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[Monty Mole]

Lionhead boss insists 'it's not on rails'

The demo showed how you can steer your horse using Kinect to control the reigns, and create magic using spellcasting gestures. It didn't show any open-world exploration, so everybody assumed it was on rails - something Molyneux is keen to clear up, and has had visiting media attest to.

And there's an.. erm... video here clearing it up!
http://www.oxm.co.uk/30071/news/molyneux-fable-kinect-demo-a-horrendous-mistake/

 

[Mama Robotnik]

Just saw this over at Develop and thought it might be of interest:

Peter Molyneux goes to great length to stress game isn't an on-rails shooter

It's fair to say that the Fable: The Journey demo was far from a highlight of Microsoft's E3 2011 press demo.

The short snippet of the game demonstrated a sequence where a player was guided through the game world while shooting enemies with their hands.

In truth it was more than a little reminiscent of the Kinect levels from EA's Harry Potter game. Which, incidentally, were broken and slammed by critics.

Indeed, MCV has been less than kind about the Fable showing.

Speaking to OXM after the briefing, the game's lead developer Peter Molyneux apologised for the game's debut.

"I made an horrendous mistake on the press demo on taking out the navigation allowing players to move," he stated. "I'll state on record now that Fable: The Journey is definitely not on rails."

Apparently the game is far from the on-rails product it seems to be.

I'm amazed that Peter and co. couldn't conclude that if the demo is on rails, people will strangely enough assume it is representative of the intended final product.

 

[Hot Coldman]

It's on rails.

 

[ToyBroker]

For being such a "genius" he sure is a dumbass.


And it's on rails.

He's probably talking about those bullshit horse riding segments.

 

[The_Darkest_Red]

Thread title is terribly misleading.

 

[Interfectum]

Sure Peter, sure... I believe you.

 

[Mama Robotnik]

Thread title is terribly misleading.

I'm using the title Develop used, and it seems accurate to me. It doesn't say the game itself is a mistake, just the demo, which is exactly what Moleneux is saying.

If I'd neglected the word "demo" then I could understand how it could be misleading, but I didn't.

 

[Slime]

Am I a terrible person for not believing him?

 

[Forkball]

Gamers - Fable 'a horrendous mistake'

 

[LiK]

Sign your name on the whiteboard!

 

[Marleyman]

He is actually a witty guy; I am taking his and other journalists word for it that it is not on rails.

 

[Snuggles]

Ha, the Peter cycle is going faster than ever, he's already admitting to his game's shortcomings before it's even out.

Anyways, it'll be interesting to see how much freedom players really have with this game. Navigation with Kinect can't be easy to pull off.

 

[The Technomancer]

The Molyneux cycle is contracting. Soon Peter will apologize for his games as he's demonstrating them

EDIT: Damn you Snuggler!

 

[GitarooMan]

Then he should explain how its not, or show it. Otherwise his statement is pointless.

 

[Nabs]

don't believe his lies.

 

[Lo-Volt]

Of all the things Lionhead did wrong, that demo is the least worrisome of them. But I'll take whatever apologies Molyneux wants to give.

 

[TL4E]

I'm glad he wrote it on a white board for us, and got a bunch of signatures as well in case we didn't believe what he has to say about his own game. (?)

 

[Baloonatic]

On Giantbomb they were talking about how he was trying to get journalists to sign something saying that it wasn't on-rails when he demoed it to them, haha.

It sure looked on-rails to me.

 

[StuBurns]

This whole on-rails things is sad, he shouldn't shy away from it. I remember the Dead Space guys talking about how the Wii game wasn't a rail shooter, it was embarrassing.

 

[Interfectum]

Ha, the Peter cycle is going faster than ever, he's already admitting to his game's shortcomings before it's even out.

Anyways, it'll be interesting to see how much freedom players really have with this game. Navigation with Kinect can't be easy to pull off.

"Move your arm to the side of the screen to look left."

"See, see... it's not a rails!"

 

[BorkBork]

It's on horse.

 

[Torrod]

Seems like everyone regrets their E3 2011 showings at this point

 

[Wolves Evolve]

Haha. Peter. You can't move back at any point. You can't backtrack. You can choose paths. But you go forward.

It.
Is.
On.
Rails.
My.
Son.

