Fable 2 Co-Op Interview

[bapenguin]

http://www.colonyofgamers.com/cogforums/picture.php?albumid=4&pictureid=20

Co-Optimus sat down with Fable 2 Lead Designer, Dean Carter, to get the skinny on the cooperative mode despite the recent announcement of the much touted "orb mode" might not make the game's launch (http://www.co-optimus.com/article/594/Molyneaux_Hopes_for_Day_1_Online_Co-Op_Fable_2_Patch.html).

Here's an excerpt from the interview:

Co-Optimus: If you have a Good character and your co-op buddy is Evil, does this affect how the NPCs perceive you? Is there any advantage/disadvantage to this?

Dean: We tried going for a split AI system at one point, but – due to the fact that the hero and henchman are so physically close most of the time (as they’re both on screen) – players found it almost impossible to decipher who an NPC comment was aimed at. When thirty people are gathered around you, there really needs to be a combined, single message otherwise things get very confusing, and actively damage the feeling of ‘heroism’. As such, NPCs react to henchman as an extension of the hero – after all, they can’t cause mayhem unless the hero flicks off the safety switch.

You can read the full interview Right Here (http://www.co-optimus.com/interview/80/page/1/Fable_2_Co-Op_Interview_-_Orbs_and_All.html)

[Iron Past]

Co-Optimus: What’s the coolest thing you’ve seen in a co-op scenario in Fable 2?

Dean: I think the coolest thing will be seen a lot. Because several of our spells and sword strikes give enemies ‘air-time’, you can get situations like this:

You have a Hero Swordsman/Mage and a Henchman who specializes in ranged combat, using a rapid repeater flintlock.
The Hero steps in with a couple of strikes, finishing with a ‘Flourish’ (all using the (X) button) that lifts the enemy into the air, which the then follows with a Time Control spell to slow the world down (by stabbing (B), holding it and then releasing it).

The henchman has already gone into targeted aim mode (just by holding down (Y)), and – because he’s a super-marksman, shoots the weapon out of the enemy’s left hand, then the one from his right hand, and then finally blats him in the head with a final shot while he’s still in the air. Bam, Bam, Bam. The enemy falls to the ground and explodes into a shower of experience orbs. All experience gathered was multiplied by a large factor because you both played together to take the guy out. It’s fantastic.

Holy crap, if that's true then I'm even more excited. That's a pretty awesome scenario, and it sounds like they tweaked combat quite a bit.

I'm a bit confused by his wording, though. When you play co-op, you go into the host player's world, right? The darting bewteen the trees thing was referencing the orbs?

[Crowe]

There is nothing like having a birthday in October. The weather is perfect, and every year there are releases galore, my birthday is on the 23rd so someone is going to be getting me this game for my birthday. Everyone else can get me vouchers from somewhere that has video games so i can buy all the other awesome one coming out.

I usually put these games on the back burner until summer hits, it gets mighty hot down under and it's bliss to sit back and play some games in front of the air con when it gets too hot.

I don't have anyone to play co op with but I'm not really a co op gamer when it comes to consoles, I prefer to lose myself for a few hours and let my PC take care of my co op needs.

[SilentScreams]

There is nothing like having a birthday in October. The weather is perfect, and every year there are releases galore, my birthday is on the 23rd so someone is going to be getting me this game for my birthday. Everyone else can get me vouchers from somewhere that has video games so i can buy all the other awesome one coming out.

Tell me about it. My birthday is on the 13th of November. It's really handy for keeping up with all the releases we get at this time of year. I also always get my Live subscription paid for a year as a present.

I'm very much looking forward to Fable 2. I really enjoyed the first one for what it was, rather than hating it for what it wasn't. It sounds like Fable 2 has improved on it in a lot of ways.
I don't know if any of my friends will be picking this up, but I hope so, as the co-op sounds like a lot of fun.

[SPBTooL]

There was some good info in there. But he didn't really answer the one question I wanted to know. Co-Optimus: Are players tethered to each other in the game world? Or can one player be in one town and another player in another town doing completely different things? For instance, can each player do different quests at the same time?His answer just refers to the orbs and not to the players playing co-op.
The ability to trade with orbs without joining is great.

[Widgetcraft]

So, wait... I can put a "safety" on my co-op buddies so they can't screw up my heroic reputation?

[SPBTooL]

So, wait... I can put a "safety" on my co-op buddies so they can't screw up my heroic reputation?Actually, the safety is always on. You have to turn it off for them to do anything corrupting to you.

