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GDC 08: Molyneux revolutionizes AI a billion times over: Will also fight a bear
by Jim Sterling on 02.19.2008 70 comments

GDC 08: Molyneux revolutionizes AI a billion times over: Will also fight a bear screenshot

Peter Molyneux, the man behind Black & White and Fable, is up to his old tricks again, claiming that his studio is on the cusp of revolutionizing AI in games, and that a new game from the Black & White team will be announced soon.

Molyneux, who is his own biggest fanboy, was supposed to be talking about Fable 2, but couldn't stop himself bigging up this new mystery game from Lionhead Studios. As is typically Peter's way, he has sprayed the new title with heaps of hype-cream from his excitement-nozzle before we even know its name.

"In the six years since Black & White, [the developers] have been working improving the great things that underpinned that game, and now they are getting pretty close to something that is very significant. It’s a very big thing. A new franchise and as close to something revolutionary as I have ever seen. And we’re close to announcing it.

If you think back to the one thing about Black & White that was most fascinating, you’d have to say it was that creature that learned behavior and seemed, for a certain glimpse, to be alive. Imagine if you could take that and multiply it by a billion…"

Oh Peter, why have you got to keep doing this? It was this kind of undue expectation that made Fable such a crushing disappointment for me. I'm all for a man being excited about his projects, but come on. Times a billion? A billion? I hope he knows just how big that number is, because it's the exact number of Artificial Intelligences that I want this new game to have. 

[Via NeoGAF]

MORE IN OUR Rose-tinted SECTION

Latest comment by A Ton of Berries |view all 70 comments
Peter is a splendid guy, and you've got to hand it to him: He gets the attention he wants. Of course he's just talking shit 9/10 of the time, but a man has got to dream. Loudly, and vividly, an......





bigfatton's Avatar
bigfatton at 02/19/2008 03:23

His next game will also cure cancer and AIDS. so, go him!
wardrox's Avatar
wardrox at 02/19/2008 03:24

A quantum-leap into the future, if you will.
Dan CiTi's Avatar
Dan CiTi at 02/19/2008 03:25

Yes. A billion.
JustLikeBuck's Avatar
JustLikeBuck at 02/19/2008 03:26

I don't know, the original B&W had some amazing AI. It would learn, adapt, grow... and then after loading up a saved game, would completely forget everything you'd taught it.

Perhaps this Amazing AI will include some kind of long term memory? That would be a big step forward for an Habitually shit-throwing Cow!
Harkonnen's Avatar
Harkonnen at 02/19/2008 03:26

Peter Molyneux's games don't sleep. They wait.
sleepingagain's Avatar
sleepingagain at 02/19/2008 03:27

at least i wont be disappointed with fable 2, since i expect it to be a piece of shit already
Lord_Satorious's Avatar
Lord_Satorious at 02/19/2008 03:28

Most problems can be fixed with duct tape. I doubt Peter Molyneux is the exception to this rule.
Jim Sterling's Avatar
Jim Sterling at 02/19/2008 03:29

Seriously though A BILLION!!!!!
Justice's Avatar
Justice at 02/19/2008 03:35

Will characters actually talk to us and reach out through our TV screens?
stevephoenix's Avatar
stevephoenix at 02/19/2008 03:36

peter recently made a faster than light travel possible, making conquering space simple and easy, but we'll have to wait for fable 3 to terraform the worlds we discover.
CALkulon's Avatar
CALkulon at 02/19/2008 03:37

Are we talking American billion or UK billion here? Could make all the difference you know!
Im OK's Avatar
Im OK at 02/19/2008 03:46

A BILLION IS OVER NINE THOUSAAAAAAAAANNND!!!

Ahem.

For me, Black and White was an awesome concept. However, the actual implementation (of both the first and second games) left much to be desired. And Fable was okay for what it was, but obviously didn't live up to the ludicrous hype. I fully expect that this new game will be the exact same damn way. I.e. it'll probably be a decent or even cool game, in its own right, but it won't be the second coming of Christ that he makes it out to be.
Boolean's Avatar
Boolean at 02/19/2008 03:46

Jesus, just when he's learnt his lesson making insane promises for Fable2 the same way he fucked up with Fable 1, he goes and does this.

