Log into your copy of Spore to automatically grab patch 2 (You’ll need to have the EA Download Manager installed). This is a PC only patch. Mac users should check back soon.

Spore Patch 2

The focus of this patch is to fix bugs that have been reported via our customer service department and directly from the Spore Community.

In addition, we’ve modified some gameplay tuning, added a way for you to select multiple items for deleting or banning while in Sporepedia and included a cool new planet style.

To get the patch, launch the EA Download Manager to download and install it. If you didn’t install the EADM when you installed Spore, you can get it from

http://files.ea.com/downloads/eacore/eadm-installer.exe
This is a PC only patch. Mac users should check back soon.

Note: Please be patient as the patch installs. Depending on your system configuration, the patch install speed may vary.

Features

• Hold down the Control key in Sporepedia to select multiple creations for deleting or banning.
• Hold down the Shift key in Sporepedia to select a range of creations for deleting or banning.
• New planet style: Cubes.

Graphics/Aesthetics

• Fix for game entry screen turning black when banning a creature in a Saved game.
• Fixed issue with flora card in Sporepedia.
• Space phase: Fixed graphic issue with water levels not updating properly with terraform tools so that visible water and atmosphere levels will now correspond in the Atmosphere monitor.
• Fixed problems introduced via atmospheric and drought terraforming tools.
• Improved gaits for multi-legged creatures.
•  Improved gaits for creatures with 2 limbs, but without any feet.

Audio

• Space phase: Fixed missing VOX in some animations in Comm Screen.
• Fixed audio issue with switching mode to 5.1 breaking music and VOX.
• Fixed audio syncing issue when minimizing and/or maximizing Spore before opening video.
• Fixed crash with city music player when Save and Load dialogs are present.
• Fix for audio lag and missing models due background loading slow-down on certain single-processor machine configurations. This fix improved overall stability on this machine configuration.

Tuning

• Space phase: Tuned relationship status to update in communication window after completing a mission.
• Tribe phase: Tuned Normal difficulty mode to make social game easier.

Miscellaneous

• Fixed the ESC key to consistently skip the Spore introduction movie.
• Creators: YouTube video uploads are set to private. Go to YouTube.com and log in. Then go to Account >> My Videos to set them to Public if you want to share your videos with the world.
• Creators: Fixed limb joints not being selectable behind other limbs.
• Tribe phase: Fixed crash while harvesting fruit and fish.
• Space phase: Fixed timing bug using Planet Buster during Grox invasion.
• Space phase: Fixed destroyed turrets mission.
• Space phase: Fixed crash when zooming out to full galactic view from the center of the galaxy.
• Fixed for game entry screen staying zoomed in after deleting a game and entering/exiting Sporepedia.
• Space phase: Fixed City Hall updating bug. City Hall will now update to correct version if player has chosen a new City Hall during the transition from Civilization phase to Space phase.
• Space phase: Fixed Vehicles updating bug. Vehicles chosen in the Colony planner will now update without requiring the player to leave and re-enter a planet’s atmosphere.
• Fixed crash when transitioning from Tribe phase to Civilization phase
• Discontinued the Bad Baby Achievement.

At the Popular Mechanics Breakthrough Awards Will Wright commented on the Spore DRM situation. You can read more at Kotaku.

“It was something I probably should have tuned into more. It was a corporate decision to go with DRM on Spore. They had a plan and the parameters, but now we’re allowing more authentications and working with players to de-authenticate which makes it more in line like an iTunes. I think one of the most valid concerns about it was you could only install it so many times. For most players it’s not an issue, it’s a pretty small percentage, but some people do like wiping their hard disk and installing it 20 times or they want to play it 10 years later.”

“I think it’s an interim solution to an interim problem. You have games like Battlefield Heroes coming out where the idea is you give away the game and sell upgrades, which works more in the Asian markets where you need to monetize it over the Internet. I think we’re in this uncomfortable spot in going from what’s primarily a brink and motor shrink-wrapped product to what eventually will become more of an online monetization model.”