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"A lot is going to be happening" for Fable 2 at E3
Fable 2 community guru Sam has posted a hopeful (and obviously tired) developer blog over at the Lionhead community site. It seems like the crew at Lionhead has been in crunch mode for quite, working late nights with no days off. Sam notes, "The work is done, sort of. Not really, but most of it is." We feel for them, we really do, but we must admit that's not the interesting part of the blog. This is: "E3, next week. A lot is going to be happening. You'll just have to wait and see what exactly, but if any of you say 'this wasn't worth it' I will chase you and burn down your house." Dare we hope that our Fable 2 online co-op prognostication will finally come to be? We already scratched off one of our bingo spaces, here's hoping for another.Oh, and the game will be playable at E3 and, yes, we will be playing it.
Create-a-Henchman in Fable 2
Really want to play some Fable 2 co-op but don't have a character to import? No problem! Revealed in an upcoming OXM UK article, Peter Molyneux has made it known that second players will be able to create and customize their own henchmen in a flash. Plugging in a second controller brings up a menu which then allows the second player to create a new henchman and carry on playing. Sounds like just the ticket for some casual gaming friends who don't want to bother creating their own full character. The full Fable 2 preview will be in the next issue of the UK's Official Xbox Magazine, which goes on sale tomorrow. We expect details of that article will hit the net shortly thereafter, so stay tuned.
Lionhead.com gets a facelift, Tales of Albion
Keeping tabs on the Lionhead Studios website, as we are wont to do, we noticed that the website was down for a significant amount of time last week for upgrades. It is now live once again sporting fancy new layouts and even a new feature or two. Undoubtedly, the biggest new feature is the Tales of Albion, which is essentially a digital story book. You can crack it open and read the first section entitled "Fragments of the Old Kingdom," which tells the story of Albion's past. Two other sections -- "Fall of the Heroes" and "Travels in Today's Albion" -- will detail events that occurred between the first Fable and Fable 2. If you're a Fable nut, go check it out.
Fable 2 video diary 6 talks art, death and morphs
It's been a long time coming, but the sixth episode of the Lionhead's Fable 2 video diary is finally available. This installment deals with the art of Fable 2 and how it is integrated with the final product. We look at everything from concept art to texture mapping and also learn a few more details about how the game actually works. One note of interest is that not only are all the character morphs (strong or weak, fat or thin, good or evil, etc) making a return in Fable 2, but they can now also be influenced by a player's social behavior. We're not exactly sure how something like gambling influences appearance, but we're definitely curious.Also revealed in the video is a new detail about how the game handles death. Of course, we already know about scarring, but the video mentions that once a player is completely surrounded by enemies (when you would traditionally 'die'), the player will take part in "one last heroic struggle" (complete with swelling music) that will send the baddies flying and give players a second chance.Two final notes. One, the beginning of the video shows a fairly lengthy moment of Peter Molyneux taking his time circling "October" on a notepad. Make what you will of that. Two, we want our own Hobbe sculpture. Seriously. Find the video after the break.
New Fable 2 video: say hello to the 'populous'
IGN has posted a rather lengthy interview with Lionhead's Dene Carter, creative director for Fable 2. Alongside the interview is a brand new video that introduces us to some of the non-player characters (NPCs) in Fable 2. As fate would have it, the interview concerns NPC behavior (imagine that). Specifically, the interview talks about the three NPCs shown in the video: Arfur, Barnum, and Giles. While these characters aren't major NPCs in Fable 2 they still have a profound effect on the world of Albion and serve as "morality signposts" according to Carter. "Your interactions with them alter the fates of others, whole segments of the world and, in one case, the fate of their offspring," said Carter, further noting that interactions with NPCs as a child will have dramatic effects on the future, which players will uncover as they return to their childhood home as adults.All in all, it sounds like non-player characters will play a much larger role in Fable 2 than they did in the original. If you're looking forward to the game, watch the video and be sure to read the full interview. It's good stuff.