A BILLION YOU SAY!?
Boolean's Avatar
Boolean at 02/19/2008 03:49

Eugh, that sentence is kinda fucked. You know what I mean though.
Niero's Avatar
Niero at 02/19/2008 03:50

I wish he would have said something like MULTIPLY THAT BY LIKE 8 POINT SIX! That would have been more profound and awesome.
razerangel's Avatar
razerangel at 02/19/2008 04:13

Peter Molyneux's games can roundhouse kick your face off
tazarthayoot's Avatar
tazarthayoot at 02/19/2008 04:21

Is a man not entitled to the billion AI of his game?

"NO," says the man on a video game blog, "THATS UNPOSSIBLE!"

"NO," says the pissed off Christian lobbyist, "GAMES MAKE YOU KILL PEOPLE!"

"LOL," says the community member of the man on a video game blog, "MAKE SURE YOU TIGHTEN UP THE GRAFFIX ON LEVEL THREE FIRST!"
-PL-'s Avatar
-PL- at 02/19/2008 04:31

I liked Fable, but it definitely didn't meet my expectations with what Peter was saying about it. So I'm not gonna set the bar too high on Fable 2.
kawitchate's Avatar
kawitchate at 02/19/2008 04:33

a BILLION!!!
THE GAME WILL PLAY ITSELF
Paroxysm's Avatar
Paroxysm at 02/19/2008 04:35

He's still got enough good will from the old days to keep my admiration for a few more rounds.
Azereki's Avatar
Azereki at 02/19/2008 04:41

He should have worked a PS3 statement in there somewhere as well. Sony and Peter are related in that they are their own greatest fanboys and ridiculously exaggerate all of their claims and dates. Woo, woo.
Hispano's Avatar
Hispano at 02/19/2008 04:44

The new game's name is SKYNET
stevephoenix's Avatar
stevephoenix at 02/19/2008 04:52

will it also plug into my brain so i don't have to use my hands to control it?
Aurain's Avatar
Aurain at 02/19/2008 05:08

I killed Whisper and I'm proud of it. Fable 2 needs to get rid of Skills make you old. You can't be uber AND old.
Static Jak's Avatar
Static Jak at 02/19/2008 05:12

Peter Molyneuxs games are usually pretty good as long as you don't actually listen to what he has to say about them. That only leads to disappointment.
Cheeburga's Avatar
Cheeburga at 02/19/2008 05:13

IT'S OVER A BILLIONNNNNNNNNNNN
ZanyIce's Avatar
ZanyIce at 02/19/2008 05:14

This is why I'm not gonna take anything he says seriously. that way I can't be disappointed with Fable 2.
RaiRed's Avatar
RaiRed at 02/19/2008 05:23

HE'S CREATED SKYNET!!! RUN!!!
AfroJoel's Avatar
AfroJoel at 02/19/2008 06:08

@kawitchate

lololol
McSnow's Avatar
McSnow at 02/19/2008 06:23

@RaiRed We can only stop this now by pushing Molyneux into a vat of molten lava thus altering the future and saving manking from a war against a super AI creature.
We know what must be done!
MrPeenie's Avatar
MrPeenie at 02/19/2008 06:56

I like him. He made populus, theme park, syndicate, high octane, magic carpet AND dungeon keeper! Which were all games I enjoyed. But this was at bullfrog ent. Also, B&W was boring.
Jetsetlemming's Avatar
Jetsetlemming at 02/19/2008 06:59

Black and White was crap. I enjoyed Fable, though.
There's a mod to disable aging beyond mid-twenties, you know. :3 It makes a whole fucking lot more sense, especially since none of the other characters age. My first playthrough, I ended up older than my own mother.
Awkward, rite?
sleepbox80's Avatar
sleepbox80 at 02/19/2008 07:05

He's almost as arrogant as Ken Kutaragi
AgentMOO's Avatar
AgentMOO at 02/19/2008 07:13

oh peter, you so crazy!
mistic's Avatar
mistic at 02/19/2008 07:33

yeah I think he really doesn't understand the significance of 'a billion' ...

unless he's creating some game that is meant to make crysis-capable PC's its absolute bitch!

