Molyneux Is Sorry For Denis Dyack

VideoGamer.com sat down with Lionhead's Peter Molyneux at E3 last week, where he apologized for Denis Dyack not living up to his creative vision. "I feel sorry for Denis Dyack because you know, I think a few things were said wrong," he explained, responding to criticism that his original plans for a more dynamic, more interactive Dyack didn't come to fruition. Molyneux's original vision for Dyack was of game developer that matures with time, reacting to the environment and society in a natural way that would be appealing to all gamers. Players were promised a Dyack where you were fully free to explore, and were instead presented with a final product stubbornly set in its path.

Rumor has it that Molyneux is currently working on Denis Dyack II, which is said to feature more realistic gameplay, and possibly a dog.

Getting a proper impression of a game like Fable II, one that spans the lives of multiple generations, is almost impossible at an event like E3. And if Fable II lead Peter Molyneaux is being accurate when he calls the game "The biggest, most complete story of any game I've ever created," we haven't seen, well, anything yet.

That's why it's helpful that something like Fable II can be broken down into digestible, feature-focusing chunks. The game's dog, for example, with its ability to help out in battle, its nose for hidden treasure, we know is going to be A Big Deal. We won't be surprised if Man's Best Friend plays a more important role than Molyneux led us to believe in our sit down preview of his Xbox 360 game.

We just know he's going to emotionally manipulate us with that lovable digital mutt.

Fable II's Condoms Made From "Only The Very Best Animal Intestines"

Screenshots can be a messy business in this...business. Bullshots, Madden 06, Killzone 2, etc etc. But there's no doubting the validity of these new Fable 2 screens. They mightn't look the best when viewed in this gallery (or when compared to other shots you'll see this week), but hey, at least there'll be no let-downs when you drop in the disc as October rolls around.

Fable II Coming In October

Looks like those obsessive folks who paused Lionhead's latest Fable II developer diary to see what Peter Molyneux was writing on his notepad were on to something, as Peter Molyneux announces the release month for the game at Microsoft's E3 2008 press conference, and surprise - it's October! Ah, the lovely fall season, when a boy's thoughts go to spending time with his dog and choosing between good and evil paths.

Hey, You Got Stephen Fry In My Fable 2

Admission: I liked Fable 1. Being a longtime Molyneux fan, I knew to filter out the bullshit, and just enjoy it for what it was. And it was an above-average RPG, one of the best to appear on the Xbox. It was far from perfect, however. The linearity was a problem. As was the voice-acting. Which was provided, it seemed, exclusively by representatives of the Cornish dairy farmers association. Thankfully, that's a part of the sequel that's been improved, with the voice acting "kicked up a couple of notches", according to a report in the latest OXM. Partly due to the shift away from the rural setting of the first game, but also partly due to the fact they're now hiring proper talent, like charming British comedian Stephen Fry. Even if he's still just doing "oooyy, errr Ranger", at least now it'll be done with some dignity.

Exclusive: New Fable 2 details revealed! [OXM] [Pic]

Lionhead fan site Loinhead has posted a rather suspicious and alleged Fable II screen shot today, one that it claims originates from an anonymous source. The site cryptically writes "we seem to have found an image in the style of Fable 2 very shortly after the Collector’s Edition was announced." Hoax? Semi-clever marketing? Merely intense character customization?

My usually reliable Photoshop bullshit detector isn't being very helpful, but those who suspect that a Master Chief lookalike in Fable II is simply pixel alchemy are welcome to eyeball a larger version linked below.

Master Chief Rockin’ [Loinhead via Lionhead Forums]

Behold, The Fable 2 Collector's Edition

Fable II Pub Games: Get Gold Before Game Day

I fully approve of the developing trend of letting you play bits of the game before they come out, with the bits you play actually effecting the full game. The Spore Creature Creator, for instance, which lets get your creatures ready for the full release, and now the Fable II Pub Games. The Fable II Pub Games, which will be available on Xbox Live Arcade next month, will allow players to participate in three lively fantasy gambling games, with the money you earn transferring over to the main game upon release. Earn big bucks playing “Keystone,”, “Spinnerbox,” and “Fortune’s Tower,” and your character will be able to start off the game right, ready to purchases weapons, dog tricks...the sky's the limit.

Best of all, while the Fable II Pub Games will be available for purchase at 800 MS points, preordering the game from participating retailers gets you the mini-games for free, my personal favorite price.

Build Your Fable II Gold with Pub Games [Xbox.com - Thanks Peter!]

New Fable II Dev Diary Emphasizes October

Others in the NeoGAF forums point out that things still look a bit rough for an October release, though of course we're only seeing what Lionhead wants us to see. I've been known to take notes while on phone calls only to discover later that what I've written down had exactly no bearing on anything whatsoever. Perhaps he just loves the word October. Certainly is a very earthy word.

