'financial deep shit' to even happen, much less to delay a game. Holding back a license to print money because you're in financial trouble..doesn't make much sense does it?

Most likely, the reason is they don't want it to clash with a bunch of other releases coming up. Crysis for one. RockBand is the EA game I'm getting this year. Half Life 2 Orange Box is next in line for me too, and the physical disk copies of Valve's games all come from EA. Then there's the typical deluge of bland-but-top-selling sports rehashes, The Simpsons Game, and another Need for Speed (seems like only yesterday when I was playing Carbon 8 hours a day..and getting paid $11 /hr for it).

Heck I keep looking at the list and there's more and more. Army of Two, the next Sim City, and Battliefield: Bad Company round out the time between now and Spore.

I think that maybe, just maybe, the release window is a bit crowded with that bunch.

[Funkadelic Jive Turkey]

Way to crush dreams you two! Are you practicing for when you have kids? (jk)

Yeah, I didn't think so. I remember reading some economic quarterly not too long ago and it cited EA as being healthy in present and future, but I was reeally hoping nonetheless.

[Sylverone]

Well it seems I got one thing almost right; it probably is because of other games, just not their own.

FJT; I'm sorry for crushing your dreams...  

[JT]

"Son, I don't know what to tell you.  Santa fell off the neighbour's roof.  He broke his neck.  There might not even be a Christmas next year.  I'm--"

[falsify a faltering voice]

"I'm sorry."

[burst out laughing]

[Sylverone]

[Suddenly become dead serious]

"Oh, and by the way, son... Spore doesn't exist."

[THEN the boy starts crying]

  :roll:

[ October 01, 2007: Message edited by: Sylverone ]

[WillNZ]

The testing is taking a long time... but without it, the new Dwarf Fortress is likely to be nigh unplayable, the amount of bugs Toady is swatting daily.

[Eagleon]

It looks like he's also making small improvements as he goes. I'm particularly interested to see what the HIDDEN FUN STUFF from yesterday is that got in so late.

[Slartibartfast]

Well, it was a long time ago that I read the article and when I looked for it a couple of days ago, I couldn't find it, so I can't be sure what I read.
I did find some report that said that their financial status was below what was expected and as a result their stock took a beating, but nothing company-threatening.

Anyway, on my part I've already boycotted EA's games, so I don't care that much if they crumble or not. (And of course that my one-man boycott will be the one to break them )

[Krash]

quote: Anyway, on my part I've already boycotted EA's games, so I don't care that much if they crumble or not.

Make that two - haven't bought anything from them since they stopped supporting their games properly.  Together we shall bring them to their knees!