Natal Confirmed for Fable 3, In-Game Shop Also Planned

[Tom Goldman]

Natal Confirmed for Fable 3, In-Game Shop Also Planned

Peter Molyneux has broken down and officially confirmed that Fable 3 will make use of Project Natal.

Though the universe already knew that Project Natal was likely to be integrated into Fable 3 somehow, Peter Molyneux has officially confirmed this as fact. The news came out at a recent lecture of Molyneux's which took place at the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA). Molyneux reportedly also showed off Milo [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JF_HXTQ7Quo], the AI experiment and future ruler of time and space.

Further, Molyneux made it known that he intends to integrate an in-game shop into Fable 3, which would allow for seamless DLC purchases. Examples given for what might be offered were special weaponry priced at around $1 and "journeys" that would unlock new expansion areas. This would be a good way to let the mainstream know that extra content can be purchased online, just as long as it doesn't get too deep into micro-transaction territory (i.e horse armor).

Project Natal was unveiled at E3 earlier this year, and is Microsoft's effort in the new initiative to emulate the sales of the Nintendo Wii by getting rid of the common videogame controller. And that's just what Natal does, completely gets rid of the controller. For example, Natal allows gamers to control a racing game by pretending as if they were holding a wheel, and by moving their feet back and forth to simulate pedals. It also is a scanner of sorts, supposedly able to precisely scan real objects such as people's faces to log into Xbox Live accounts, and skateboards for use in a game.

Just what Natal will be used for in Fable 3 is still a big unknown, but if the game ends up forcing people to make chopping motions to chop wood, or the like, that will be disappointing. There is a huge amount of potential for Natal to be used in an RPG series like Fable; hopefully it won't be forced and will only be programmed in because the designers actually want it there to improve gameplay.

(Via Joystiq [http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/21/molyneux-confirms-natal-support-in-fable-iii/])

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[Spleenbag]

A cash shop in a game that's not some Korean MMO... I'm scared for the future. Although I know it's really just a front for the Xbox Live DLC service, stuff like $1 for extra weapons is a bit disturbing.

 

[LordCraigus]

Did you really have to include that massive pic of Molyneux's face? I wouldn't mind if it didn't make him look like he was some gigantc monster peering through my bedroom window. Now I know how a Sim feels.

 

[Beatrix]

There is a huge amount of potential for Natal to be used in an RPG series like Fable

Is there? Call me conservative, but I see no aspect of an action RPG that can be improved by motion sensing.
Guess NATAL and the MMO cash shop go onto my "List of reasons not to get Fable 3"

 

[Sun Flash]

My computer's really slow at loading things, so I was just going about my business, reading the OP, when BAM! Molyneux's mug pops up.

thanks Tom, I'll not be sleeping tonight

 

[Eric the Orange]

Bah, if it's necessary to play the game then I guess I won't be getting fable 3.

 

[calelogan]

That is one huge Molyneux face! People should make totem poles with it.

As for NATAL...We've seen a world of failed Wii games that used motion sensing controls just for...well...the sake of using them.

Let us hope the same does not happen to Fable 3.

(then again...would you want a game that would have you constantly switch between an Xbox controller and real life movements?)

 

[O maestre]

There is a huge amount of potential for Natal to be used in an RPG series like Fable

Is there? Call me conservative, but I see no aspect of an action RPG that can be improved by motion sensing.
Guess NATAL and the MMO cash shop go onto my "List of reasons not to get Fable 3"

seconded. i would really like a list of how exactly natal could be used to enrich an rpg experience like fable, where talking has never been paramount... in fact i have trouble even understanding how you would implement natal into any rpg, without sufficiently intelligent a.i.

 

[Sonicron]

As much as I don't like the concept of the whole thing, I can't wait for Yahtzee to sink his teeth into some Natal games. Seeing how pissy he gets about the current state of gaming I can already imagine his face contorting in unbridled wrath while flailing around in front of his TV like a drunken robot.

 

[Krakyn]

Natal doesn't seem like it could work in any action game, let alone an RPG. How to you move forward back left and right? How do you turn around? How do you open the goddamn MENU? Then add on the fact that you're playing an RPG, which means that you have to interact with people an objects...I can tell you right now that it's going to feel gimmicky and unintuitive.

 

[The Rockerfly]

Good luck I guess, I really hope that it uses it well and doesn't become a cheap gimmick like so many Wii games
f not I hope you don't sell well

 

[A.I. Sigma]

I play games as a hobby because it requires little physical effort for awesome things such as sword fighting and saving the world. I really don't want to have to start leaping around the room to play a game. Keep controllers!

 

[squid5580]

A cash shop in a game that's not some Korean MMO... I'm scared for the future. Although I know it's really just a front for the Xbox Live DLC service, stuff like $1 for extra weapons is a bit disturbing.

That is what you find disturbing? Wow I am frightened by the "journeys" thing. Just because it is easy for me to say "hey I don't need that sword for real money."

Although I am a bit confused by this. I don't know if it the way it is worded in the article or what. Are we talking like D&D here where you essentially get a demo until you start forking out the cash. Or is this like Fable 2 where you already have the full game and DLC is added in future updates? Need more info.

 

[KarmicToast]

I don't think the photo in this article shows off enough of Peter Molyneux's face.

 

[DRADIS C0ntact]

I've got no intention of ever buying Natal. Or Sony's motion sensing toy either, for that matter. So if Fable 3 will require it, they've lost my purchase.

 

[SomethingUnrelated]

I don't like the idea of Natal. It's changing gaming from good to worse.

 

[Casual Shinji]

So, it begins.

 

[Sixties Spidey]

Hey cool! Is there a "Make Lofty Promises of Greatness and Deliver on Fuck all on Any of Them" part with Natal? Oh wait! I forgot! That'll be the whole game!

 

[Voltano]

I'm puzzled as well on how a motion sensor control can improve an RPG--Or any game really. All this is doing is changing how a player interacts with a game, and I personally don't see this changing the core of a game in challenging the player. Maybe some gestures could do something like "draw sword" or "open menu", but this reminds me of one of Moviebob's latest videos on "Game Overthinker [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aC1taRsnU-k]" where he discusses that making controls too complicated that it's a challenge for the player to remember what hand gesture to give to the game in order to do those commands (Though I think the gesture used in telling the game what the player thinks of it would be easy to remember).

The cash shop idea is alright with me and may expand the longevity of the game a bit. Still, my thoughts on this are the same thing as I think of with Modern Warfare 2's server problem response [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/95594-Infinity-Ward-Responds-to-Modern-Warfare-2-Controversy]: Why not give both as an option?