Welcome to the tribal stage. This segment plays quite differently from
those before. Instead of being in control of a single creature, you have
an entire tribe to manage (if you've ever played an RTS, you should
feel right at home)! Although, your tribe starts rather small, it will
grow soon enough, but we'll get to that in a moment. Like before, the
goal box in the top-left corner of the screen will help you get started.
It will walk you through your first few tasks, which include making
your tribe look cool and raising a baby (cost: 10 food units), which
increases your population by one. Although your tribe can only contain a
maximum of six members at first, it will soon grow to accommodate many
more.
Ultimately, you fill in your progress bar by either befriending or
destroying competing tribes. But you can't just march in and expect them
to bow to your demands…oh no, this is something you'll have to prepare
for!
Tip: It can be tough deciding whether
you should befriend the other tribes, or destroy them. Generally,
battling them is easier at the very beginning (say the first tribe or
two), while you're probably better off trying to befriend the latter 3
or 4 (or as soon as you have access to at least two instruments). Though
if you're having trouble, the game will automatically unlock the next
stage of Spore if you play tribal long enough.
Tribal Chieftain
Like most tribes, yours has a chief. The chief is, by far, the most
important member of your tribe. Not only can his staff perform the
function of every tool (meaning there's no need to equip him with
others), but only he can initiate social actions with other tribes and
make use of the tribe's "consequence abilities." As such, it's important
to have him on-hand whenever dealing with another tribe. Oh, and don't
sweat it too much if he bites the big one; a new one will be soon be
born at your camp.
Tribal Outfitter
While you may not be able to change your creature's physical
attributes any longer, that doesn't mean you can't deck him out in the
latest fashion styles! By using the tribal outfitter, you can equip your
tribe members with various accessories that will enhance their
abilities. Make sure to cater them toward your goal: battling or
befriending.
Resource Gathering & Building
So here's the thing: in order to grow, or do much of anything as a
tribe, you'll have to construct buildings. These are essentially
tool-sheds (one tool-type per building) that enable your tribe members
to equip themselves with the proper gear. Each one serves a different
purpose. But constructing buildings requires food (think of it as money)
which you'll have to gather in order to fund your projects. As such,
your first priority should be to gather as much food as you can—simply
select the tribe members you wish to do the gathering, then select a
food source (such as the plants if you're an herbivore, or the fish in
the ocean if a carnivore). They will continue to gather resources until
you tell them otherwise, or if they run out of things to gather. As your
tribe grows, try to keep at least a few members on food gathering
detail so your supplies don't run low.
Tip: Another great way to gather food
is to domesticate a wild creature! By doing so, you can use the eggs
they lay for food, regardless of whether you're an herbivore or
carnivore.
Once you have the resources, it's time to start building! Each
building serves a different purpose, such as impressing fellow tribes
(if you want to become friends), or bestowing your tribe's members with
weapons in preparation for battle. Either way, you should choose the
building that suits your needs (that is, don't bother building too many
weapon shacks if you're going for a peaceful victory).
Tribal Interaction
Okay, so you've built a few buildings and want to venture outward and
interact with other tribes - you'll find them marked on your map. If
you're going to attempt to wipe them out, make sure to equip your
tribe-mates with weapons (such as spears) from a weapons building you've
(hopefully) constructed and send them on their way toward the camp.
Tip: When battling an opposing tribe,
it may be helpful to outfit your tribe members with different weapons.
Since each serves a different purpose (such as some being long-range),
it allows you to be more strategic in your offensive. Also, always go
after the creature with the least amount of health so you can reduce
your opposition by one more quickly. Finally, you can press pause at any
time and survey the landscape, allowing you to plan your course of
action without having to worry about being attacked, among other things.
Tip: If you do take the more peaceful
route, make sure the other tribe's feelings toward you are at least
neutral, otherwise you won't be able to impress them. If this is the
case, you can earn their respect by sending them food as gifts. To do
so, make sure you have ample food, then simply right-click on the other
tribe's (not yours!) hut or food stash.
Likewise, if you wish to befriend the other tribe, you can play music
for them and have them join your side; just make sure that your group
includes the chief, as he's the only got who can initiate social
interactions. Before departing your camp, equip your tribe members with
at least two different instruments (divvy them up evenly)—if you only
have access to one type of instrument, you may want to consider battling
the other tribe instead. Once equipped, proceed onward to their tribe
and right-click on any one of their members (with your "social" button
activated) to begin the musical performance.
As you perform, keep an eye on the thought bubbles that appear over the
other tribe members' heads—these indicate which instrument you should
play. Click on the respective instrument from the menu to the left of
the social button to respond and improve your performance. If you manage
to completely fill the meter, the other tribe will become friendlier
toward your tribe—now perform the music show once more to get them to
join your cause! 
Regardless of whether you make peace with or wipe out an opposing
tribe, you'll inherit their tools and outfits which you can then use to
deck out your own tribe.
Other things to Watch Out For…
While you're away, other creatures may come and steal your food! So
try to keep at least a few tribe members at home-base to scare them
away. Furthermore, other tribes may attempt to attack you without much
warning. If you hear the sound of the war horn, gear up and get ready to
mount a defensive.
Evolving
As mentioned, befriending or destroying other tribes fills in your
progress meter. Whenever you reach a milestone (after befriending or
conquering the 1st, 3rd, and 5th tribes), your main hut will grow in
size, and the total amount of tribe members you can have will increase!
Once you've filled the progress bar completely, it's time to move onto
the civilization stage!
|
