You don't have to fight your way through.  Before you head off to Grox space, load up on mega energy and health packs.  You will need these to stay alive.  When you get to Grox space the Grox will fire on you.  Turn-off your auto turrets so you don't accidently fire back and start a war.  Also, ditch any ally ships you have so they don't fire on the Grox.  Then, hop from star system to star system until you reach the galatic core.  I tried this with one of my races and the Grox did not attack any of my colonies because I avoided starting a war.

Yes, they return you to the same place.

I've read that the Grox occupy between 600 to 1,000 planets.  Bastards.  So let's say I decide to have each of my species in other saved games work on taking out the Grox in their section of the galaxy.  When I take out one planet in a solar system using any method of attack, will the Grox simply find another T0 planet and set-up shop?  (T0 planets are the only habitable planets for the Grox)  If this happens, the net effect of my attack would be zero.  If this is the case, I assume I would have to destroy all T0 planets first and then attack established Grox colonies.  This would be MOAR work.  I'm lazy and MOAR work doesn't appeal to me.

I use the strategy you mentioned.  I usually have three T3 planets for each of the spice types.  I also try to find systems with multiple spice colors to limit the number of systems I have to visit and defend.  When I make a spice run, I'm able to gather ~90 units of each type of spice which is close to the max.  The only downside to this strategy is it limits the empire building badge (I can't remember what it's called). 

Here's a link to a guide on how to ally with the Grox:

http://forum.spore.com/jforum/posts/list/1294.page

I haven't tried it yet, but I might with one of my throw-away games.

Yeah, I'm not that obsessed.  However, I wonder if it would be possible to have each species in my different saved games slowly work on taking the Grox out in their section of the galaxy over time.  The actions of saved games have an impact on other games, correct?  I dunno, the game just doesn't seem "finished" until I have peace in the galaxy.

ETA:  I scoured the internets the other day to see if there was a way to lower disaster rates and found this:

http://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/genmessage.php?board=926714&topic=45366923


From what I've read (it doesn't count as a cheat, therefore no joker badge) as the values are being edited outside of the game.  However, I've also read that the values are re-set each time the game is re-started.  I haven't been able to get it to work, though.  When I open the preferences directory in notepad, these particular options do not appear.  I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong.

I'm not done with this race yet as there are a few aspects of the game I would like try.  For example, I finally have enough money to focus on other aspects of the game like changing archetypes.  I just don't have the time as I'm being attacked constantly by the Grox.


My worlds were never attacked by the Grox until I officially made contact.  Perhaps I was just lucky up until that point.  After making contact, the Grox attack at least every 30 minutes, usually less.  I'm annoyed as I have to drop whatever I'm doing, travel to the colony, fight the Grox, repair the damage, etc. 

I've never tried the happy ray on any species.  I'll give it a go but I wonder how much it will help; my current relationship with the Grox is at negative 290.


I think there is a badge that can be earned for defeating the Grox.  I assume there is a way; I just don't how to do it efficiently.

ETA:  The badge is called "Badge Outta Heck".  I found an article about defeating the Grox; it still appears to be a time consuming process however one chooses to go about it.

http://spore.wikia.com/wiki/Badge_Outta_Heck

I made the mistake of pissing off the Grox early in the space stage and, now, have to deal with repeated attacks on my colonies and home world.  My region of space was peaceful until I decided to explore and made my way towards the galactic center.  I had battled the Grox a few times while defending allies but had never had any of my worlds attacked, yet.  Apparently, I was already on the Grox shit list for destroying their space ships during these previous battles.  I made matters worse by not turning off my watchamacallit, the thing that shoots enemies in space, and destroyed more Grox ships.  I made contact with the Grox but there were no options to remedy the situation as the relationship was already too damaged.  So, I said screw the Grox and decided to try to make it to the galactic center by hopping from star system to star system while using energy and health packs along the way.  I failed as my range was too limited to reach the core with interstellar drive 4 and as I ran out of health packs.  Returning to my system in shame, I soon found that I made a big mistake by engaging the Grox.  My home world and colonies were repeatedly attacked and I found myself constantly responding to the attacks and rebuilding damaged colonies.  This is becoming a big annoyance as I can't explore the galaxy for fear of my spice colonies being destroyed.

