![]() ![]() The Creature Creator deliberately subscribes to bilateral symmetry in its construction of life. Embracing bilateral symmetry along the axis of motion. The completed creature, which may consist of multiple syntagms, is a text resulting from this unique language system. ![]() Any body part that can be attached at any given spot is a paradigm, whereas any grammatically correct combination of parts is a syntagm. One could describe the Creature Creator as a language system, with its own unique grammar and syntax. If feet are attached to a pair of arms, those arms will suddenly extend downwards to connect the new foot with the ground. However, any body part, including eyes, ears and even mouths, can be attached to the end of arms and legs. They cannot be affixed to accessories like horns or wings, and they cannot be attached to other arms and legs. Likewise, arms and legs can only be attached to the body.You cannot rotate them such that the foot is on backwards or the hand appears broken, for example. Similarly, graspers and feet can only be attached in the same plane as the arm or leg. Graspers (or hands) and feet cannot be attached to the creature arbitrarily, and can only be attached at the ends of legs and arms.This flat accessory paradigm allows the player incredible latitude and creative freedom in designing their own creatures, but certain rules must be followed: The player is then able to “accessorize” this body with body parts such as arms, legs, mouths, eyes and horns. A “creature” consists minimally of a body, which can be shaped and moulded like clay, with at least a single vertebrate. Through its interface, the Creature Creator in Spore constructs its own definition of what constitutes a life form. So really, I’m attempting to critique the most awesome of the most awesome… which may actually be more difficult than critiquing something that truly sucks. The game lets you do a lot of other stuff too, like evolve your creature to a tribal phase, then up through civilization, and soon nuke every other species on your planet with atomic weapons thereby freeing you to conquer the stars and ruin other planets and solar systems with your newfound terraforming abilities… but really, the best part of Spore is the creature stage, and mostly the creature creation stage. Spore is a game created by Maxis and that awesome Will Wright dude that lets you build your own creature, and then release it into the world to eat, fight or make friends with other creatures. Don’t worry, I’m already leading the charge on this one. Go ahead and take a break, play it, get obsessed, and flunk out of school. What’s even more fun and awesome is you can download the Creature Creator for freezies. For my final paper I’m looking at the Spore Creature Creator, which is pretty fun and awesome. ![]()
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