The game " Spore ".
It looks enormous (at least for this time of year).
But its core is actually very simple.
It's more like a collection of mini-games linked together by this sandbox system.
The first stage is the cellular stage.
Players start by controlling a single-celled organism, constantly competing and evolving in the ocean, eventually growing into the ruler of the ocean and taking the first step onto land.
The entire process is incredibly familiar to modern gamers.
Because this is a classic example of... " Feeding Frenzy ".
With the rise of Flash games like " Feeding Frenzy " and later titles like " Hungry Shark," this gameplay style has long since become stale.
However, if we're talking about the originators of this type of game, there were actually quite a few as early as the 1980s.
It's just that it has never been systematized.
"Let me look... Ah, there it is!" Lin Lixin rummaged through the pile of cassette tapes.
There was even a third-party title like this released on novapocket.
"I remember 'Fishdude' (Fish Dude) sold quite well."
The ecosystem is essentially a survival-of-the-fittest world, and " Feeding Frenzy " is a reflection of this concept.
No matter how ingeniously or interestingly Spore packages this system, it's still the same old thing.
"By devouring other creatures weaker than ourselves, we grow into the strongest predators."
This is actually quite easy to determine.
After all, presenting the growth process of marine life in a realistic way is almost the optimal solution.
Nature operates on the principle of survival of the fittest.
The more reliable way you evolve is that you can live longer than everyone else.
"However, we also need to provide players with some freedom; herbivores and omnivores will also be viable options."
The fundamental code of life is continuity, not becoming the dominant species. Although humans are advanced and possess various technologies, and have even begun interstellar exploration.
But on a biological level, your Uncle Crocodile is the older generation that has been around all along, and its structure hasn't changed much over the years.
Insects are the true rulers of nature.
"If players choose to evolve their mobility, they can skillfully evade predators, survive by eating algae, and continue to grow stronger."
"Indeed..."
Will nodded thoughtfully.
"Evolution is not like leveling up in an RPG game, but rather a process of natural selection."
"Right? So here's the question: how do we connect all these things together?"
Lin Lixin picked up the grotesque creature that Sam had sculpted.
"Whether they are herbivores or omnivores, the entire evolutionary process is still implemented within our character creation system. Although we want to provide players with sufficient freedom, we shouldn't completely open up character creation, at least not initially."
If a player has complete control over the entire evolution system from the start, they will quickly try out many of the strange and wonderful ideas in their head and try out all the parts.
My interest in the character creation system quickly waned. That doesn't necessarily mean there's a problem with it.
It's simply a matter of whether it leans more towards a pure sandbox or more towards a game.
For a game, this design lacks growth and emergence, and also lacks a certain level of challenge.
When players obtain everything effortlessly, that gain seems extremely cheap.
This is completely different from some games that forcibly freeze progress in order to extend their lifespan.
The key difference between a mediocre game planner and an excellent game developer lies in how well they strike this balance.
Whether it's "deliberately hiding something from you" or "encouraging you to explore," it's actually two sides of the same coin.
"We'll implement an unlocking system, but we'll do it subtly."
Lin Lixin stared at the sculpted figure window in front of him.
He had already reserved a window on the left for listing usable body parts, but it was still empty at the moment.
"At the beginning, players have a very limited number of parts available, which can be unlocked as the game progresses."
This is also the most ingenious aspect of Spore. Its concepts are something that many modern games haven't even fully grasped.
Some designers choose to add stage locks, but the unlocking conditions will be something like "unlocked after killing xx xx", "unlocked after completing achievement xx", or "available after reaching xx attribute".
Give the player a clear score threshold and force them to do some mandatory work.
It's like a carrot dangling in front of a donkey.
This approach is suitable for some games.
Its advantage is that players can know the rewards in advance, which can sometimes generate good initiative.
But in works like * Spore * that encourage creativity and freedom, this system seems a bit silly.
As an alternative, Spore chose a very clever approach.
What you see is what you get.
As Lin Lixin spoke, he picked up another creature sculpted from clay.
In comparison, this one is clearly different; it has some peculiar organs on its body.
What are these mushroom-shaped bumps for?
He turned to Will and asked.
"Electrodes! This creature can generate powerful bioelectricity within its body, which it can radiate into the surrounding water through electrodes, deterring or harming other creatures in the vicinity. It can be used to repel predators or paralyze small prey."
"Handsome."
