As we slowly recover from GDC jet-lag, we thought it would be best to post some of the other features that Peter Molyneux confirmed for Fable 2. After all, a dog can't be the only new feature in Fable 2. There really is quite a bit to consider, so we'll just dole out the info in bite sized bits via a handy bulleted list. Everyone likes lists.
- Players can pick a male or female hero
- Players can choose to have protected or unprotected sex (and yes, there are STDs)
- Female heroes can get pregnant
- Players can have children
- The world responds to your "hero-ness"
- Two new character morphs (besides Good/Evil): cruelty/kindness and wealth/poverty
- Own every single piece of property
- Players can become king
First of all, there are sexually transmitted diseases in Fable 2 that result from having unprotected sex. Your character's chances of receiving an STD are relative to the history and background of his or her sexual partner. Female heroes can become pregnant and will eventually have a baby. It's not possible for a character to have a miscarriage -- Lionhead discovered that this was too emotionally charged -- and being pregnant does not alter your hero's effectiveness in combat.
Should your hero have children, they will grow up to resemble their parents. If your character is evil, your child will become more evil and will act up at school. If you're good, then the child will grow up to be a goody goody just like you.
The world in Fable 2 will directly respond to your heroic deeds. For example, should you save a gypsy camp from destruction, the camp will remember you. When you return, people will remember your efforts and comment on them. Your children will also learn of your exploits and will burst through the door to greet you when you return home, shouting exultations of your recent victories.
There are two new spectra that govern your character's appearance in Fable 2. In addition to the strength, dexterity, magic, and Good/Evil morphs, there are now the cruelty/kindness and wealth/poverty morphs. Molyneux didn't go into too much detail as to how these affected your character's appearance, but did note that the morphs were not cut and dry. For example, the cruelty/kindness morph is not as simple as good and evil, because sometimes the evil deed is in fact a kinder action (you have to be cruel to be kind, etc).
The last bit, and this is probably the most interesting, you can own any piece of property in Fable 2. We've covered this before, but we didn't realize the extent of it until last week. When we say any piece of property we mean any piece of property. This includes houses, shops, merchant carts, castles, dungeons, temples, everything. You want to buy up every shop and cart in the market district? Fine. Be careful though, as the economy is dynamic, and should you decide to sell your goods for too high a price, the area may become poverty stricken and dilapidated. Additionally, each piece of property adds its own sub-quests to the game. Maybe you want to buy a castle and become king. It's possible. You'll have to complete a long series of quests to do it -- and it has nothing to do with the main storyline -- but you can do it.
Granted, we didn't see anything besides the dog, so right now we've only got Molyneux's word to go on. He says he's learned his lesson from Fable 1 and isn't promising things he can't deliver, but we'll have to wait and see. Still, If even half of these things come to pass, Fable 2 is shaping up to be quite a contender.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
3-12-2007 @ 2:10PM
Tony said...
I'm intrigued by owning dungeons. I hope this has some nice quests and abilities associated with it, particularly for evil characters. That would be great.
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3-12-2007 @ 2:12PM
DeadPlasmaCell said...
"Players can choose to have protected or unprotected sex (and yes, there are STDs)"
Great.. can't wait to see how the parent groups or the Gov reacts to this.
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3-12-2007 @ 2:16PM
Insomnious said...
If they do this right - and I really hope they do - this could turn out to be one of the most original games ever made.
The original Fable did try and incorporate a few of these things, but they were very scripted and you always knew what effect followed a reaction.
Here's looking forward to it's release.
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3-12-2007 @ 2:24PM
2slick said...
"Your Naurghty"
- George Costanza Condom fumble
"G'night Dear, Go slay yer dragon in the washroom."
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3-12-2007 @ 2:25PM
ChewyDogg said...
After all that was promised to be in Fable 1, I'll believe this when I see it. I certainly hope he delivers this time.
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3-12-2007 @ 2:30PM
Modeps said...