Become immortalized in the background scenery of Fable 2
Don your Victorian regalia, our fanciful readers, and you may earn your place in the annals of gaming history by appearing in Lionhead's much anticipated RPG, Fable 2. Just throw on that ratty old frock coat and strike your most Quixotic pose in front of a camera being operated by a tight-lipped, non-judgmental friend. Save the resulting blackmail image as a Ye Olde JPEG, send it in to Lionhead's art department, and you could serve as a model for one of the many paintings strewn across the interiors of Albion's exotic homes.It's a neat way to get your mug in what will no doubt be one of this year's blockbuster titles -- though you've only got until next Wednesday to submit your best Pimpernel-esque portrait. We trust you can carve out some time between the big quail hunt and the late night ether frolic to read the rules and regulations before you commit your extravagant visage to film.Still need insipiration? Look no further than the above image of Joystiq's own Justin McElroy. If there's a man who better embodies the unflappable spirit of a colonial gentleman, we have yet to meet him.
You can be in Fable 2. No, seriously!
Lionhead community manager Sam sends us word that Lionhead is looking for artist models to pose for Fable II paintings. Just imagine, you could be walking through a finely appointed house in Albion one day only to see a virtual painting of yourself hanging on the wall. Just how do you achieve this life-altering cameo? It's simple, snap a photo of yourself in a suitably artistic pose (see the above image for inspiration) and send it to webmaster [at] lionhead [dawt] com with the subject "FABLE 2 ART MODELS WANTED" (or you could just click this link). Lionhead suggests that you "Think old master, royal portraits or even the Mona Lisa! Dress up as an old or modern hero, go out to the countryside and find yourself a deer to shoot (not recommended) or just strike a suiting pose in front of an open fire." Lionhead also suggests acting out an expression from the original Fable.Entries have to be in by Wednesday, June 4, so you'd better hop to it. Now, if you'll excuse us, we have to go dig up our smoking jacket.
Watch Fable 2 right now ... sort of [update]
Update: Show's over, folks. Major Nelson sends word that the folks at Lionhead are showing off their latest playtest of Fable 2 right now and in real time. Okay, so it's not really real time. In fact, it's just a webcam that refreshes every ten seconds or so. Still, it's Fable 2 and it's playing right now. We realize it's kind of lame but, if you have nothing better to do (and we imagine many of you do), it's a good way to kill some time. There's no telling just how long the "show" will last, so head over to the Lionhead site (select the Sam-Cam) and soak up as much as you can. Who knows, maybe we'll even see some magic spells (finally).[Via Major Nelson]
Molyneux talks Fable 2, hints at online co-op
GameSpot has posted a video interview with Fable 2 maestro Peter Molyneux in which he discusses (what else) Fable 2. While most of the interview is just Peter going over things we've heard before (XBLA games, one button combat, etc.) there are a few notable bits here and there. First, most of the interview is spliced with footage of the game being played in co-op. Second, at the end of the video, Molyneux gives the tiniest hint at the next big feature reveal. Specifically, he hints that it's related to "playing together," which he enumerates as the third of Fable II's three features (the other two being drama and accessibility). Online co-op confirmed? Oh, we hope so. Finally, Molyneux hints "when the evenings draw in and it's a little bit chilly but not very chilly at night, I think we'll all be playing Fable." So, October then?[Via GameStooge]
Fable 2 arrives Holiday 2008, new media
