Spore and religion: how it actually works

[TechBear_Seattle]

I got the game last week, and finally found out where religion shows up.

There are five epochs in the game: Cell, Creature, Tribe, Civilization and Space. Each epoch requires you to pick one of two courses or find a via media, with the result that each epoch ends in one of three states. As you progress through the epochs, each ending state has an impact on the abilities and personality of your species.

Depending on how you've played your life form through the first three epochs, you start the Civilization phase as either a Religious culture, a Military culture or an Economic culture. I have not explored all the permutations yet, but Religion seems to be the "peaceful" phase, with Military being the "violent" phase and Economic being the middle road.

The goal of Civilization is to develop your home city-state and take control of ten other city-states. Military civilizations use brute force to conquer; Economic civilizations create trade routes and, when the time is right, simply buy the city. Religious cultures send missionary vehicles, first to demoralize the city by cancelling the effects of buildings that generate happiness, then one more vehicle to generate a giant ghost at the city walls to preach. If the city does not retaliate fast enough by destroying the vehicles, you will ahem "convert" the city to your cause and assume control without you ever firing a shot.

:rofl:

Despite all the alleged brouhaha about "militant atheists" being upset, I think it is spot on. Send missionaries who cancel all happiness then browbeat the populace into submission. Yup, sounds like religion to me!

[phantom power]

1. I can see how that would upset certain people...

:evilgrin:

[Synnical]

2. Thanks for the info! n/t

-Cindy