EA has launched a 2D version of the Spore Creature Creator to promote the upcoming Spore Hero for the Wii, and Spore Hero Arena for the DS. With the flash applet you can create your own creature, using various parts. It's similar to the full 3D version of the Creature Creator, except for the Test Drive mode. This has been changed into a kung-fu game where you train your creature to become great at "Spore-Fu". By swinging your creature's limbs you destroy incoming targets, gain points and proceed through the levels. It's all easy to pick up and get acquainted with. As an added bonus, you can save your creature as PNG file, send an e-card of your creation and even load up your own (or somebody else's) creatures from Sporepedia. The 2D version has 250 body parts to choose from.

The game can be found at www.spore2d.com, more details are in the press release, behind the Read More link.

News got out this week that several people at Maxis were laid off last Wednesday, in order to "focus the business" and to "focus Maxis." While the studio will remain committed to the Spore franchise - with Spore Hero and Spore Hero Arena as main upcoming games - they will have to move on with less people on the team. An EA spokesperson says this is more or less natural fluctuation of a games studio's size, which depends on business conditions. All layoffs are said to have taken place at the Emeryville based headquarters of Maxis. More details are at Kotaku.

Thanks to Sims3Nieuws for spotting the news.

This Sporeday Maxis announced that they're taking questions for Chris Seifert, Audio Recording Engineer at Maxis. In the past he worked on Sims products, before the work he's done for Maxis in the past 2 years. For Galactic Adventures he has recorded all creature voices, all with an all new language for their emotions. You can ask Chris about his job or technical things about sound recording. You can submit your question until the 18th in this forum topic. Maxis will select the final questions for the interview, which will be posted later. Previous interviews with Kate Compton and John Cimino and Chris Hecker are also still available.

I got a mail from Caryl Shaw about Online Accounts.

Lucy and I made a post to the Spore forums and I wanted to share the
information more broadly since I assume you all are seeing this issue
out there in your communities.

I'm trying to answer questions within the forum post so the information
can be shared.

Thank you all for your continued support - and we hope you are having
fun with the game.

- Caryl

You can read the forum post by clicking on Read More, as I included it in this news post. You can also read it on the official Spore forum by clicking here.

EA has emailed me about DRM in Spore to explain what it is and why they are implementing this in Spore. A lot of questions get answered so it's a good read.

It's pretty long so I've added it to the Read More below.

A mail from MaxisLucky aka Caryl Shaw, Online Producer at Spore.

Hey Spore Fans -

We wanted to let you know that we've been hearing your concerns about the online authentication mentioned earlier this week. I didn't want to head into the weekend without getting back to you with some information about how Spore is planning on using this new system.

A few things we wanted you to know:
• We authenticate your game online when you install and launch it the first time.
• We'll re-authenticate when a player uses online features, downloads new content or a patch for their game.
• The new system means you don't have to play with the disc in your computer. And if you are like me, always losing discs, this will be a huge benefit.
• You'll still be able to install and play on multiple computers.
• You can play offline.

We do hope that players will play online - sharing creatures, buildings
and vehicles with other players is something that is unique to Spore and one of the coolest features of the game. Every day, when I play the Creature Stage, I get to see wacky and awesome new creatures from my Buddies on the team coming over the hill at me and I can't wait to see what happens when our creative, passionate community starts sharing their creations.

I'd love to write more - but I need to get back to work. We've got a
game to finish.

- Caryl