Fable 3

[Malc]

Confirmed for the Xbox 360 in 2010 by Peter Molyneux during Microsoft's Gamescom press conference:

http://kotaku.com/5340557/first-details-about-fable-iii

First teaser:

As early as March of this year, Fable designer Peter Molyneux teased to us that the series might take a different direction.

The "See The Future" DLC strongly and bluntly alluded to that new direction as well, and today's press conference in Germany seems to have cemented that into fact.

"Third in a series and second outing on same format can be a problem," Molyneux says. Instead of rehashing a slightly tweaked version of Fable II, the designer wants players to be surprised and "expect the unexpected." For Fable III, that means ruling a kingdom.

A voice-over for the game's teaser sums it up perfectly: "The kingdom of Albion is changing. The land needs a ruler. King or queen. Charished leader or rutheless tyrant. That future has not been written. The race for the crown has begun."

Instead of becoming a hero, players will start out as a son or a daughter of an Albion hero and become the ruler of all — explaining those recent teasers. For the first half of the game, players will lead a fight against a tyrant king by gathering support, gaining followers and uniting factions and then face the reality of why those things happen in the world.

Players must decide which promises they can keep for their followers, and those choices will not be as easy as they sound.
The developer has been inspired by historical figures like Joan of Arc, Richard III and Genghis Khan.

"Why not be that king or that queen? Your consequences and your judgement affect not just you, but the whole of your land," Molyneux says. The designer wants players to feel the power of their actions and how their consequences affect the land.

Like other Fable games, players can play the title as good or as bad as they want to. Choices include poverty, greed, tyranny, compassion, progress and tradition. Also, like in Fable II, the player's family will have a role in the game. You can expand your castle to please your queen or king, but at the expense of taking money from the pockets of your people. Characters from Fable II will also be appearing in the title.

The landscape of Albion will range from lush green to industrialized to show "dynamic regions" and how they show things like poverty and injustice.

Game mechanic-wise, Fable III allows players to pardon citizens or sentence them to whatever fate they like. It's up to the player to make those judgements.

Another new mechanic is called "Touch". Because the expressions of Fable II are not appropriate for Fable III (you are the ruler!), this new interaction allows players to shake hands, hug, embrace and even give a "full passionate snog". "Dynamic Touch" allows players to hold hands and, for example, pull them along to look at the sunset.

"Imagine hearing the cries from a young child in a house," says Molyneux. "You as a hero, a ruler, you storm into that house to save that child." Dynamic Touch will add more to saving that child than simply pressing A to save them, letting you feel the interaction of picking them up, pulling them away, saving them from a burning house. "Being able to touch people as a ruler and see how they react, that's what we want."

According to Molyneux, "You're going to see all sorts on injustices on the road to your rule." That road to rule begins in 2010 when Fable III arrives on the Xbox 360.

I'm liking the idea of making the player become the ruler of Albion. Being a King or Queen and deciding the fate of the ordinary people have taken your actions and its consequences to a much grander scale than Fable 2.

[Wools]

Here's a great little preview:

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/fable-iii-preview?page=1

Don't expect an easy decision, though: Lionhead isn't pretending that the wonders and horrors of the modern era aren't knotted tightly together. "We're interested in how industry can destroy nature, but also how it can create ships and balloons and cable-cars that take you farther afield and to other lands. It's about colonisation and travel as well. You're expanding the world by introducing industrialisation, but there's always that darker side, and that's war. You're producing war machines and militarising the population."

[fishbowlhead]

Hmmmmm so a bit of civilization thrown into the fable world then wools? but in real time i presume so you see your kingdom evolve? Sounds interesting ive much love for the fable series.

[Fargo]

This sounds really interesting, 2010 might just be the best year ever

[Jebus]

I guess this means I'd better go finish Fable 2 at some point then?

[fishbowlhead]

Oh and Wools, make a decent map this time

[Neon Ignition]

If this plays out how it sounds it could be an interesting direction. I'm keeping an eye out on the episodic version of Fable II. If the four charged episodes are more than 600points it'll be a stealthy way of charging more than the other Games on Demand titles.

[ChrisF]

Confirmed for the Xbox 360 in 2010 by Peter Molyneux during Microsoft's Gamescom press conference:

Uh-huh... we'll see.

[Riskbreaker]

Best gaming news I've heard this year, but 2010? My money is on 2012 earliest

I love the artwork behind the Fable series, the picture of the Queen reminded me of how my character looked at the end of last DLC. Lionhead should release an artbook.

Another vote for the map, sort that out!

[Eight Rooks]

There was an artbook, but only bundled with the LE of the strategy guide, as far as I know.

Too little too late for me, unfortunately - I got suckered in by Peter's promises Fable II would be substantially different and eh, sorry, but I don't count the same twee, grindingly unfunny 'Britishness', the same pointless 'be good for points' gameplay and the total lack of any challenge as that much of an advance over the first game. I can see why people enjoy Fable II but I don't think it's really that great a game.

[Riskbreaker]

Thanks for the info, shame about the limited availabilty of the artbook but I was more interested in something more akin to the SF Tribute book.

Can someone ask Peter for steam powered dog?

[Eight Rooks]

I actually did have my eye on the artbook - I may not have liked the game much (still beat it, though), but I likes pretty pictures, and I agree some of Lionhead's art design is fairly cool. It's not a very big artbook, though (not even up to the Assassin's Creed/Mass Effect/Halo 3 dealies). Just in case anyone tries to flog it to you at an inflated price.

[Ajay1986]

I guess this means I'd better go finish Fable 2 at some point then?

lol I was thinking the same thing, I got bored to death of Fable 2 about half way through.

[Charlie]

Fable 2 (along with Mario Galaxy) is my favourite game this gen and while the sequel probably won't deliver on many of it's promises, I'm confident it will have enough charm and beauty to steal my heart.

[Malc]

The first teaser trailer in better quality: