Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Molyneux: 22 Cans conducting '22 Experiments,' first one due in 6 weeks]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/23/molyneux-22-cans-conducting-22-experiments-first-one-due-in/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/23/molyneux-22-cans-conducting-22-experiments-first-one-due-in/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/23/molyneux-22-cans-conducting-22-experiments-first-one-due-in/#comments ImagePeter Molyneux's new studio is going to create his greatest game ever, but first it plans to make 22 of the almost greatest games ever. 22 Cans, Molyneux's studio, is rolling out a project called 22 Experiments, a series of digital releases leading up to the "final product," Molyneux told Beefjack.

The first experiment could drop in as few as six weeks for undisclosed platforms. Molyneux said the projects are "very very different, unusual, I think very intriguing things," probably because that's his thing. During a talk at Imperial College London's GaME12 event, Molyneux provided a vague vision for the direction of his studio, saying he wants to use current technology in ways no one else has, and sharing the following idea:

"I love this one thought, and I have experimented with this in previous games, that you find out more about yourself while being engaged with this experience than [you would] with anything else. And we all love finding out about ourselves - whether it's through personality tests, or someone turning around to you and saying X, Y and Z."

We look forward to a seriously introspective game of 22 Questions starting in six weeks.

JoystiqMolyneux: 22 Cans conducting '22 Experiments,' first one due in 6 weeks originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 23 May 2012 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>22-Cans22-ExperimentsmicrosoftmobilenintendopcPeter-Molyneuxplaystationps3wiixboxWed, 23 May 2012 22:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Molyneux's Populous rebuilt as Caplin's Reprisal, play God now]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/21/molyneuxs-populous-rebuilt-as-caplins-reprisal-play-god-now/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/21/molyneuxs-populous-rebuilt-as-caplins-reprisal-play-god-now/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/21/molyneuxs-populous-rebuilt-as-caplins-reprisal-play-god-now/#comments ImageThe first true god game for PC, Peter Molyneux's Populous, unleashed its fury in 1989. Today, that omniscient rage has been remapped, revamped and softened in designer John Caplin's first title, Reprisal, an homage offering to the deity that is Populous.

Reprisal is browser-based and free, playable right here. So far Reprisal has snagged more than 1 million players, going by the game's Universe Population counter. Maybe give your fingers a good stretch first -- we hear playing god isn't so easy a task.

JoystiqMolyneux's Populous rebuilt as Caplin's Reprisal, play God now originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 21 May 2012 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>browserJon-CaplinpcPeter-MolyneuxpopulousReprisalMon, 21 May 2012 23:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Lionhead seeks multiplayer level designer for game development, long walks on beach]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/14/lionhead-seeks-multiplayer-level-designer-for-game-development/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/14/lionhead-seeks-multiplayer-level-designer-for-game-development/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/14/lionhead-seeks-multiplayer-level-designer-for-game-development/#commentsImageMicrosoft's Lionhead Studios is looking for a multiplayer level designer with "a deep understanding of online multiplayer games," a job posting reveals.

We assume Lionhead also would like any new designer to be adept at making the public forget Fable Heroes ever happened.

Lionhead's recent time in the spotlight hasn't focused on what games it may be creating, but instead on Fable creator Peter Molyneux's departure and what that might mean for the studio. With no other information or speculation on Lionhead's next title, aside from this multiplayer designer business, we're going to throw our best guess out there: A Team Fortress 2 clone that looks like Minecraft, plays like Call of Duty and is called "Half-Alive 3."

JoystiqLionhead seeks multiplayer level designer for game development, long walks on beach originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 14 May 2012 23:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Fable-HeroesjobLionheadLionhead-StudiosmicrosoftmultiplayerPeter-MolyneuxxboxMon, 14 May 2012 23:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Molyneux: Over 1,000 applicants for work at 22 Cans]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/21/molyneux-over-1-000-applicants-for-work-at-22-cans/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/21/molyneux-over-1-000-applicants-for-work-at-22-cans/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/21/molyneux-over-1-000-applicants-for-work-at-22-cans/#comments Peter Molyneux, the prolific game designer responsible for Populous, Black & White, Fable and other household names recently left his "creative padded cell" at Microsoft and Lionhead Studios to found 22 Cans - a development house which Molyneux believes will create his greatest game to date.

Creating the best game of your carrer requires a little help, though, which is why Molyneux is in the process of filling the vacancies at 22 Cans. Unsurprisingly, there have been quite a few more applicants than available positions: "We've had just over 1,000 people apply for jobs at 22 Cans. That's pretty damn exciting. I'm working 16 hours-a-day just answering those emails," Molyneux said during an interview with Giant Bomb.

Don't get the wrong idea, Molyneux isn't complaining about his daily time investment. In fact, the designer sounds thrilled by the prospect of extensive hands-on work with a smaller team after his time at Microsoft/Lionhead.

"The first thing I did was clear out my diary of all reoccuring meetings that just happen as part of running a company of 200 people, and being part of Microsoft. I realized that 75% of my day was just doing nothing," he said. "Now, doing everything from answering emails to doing press stuff, to going and talking at universities and designing the games, it just feels fantastic to be that hands-on, it really does."

If you want to be part of that 1,000-plus pool of potential applicants, check out 22 Can's jobs site for more information about the six positions that remain open as of press time.

JoystiqMolyneux: Over 1,000 applicants for work at 22 Cans originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 21 Apr 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>22-CansjobsPeter-MolyneuxSat, 21 Apr 2012 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Peter Molyneux 'not that interested' in retail]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/13/peter-molyneux-not-that-interested-in-retail/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/13/peter-molyneux-not-that-interested-in-retail/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/13/peter-molyneux-not-that-interested-in-retail/#comments Who goes into a store to buy games anymore? A lot of people, surprisingly, but Peter Molyneux ain't feeling it. For him, it's all about digital distribution.

"The incentives for driving me out of my seat and into a shop is becoming increasingly limited. I don't go to retail to buy a film. I don't go to retail to buy music. I don't go to buy books any more. And I'm certainly not that interested in buying games in shops, myself," he told Develop. "If you look at everything that's exciting, from the resurgence of PC to iPad and iPhones, it's hard to see where retail fits into that."

Molyneux, who recently left Microsoft and started up his own studio, 22 Cans, is hard at work on his first game under the new roof. It's unclear whether that title will rely entirely on digital distribution, but Molyneux has gone on record as saying it'll be his "best" game ever. We wouldn't take that at face value, though; he says that about every one of his games.

JoystiqPeter Molyneux 'not that interested' in retail originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 13 Apr 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>22-cansdigital-distributionfable-the-journeypeter-molyneuxretailFri, 13 Apr 2012 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Molyneux: Microsoft was a 'creative padded cell;' 22 Cans will see his 'best' game ever]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/11/molyneux-microsoft-was-a-creative-padded-cell-22-cans-will-s/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/11/molyneux-microsoft-was-a-creative-padded-cell-22-cans-will-s/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/11/molyneux-microsoft-was-a-creative-padded-cell-22-cans-will-s/#comments ImagePeter Molyneux, creator of Fable and famously parodied developer, left Microsoft and Lionhead Studios last month to establish 22 Cans, a brand new development house. 22 Cans marks Molyneux's fifth studio founding, but there's something different about this one, he told Develop:

"I believe it has all led me to this point. I believe the greatest game I've ever made is still ahead of me."

