Fable 2 Pub Games Explained
Tuesday, August 12th, 2008 - 9:50am
Eurogamer has a nice article about BertieClert. And also how your Pub Games money will end up in your Fable 2 game.
It seems your copy of Pub Games will have a selection of characters already on it. You select one and go gambling. Then when Fable 2 comes out, you can associate each of those characters with a hero (your hero effectively takes over for your temporary gambler ID). So while earning a million gold doesn't mean all of your Fable 2 characters will automatically start out with a million gold, you can use the pub games to give more than one character a leg up if you so desire.
Pretty elegant solution.
NOTE: This is not a doodle bug.
Except for the sucking of the games themselves... there's that.
ThePolypusher
WAR - Dolz
A valid point. So what precisely don't you like about the games?
Oh, that's right, you haven't actually played them.
NOTE: This is not a doodle bug.
Spore
Dont be a jerk, I have played them, they suck. They're trying too hard to be unique, new games that feel like games you've played a million times, which isnt a totally flawed plan but they failed. The games just arent fun. I can see NO reason to sit and play them endlessly -except- to get gold in Fable 2, so you'd be paying $10 for Fable 2 gold (assuming you didnt get it for free)
Buy some WoW gold while you're at it
ThePolypusher
WAR - Dolz
Well, I didn't know that. And I'm sorry.
NOTE: This is not a doodle bug.
Spore
Actually, it sounds like you're paying $10 for the opportunity to get Fable 2 gold. At least the gold farmers in WoW do the work for you.
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To be fair, I'd guess that most people will just be getting this as a pre-order bonus. $10 is probably too much to ask for it, but free isn't too bad.
XBL/PSN: zeroKFE | BHA: zeroKFE
So you merge with the gambling persona, and then have to launder all your gambler's money through gambling?
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Well I think one thing folks should be able to agree on is that no one will be playing the XBLA pub games once Fable 2 is out, so you’ll be grinding your gold up to the release date and then never again. This little title is a naked cash grab and I don’t like it. If the games were fun, small multiplayer capable games that we’re otherwise missing on XBLA, I’d be all for it. Im thinking of games like Mancala and 9 Men’s Morris... games that were actually played in pubs
That’s the niche I would have had this game fill if I were making it.
ThePolypusher
WAR - Dolz
I'm not sure if its so much a "naked cash grab" as just a poorly thought out idea. Which is par for course with Peter M. He likely fancied the idea of people playing his gambling game in real life, and then some BS about immersion poured out of his cerebral cortex.
The brain you stole, Fritz. Think of it. The brain of a dead man waiting to live again in a body I made with my own hands!
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XBOX LIVE: AtomicVideoHead
I agree with Cramps. It'd be a naked cash grab if they intended for the games to suck, which seems unlikely.
NOTE: This is not a doodle bug.
Spore
Side note: I love the pseudonyms on GWJ. Much better than the numbers and leetness that proliferates on other forums. "The Lobstermobster agrees with cramps" is a fun sentence.
The brain you stole, Fritz. Think of it. The brain of a dead man waiting to live again in a body I made with my own hands!
http://isisless.deviantart.com/
XBOX LIVE: AtomicVideoHead
People have long been aware of my unshakable support for cramps of all sorts, with a special emphasis on the bowels (as always).
NOTE: This is not a doodle bug.
Spore
IGN's got my back
Never thought I'd write that...
ThePolypusher
WAR - Dolz
That's troubling, entered my promo card this morning while having my coffee . . . . invalid?
XBL: DeeVoc000
PSN: DeeVoc
I got a nice surprise from Amazon a few minutes ago... I pre-ordered Fable 2 a while back on Amazon, thought nothing else of it... Just got my pre-order bonus, which I didn't even know about, and it's an XBLA code for the pub games. Guess the issue is moot for me.
XBL: NSMike | Steam | PSN: NSMike | Wii Friend Code: 7763 1519 2475 2278 | GWJ Google Calendar
I slapped on my HazMat gear and waded into GameFAQs. This problem is widespread and rumor has it the codes aren't active yet. Mine certainly doesn't work either.
Also, from the IGN article:
So it's not all bad.
And finally, here's a list of all the reward items, as listed on GameFAQs (the gold amount is market value for the item). Hat, Headband, Moustache sounds like a better game than Keystone.
Fortune's Tower-
Place in a 1 star tournament- 100 gold- Plaits Hairstyle Card-
Keep that pesky hair out of your eyes and turn heads at the same time with this ultra-fashionable new hair style. Surely everyone who is anyone will be wearing these plaits next year, but you can say you were among the first. Just take this card to your favorite stylist!
Place in a 2 star tournament- 200 gold- Dog Training: Backflip
Why stop at simple tricks like fetching and shaking paws? Teach your dog the most spectacular of canine acrobatics: the Backflip! Amaze your friends, impress villagers, and laugh smugly the next time somebody asks if your dog does tricks.
