Spore: Getting Uber

[Part of the Direbug Saga]

Getting out of the center of the Galaxy was more difficult than getting in, with Buglybugs using far more consumables getting away from the Grox while trying to find the right path home. It was smooth sailing once he cleared their boundary though, and was very pleased when crossing back into Bingfish territory.

After reporting to Mother Paylise at Pyrachs the alliance quickly moved to increase their defenses against the Grox, with the Spikelors developing a mega bomb for offense and an Uber Turret (flying, shielded, 50,000 HP drone) for planetary defense with Pyrachs and Tiffan being the first to have them installed.

You can custom build cities too. Less red lines the better!

Despite the distant threat, Buglybugs finally got the reward he wanted most from Mother Paylise - a well earned vacation!

Spore: Steve in the Center

[Part of the Direbug Saga]

The unrelenting Grox sent wave after wave of fighters at the allied fleet, and at 85% to the core all his allies are dead and Buglybugs must duck onto a small moon orbiting a gas giant to hide from the pursuers - putting down a colony for repairs.

Evil cyborg space goblins!

Having used only under a third of the prepared supplies, he was in good shape though - and soon continued on the mad dash through the Grox Gauntlet. It was still terrifying with ever shortening travel distance allowances, but soon he made it... and the Grox all backed off.

There in the swirling core, Buglybugs met Steve (a human?) who congratulated him on getting this far, proving the Direbugs are worthy of advancement and gifting him the Staff of Life (instant terraform). Steve also mentioned to visit the third rock from Sol sometime, before vanishing and leaving Buglybugs the unenviable position of having to run the gauntlet in reverse to return to Pyrachs.

Spore: Journey to the Center of the Galaxy

[Part of the Direbug Saga]

Having stabilized the sector, Buglybugs spent a bit of time buying consumable supplies and gathering a fleet composed of the Rammo, Spikelor, Dubel, Gibolobs and Sir Beakenstein for the next mission: to find the Grox and reach the center of the galaxy.

After leaving the outskirts of the Bingfish Empire (25% to the center) the fleet encounters absolutely nothing until they are 80% to the core. At this range, the dense gravity wells are affecting the propulsion drives, lowering the acceptable travel range from planet to planet.

The map is huge!

This is also where the edge of the Grox (cyborg goblins) Empire, and they fiercely defend their territory with pretty powerful ships. Rather than stop and fight, the fleet tries to outrace them to the center...

Spore: All Oscae, Sector Secure

[Part of the Direbug Saga]

With only the Oscae remaining as a nearby threat, Buglybugs gets his allies to swarm them from all sides, including his new buddies the Time Flies and Sir Beakenstein (space vulture who donated 40k cash and was proactive in seeking an alliance).

This frees him up to do other tasks, such as save the Gooplets from an eco disaster, the Lillo from a Grox scouting party, purchasing the final tools needed for full terraforming from Pyrachs and upgrading the ships pulse weapon from the Bingfish.

With a fair bit of effort, he also upgrades Tiffan to a T3 score and puts another colony down to pump up the purple spice production. The resulting funds are used in part to purchase a planet from the Bordooshio and the Dubel's homeworld for a cool 10M.

Winning through global warming!

During this time, the Rammo had conquered the Oscae home world and the Time Flies finished them off. The Direbug Empire, now only surrounded by friends, was secure.

Spore: Chibby Corgel Catastrophe

[Part of the Direbug Saga]

After saving Pyrachs from the Chibby invasion, Buglybugs repairs all the planetary defenses and then bank rolls his allies into war - sending the Spikelors and Dubels against the vast Chibby Empire and the Rammo against the Corgel.

He also upgrades his ship with a Dubel cloaking device and worm hole key, and then larger bombs, a mini pulse laser, and better ship armor thanks to the Spikelor. He then goes for the weakest enemy - the Corgel, and wipes them out via the tried and true terrorformed (reverse terraform) tactic on their home world.

Corgel: Extinct!

This frees up the Rammo to battle the Oscae while Buglybugs leads the charge against the Chibby, capturing and destroying planets one after another until they too are removed from existence. For this he is now known among the planets as "the Omnipotent Warrior Hero".

