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Lionhead's Peter Molyneux Comments by Christian Donlan

21 July, 2008

On Fable 2, rubbish ideas and his admiration for MMOs.

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Lutz [mod]
21/07/08 @ 13:53
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Why do I imagine a leash between Molyneux and his PR?
Mudo
21/07/08 @ 13:57
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Molyneux's interviews are always a fun read.
KingOfSpain
21/07/08 @ 13:57
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Fable MMO confirmed!!
DFawkes
21/07/08 @ 14:00
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As much as he occasionally gibbers rubbish, I hope Molyneux never leaves the games industry. He has plenty of ambition and doesn't mince his words.
Xerx3s
21/07/08 @ 14:10
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"Why do I imagine a leash between Molyneux and his PR? "

I thought it felt more like the PR agent standing there with a gun to his head... ;p
jonsaan
21/07/08 @ 14:12
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Nobody has called him a twat yet? What's going on?
ukcodemonkey
21/07/08 @ 14:17
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"technology is getting more technological"

Made me laugh!
MrXBob
21/07/08 @ 14:19
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Peter Molyneux is the coolest guy in game development ever. He's so down to Earth, has awesome ideas, does things that other people don't dare to (or can't because of restrictive deals)... he's just fantastic. I wish he was my dad :P

Like Mudo said, his interviews are always great to read. His game walkthroughs are even better - I've sat through something like 3 hours worth of him talking about Fable 2 in videos and audio, he's just awesome.
neilka
21/07/08 @ 14:25
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Peter lolyneux
Mentalist(air)
21/07/08 @ 14:36
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Nobody has called him a twat yet? What's going on?

He's just dome a remarkably non-twattish interview, that's what. I mean he's admitted that many of his previously hyped novelty ideas were nonsense!

I have some hope for Fable 2. That and apparently some people I know are working on it, which is nice.
kestral
21/07/08 @ 14:39
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Nice refreshing interview.
dirk_aircool
21/07/08 @ 14:39
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Peter Molyneux is a game god . Best designs and ideas ( even if they dont work ) .
Xbox DUNGEON KEEPER ?????? and persuade microsoft to make an xbox MOUSE . I'm done with spendin £2000-00 on Pc's .
MrXBob
21/07/08 @ 14:40
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@Arbiter:

Uhh... Both Dene and Simon Carter 'work for' Lionhead now. Big Blue Box was a sort of on-the-side studio ('Satellite studio' as they call it in the industry) which is now merged with Lionhead.

I'm pretty sure the entire BBB team is still there, too. Dene is always in the developer diaries also.

If you're gonna take a jab, do your research first.
Quint2020
21/07/08 @ 14:42
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People need to leave Molyneux alone, he's a breathe of fresh air, he takes risks with his designs (even if they don't always pay off) and he doesn't talk PR bullshit, legend.
rhinoxious
21/07/08 @ 14:46
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I like the cheese analogy,

though most developers aren't lucky enough to be able to affect the timing of their launch like molyneux likely can.
Psychotext
21/07/08 @ 14:59
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I love the reference to his handler. \o/

IT'S GOING TO BE THE BEST, MOST MAGNIFICE....

*bzzzzzt*

Peter will be back with you shortly.
Britesparc
21/07/08 @ 14:59
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I've always really liked Molyneux. Even when he's wildly over-enthusiastic (and he still tries to be, even if he is on a tighter PR leash!) at least he's full of ideas and excitement for the industry. More than some other developers who've been at it since the 8-bit days, anyway!

It really does sound like the learning curve of Fable 1 has been beneficial, and I really hope (and, indeed, believe) that Fable 2 will be a much, much better game. I can't wait. Not very interested in a Fable MMO, tho ;-)
joe90
21/07/08 @ 15:01
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Kick ass you can plant an acorn and watch it grow into a tree.
/hopefully that dog will piss up against it too... or the 'dog promises' will not have been delivered on.
Britesparc
21/07/08 @ 15:10
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Actually, how cool would it be if the dog could take a shit, and people could step in it, and that made your reputation go down...?

Anyone? No?

Just me then.
MrWonderstuff
21/07/08 @ 15:18
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Because of the PR person being there probably made the interview that much more to people's liking? I don't mind either way - although I'd prefer it without someone over his shoulder.
Monkey_Puncher
21/07/08 @ 15:34
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I love Molyneux!

Even though his games are never perfect and he does often spout some nonsense about them beforehand, there's very few people left in the industry with his kind of passion.
darc
21/07/08 @ 15:38
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"....persuade microsoft to make an xbox MOUSE . I'm done with spendin £2000-00 on Pc's ."