Lin Lixin nodded, placing that monstrous Sam next to the little guy.
"Alright, now let's assume this is a creature created by our player number 1, Sam. What would happen if he controlled this thing to fight the Electro Beast?"
"... was electrocuted?"
"Yes! Because of the information gap from the first encounter, he might be caught off guard by the electrodes due to unfamiliarity, but he will also come to understand the characteristics of this unique organ on the organism in the process."
This is also the ingenious aspect of the cellular stage biological design in " Spore ".
Each of the game's built-in species may look flashy, but they all have very distinct characteristics.
"Look, besides this electrode, the other flagella used for movement and the mouthparts used for feeding are all organs that the player already possesses. With some visual effects, he can quickly identify that it's this thing that's discharging electricity."
"So?" "So when the Electro Beast dies, whether killed by a player or another predator, it will drop this 'blueprint,' which the player can pick up to unlock the component."
This is the most ingenious part of " Spore ".
You'll always encounter something new when you're exploring.
And these new things can be obtained quickly.
After obtaining it, one can quickly install it on oneself to provide its effects.
From exploration to receiving a reward to the reward actually bringing benefits, the entire cycle is frighteningly short.
This makes the exploration extremely meaningful and extremely fun.
"Imagine we've encountered a creature with a different locomotion system than us. With a single swing, it can run a great distance, almost impossible for us to catch up with our flagella."
"Perhaps we can grow more flagella in subsequent evolution, or perhaps we can collect some unique organs of movement."
"But regardless of which type it is, once we finally catch it, we can immediately unlock this locomotion organ and gain its ability to move quickly."
This is the most ingenious progress lock.
It's not about telling you to wait until level 30 to use the part. It's about the process of continuously gaining enjoyment.
The other is the process of constantly finding relief from suffering.
Playing Spore will leave players with a constant sense of exhilaration and wanting more.
But some games leave you feeling relieved after they end.
The feeling was one of "Oh my god, I finally beat the game! I never have to open this game again!"
"More importantly, the distribution of these parts should be uniform, not linear."
Lin Lixin put the clay back into the pile of oddly shaped things.
These organisms each have their own different evolutionary paths and have completely different special organs.
Some can generate electricity, some can spray poison, some have grown sharp spikes on their bodies, and some are simply unbeatable.
No organ is objectively stronger than the others.
It's more like giving players a choice; they can become whichever type of character they like.
Instead of being tempted by high stats to choose overpowered parts for an easier playstyle, this isn't a stat-driven game.
This is a typical mechanism-driven approach.
It was fun to begin with, and unlocking new features makes it even more fun.
"However, even so, we still need some 'soft restrictions,' such as setting prices for the parts, requiring 'DNA Points' to purchase them, rather than allowing unlimited stacking after unlocking."
"DNA points can be obtained through methods such as eating, making the efficiency gains from player evolution more direct and meaningful."
After evolution, the faster speed allows herbivores to quickly consume algae, and the stronger combat power allows them to kill more species and obtain meat.
Regardless of the route taken, it immediately brings positive feedback.
While it may seem like shackles are being placed on the players, these very chains actually enhance the game's enjoyment.
"Once this absolute core has been established, we can begin the grouping."
"Grouping?"
Will, puzzled.
"Yes, this is a game compilation. The only connection between each stage is the creature that evolves alongside the player. To ensure freshness, each stage will have entirely new gameplay, and correspondingly, the original gameplay will be simplified and removed." Lin Lixin nodded and looked at the people present.
"In other words... we don't need to develop linearly step by step, but rather we group each stage together."
"Stage one: cells. It's like the Feeding Frenzy; I can handle that myself."
"Phase Two: Creatures. We're going to make a 3D action RPG game, featuring Sam and Kojima. You'll be in charge of developing it, and we can potentially bring Blizzard on board."
"The third stage: Tribe, the fourth stage: Civilization. These two stages are typical RTS and SLG strategies. Sid, I believe no one is more suitable than you. Go find Westwood and the others."
"The final stage, the space age. Players will lead their tribes on galactic exploration, interstellar colonization, interstellar diplomacy, and trade. Carmack, Will, that's naturally your job. You could try to recruit the development team from Stars!"
Each stage is a complete game.
For each game, Gamenova already has the most suitable developer.
"Good luck everyone! I'm really looking forward to seeing how the media ranks them across the different stages."
Everyone present is Authority; it's bound to be a bloody battle.