~Fable 2 Pre-release FAQ~
Credit: toomuchbleach
(Version 2.0 because of velvetine semp's first version)
This is an overview on the information obtained from Lionhead studios. Credit goes to Lionhead Studios and XxStumpyness of the GS forums.
By reading this you could potentially learn of the beginning parts of Fable 2 so spoiler tags have been put in the appropriate section.
ESRB Rating: Mature
Release: October
Standard Unit Price: $60
Limited Edition Price: $80 (Will include a statue of a Hobbe, extra in-game content, and video extras.)
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Index:
1. Character2. Dog3. Combat4. Social AI5. Quests & Jobs6. Pub-games (Xbox-live) 7. Multiplayer8. Fable of Albion-(Story) 9. Game Engine10. Videos*******************************************************************************
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1.Character-If you've played Fable (originally known as Project Ego) then you probably know that Lionhead Studios wanted to make the player feel as if he/she could do anything. In order to make that dream a reality, Peter Molyneux helped develop an in depth characterization system that allowed players to create their own unique character. You decided whether to be Good or Evil, to be skinny or fat, even wizened or battle-hardened. It was an innovative and highly appealing system that drew people’s attention at E3.
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BH9D8UjHrZA&feature=related). The choices you make will ultimately determine how your character will morph throughout the game.
In Fable 2 it has been revealed that Good and Evil alignments will be making a return, and in addition to that Lionhead have added Purity, Kindness, Curruption, and Cruelty in Fable 2. Purity and Curruption determines your characters posture (this is the only feature I have heard of in terms of Purity and Curruption, if there is any information I may have missed on this subject
please feel free to add after I have finished posting). It's also said that your economical standpoint in the game does, in fact, affect your character. Tattoos, haircuts, and make-up will also be available in Fable 2 for more in depth customization. (Dev Diary 6) The player will also be able to decide what gender they wish to be.
One of the many interesting features in Fable was the ability to actually be able to start a family, be it hetero or homosexual. In Fable 2 you will be able to have protected or un-protected *** (Unprotected *** can possibly lead to STD’s), if you have un-protected *** the end result will be either impregnating your wife, or you, yourself becomes pregnant (If you’re in a, respectively, *** relationship you will be able to have a surrogate). It has yet to be revealed in any official announcement whether or not Fable 2 has been implemented to continue character progress in the story while pregnant. (This has yet to be announced and due to the fact that Fable 2 is content complete I believe it’s safe assume that your character will be able to continue venturing while pregnant.)
When the child is born, the little individual will reflect upon you. If you’re good the child will be a polite young man/girl, if you’re evil the child may come back from school to reveal a story of his mighty rumble with the defenseless boy with a crutch.
It's also said that your characters wealth will affect how your family will live. If your spouse dies your child will end up in an orphanage, whom you will still be able to visit. Peter Molyneux (PM) has made this feature in hopes to instill emotions within the player and make them feel good that you as a player had an impact and/or impression on someone.
Peter Molyneux created a town in Fable 2 known as Bloodstone made specifically to house those who enjoy and praise the acts of cruelty. Bloodstone was created so that even Evil players will be able to start a family in a place that reflects his/her Evil persona.
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2.Dog- Mans best cuddly little friend will make an appearance in Fable 2. The dog in Fable 2 has an advanced AI system (Artificial Intelligence) that is quite astounding to say the least. The dog has 3 built in laws, don't frustrate the player, unconditionally love the player, and self-preservation. The dog will also act as a HUD (Heads-up display) for the player showing points of interest in similar fashion to Gears of War. The dog will morph according to your alignment.
Your dog also cares about your social standard, so in town it'll act in a behaved manner and remain close to you. If you go inside a building he'll wait outside. In combat your dog will engage the most threatening thing to you on the battlefield, if your engaged in melee combat, your dog know that the riflemen in the back are your biggest problem so your dog will attack them, and vice-versa. The more damage you take the closer your dog will be from you.
If you don't desire your cuddly little buddy than you may attempt to abandon it by having the dog engage in combat, in doing so the dog may get wounded. By simply running away your dog will not be able to reach you (at least not for awhile), and after you've left your dog left with his bloody paw and limp, lets say that you go have a brew at the local tavern. Later, your dog will eventually track you down and start scratching at the door. Someone will open the tavern door to discover a bloody mess walk through back to its undeserving master.
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3.Combat- Combat had been adjusted to accommodate both new gamers and old. The X button has been adjusted to handle Melee combat, Y is Ranged, and B is Magic, this can allow the greener users to button-mash through the game and earn experience (You earn more experience for using those skills in variety). Or you can play in a more advanced style by adjusting skills to your melee button, you can customize your melee combat so that if you hold the X button you will be able to block as opposed to attacking in a wild manner.(Flourishs will make a return)
Your attacks will vary in style depending on your position, for example, if you're in an alleyway you won't be able to swing your sword because otherwise your sword might get stuck, so because you're in a confined space your attack variety is limited. It should also be mentioned that there will be an interactive environment, which means you will be able to use the surrounding elements, man-made or not, to your advantage in battle.
A new feature that has been added is the music-to-combat system; it's sort of like a combat multiplier in music form for accomplishing a series of combos.