I mean seriously, most PC's choke under the presure of a RTS having them control barely a few thousand units and that's nowhere near a million or even a billion, and he wants all those units to also have their own AI? or maybe this is a 'distributed' game that will also spread a mallware so that all their 'zombiepcs' can do the calculations for all those AI's...


i bet the coders behind that AI are now thinking 'Fuck YOU Peter! We can't make that! thanks for ruining our reputation!"
devilreyes's Avatar
devilreyes at 02/19/2008 07:42

"franchise"?... "billions"?... B&W let you feed an animal it's own crap... hmmm, crazy Pete must be working on a McDonald's sim! I can't wait to train an evil Mayor McCheese to subjugate a population of Fry-guys; or to bitch slap Grimace into a homicidal maniac that dumps hot coffee in the laps of old ladies; and finally get to feed that smiling fuck Ronald his own burgers until he chubs up like that guy in "Supersize Me". It's gonna be the shit!
realyst's Avatar
realyst at 02/19/2008 07:49

That's odd, my God game just invented interstellar travel...
Fading_Star's Avatar
Fading_Star at 02/19/2008 08:23

Peter likes to play up his games.....please don't suck.
nicojay's Avatar
nicojay at 02/19/2008 08:35

Oh come on!
A billion isn't that large a number. I'll start counting now and post a comment when I'm done.
Also Syndicate or dungeon keeper with shit-slinging cows pretty please.
deiga-the-semivaliant's Avatar
deiga-the-semivaliant at 02/19/2008 08:45

Molyneux's hype is always so incredible sounding. But after all the disappointments, does he really expect people to listen??
michiyoyoshiku's Avatar
michiyoyoshiku at 02/19/2008 09:05

Peter Molyneux will you please

SHUT

THE

HELL

UP

Love,
Chris Jericho.
CaffeinePowered's Avatar
CaffeinePowered at 02/19/2008 09:09

Most developers shoot for the moon, Peter Molyneux shoots for the sun
brad drac's Avatar
brad drac at 02/19/2008 09:09

The creatures weren't the best part of black & white, the quit button was. That game sucked so bad. Fable was also nothing more than a mediocre slasher with nothing to distinguish it from any other game in the genre but higher production values. My breath is unheld. Stop sucking, molyneux.
Bob Arctor's Avatar
Bob Arctor at 02/19/2008 09:13

Fable Sucked
notdryad's Avatar
notdryad at 02/19/2008 09:14

I wonder what it would be like to live in a world where Molyneux's games actually lived up to his own hype. Wouldn't it be amazing if Fable was actually a good game?
Ratcliff's Avatar
Ratcliff at 02/19/2008 09:25

Hey, if Molyneux's can deliver just once on his promises, it'll all be worth it.
Nubc4kes's Avatar
Nubc4kes at 02/19/2008 09:26

There's a big difference between what Molyneux promises in a game and what's actually in the game. After hearing this ludicrous statement, I can't help but laugh.
notdryad's Avatar
notdryad at 02/19/2008 09:49

@Ratcliff

Hahaha, yeah, if he can ever make a game that's as good as he thinks it is. Too bad we're more likely to see a third party candidate win the presidency of the United States.
LarkOhiya's Avatar
LarkOhiya at 02/19/2008 09:57

Fable was only bad because a year before he even knew what he could and couldn't pull of in the Xbox system he promised the world... Fable was a great game for what it is, but not for what people where expecting it to be.
Kitsune's Avatar
Kitsune at 02/19/2008 10:35

Peter Molyneux seems to have a door in his house that leads to a parallel universe in which everything he says actually happens. I don't understand why he keeps coming back to our world.
Dr Milkdad's Avatar
Dr Milkdad at 02/19/2008 11:07

I liked Fable, but I didn't read anything about the game leading up to it. So the solution here is, don't read anything ever or listen to Peter.. just play his games. Except Black and White, that sucked balls.
Sharpless's Avatar
Sharpless at 02/19/2008 11:30

How many Frenchmen can't be wrong?