Molyneux is adamant that he is building something special with 22 Cans, in both the structure of the company and the games it will produce. So far he has co-founder and former Lionhead programmer Dimitri Mavrikakis, data miner Paul Knight and IT director Tim Rance on board, but Molyneux is looking to have 22 people total from various industries, including architects, veterans, fresh faces and people who know nothing about the video game world.

These people will help Molyneux make his "best" game ever; a game he couldn't create while at Microsoft. "I was in a creative padded cell," Molyneux said. "Microsoft was so safe. Microsoft was so nice. You're so supported. Everything I did couldn't hurt me, both creatively and physically. The danger was long gone. I had this huge desire to make something truly special, and I felt like I was being suffocated creatively a little bit."

Continue reading Molyneux: Microsoft was a 'creative padded cell;' 22 Cans will see his 'best' game ever

JoystiqMolyneux: Microsoft was a 'creative padded cell;' 22 Cans will see his 'best' game ever originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 11 Apr 2012 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>22-Cansbest-game-everFablefable-the-journeyLionhead-StudiosmicrosoftmobilemolyneuxnintendopcPeter-Molyneuxplaystationps3wiixboxWed, 11 Apr 2012 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[How Game Design Works / Doesn't Work: A Lesson From the 'What Would Molydeux?' Gamejam]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/02/how-game-design-works-doesnt-work-a-lesson-from-the-what-wo/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/02/how-game-design-works-doesnt-work-a-lesson-from-the-what-wo/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/02/how-game-design-works-doesnt-work-a-lesson-from-the-what-wo/#comments Image"Actually ... I don't know where I'm going with this."

At a 48-hour game jam, where time is more precious than money, a brief lack of direction isn't the disaster it would be at an Activision or an EA. It might even be a good thing, allowing just enough room and respite for that one idea that makes a fragmented game come together.

The participants of "What Would Molydeux?", a multi-city design event that derives game concepts from the whimsical, semi-sincere mind of Peter Molyneux's Twitter-bound doppelgänger, have the weekend to turn an inherently silly premise into something innovative and playable. And, you know, to figure out where they're going with this.

Continue reading How Game Design Works / Doesn't Work: A Lesson From the 'What Would Molydeux?' Gamejam

JoystiqHow Game Design Works / Doesn't Work: A Lesson From the 'What Would Molydeux?' Gamejam originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 02 Apr 2012 21:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>iosipadiphonemacmobilemolyjam-2012pcpeter-molydeuxpeter-molyneuxsan-franciscowhat-would-molydeuxMon, 02 Apr 2012 21:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Friends 'til the End flies out of 'What Would Molydeux?' 2012]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/02/friends-til-the-end-flies-out-of-molyjam-2012/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/02/friends-til-the-end-flies-out-of-molyjam-2012/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/02/friends-til-the-end-flies-out-of-molyjam-2012/#comments Image
This past weekend game developers all around the globe got together and tried to create games based on the amazing tweets of the Peter Molyneux parody persona, @PeterMolydeux. One of our favorites is Friends 'til the End, a game inspired by this tweet:

"You play as a small boy with a remote control helicoptor that is alive and your friend, then you discover a nuclear missle [sic] inside it."

In Friends 'til the End, players must simultaneously navigate a small boy and a toy helicopter through treacherous environments. We don't want to spoil what happens when you fail in the game -- check out the video above to see for yourself.

The event, dubbed "What Would Molydeux?" concluded yesterday. Friends 'til the End is designed by the folks at Tribute Games, whom you may recall from WizOrb. We really want to play it, so excuse us while we go do that right now!

JoystiqFriends 'til the End flies out of 'What Would Molydeux?' 2012 originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 02 Apr 2012 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>molyjammolyjam-2012peter-molydeuxpeter-molyneuxtribute-gameswizorbMon, 02 Apr 2012 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[What Would Molydeux? game jam expands; list of what would Molymake]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/20/what-would-molydeux-game-jam-expands-list-of-what-would-molyma/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/20/what-would-molydeux-game-jam-expands-list-of-what-would-molyma/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/20/what-would-molydeux-game-jam-expands-list-of-what-would-molyma/#comments "What Would Peter Molyduex, if he were here right now? We bet he'd kick an a..." and we'll let your twisted little minds fill in the rest of those lyrics. The What Would Molydeux? game jam has turned from a two-city semi-satirical proposition into a 16-city, truly international game jam, running from March 30-April 1.

What Would Molydeux? has developers choose a premise from any of @petermolydeux's brilliant and/or strange game propositions, and create it in 48 hours. It is important to note that Peter Molydeux is not Peter Molyneux, creator of Fable and former Lionhead Studios mastermind, but Molydeux does do a wonderful impression.

Molydeux is hopeful these proposals will see creation during the game jam, but anything from his Twitter is up for grabs. What Would Molydeux? begins at 7 p.m. local time around the world on Friday, March 30.

JoystiqWhat Would Molydeux? game jam expands; list of what would Molymake originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 20 Mar 2012 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>game-jamMolydeuxmolyneuxpcpeter-molydeuxPeter-MolyneuxWhat-Would-MolydeuxTue, 20 Mar 2012 20:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Peter Molydeux game jam may include real Molyneux, March 31 to April 1]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/14/peter-molydeux-game-jam-may-include-real-molyneux-march-31-to-a/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/14/peter-molydeux-game-jam-may-include-real-molyneux-march-31-to-a/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/14/peter-molydeux-game-jam-may-include-real-molyneux-march-31-to-a/#comments

Peter Molydeux may be recognized on some level as a comedic genius, satirizing Fable creator Peter Molyneux on Twitter in the form of outlandish, brilliant game proposals, such as:


It's turning out that Molydeux may just be a genius, all comedic modifiers aside. Yesterday, after the world premiere of the above trailer for Molydeux's latest parody, Pin Drop, things turned serious. Anna Kipnis of Double Fine tweeted the idea of a game jam "where each team picks an idea from @petermolydeux and goes for it," and Molydeux responded that he would give any jam based on his "world-changing designs" his "blessing and support."

Today we have MolyJam2012, set to run March 31 through April 1 (April Fool's Day) in San Francisco and overseas in Brighton, but developers around the world are invited to join via a shared sign-up sheet, Molydeux tweeted.

Continue reading Peter Molydeux game jam may include real Molyneux, March 31 to April 1

JoystiqPeter Molydeux game jam may include real Molyneux, March 31 to April 1 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 14 Mar 2012 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Ana-Kipnisgame-jamMolyJam2012pcpeter-molydeuxPeter-MolyneuxWed, 14 Mar 2012 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Phil Harrison heads to Microsoft as vice prez of Interactive Entertainment Business arm]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/13/report-phil-harrison-filling-molyneuxs-spot-as-head-of-microso/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/13/report-phil-harrison-filling-molyneuxs-spot-as-head-of-microso/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/13/report-phil-harrison-filling-molyneuxs-spot-as-head-of-microso/#comments We've officially turned on the theme song to Welcome Back, Kotter and started growing a lustrous mustache in honor of Phil Harrison's return to Game Industry Executiveland. This morning, reports from Europe indicated that Harrison would head to Microsoft -- Microsoft clarified the news later, which named him corporate vice president of Interactive Entertainment Business "with an emphasis on growing the division's European business."

