PeterMolyneux
Latest
Molyneux hints at next big Fable 2 announcement
Super Lionhead Studios fansite Loinhead scored an exclusive interview with the creative mastermind behind Fable 2 Peter Molyneux. And in the interview Molyneux talks a little bit about his past failures (Black and White 2), in-game combat, and hints at one of Fable 2's next big announcements ... death. Molyneux doesn't give any specifics to how death will be incorporated into Fable 2, but goes on to say that in other games when you die "you go back in time twenty minutes to do the same thing over again. That's fine if I'm playing a platformer, not so fine if you're doing an RPG game". So, traditional ways of dealing with death will not be good enough for Fable 2. But we've already known that Lionhead doesn't plan on taking the traditional path with the sequel (dog anyone?).Check out more of Molyneux's candid discussion in Loinhead's complete video interview posted after the break.
Today's best friendiest video: Fable 2 dog
We previously covered Peter Molyneux's Fable 2 talk at GDC, and now the most-watched video at GameTrailers shows off Fable 2's dog, letting us take a closer look for tonight's video. Molyneux stresses not to scrutinize the graphics and that only the dog is worth looking at in the demo's current state. Overlooking the work left to be done, the dog seems to be well animated and deliver a lot of emotion; hopefully this companion will add more depth to the game.See the dog demo after the break.
A handful of unofficial Fable 2 dog shots
Sure, we've heard plenty about Fable 2's new dog -- we talk about it at length in the latest Fancast -- but only those of us lucky enough to have been at GDC have actually seen it (outside of a few blurry shots that is). Luckily for us, our friends from GayGamer.net were sitting right next to us at the presentation and bagged a handful of decent shots of the dog in action. They also managed to snap a shot of Bowerstone, the game's central city. As you gaze at all the buildings and shops in the photo, remember that you can buy every single piece of property you see.Sort of makes the wait for Fable 2 seem even longer doesn't it?
GDC: More Fable 2 feature goodness
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 Let's look at these more closely.
Fable 2 concept art includes that dog
Xboxygen posted a few new concept art images from Fable 2, which include that mysterious (yet revolutionary) dog. We now know why Lionhead Studios didn't release these images until after the big announcement, otherwise they'd have spilled the beans on the whole puppy thing and left people wondering "what the heck is that furry thing doing in my Fable 2 artwork?" So, go ahead and take a look, digest the recent Fable 2 news, pet your dog, and come back with a refreshed face and an optimistic outlook on life.
Revolutionary Fable 2 feature is a dog
There's a reason Peter Molyneux is smiling in this picture. He was nervous to reveal the "revolutionary" new feature in Fable 2. Several people on his own team told him not to do it. In fairness, it's definitely a risky feature. No one in their right mind would call it revolutionary at first glance. Yes, the intertubes were right: Fable 2's secret new feature is a dog. That's it. So, why is Peter smiling? He's smiling because he just convinced a room full of jaded journalists that a dog is revolutionary. Yup, it's a dog, but believe it or not, you will love it.
Fable 2: Man's best friend
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/gaming_news/New_Fable_2_feature_a_dog'; Though his calm and and exceedingly eloquent manner might suggest a more languid pace, Peter Molyneux wastes little time when raising expectations -- and he knows it. "I'm going to get into trouble for saying this," says the British game designer before launching into his Fable 2 GDC presentation. "If we don't think it's going to be a landmark game, it's going to be bloody pointless to make it." Several moments later, I find myself thinking about what a horribly cruel man he is.And that's a good thing. You see, one of Fable 2's key features is, well, a dog. Not some sort of magical beast or a disturbing, anthropomorphic St. Bernard. A tail-wagging, ball-chasing, honest-to-goodness dog. Fable's gesture system makes a return here, with petting and cries of scorn eliciting different reactions from the dog. At one point, Peter's on-screen character screams and waves his hands menacingly at the dog, frightening it into a quivering pile of fur. It seems mean, but the press members in the room chuckle appreciatively. Those monsters.
Fable 2 dog is the 'totally unexpected' feature?
French gaming site Xboxygen has posted some pictures of a dog. Not just any dog, but Fable 2's dog. Could this be the "totally unexpected" feature Molyneux teased us about?[Via Xbox 360 Fanboy]
Fable 2 is getting a cute puppy dog
The French folks over at Xboygen posted pictures of a new "character" in Fable 2. It's a dog! Your own personal dog to play with, train, and love while exploring the lush green world that Fable offers. In one picture, Peter Molyneux is pointing to our furry little companion and probably explaining how to get your dog to attack on command ... or so that's what we want to believe. And of course these screen grabs beg the question to whether or not this is the big Fable 2 announcement or just one interesting addition to the game. Only time will tell, but we'll find out soon as our very own Richard Mitchell will be getting the complete dish on Fable 2 during his coverage of GDC: 07. Stay tuned.
