Spore + Porn = Sporn

July 31, 2008 -

Will Wright's Spore, due for a September 7th release, is one of most anticipated PC titles ever.

But, as CNN reports, some users of the Creature Creator utility, released last month, have built animals which are apparently intent on breeding. Or, at least coupling.

...Buried among the more wholesome attempts [at Spore creature creation] were two-legged dancing testicles, a "giant breast monster" and a four-legged, "phallic fornication machine," for starters...

 

For EA, the developer of "Spore," it's the downside to tapping into the booming user-generated content arena, which has made sites like YouTube, Flickr, MySpace, Facebook and Second Life so popular... Many of the popular user-generated content sites have faced similar challenges in trying to control obscene material...

 

The creatures are not just static. Users can create animated scenarios for the characters to engage in, some of which include sexually graphic acts.

When EA got word of the "Sporn" creations, it began working with YouTube to pull them down. Spore executive producer Lucy Bradshaw told CNN:

Whether it's modeling clay, dolls or crayons, a small number of people can be counted on to use it for something vulgar.

CNN also spoke to the "Spornmaster," a 37-year-old man who has created a number of reproductively equipped Sporn creatures:

I admit it is silly and juvenile, but I don't think there's anything perverted, vile or awful about it. If people find it offensive, they can simply not search for it online. No one is forcing anyone to see this content.

One Spore fan told CNN:

I consider this very similar to child pornography, at least to the extent of distributing the material to children.

GP: Buzzfeed has additional NSFW links...


Comments

Re: Spore + Porn = Sporn

Yep, no genitals, no nipples, not even any hair below the neck. They did have a belly button, but other than that were unformed skintones to fill in gaps in armor in place of the brown unremovable underwear you'd see if the character actually was naked.

Re: Spore + Porn = Sporn

I don't see how this is juvinile ... doesnt everyone dream of a world inhabited by large testicle monsters and boobies .... oh wait now that I have typed that that does sound childish ... but I would have to say its probably just as childish to be offended by such a thing as it is to create it.

Re: Spore + Porn = Sporn

There are quite a few juvinile minded people out there. This goes along with a comic that PA made about the Tiger Woods golfer creator where you could upload your own photo. The first attempt by Gabe was to use a picture of his testicles. Then a picture of his cat.

Give enough people room to be "creative" and you will get people who can only "create" juvinile works like this.

E. Zachary Knight
http://www.editorialgames.com
Oklahoma City Chapter of the ECA
MySpace Page: http://www.myspace.com/okceca
Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1325674091

Re: Spore + Porn = Sporn

You say that like it's a bad thing.

Re: Spore + Porn = Sporn

...two-legged dancing testicles...

I have to admit, this made me laugh in the stupidest, 2nd grade way.

I can understand EA being concerned, the media tends to focus on the negative in games (see: this story), and from what little the public understands about them, it wouldn't be a stretch for Spore to be mislabeled in their eyes.

Re: Spore + Porn = Sporn

Cue Jack Thompson lawsuit in 3....2.....1......

Sortableturnip's Law: As an online discussion of video game violence grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Jack Thompson approaches 1

Re: Spore + Porn = Sporn

Isn't he being disbarred?

Re: Spore + Porn = Sporn

He is not in his MIND...

The cynical side of videogames (spanish only): http://thelostlevel.blogspot.com/ My DeviantArt Page (aka DeviantCensorship): http://www.darkknightstrikes.deviantart.com/

Re: Spore + Porn = Sporn

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha....

Awesome, now what is wrong with the retard comapring this to child porn?

It is pretty much like the ending credits of superbad... you know the notebook with some pictures...

I really don't see how it would hurt sales... if anything this will give them free publicity and MORE sales...

Re: Spore + Porn = Sporn

Of course, the truly amusing (or disturbing for EA) part is if the game lives up to it's promise of populating it's universe with user generated creatures taken randomly from other people's games. But then I'm not keeping up too close with Spore, so they may have removed that feature already. =)

It is the first thing I thought of when they made thier big press release in magazines earlier this year... "Great, I'm going to be encountering giant penises or something from some loser's game that got spread across the universe." ;)

Re: Spore + Porn = Sporn

Its optional

Import nothing

Import Friends

Import everything.

Re: Spore + Porn = Sporn

I think this is a big fat duh. I think the Spornmaster and the Spore executive producer got it right. If you give the masses any molding tools, someone will make silly things, and just because they make some slightly immature things, it isn't meant to offend, and if you are offended, don't look at it.

COMMON SENSE FTW

Re: Spore + Porn = Sporn

The Giant cock monster had me falling of the chair.

How could someone compare this to child porn? Why so scared of a fake penis? It's not real, you don't have to watch it, make it or even buy it when it comes out. Regardless, I can see why EA's scared. It might hurt sales. Can't have that happen, now can we, EA? Might upset your balance in trying to conquer the world.

Re: Spore + Porn = Sporn

The game won't sell, anyway.  It will pirate like crazy, but it won't sell.  EA is using the same (inherently irredeemably flawed) distribution model they used for Mass Effect.

Re: Spore + Porn = Sporn

well I'll buy it, but I'll still download the cracks just to avoid all the DRM. they have gone way to far trying to lock it down.

