Spore

Game / Level Design

Spore is a simulation game developed by the Maxis studio of Electronic Arts. I was very excited to work with Will Wright, the creator of SimCity to develop the game. Dubbed by many as "Sim Everything," Spore simulates the evolution of a life form from a microscopic being to a space-exploring civilization. The choices made by the player throughout the creature's development influences the outcome of the species. 

I was responsible for designing the gameplay planets. It was a unique challenge because the game had several game modes that took place on a single planet. Although the planet is designed, there are game play elements that are procedurally generated for each playthrough. Every planet needed to be carefully crafted to handle a multitude of random outcomes. 

Below are a some examples of the planets I designed for Spore.

After shipping Spore, we were off to the races to create the expansion named Galactic Adventures. One of the main draws for Spore was the innovative way in which the player could create creatures. To please our fanbase, we decided to make a new way in which they can flex their creative muscles. Galactic Adventures let players create their own levels that they can post online for anyone to play. This included creating characters with dialogue, or unique AI as well as making their own levels and decorations.

I was responsible for designing the levels that were included in the game. The levels both served as content as well as examples of what the player can do with the engine that was built. Perhaps the most fun I had on the project was collaborating with the writers of the hit show Robot Chicken to make a series of levels for our fans.

Below are some examples of the levels I designed in Galactic Adventures.