And you did not invent dogs.

 

[Corky]

hahahahah

It's not on rails?

Damn, you're really taking your lies to a new level.

 

[disappeared]

I can't keep feeling bad for your fuck-ups, Pete. You've been making these "mistakes" since the initial Fable-neutering.

 

[ShockingAlberto]

Actual game ships, is totally on rails.

Molyneux after sales are over: Well so many positive impressions came from the E3 demo that I decided to make the game just like it.

 

[water_wendi]

It's on rails.

lol yep.

 

[BocoDragon]

Lots of public regret over this E3... Molyneux regretting Fable showing, Iwata regretting Wii U controller showing, that Square Enix exec regretting their lack of Japanese content...

 

[HK-47]

Peter, your games have been huge mistakes since Black and White. This is nothing new.

 

[EmCeeGramr]

On Giantbomb they were talking about how he was trying to get journalists to sign something saying that it wasn't on-rails when he demoed it to them, haha.

It sure looked on-rails to me.

And how by the end of it they had heard "it's not on rails" so much that they almost believed it.

But they realized, nah, it's on rails.

 

[The_Darkest_Red]

I'm using the title Develop used, and it seems accurate to me. It doesn't say the game itself is a mistake, just the demo, which is exactly what Moleneux is saying.

If I'd neglected the word "demo" then I could understand how it could be misleading, but I didn't.

I actually think I read over the word "demo" when I looked at the thread title. My mistake!

 

[Baloonatic]

This whole on-rails things is sad, he shouldn't shy away from it. I remember the Dead Space guys talking about how the Wii game wasn't a rail shooter, it was embarrassing.

Yeah, and Extraction is a good example of an on-rails shooter done extremely well.

 

[revolverjgw]

I don't trust Sneaky Pete.

 

[TheOddOne]

And there's an.. erm... video here clearing it up!

A bunch of journalist signatures does not make me believe you Moly!

 

[NaughtyCalibur]

Put up or shut up, Peter.

 

[Nafai1123]

It's not on rails guys, it's more like a road that you can't get off of.

 

[JWong]

Gamers - Fable 'a horrendous mistake'

Kinect 'a horrendous mistake'

 

[EmCeeGramr]

Yeah, and Extraction is a good example of an on-rails shooter done extremely well.

You mean a good example of a Guided First-Person Experience.


(there was such a backlash to that that their presentation for the iPad Dead Space game had a bullet point specifically pointing out that it wasn't on rails)

 

[cpp_is_king]

Why do people still take this guy seriously? Everything he's ever shown is always something he stood behind until people saw it, then every fucking time the dude backpedals and was like "yea it wasn't exactly what we wanted". This guy needs to disappear. Go away.

 

[ultron87]

It obviously wasn't on rails. It was on a carriage.

 

[DMczaf]

I thought Giant Bomb was kidding about the board.

Peter Molyneux has lost his fucking mind...more than before.

 

[Vyrance]

Just Molyneux being Molyneux.

 

[Monty Mole]

Haha. Peter. You can't move back at any point. You can't backtrack. You can choose paths. But you go forward.

It.
Is.
On.
Rails.
My.
Son.

And you did not invent dogs.

That describes most games.

 

[Data West]

Fable: A Huge Mistake

 

[xbhaskarx]

Lots of public regret over this E3... Molyneux regretting Fable showing, Iwata regretting Wii U controller showing, that Square Enix exec regretting their lack of Japanese content...

Me for watching it all.

 

[PnCIa]

It's not on rails guys, it's more like a road that you can't get off of.

So, it´s kinda like in a train compartment while wearing seatbelts?

 

[bengraven]

Fable was slowly becoming a linear, on-rails sort of game anyway.

There isn't much more that PM can do to hold your hand while playing. I'm still waiting for the "instant win" button.

 

[Hot Coldman]

So, it´s kinda like in a train compartment while wearing seatbelts?

It's like Source Code: The Game

 

[Chanser]

This will haunt Peter forever.

 

[ShockingAlberto]

Who takes out navigation for press demos, anyway?

Does Sony make God of War showfloor demos where you're only allowed to hit the face buttons and Kratos moves on his own? (In before the "No, those are the boss fights" jokes.)