click to enlarge Spring Showcase news just keeps pouring out, and now we've got some brand new shots from Fable 2 and (finally) a scheduled release for Holiday 2008. Granted, it's not too specific, but at least we've narrowed it down to somewhere between October and December. Included in our new gallery below are screenshots, character renders, concept art, and the official (and awesome) Fable 2 box art. We particularly like the image of the evil heroine seen above. We're not sure if all evil characters will receive the pale, vampiric look or if our evil hero simply spends too much time indoors. Either way, she looks badass, and frankly we don't think we'd have the courage to ask. Check out the gallery below.%Gallery-22749%
Fable 2 'content complete,' 3 more Fables planned, Danish site reports
Fable 2 is "content complete" with a measly 5,000 bugs to squash before it's completely complete, reports NeoGAF poster "Vinterbird" (aka Mikkel Vinther of Xboxlife.dk). The Danish site published a preview of Lionhead's second try today, based on a visit to the studio's headquarters in Guilford, UK last week. Vinther kindly translated the good parts, highlighting these new details in his post on NeoGAF: Mini-map has been replaced with a "bread crumb trail;" a dynamic golden line on the ground that directs you to a destination (read: medieval GPS) Magic system is divided into focused, single-foe attacks and ranged attacks; attacks can be built up into five levels using various spell combinations Speaking of spells, there'll be just eight (but remember, they can be combined) Every house in the game is up for sale; each house will unlock a sidequest, item or skill Rough estimation: 20-30 times larger than the first Fable [Microsoft says: "a world 10 times the size of the iconic Xbox game"] The gameworld features seasons and dynamic weather Cutscenes are interactive; the d-pad can be used to issue certain gestures that will steer conversations Sex minigame was canned; instead, screen goes dark and moaning ensues (sex can still be unprotected though! Babies, yes; STDs, unconfirmed) Female character was almost canned; almost. And finally: Three more Fable sequels are being planned. (Lionhead is currently wrapping up Fable 2 and focusing on an announced project.) %Gallery-22742%Read - NeoGAF postRead - Xboxlife.dk preview (translation)
Fable scraps: spooky new graveyard screenshot
Click to enlarge When it comes to Fable 2, we will gladly gobble up every single morsel of information that Lionhead sees fit to give us. The latest entry of the Fable 2 developer blog doesn't give us much, but something is always better than nothing, right? First, the sixth episode of the Lionhead video diary is now complete. It's currently holed up at Microsoft, waiting to be uploaded to the Xbox Live Marketplace. When the video will actually release is still up in the air, though the word "soon" is mentioned. Second, we have the brand new screenshot seen above. It is (if you haven't guessed) an appropriately spooky graveyard. We can't be sure, but we'd bet that it is likely filled with ghosts, zombies, or perhaps both.Finally, Lionhead's community manager, Sam, is having his wisdom teeth removed this week. Best of luck, Sam. Enjoy the nitrous.%Gallery-3398%
Fable 2 video diary 5 talks magic, co-op
The latest in Lionhead's Fable 2 video diary series has been released, this time focusing on the game's magic and co-op features. The co-op information is stuff we've all heard before (sorry, no Live co-op confirmation here), but there is a snippet or two about exactly how the magic system melds with the one button combat system. Basically, rather than pulling up a spell menu to cast spells, spells are chosen based off of how long the button is pressed and other factors. For instance, if a player casts a spell while pointing the left stick at an enemy, then a ranged spell will be cast. If the left stick is left neutral while pressing the button, then the game will instead select an area effect spell that emanates from the character outward. How exactly a player controls which spell is cast (fire, lightning, etc.) isn't made clear, although there is a mention of players setting up spells ahead of time.The rest of the video focuses on Peter Molyneux's presence at GDC and the public debut of Fable 2's couch co-op. Keep an eye out for a special guest appearance by CliffyB and even a shot of Major Nelson. Hopefully next time we can actually see some footage of the magic in action.