Place in a 3 star tournament- 400 gold- Highroller's Coat
Flaunt your fortune in this uniquely tailored and dapper coat.
Place in a 4 star tournament- 800 gold- Potion of Will
This tasty concoction is light, refreshing, fruity and packed full of arcane lore. It's like an apprenticeship in a bottle! One draught will permanently increase tour magical prowess. Mm, tasty prowess...
Place in a 5 star tournament- 1200 gold- Championship Pistol
For the true firearms connoisseur, this unique weapon is a thing of envy and beauty. But only you will know its deadly secret: the makers enhanced this pistol with magical augmentation to give the wielder an advantage in any shootout.
_____________________
Keystone-
Place in a 1 star tournament- 100 gold- 'Deepest Dark' Chocolates-
Looking to woo someone special? There's no gift like chocolate, and there's no chocolate like this chocolate.
Place in a 2 star tournament- 300 gold- the Sleepmaster 3000
Legs sore from trudging across Albion? Back hurt from swinging that heavy weapon? Relief is at hand! Simply sleep in this bed for one night to soothe away the stress of Heroing.
Place in a 3 star tournament- 600 gold- Potion of Strength
Just one draught of this fabled elixir will permanently increase your strength.
Place in a 4 star tournament- 1200 gold- Tribal Warrior Face tattoo-
Strike fear into the hearts of your enemies with this magnificent facial tattoo, inspired by the intricate designs of the lost Samarkand warriors.
Place in a 5 star tournament- 1800 gold- Championship Cutlass
battles getting a bit difficult? need a little boost in that next swordfight? Not only is this cutlass one of the finest blades made in Albion, but its magic augmentation will give you extra spell power in combat.
_____________________
Spinnerbox-
Place in a 1 star tournament- 80 gold- Amazing Apple Pie-
This is incredibly delicious concoction not only fully heals you - even in the middle of combat! - but causes you to loose weight instead of gain it. There's nothing humble about this pie!
Place in a 2 star tournament- 160 gold- 'hat, headband, Moustache'-
Looking for a bit of entertainment in the next town? Read this book to learn the exciting game of Hat, headband, Moustache. Now you too can be a Game Master and play against any villager in Albion.
Place in a 3 star tournament- 300 gold- Tribal Warrior Body tattoo-
Turn your sculpted physique into a true work of art with this awe-inspiring and intricate tattoo.
Place in a 4 star tournament- 600 gold- Potion of Skill-
Carefully brewed from a variety of things best not described to someone who plans to drink it, this potion is well worth the bitter taste. One draught will make you more skillful.
Place in a 5 star tournament- 1000 gold- Mysterious Ring-
Rumor says that this ring will grant great magical power to its wearer! But eerily, it also speaks of a dangerous curse. No one has ever been brave enough to don the Mysterious Ring... will you be the first to risk wearing it?
NOTE: This is not a doodle bug.
Spore
I just used my code around an hour ago and it downloaded just fine...
XBox Live Gamertag: Lancejt | Zune | SteamID
PSN ID: Lancejt
Yah . . . these are pretty terrible
I don't think I'll be merging any of my gambling personas into my actual character. If I did I'd have my legs broken immediately upon entering the game
XBL: DeeVoc000
PSN: DeeVoc
I dunno, might be fun to have a little debt on your head.
NOTE: This is not a doodle bug.
Spore
Man the Pub games are pretty damn lame, I'd have been pissed if I'd paid for it. There really isn't any skill at all involved, just put down a bunch of money and close your eyes. I hope they didn't spend too much time with this because it really seems like they were a waste of resources.
"The light at the end of the tunnel is just the light of an oncoming train." - Robert Lowell
"Boy exchange is a fun pain in the ass." - LiquidMantis
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I keep telling people this... they're supposed to be Fable's version of gambling. Gambling is about luck.
NOTE: This is not a doodle bug.
Spore
Try screaming
Maybe that will make it fun.
Craps is fun, BlackJack is fun, Poker is fun.
Keystone is not fun.
ThePolypusher
WAR - Dolz
No, Keystone is absolutely not fun at all.
Tower isn't bad.
NOTE: This is not a doodle bug.
Spore
At least tower has some semblance of making choices. The idea of playing enough Spinner tournaments to place in a five star tournament? That's insane.
"The real toy is imagination, it turn sticks into sword, chairs & blankets into forts and kids into heroes." - RedJen
XBox Live / PSN: jonnypolite | twitter
Yeah, the idea of a slot machine tournament is a little odd, especially when they make you do it 100 times. It'd be just as random if you only did it once. Or better yet, if you just paid your entry fee and it randomly told you if you win or not.
NOTE: This is not a doodle bug.
Spore
You know my beef with the tower game? You can lose on the second deal and it seems to happen enough that it's aggravating. I ended up just playing slots while reading a book, seemed to work out since I now have around 70k in gold.