Re: Spore + Porn = Sporn

Yeah... it might hurt sales. EA is a company, there job is to make sure profits are high. They may also be trying to avoid people demanding that the game be rerated for the children.

Re: Spore + Porn = Sporn

Why so serious?

Teehee, your post said "Why so.." and I just thought of that. On another note...anyone wanna see a magic trick?

Re: Spore + Porn = Sporn

One spore fan(18 year old Michael James from Calgary, Alberta according to CNN) is obviously a stupid twat then.

 

I bet its the overzealous twits like him who have been flaging any creature they don't like as obscene.

Re: Spore + Porn = Sporn

Thanks for sourcing the "one spore fan" kid.

And agreed.  idiot kid is idiot.

Re: Spore + Porn = Sporn

I think it's someone who a) probably doesn't understand what child porn is (distributing porn to children !+ child porn), and b) doesn't remember being anywhere from 5-12 (or 18 (or 45) for some).  Not saying that EA shouldn't try to get this stuff out, but calling it child porn is beyond the pale, and probably more than a little insulting to victims of child porn.

Re: Spore + Porn = Sporn

Sounds a little alike with some Deviantart users who report you if they think you are drawing porn, even if you are tagging you posts with mature tag, and even when there are real pictures more explicit than any dumb draw on Deviantart.

The cynical side of videogames (spanish only): http://thelostlevel.blogspot.com/ My DeviantArt Page (aka DeviantCensorship): http://www.darkknightstrikes.deviantart.com/

 
Forgot your password?
Username :
Password :

Shout box

You're not permitted to post shouts.
MechaTama31I mean, of the groups being bullied here, which of the two would you refer to collectively as "nerds"?10/19/2014 - 11:30pm
MechaTama31But that's the thing, it doesn't sound to me like he is advocating bullying, it sounds like he is accusing the SJWs of bullying the "nerds", who I can only assume refers to the GGers.10/19/2014 - 11:21pm
Andrew EisenInteresting read. Unfortunately, too vague to form an opinion on but at least now I know what faefrost was talking about in James' editorial.10/19/2014 - 10:39pm
Neo_DrKefkaBreaking GameJournoPros organized a blacklist of former Destructoid writer Allistar Pinsof for investigating fraud in IndieGoGo campaign http://blogjob.com/oneangrygamer/2014/10/gamergate-destructoid-corruption-and-ruined-careers/10/19/2014 - 8:57pm
Neo_DrKefkaOnly good thing I seen come out of the Biddle incident was the fact a professional fighter offered to give 10k to an anti bullying charity for a round in the ring with Biddle.10/19/2014 - 7:49pm
Neo_DrKefkaEven after all the interviews she is still on twitter making fun of people with disabilities (Autism) yet she is a part of the crowd that is on the so called right side of history...10/19/2014 - 7:48pm
Neo_DrKefkaWhich #GameGate supports are constantly being harassed and bullied. Brianna Wu who I told everyone she was trolling GamerGate weeks ago with her passive aggressive threats was looking for that crazy person in the crowd.10/19/2014 - 7:47pm
Neo_DrKefkaI believe the problem #GamerGate has with Sam Biddle is he is apart of this blogging group that in a way hates or detests its readers. Also being apart of the crowd that claims its on the right side of history isn't helping when he is advocating bullying10/19/2014 - 7:45pm
MechaTama31Of course, I'm looking at these tweets in isolation, I don't know a thing about the guy.10/19/2014 - 7:06pm
MechaTama31If anything, the sarcastic implication seems to be that the SJW crowd is bringing back the bullying of nerds. But it's the GGers who are out for his blood? I'm lost...10/19/2014 - 7:01pm
MechaTama31I don't really get this Sam Biddle thing. The reaction to his tweets seems to be taking them at face value, but... they're tongue in cheek. Right?10/19/2014 - 7:00pm
Andrew EisenI have it. The problem, so far as I can tell, is neither of them allow me to overlay my webcam feed or text links to my Extra-Life fundraising page.10/19/2014 - 4:08pm
quiknkoldand yes, its free10/19/2014 - 4:05pm
quiknkoldshould grab Hauppauge capture. has mic support and can upload directly to youtube10/19/2014 - 4:05pm
Andrew EisenThe former.10/19/2014 - 4:00pm
quiknkoldwas it StreamEez, or the StreamEez feature in Hauppauge Capture? cause I know Capture has alot more support from the devs.10/19/2014 - 3:54pm
Andrew EisenI actually tried StreamEez last week. Flat out didn't work.10/19/2014 - 3:53pm
quiknkoldI use the Hauppauge Capture software's StreamEez. Arcsoft showbiz for recording. I just streamed a few hours of Persona 4 Golden with zero problem using the program. Xsplit is finniky when it comes to Hauppauge10/19/2014 - 3:40pm
Andrew EisenTrying to capture console games and broadcast with Open Broadcaster System because I've had technical difficulties using XSplit 3 weeks in a row.10/19/2014 - 3:37pm
quiknkoldand what are you trying to capture?10/19/2014 - 3:31pm
 

Be Heard - Contact Your Politician