Molyneux Reveals Why Fable 3 Will Piss Players Off

[SimuLord]

I'm more annoyed by Molyneux's richly deserved reputation for screwing up any innovations he does make. The more Fable 3 deviates from the norm, the more convinced I am that it's going to suck, not because it's innovative but because the innovations have Molyneux's no-talent assclown hands on them.

The guy hasn't made anything worth playing in forever and an age and we're still treating his opinions like they matter.

 

[the1ultimate]

Well, it sounds like Molyneux failed at some sort of anti-hype and/or controversy.

I'm starting to wonder why Fable is even called a RPG anymore, because at this rate the only RPG part of Fable is the fantasy tendencies in the setting. Not that that's a bad thing.

 

[viciouspen]

Man I hate this guy, he's always annoyed the frig out of me.

Figures things that might possibly be good for the game are things to his mind equal "oh this will piss them off".

 

[Lazy Kitty]

What? No HUD? Now it may be useful to have someone constantly say "Your health is low! Do you have any potions or food?"

 

[Rickyvantof]

It's pretty arrogant to think people will actually get angry over a design choice on a game you're developing...

I doubt there's more than 10 people who actually care.

 

[The Hairminator]

Sounds cool. -And hey, can't be worse than Fable 2, amirite?

 

[The Austin]

I know! What if you were to take all the mechanics from the original Fable, and make it into a new game? Sort of like a.... Fable 2! Yea!!!!

What? You already created a Fable 2 that was vastly inferior to the original because you wanted to try something new? Thats OK!

Just go back to the core Fable mechanics with Fable 3!!!

.....What? You're trying something different with Fable 3 as well?

.....THATS JUST FUCKING STUPID!!!

 

[FinalGamer]

Poor bugger's really taken a blow to his confidence after Fable 2.

But that's what you get when you do something stupid like making chapters DLC that we had to pay individually.

 

[TsunamiWombat]

Other then being slightly disturbed that I can 'touch' children, this sounds boring. Just like the last Fable.

 

[Gasaraki]

it seems to me that they're trying to turn fable 3 into an artsy game like ico.
while that's not necesarily a bad thing, i think people would rather have fable go back to it's adventure rpg roots.

 

[Yopaz]

Wow.......This actually sounds pretty cool, admitably Molyneux tend to over hype things, but these: apperence changes, Hud elimination and leveling experience actually sound like they will improve the overall experience of the game.

Maybe I'm just a craven optimist, but this actually gets my hopes up about this game.

I am with you there. I have never once experienced a health bar blocking my vision in real life, why would I want it in a game? I don't mind this change at all. I can see the problem with no experience bar, but meh, I often forget I can check that when it is there and just play for the heck of it anyway. And being able to sell people as slaves sounds like a great way to earn money and bring out that little sadist in you so you wont release it on the world.

A little off topic I know, but can you explain to me (and everyone else) how Australia works exactly when it comes to banning/allowing games? The rules seem pretty dictatorial for a democracy. Thanks.

They ban games that contain violence meant to amuse an adult audience.

 

[Therumancer]

Actually this does seem pretty horrible, and he did predict my response correctly. Basically what it sounds like is that he's turning Fable into an action game with improved story telling elements rather than an RPG in any way, shape, or form. What is described wouldn't even pass as an action RPG from the way it sounds.

I imagine the idea is that he (like many) are thinking of RPG gamers as a niche audience and feels that he can make more money by removing all of the stats and such that make something an RPG and get more users/sales by simply making an action game with a decent storyline and some non-combat interaction.

I personally do not care for the trend, largely because I'm an RPG fan,but also because I think it will end badly. All these RPG developers setting sale for "Action land" simply means that the action market dollars will be tugged in more directions and in the end more companies are going to fall when they are overcome. In the meantime the RPG market will go through another dry spell, until someone figures "oh hey, I can make money by doing RPGs, maybe not as much as the biggest action shooters, but a not inconsiderable amount" and tap it again until of course they inevitably get greedy.

So, basically Peter is jumping ship on even trying to make RPGs, and knows that this is going to irritate the RPG fans who had been supporting the series despite their complaints. But in the end he doesn't much care, because the grass is always greener on the other side of the pasture, and right now he thinks he's heading for some bigger paydays. The fact that he admits he's going to upset people, doesn't change the fact that he is stabbing a good portion of what fan base he had in the back.