There will also be a variety of weapons returning as well as an additional one... The Gun! (Longbows will not be returning, but crossbows will remain available).There will also be the return of augmentations for weapons and clothes.
There have been previous death systems, but I won't bother with them. The new system is based so that if your health is completely diminished that you will fall to the ground and the surrounding experience you have gained through battle will revive you enabling you to continue your journey. (As far as scaring goes, I'm unsure due to the lack of information from Dev Diary 6).
With each Will (Magic in Fable) spell there is an AoE (Area of Effect), so if you have the fireball spell instead of conjuring a ball of fire you can encircle the area around your character in a raging inferno of DOOM! (There are levels of how far you desire the radius to be.)
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4.Social AI- Not much has been revealed in AI terms, but Peter Molyneux assures the gaming community that Fable 2 will see a drastic difference in the social atmosphere. It has been said in interviews with Peter Molyneux that there will be more involvement in relationships with NPC's (Non-playable Characters) in Fable 2, and that you could in fact woo them with your masculity in battle.
Each NPC will have a certain personality adding a sense of realism to the atmosphere within Fable 2.
Your character will be able to befriend or agitate the people of Albion with expressions. (You can now determine how long your expressions will last.)
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5.Quests & Jobs- A new dynamic to the game includes getting a job for money and quests for renown. The jobs currently available in Fable 2 are Barkeep, Farmer, Woodsman, Henchmen, Assassin and Blacksmith. There has only been one job shown to the public of a character working in the Smithy, for this particular job there is a bar (quite similar to that of Tony Hawks Underground when trying to keep balance) that has green in a section of it, your objective is to hit that area as much as you can when the arrow is above the green part of the bar. You will eventually get better at the job as you continue to work there.
During the game there will be something called a breadcrumb trail that will follow the player through the main story quests.
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6.Pub-games (Xbox-live)- Lionhead will be releasing three games prior to the release of Fable 2 which will be available on Xbox-live, these minigames can allow the player to get money before the game even comes out (The games will be available in August). If you managed to get money in the minigames you’ll be able to obtain certain items before the game even comes out such as, hairstyles, equipment and tricks for your dog; or you can just transfer the gold you’ve obtained and use it in Fable 2. The games are called, Keystone, Mages Dice, and Wizard's Tower.
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7.Multiplayer- Peter Molyneux has revealed in Dev Diary 5 that Co-Op is possible, which means you can play with someone sitting right next to you. During the recent E3 conference it has been revealed that Fable 2 will be Xbox-Live enabled. It has also been said that players will be able to decide how to divide loot, experience, and reknown. Players will also be able to give things to their fellow players. Peter Molyneux also stresses that your "friend" can actually affect your gameworld when you invite him/her into your game. For example during GDC (Game Development Conference) Peter and one of his testers, Josh, was showing off the game, Josh had accidentally shot Peter Molyneuxs spouse, thus leaving him without a spouse and down one child.
While playing Fable 2 you will encounter Albion orbs, these represent players (more accurately players on your friends list). By pressing a button near the orb you’ll be able to allow a person to join your game world. (You’ll need a gold membership to play with people on Xbox Live)
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Spoilers
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8.Fable of Albion (Story)- The story in Fable 2 begins with a bird flying over Albion in a majestic manner, then plopping a huge dump in the face of a child... That’s you. The first part of the game has you running around the town of Bowerstone with your sister. Your sister and your young hero meet up with a fortune teller with a magic box, and offers to sell it to you. The box supposedly grants anyone one wish, so your sister decides to buy it. She wished that she could go to the castle and meet the lord of it. Someone than comes to you and says that Lord Lucien has summoned you to the castle, after a cutscene within the story, the game truly begins and you embark on your Journey. Fable 2's storyline is about you gathering heroes to climb up a tower called the Spire that Lucien has made, no matter what path you choose, Good or Evil, Lucien is the Baddie in this story.
If you choose to rush through the story it can take about 12 hours to complete the game. The game world in Fable 2 is ten times larger than the original Fable and players will be able to explore every nook and cranny.
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Spoilers Finish
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9.Game Engine- Fable 2 uses the following graphic engines:
Middleware (intergration)
Havok (physics)
Kynapse (AI)
AlienBrain 8 (3D Art)
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10.Videos.
Dev Diary 1 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOP60gfoHDI" target="_blank" title="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOP60gfoHDI">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOP60gfoHDIDev Diary 2-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrfSSzLP-zE&feature=relatedDev Diary 3-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gSncO6xl08&feature=relatedDev Diary 4-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTAd0B1Ij64&feature=relatedDev Diary 5-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NyWm7ikp5LU&feature=relatedDev Diary 6-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95xSLGc72zw&feature=relatedCo-op-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJMLfaE4PS8&feature=relatedPurity and Corruption-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwDqT8Cj8Fg&feature=relatedThe Dog-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGop7XfZomwThe Combat-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UFer-nS844More Links:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdDocupGkt0&feature=relatedhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BiHHK002Tkhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8HmRyhHpEAhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BekQmwSIHvc&feature=relatedhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-l8J9cI8iE&feature=relatedhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mz6O2YFw0mshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XsNB33EEZg http://www.gamersyde.com/stream_7865_en.htmlI hope this helps people understand Fable 2 a bit more, and will be looking forward to it even more.
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