ONE BILLION.

(Look it up, you uncultured swine.)
ceark's Avatar
ceark at 02/19/2008 11:36

I'll believe that when I can put on a headset and have conversations with AI characters as if they're normal people.
Velt's Avatar
Velt at 02/19/2008 11:39

I had so much interactivity in FABLE that I spent the first couple of hours kicking chickens.
Tekoa's Avatar
Tekoa at 02/19/2008 11:50

hey...i liked fable.
Gaz's Avatar
Gaz at 02/19/2008 12:08

Same old arse, really. What I'd give for the days where I didn't care about hype and rubbish like this... it's too hard to ignore it now.

Oh, and anyone have the source of the OP picture?
Samit Sarkar's Avatar
Samit Sarkar at 02/19/2008 12:41

In other news, I consumed, like, A BILLION CALORIES last Thanksgiving.
Jetsetlemming's Avatar
Jetsetlemming at 02/19/2008 12:57

Peter Molyneux is about to make you his bitch.
MechaMonkey's Avatar
MechaMonkey at 02/19/2008 13:37

At Lionhead Studios, video game play you.
Sphinx 13's Avatar
Sphinx 13 at 02/19/2008 14:27

Something like 1 BILLION percent of Game designers hype the shit out of their own games, and hardly any of them are worth mentioning.

You guys are just too critical, remember all the shit they promised for Halo 2? Half of it never happened and the game turned out shitty.
Dexter345's Avatar
Dexter345 at 02/19/2008 18:39

Somebody should explain to Molyneux that if he ordered one billion cheeseburgers, and then ate one million of them, he would still have almost a billion cheeseburgers left to eat. One billion is big.
BlackSunEmpire's Avatar
BlackSunEmpire at 02/19/2008 18:48



Oh Peter, will you ever stop playing with yourself while thinking about how awesome you are??
Holyetheline's Avatar
Holyetheline at 02/19/2008 19:27

You know... I loved Fable so much. I thought that game was amazing... one of my favorite games ever. I believe in Peter. Maybe he really is onto something with the AI?
Daktari's Avatar
Daktari at 02/19/2008 19:44

Yes...it's horrible to believe in your own game and to be excited about it. Go Hive-mind go! Blast a great developer for being passionate about his work.... It's horrible to dream big and not be able to deliver. Better not dream at all and make another freakin' clone.

Fable was a ton of fun and I hope he delivers on Fable 2. The last dev diary was weak, but I've enjoyed the others. The dog demo looked great!

B&W was fun, but mainly has a tech demo of the creatures more than an RTS.
Necros's Avatar
Necros at 02/19/2008 21:00

I love this guy. He's like the replacement for Kutaragi.
Necros's Avatar
Necros at 02/19/2008 21:00

I love this guy. He's like the replacement for Kutaragi.
HarassmentPanda's Avatar
HarassmentPanda at 02/20/2008 00:05

Molyneux might be my hero. I don't think I've actually played any of his games, but I love hearing about them ahead of time and watching everyone's dreams get crushed when the final product is released.
Pangloss's Avatar
Pangloss at 02/20/2008 04:45

Look. Peter Molyneux makes pretty good games. It's a thing he does. Fable, Black & White, et al., viewed objectively, are all good games.

The problem with Molyneux is that he promises that the game will not only be the best ever, but will also cure sickle-cell anemia and add three inches to your dick, even if you're a lady.

The key to a fulfilling life, therefore, is to ignore every word Peter Molyneux ever says, and buy his games as they are released.
PetiePal's Avatar
PetiePal at 02/20/2008 15:35

Black and White series was pretty damn good. And Populous was awesome. So let's see what he can dig up. We need better dynamic AI. (SkyNet) is just so many years away still.
A Ton of Berries's Avatar
A Ton of Berries at 02/20/2008 16:24<