I don't really care about the attacks on my home world for two reasons:  The home world will never be completely destroyed as it respawns and the home world isn't a good source of spice.  I prefer the Grox to attack my home world as I can ignore the attack and attend to business elsewhere.  Colonies are a different story.  I'm always successful in fighting off the Grox with just my ship and the uber turret.  I don't bring allied ships as they are usually destroyed and I don't want the penalty with their species for not taking care of their ships.  I'm tired of these attacks; they are a distraction from other fun aspects of the game and replacing the colony structures is becoming expensive and time consuming.

So, where do I go from here?  I only see a few options but none of them appear feasible for my current game.  I could try to take on the time-consuming task of destroying the Grox empire but their empire is huge.  It surrounds the entire galactic core.  I can't think of an efficient way to take on their empire by my lonesome.  I tried and failed to get some help by making alliances with empires close to the Grox empire and asking them to attack someone for me.  Each empire refused to attack the Grox. 

The other option is to ally with the Grox in future games.  In my current game, the relationship is too low to ever ally with the Grox.  However, even this solution has problems as allying with the Grox causes all other empires to hate your species.  The final option, again not feasible for my current game, is to never ever piss off the Grox.  By that I mean, don't aid allies when they are attacked by the Grox, make sure to turn off the space whatchamacallits when in Grox territory so that Grox ships aren't accidently destroyed, and maybe smooze a bit with the Grox without making an alliance.

Does anybody have any ideas I could use for my current game?  I finally made it to the center of the galaxy by getting interstellar drive 5, buying a gazillion mega health and energy packs, and hopping through Grox territory.  My problem is I'm bored with all the attacks on my colonies.

The following article is not complete, but it gives some information on the galactic code.

http://spore.wikia.com/wiki/Galactic_Code

I'm not sure if this has been mentioned or not, but the reputation meter seems to be borked for one of my Sims.  She's gaining no reputation even after she received the network reward that is supposed to substantially increase reputation.  She has made 8 friends and has performed numerous positive social interactions during the friend making process.  The reputation meter and reputation network reward has worked appropriately for other Sims I have played.

Also, I've noticed that the landlord is using my Sim's garbage disposal to throw away community garbage; I find this highly annoying.

The only hacks used in the game are the updated DC and TwoJeffs' updated Triplets and Quads.  I have no CC in the game right now either.

I'm able to load Audrey Manor as well.

She moved into the apartment several Sim days before this glitch ocurred as she was fresh from CAS; she had never lived anywhere else.  After moving her into the apartment, I maxed all skills and a fews days later the cooking skill mysteriously reduced to level one.


The genie lamp was delivered to my newly created Sim, the same one that maxed all skills.  It was dropped off outside her apartment and worked properly.  Frankly, I'm surprised that she could interact with the genie lamp as my Sims have been unable to use dream date gifts left outside their apartments.

This glitch occurred once in my game.  A newly created Sim exploited the skilling glitch and maxed all skills.  A few Sim days later, the cooking skill reduced to one.


The Prima Guide mentions that roomies can refill needs by going to work and running errands but I think this feature is working too well. One roommate maxes her needs each time she leaves the lot; she is never in a bad mood.


I've received this message on several occasions.  I didn't have any dressers on the lot but the Sim did have functional closets.  One would think that having closets would stomp this message.


My Sim became friendly with the landlord and, after finishing his work, he asked to hang-out for awhile.  After hanging-out for a few hours, I directed my Sim to select the landlord so that she could "say goodbye".  The option did not appear.  The playable Sim was a witch and the only option available on the landlord was "cast spell".  I then directed my Sim to begin skilling as I thought the landlord would leave on his own when it became late.  He never left.  Instead, while she was skilling, the landlord wanted to say goodbye to my Sim.  Each time I cancelled skilling so that he could say goodbye, this action dropped from her queue.  At around 5 am, after he stayed all night, I used the cheat "moveobjects on" to delete the landlord.


I've had no problems with the genie lamp.  It was left on the lot and worked properly.