Spore: Crouching Elephant, Hidden Dragon

[Part of the Direbug Saga]

Terraforming Tiffan (improving the score) is a lot of work. Meteor showers and an asteroid are pulled in from space (Dubel tech) to increase the warmth of the planet, followed by planting flora (small, medium, large), 2 types of herbivores and one carnivore - in that order - for each T-rating ring.

Buglybugs manages to get the planet to T2, and puts a second colony down on the same planet. The reason for all the attention is Tiffan produces a very rare purple spice and sure enough, selling one haul of the stuff quickly puts the Direbugs funds over a million!

It's not all good news though, as a new warrior Empire - the Oscae (soldier dragons) appear near Tiffan and demand taxes, even after Buglybugs tries appease them by destroying some turrets of the Time Flies (sentient clocks with wings) for them. On the other side, the Rammo ask for help against against more Spode zealots - the Corgels (six eyed elephants).

Green space is friendly, red space isn't.

Buglybugs cannot assist though, as he is recalled to Pyrachs to defend against an invading Chibby fleet!

Spore: New Kids on the Block

[Part of the Direbug Saga]

With the Flixxels defeated, Buglybugs suddenly runs into new races back near the home planet Pyrachs - the Stomachio (Red Slaad), and Dubels (scientific clown spiders) who both open contact by donating thousands of spore bucks... and the Chibby (pink cyclops ducks) whose first contact is to attack!

Probably wouldn't ally with actual Slaads though...

After upgrading to a mega laser thanks to the Spikelors (those dinos love developing weapons), Buglybugs helps the Stomachio in their war against the Chibby by attacking their home world. The mega laser doesn't quite cut it, but the terrorforming does. Buglybugs absorbs all the moisture of the T3 planet leaving it as a dry T0 husk.

For this both the Stomachio and Dubel agree to an alliance, and the Dubels give an interstellar drive level 4 along with specific terraforming gear that Buglybugs needs to terraform one particular Direbug outpost on Tiffan. In addition, they now dub him "the All Powerful".

Spore: Flixxels End

[Part of the Direbug Saga]

Despite the loss of their home world, the Flixxels still manage to send an invasion force close to Pyrarchs itself - forcing Buglybugs to pause his assault to stop them. Just as well since he could also help the Spikelors with an eco disaster, and is rewarded with an upgraded laser blaster.

Upon returning to the Flixxel sector, he paid his Gooplet allies 56K spore bucks to launch a simultaneous attack on the zealots and made good use of the laser which was much faster at conquering cities than destroying them with mini bombs. More cost efficient too, since said cities now work for the Direbug empire.

Ultimately the Flixxel are defeated, and what remains of their race now serve as slaves or cattle. Exactly what they deserve!

Flixxel: Enslaved!

Spore: Terrorforming

[Part of the Direbug Saga]

Angered by the Flixxels, Buglybugs goes on the attack - destroying the Flixxel base on Ramrourna and another on Natosieger, though the latter surrendered before being bombed to oblivion.

The allied fleet then attacked the Flixxel homeworld, and even with a pirate fleet supporting them (Buglybugs has an ability to call them apparently), the defenses were just too strong. Numerous turrets, SAMs and unending fleets of Flixxel fighters crushed the attackers and put Buglybugs on the run.

Despite his ship being on fire, Buglybugs didn't leave the planet yet as he was faster than his pursuers. He quickly checked what gear he had left and found the terraforming equipment still intact. While improving a terrascore of a planet (levels to support life) was challenging, destroying said terrascore was easy.

With an evil grin, Buglybugs put his cloud condensers at maximum and used almost all the energy left in his spacecraft to transform the lush T3 Flixxel home world into a T0 near uninhabitable, ocean planet.

Drown you bastards!

All but one city was washed away with the rest of the rest of the flora and fauna, and with most of the turrets gone in had no hope to survive the bombing run afterwards.

