Fable: Dissappointments

oXYnary · Mar 2005

Im helping someone get some feedback on what Fable failed at. I remember a few discussions here talking about things that were pimped as being some of it core play, but failed to develop or mature in the full title.

What were these dissappointments (or advantages if you like).

Dark Bob · Mar 2005

you are 100% invincible once you get your archery skills all the way up. I just mowed my way through that game, think it took me 9 hours to beat.

Marine · Mar 2005

It was too short, no exploration, none of the boss battles were challenging, it's really fucked up that by the end of the game you not only look older than your elder sister, but your mother too, the weapon designs were boring, not enough equipment, not enough spells, nothing to do once you've beaten it, not enough of everything to be honest.

FatAssasin · Mar 2005

I think Peter Molyneux needs to cut down on the hype before a game comes out. Both Black and White, and Fable were billed as being total gaming revolutions, so there was no way either one could meets fans expectations by the time they came out.

Overall, Fable just wasn't enough of what I was expecting based on all the reports about it over the years.

gauss · Mar 2005

the consensus in other forums whenever Fable comes up is that some people can enjoy it for the game it is... but the other people believe that the game was crippled by the massive hype. yes, it's hard not to hype up games to some degree, but Fable got it extra bad. the disparity between all the pie in the sky features some people were expecting to be in Fable and then what the finished product was actually like just completely killed enjoying the game for some people.

so i think that was the biggest and most preventable failure--how about we keep our mouthes shut about features we very well know are ambitious and will probably get the axe by the time the game ships?

oXYnary · Mar 2005

[ QUOTE ]
e pie in the sky features some people were expecting to be in Fable and then what the finished product was actually like just completely killed enjoying the game for some people.

[/ QUOTE ]

What where these claims, and how did they fail to materialize?

johnwoo · Mar 2005

@ gauss "it's hard not to hype up games to some degree, but Fable got it extra bad"...I agree...it was overhyped imho...and I am 1 of the 3d Creature/Artists that worked on it...to be fair tho'..a lot of the press loved all the hype, but also the downside is to the consumer who gets the brunt of it, cos' they are the ones when reading articles of the hype and are then saving their pennies to buy the title on what the press has been told...only finding some are disappointed and some are happy with it...so I guess to conclude hype is both good and evil and should be handled with care and I'm not just talking about Fable, since to be honest it's not the only title to have been overhyped...for me personally tho'..I do feel honoured to have worked on a title that has sold well, won awards and is recognised...it's 1 particular achievement I personally am proud of...

Cthogua · Mar 2005

Hype, hype, and more hype...as was said by pretty much everyone else, I think thats basically the failing of Fable. If there hadn't been as much hype surrounding it, then it probably would have been alot more popular. Maybe even a "sleeper hit." Sure it had problems, theres no such thing as a game that doesn't...especially since there is no one more opinionated than gamers. Yeah I thought it was too short, but that in and of itself isn't a terrible thing...gameplay was fun (I thought) and I liked the way experience/level up stuff was handled. All that stuff gets spoiled as soon as someone says, "It is (or is going to be) the best (insert any noun here) ever" Now if it doesn't live up to those totally rediculous claims, it's going to seem like a disappointment. That happened with the movie Fight Club for me...all of my friends saw it a week or two before I did and all I heard all day long until I saw it (and after) was how fuckin cool this movie was. When I finally did see it I liked it, but I was alittle disappointed, mainly because it had been built up to be this "coolest movie ever" and thats just not realistic.

jus' some thoughts

James Ball

John Warner · Mar 2005

didn't he acctualy come out and appologize for all the hype that he didn't live up to?

KDR_11k · Mar 2005

I think what oXY wants is a list of the false claims that generated the hype.

Cubik · Mar 2005

John: Yes, I think he did post an apology on the offical forums.

