Fable 2

[windseer90]

Pre-ordered it today at Gamestop when I picked up Madden and got the Pub Games. I cannot wait for this game... I am so pumped. Bad thing is, my Fall Break from college ends like 2 days before it comes out.

[Holic]

Ended up not getting Madden from GameStop. Will drop by there this weekend to get the Pub games. Hopefully I'm rich by the time Fable 2 comes around.

[vinny]

I absolutely hate purchasing at Gamestop/EB but I think I will give in this time to get the free pub games.

[Fresh Tendrils]

Quote: Originally Posted by vinny

I absolutely hate purchasing at Gamestop/EB but I think I will give in this time to get the free pub games.

You can also get the same deal from Amazon. They're sending out e-mails on the 15th with the code for the Pub Games.

[vinny]

Quote: Originally Posted by Fresh Tendrils

You can also get the same deal from Amazon. They're sending out e-mails on the 15th with the code for the Pub Games.

Thanks for the tip, I'll probably go that route.

[Flawless]

GameSpy: Fable II Environment Showcase

Quote:

GameSpy: Let's begin by talking about the three Fable II environments we're unveiling today: the Bowerstone Cemetery, the Temple of Shadows, and the Bandit Coast. Can you tell us about the thematic decisions behind designing each area? Iain Wright, Senior Designer: Bowerstone cemetery is part of Bowerstone city. By day, it's fairly tranquil and peaceful but it changes to a much scarier place at night. There is a dilapidated mansion here that would make a great place for an evil player to live and there's definitely something strange going on down in that basement. We knew we wanted to create a cemetery because we all used to play around in graveyards as kids, well I did anyway, and they hold a certain scary kind of magic, and what cemetery is complete without a creepy mansion? The cemetery also has a great view of Fairfax castle. I didn't used to play there as a kid, there wasn't a Fairfax castle where I grew up; there was a Windsor castle though, it was a pub my dad used to hang around quite a lot. GameSpy: How about the Temple of Shadows? Iain Wright: The working title for this location was The Temple of Evil, which goes a long way to describing what it is. Built in the mountain deep beneath a huge ruined monastery, it's one of the many internal regions we have in Fable II. If you are an evil player you will be seeing quite a lot of this place, but the inhabitants still make being evil amusing. They have a "wheel of fortune"-style device which can cause all kinds of pain and misery but in a way that's both productive and fun. The acolytes of the Temple of Shadows are truly, deeply evil, but in an organized and efficient way, a lot like estate agents or lawyers. We built The Temple of Shadows to reflect the deep-seated evil and misery but also catered to the need for ergonomic office space and a productive working environment. Trying to make a bastion of pure evil that also conforms to strict health and safety standards was a new challenge to most of us. GameSpy: And the Bandit Coast? Iain Wright: This coastal region grew out of our attempt at creating an outdoor dungeon, we wanted a simple linear feel that a dungeon gives but in an external coastal setting. It worked out so well that we used it between two other regions to represent a journey. We used the same technique in a few other places throughout Albion. It's a beautiful coastline with impressive sea views, only spoiled by the cutthroat bandits that have made it their home.

Quote:

GameSpy: How large is the world of Fable II? Iain Wright: The world of Albion is a lot bigger this time around; it's also a lot more open. The original Fable had beautiful-looking regions but they were slightly limited in the freedom they offered. One of the first things we wanted to do this time around was to open Albion up. There are no more invisible walls: You can swim, you can vault over fences and cliffs. We really wanted to free players up to go wherever they choose. As for the actual footprint of Albion, it's roughly (counts on fingers) 4,608 meters or 2.8632 miles for our external areas and 3,497 meters or 2.1729 miles for our underground caves, tombs and dungeons so the entire playable world is 5.0361 square miles, give or take a centimeter. Math isn't my strongpoint. There are also hundreds of buildings that need to be filled up with clutter and sim items, most of which are upgradeable to reflect the economy. Then there are the dozens of caves and tombs, all hand-built and decorated. Peter is going to have a word with his friend, the Queen of England, to get the level designers O.B.Es like his.

Quote:

GameSpy: One of the themes of Fable II is providing the player with the freedom to change the world around them. How does this impact level design? Iain Wright: It has a huge effect on the way we structure and build the regions, in some cases a single region can drastically change in as many as five major ways with variants and combinations within that. We have to build and keep track of all of those potential changes and when they get switched on and off. We also have the more standard changes like time of day, weather and seasons. One of the great things about being able to play Fable II online with friends is that you can see firsthand how different their world is in comparison to yours, and it's extremely unlikely that everyone will make the same choices across the entire game. Expect to see a lot of different versions of Albion.

[Flawless]

The Pub Games are decent, except for Spinnerbox, which is the worst thing ever. The items are really the only thing I care about winning. I got a few so far, including the trick that teaches the dog to do a backflip. Now I just want the high rollers coat, the gun, and the cutlass.

[goh]

Anyone get a code from Blockbuster? That's the only place to pre-order here and they still don't even have the game listed. I'm not paying $10 for this. More like $11.50 since I'm in Canada.