 

[fun-with-a-gun]

The important question is:
are you able to die?
or do you get a thigh cramp as they slash your face?

 

[boholikeu]

Seems like it'll only annoy the "hardcore" that like tinkering around with stats and numbers in their games, but if you like that sort of thing you probably weren't playing the Fable series to begin with.

I'm starting to wonder why Fable is even called a RPG anymore, because at this rate the only RPG part of Fable is the fantasy tendencies in the setting. Not that that's a bad thing.

I think it's still considered an RPG due to the whole, you know, role-playing aspect of the game.

 

[the1ultimate]

I'm starting to wonder why Fable is even called a RPG anymore, because at this rate the only RPG part of Fable is the fantasy tendencies in the setting. Not that that's a bad thing.

I think it's still considered an RPG due to the whole, you know, role-playing aspect of the game.

<a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/columns/extra-punctuation/7038-Extra-Punctuation-Role-Playing-Games>In every game you play a role, but not every game is a role-playing game.

Genre definitions don't necessarily apply well to all games anyway. For instance, I wonder what genre Heavy Rain is going to be supposed to be. A Role Playing Game perhaps?

But it sounds like Molyneux is removing everything that makes Fable resemble a traditional RPG from the game.

 

[sidereal_day]

Actually this does seem pretty horrible, and he did predict my response correctly. Basically what it sounds like is that he's turning Fable into an action game with improved story telling elements rather than an RPG in any way, shape, or form. What is described wouldn't even pass as an action RPG from the way it sounds.

I imagine the idea is that he (like many) are thinking of RPG gamers as a niche audience and feels that he can make more money by removing all of the stats and such that make something an RPG and get more users/sales by simply making an action game with a decent storyline and some non-combat interaction.

I personally do not care for the trend, largely because I'm an RPG fan,but also because I think it will end badly. All these RPG developers setting sale for "Action land" simply means that the action market dollars will be tugged in more directions and in the end more companies are going to fall when they are overcome. In the meantime the RPG market will go through another dry spell, until someone figures "oh hey, I can make money by doing RPGs, maybe not as much as the biggest action shooters, but a not inconsiderable amount" and tap it again until of course they inevitably get greedy.

So, basically Peter is jumping ship on even trying to make RPGs, and knows that this is going to irritate the RPG fans who had been supporting the series despite their complaints. But in the end he doesn't much care, because the grass is always greener on the other side of the pasture, and right now he thinks he's heading for some bigger paydays. The fact that he admits he's going to upset people, doesn't change the fact that he is stabbing a good portion of what fan base he had in the back.

You know, I've often thought exactly what you said here but was never able to put it into words quite as effectively as you. I agree 100%. If I want to play an action game, I'll play an action game. Enough with the cutesy crossover bullshit the RPG genre has turned into.

EDIT: Big exception is of course Borderlands. That game is the tits on ritz.

 

[whycantibelinus]

Goddamn regenerating health, it's a fucking RPG for fuck's sake!!! I'm here to collect potions and what not!!! It's not fucking Gears of War!!!

 

[whycantibelinus]

Actually this does seem pretty horrible, and he did predict my response correctly. Basically what it sounds like is that he's turning Fable into an action game with improved story telling elements rather than an RPG in any way, shape, or form. What is described wouldn't even pass as an action RPG from the way it sounds.

I imagine the idea is that he (like many) are thinking of RPG gamers as a niche audience and feels that he can make more money by removing all of the stats and such that make something an RPG and get more users/sales by simply making an action game with a decent storyline and some non-combat interaction.

I personally do not care for the trend, largely because I'm an RPG fan,but also because I think it will end badly. All these RPG developers setting sale for "Action land" simply means that the action market dollars will be tugged in more directions and in the end more companies are going to fall when they are overcome. In the meantime the RPG market will go through another dry spell, until someone figures "oh hey, I can make money by doing RPGs, maybe not as much as the biggest action shooters, but a not inconsiderable amount" and tap it again until of course they inevitably get greedy.