Fable 2 gets not one, but three XBLA games [update]
Update: We've contacted Lionhead for some clarification regarding just how the XBLA games will be released. At this point, the games could all be released as separate downloads or they could all be compiled in a single XBLA release. Final details regarding just what will happen haven't yet been set down. Also, all the games will still be playable within the Fable 2 game world regardless of whether or not players have also purchased the XBLA versions.After the revelation that there would be an Xbox Live Arcade game that attached to Fable 2, Peter Molyneux has now confirmed on Major Nelson's podcast that there will actually be three Xbox Live Arcade games that tie into Fable 2. For those that missed out on the news at GDC, these XBLA games will allow players to rack up gold (or, as we learned in our own interview with Peter, debt) in Fable 2. The two newly announced games are called Wizard's Tower and Mage Dice. Both games are developed by Carbonated Games (UNO) as was Keystone, the game announced during GDC. Pricing and release dates for the games have not been confirmed, though we suspect at least one will be available before Fable 2 releases.[Via CVG]
Fable 2 hookers and a terrifying poo story
We got a tip from Lionhead's community manager Sam about a new "developer blog" post, ostensibly one about Fable 2 prostitutes. You can see the sole image of said prostitutes above (and in high resolution here). Suffice it to say that the image above was seemingly the only article in the blog entry that actually concerned Fable 2's development. The text, on the other hand, is devoted to recounting Lionhead's liquid soap shortage and the resulting lack of hand washing, which is apparently causing a bit of panic. We don't want to spoil it for anyone, as it really should be read in its entirety. Just to whet your appetite then, an excerpt: "The people with the muckiest hands have become the leaders in this new order. "Make my tea or sniff my fart fingers" is a common threat from the artists."Remember when Lionhead was asking for people to submit insults for Fable 2? We'd say "sniff my fart fingers" just rocketed to the top of the list. Hit the "read" link for the full blog entry.%Gallery-3398%
X3F interviews Peter Molyneux about Fable 2, BC, XNA
We've already posted the audio of our interview with Peter Molyneux, but we know not everyone is down with spoken word. As such, we've transcribed the entire interview for your reading pleasure. In this massive interview, Molyneux discusses Fable 2 co-op (he thinks Live co-op is a great idea by the way), the possibility of versus multiplayer (which is also a good idea according to Molyneux), and we even manage to squeeze in questions about Microsoft's new XNA initiative and the ill-fated BC. Find the lengthy and informative interview after the break.
Overheard@GDC: Defragging the seats
The pink-shirted volunteers made GDC run smoothly, helping answer questions and usher people to the right sessions. Ten minutes before Peter Molyneaux's scheduled speaking time, attendees filled into the room. Conference-goers often left spaces between cootie-carrying strangers, but this pattern didn't bother a veteran volunteer. He shrugged to another helper, saying, "We really aren't defragging [yet]."
GDC08: Fable 2 to "touch more of the outside world"
After a slide hinted that a fourth, unnamed feature was set to be revealed by Peter Molyneux during a Fable 2 session at GDC today, we're left high and dry as the feature wasn't mentioned at all during the presentation. When asked about the mysterious fourth feature (more on the first three coming soon), Molyneux said that he wasn't allowed to talk about it. Why was it on the slide then, hmmm? Molyneux did hint that the feature would cause Fable 2 to "touch more of the outside world." Sounds like Xbox Live features. Considering an in-game menu featured a section titled "online," we'd say Live co-op and adversarial modes aren't out of the question. Either that, or the new feature is something entirely different: disappointment.
GDC08: Another new Fable 2 feature reveal coming today
We're currently sitting in a Fable 2 session at GDC entitled "The Big Three Features Revealed." Imagine our surprise when we saw the slide above (we'll excuse the missing apostrophe for now). Looks like Peter Molyneux might be revealling something we haven't heard about yet. Stay tuned.
Rumor: More Fable 2 details during GDC?
With the first day of GDC gone and the Fable 2 news already flowing, there are of course rumors of the floodgates flying open entirely. A recent post on the Fable 2 Development Blog lists the GDC events that the Lionhead employees will be taking part in, including a panel for Fable 2 entitled: "Fable 2: The Big Three Features Revealed." So, with that news we can be sure that by the week's end we'll have relayed the game's three big selling points, and if rumors are to be believed, there will be some multiplayer news as well. It was previously speculated that Fable 2 would utilize that ever-so-popular feature: online co-op, and hopefully that rumor will be confirmed or denied by the end of the week as well. Also of relevance to multiplayer rumors, over the weekend ripten.com reported that the wiki for Fable 2 had recently been updated to include details about multiplayer, though the source of the edit is, of course, unknown.%Gallery-3398%Read - Rumored Fable 2 details at GDCRead - Fable 2 concept art