Detailed Fable 2 info coming at GDC
This year's Game Developers Conference kicks off in March and it looks like we'll get the insider dish on Lionhead's Fable 2. GWN.com dugg up information on the GDC's conference sessions and found one on Fable 2 hosted by Peter Molyneux. We double checked this information and located a GDC session called "Innovations in Fable 2" hosted by Peter and starting on March 8th. The description says that the "talk will centre around revolutions in Fable 2." and "will examine how key game play elements have been refined and expanded". Will we finally get every last detail on Lionhead's highly anticipated sequel? Will we get to see actual gameplay videos? Will Molyneux start the hype machine and over promise on all levels? We don't have any answers now, but we know that there will be some Fable 2 information coming out of GDC ... how much is still unknown.[Thanks, Jonah]
Fable scraps: first (crappy) screen shots!
The latest issue of the Lionhead Times is out, and this month it brings us the first in engine screen shots of Fable 2. As you may have guessed, the shot you see above is not representative of the final game (like at all). Still, Lionhead proclaims to be making lots of progress in development. In fact, the shots released today aren't indicative of the current build, which is apparently looking "beautiful." Still, we would be remiss not to share even the slightest bit of Fable related information. Another new tidbit, water has made it into the game. Not only that, but Lionhead claims that we will be able to do things with this water. Given the piratical nature of the character art released so far, we'd say it's a safe bet you can sail on it. But what other possibilities could there be? Swimming? Deep see diving? Mermaid adventures? We're keeping our fingers crossed for that last one (and we just might hear more about it when Peter Molyneux lectures at GDC). Follow the "read" link for the latest info and a screen shot of the soon to be infamous "crotch cam."
Molyneux, others join GDC lineup, Fable 'talk' imminent
Having the inside scoop, Gamasutra reports that Peter Molyneux, Killer 7's Goichi Suda, and a team of Final Fantasy XII developers led by Taku Murata are joining the GDC 2007 lineup. Molyneux, well known for his mastery of hype-building (and subsequent apologies), will by lecturing on Fable 2, musing aloud about the brilliant innovations that might or might not make the final cut -- Molyneux promises to reveal "a totally unexpected feature" (we've heard that before).Teasing aside, Molyneux is one of the most forward-thinking developers in the industry today. He might not always deliver, but he's earned his street cred for being a risk-taker. Molyneux's colorful presence is a key addition to GDC.Also making appearances during the conference will be Goichi Suda, who will illustrate the experience of working on a small development team (in this case, Grasshopper), along with Taku Murata and other core members of the FFXII team, who will reflect on the lessons learned during the game's development.
New Fable 2 feature to be revealed at GDC
GDC 07 (Game Developers Conference) is set to begin in March, and speakers are already being announced. Among these scheduled speakers is Peter Molyneux, the man behind Fable and its upcoming sequel, Fable 2. Molyneux will be at the conference to perform a lecture entitled, "Innovations in Fable 2." The lecture will discuss how elements from Fable have been changed and made better for Fable 2. Furthermore, Molyneux promises to reveal a new and "totally unexpected" feature in the game. What could it be? We have no idea, and after the amazing amount of hype built around the first Fable, perhaps its best if we don't get carried away.Our readers (that's you), on the other hand, can get as carried away as they like. Do you have any ideas for a great new feature in Fable 2?
Havok to power Fable 2 physics & animation
Havok announced today that Molyneux and company have licensed Havok Complete for Fable 2. 'Complete' rolls Havok Physics and Havok Animation into one integrated package.As Molyneux iterated, relying on Havok allows Lionhead developers to focus on the team's lofty aspirations, most-simply defined as dynamic regions, unconditional love, wealth accumulation, constrained combat, and an as of yet undisclosed uber-feature. As with the original Fable, at this stage it's hard to distinguish fantasy from reality (what gameplay elements will and won't make it into Fable 2's final release). But there is now at least one certainty: ragdolls.[Via 1UP]
Fable 2: Havok in the land of Albion
IGN reports that Lionhead Studios has adopted the Havok physics engine for use in the upcoming Fable 2. Peter Molyneux, the man behind the Fable series, hopes that Havok will simplify and streamline the development process, allowing designers to bypass physics calculation and instead focus on creating the game world itself. Frankly, we don't really care what sort of physics the game employs as long as it makes it out before 2008. Hey, Lionhead, how about throwing us some in game footage? We need something to obsess about, and concept art just isn't cutting it anymore.