Microsoft corporate vice president of Studios Phil Spencer welcomed Harrison in a press release. "We are honored to have Phil join a team that boasts a wealth of talent from across the industry," Spencer said. Harrison is charged with "overseeing UK-based developers Lionhead Studios, Soho Productions and Rare Ltd.," a role he'll likely warm to quickly given past work as head of worldwide studios for Sony Computer Entertainment.

Harrison's most recent employer is game industry venture capital firm London Venture Partners, where he served as general partner. He continues on as "special advisor." Harrison will not be replacing former Microsoft Studios Europe head Peter Molyneux (who recently left Microsoft), though he will be overseeing Lionhead. Molyneux's role at Lionhead as studio manager is currently occupied by COO Mark Webley, according to Microsoft.

Update: Microsoft announced Harrison's appointment this morning to corporate vice president of Microsoft's "Interactive Entertainment Business" arm, with a focus on European markets. See the full presser just below the jump.

[Image credit: Flickr user 'jontintinjordan']

Continue reading Phil Harrison heads to Microsoft as vice prez of Interactive Entertainment Business arm

JoystiqPhil Harrison heads to Microsoft as vice prez of Interactive Entertainment Business arm originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 13 Mar 2012 10:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>europekinectlionheadlionhead-studiosmicrosoftmicrosoft-game-studios-europemicrosoft-studiosmicrosoft-studios-europepeter-molyneuxphil-harrisonrarerare-ltdsoho-productionsxboxTue, 13 Mar 2012 10:50:00 EST<![CDATA[Peter Molyneux leaves Microsoft, off on 'new independent venture']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/07/peter-molyneux-leaves-microsoft-off-on-new-independent-venture/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/07/peter-molyneux-leaves-microsoft-off-on-new-independent-venture/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/07/peter-molyneux-leaves-microsoft-off-on-new-independent-venture/#comments
Fabled game developer Peter Molyneux has left Microsoft and Lionhead Studios for startup 22 Cans. In a statement to Kotaku, the creative lead of Microsoft Studios Europe said he will conclude his work on the latest Fable before going off on the next great adventure.

"It is with mixed emotions that I made the decision to leave Microsoft and Lionhead Studios, the company that I co-founded in 1997, at the conclusion of development of Fable: The Journey," Molyneux said in the statement. "I remain extremely passionate and proud of the people, products and experiences that we created."

Molyneux expressed the departure was amicable and Microsoft noted the ever-quotable developer "has made an indelible mark on the games industry and we wish him all the best of luck in his future endeavors."

JoystiqPeter Molyneux leaves Microsoft, off on 'new independent venture' originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 07 Mar 2012 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>22-CansBritainfable-the-journeykinectLionheadLionhead-StudiosmicrosoftPeter-MolyneuxUKxboxWed, 07 Mar 2012 09:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Fable: The Journey won't have swords or guns due to lack of feedback]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/11/fable-the-journey-wont-have-swords-or-guns-due-to-lack-of-feed/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/11/fable-the-journey-wont-have-swords-or-guns-due-to-lack-of-feed/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/11/fable-the-journey-wont-have-swords-or-guns-due-to-lack-of-feed/#comments If you tend to stick to the trees of Strength and Skill in the Fable series, you'll be out of your element in the series' Kinect-based installment, Fable: The Journey. In an interview with OXM, Peter Molyneux explained the player's bag of tricks would be limited strictly to magic. He added, "We could have done melee weapons, but the one thing I hate about melee weapons, and guns as well, is that the human brain is encoded to expect recoil from those things."

Molyneux said that satisfying that expectation of physical feedback was necessary, and that "visuals and the sound isn't enough." It's that weakness that makes the game's robust magic system work. Molyneux explained, "The thing about magic is there's nothing encoded in your mind about how it should feel." That's true! The only preconception we have in mind about magic is that it probably requires a lot of gesticulation; something we know for a fact the Kinect excels at.

JoystiqFable: The Journey won't have swords or guns due to lack of feedback originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 11 Aug 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>fable-the-journeykinectLionheadmicrosoftMicrosoft-Game-StudiosPeter-MolyneuxrpgxboxThu, 11 Aug 2011 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Molyneux admits Fable 3 wasn't 'all he dreamed it would be']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/27/molyneux-admits-fable-3-wasnt-all-he-dreamed-it-would-be/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/27/molyneux-admits-fable-3-wasnt-all-he-dreamed-it-would-be/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/27/molyneux-admits-fable-3-wasnt-all-he-dreamed-it-would-be/#comments Young people may choose to rely on new-fangled methods like websites and E3 press conferences for the announcement of new Fable games, but we're far too rooted in tradition for that. No, we learn about the existence of a new Fable game by hearing Peter Molyneux admit there were problems with the last Fable game, the way our grandfathers did it.

In an interview with Gamasutra, Molyneux admitted the game wasn't "all he dreamed it would be" saying, "It's hard to be completely honest without offending people; but I know, when I read in the middle of a review [of Fable 3] that said the quality just wasn't good enough, I actually agree with those reviews."

Now, that's the headline of course, and the reason you're reading this post in the first place, but you owe it to yourself to read Molyneux's explanation. He manages to get across why Fable 3 didn't meet its full potential (not enough time, primarily) without excusing the game's failings.

Oh Peter, you always know the perfect thing to say to win us over. ... Unless you're saying, "Hey, our game is done, let's sell it to people." Other than that, though, perfect.

JoystiqMolyneux admits Fable 3 wasn't 'all he dreamed it would be' originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 27 Jun 2011 14:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>fable-3lionheadmicrosoftpcpeter-molyneuxxboxMon, 27 Jun 2011 14:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Buy Peter Molyneux's E3 badge for a good cause]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/20/buy-peter-molyneuxs-e3-badge-for-a-good-cause/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/20/buy-peter-molyneuxs-e3-badge-for-a-good-cause/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/20/buy-peter-molyneuxs-e3-badge-for-a-good-cause/#comments Looking for the perfect accessory for that "Peter Molyneux at E3 2011" costume you've been putting together for the last week or so? Good news: you can buy Molyneux's E3 badge on eBay, and all the proceeds go to charity.

Continue reading Buy Peter Molyneux's E3 badge for a good cause

JoystiqBuy Peter Molyneux's E3 badge for a good cause originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 20 Jun 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>childs-playe3-2011fablefable-the-journeymicrosoftpeter-molyneuxxboxMon, 20 Jun 2011 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Fable: The Journey preview: Speak and spell]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/08/fable-the-journey-preview-speak-and-spell/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/08/fable-the-journey-preview-speak-and-spell/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/08/fable-the-journey-preview-speak-and-spell/#comments Shortly after Fable 3 was first announced, Peter Molyneux announced that it would include support for what was then called Project Natal. Of course, the final game abandoned that ambition with Molyneux explaining that in order to do right by both Kinect and Fable, his team at Lionhead simply needed more development time. So when Microsoft announced a Kinect-exclusive Fable game during yesterday's press conference - titled Fable: The Journey - it might seem obvious that some of that jettisoned Fable 3 content had been repackaged as a standalone Kinect title ... except it hasn't. "Whilst we thought about doing a gimmick or two for Fable 3, it was always in the back of my mind that it would be great to do a Fable for Kinect," Molyneux explained in his second demo ever for the new title.

