Lionhead explains Fable 2 money transfers

By Robert Purchese Published 12 August, 2008

How XBLA Pub Games make in-game gold.

Wondering how to transfer money into Fable 2 from the Xbox Live Arcade "Fable 2 Pub Games" due out tomorrow? Good news then, because Lionhead's been in touch to tell Eurogamer how it works.

When you begin one of the pub games, you pick a gambler to represent you across all of the challenges. We'll call ours "Bertie". You can stick with one of these or swap between multiple personalities, and we're told Lynch, Daphne, Maya, Mongo and Poe will be some of the faces on offer.

When you buy Fable 2 in October, create a hero - we'll call ours "Clert" - and then find a Gamesmaster either in a tavern or wandering wistfully down a road. Start playing whichever game variation the Gamesmaster offers, and you will be given the option to merge your hero ("Clert") with your gambler ("Bertie").

Once merged, "BertieClert" will gain access to all the Live Arcade gambling funds you previously accrued. But be warned, "BertieClert" cannot be undone, just like a chemical reaction.

Now, if you decide to go back to the Live Arcade pub games, you will play as "BertieClert", your hero from Fable II, who gambles directly using in-game gold. Clever.

The Live Arcade pub games also let you merge several gamblers together, which can be combined with any of your heroes from Fable 2.

Fable 2 is due out exclusively for Xbox 360 on my birthday, 24th October.

Head to our Fable 2 gamepage to find out lots more.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (31) Latest comment 4 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • miiiguel #1 4 years ago

    ooooh! nice!

  • Lutz #2 4 years ago

    So it's totally optional then? ACES.

  • Lutz #3 4 years ago

    And Bertie? j00 roX!

  • asphaltcowboy #4 4 years ago

    And I take it the name-merging is just for demonstration purposes?

  • Britesparc Verified Creative, ITV #5 4 years ago

    But did they tell you how we get the sodding thing for free when we pre-order? Did they? Eh? Eh? EH??!?!?!?!

  • kingdumpalot #6 4 years ago

    They'd probably send you a code that unlocks it, like they do with every other XBLA title they give you for free.

  • Moribundman #7 4 years ago

    @Kingdumaplot

    Yep, that's a fair assumption, buuuut... how will Lionhead make THAT system transfer "gold"/MS Points?

    If they are sending out a code for free Pub Games tomorrow for everyone who has preordered, then there is nothing to stop those people cancelling their preorder and shopping around on release.

    On the other hand, they could send out the code when payment is taken (ie. When the game ships or is paid for in a shop - as is the norm for e-mailing such codes), but that means dedicated Fable fans would have to wait until October before they can play the pub games.

    What they SHOULD have done is probably the latter, with allowances made for people who buy the Pub Games from Arcade tomorrow. For example, if you've bought the Pub Games early, when you redeem the code your 800MSP becomes 800GP for gambling, or (and M$ would never allow this to happen) on redeeming the code you are reimbursed the 800MSP you spent on Pub Games in August...

  • Britesparc Verified Creative, ITV #8 4 years ago

    @ kingdump

    Yeah, that's what they're meant to be doing, but there's been no real confirmation and Game have no idea what you're on about if you ask them about it.

  • Flub #9 4 years ago

    Where do you have to preorder from to get the XBLA game for free? I've had a preorder at Amazon UK for a while now.

  • Bumhug360 #10 4 years ago

    Thats a good point Moribundman, I cant see the codes being sent out until after the shops have taken the money and shipped the product if not everyone would of preorderd by now to get the free games then cancel.

    What I want to know is what happens if you end up in debt? Do you start the game with heavies sent after you intent on breaking your legs? And if not why not?

  • Rirekon #11 4 years ago

    So if you create a second hero in Fable II you won't be able to gamble? Or is it one of those 1 save game affairs..?

  • Britesparc Verified Creative, ITV #12 4 years ago

    @ Flub

    According to the Lionhead website it's Game & Gamestation. But like I say, they appear none the wiser...

    I'm wondering if it will be a "code released when we've got your money" deal. TBH I'd be okay with that, not too bothered about playing the games yet, especially as my Xbox has taken a one-way trip down Red Ring River.

  • UGhost #13 4 years ago

    Playing it on Partnernet, it does warn you that there could be 'consequences' to going into debt ;-)

    A thread in the Lionhead forums seem to indicate that none of the UK retailers are doing Pub Games codes for pre-orders (but some of the US retailers are).

