Fable 2 Pub Games - A Test?

[2Times]

OXM Online
Posted on: Sep 02, 2008

Fable II: Pubgate


WORDS BY: Casey Lynch

Fable II fans were already stoked at the idea of gambling their way to gold o’plenty months before Fable II proper hits store shelves with the recently released XBLA Pub Games.

But free gold?

Suffice to say, most of you have heard of the exploit in the Pub Game Fortune’s Tower, which allows you to bet the highest amount while only ever removing the amount of the lowest bet from your pot.

We’ll admit: after playing totally legit for a few days and being about 1,200 gold up (I got pretty decent at Spinnerbox), I tried the cheat to see what all the hubbub was about. Indeed it worked, and in just an hour, I had more than tripled my winnings, though I felt dirtier than that time I used an Achievement walkthrough with Cars. Yeah, it’s bad.


But I smell a rat. Think about it: how did Microsoft let such a huge blunder get past testing, QA and certification? The idea of such a sizeable exploit that’s so easy to find and execute (you basically hold LB after you deal) in such a high-profile, first-party game got me thinking: If Fable II is all about choices and morality and shaping your character’s — nay, the entire world of Albion’s — destiny through the choices you make, what if the exploit is a zany Molyneux ploy put in place to test gamers without their even realizing it?

It’s easy to choose “good” or “bad,” but what about when you’re on the sneak and you think no one’s looking? Now that’s a test!

Imagine if Lionhead Studios purposely released the Pub Games with said exploit without mentioning it or trying to curb cheaters? After all, if you want to cheat, that’s your choice, right? Now let’s take it a step further. What if players who cheated in the Pub Games wake up with a winnings-hangover, stumble back to the Pub when the retail game comes out to cash in on their loot, only to find that they're automatically assigned an evil alignment when they link up their in-game characters with their Pub characters, without the ability to change it? And what if it went on your “permanent virtual record” like an in-game felony? Maybe you’d get your cheek branded with a dollar sign so everyone would know and it could affect your reputation, your ability to get work or make strides with the ladies, everything… it would be genius! You play, you pay, right? Effin’ A!

Alas, even though Molyneux has his kooky side, we’d be beyond shocked if he and his English cadre had the balls to try something like that in as high-profile a game as Fable II, though it would be one of the more provocative, thought-provoking, and unique game mechanics we’d ever seen. It would also be hella funny.

So, what do you all think about cheating in the Pub Games? Is it wrong? Does it matter? Should there be automatic consequences? Would you be pissed if there were? And finally, did you try it? Be honest and sound off, peasants!

When you think no one is watching....

[dmiller68]

This is great thought... and I agree anyone that used that cheat should be thrown under the truck... Maybe when you enter into the game you are taken around back by some Vegas mob boys and shown a good time...

[Twilight]

We were already speculating about this possibility when the cheat was first announced on this site. (Milkman broke the news I think) I can see it being legit.

[The Milk Man 09]

I think this may be a possibility but I already have two characters in my pub games one that I have used the cheat to get around 60,000 gold and the other that I only used the cheat to get through the 5 tournaments quickly and still have about 170,000 gold legit with. Either way I think I have both bases covered and I kinda hope that if you really really cheat with one character you do start off evil because that will just give me a head start when I do make a completely evil character. I don't think it would have that large of an effect from the beginning but I wouldn't doubt that you may be 10 percent corrupt or evil when you start the game if you cheated a lot. Really if this is true they wouldn't make the ramifications so bad that people wouldnt want to link their characters.

[Lord Geoff]

That would be completely cool! It wouldn't bother me in the slightest, because I am not using pub game cash on my first playthrough. I generally like the "pure" experience on my first time through. I avoid looking at the achievements, etc. On subsequent playthroughs I will use ill-gotten gains on one and play through with a crapload of debt on another to see how that affects the game.

[Crippler]

Allowing a cheat in like that would be pure genius.

So, how does one become 'good' at Spinnerbox? Am I missing something? Isn't that shit just completely random? I NEVER win at the damn game.

[Wood Ghost]

Originally Posted by Crippler

Allowing a cheat in like that would be pure genius.

So, how does one become 'good' at Spinnerbox? Am I missing something? Isn't that shit just completely random? I NEVER win at the damn game.

I seem to win at cow & corset 25-250 if I play enough, go in the hole to start but it gives me some big wins. The bonus spin comes up pretty frequent. The one I have trouble with is getting the sword in keystone. I'll go the whole game in the top 1-2 then about half way thru the last game I'm down to 7-8th place.

[kingsfan2099]

That would totally awesome if they did that. I mean if the subject knows they're being observed it affects how they act. So we'll be able to see all the glitchers out there in the open...what they do when they don't think anyone is looking.

[The Milk Man 09]

Originally Posted by Crippler

Allowing a cheat in like that would be pure genius.

So, how does one become 'good' at Spinnerbox? Am I missing something? Isn't that shit just completely random? I NEVER win at the damn game.

Hey crip I put a bunch of tips on how to make money in my pub games tips thread.