In fact, the team working on The Journey isn't even the same as the team that made Fable 3. When he explained that the Journey team had two years worth of experience developing for Kinect, we had to ask you know what. "A lot of the team were working on Milo," Peter admitted after getting a nod from the game's marketing manager in the back of the room. "A lot of the Milo tech we're not showing off. This is the first outing of this so we're keeping some of our big stuff safe behind. A lot of the stuff you can do in Fable: The Journey is some of the stuff that was originally found in Milo."

Gallery: Fable: The Journey (E3 2011)

Continue reading Fable: The Journey preview: Speak and spell

JoystiqFable: The Journey preview: Speak and spell originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 08 Jun 2011 05:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>e3e3-2011fable-the-journeykinectLionhead-Studiosmicrosoftmicrosoft-game-studiospeter-molyneuxxboxWed, 08 Jun 2011 05:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Fable: The Journey utilizes Unreal Engine 3]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/06/fable-the-journey-utilizes-unreal-engine-3/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/06/fable-the-journey-utilizes-unreal-engine-3/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/06/fable-the-journey-utilizes-unreal-engine-3/#comments The cheerful hobbe you see above has been rendered in Unreal Engine 3. Lionhead Studios is using Epic's technology to power Fable: The Journey, a first-person Kinect game set in the land of Albion.

We'll ask Lionhead what user-side benefits the technology offers for this game in particular (which is a major departure from the franchise), but you'll be pleased to know that Peter Molyneux's already giving it the hyperbolic treatment in the press release. "Already we are seeing a more beautiful, vivid and unique world full of dramatic moments and have crafted new, never seen before gameplay experiences."

Fable 3 was built on Lionhead's own technology, which could be fairly described as "rickety."

Gallery: Fable: The Journey (E3 2011)

Continue reading Fable: The Journey utilizes Unreal Engine 3

JoystiqFable: The Journey utilizes Unreal Engine 3 originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 06 Jun 2011 19:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>e3e3-2011fablefable-the-journeylionheadlionhead-studiosmicrosoftpeter-molyneuxunreal-engine-3xboxMon, 06 Jun 2011 19:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Molyneux would welcome involvement in EA's reported Syndicate remake]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/29/molyneux-would-welcome-involvement-in-eas-reported-syndicate-re/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/29/molyneux-would-welcome-involvement-in-eas-reported-syndicate-re/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/29/molyneux-would-welcome-involvement-in-eas-reported-syndicate-re/#comments If an alleged remake of Syndicate is currently going on under EA's direction, Peter Molyneux, producer of the original real-time tactical game, would like the opportunity to talk with the development team (reported to be Starbreeze Studios). "It's a great feeling to see something you've created still have life or meaning," Molyneux told CVG, when asked to comment on the remake reports. "But my first thought is: 'I wish I could just spend a day with them saying what I thought was really special about Syndicate, or another [Bullfrog] title for that matter.'"

EA obtained the IP rights to Syndicate from Molyneux's old studio, Bullfrog Productions, when it purchased the company in 1995. Molyneux left two years later to found Lionhead Studios. In 2004, Bullfrog was merged into EA UK (now defunct).

Molyneux is confident that any team EA would select for such a project would "work it out," but notes that the situation would be like watching your kid grow up and become independent -- "you still want to be a little bit involved." He points to the DS version of Populous (a remake of his career breakout title) as being something he wished he could have had just "ten minutes" to discuss with the development team before they got started on the project.

Would Molyneux be up for a visit to EA's development offices to offer advice on a Syndicate remake? "Yeah, sure."

JoystiqMolyneux would welcome involvement in EA's reported Syndicate remake originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 29 Mar 2011 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>EAElectronic-ArtsmicrosoftpcPeter-Molyneuxplaystationps3starbreezestarbreeze-studiosSyndicatexboxTue, 29 Mar 2011 22:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Milo & Kate engine footage shows off mega meshes, derelict backyards]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/22/milo-and-kate-engine-footage-shows-off-mega-meshes-derelict-backy/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/22/milo-and-kate-engine-footage-shows-off-mega-meshes-derelict-backy/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/22/milo-and-kate-engine-footage-shows-off-mega-meshes-derelict-backy/#comments Before Milo captured the hearts and minds of a people (and was taken out back and shot like he had rabies), lead programmer at Lionhead Studios, Ben Sugden, worked on a world in which the boy could live. During his GDC panel, Sugden took attendees on a tour of Milo's world -- the video past the break shows that Milo's digs were quite pleasing to the eye, if a little unkempt.

Continue reading Milo & Kate engine footage shows off mega meshes, derelict backyards

JoystiqMilo & Kate engine footage shows off mega meshes, derelict backyards originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 22 Mar 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gdc-2011kinectlionhead-studiosmega-meshesmicrosoftMiloMilo-and-Katepeter-molyneuxxboxTue, 22 Mar 2011 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Molyneux: 'Minecraft's the best thing I've played in the last ten years']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/19/molyneux-minecrafts-the-best-thing-ive-played-in-the-last-te/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/19/molyneux-minecrafts-the-best-thing-ive-played-in-the-last-te/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/19/molyneux-minecrafts-the-best-thing-ive-played-in-the-last-te/#comments Is Markus Persson's blocky world-builder pretty much your favorite thing on the earth, right up there with blue cotton candy and baby laughter? You're among some pretty prestigious company -- in a recent interview with IGN, gaming industry titan Peter Molyneux sung the praises of Minecraft, even going so far as to say, "I think Minecraft's the best thing I've played in the last ten years."

Molyneux added that he appreciated the solo efforts of Persson, saying, "he did everything on his own, and I think how brilliant and inspirational that is, to not need the full force of publishers and marketing people." That's not all -- we hear Persson developed the entire game while astride the back of a gallant steed while holding an eagle in each hand. Now that's inspirational.

JoystiqMolyneux: 'Minecraft's the best thing I've played in the last ten years' originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 19 Mar 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>lionheadmarkus-perssonMinecraftMojang-Specificationsnotchpcpeter-molyneuxSat, 19 Mar 2011 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Following Fable 3 disappointment, Molyneux bounces back with BAFTA award]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/18/following-fable-3-disappointment-molyneux-bounces-back-with-baf/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/18/following-fable-3-disappointment-molyneux-bounces-back-with-baf/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/18/following-fable-3-disappointment-molyneux-bounces-back-with-baf/#comments Poor Peter Molyneux was down in the dumps. Following the "justifiably" mixed reception of Fable 3, Molyneux was wondering if his career had already peaked. "We just weren't good enough with the craft of what we did. That always makes you reflect," he recently told The Guardian. Apparently, Molyneux was even doubting his future in game development.

"'Have I already created the greatest game I'm ever going to create? Is the rest just a downhill struggle?'" he asked himself "late one night" a few months back. But then, the very next day he received a letter informing him of a BAFTA Fellowship nomination -- an honor he received in-person this past weekend. "As I walked up on stage I almost fainted. There was this sea of faces, and lots of people I've worked with before, and everyone stood. I was choking up," he admitted. "It was an incredible feeling, and I do immediately want to go home and start proving that I'm really, truly worthy of this."