Such a good idea. Two USB ports right on the front of the box and I'm forced to play Orange Box with a joystick. Urgh. A mouse/keyboard control option is such a no-brainer. (One of the few things PS3 got right that XBox didn't.)
Edited 1 times, most recently on 21/07/08 @ 15:39
kangarootoo
21/07/08 @ 15:41
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That was actually quite a good interview. Not quite what I was expecting when I read the headline, given the usual nature of what PM comes out with.
Raz76
21/07/08 @ 15:44
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The thing I wonder about is, why isn't it possible for games like Fable to make the main storyline/quest and all the stuff that goes on outside it come together a little bit more? Wouldn't it be possible for the other things you do to affect the main storyline somehow, to give it a bit more relevance? But this is the true for a lot of games, like Oblivion, GTA and most Bioware games. I think I would be exploring all these other game mechanics a bit more if that could work.
Slipstream
21/07/08 @ 15:49
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Mr Molyneux is one of the very few people I highly respect in the industry. I wish more developers would emit as much passion into their games as this man, not to say many developers dont, but whenever I read Molyneux Q and A's I always geta genuine, high spirited impression. Really looking forward to Fable 2, I have high hopes =D
matrim83
21/07/08 @ 15:54
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Nice read. I am very excited about Fable 2.
Tiger_Walts
21/07/08 @ 16:00
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PM has been conducting interviews with a handler for a looooong time now, pretty much since part way through Fable development. It seems now that they've gotten better at pre-empting him now, pretty soon he should be fully conditioned into not saying too much.
Azazel
21/07/08 @ 16:06
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When you're developing a game you have to wait for the maturity to come, like a cheese.

lol

Making a game is... very much like making love to a beautiful woman.
sneetch
21/07/08 @ 16:17
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@dirk_aircool
"Peter Molyneux is a game god . Best designs and ideas ( even if they dont work ) .
Xbox DUNGEON KEEPER ?????? and persuade microsoft to make an xbox MOUSE . I'm done with spendin £2000-00 on Pc's ."

You've just hit on the precise reason why they won't do it: MS sell an expensive operating system for PCs and, apart from the option of having superior hardware (not every PC owner goes for it, there are loads of Windows ME users out there for example), the PCs keyboard and mouse option is the biggest advantage PCs have over the Xbox.

You could use a keyboard and mouse with an Xbox (there's absolutely no reason you couldn't), MS just won't let you use it as a control scheme in Xbox games.

Of course, MS would probably phrase that differently, citing a desire for tighter or standard controls on the Xbox or whatever.

But anyway, I agree, new Dungeon Keeper please, Pete. We'll be your bestest friends!
WinterSnowblind
21/07/08 @ 16:35
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I don't really have much else to add, but yeah, I think this guy is really great. He does sometimes go a little too far with his enthusiasm, and the original Fable really did suffer because of that, but it was still a great game, and he's done a far better job of controlling things for the sequel. Like he said himself in the interview, everything that he's been talking about has actually been demonstrated.

I think we have a far better idea of what to expect with Fable 2 and I'm really looking forward to it, and whatever this guy does next :)
Fusey
21/07/08 @ 16:53
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I cant think of anything that could or should have been left out of Dungeon Keeper! It was perfect!!

shamblemonkee
21/07/08 @ 17:33
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Wow a PM interview without hyperbole! He always exudes so much enthusiasm and childlike joy for what he's doing it's hard not to be caught up in it. Ihope he reall has learnt his lessons as if it helps reign in and focus the game designs while retaining the cool features so much the better.
penhalion
21/07/08 @ 17:36
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Peter Molyneux is the George Bush of gaming. We need to start a book of Molyneuxisms.
Xerx3s
21/07/08 @ 18:01
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"MS sell an expensive operating system for PCs"

With 61 Euro for vista it most certainly isn't the most expensive OS on the market. The rest of the points that you are trying to make are so badly formed that it's not worth debunking them.
AfrikaShox
21/07/08 @ 18:23
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"Peter Molyneux is a game god . Best designs and ideas ( even if they dont work ) .
Xbox DUNGEON KEEPER ?????? and persuade microsoft to make an xbox MOUSE . I'm done with spendin £2000-00 on Pc's"

Unfortunately, EA hold the rights for Dungeon Keeper, Syndicate, Theme Park and any other Bullfrog game that was made as they were bought out.

Molyneux has stated he would love to do a remake, but he'd need help getting the licences as this EG article shows

http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?art...
BastoJ
21/07/08 @ 18:37
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Great interview. Peter Molyneux is a true legend :D
The Bodybuilder
21/07/08 @ 18:51
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His years of over-spouting false promises have been redeemed by this interview.
Derblington
21/07/08 @ 18:59
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To regain some balance to this homo-erotic love-in:

"...it doesn't seem to be hurting his overall reputation as one of the industry's most interesting personalities."

