Peter Molyneux has confirmed that his definitely-not-on-rails game Fable: The Journey will not feature melee combat, focusing instead on projectile-based magic attacks. Not that this is going to be an on-rails shooter or anything, because it isn't. Except when it is. Or not. Perhaps.
"We could have done melee weapons, but the one thing I hate about melee weapons, and guns as well, is that the human brain is encoded to expect recoil from those things,” said Molyneux, making excuses with trademark convolution. “Whenever I swing a sword and I hit something on screen, the visuals and the sound isn’t enough. We could have done what Zelda did well on Twilight Princess, where it doesn’t really matter what you do, what happens on-screen is the best thing. But I wanted people to feel powerful, to feel power, and that’s all about you.
"The thing about magic is there’s nothing encoded in your mind about how it should feel. So no guns, and no swords."
In other words, Kinect is too restrictive to do much beyond on-rails shooters. Though, as we said, The Journey is NOT an on-rails shooter ... but it is.
Molyneux rules out melee combat in Fable: The Journey [VG247]
Contest:
9:20 AM on 08.11.2011 | 
You fully control the horse, like stopping it, turning him, moving him. Horseback riding can be done on kinect oddly. The shooting mechanics might be on-rails, though.
Oh now I sound like sofik. EVERYONE YELL AT ME AND CALL ME A TROLL NOW.
Kinect may be an embarrassment and ruining the console for hardcore gamers as instead of decent, deep games, all we're getting now is this shallow bullshit, but at least Microsoft are making money.
*sigh*
It is however on tracks, conduits, channels, corridors, aisles, strips, routes, and incredibly restrictive paths. But not on rails.
That's because people are usually holding a controller, you jackass.
Also, as someone has pointed out already, is it really on rails if you can control the movement of the horse? Genuine question as I really haven't been following this. Are you in full control or is it a glorified 'choose your path' system which has been in on rails shooters for years.
"In other words, Kinect is too restrictive to do much beyond on-rails shooters."
I know you're deliberately taking that conclusion for comedic effect, and it's likely not your actual view (at least I'd hope not), but it's worth stating that that plainly isn't true. Kinect has yet to produce more than 1 or 2 decent games (and that's debatable), but the technology is certainly there to do some interesting stuff. You only have to look at the mods people have pulled together on PC for it.
Hell I bought one purely to use it with After Effects as a rudimentary, semi-novel, 3D scanner.
Is what I meant to say. Apologies, shoddy proof-reading.
[IMG]http://www.dualshockers.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/kinect-champion-jockey-270x151.jpg[/IMG}
...I'm in
I can't say he doesn't have a point to some degree but I just wish he would shush. It really doesn't bother me though. Its the same thing with David Cage: I ignore what they say and enjoy their games.
He's really descended in to self-parody at this point.
The Molyneux Formula
1) Make claims how revolutionary your game will be.
2) Release game that fails to live up to hype.
3) Explain how last game was a disappointment, but the next one will be great.
4) Profit.
Except I expect magic to have power and some kind of recoil. If you're shooting fireballs from your palm, it's not just gonna cruise out like a bubble. It's gonna come out like a fireball.
instead of waving yourself frantically in front of your TV to do everything, it could be used for game functions on top of the already present controller inputs. breast jiggling in Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 comes to mind, but with Kinect, you could theoretically even have hand gestures do something (like cast magic or open a menu or something).
It still seems to be "dumbing down" the game in order to utilize Kinect. There will be fewer options for battle and movement than in previous iterations of the game. They might have been better to do an offshoot "Fable Kinect" game rather than make the next game in the series molded to suit Kinect because this has dimmed any excitement for the next game in the series for me. :(
Does it really MATTER?
A friend of mine is a Fable nut. Dunno why, but she loves the series. Bought an Xbox for Fable, bought an Xbox 360 for Fable 2, etc. She's going to buy a Kinect, just for this.
I'm going to be drinking her tears with my drink instead of Angstura, because they'll be more bitter.
Where's the recoil on the controler numbkull?
A lot of it is so Jim can make funny faces in MS Paint.
As someone already stated, instead of forcing Kinect on games, it should be used to augment the experience and enrich it (like what it appears Bioware is attempting with Mass Effect 3). Instead of making the entire game Kinect-only, they could have made a traditional Fable game where, if you had Kinect, you could use it to cast magic spells instead of pressing a button if you so chose. It would expand the controller options and allow for more robust and customizable controls instead of greatly reducing both control and gameplay opportunities.
If Microsoft wants Kinect to be taken seriously by core gamers, they need to stop making this type of game and embrace the type of integration Bioware is producing.
- didn't see,
- didn't play,
unlike several dozens of journalists who confirmed that game is not on rails. troll more.
can we please make a rule which states that Jim Sterling can't publish anything related to Kinect on destructoid?
We..we all saw this game. It...it was at E3. Playable. They demo'd at MS' conference.
But only if you never comment on Destructoid again.
Deal?