Dog or no dog?

GaD · Post by **GaD** » Wed Jan 31, 2007 11:45 am

I read in wikipedia that you can have a pet to travel with you i dont like thsi idea too much but guess if its done right i could like it

There is also going to be a new fighting system with restraints how how you can swing your sword like if you are in a narrow area you have to do more fencing like sword swings then when you move into a more open space you can do full 360 degrease swings

GameVideos.com - Leipzig: Molyneux Fighting Demo

they say its not fable but i think its too similar to not be

mr_sir · Post by **mr_sir** » Wed Jan 31, 2007 12:15 pm

Title changed to reflect the poll. Please try to make titles so they reflect the content of the post as you are more likely to get responses and views if you do this.

Thanks
mr_sir, moderator of Fable 2

Edit: In answer to the poll, I think having an animal companion would be quite good if its is done right, but if the animal's AI is poor then it could just get very annoying and frustrating.

DesR85 · Post by **DesR85** » Wed Jan 31, 2007 7:17 pm

GaD wrote:I read in wikipedia that you can have a pet to travel with you i dont like thsi idea too much but guess if its done right i could like it.

Wasn't this idea confirmed to be a hoax a while back?

I've read an article about a dog idea in Fable 2 back at Gamespot's Rumour Control section and they've confirmed it to be bogus.

Moosekid · Post by **Moosekid** » Sun Feb 25, 2007 5:12 pm

Granted, in Fable you cannot have a dog traveling around with you, or any other sort of pet. They're not the most mythical or mysterious of cretures.. But there are creatures you can summon and have following you for a cirtain amount of time..

ni.ck · Post by **ni.ck** » Sat Mar 31, 2007 6:53 am

Actually, you can have a dog in Fable 2, and I saw how it is used on YouTube, and I tell you, the AI is very good; it runs forward and warns you if there are any enemies nearby, rather handy, and it also fights for you, so I vote "Yes".

DesR85 · Post by **DesR85** » Sat Mar 31, 2007 9:09 am

ni.ck wrote:Actually, you can have a dog in Fable 2, and I saw how it is used on YouTube, and I tell you, the AI is very good; it runs forward and warns you if there are any enemies nearby, rather handy, and it also fights for you, so I vote "Yes".

I also saw those videos in Gamespot and the like, by the way.

At the time I wrote that post, it was before Peter Molyneux demonstrated the video about the pet dog in Fable 2 at GDC '07. Forgot to say that I retract my statement about calling the dog idea a hoax.

Now, speaking of the Lionhead staff who leaked the information about the dog idea back last year on Gamespot (and other gaming sites), I think he/she will be severely reprimanded for leaking the information in the first place.

AvatarOfLight · Post by **AvatarOfLight** » Sat Mar 31, 2007 9:58 am

Well it all sounds great, but I'll believe it when I see it. I'm not sure what exactly everyone has seen on YouTube or otherwise, but scripting a dog to do something properly for a demo is easy. Writing an AI that will always act properly is so much harder.

So yes! I'd like the feature only if it's done properly.

dragon wench · Post by **dragon wench** » Sun Apr 01, 2007 11:08 pm

DesR85 wrote: Now, speaking of the Lionhead staff who leaked the information about the dog idea back last year on Gamespot (and other gaming sites), I think he/she will be severely reprimanded for leaking the information in the first place.

Maybe...
Though it is hard to say. Sometimes, no matter the industry, things are deliberately "leaked" in order to act as a sort of trial ballon upon which to gauge consumer response.

Anyway, to answer the question, assuming I were to consider picking up Fable 2 (I didn't like the looks of the first game, but this seems as though it could be better), I figure if the dog's AI were decent, then sure, why not? Pets can be fun in games.

DesR85 · Post by **DesR85** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 6:28 pm

dragon wench wrote:Maybe...
Though it is hard to say. Sometimes, no matter the industry, things are deliberately "leaked" in order to act as a sort of trial ballon upon which to gauge consumer response.

Can't agree more. When that rumour surfaced in Gamespot, the source came from a guy who knows someone working in Lionhead Studios. It was quickly struck down by the editors as a rumour since there was no concrete proof at that time. Now, it really came true. How ironic indeed.

Now, to be on topic, what was shown at GDC '07 was a demo level only so we don't know whether the dog will perform as good as what was shown. It's easier to code AI for a demo level than a full game, from what I've known so far. It would be great if the dog AI that was demonstrated at GDC will be the same in the full game.

superbob263 · Post by **superbob263** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 9:18 pm

This dog Idea could be one of the coolest things done with RPGs to date if it is done right it could change the way game developers think of sidekicks in the future.

DesR85 · Post by **DesR85** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 12:32 am

superbob263 wrote:This dog Idea could be one of the coolest things done with RPGs to date if it is done right it could change the way game developers think of sidekicks in the future.