Molyneux noted during his acceptance speech that his cyclical over-promising isn't a PR tactic as much as it's him "over-believing" in his own products. "I always truly believe that this is going to be the greatest game of all time -- I wouldn't try to do it any other way," he said. And we wouldn't want you to, Molyneux.

JoystiqFollowing Fable 3 disappointment, Molyneux bounces back with BAFTA award originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 18 Mar 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>baftabafta-fellowshipFable-3lionheadlionhead-studiosmicrosoftmicrosoft-game-studios-europepeter-molyneuxFri, 18 Mar 2011 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Peter Molyneux's 'FeedMe' is a 256-player Populous pet project]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/03/peter-molyneuxs-feedme-is-a-256-player-populous-pet-project/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/03/peter-molyneuxs-feedme-is-a-256-player-populous-pet-project/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/03/peter-molyneuxs-feedme-is-a-256-player-populous-pet-project/#comments After taking a trip back through the development of his first game, Populous, at GDC today, Lionhead's Peter Molyneux revealed that he's actually still working on the game. Programmed by Molyneux in his spare time, "FeedMe" is a 256-player version of the original Commodore Amiga title -- and the audience for his presentation got a rare look at it.

Showing if off wasn't easy. Molyneux had to compile the Visual C++ code, encountered a fatal error and sucessfully debugged it. The result: a very basic, high-res Populous world map with almost no user interface. In the course of watching this, we realized that the famed designer has only one game in the taskbar on his computer: Minecraft -- which, when you think about it, does draw inspiration from Molyneux's world-manipulation-based classic.

JoystiqPeter Molyneux's 'FeedMe' is a 256-player Populous pet project originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 03 Mar 2011 21:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bullfrogeaelectronic-artsfeedmegdcgdc-2011macmultiplayerpcPeter-MolyneuxpopulousstrategyThu, 03 Mar 2011 21:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Peter Molyneux receiving BAFTA Fellowship]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/21/peter-molyneux-receiving-bafta-fellowship/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/21/peter-molyneux-receiving-bafta-fellowship/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/21/peter-molyneux-receiving-bafta-fellowship/#comments A couple weeks after he picks up his lifetime achievement award at GDC 2011, Peter Molyneux will continue his award tour by picking up a similar accolade with the British Academy of Film and Televisions Arts' (BAFTA) Fellowship. He'll just have to swing by this year's GAME British Academy Video Games Awards on March 16 -- or, they can surely just mail it to him if he's tired of being praised by that point.

The Fellowship is awarded for outstanding achievement and contribution to the industry through an individual's body of work. With series like Fable, Populous and Dungeon Keeper attached to his CV, it's not hard to see why the organization wants to give Molyneux another trinket for his collection. According to a BAFTA rep, previous winners include Will Wright, Nolan Bushnell, Charlie Chaplin, Alfred Hitchcock and, last year's recipient, Shigeru Miyamoto.

JoystiqPeter Molyneux receiving BAFTA Fellowship originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 21 Feb 2011 15:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>awardawardsBAFTAbafta-fellowshipbritish-academy-of-film-and-televisionmicrosoftPeter-MolyneuxxboxMon, 21 Feb 2011 15:15:00 EST<![CDATA[GDC giving Molyneux lifetime achievement award, tapping Schafer to host again]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/19/gdc-giving-molyneux-lifetime-achievement-award-tapping-schafer/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/19/gdc-giving-molyneux-lifetime-achievement-award-tapping-schafer/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/19/gdc-giving-molyneux-lifetime-achievement-award-tapping-schafer/#comments That's right, one of the most prominent game designers to hail from that magical land across the pond (Merlin and dragons, anybody?) is going to be honored at GDC 2011 with a lifetime achievement award. Peter Molyneux, best known for the creation of the "god game" genre (and child coercion), will be honored during the show's Game Developer's Choice Awards. Not a bad way to celebrate a career that's over 23 years in the making.

In addition, Tim Schafer will return as host of the show. He will give a talk on March 2nd and, we imagine, go around the show with a desk on wheels, interviewing random attendees, Conan style. That's what we'd do, anyway.

JoystiqGDC giving Molyneux lifetime achievement award, tapping Schafer to host again originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 19 Jan 2011 22:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>game-developers-conferencegdc-2011Peter-MolyneuxTim-SchaferWed, 19 Jan 2011 22:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Molyneux: Fable series not 'limited' by trilogy formula]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/18/molyneux-fable-series-not-limited-by-trilogy-formula/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/18/molyneux-fable-series-not-limited-by-trilogy-formula/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/18/molyneux-fable-series-not-limited-by-trilogy-formula/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Three: it's just a nice, round number. You have a beginning, middle and end. Good things are also said to come in threes, but according to Lionhead's Peter Molyneux, Fable 3 doesn't necessarily close the book on Albion and the franchise. During an Inside Xbox segment at Eurogamer Expo (transcribed by GamerZines), Molyneux said he hates "limiting" the studio to a trilogy. "Forget about the word 'trilogy.' I'm not going to tell you what happens at the end of Fable 3 but I don't think you'll feel in any way that you've reached the end of a trilogy."

It's by no means confirmation the series will extend past the third entry, sure, but if Fable 2 is any indication, we'll likely feel the same way at the end of Fable 3 as we did two years ago: wanting more regardless.

JoystiqMolyneux: Fable series not 'limited' by trilogy formula originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 18 Oct 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Fable-3LionheadLionhead-StudiosmicrosoftpcPeter-MolyneuxxboxMon, 18 Oct 2010 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Fable 3 preview: A second date with co-op]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/17/fable-3-co-op-preview/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/17/fable-3-co-op-preview/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/17/fable-3-co-op-preview/#comments We know Fable 2 didn't quite get co-op right. To hear Peter Molyneux talk about it, it was a "poorly implemented feature." And that's where Fable 3 comes in. The threequel promises to fix three specific shortcomings of Fable 2's co-op experience: bringing your hero into another player's game; returning to your game with the gold and items you earned; and (yes!) detaching the camera.

First, the henchman problem. Since the concept of co-op was introduced into Fable 2 later in development, the game's quests were never designed to accommodate two heroes with all of their possible abilities and characteristics. Instead, when joining another player's game, your carefully curated hero would be replaced with a generic henchman. Hardly the kind of experience that drew players to Fable in the first place. In Fable 3, you take your hero - weapons and all - with you into a friend's game.

Gallery: Fable 3 (TGS 2010)

Continue reading Fable 3 preview: A second date with co-op

JoystiqFable 3 preview: A second date with co-op originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 17 Sep 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>co-opFable-3Lionhead-StudiosmicrosoftMicrosoft-Game-Studiospeter-molyneuxTGS-2010xboxXbox-LiveFri, 17 Sep 2010 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Fable 2's co-op shortcomings as explained by Molyneux]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/17/fable-2-co-op-shortcomings-as-explained-by-peter-molyneux/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/17/fable-2-co-op-shortcomings-as-explained-by-peter-molyneux/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/17/fable-2-co-op-shortcomings-as-explained-by-peter-molyneux/#commentsFiled under: , ,

"I think we're taking a poorly implemented feature in Fable 2 and really making it shine in Fable 3." Peter Molyneux's enthusiasm, equally infamous and infectious, doesn't necessarily extend into the past. The creative director of Microsoft Game Studios Europe guided us through Fable 3's improved co-op design during a Friday morning TGS session, eagerly contrasting new features with some earnest recollection of the previous game's shortcomings.

