Fable 2 Interview

Next Generation has kicked up a short article outlining their GDC interview with Peter Molyneux, talking Fable 2.
Drama is a central element because it makes players remember your game, says Molyneux. He needed to create things that players cared about. The first was a pet dog that will follow the player throughout the game world of Albion. The second was a family -- players can get married, have children they can provide for or abandon, and the family's presence (or lack thereof) affects a child's development. The third is dynamic regions. Everything you touch will change. The actions you take will have direct consequences on what you touch and what you've changed. Molyneux hints that at some point in the game you'll make a small change that will have huge consequences in the world's capital later on.

The goal with Fable 2's combat is to be both "unbelievably easy to play" and "make you feel heroic." It's simple but has depth. All it takes is one button press. Players can beat the game button mashing, or use the environment and flourishes to gain more experience. For example, you could knock an enemy into the air, shoot him with a pistol, have him fall on a spike, and then topple off a cliff. "We decided the amount of experience you get in a particular fight is dependent on how cool you are," says Molyneux.