In another of our rapid fire, 4 minute interviews with Microsoft VIPs, we had a chance to chat with Peter Molyneux, mastermind behind Fable and the upcoming Fable 2. During our chat, we go in depth with Molyneux about the new scarring system employed in Fable 2. We also discuss the property system (which Molyneux is particularly fond of) and seafaring. And, just for grins, we ask about ninjas. If you'd prefer to listen to this interview (as well as interviews with Frank O'Connor, Brian "Ske7ch" Jarrard, and Peter Moore himself), you can check it out in our latest Fancast. Otherwise, read on.
So Fable 2, you showed of scarring.
Scarring? Right. It's great! (If you could see the smile on this man's face)
So, you mentioned the money thing for paying it off.
Yeah
About a 1000 gold is what you pitched as an example. You also mentioned EXP, as in experience. So, if you do experience, would that be easier, in that one could just basically, "Okay, I'm using EXP, then I'll just grind a bit to get my level back up." For that matter, is it even a choice? Is it gold or XP? Is it a little bit of both?
You can grind and get gold. You can grind, and it's your choice, man! You know, what you're saying makes the game exactly like it was. All you're doing is fit to be taking a step back, to redo your game. It's your choice, and remember that's the whole thing that Fable had. For every choice, a consequence. And if you choose to go and grind, absolutely, but let me just talk to you a bit about why experience and why gold. There was one other but I wasn't saying it during the interview because it confuses people. You can choose to pay gold, experience, or renown. Renown is your fame, how famous you are. So, the more renown you spend, you get less and less famous. Now that's pretty interesting. Gold, why do you need gold? You need gold to buy stuff, you know, to buy houses.
Unless you're a thief ....
Unless you're a thief. My favorite feature in Fable 2 is probably the idea of buying everything in the world. You can buy everything in Fable 2 and be known as Lord Emperor of the whole of Albion and all the realms.
Achievement unlocked?
Huh?
Achievement unlocked?
(Laughs) Achievement unlocked, yeah definitely. There'll be an achievement unlocked. It will take you about ... to do that it will take you about a thousand hours of gameplay
(whistle)
But you'll own the castle and you'll get quests to do in the castle. You own the temple, you'll get quests to do in the temple. You even ... you've got a little homage to Dungeon Keeper, a game I did a long time ago. You can own dungeons, and you can have baddies in the dungeons. You can run and you can own the dungeons and that's quite cool too. Paying your gold, you're forgoing that. That's one thing with gold. The other thing with gold: you've got dependents, man. You've got a family. You've got a wife and kids. They've got to eat. What are you gonna do? You're going to be this big hero and you come back and your kids are all starving. I mean what sort of hero are you going to be?
But you have a pretty face, so, you know, it depends on how vain you are, right?
Exactly! That's exactly what I want. I wanna get to you.
Now, talking about the scarring. I mean, obviously a lot of people have trouble watching it themselves, you know.
Yeah.
It bothered me in Fable when I got scars, I didn't like it.
Right, right.
But what effect does it have on the world outside?
What the scarring?
Yeah, do people treat you ...
Absolutely. I mean, you know this was gonna happen. You know, we started it in Fable 1. We didn't do it particularly well. We're doing it a lot more in Fable 2. You know, people will look at you and they will go (holds arms in front of face), "Oh my God! I can't look at that face."
Can renown counter scarring?
Yes. In fact, if you get the balance right, you can be cooler.
Sort of like the badass biker.
Also there's a place in Fable 2 called Bloodstone. It''s the home of all these pirates. And they're all pretty evil guys. If you go in there with a lot of scars, you know, they're thinking "hey, you're cool, man."
Chicks dig scars.
Yeah, right. Depends on where they are. (laughter)
Speaking of pirates, with the pirates in the concept art we've seen, is there seafaring? Can you talk about that?
What I've been doing as a designer more and more is cutting things. Because I want to make sure that we've got less features to polish brilliantly. And one of the things we cut was seafaring. We were gonna have seafaring, allow you to be the captain of a ship, but it was just so much work that we cut it. There is swimming.
(The bell rings. Time for one more quick question.)
Since you have pirates, are there ninjas?
Ninjas? We're not saying anything about ninjas. It's funny you should ask that question.
(Our time is up. We'd like to thank Peter for his time.)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
7-19-2007 @ 6:15PM
coalhalo said...
"You can buy everything in Fable 2 and be known as Lord Emperor of the whole of Albion and all the realms....to do that it will take you about a thousand hours of gameplay..."
"And one of the things we cut was seafaring. We were gonna have seafaring, allow you to be the captain of a ship, but it was just so much work that we cut it."
I love the first Fable, and I'm really looking forward to #2. But, when it comes to Peter Molyneux telling us about all the neat things you'll get to do, I take it all with a grain of salt. Based on early info that came from Lionhead, the whole sea captain thing seemed to be an integral part. But now Pete tells us it got the axe. How many more things that have been described in Fable 2 will fall by the wayside as time goes on?