[Crowe]

Safety switch is a good idea, I have a lot of friends who would do something like that to screw me over. Not that any of them game, but throwing one over your mates is always fun, not that they will be having any.

[Xerxes]

That's a crutch. But they way the game is relying on the good/evil gimmick I guess it's needed.

[Bingley Joe]

I'm hugely excited for this game, as I absolutely loved the first one (damn the naysayers!). It sounds like they've really tweaked and refined the experience, and if it lives up to its billing (damn the naysayers!), then it'll be absolutely fantastic.

I'm a bit confused by his wording, though. When you play co-op, you go into the host player's world, right? The darting bewteen the trees thing was referencing the orbs?

If I understand it correctly, the game works in much the same way that TestDrive: Unlimited does, in that it's almost an MMO.. if you're connected to Live!, then you're connected to everyone else's game, and the 'orbs' he refers to represent other players in whatever part of the world you happen to be in (much like other players would go zipping past you on the roads in TDU)

You can interact with those other players in a variety of ways though, and if one of you invites the other to join their session, then they cease to be represented as an orb, and instead will pop into the world as their character..

That's my understanding, anyway -- someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

[johnperkins21]

There was some good info in there. But he didn't really answer the one question I wanted to know. His answer just refers to the orbs and not to the players playing co-op.
The ability to trade with orbs without joining is great.

Actually, I think he kind of did. And I don't think it's the answer you wanted:

Co-Optimus: If you have a Good character and your co-op buddy is Evil, does this affect how the NPCs perceive you? Is there any advantage/disadvantage to this?

Dean: We tried going for a split AI system at one point, but – due to the fact that the hero and henchman are so physically close most of the time (as they’re both on screen) – players found it almost impossible to decipher who an NPC comment was aimed at. When thirty people are gathered around you, there really needs to be a combined, single message otherwise things get very confusing, and actively damage the feeling of ‘heroism’. As such, NPCs react to henchman as an extension of the hero – after all, they can’t cause mayhem unless the hero flicks off the safety switch.

This seems to clearly state that you and your "henchman" are locked into the same screen area. As I understand this answer, you and your buddy are leashed together like a MILF and her kid at Disneyland.

[SPBTooL]

Actually, I think he kind of did. And I don't think it's the answer you wanted:
This seems to clearly state that you and your "henchman" are locked into the same screen area. As I understand this answer, you and your buddy are leashed together like a MILF and her kid at Disneyland.
The key thing in what he says there is "most of the time." Either you are tied together all the time or you are not. Most of the time that most people will spend in co-op will be right with each other. even if not required too. Hence you would both be on the screen allot of the time.

[SPBTooL]

Actually, I think he kind of did. And I don't think it's the answer you wanted:



This seems to clearly state that you and your "henchman" are locked into the same screen area. As I understand this answer, you and your buddy are leashed together like a MILF and her kid at Disneyland.

I'm hugely excited for this game, as I absolutely loved the first one (damn the naysayers!). It sounds like they've really tweaked and refined the experience, and if it lives up to its billing (damn the naysayers!), then it'll be absolutely fantastic.



If I understand it correctly, the game works in much the same way that TestDrive: Unlimited does, in that it's almost an MMO.. if you're connected to Live!, then you're connected to everyone else's game, and the 'orbs' he refers to represent other players in whatever part of the world you happen to be in (much like other players would go zipping past you on the roads in TDU)

You can interact with those other players in a variety of ways though, and if one of you invites the other to join their session, then they cease to be represented as an orb, and instead will pop into the world as their character..

That's my understanding, anyway -- someone please correct me if I'm wrong.Mostly. From my understanding, when you join their world you will be a different character than in your world. You can pick a pre-generated one or have the henchmen you join as be based off your main character. It was very specifically explained that way in some of the earlier videos. They may have changed it since then as you use to not be able to take items back and forth. Any XP and gold you earn will go back to that main character.

One of the reasons I think they online co-op got delayed was do to the filtering options they are going to have for the orbs. I like the option to filter by geographic location. It is a good way to get a better connection when not just filtering with my friends list.

[johnperkins21]

The key thing in what he says there is "most of the time." Either you are tied together all the time or you are not. Most of the time that most people will spend in co-op will be right with each other. even if not required too. Hence you would both be on the screen allot of the time.

I noticed that, but they said most of the time you'll be in such close proximity that you won't be able to tell who the NPC is talking to. Which, to me, means that you'll always be on the same screen, but sometimes at different corners of the screen where you could see who the NPC is talking to. Not that you'll be off someplace else completely.

It's entirely possible that I'm wrong, and I'd love to be, but that's what this seems to indicate.