  • peteb #14 4 years ago

    I asked Game about how the free games thing would work, as it says on Lionhead's site that Game and Gamestation are the participating retailers, and they said that they had contacted their buying team and nothing has been agreed with the publisher.

  • Bertie Verified Senior Staff Writer, Eurogamer.net #15 4 years ago

    And I take it the name-merging is just for demonstration purposes? Yeah. The Fable II hero consumes the gambler.

  • kangarootoo #16 4 years ago

    So if I suck ass at the gambling games, when I get back into Fable 2 I will find I have no money?

    Thats gambling for you I guess.

  • Bertie Verified Senior Staff Writer, Eurogamer.net #17 4 years ago

    So if you create a second hero in Fable II you won't be able to gamble? Or is it one of those 1 save game affairs..? You'll be able to make more than one gambler in the Live Arcade Pub Games. Even after you maybe decide to merge them.

    Second or more characters in Fable 2 can be linked with their own gambler. I'm guessing you can only merge one gambler per hero.

  • systems #18 4 years ago

    "But be warned, "BertieClert" cannot be undone, just like a chemical reaction."

    Quite a few chemical reactions can be undone. Here's the BBC Bitesize page to get your science knowledge up to speed:
    [link url=http://www.b bc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/chemistry/chemicalreactions/3r eversiblereactionsrev2.shtml
    ]http://ww w.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesiz...[/link]

    Once again, I will get my coat. ;)

  • andywilkie35 #19 4 years ago

    here's a question, if tomorrow I call my gambler "Fat Frank", and I call my hero in Fable II "Lampard", will his name forever be "Fat Frank Lampard"?

    OR a better example, if i call my gambler "Andy" and my hero "Andy", does he become "AndyAndy"? coz that would be a bit shit wouldn't it...

  • penhalion #20 4 years ago

    Ooooh still not going to spend money on side games that should be in the main game from the start!

  • Markusdragon #21 4 years ago

    They ARE in the main game from the start.

  • urban #22 4 years ago

    you had a bit too much fun writing this article

  • CapnCloudchaser #23 4 years ago

    Have we found out whether or not GAME and GameStation are giving out the codes for preorders?

    From what I've heard, no offline or online UK retailer is in on the deal :\

  • Moribundman #24 4 years ago

    There's a thread on the Lionhead site forum which starts out saying there's no UK distributers doing the deal, then gradually decides that GAME and Gamestation are participating. The Press Release also confirms that these stores are in on the pre-order deal, but so far nothing on their sites. If they are going to mail out codes for free pub games (as the US stores appear to have already done), they are likely to be missing out on a ot of potential customers by not making this clear in-store or on their websites. Sod them, unless they get their act together I'm buying the pub games from XBLA and finding the cheapest high street store on the release date.
    Edited by 1 at 12/08/08 @ 15:52

  • penhalion #25 4 years ago

    @Markusdragon

    Then why are they seperate arcade games then?

  • Derblington #26 4 years ago

    So that you can play them and accrue or lose some gold before the game comes out.

  • dragonlion #27 4 years ago

    hmmm, what about France. I went to (Score)Game shop lately and they weren't aware of this offer. Same on their commercial site... which leave me clueless. If Game and Gamestation are participating, how is it that nobody can tell us when what where to get this offer.? Is it exclusively for UK/US ?
    Gosh, i preordered anyways, just in case u know, if somehow they finally do it i'll be on top of bookings page .

    But i defintely think that Frenchies oughtta be informed in the same manners as other countries.




    (forgive my french :) )

  • Lutz #28 4 years ago

    UK doesn't seem to be getting it either.

    At least no-one at GAME or gamestation has a bloody clue what you're on about if you ask them.

  • Moribundman #29 4 years ago

    Check out the last paragraph *here* http://www.lionhea d.com/Order.aspx (They previously listed retailers in US, UK, Australia, Canada and Continental Europe) Oh well, at least they are promising an update...

  • KreyAtiv #30 4 years ago

    That's certainly a nice incentive to get people to buy the Arcade game. Should make buying weapons a lot easier and whatever else that's on offer.

  • kangarootoo #31 4 years ago

    @systems

    Hey, I did that copper sulphate experiement in some chemistry set I had when I was a kid. Chemsitry sets were ace, whatever happened to them? In this age of terror they are probably considered WMD making kits or something.