@Chewydogg: I hear that.
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3-12-2007 @ 2:33PM
Toph said...
Fable, the original one, had really impressive physics for fabrics and hair. Besides all of the GDC information on Fable 2, I really hope there's improved fabric manipulation and other physics.
For me, I enjoy almost any game that has great flowing fabric physics, and I have high hopes for Fable 2.
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3-12-2007 @ 2:34PM
DjDATZ said...
Fable 2 Videos at Gametrailers.com:
http://www.gametrailers.com/gamepage.php?id=2669
he talks about most of this. (except the unprotected sex)
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3-12-2007 @ 2:38PM
Jack the Ripper said...
I'd really like to see the results of a poll that was along the lines of, "Do you trust a single word that comes out of Peter Molyneux mouth?"
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3-12-2007 @ 2:41PM
yonderboy said...
After TheMovies, Black&White 1&2, and the first Fable, I think this is his last chance not to overhype.
A lot of us are starting to wonder who the real genius behind Dungeon Keeper, Theme Hospital, and Populous was...
Maybe the gaming media needs to be prepared to start using "Molyneaux" as a verb meaning over-hyped.
For example "We hope Halo 3 will be incredible and that Microsoft doesn't just Molyneaux it."
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3-12-2007 @ 3:09PM
RangerPrimeX said...
Where is the sexual orientation part? Give me that one in a game.
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3-12-2007 @ 3:15PM
Nick Nelson said...
Fable had sexual orientation already.
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3-12-2007 @ 3:26PM
Ciaran Gallagher said...
It sounds like an amazing game... Like The Sims but much more serious! (STD's!)
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3-12-2007 @ 3:29PM
Xploited13 said...
Late 2009 release then, right?
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3-12-2007 @ 4:35PM
Aitichi said...
"why Ranger? You wanna play as a fag, what is your problem you sick weirdo."
Maybe he want's to play as a lesbian ;O
I'm also wondering if STDs will effect gameplay at all or will be linked to an achievment.. I can see it now "achievment unlocked: You've caught AIDS"
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3-12-2007 @ 4:44PM
Jessica Q. said...
Borat - Classy. The only people I've found to be threatened by homosexuality are hiding being gay themselves. Looks like your homophobia just outed you. Grow the hell up.
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3-12-2007 @ 5:17PM
Captain Obvious said...
"The only people I've found to be threatened by homosexuality are hiding being gay themselves."
Ahahahahahahah! This is such a stupid argument. Are all the rednecks that don't like blacks really just closet blacks? Are the Arabs who hate Jews really just closet Hebrews?
Why can't people just not like homosexual themes in gaming? Why can't people just not want to allow gay marriage? Why are gays the only group that get to say "If you're afraid of us, you must be one of us!"
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3-12-2007 @ 5:32PM
nelson said...
Personally, I think the coolest gameplay element of all would be that your hero eventually dies of old age, and then you get to play as your kid.
It can last forever as a multi-generational struggle!
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3-12-2007 @ 5:51PM
Jessica Q. said...
Rednecks aren't closet blacks, but many rednecks would sure happily rape an attractive black girl (or guy) if they knew they could.
You can like or dislike whatever you want, but going out of your way to make fun of someone for saying they want to be able to be gay in a game is pretty immature and uncalled for. If you don't want to play a gay person in the game, you don't have to. Plain and simple.
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3-12-2007 @ 6:33PM
Captain Obvious said...
"You can like or dislike whatever you want, but going out of your way to make fun of someone for saying they want to be able to be gay in a game is pretty immature and uncalled for. If you don't want to play a gay person in the game, you don't have to. Plain and simple."
I'm willing to accept this. But what is accomplished by calling Borat a closet homosexual just because he thinks people that want to play gay characters are weirdos.
And by calling someone a closet homosexual, aren't you perpetuating the negativity associated with being gay? You were, after all, trying to insult Borat.
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