New Fable scraps for Thanksgiving
The latest Fable 2 community update went live on Friday -- factoring in the international time change, that's technically next Tuesday -- and we're left with ... not much. Unfortunately, we still have virtually no gameplay details to give you. What we do have is this lovely drawing of a street corner. There are a few tiny details to give. The first of which is that the game looks "stunning." According to the update, the game is leaps and bounds ahead of the teaser trailer that was released at E3. Also, Fable 2 will feature new vertical elements that were absent from Fable. For example, water levels could rise, giving you access to higher areas, or you can jump down a hole to enter a subterranean dungeon. It's a simple idea, but it could add a lot to Fable 2's overall geography -- Fable was pretty flat when you think about it. The only other tidbit revealed is that development is proceeding on schedule, which doesn't help us if we don't have an actual release date with which to gauge Lionhead's progress. Still, this is the last community update this year, so we'll have to take what we can get.The question is, with only the odd piece of artwork now and again to keep you going, are you still excited for Fable 2?[Via Xboxygen]
Molyneux would've loved to work with the Wii
During an interview with Computer and Video Games, Lionhead Studios head and Fable creator Peter Molyneux took a chance to speak his mind regarding the Wii when questioned. The entirety of the interview is mainly based on Peter's work in the development field and his time at Microsoft, but he does take the opportunity to express his interest in Nintendo's console:CVG: Is the Wii something, under different circumstances, you'd like to explore? Molyneux: I'd love to play around with it. You know, it's a pure design challenge and the biggest change you can make in a designer's life is changing the controller and not thinking about 'oh we're not going to put this on the X button and that on the A button' - but having to do a complete re-think is quite an exciting challenge and something I would've loved to have got my teeth into, yes.
Fable 2 is playable! ... sorta
Word from Lionhead is that Fable 2 has reached the "FP" milestone -- that's dev-speak for "first playable." Don't get too excited, this just means that Microsoft has been sent a few functional areas of the game, so the publisher can be confident its money isn't only being blown on "office refurbishment" and pizza parties.The FP build also included a never-to-be-released quest, which, according to Lionhead's most recent community update, featured, "a magical potion, some pretty messed-up, dandy-dressed, wizard-types and most importantly such a dramatic outcome of a twisted nature, that it would make Joe Average Jr. freak out." We don't even wanna know ...
Molyneux: "I'm lazy... motion sensing may be annoying"
All right, so the subject line isn't a direct quote, but it's exactly how many gamers from days gone by feel. Lionhead's Peter Molyneux spoke at the Games Convention, talking about ways to switch up traditional combat games by removing hit points, adding one hit kills (Bushido Blade, anyone?) and more environment-player interaction. Valid points, sort of. An audience member asked how the Wiimote would treat these ideas and he responded thus: "If you wanted to make a big difference, where's the best place to make that difference? I think the controller is definitely it. There's no doubt in my mind that controllers are changing, and they're changing really fast."Good answer, right? He wasn't done. "I've realized I'm an incredibly lazy person when I play games, and actually slouching back on the sofa, playing on my beer belly, is my most comfortable position. When I have to get up, it's painful. I make noises and start grunting." Yeah. Many will agree that sitting in a straight, upright position (let alone having room to stand to move around with your controller) isn't their favorite way of playing games. Basically, the rest of his argument stated that the physical exertion (though little) isn't what gamers want to do for hours at a time. 20 minutes, sure. What does everyone think? If more subtle, creative ways were thought up to utilize the motion-sensitive controllers of tomorrow, is that better than waving it around like a sword for however long a game is? Or do you not mind swinging a fake sword, baseball bat, etc, for more than an hour at a time?
Peter Molyneux wants to change combat in games
During a Leipzig GCDC briefing, Lionhead boss Peter Molyneux laid out some ideas on how to change the way combat games work. According to Eurogamer, Molyneux said combat games have the same issues among them, in that they are all about the same thing: hit points, weapons don't do much damage and the environments mean nothing.Molyneux proposed that fighting in games should be more like the combat seen in films (using Kill Bill as an example). He said that game developers "do not treat a sword like a real thing; it's like a big squashy thing. And that's not what we want to present, or what Hollywood presents as combat." He said that he'd like to see more one-hit kills instead. Molyneux also pointed out that he'd like to see more one-button moves, saying that "around 80 percent of people use one button anyway." He said one button should do different things depending on the context.According to 1UP, Molyneux was also critical of motion-sensing controls being used in combat (referring to, but not specifically mentioning the Wii): "I realized, when I looked at myself in the mirror, I actually looked really stupid. Even with nothing in my hand, I get tired very, very quickly. I think motion-sensitivity is very, very useful, but I think the obvious way of doing it -- unless you're dealing with a 15 to 20 minute experience at most of actually being hugely physical -- is not where the opportunity lies here."[Update: Added video of Molyneux's presentation after the break.]
