Messages posted by: Rekrapt4

Thanks for the tip, Ithiele. I'll give that a try. Their web based support is useless. I've also heard that saying curse-words into automated voice systems works to get to a real person quickly too... I think I might use that method...

I've been reading some older posts elsewhere on the web about people who bought Galactic Edition having invalid keys. I should have just said no to this game.

Ripped off? How? It was a brand-new boxed set sealed in plastic? I paid for it, the key should be valid. This isn't some boot-leg crap.

I wish it were that simple. No, no mistake on my entry.

I tried to submit this to EA Support and the response I got was like the person either couldn't read or English was not their primary language. I even tried to keep the message as simple as possible... and they still didn't get it. So, maybe someone in the community here can suggest some solution...

I had originally bought one copy of Spore thinking that one could play multiple screen names through a single installation (like the Creature Creator let us do.) I raised quite a bit of stink when I found out that this was not possible. We were told that EA was going to provide an upgrade that would allow us to play multiple screen names, even though we'd have to create a new one and not the one we had with CC.... this upgrade has not been forthcoming best I can tell and the promise was made some time ago.

Even though I swore I would not buy anymore EA games... I couldn't resist buying a copy of Spore Galactic Edition when I saw it on sale. My daughter is a huge fan and I justified by telling myself that she would like the extra stuff in there.

Now I am just more ticked off. I got it home, uninstalled Spore from my computer (my daughter still has the first Spore I bought on her machine). I then installed the brand-new copy of Spore I had just bought. But, when I tried to link it to MY screen name (which has yet to be linked to a Spore installation)... I get a message that my CD-Key is invalid.

Now what? EA Support is a joke.

I never really had an issue with the number of installs, but that's great they are upping those. I am particularly pleased to hear the news about user accounts, since I was unable to get a straight answer from EA Support beyond directing me to the Spore "FAQ"... essentially, a non-answer.

It sounds as though the account I created with the Creature Creator is still lost. I suppose I'll just have to import the creatures I built in CC to the new screen name, modify them a bit, and re-save them. At least, to that effect, I hope I've understood the discussion here so far.

And, although I am glad to see that EA intends to do something about the one-account-per-game issue, I must admit that I am shocked multiple account functionality was not built into the architecture of the game to begin with. Frankly, I find this claim dubious, to say the least, since there were no such limitations within the Creature Creator's account system.

Never-the-less, I know the Spore developers worked diligently to create a game that could be enjoyed by all ages and I thank them for the dedication and hard work. My oldest daughter has been thoroughly enjoying the game (she is 11) and although I have not been playing because of the account issue, I have enjoyed watching her mind grow as a result of the concepts that are being presented to her. So, thank you again, developers.

I also think that the "Suits" at EA had more to do with this problem than not. If that is true, it is that very mentality that has brought the United States to the current specter of economic collapse we're facing.

All that being said; I await the patch...

farproc wrote:What you got instead, was 3 simultaneous logins. Which is a real deal. Usually games (like wow) restrict you to one account and only one logon at a time from that account.
Ok, so you share 1 PC. Thats unfortunate. Heres an idea - Spore - for all that it is 1 account per CD key - doesn't store the actual save games on the server - each user of a PC that has a separate login - gets a separate local sporepedia and selection of savegames. So, your creatures are uploaded under the same account name. Lame yes. But not lame enough to worry about.

It may not be lame enough for YOU to worry about, since obviously you don't have to deal with it. But, in my book, the online part of this game is what makes the game unique. Not being able to have multiple sign-ons like they ALLOWED IN THE CREATURE CREATOR is a mega-deal-breaker.

EA isn't going to back down. They have our money. They tricked us with the Creature Creator and its ability to deal with multiple accounts so they could enrich the launch of the game with our content. I submitted a support ticket last week and have received no response from EA and don't expect I'll get one.

I could easily download the bootleg version of Spore - but, I'm not going to. Without the online functionality of Spore, it is just a fancier version of Sims.

They can be separated using embedded meta-data in the PNG thumbnails.

Over in this thread:
http://forum.spore.com/jforum/posts/list/360/103.page#10416

Someone claims that if you have a valid serial linked to a Spore account, you can login to someone else's installation of Spore. If that's true, then the whole server load/my documents stuff doesn't hold any water.

I've explored the various Spore directories too: Program Files, Documents and Settings, Application Data... Usernames could easily be embedded in the save game files. Loading a creature is as easy as dragging and dropping a PNG file that has a size of less than 35 kilobytes.

If you've taken a screenshot in-game or created any animated avatars or recorded any movies, your My Spore Creations folder might indeed get quite large. But, the models themselves are apparently encoded as meta-data within the little PNG thumbnails.

I'm certainly not asking for the ability to have concurrent logins. One computer, more than one profile account. I don't believe for a moment that it isn't already built-in. As a programmer, if their user asset hierarchy doesn't support multiple users... well, frankly, it would be an insult to the intelligence of the Spore developers to suggest they would do it that way to begin with. Not buying the misprint excuse. This was a corporate decision.

Thanks again!

I personally think they should allow people who bought the CC to have a second account.

I like this on principle, but I would like to add that people who forked over the $10 for the full Creature Creator should get second account functionality.

sporemasterkaliena wrote:I believe the quote above refers to a situation where by someone has purchased two copies of Spore --two serials -- two accounts -- involved, and wanted them to both function on the same PC. It does not refer to a situation by which someone has two profiles under the same account.

Perhaps you're right. But, it proves that the multi-user functionality is built into the game.