It's a great shame that that means absolutely fuck all.

"...and it's got easily the best story Lionhead or Bullfrog have ever produced. I can say that globally-scary thing with full confidence.

That's not really difficult with so few story based games behind you.

I like his games, they work and they entertain, but I don't see him as this wonderful saviour of videogames that a lot of you guys do.
JediMasterMalik
21/07/08 @ 19:32
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I have to agree, he's not made a truly great game for a long time, perhaps Fable 2 will be his saving grace, but I can't see it being as amazing as people think it will be. He loves to talk big ideas, I'm sure a lot of other developers have similar ideas also, they just aren't as vocal about them. The problem starts when the extent of Peter's hyperbole begins to negatively effect his games, and it has done for many years now.

Admittedly, this was a rather tame series of responses from him, but since none of his ideas have ever really materialised into something that creates an excellent gaming experience, I find it difficult to get excited about his future, and current projects.

I do recognise that he seems to be learning from his mistakes of over doing the hyperbole when it comes to his games, it looks as though he's been very reflective as to why people have been disappointed in the past with his games, and he's trying to change and be a better game maker for it. I'm a bit worried about whether this change came just recently or at the beginning of making Fable 2.

Still, he's no Will Wright, and Will is a perfect example of how to make a sucessful game, without overdoing the hype, he just shows the game without making wild promises. He also tends to make truly innovative and excellent games.
DaemonB
21/07/08 @ 20:00
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Ive come into this thread just to say fuck Peter. When I was young I bought in his " my games rock shite", no more.

/hardly constructive.
Darkjinxter
21/07/08 @ 21:57
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I haven't even read the article, but feel compelled to comment on ol' Pete.
Bless him.
The man pute the bole into hyperbole.
MrXBob
21/07/08 @ 22:00
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"I like his games, they work and they entertain, but I don't see him as this wonderful saviour of videogames that a lot of you guys do."

Right... you say that just because you can, or what? It seems the only reason you clicked the 'Speak your brain' button was to tell us that you dont like this guy... why, exactly?
Psychotext
21/07/08 @ 22:09
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lol... people turning up to shout about his hype and hyperbole without realising that he hasn't done it in ages.
Daikon
22/07/08 @ 07:30
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*still asleep from the boredom which was Black & White*
Arwin
22/07/08 @ 10:20
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Peter, if you're reading this, I just want to say that I'll never forget the wonder of Populous, and Populous 2 in particular. It is one of the best games of all times for me and to this day I'll never forget the croaking vultures circling around a poor infected little chap, the way the characters scream falling into a freshly created chasm, or burn when they burn, either through raining fire, lighting, or because one of my heroes/knights burns their house down, or how Persephone gathers a hundred poor souls and takes them into the water. And the game still looks and plays great today on STeem with excellent mouse controls. Comments like these on a game so old probably feel like a curse by now, but I just had to say it. I am looking forward to seeing how Fable 2 has turned out though - it certainly looks promising!

I think Populous really deserves a physics based remake! Keep it at a similar scope but with nice physics based effects. Look at a small game like Pain and see how effective that can be. I'd personally of course also prefer it on the PS3 with some great Cell based effects, but I'm sure you could get quite far on the 360 also. I'm sure you have bigger projects in mind, but maybe you can set this up as a small project on the side?
Edited 1 times, most recently on 22/07/08 @ 10:21
Jellybob
22/07/08 @ 14:15
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Arwin, I think that Black & White was very much a physics based remake of Populous.

Admittedly it wasn't as good, but I always thought it had the same sort of feel to it, and was just as full of little details (almost at the expense of having a coherant game to play).
SpaceMidget75
22/07/08 @ 19:30
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I think PM is great. I've loved almost everything he's done since having populous on the Amiga and DK2 is one of the most satisfying games ever.

I really hope that he's not going to put a stop to the quirky little features in his games because people don't see them. That's part of the magic.

bonker
22/07/08 @ 19:58
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"I'd personally of course also prefer it on the PS3 with some great Cell based effects, but I'm sure you could get quite far on the 360 also. "

WTF???

BigJonno
23/07/08 @ 19:00
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I just love his child-like enthusiasm for what he does and I think that comes over in the games he is involved in. Fable was probably my favourite Xbox game and certainly my most replayed game ever. I enjoy running around having fun and playing with my games, which is what I could do with Fable and it's a real rarity.
Sevens
25/07/08 @ 02:05
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One button combat. Horrible. Casual, though.

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