The titles were:

• The RTS Dune 2: The game took players away from twitch play to a cerebral approach.
• Super Mario 64: The true precursor to the likes of GTAIV as it ushered in free roaming in an open environment.
• Tomb Raider: The game featured an iconic heroine instead of a muscle-bound man.
• Halo: The title brought FPS games to consoles.
• World of Warcraft: The use of “carrot dangling” to drive players to keep playing.

Agree? Disagree?

Molyneux picks his top 5 most innovative games [That VideoGame Blog]

That’s according to an account of the Microsoft Game Studios creative director’s talk at BAFTA’s Video Games Lecture from That VideoGame Blog. It sounds like Molyneux either envisions something along the lines of free-to-play MMO pricing tactics, in which the good stuff may be available to those willing to purchase or simply an easier way to get unlockable items.

Based on a tweet from Gamesbrief’s Nicholas Lovell, it sounds more like the latter. “In-game shops are just a way of monetising cheating,” Molyneux was paraphrased as saying at the lecture.

Of course, who knows how much of this will come to be, given Peter’s track record. But it sounds like interesting plans are afoot for the third Fable, like them or not.

Microtransactions coming to Fable III [TVGB]

In an interview at the PICNIC Conference in the Netherlands last week, Molyneux’s interviewer basically stipulates that there will be no Natal support in Fable III. Rather than move on to the rest of the question, Molyneux goes out of his way to correct the record, and then some.

Here’s a transcript of Molyneux’s relevant remarks, beginning with his questioner saying Fable III will not incorporate Natal.

I never said that.

I am going to say it’s going to use a controller. But I’ve never said it’s not going to use Natal.

And obviously what would probably happen if I started talking about this is you would see a little red dot appear moving on my forehead. And then as I would start to speak the words then there would be a shot, gunfire, and I would be assassinated. Quite clearly it is that sensitive.

But let me give this to you absolutely straight. I have not said that we’re not going to have Natal in Fable III. All I have really said is it is a controller experience. That doesn’t mean there isn’t going to be Natal.

Do you really think … knowing me … I wouldn’t want to use something like Natal? I mean that’s just mad, man.

The entire video is here — the beginning narrative is in Dutch but the interview is in English. The relevant Natal comments begin about 7:00.

Big thanks to reader Rowan for the tip.

Interview Peter Molyneux [PICNIC 2009] [Game Kings]

“Now, I hate demos,” Molyneux tells website Edge Online. “I think demos are the death knell of experiences. Over the years I’ve done demos and they’ve either completely ruined the game, given too much to the player, or they’ve confused people, so I said that we should give away the very first 45 minutes of the game, completely free, and just before you get to Bowerstone up comes this message saying, ‘If you want to continue playing press this button, but if you want to buy the rest of the game, press this’. So people that are interested but don’t want to commit to the full purchase can play more, and people that are into it can buy all of it, and they don’t lose experience or gold they’ve collected.”

Instead of a separate demo, it sounds like Molyneux would rather allow players to start playing the actual title. If they like it, they can buy the game. If not, they can stop and be done with it. Kind of like flipping through a book in a bookstore, but without the ability to sit in said bookstore all day and read the book free of charge. Dammit.

“If you think to the future I think you can see a world in which the close relationship with the customer that digital affords is going to completely change the way players pay for games,” adds Molyneux. That future, argues the designer, should be competively priced so that players are “second mortgaging [their] house” every time they’re buying an episode.

Interview: Peter Molyneux [Edge]

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. Cherished leader or ruthless 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 industrialised 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.

OK, this very definitely is about a Gamescom announcement, but the choice of historical figures is quite intriguing. Guevara and Robespierre are men of considerable controversy. Lincoln was also controversial for his time (well, it was a civil war), but he is remembered in a much better light than the other two. I mean, the guy’s on money. End of argument.

Honest Abe’s quote is about revolution and reinforces that theme. Any clues on what we’re dealing with other than yet another homepage countdown?

Lionhead Studios [site]

Visitors landing on Lionhead Studio’s website are now greeted by the visage of Maximilien Robespierre, a key figure in the French Revolution. Gamers will also note that the number six that was subtly displayed next to Che’s head has been replaced with a rather blatant number five today.

Peter Molyneux, no stranger to hype, seems to be preparing for some news, perhaps big news at next week’s GamesCom. Five days from now Molyneux, Creative Director of Microsoft Game Studiosm, will, according to Microsoft, make a “special announcement.”

Will it be for a revolutionary-themed game, or a game seen by Molyneux as revolutionary? Which ever it is, we’ll be there live to break the news.

Under the black and white image is a single quote from Guevara:

“At the risk of seeming ridiculous, let me say that the true revolutionary is guided by a great feeling of love.”
Che Guevara (1928 – 1967)

Visitors have to click on either a thumbs up or a thumbs down to continue to the main page.

Clicking on the thumbs up brings visitors to a page that includes the word “followers” in the HTML and features not only Che’s picture but two bullet-riddled scrolls partially rolled down the sides of the page. There are also tiny insects fluttering about.

Clicking on the thumbs down brings visitors to a similar page with “subjects” in the HTML. The scrolls are a different colour, there are no bullet holes, and the insects are replaced with what seems to be bits of floating dust.

The page also has a faded, hard to notice, number six stamped next to Che’s head. In six days, Lionhead’s Peter Molyneux will be speaking at a Microsoft Game Studio press conference to help kick off GamesCom in Cologne.

I think it’s fair to say we can expect some news. But what will it be?

[Lionhead Studios]

So who’s mentioning Fable III now? The New York Times, which is typically not wrong about much. More specifically, the Times “Weddings/Celebrations” section is talking about the next Fable game. Yes, Fable III is being mentioned alongside the announcement of Lionhead designer Joshua Atkins’ weekend wedding. PR is so weird!

This nuptial news source isn’t the first time Fable III has been rumoured to be underway, as British TV personality Jonathon Ross indicated his voiceover involvement in the third chapter. Peter Molyneux has hinted at what’s to come in future Fable games, citing the “See The Future” expansion as “a flavour at what’s going to be happening” in the next episode.

Again, no real confirmation that Fable III exists—for that, we’re checking in with Microsoft. But if it did, would anyone be surprised?

Amy Gilbert, Joshua Atkins [NY Times - thanks, Louis!]

Previously, Molyneux founded Bullfrog Productions where he created “god games” like Populous. After leaving Bullfrog, Molyneux created Lionhead Studios, which has churned out titles like Black & White and The Movies. That studio was purchased by Microsoft in April 2006.

In his new role, the game designer will oversee the creative direction of fellow UK Microsoft studio Rare, as well as other European external projects. He will continue to be based in the Lionhead offices. And those worried about his involvement in future Lionhead titles, Molyneux tweeted, “thanks for the support everyone. Just to be clear I will still be as involved with the design of lionhead games as ever was.”

Molyneux becomes European creative director at MGS [Develop]