Interview Fable chatter at GameSpot

[Spazmo]

Tags: Fable: The Lost Chapters; Lionhead Studios

Hot on the heels of the <a href=http://rpgcodex.com/index.php#3771>GOLD</a> announcement, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/pc">Gamespot PC</a> have posted an <a href=http://www.gamespot.com/pc/rpg/fablethelostchapters/preview_6131745.html>interview</a> with Dene Carter, the "creative director" of the Fable team, a title that just sounds like a euphemism for something really unpleasant.<blockquote>DC: There's a huge variety of new quests. The main story ones are epic, heroic, life-changing, world-shaking events--the sorts of things that make you ask yourself: "Could I really bring myself to do that?" We're very pleased indeed with the morality implications in some of these. There's one regarding the guild master that will have certain fans jumping for joy.</blockquote>Whoa--BioWare PR, eat your heart out. "Epic, heroic, <u>life-changing</u>, <b>world-shaking</b> events"! Pace yourself, Dene, you'll pull a hyping muscle.

 

[Shagnak]

Is it just me, or does some of that Fable content sound positively silly rather than particularly impressive?

For example, extra quests:

One is in the form of a minigame; another tests your ability to remain a good hero under the pressure of intense irritation; and another challenges you to punt an Albion chicken as far as you possibly can

 

[aweigh]

it's not just you. the entire game sounded silly from the start. At least with the good doctors and with Bethesda everyone knows they're lying sacks of shit since they've never made one single good game, but for some fucked up reason Molyneux had some actual cred because of some retarded god game and then decided to capitalize on it to make outlandish claims and deliver the exact opposite of what he promised. that's not car dealership lying (bioware/bethesda) that's just plain asshole lying.

if pasting a list of game features makes Oblivion seem retarded, imagine how Fable's list of game features would appear?

 

[Drakron]

Sorry but "Project Ego" would be a mark in RPGs.

Problem is Fable is not Project Ego, its a Zelda clone with some RPG mechanics.

 

[Naked_Lunch]

One is in the form of a minigame; another tests your ability to remain a good hero under the pressure of intense irritation; and another challenges you to punt an Albion chicken as far as you possibly can

zomg Fallout hasn't got shit on Fable

 

[EEVIAC]

... but for some fucked up reason Molyneux had some actual cred because of some retarded god game and then decided to capitalize on it to make outlandish claims and deliver the exact opposite of what he promised. that's not car dealership lying (bioware/bethesda) that's just plain asshole lying.

A single God game? Are you serious? I'm assuming your talking about Populous, but what about Theme Park, Syndicate, Dungeon Keeper, and Magic Carpet. More research, less dumbfuckery.

Fable will probably be better than DS2 or Dung Lords, but its still a chunk of shit.

 

[Saint_Proverbius]

I was addicted to Populous for like a year back in the 1980s. I remember having lots of fun building way up high and then drowning the AI in to submission with flooding, then churning out knights to rampage the stragglers.

 

[Claw]

Molyneux made quite a few exceptional games... then he left Bullfrog.

 

[EEVIAC]

The thing I like about Pete is that he's actually ambitious. Will Wright is probably going to beat him in the race to a fully dynamic, responsive, evolving game-world done right, but at least he's in the running.

 

[Sandelfron]

Well, he classified rpg fanatics as 'dice-rolling perverts' in one of his game dev
speeches, and how games shouldn't have numerical digits in them. Then again
the guy is a dyslexic, so he can shut his mouth. ''If a game isn't so simple that
you can jump in and play immediately then it isn't simple enough" is another
statement of his. Not really the mind set of an RPG developer eh?

 

[Saint_Proverbius]

If that's his line of thinking, then it's not too surprising B&W and Fable kind of sucked. I don't know why he'd say games, especially CRPGs, shouldn't have numerical digits since numbers are something most anyone can relate to. You have a Longsword and a Longsword +2, which one is better? Duh. You have a character with a 10 Strength versus a character with a 14 Strength, who is stronger? Another duh.

Numbers are something any player can look at and figure out which is better and which isn't fairly instantly.

 

[Twinfalls]

with Bethesda everyone knows they're lying sacks of shit since they've never made one single good game

Wrong. Really ignorant wank of a comment, actually.

Bethesda made Arena, which was a good game. They made Daggerfall, which was a great game. If you don't think it was a great game, you simply did not play it appropriately, or at all. They also published Sea Dogs, which was a very good game.

In fact, had Morrowind come out of the blue as their first game, the response would have been 'wow, that was pretty good, and shows a lot of promise, love the game world and lore etc'. However, as it was a sequel to Daggerfall - a great game - the response was disappointment.

 

[Claw]

Bethesda made a good game. Terminator: Future Shock!

 

[Quigs]

another tests your ability to remain a good hero under the pressure of intense irritation;

Now, it seems stupid, and it probably is, but... its just good. Its hard to put in text, especially when your so used to the save&reload the first few times, but in fable, consequences werent so much your evil so bad happens, it was just different.

Example.

10 minutes into the game, your a kid, guarding a barn so some farmer can take a piss. Some punk kid comes up to you and nags you about breaking open the guys stuff, because something cool is in there. If you dont do it right away, he starts calling you a chicken, making fun of you. Its pretty damned hard not to just punch the kid in his skull. I have yet to play a game, both as a good and evil char where I didnt.

Theres nothing BG where youre reputation takes a hit that will take d6 hours to repair, or fallout where you just killed a guy who gives some quests. No, you just smacked a nigger, it felt good. End of story.

 

[errorcode]

quigs, i love you dearly like you were my own simple-minded pet monkey, so take this within that context...

that was a completely retarded example you cited. You stand there, the kid runs up to you, gives you a "Press A for yes, B for no" dialog, and if you say no he then uses a set string of one liner comments on you till you complete the mission.

where, in any of that, is there "intense irritation"? you simply stand there. hell, you - as a player - could stand up and walk away and come back when the mission is completed.

And, if memory serves, thats about the only instance of even semi-dynamic morality choices in the game. everything else is "Choose your mission: Mission A - Evil or Mission A - Good" crap

oh, and my signature comment: Fuck Molynuex

 

[Quigs]

I dont think so. At least, not in that exact example. You only start racking up evil when you run off and smash the barrels. Or punch the kid in the skull. Either or. Skull punching the fun choice.

 

[Shagnak]

I don't think smacking the kid upside the head is evil. The shit needs a thrashing if he is advocating stealing.
Maybe I have some warped sense of morality

 

[Sandelfron]

From Maddox's notes on successful parenting:

"The one-handed chauffeur reach around: A quick reach around while you're
driving to smack your kid and his friends too if they disrespect. Swerve the car
back and forth for the full effect. "

 

[Quigs]

I don't think smacking the kid upside the head is evil. The shit needs a thrashing if he is advocating stealing.
Maybe I have some warped sense of morality

You're advocating punching a child in the skull, for advocating stealing.

Shagnak +1

 

[Shagnak]

Yep

Kids vs kids jungle justice!



PS. I am well on the way to becoming evil
<-- Look at the fucking horns on my avatar! :D

 

[Naked_Lunch]

They look like penises to me. Maybe just a side-effect of your confuses sexuality?

 

[errorcode]

sorry shag, i vote penises too.

Although they are very *evil* looking penis horns

 

[Shagnak]

Although they are very *evil* looking penis horns

Whew, that's a relief, as long as they're evil looking then they can stay :D