"Well, to be honest, the problem we had -- it was a bizarre problem -- is that every time you do something different, and this will sound horribly mechanical but it comes down to this at all times ... When you create a different version, then that needs a complete test pass," Molyneux explained. "So we had in Fable 2, because co-op came in quite late, couch co-op and we had [Xbox] Live co-op. We hadn't really planned for the fact that we were going to have to do a test pass. An entire test pass for the single player; an entire test pass for the couch co-op; an entire test pass for the Live co-op."

Intent on adding online co-op to Fable 2 within a limited time frame, Lionhead Studios essentially went for a prudent two-for-one deal: take the working couch co-op online. "We could save a whole test pass if we made Live and couch co-op almost identical in Fable 2, and we were kind of running low on time so we had to do that," said Molyneux. Since the game essentially believed it was running on one screen, both players had to relinquish control of the camera -- and one had to settle for playing as a generic impostor in place of a true hero.

In Fable 3, you're allowed to take your hero into someone else's game, along with your upgradeable weapons, abilities and fluffy, canine companions. You can marry your co-op partner, divorce them, go into a business partnership and even play pat-a-cake with them. And -- finally -- both players have a fully controllable camera. This is how the best internet romances start.

JoystiqFable 2's co-op shortcomings as explained by Molyneux originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 17 Sep 2010 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>co-opFable-2Fable-3lionhead-studiosmicrosoftmicrosoft-game-studiospeter-molyneuxtgs-2010xboxxbox-liveFri, 17 Sep 2010 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Molyneux: No 'Pub Games' for Fable 3, but something else this October]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/19/molyneux-no-pub-games-for-fable-3-but-something-else-this-oc/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/19/molyneux-no-pub-games-for-fable-3-but-something-else-this-oc/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/19/molyneux-no-pub-games-for-fable-3-but-something-else-this-oc/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Fable 3 Molyneux
In 2008, Fable 2 had a unique pre-launch promotion in the form of Fable 2 Pub Games, an Xbox Live Arcade collection of three gambling minigames. The money earned from the XBLA game (and for cheaters, it was an awful lot of money) could then be transferred into the action RPG and fund further in-game gambling. Pub Games won't return for the release of Fable 3, but there is some kind of new tie-in that Lionhead plans to reveal in "early October" -- a few weeks ahead of the game's October 26 launch.

In an interview with Joystiq today at Gamescom, Microsoft's Peter Molyneux wouldn't get into details about the project, but did seem to fiddle with his mobile phone as he said, "It's more to do with this sort of thing." Molyneux previously teased another Fable 3 tie-in back in February, but that turned out to be the player-created NPCs. This appears to be something different.

The designer had some colorful commentary on Pub Games, describing the infamous exploit as a "disaster." After finding out that unscrupulous individuals could start the game with millions in gold, Lionhead had tried to pull Fable 2 out of certification in order to make the word "cheat" float over their head of anyone that left Pub Games a little too rich. He concluded jovially, "That's not going to f*cking happen in Fable 3!"

JoystiqMolyneux: No 'Pub Games' for Fable 3, but something else this October originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 19 Aug 2010 14:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Fable-3microsoftPeter-Molyneuxpub-gamesxboxThu, 19 Aug 2010 14:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Molyneux's Milo demo from TED conference now available]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/18/molyneux-milo-demo-from-ted-conference-now-available/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/18/molyneux-milo-demo-from-ted-conference-now-available/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/18/molyneux-milo-demo-from-ted-conference-now-available/#comments Lionhead Studio creative lead Peter Molyneux gave a TED talk last month featuring a whole mess of information about his team's "very big tech demo," Milo & Kate. Milo squashed snails and discovered the garden of his freshly minted New England property -- it was nothing short of moving.

Now, through the magic of the internet, Molyneux's TED presentation is available for all to see (just after the break). Learn why snails are replaced with butterflies when you're playing with Kate and how that whole "hive mind" thing works -- no two Milos or Kates are the same, Molyneux claims. Also, you won't want to miss what happens just beyond the 10-minute mark. Check it out.

Continue reading Molyneux's Milo demo from TED conference now available

JoystiqMolyneux's Milo demo from TED conference now available originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 18 Aug 2010 12:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>lionheadlionhead-studiosmicrosoftmicrosoft-game-studiosMiloMilo-and-Katepeter-molyneuxtedxboxWed, 18 Aug 2010 12:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Fable 3 designer explains overhauled magic system]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/11/fable-3-designer-explains-overhauled-magic-system/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/11/fable-3-designer-explains-overhauled-magic-system/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/11/fable-3-designer-explains-overhauled-magic-system/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Lionhead Studios' senior design director, Josh Atkins, recently informed CVG of yet another batch of changes the developer is incorporating into Fable 3 -- the most notable being the game's completely overhauled Will (see: Magic) system. Whenever a player learns a new spell, they'll automatically be able to charge it up to its maximum level without investing additional points into it. As a player levels up in a particular spell, they'll be able to charge it much more quickly, even to the point of "insta-cast" -- a boon for those who found Fable 2's slow-charging magic to be prohibitively unwieldy.

In addition, young mages will be able to mix and match their spells in up to 20 different combinations -- for instance, Vortex plus Fireball equals Fire Vortex, a spell that's just as delightful and destructive as it sounds. For more details on the game's overhauled arcane arts, check out Atkins' discussion with CVG.

JoystiqFable 3 designer explains overhauled magic system originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 11 Aug 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Fable-3Lionhead-StudiosmicrosoftMicrosoft-Game-StudiospcPeter-MolyneuxxboxWed, 11 Aug 2010 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Molyneux: Milo currently a 'very, very big tech demo']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/06/molyneux-milo-currently-a-very-very-big-tech-demo/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/06/molyneux-milo-currently-a-very-very-big-tech-demo/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/06/molyneux-milo-currently-a-very-very-big-tech-demo/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Peter Molyneux echoed statements made by Microsoft's Aaron Greenberg about Milo and Kate's status as a game in an interview with the Game Hunters. Molyneux said that "I don't think of it as a released product at the moment. I still think this is a very, very big tech demo. I don't think of it as something that would be a boxed product on the shelf."

He did say that players would actually get a chance to interact with something based on Milo, despite one major hurdle. "There's a lot of huge mountains to climb before that happens," Molyneux said. "The reason for that is it is enormously contentious for us to do a game, a story, an experience, about a boy. You are immediately appealing to all the dark thoughts of humanity." (We totally weren't going there!) Molyneux sees this taboo as a challenge, citing Up, a film "about an old man and a Boy Scout" as a successful transcending of this taboo that we didn't really think about in the first place.

The fact that Molyneux is in such a drawing-board stage gives us a clue as to why we can't expect to see it this holiday season.

