Fable: Legends

Project Details:

Name: Fable Legends

Genre: 4 Player Coop / Strategy Free to Play
Release: Xbox1 / Win10

Multiplayer

Tech: Unreal Engine 4 – C++

Developer: Lionhead Studios

Description:

Fable Legends was a cooperative action role-playing video game developed by Lionhead Studios. The game is based around four Heroes and a Villain. Each role may be filled by a player via online multiplayer or by an AI. The same game experience is possible regardless of multiplayer or single player (with four AI). All of the game’s story and quests can be played single player, using AI heroes as sidekicks or enemies. It’s possible to play through the game’s content as either a Hero or as a Villain. During each quest, the four Hero characters must use teamwork to succeed in their objectives, while the Villain player opposes them with an army of creatures.

Heroes:
Each Hero in Fable Legends is a unique character with unique abilities, powers, and gameplay. Examples: Sterling, a Prince Charming type of character, who flourishes a rapier and wise cracks; Winter, who is focused on will-based abilities and ice attacks; Rook, focusing on ranged combat with a crossbow; and Inga, a paladin-like character wearing heavy armor, and wielding a sword and shield. Players can customise any Hero, ranging from colour and aces to outfits.

Villain:
The villain player controls the nature of the quest the hero characters embark on, such as where enemies spawn, how aggressive they are, when the boss will come lumbering out of its lair, when to bring down an impassable portcullis or lay a trap to separate heroes from each other to thwart them. The Villain has a certain amount of “creature points”, which he uses during a setup phase to plan his strategy. Each creature costs a certain number of points to summon. During setup, the Villain can also place a certain number of interactive objects in the quest, such as traps and gates.

Once the battle has begun, the Villain player focuses on ordering his creatures about in real time in a similar manner to an RTS game. He can order the creatures to attack a specific Hero, to activate special abilities, and to position for ambushes. During combat, he can also activate gates to damage and split up the Heroes, and use his traps to distract and wound them.

Responsibilities:

At Fable Legends my tasks where split up into a variety of things. Firstly I was assigned to the Team Villain, creating and implementing all kinds of features for the Villain game mode such as new traps, controls and gameplay flow. With my previous experience and as someone who doesn’t need much time to dive into things I was soon put on teams who needed immediate help because there where were understaffed. So took over the designing and implementing the White Balverine (s. Video 2), and worked closely with Animators, Artists and AI programmers to bring this creature to life.

Visual Scripting with UE4 (Kismet)
Implementing new gameplay features for the Villain game mode
Creating creature behaviour and combat styles
Integration of effects and animation
Working closely with the Monetisation Designer to implement customisation options
Working on the central HUB for Villain to create in game shops