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You are here: MacNN Forums > Enthusiast Zone > Gaming > Woe is Me: Spore System Requirements Released

Woe is Me: Spore System Requirements Released
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Helmling
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Jun 12, 2008, 11:25 PM
 
Ouch...nothing short of a 128 Meg video card will do. I know holding out an irrational hope that there would be some low-res mode capable of running on my Macbook was well, desperately optimistic, but you can't blame a boy for dreaming.

I better start pestering the Mrs. about getting a new iMac now...maybe by Sept. she'll be too sick of it to bear it any longer.
     
ajprice
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Jun 13, 2008, 04:53 AM
 
Yeah my MacBook won't cut it either, apparently. Will probably get a console version instead for my Wii or 360.

It'll be much easier if you just comply.
     
Horsepoo!!!
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Jun 13, 2008, 07:42 AM
 
Spore may very well be the only game I'm looking forward to. I used to be a gamer but in the past few years, I've slowly dropped interest in gaming (probably mostly because I don't have the time to game anymore but also probably because there hasn't been a single original game to come out in a loooong time on computer).
     
mattyb
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Jun 13, 2008, 08:09 AM
 
Originally Posted by Horsepoo!!! View Post
Spore may very well be the only game I'm looking forward to. I used to be a gamer but in the past few years, I've slowly dropped interest in gaming (probably mostly because I don't have the time to game anymore but also probably because there hasn't been a single original game to come out in a loooong time on computer).
HEATHEN !!!

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Horsepoo!!!
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Jun 13, 2008, 11:15 AM
 
LOLZ...Call of Doodie.
     
Dakar the Fourth
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Jun 13, 2008, 11:19 AM
 
Yeah, FPS lovers and anti-graphics peeps don't mix, I think.
     
Horsepoo!!!
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Jun 13, 2008, 12:26 PM
 
Originally Posted by Dakar the Fourth View Post
Yeah, FPS lovers and anti-graphics peeps don't mix, I think.


I'm not so much anti-graphics...let's just call it pro-gameplay/story.

I enjoy good graphics as much as anyone...as long as it's backed up by good gameplay or a good story.
     
Dakar the Fourth
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Jun 13, 2008, 12:36 PM
 
Well, in my mind the hallmarks of FPS' are pushing graphics and minimal story (Half-life is the exception).

Hence I hypothesize they'd be your bane.
     
Horsepoo!!!
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Jun 13, 2008, 12:44 PM
 
Originally Posted by Dakar the Fourth View Post
Well, in my mind the hallmarks of FPS' are pushing graphics and minimal story (Half-life is the exception).

Hence I hypothesize they'd be your bane.
I see what you mean. Yes...most of them are my bane.

I don't see the fun in playing Quake and UT clones. If they don't have an interesting storyline or radically different gameplay, they're simply a typical shooter with changes to the weapons and enemies.

Rage from id Software looks interesting though (in a similar sense to GTA IV) since it combines FPS, RPG and driving sim elements to the game. I give more credit to games that go a bit beyond the simple point-and-shoot concept. But, yeah, if it doesn't have an interesting story, it doesn't get my attention very long.
     
Dakar the Fourth
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Jun 13, 2008, 12:54 PM
 
I heard Duke Nukem Forever is gonna pretty good, though.
     
Horsepoo!!!
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Jun 13, 2008, 12:58 PM
 
Originally Posted by Dakar the Fourth View Post
I heard Duke Nukem Forever is gonna pretty good, though.
I may get Duke Nukem Forever if only because I've been waiting a third of my life for that game.

But if they spent over 10 years changing game engines over and over again, surely they had some time to spend on story and gameplay. I hope.
     
mduell
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Jun 13, 2008, 01:24 PM
 
VRAM isn't the issue; the integrated graphics hardware in Intel Macs supports at least 192MB VRAM.

The issue is OS X's poor graphics performance. GMA950 is supported under windows, but not OS X.
     