"The light at the end of the tunnel is just the light of an oncoming train." - Robert Lowell
"Boy exchange is a fun pain in the ass." - LiquidMantis
Xbox Live - Trainwreck GWJ
Keystone is gameplay identical to Roulette (with the exception of there being no vigorish and so depending on the payouts there may be a long-term win, and that each number has a different probability of coming up), but I don't particularly like Roulette either. I'll have to crunch through the maths to work out if there's some kind of optimal way to play Tower and Keystone.
I've been trying Tower in the trial version of the game, and I'm getting totally hammered. It seems that in most games the three line pays less than your stake, but two Misfortunes come up on the fourth line often enough to kill me. The game also cleverly shows you what you could have won, so I've watched 2 Jackpots fly past because I bailed out early. Maybe I need to play the spinner thing to make enough money to be able to play the tower game.
The games aren't totally awful, they're pretty good riffs of standard casino games, and they're nicely presented. Gambling ain't really my thing though. And I'm not going to pay 800 gamer points to get them, I think. Though the idea of starting Fable 2 with a bit of cash does appeal to me. I really like the concept of linking a bit release with these small XBLA games. I wish they'd done something a bit more interactive and fun than these, but I can imagine more interesting uses of this concept.
EDIT: Some people have already been doing this number crunching, and the simplest Tower strategy anyone has posted so far (the optimal one would take into account the cards that are already visible) is to bank at 14 or more if you still have your gate card, and bank at 10 if you don't. But even this on average loses you 0.1g on a 15g stake on an 70+4 card pack. You do better than this on the higher stake decks though. Also, going all-or-nothing all the time is not a viable long term strategy.
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Wow, I really hope these games are in no way a reflection on what Fable 2 will be. This is clearly not worth $2.00, much less $10. I'm glad it was free for me.
XBL: NSMike | Steam | PSN: NSMike | Wii Friend Code: 7763 1519 2475 2278 | GWJ Google Calendar
Given that Fable 2 isn't a game about casinos, I wouldn't worry.
If you still have your gate and banking wouldn't give you a profit, there's no reason to bank. Otherwise, you might as well have not played at all. Theoretically you could just try to break even until it deals you a multiplier but that seems a little too cautious in a game that already rarely gives you more than a few percent of profit per hand.
I've found that slots is really the way to go but it's very risky. Trainwreck ended up 70k up, right now I'm about 70k down.
People are saying one of the safest ways to play is to have one "main" with which you play tournaments and don't take big risks, then use the others for Spinnerbox. If they end up way deep in the hole, reset them and erase their debt. If they end up hitting a huge jackpot, merge them with your main. The only problem is that it can take a long time to get it to work because the best Spinnerbox tables need to be unlocked. There's a 25-250 Cow and Corset table that people like to use and has a maximum payout of 50,000 (get 3 bonuses for the fourth slot, get a bonus on the fourth slot, then get cows on all four slots). It's also reasonably easy to unlock.
If you're willing to put in more time, there's a 25-250 Rose table that unlocks at 5 stars. It's a six slot with bonus multipliers. The jackpot (six roses) is 82,500 but that can be boosted with the multiplier (I've had up to a 10X multiplier so that would make it 825,000!). There are a TON of combos on this table that will earn you money and I've found it's more reliably profitable than the Cow table. That's not to say it's a guarantee of course. The downsides are that it takes quite a while to unlock (making it a pain in the ass if you're going to do the merging technique) and more often than not you'll lose your multiplier without winning any gold. That always ticks me off because not only did I lose a chance to win big with the multiplier but also that the previous spins that built up that multiplier were sort of wasted because if I hadn't rolled the stupid bonus symbol I might have rolled something that earned me money!
Of course you can't really think of it that way, it's all totally random.
Right now... I just kind of want to unlock the coat, the gun, and break even. Hopefully the game will give you different ways to pay off your debts instead of just taking your gold from you until you're at 0 again.
NOTE: This is not a doodle bug.
Spore
Well, after playing the game, I have to agree with myself 100%.
It's definitely not something I would have bought for more than a buck or two, but as a pre-order bonus (and as someone who pre-orders most games for the sake of convenience) it's pretty much the best give-away I've ever received. Tower is quite fun, the ability to build up a bankroll and a collection of stuff for yourself is cool, and once the game is out I'm sure there will be some players who will appreciate being able to play the gambling games without needing to load up the full game.
Ever been to Vegas? The slot machine tournaments for some bizarre reason always seem to draw huge crowds both of participants and spectators. The participants, well, I guess it's understandable -- they don't have to learn the rules of a game, just sit there and hit a button over and over in hopes of being more lucky than those sitting around them. But the spectators, man, that sh*t boggles my mind.
Yeah, I think it's worth noting for those who may not have read the help screens that for each game there are higher stakes versions that feature better odds and decks/spinner sets that are more favorable to the player. So for each game, the more time you are willing to invest the better access you will have to games that are easier to have good fortune with.
unlockable
XBL/PSN: zeroKFE | BHA: zeroKFE