So, basically Peter is jumping ship on even trying to make RPGs, and knows that this is going to irritate the RPG fans who had been supporting the series despite their complaints. But in the end he doesn't much care, because the grass is always greener on the other side of the pasture, and right now he thinks he's heading for some bigger paydays. The fact that he admits he's going to upset people, doesn't change the fact that he is stabbing a good portion of what fan base he had in the back.

Fucking christ this!!! And only this!!! RPG developers please read!!!

 

[boholikeu]

Actually this does seem pretty horrible, and he did predict my response correctly. Basically what it sounds like is that he's turning Fable into an action game with improved story telling elements rather than an RPG in any way, shape, or form. What is described wouldn't even pass as an action RPG from the way it sounds.

I imagine the idea is that he (like many) are thinking of RPG gamers as a niche audience and feels that he can make more money by removing all of the stats and such that make something an RPG and get more users/sales by simply making an action game with a decent storyline and some non-combat interaction.

I personally do not care for the trend, largely because I'm an RPG fan,but also because I think it will end badly. All these RPG developers setting sale for "Action land" simply means that the action market dollars will be tugged in more directions and in the end more companies are going to fall when they are overcome. In the meantime the RPG market will go through another dry spell, until someone figures "oh hey, I can make money by doing RPGs, maybe not as much as the biggest action shooters, but a not inconsiderable amount" and tap it again until of course they inevitably get greedy.

So, basically Peter is jumping ship on even trying to make RPGs, and knows that this is going to irritate the RPG fans who had been supporting the series despite their complaints. But in the end he doesn't much care, because the grass is always greener on the other side of the pasture, and right now he thinks he's heading for some bigger paydays. The fact that he admits he's going to upset people, doesn't change the fact that he is stabbing a good portion of what fan base he had in the back.

How is this "horrible" for RPGs exactly? All it does is take away the number crunching aspect of the genre, which imo was never RPGs' selling point anyway.

I'm starting to wonder why Fable is even called a RPG anymore, because at this rate the only RPG part of Fable is the fantasy tendencies in the setting. Not that that's a bad thing.

I think it's still considered an RPG due to the whole, you know, role-playing aspect of the game.

<a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/columns/extra-punctuation/7038-Extra-Punctuation-Role-Playing-Games>In every game you play a role, but not every game is a role-playing game.

Genre definitions don't necessarily apply well to all games anyway. For instance, I wonder what genre Heavy Rain is going to be supposed to be. A Role Playing Game perhaps?

But it sounds like Molyneux is removing everything that makes Fable resemble a traditional RPG from the game.

I had a feeling that I was going to get this kind of response, so I guess I should have been a little more specific in my last post. Yes, you play a role in every game, but you aren't necessarily "role-playing" per se. That term is usually reserved for playing a customized character in a rich storyline where the gameplay is focused on developing your character. That's why Fable 3 would still be a "role-playing" game while your average FPS/action platformer is not. "D&D style" mechanics such as HP/MP/XP are often included in the package, but they aren't necessary. If you need proof of that just look at the whole LARP phenomenon.

Heavy Rain seems to reside outside of classification, but I haven't seen anything kind of character customization so I probably wouldn't call it an RPG.

 

[the1ultimate]

I had a feeling that I was going to get this kind of response, so I guess I should have been a little more specific in my last post. Yes, you play a role in every game, but you aren't necessarily "role-playing" per se. That term is usually reserved for playing a customized character in a rich storyline where the gameplay is focused on developing your character. That's why Fable 3 would still be a "role-playing" game while your average FPS/action platformer is not. "D&D style" mechanics such as HP/MP/XP are often included in the package, but they aren't necessary. If you need proof of that just look at the whole LARP phenomenon.

Heavy Rain seems to reside outside of classification, but I haven't seen anything kind of character customization so I probably wouldn't call it an RPG.

I see what you're saying, but at what point does it stop being a game with RPG elements and start being an RPG? Batman: Arkham Asylum features upgradeable weapons, but it isn't an RPG. Prototype actually has XP orbs, but it isn't an RPG.

He said that he had removed the HUD, and the XP from defeating enemies. The weapons even sound individually customised.

Taking those away from a Fable game, aren't you going to end up with something more like an action-adventure? The Legend of Zelda (or maybe prototype)with a big dash of The Sims?