@pplejaxkz
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Jun 13, 2008, 02:34 PM
 
Originally Posted by Helmling View Post
Ouch...nothing short of a 128 Meg video card will do. I know holding out an irrational hope that there would be some low-res mode capable of running on my Macbook was well, desperately optimistic, but you can't blame a boy for dreaming.

I better start pestering the Mrs. about getting a new iMac now...maybe by Sept. she'll be too sick of it to bear it any longer.
That sucks. I guess I was being desperately optimistic as well, hoping it would be able to run on my Macbook. I guess I will have to wait until I pick up an iMac..if I do
     
mattyb
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Jun 14, 2008, 07:13 AM
 
Story, FPS ???

Sorry, don't understand.

For me FPS on-line is just such fun. Being in a very un-serious clan, we all get on Ventrilo, usually with a beer to hand and show other clans how not to be professional. I cannot remember the last time that we won a scrim - we usually end up shooting each other more than the opposition.
     
Horsepoo!!!
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Jun 14, 2008, 09:17 AM
 
Originally Posted by mattyb View Post
Story, FPS ???

Sorry, don't understand.

For me FPS on-line is just such fun. Being in a very un-serious clan, we all get on Ventrilo, usually with a beer to hand and show other clans how not to be professional. I cannot remember the last time that we won a scrim - we usually end up shooting each other more than the opposition.
Sounds...uh...amazing.
     
Helmling  (op)
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Jun 14, 2008, 10:17 AM
 
Originally Posted by ajprice View Post
Yeah my MacBook won't cut it either, apparently. Will probably get a console version instead for my Wii or 360.
I didn't know there were console versions coming out...gosh, it seems like such a mouse-driven game, but the PS3 will have to do.

I guess I don't really need a new computer until Civ 5 then.
     
Helmling  (op)
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Jun 14, 2008, 10:19 AM
 
Originally Posted by mduell View Post
VRAM isn't the issue; the integrated graphics hardware in Intel Macs supports at least 192MB VRAM.

The issue is OS X's poor graphics performance. GMA950 is supported under windows, but not OS X.
That is odd. Why is that?
     
ajprice
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Jun 14, 2008, 11:06 AM
 
I'd heard a rumour of a confirmation of a rumour of it coming out on the Wii , which would sort out the mouse driven part.

It'll be much easier if you just comply.
     
moep
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Jun 17, 2008, 04:06 AM
 
The Spore Creator was more or less officially released for windows now. (Kevin Rose — Quotably.com - Link)

Runs perfectly fine with the VMware Fusion 2.0 beta for me. Can't wait for the full game on Mac OS X!
"The road to success is dotted with the most tempting parking spaces."
     
ajprice
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Jun 17, 2008, 01:51 PM
 
Downloaded the Mac trial anyway, it warned me on installation -



So I installed it . It gets as far as the pretty music and the spinning galaxy screen. Clicking on parts of the galaxy takes me to a dead EA page EA - FIFA 08, Battlefield 2142, The Sims 2 Pets, Need For Speed, Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 08, FIFA Manager 08 .

So unless I'm doing something wrong, what 'may not run' means is 'will show you a spinning galaxy but thats all you get.'

It'll be much easier if you just comply.
     
stwf
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Jun 17, 2008, 03:33 PM
 
Wow! I'm severely disappointed... I think this is a problem with the Cider tech being used to run these OpenGL games? Otherwise i can't imagine why the card would be supported for Windows.

Does anyone have any experience with these EA games not running on a MacBook?
I installed and got the same response as ajprice, just a stupid spinning galaxy.

Going to try and run the Windows version through Boot Camp. That should work.
     
mutelight
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Jun 17, 2008, 05:39 PM
 
Originally Posted by ajprice View Post
Yeah my MacBook won't cut it either, apparently. Will probably get a console version instead for my Wii or 360.
There is no announced release for any consoles. It is only for Windows and OS X.