Spore: Farewell Murglbrg

[Part of the Direbug Saga]

Increased space pirate raids lead Buglybugs away from the colonizing task and onto defense. The Spikelors help by upgrading the ship armor and auto cannons, the same tech they use to wipe out the Murglbrg. :(

Murglbrg: Extinct!

Having lost an ally (to another ally, damnit), Buglybugs works on getting more - easily convincing the Yoburt, and beginning to run missions for two new races: the Tuunk (space chickens) and the Bingfish empire (battletoads).

The Bingfish in particular are grateful for aid against a Grox raiding fleet and give the mega proton missile tech to the Direbugs, which is great since the normal missiles were somewhat weak.

The legendary Buglybugs is then tasked with Mother Paylise to find where the Grox come from, suggesting they originate near the center of the galaxy. This would have to wait though as the Flixxel zealots launched an attack on the Ramrourna outpost, conquering it.

Spore: Command and Conquer

[Part of the Direbug Saga]

Even the great Buglybugs, slayer of giant monsters must answer to Mother Paylise - and she was not happy about the quality of spice being produced (or not produced) by the outposts he has been establishing on low terra-score worlds.

To this end she changed his directive of reaching the galaxy center to shoring up and expanding the current Empire planets first. Much money was spent upgrading the cities on Pyrachs and Rabotek, upping the spice production and vastly improving income from trade.

Since terraforming was expensive, Paylise also ordered to claim any T3 (the best) worlds that were not owned by space faring races. Two such worlds were found - owned by the Spike MOMO (blue dinosaurs) and Antler Guys (sentient moose).

Not sure if that hologram was trying to surrender.

It was ignored anyway.

Buglybugs bombed them to extermination and colonized their world with Direbugs.

Spore: The Peaceful Sector

[Part of the Direbug Saga]

In an effort to push closer to the center of the galaxy, Admiral Buglybugs travels a fair distance - planting a colony on Natus (10% to the center) for resupply purposes, but is recalled to destroy infected creatures, space pirates and a Grox scout fleet!

The Direbug allies, of which the Bordooshios are now part of, are grateful and celebrate Buglybugs. This earns him a few ship upgrades: a bigger cargo hold, a bigger energy battery and an auto blaster turret.

Buglybugs then returns to venture past Natus, encountering a large group of friendly races in the next cluster of stars: the Rammo (crazed space dodos), the Gooplet (happy frogs), the Lillo (happy turtles), the Yoburt (shell foxes) and the Flixxel (monkeys faithful to Spode).

Some really pretty sights in this game.

The Direbugs colonize Ramrourna in this peaceful sector, and soon make allies the Rammo and the Lillo.

Spore: One Good Deed

[Part of the Direbug Saga]

As a Commodore, Buglybugs could now handle an extra ship in the fleet and was given one by thier Murglbrg ally. Alas this vessel, the "Crustbuster", is destroyed when Buglybugs defends another alien race - the Gibolobs (peaceful humanoid insects) from the Bordooshio (hat wearing monkeys).

All that debris should burn up in the atmosphere... right?

The Gibolobs are thankful and on top of allying with the Direbugs, teach Buglybugs about planet painting and planet sculpting. On one planet Buglybugs also finds a rare tree that the Spikelors need as medicine. The dinosaurs are overjoyed, agree to a full alliance and give the Direbugs the tech for Interplanetary Drive level 2, letting the ship fly further between stars.

After being promoted to Admiral, Buglybugs goes to talk to the Boordoshio who declare they are creatures of harmony - subsequently asking in help abducting life forms and killing a few others while continuing to war on the Gibolobs. Buglybugs does these tasks anyway, just so that the Direbugs get into their good books.

Annoyingly, the Spikelors and Murglbrg were now also at war.

Spore: First Contact

[Part of the Direbug Saga]

Since Paylise was needed to lead her people on Pyrachs, pilot Buglybugs was chosen to fly the spaceship and earning his Captain's badge after a quick tutorial of flight, scanning, comms, laser weapon and abduction planet side.

Behold, the worst spaceship ever!

He then took to the space to explore the nearby solar systems, finding evidence of one vicious one called the Grox. Fortunately it seemed they were no longer nearby. Instead the closest neighbors were the Murglbrg (peaceful demon looking surfies) and the Spikelors (warlike space dinos).