I'm trying very hard not to listen to anything he says before release day, because I don't want to be wondering where is all the stuff they told us we would be doing. I loved the first one, and I'm positive that I'll love #2. But Peter has a bad track record when it comes to describing his games pre-release.
Reply
7-19-2007 @ 7:23PM
Swampfox23 said...
@1,
He's just excited about the game and its that kind of excitement that will make Fable one the greatest games of this generation and perhaps the greatest RPG we have yet to see. I for one am excited for Fable 2 and would choose no one else but Peter Molyneux to head things up.
Reply
7-19-2007 @ 8:42PM
vanhelsingh said...
Can't wait for this game!
Reply
7-19-2007 @ 9:00PM
intRvenous said...
I haven't played a single game of his (ouch!) but I just love listening to the guy. He's so passionate about design and giddy like a little kid about the features. I design software (not games) and I can't help be inspired by him - always striving for the unique, memorable experience...
Reply
7-19-2007 @ 9:43PM
Specter said...
If there are ninjas, I will crap myself..okay, not really, but it will be cool.
Reply
7-20-2007 @ 4:29AM
BluesmanTLU said...
I'd rather see a developer try to innovate and deliver on half his promises than just play by the book all the time.
Reply
7-20-2007 @ 8:57AM
DjDATZ said...
Listened to this in the fancast...I'm too lazy to read it. lol
Reply
7-20-2007 @ 4:22PM
James said...
Seriously, #6 is bang on -- even if half the stuff he hypes doesn't turn out right, I'll still drink the koolaid. I didn't get an Xbox till the last third or so of its lifespan, so I missed all the Fable 1 hype. After the fact, after I had actually played the game, I read some stuff where people were saying it didn't live up to its own legend, and I said, "What are you talking about? That game was really fun!" and I figured they must have really hyped it up an amazing amount. Apparently they did. But in the end, if you judge the game in a vacuum, it was great. So I've inured myself to hype now -- I can listen to the prattle on endlessly about what's going to be cool, but what I'll actually look at are reviews and screenshots and videos and user opinions, and buy based on that. And I (almost always) don't let what I expected get in the way of what has been brought to the table.
Reply
7-23-2007 @ 3:22PM
austin said...
They need to have pirates and stuff. That would be so awesome to round up a crew and go off into the open sea and find buried treasure and kill huge sea monsters, Jack Sparrow style. You and your crew could go into a port at night, plunder as many places as you can, get back to the ship, and sail away before the sleeping citizens even knew what hit em. Even though I never knew about it to begin with, I was bummed when he said they cut it. That would have been so awesome...
Reply
8-12-2007 @ 8:57AM
chris said...
hi peter.
In your video diaries you claimed you wanted to bring something new to fable?
You were right on the money with having a dog companion and lots of other things but if you really want to change the tides and add a new generation creating the ultimate game...You will need vehicles. We all love vehicles and even when repeatitive games such as project dark zero can entertain you longer with vehicles. I highly suggest that you allow horses to be purchased and maybe even buy a cart for it if you are rich. You could use it to transport your family around if you want to move town or...if your kid has been kicked out of school for being a little bastard.
you said you want to give players the chance to "push the boundaries if the game and never find an end". If this is so you should allow a the freedom to choose who you are.
no matter how much freedom you have, you are always tied down to being the hero, the guy who does everything. Can't we just be the person who runs your local pub or the person who assists a hero.
I suggest that you allow this naval combat system, get rid of the cullis gates and buy A Ticket to board ferries, purchase a ship and sail from A to B. Whisper off fable 1 got attacked by pirates at the end, on ferrys the same risk could apply and you can become as feared or as loved as you wish.
What i think most importantly however should be applied is the supernatural. you have a fantasy element such as undead, dragons and demons. What if you can become so evil and godly like jack of blades? I dont just mean very strong either..i mean the abilities also. When you get to a certain point in the game for example...grow wings, grant the ability of flight or any other supernatural power. Transform into something like jack did with the dragon. Have the ability to do everything everyone else can. I found playing fable 1 was isolating as you could not sit down or even chat properly to people.
As for continious play, i have a rather unique idea. Asd you pass on your genes to your children eventually you will grow old and die. When you are at an age where adventuring is impossible why not allow the chance to pass on the hero job to your child? play as that child or adult if you had children earrlier on. There you pas son your equipment and carry on the story. npc will react to you depending on how your father/mother was. As you play as this new person then your hero will enjoy life in his / her house exploring town and drinking. Doing all the things other citizens do until they die of old age. Of course they will be praised or feared by other npcs but this will really add realism and a sence of attatchment and sadness especially watching parents grow old.
Reply