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ajprice
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Jun 18, 2008, 03:29 AM
 
Possible fix here - Run Spore Creature Creator on unsupported GMA 950 Macs - The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)

Basically go into the package and reset the minimum system to something lower than a GMA950. From the comments there though it doesn't work for everyone.

It'll be much easier if you just comply.
     
legacyb4
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Jun 18, 2008, 09:11 AM
 
What a disappointment... I was looking forward to getting into an open-ended simulation game like Sim City again after not having played a good one for years.

That pretty much negates that idea since I'm not about to replace my Macbook for something newer (do the new ones even support it?).
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admo
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Jun 18, 2008, 10:38 AM
 
I was ready to check this out this morning, and was suprised that upon downloading it, it requires 10.5.3 (I have the original Mac Pro with 10.4.11). So, downloaded the trial on to my XP partition and ran it there. Very fun, though. My 4 year old loved to make my creature dance with the little ones. He likes the music too.
     
Chuckit
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Jun 18, 2008, 11:38 AM
 
Originally Posted by legacyb4 View Post
What a disappointment... I was looking forward to getting into an open-ended simulation game like Sim City again after not having played a good one for years.

That pretty much negates that idea since I'm not about to replace my Macbook for something newer (do the new ones even support it?).
According to the specs given, it sounds like it should work on newer integrated chipsets.
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Arkham_c
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Jun 18, 2008, 02:51 PM
 
So does anyone like it so far? I downloaded the demo yesterday but forgot to install it. For $10 I'd buy it in a heartbeat if it runs well and is fun.
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jokell82
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Jun 18, 2008, 07:37 PM
 
It's not a demo - it's just the creature creator. And yeah, it's a lot of fun, but I wouldn't pay money for it when you'll just be buying it again when the game comes out.

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Helmling  (op)
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Jun 18, 2008, 08:03 PM
 
Originally Posted by legacyb4 View Post
What a disappointment... I was looking forward to getting into an open-ended simulation game like Sim City again after not having played a good one for years.

That pretty much negates that idea since I'm not about to replace my Macbook for something newer (do the new ones even support it?).
Just get the Pro with a 128 Mb. card.
     
EricTheRed
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Jun 19, 2008, 12:52 AM
 
You've missed nothing. Spore cannot draw the right font on my well qualified Mac Pro. The game is unplayable.
     
admo
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Jun 19, 2008, 09:23 AM
 
I just got it to run on my Mac Pro with 10.4.11. It isn't pretty, but it works. Somehow I was not abe to access my two creations that I made when logged in via XP, but I didn't play with it too much.
     
Arkham_c
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Jun 19, 2008, 11:12 AM
 
I played with it yesterday on my Mac Pro with the default GeForce 256 MB 7x00 card that came in it. It runs great, but there's not a lot you can do with it. You make your creatures, then "test drive" them, which basically means make them dance and stuff.

Pretty boring, all in all. I will revisit it in 90 days when the full game comes out, but nobody is missing anything great with what's been released.
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stwf
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Jun 19, 2008, 12:51 PM
 
Just to confirm that it runs fine on GMA950 under Boot Camp, so that points to either Cider or Apples OpenGL drivers. It will not work under MacOS, Parallels, or VMFusion. Since they bypass Cider it may implicate the Macs drivers.

It certainly implies that this is fixable, either by Transgaming (Cider people?) or Apple.

It is extra cool, and fun. But I agree that it needs the rest of the game. Just a short term distraction otherwise. It sounds like people are uploading creatures by the thousands, but I'll want to see mine in action. Make sure it can crush kill and destroy creatures as well as I think it can.
Hopefully the later stages are as much fun as the games they mimic, like Civ and Rise of nations. If thats the case I'll be playing this game for a long time.
( Last edited by stwf; Jun 19, 2008 at 12:51 PM. Reason: typos)
     
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Jun 19, 2008, 01:31 PM
 
Apparently, this creature creator has a phone home thing going on behind the scenes.
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