Lionhead Video Diary 6 (Fable II) [NeoGaf Forums - Thanks Fritz!]

Lionhead Drops Clues On Fable 2 Characters, Villains

One of Fable 2's villains will be "one of the most evil people in video game history," Lionhead creative director Dene Carter told IGN recently.

Eurogamer summed up some more of the recent hints thusly:

The first examples of the faces you'll come across in Fable 2 are Arfur, a murderous and vicious thief who sounds like the infamous Bill Sykes; Barnum, an unlucky inventor likely to be laughed off of Dragon's Den time and time again; and Giles, a tough-as-old-boots farmer who used to be a soldier and now has problems with a violent gang.

Nobody's saying just how many characters there will be in the world, but Carter said some 50 hours of voice acting has been recorded. And though Lionhead is aiming for an open-ended world, you won't be able to kill anyone where doing so will remove huge chunks of the story - wouldn't want to waste all that hard work, right?

Fable 2: Meet the Populous [IGN via Eurogamer]

Awwww. Fable II's hero sure was a cute little kid, wasn't he? The very definition of adorable little scamp. Soon he'll grow older, wiser, and get himself a faithful canine companion, but for now he's just a little guy just like the rest of us were, filled with the potential for great good and/or evil.

I'm really digging the art direction for Lionhead's latest. It reminds me of The Dark Crystal a little bit, which is pretty much the set point from which I judge all fantasy works that may or may not contain muppets. I just hope that once the game is actually released I will be able to finally look at something Fable related without hearing the words "Chicken Chaser" in my head over and over again.

Picture Yourself In Fable 2

Do you want to be in pictures? How about portraits? Lionhead is looking for photo submissions for Fable 2 Art Models, that is models who will appear in the portrats adorning the more well-to-do homes in the land of Albion. How can you get in on that action? Read on!

All you have to do is send in a picture of yourself in suitable artistic pose. 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. The thing that would make it even better is if you were to act out an expression from the original Fable.

I think that deep down inside, what Lionhead is asking here, is for you to send them naked pictures. I could be misinterpreting this of course, but it seems like that to me. You might wanna hurry, seeing as the deadline is June 4th. Luckily I have an entire folder of suitable shots aavailable for instant distribution.

ART MODELS WANTED [The Lionhead Times via Major Nelson]

Molyneux Says Fable 2 Follow Up A "Significant Scientific Achievement"

Fable 2: A Glimpse at the Beginning and A Co-Op Surprise to Come

The always charming Peter Molyneux took some time during yesterday's Xbox 360 Spring Showcase to walk folks through Fable 2. Specifically he was showing off the game's entire introduction, talking up the free roaming in the game a bit more and showing a little bit of fighting customization.

"We're going to be talking about Fable 2 today of course, next time I meet you we will be talking about our next new project, but today it's about Fable 2," he said. "It's going to be full of bugs and you're going to write some pretty horrible things about it, but it's about time that I show you what the game will feel like from the beginning."

Fable 2 In Action, Dog Included

Microsoft Shows Off Fall Lineup In San Fran

Microsoft is showing off their biggest titles at the Microsoft Game Studios showcase event in San Francisco today, and you're invited! Okay, so you aren't technically invited, but we'll be bringing you the latest news, screens, and videos from the biggest Xbox 360 titles of the year as the day progresses.

What are they showing? Ninja Gaiden II, Gears of War 2, Fable 2, Too Human, and several games without 2 or Too in them, including Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts, Viva Piñata: Trouble in Paradise, and Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness, Episode One.

Crecente will be there all day for the event, so you can expect all sorts of fun stuff from him later in the day. While we busy ourselves setting up galleries and processing videos for your enjoyment, feel free to read through the official press release, after the jump.

Fable 2 "Big-Ish"-Ton Next Week

If you're hankering for a hunk of Fable 2 news, you will want to carve out some internet time for yourself next week, as the official Lionhead Studios blog teases some big-like news. "A lot is happening" writes the official Lionhead dev blog, "if you are anxious to find out something new about Fable 2, I suggest you make sure you've got access to the internet, next week! Yes we are planning something (quite) big-ish."

Big-ish, eh? We know it's not the only big-ish thing happening next week, as we expect a respectable number of pre-E3 announcements throughout the week, but we have to wonder what Fable 2 secrets await us. Perhaps we'll see that ballyhooed acorn or learn more about in-game pregnancy! Who wants to make a guess? There's a no-prize in it for you!

Lost My Teeth! [Fable 2 Development]