JoystiqMolyneux: Milo currently a 'very, very big tech demo' originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 06 Aug 2010 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>KinectmicrosoftMiloMilo-and-KatePeter-MolyneuxxboxFri, 06 Aug 2010 20:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Interview: Peter Molyneux talks Kinect, Milo, and Fable 3]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/06/interview-peter-molyneux-talks-kinect-milo-and-fable-3/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/06/interview-peter-molyneux-talks-kinect-milo-and-fable-3/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/06/interview-peter-molyneux-talks-kinect-milo-and-fable-3/#comments Just after Engadget Show host Josh Topolsky finished grilling Peter Molyneux on stage this past Wednesday, we wrangled Molyneux for another interview. First and foremost, we had to clear up what happened to the promise of Kinect in Fable 3 -- and we already told you his answer to that -- but we also wanted to venture into more general discussion.

Molyneux spoke openly to us about the potential of Kinect, his personal struggle with promising game mechanics that may or may not end up in the final release, and how the success of Fable 2's episodic release will influence his studio's future.

Continue reading Interview: Peter Molyneux talks Kinect, Milo, and Fable 3

JoystiqInterview: Peter Molyneux talks Kinect, Milo, and Fable 3 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 06 Aug 2010 09:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>fable-2Fable-3lionheadlionhead-studiosmgs-europemicrosoftpeter-molyneuxxboxFri, 06 Aug 2010 09:55:00 EST<![CDATA[Molyneux: Fable 3 Kinect features needed more development time]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/05/molyneux-fable-3-kinect-features-needed-more-development-time/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/05/molyneux-fable-3-kinect-features-needed-more-development-time/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/05/molyneux-fable-3-kinect-features-needed-more-development-time/#commentsFiled under: , ,

During last night's Engadget Show, Lionhead boss Peter Molyneux revealed that, despite earlier claims, Kinect functionality wouldn't ship with Fable 3 this October. We got a chance to speak with Molyneux after the show and asked him to explain what happened. "We probably could've done some little side quest with Kinect, but I love Kinect so much and I love Fable so much that I think we needed to have some time to develop it," he said. Molyneux also noted that Lionhead has a team working on Kinect right now and, if he "were a betting man," Kinect would play some role in Fable "at some time, it's just not gonna be at launch."

Molyneux wasn't allowed to get too specific with regards to Kinect prototypes Lionhead was working on for inclusion in Fable 3, but he did explain why they got scrapped. "I just said to myself 'Is this what people would expect Kinect to be in something like Fable?' And the answer, quite frankly, was 'no.' We're still working on that stuff, we're still adding stuff to it, and, as I said, I think the future for Kinect and Fable is probably bright."

Stay tuned for our full interview with Molyneux later.

JoystiqMolyneux: Fable 3 Kinect features needed more development time originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 05 Aug 2010 10:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Fable-3kinectmicrosoftpeter-molyneuxxboxThu, 05 Aug 2010 10:55:00 EST<![CDATA[Molyneux: Fable 3 will not include Kinect functionality at launch]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/04/molyneux-fable-3-will-not-include-kinect-functionality-at-launc/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/04/molyneux-fable-3-will-not-include-kinect-functionality-at-launc/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/04/molyneux-fable-3-will-not-include-kinect-functionality-at-launc/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Lionhead boss and Microsoft Game Studios Europe director Peter Molyneux has revealed on the Engadget Show that Fable 3 will not ship with any Kinect functionality, despite past confirmations to the contrary. Joystiq spoke with Molyneux following his appearance on the show and learned that some form of Kinect content may be available post-launch, and that whatever was initially planned to be built into the game just wasn't up to snuff.

We've spoken with Microsoft PR, which was unaware of Molyneux's exact comments. It reaffirmed that the legendary designer is a strong proponent of Kinect, and has spoken of its use in Fable 3 before, but also told us that it can't discuss what role the hardware will play in the game "at this time."

Look for our full interview with Peter Molyneux tomorrow morning, August 5.

[Thanks, Blacked Out]

JoystiqMolyneux: Fable 3 will not include Kinect functionality at launch originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 04 Aug 2010 21:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Fable-3KinectmicrosoftMicrosoft-Game-StudiosPeter-MolyneuxxboxWed, 04 Aug 2010 21:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Come see Peter Molyneux at tonight's Engadget Show, live in NYC (and on 'the internet')]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/04/come-see-peter-molyneux-at-tonights-engadget-show-live-in-nyc/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/04/come-see-peter-molyneux-at-tonights-engadget-show-live-in-nyc/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/04/come-see-peter-molyneux-at-tonights-engadget-show-live-in-nyc/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Engadget Show
If you happen to live in or around the New York City area (or have an internet connection at home) and happen to like things that are awesome, have we got a treat for you!

Tonight, Wednesday, August 4th 2010, the stars have aligned to bring you a Very Special Engadget Show: Peter Molyneux, head lion at Lionhead Studios, creative director (and chief feature promiser!) for Microsoft Game Studios Europe, Kinect pitchman, and also designer on a little game called Fable 3. If you want to see Peter talk (and talk and talk) we highly suggest you get yourself to the Times Center in NYC tonight. Ticketing begins at 5:30, doors open at 7:30, and the show begins at 8. No worries if you're not in NYC and can't make it. The show will be streaming live at Engadget starting at 8:05pm ET and, as always, will be available for download later this week.

If you want to hear what one of gaming's most consistently thoughtful and enthusiastic creators has to say about everything from Kinect to Milo to who knows, you'll want to be there. For more details, and directions, click that Source link below.

JoystiqCome see Peter Molyneux at tonight's Engadget Show, live in NYC (and on 'the internet') originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 04 Aug 2010 14:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Fable-3microsoftNYCPeter-MolyneuxThe-Engadget-ShowxboxWed, 04 Aug 2010 14:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Peter Molyneux on the App Store, RPG design and more]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/03/peter-molyneux-on-the-app-store-rpg-design-and-more/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/03/peter-molyneux-on-the-app-store-rpg-design-and-more/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/03/peter-molyneux-on-the-app-store-rpg-design-and-more/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Peter Molyneux foretells the end of the App Store's gold rush in an interview with Develop. "I think there's this opportunity now for game developers," he said, discussing the case of creative director Dene Carter, who left to Lionhead form an iPhone studio. "I think of the iPhone and Facebook and all these types of channels offer a window of opportunity for small developers to experience what it was like in [the bedroom coding era of] the late eighties."

Unfortunately, that ends, he says, when big companies start pouring money into iPhone games. "It's inevitable that a Star Wars or Disney game, a five million dollar iPhone project, will be released. And when it does, consumers are going to like it. They're going to say "I can pay 59p for this [indie iPhone game] or I can pay 59p for this [triple-A iPhone game]."

He's cultivating creativity in his staff now (giving them less incentive to, say, go make iPhone games) by instituting a one week period in which Lionhead staff can work on whatever they'd like. "And at the end of the week we're all going to come together look at people's ideas, and that's going to form the foundations of what happens next at Lionhead."

Speaking about his own game, Fable 3, Molyneux dismissed the most notable features of many RPGs. Most developers took the wrong inspiration from Dungeons & Dragons, Molyneux believes, emphasizing stats and random numbers. "But actually," he said, "the purity and the core element of role playing games is to feel more powerful. That's the true core of them. It's about growing as a character, finding and collecting things, and freedom. What we want to do is amplify those feelings with Fable 3."