Buglybugs knew that to survive, the Direbugs would need allies and opted to be civil to these two races - running errands for them for cash and building up trust while also establishing a second Direbug planet on Rabotek. With the Murglbrg agreeing to an alliance, Buglybugs quickly skipped past the Commander Rank and was promoted to Commodore by "Mother" Paylise herself.

Spore: The Unification

[Part of the Direbug Saga]

It wasn't long before other Direbug colonies around the planet began building cities too, and with now valued spice geysers at a premium the Direbugs fought among themselves for world domination with their new death dealing machines.

Led by Paylise, the first city was always ahead - fielding more tanks to crush their neighbors on the mainland and then skipping naval development to focus on their air force. With air superiority there was no one who could match them, and ultimately the remaining cities surrendered.

Air dominance pew pew!

With the world united, Paylise then looked to the stars to expand the Direbug Empire and with help from all the cities across the globe, developed and created their space flagship.

Spore: Paylise the Wise

[Part of the Direbug Saga]

When the wisest of the Direbugs, Paylise, invented fire, she immediately took the race into sapience and became their chieftain. The tribe built huts and stone axes to better kill the wild animals nearby for food, to kill the tribes of other races in the region, and to defend against those mysterious demons who never did appear again.

Another ship watches the Direbugs wipe out the Yellow Tribe.

While numerous Direbugs fell in these battles, Chieftain Paylise's fire bombs would always win the day and from their victories the Direbugs learned to make throwing spears and fishing rods, the latter being useful when there were no more wild animals around the camp.

Now undisputed, Paylise created a government and asked her people what they most wanted: weapons of war! With work, the Direbugs upgraded their camp into the first city on Pyrachs, and their first war machine - a very odd tank.

Spore: The Demons of Pyrachs

[Part of the Direbug Saga]

With a nest established on the beach, the Direbugs began to explore this new land and ran into other nesting creatures. Many were cautious, but a few tried to be friendly with dancing and singing.

Unfortunately the Direbugs were not good at socializing, and instead aggressively slew these new food sources, mutating to mimic the more useful traits growing blades, mandibles, arms, faster feet and bigger brains.

They were not the ultimate predators though, as a race of flying demons proved to be superior to them in each encounter - forcing the Direbugs to relocate their nest a few times. Conversely, the Direbugs couldn't find where those demons originated from.

Perhaps they were whisked away by that strange ship?

Spore: Splash Down!

[Part of the Direbug Saga]

There was a massive splash as the meteorite hit the ocean of Planet Pyrachs, unleashing multiple tiny creatures into the tide pool. One eggplant shaped monster swam round eating all the meat bits it could find while avoiding the larger predators. This was the start of the Direbug race.

It's the wormy thing with huge protruding spikes.

The more they ate, the bigger they grew, and developed spikes and poisonous sacs which let it slay larger and larger creatures until suddenly it developed a minuscule brain and four legs. In no time at all, the Direbugs were marching out of the waves and onto the untamed lands of Pyrachs.

The Direbug Saga

It's time for a new story, and this one is from my experiences in Spore. :)

Chapter 1 - Splash Down!
Chapter 2 - The Demons of Pyrachs
Chapter 3 - Paylise the Wise
Chapter 4 - The Unification
Chapter 5 - First Contact
Chapter 6 - One Good Deed
Chapter 7 - The Peaceful Sector
Chapter 8 - Citizen Kabugto
Chapter 9 - Command and Conquer
Chapter 10 - Farewell Murglbrg
Chapter 11 - Terrorforming
Chapter 12 - Flixxels End
Chapter 13 - New Kids on the Block 
Chapter 14 - Crouching Elephant, Hidden Dragon
Chapter 15 - Chibby Corgel Catastrophe 
Chapter 16 - All Oscae, Sector Secure
Chapter 17 - Journey to the Center of the Galaxy
Chapter 18 - Steve in the Center
Chapter 19 - Getting Uber

This story has concluded for now, thank you for reading!