The creation of Maxis's ambitious 2008 simulation game, Spore, was a journey influenced by a wide array of concepts, from a 1977 documentary to the familiar children's toy, Mr. Potato Head. As detailed in an oral history, the game's core framework was initially inspired by the "Powers of 10" documentary, which explores the universe by progressively zooming in and out. Will Wright, Spore's creator, explained that this concept provided a foundational structure, allowing players to progress through different scales of existence.
This cosmic perspective was complemented by an aim to pay homage to various game genres. Wright envisioned Spore encompassing a sequence of gameplay styles, beginning with mechanics reminiscent of Pac-Man, transitioning into a first-person "eater" experience, then an RTS, and culminating in a 4X space game. Designer and lead engineer Chris Hecker humorously noted the ambitious goal: "We'll just take [a bunch] of the best video games ever and smash them all into one video game. What could possibly go wrong?"
Wright himself acknowledged that Spore ultimately felt like "five separate games that were kind of stuck together," a criticism he found valid. Despite these challenges, the creature creation aspect emerged as one of the game's most compelling features. Designer Chaim Gingold recalled the difficulty in enabling players to easily assemble creatures. The concept of making creature creation akin to Mr. Potato Head was introduced to simplify the process, allowing players to combine various body parts in real-time. However, this analogy initially proved contentious, with some team members feeling it trivialized their work.
Hecker pointed out the complexity of this feature, explaining that designing creatures that look and move correctly is typically a task for professionals using expensive tools over extended periods. Spore, however, required this to be achievable instantly as players attached new limbs. Although the Mr. Potato Head comparison was met with some resistance, the spirit of easily combining parts to form a whole persisted, contributing to the game's distinctive character. The oral history further delves into other development hurdles the game encountered throughout its production.