JoystiqPeter Molyneux on the App Store, RPG design and more originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 03 Aug 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>FableFable-3LionheadLionhead-StudiosmicrosoftMicrosoft-Game-StudiosmobilePeter-MolyneuxxboxTue, 03 Aug 2010 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Develop: Molyneux talks Fable 2 problems, Fable 3 fixes]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/07/15/develop-molyneux-talks-fable-2-problems-fable-3-fixes/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/07/15/develop-molyneux-talks-fable-2-problems-fable-3-fixes/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/07/15/develop-molyneux-talks-fable-2-problems-fable-3-fixes/#comments Despite "generally favorable reviews," there were quite a few people out there who had some serious problems with Fable 2. And to hear Lionhead's Peter Molyneux talk at the Develop Conference in Brighton today, he's one of them.

Molyneux's hour long on-stage presentation of Fable 3 included a veritable smorgasbord of self-deprecating remarks about the problems in the first two Fable games that would be fixed or mitigated in the threequel. For instance, Molyneux lambasted his studio for throwing way too many unnecessary features into Fable 2, even citing a study showing that most people didn't use more than 60% of the available features. Even when a feature was used, Molyneux said, it was often only used once and didn't factor into the larger game enough. For example, "most people did get married, but it didn't mean anything, it was just an excuse to have sex," he said. At one point Molyneux likened Fable 2 to "designing a car with 300 buttons on dashboard when you only need a steering wheel."

Gallery: Fable 3 (E3)

Continue reading Develop: Molyneux talks Fable 2 problems, Fable 3 fixes

JoystiqDevelop: Molyneux talks Fable 2 problems, Fable 3 fixes originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 15 Jul 2010 17:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>develop-2010FableFable-3LionheadLionhead-StudiosmicrosoftMicrosoft-Game-StudiosPeter-MolyneuxRPGxboxThu, 15 Jul 2010 17:32:00 EST<![CDATA[Milo, meet TED: Molyneux demonstrates Milo at conference]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/07/13/milo-meet-ted-molyneux-demonstrates-milo-at-conference/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/07/13/milo-meet-ted-molyneux-demonstrates-milo-at-conference/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/07/13/milo-meet-ted-molyneux-demonstrates-milo-at-conference/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Peter Molyneux brought out the big guns to impress the crowd at the TEDGlobal conference: a child stomping on a snail. Okay, maybe it's more impressive when you learn that the child was Milo from Milo & Kate, Molyneux's Kinect-based AI game, and the decision to squash the mollusk was split between demonstrator Dmitri and Milo himself.

According to Wired UK's writeup of the talk, Milo encountered snails on a walk, and asked the demonstrator if he should step on it. When Dmitri encouraged him, Milo ended the poor e-creature's e-life. Live tweets from @TEDNews note that Milo hesitated before doing so. The demo continued with Milo going home to eat dinner, getting in an argument, and soliciting some words of encouragement from the player.

All of this is significant not because we hate snails, but because this is the first demonstration we've seen of Milo since E3 2009. Molyneux ended the demonstration with the shocking truth that all the world's Milos are going to form a Borg-like hive mind, with the AI data "in the cloud" (as Wired puts it), continually learning from individual interactions. He also revealed a more concrete, game-like narrative for Milo, in which players experience a "tutorial" during which Milo's family moves, with the game opening up afterward to allow you and Milo to explore the new surroundings.

[Image Credit: James Duncan Davidson / TED Conference]

JoystiqMilo, meet TED: Molyneux demonstrates Milo at conference originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 13 Jul 2010 14:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>KinectLionheadLionhead-StudiosmicrosoftMiloMilo-and-KatePeter-MolyneuxTEDGlobalxboxTue, 13 Jul 2010 14:50:00 EST<![CDATA[Fable 3 targeting 5M sold, episodic release will follow retail launch]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/06/30/fable-3-targeting-5m-sold-episodic-release-will-follow-retail-l/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/06/30/fable-3-targeting-5m-sold-episodic-release-will-follow-retail-l/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/06/30/fable-3-targeting-5m-sold-episodic-release-will-follow-retail-l/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Peter Molyneux, the king around Lionhead Studios and Microsoft Games Studios' European creative director, told GI.biz that the company is "driving" for Fable 3 to sell more than 5 million copies and make profit "in excess" of $150 million. Molyneux expressed the reasoning behind the parameter: "We have to do that because if a franchise doesn't reach that level it will inevitably wither." Hmmm, "wither" sounds like a long process. Can we still get Fable 4 even if it doesn't hit that mark?

In response to the "massively successful" nature of Fable 2's episodic release, Fable 3 will also release in an episodic format "soon after the retail launch." The first chapter, which is approximately an hour of the game, will be entirely free. You can then purchase the next episode -- for "an extra 2-5 or whatever dollars" -- or the whole game. Molyneux claims the first episode of Fable 2, which released about a year after the game's launch, reached 1.6 million downloads and "$15 million in contribution margins."

Gallery: Fable 3

JoystiqFable 3 targeting 5M sold, episodic release will follow retail launch originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 30 Jun 2010 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>episodicFable-3microsoftpcPeter-MolyneuxxboxWed, 30 Jun 2010 09:30:00 EST<![CDATA['Project Milo' team about 50 strong; 'product' not coming this holiday]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/06/29/project-milo-team-about-50-strong-product-not-coming-this-h/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/06/29/project-milo-team-about-50-strong-product-not-coming-this-h/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/06/29/project-milo-team-about-50-strong-product-not-coming-this-h/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Pictured here we see the "Project Milo Team" hard at work, according to a TweetPhoto posted by Lionhead Studios' Sam Van Tilburgh today. Van Tilburgh's proof comes in response to comments made by Aaron Greenberg about the status of Lionhead's Milo & Kate project in a video clip (see 0:41 mark) posted on the Australia-based ABC "Good Game" site. "Obviously, that's a tech demo -- and technology -- that continues to exist, but right now it's not a game that we're planning to bring to market," Greenberg said of Milo in the brief clip.

While Van Tilburgh could not openly comment to Joystiq on the assumption (based on Greenberg's statement) that Milo could remain a non-retail tech demo, he did clarify, "There's about 50 people on the 'Project Milo Team'" (which would seem an unlikely number of staff and apparent resources to devote to a mere demo).

Van Tilburgh deferred to Greenberg, who tweeted this official statement today: "Project Milo absolutely continues in development at Lionhead Studios, it is just not a product we plan to bring to market this holiday." While carefully worded, Greenberg's statement suggests that Milo, in some shape or form, is likely to be integrated into a retail product in the future.

Just last week, Lionhead head Peter Molyneux teased that there was "a very interesting reason" why the updated Milo & Kate demo was not shown to media outlets during E3. Could it be that Molyneux is saving the big reveal for his scheduled TED talk? Probably not -- but the "game changing" designer will be lecturing about his "astonishing virtual friend" on Tuesday, July 13. Hopefully, he'll start to Kinect some of the dots.

Joystiq'Project Milo' team about 50 strong; 'product' not coming this holiday originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 29 Jun 2010 14:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Aaron-GreenbergKinectLionhead-StudiosmicrosoftMiloMilo-and-KatePeter-MolyneuxProject-MiloSam-Van-TilburghTEDxboxTue, 29 Jun 2010 14:15:00 EST