I hope so. AI in RPGs (particularly team-based ones) are known to be very stupid. If Lionhead is able to successfully implement good AI into the dog companion, then hopefully, other developers will follow suit. After all, it doesn't hurt to have a smart companion for once.

ni.ck · Post by **ni.ck** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 2:16 pm

Yeah, the dog would be cool... But sometimes it could get a bit silly, I mean... You're fighting an ice troll, and your little puppy runs out and beats it up. I think they should have a thing that if the thing the dog is fighting is stronger, he would run and hide behind you.

DesR85 · Post by **DesR85** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 8:21 pm

ni.ck wrote:Yeah, the dog would be cool... But sometimes it could get a bit silly, I mean... You're fighting an ice troll, and your little puppy runs out and beats it up. I think they should have a thing that if the thing the dog is fighting is stronger, he would run and hide behind you.

I understand your point here but wouldn't this make the dog a rather useless companion if he/she ran away from a battle?

ni.ck · Post by **ni.ck** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 8:35 am

No no, I mean they fight certain creatures, like hobbes, and anything else that would be around their own size, but anything that is bigger then them should run away, for instance... You're walking around Darkwood (Or any other place like that) with your dog running ahead, looking for dangerous creatures. You see 3 hobbes, and engage in battle with them, your dog helps and you win easilly, And then the dog runs back to you, hiding behind you, this would also inform you that the creature is rather tough.

DesR85 · Post by **DesR85** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 9:27 am

ni.ck wrote:No no, I mean they fight certain creatures, like hobbes, and anything else that would be around their own size, but anything that is bigger then them should run away, for instance... You're walking around Darkwood (Or any other place like that) with your dog running ahead, looking for dangerous creatures. You see 3 hobbes, and engage in battle with them, your dog helps and you win easilly, And then the dog runs back to you, hiding behind you, this would also inform you that the creature is rather tough.

Oh, okay. I get it. Yeah, it would be logical if the dog sense a more dangerous enemy and hide behind you as a warning. Now, what I would like to know is whether it will be possible to customise your dog (in terms of stats, that is).

Lady Dragonfly · Post by **Lady Dragonfly** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 6:24 pm

I am not sure. I've seen it done in the other games and I am not impressed. Logically, the dog should be killed by the monsters right away, unless you want it to be designed as "impossible to kill" (sort of knocked out temporarily), which is cheesy.
The "spying dog" would eliminate any sense of surprise and challenge (not that Fable has ever had any).

RPG Guy (sorta) · Post by **RPG Guy (sorta)** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 8:55 pm

If they're going to incorporate a companion like a dog, then they better give you some kind of uber-reward heading into the final chapter of the game...for keeping the thing alive.

Undoubtedly, it will take some substantial effort to keep a 'dog' alive for the entire game without some lame (i.e. cheese) ressurection strategy.

The developers need to strike a careful balance between the dog's utility (actual usefulness in the game) and it's obvious exposure (growling and charging into battle prematurely only to get slaughtered).

There better be 3 LARGE button on the UI:

1. Heel (stay behind me and bark your @ss off )
2. Sick (attack)
3. Go lay down (run and hide into some bushes)

Realistically, the dog would serve only a few useful purposes:

Scouting...

Guarding you while you rest at night (a security alarm)

Sensing evil or insincere NPC's

Limited attack capability

Carring messages

Generally speaking, I like the idea but they better do it right.

leigh · Post by **leigh** » Thu Apr 05, 2007 12:37 am

I think having the dog is a good idea. It means that you have abit extra help when fighting. Sort of like the Summon or ghost sword spells in TLC...expect it won't disappear with in two hits.:laugh:
From what I have saw the dog is sort of like a hunter's companion which means that it will always fight the foes with you.
I think the fact that the dog will change it's appearance depending on the Hero's alignment will be a pretty neat feature.

ni.ck · Post by **ni.ck** » Mon Apr 09, 2007 5:32 am

DesR's suggestion...

Oh, okay. I get it. Yeah, it would be logical if the dog sense a more dangerous enemy and hide behind you as a warning. Now, what I would like to know is whether it will be possible to customise your dog (in terms of stats, that is).

I think your dogs stats improving would be very good, but only if it is done properly - Your dog standing in some light to get stronger is rather silly (As was the Hero doing it!) It should be that the dog and yourself gain XP when killing stuff, but insted when your XP reachings a certain point.

Bob Dole176 · Post by **Bob Dole176** » Thu Apr 12, 2007 12:51 pm

I think I found the video. I don't know why, but it makes you specify your age. Probably because Fable's a rated M game and you have to be 17 or 18 to buy it, I think.

GameVideos.com - GDC: Fable 2 'Dog Demo' gameplay HD

GameBanshee Forums

Dog or no dog?

Dog Or No Dog

Dog or no dog?