Cubik · Mar 2005

http://allboards.lionhead.com/showthread.php?t=83152

Mishra · Mar 2005

hopefully the sequel will
a) not be so hyped up
b) be a great improvement on the original

ElysiumGX · Mar 2005

I remember sitting at lunch years ago (back in 2001 I believe), and reading a game magazine with a small article about the game's developement. Back then it was called Project Ego I believe. I think the Xbox was just released, and the game wasn't schedule for released until 2005 (hey, look what year it is). I remember seeing a simple screenshot of the character. But the description of gameply was the amazing part. A whole segment devoted to how the "environment will grow with you", and "if you cut down a tree when you're a child...". Now I love Zelda64, and the whole concept of playing with time for gameplay...so I was super excited. It was described as a game that would blur the boundaries of the genre.

I forgot all about it til last year. And then...

All the environment tech is gone (I watched the video that explains why). The characters in the game are fugly (no excuse for that). And the game is too short. I forgot how many times my 13 yr old brother beat it in one week. It's an OK game. Not revolutionary...just a game. They probably should have waited, included all they planned on, and released it at the end of this year with the Xbox2. But that's how the game developer crumbles...er...I mean cookie.

So for the sequel. Just show clips of the game...and keep your damn mouths shut (actions speak louder than words).

motives · Mar 2005

i have only played fable for an hour or two so im not the one to pass judgement on its content. However i think its not so easy to blame the game not doing so well on simply hype. imo its always content that matters in the end. Look at half-life2. Hype? yes. did it deliver? hell yea.

Cannon · Mar 2005

I loved it but then again I had never heard of the game until it came out. That may be a possible reason that I was not disappointed.

My only gripe was the length and smallish size of the game world really.

johnwoo · Mar 2005

@ElysiumGX
The comments you've made in the 1st paragraph are debatable, as seeing as you are quoting from an article afaik...but your comment
"The characters in the game are fugly (no excuse for that)."...whoa...whoa...hang on just a minute, have I missed something here?!?!?...how is this related to hype?...if you did'nt like the style then fine fair enough, but your comment (no excuse for that) is well out of order imho...I don't see your comment in any way, shape or form constructive but downright f'ckin insulting!...if your comment was mean't to be offensive then you've succeeded...

ElysiumGX · Mar 2005

I should have been more specific on which aspect is fugly, seeing as you are in fact the character artist and would easily take offense. The designs are fine. They are ugly most likely because of the limitations of the Xbox, which is also another backlash of the hype surrounding many of the first screenshots of the main characters. So I guess, that would be an excuse. During the beginning of the game, you chat with some small children, and my first reaction was "eeew". The texture resolution is poor.

"the ambitious Fable seems determined to redefine the way we play games."

Now if I wanted to insult, I would point out how odd it is that this type of hype can reach the public simply because your character can fart.

johnwoo · Mar 2005

If you would've cared (obviously not) to read my post, I am not "the" character artist, I am a 3dartist, who did mainly the creature work etc...that's beside the point...being an Artist (no matter what industry you are in) it IS a cross we ALL have to bare in regards to criticisms towards our work, I can take criticisms, constructive ones anyhow... dissing of work, just lessens my opinion of who is making the remark as it may seem difficult to muster anything constructive to say....what I mentioned that I saw was out of order seemed irrelevent to this topic...yet still...there has to be one who finds it hard to understand a meaning of a thread...ah well...sods law I guess...and lastly...you think that is insulting me?!?!...what the designers choose to implement in-game, well that's their decision...however "odd" that "fart" expression, I am sure it was not the core gameplay that everything revolved around...

Steve Schulze · Mar 2005

Hm. So are you collecting this information for the improvements to the game that are supposed to be happening on the PC version?

oXYnary · Mar 2005

Me? I have nothing to do with Lionshead as john can attest to.

It's just to help a friend who needs the info.

(PC version??)

johnwoo · Mar 2005

oXY does'nt work for Lionhead...afaik I am the only Artist from BBB that visits this forum...
btw... the PC version of Fable was announced last night @ GDC...

Fable: Dissappointments

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