I posted this on the QL itself, but I may as well post it here too, because frankly. I do not understand Brads constant complaints in that QL about how "inefficient" the menu system is.  
 
 In Fable 2 opening the menu, and clicking on the map took longer than it takes for you to press start and walk up to the map in Fable 3 simple as that. Brad complained about the menus so much in the QL, when in reality, they are exactly the same as the regular menus. The only difference being you walk around in them, and as I just said, it's faster than the Fable 2 menu. 

 So if you will, please tell me what the difference between navigating a menu, or walking up to the things you want is. Because Brad never explained it, and to me it seems exactly the same as every other menu, just a different way of doing it. 
 
So as I said. Please tell me why a bunch of you are whining now(Mostly on the QL video itself)saying "the menu is so inefficient!!!" Is it because Brad says it is? Because as I've said twice(?) now, it's actually faster than the other menus of Fable games, perhaps even faster than games such as fallout for getting your quests, and fast travelling, so I don't see how that is inefficient, and I would love somebody to explain to me how it is.

How do you check your items?
 
I think that's his biggest issue.

The way it sounded was that is was a huge hassle, but when I saw how fast everything loads and that the sanctuary stuff is almost instant, I didn't see the complaints. 
 
But is there no real way to check your inventory? That just seems messed up.

" The way it sounded was that is was a huge hassle, but when I saw how fast everything loads and that the sanctuary stuff is almost instant, I didn't see the complaints.  But is there no real way to check your inventory? That just seems messed up. "

" How do you check your items?  I think that's his biggest issue. "

" It seems like accessing certain things (such as basic game options) or looking at quests or the map are his chief complaints.  I haven't played the game or anything, but I did see on the screen the fact that you can't see certain things (health, potions, money, etc.) at any point, and that annoyed him.  "

"@Brendan said:

" It seems like accessing certain things (such as basic game options) or looking at quests or the map are his chief complaints.  I haven't played the game or anything, but I did see on the screen the fact that you can't see certain things (health, potions, money, etc.) at any point, and that annoyed him.  "

But that's what I'm saying. They don't look like a hassle at all. It actually looks much, much quicker than it was in previous Fables, and quicker than some other games. "

I thought he explained it all pretty well in his review. Fable 2's menu system lagged horribly and was shit, this sounds like another slightly less shitty but still not great system.
 
Honestly, a well-designed and responsive menu is infinitely more convenient than walking around a manse every time one has to equip. This is why we have menus!

I noticed it too. It's just personal preference.

dude, that menu system looked annoying as hell.

Honestly, I think the reason is that it's different and people have never seen it before so they instinctual react negatively to it. I don't think I've ever seen menu's pulled off like this before. If you think about it we waste just about as much time scrolling through words, instead of having everything nicely visualized. I still think the game could use a Mini map though...........

Its a weird system at first but once I got adjusted I like it a lot more. I do how ever agree, I would like to at least have an inventory system, more so for gems, gifts etc. I love the sanctuary for appearance and weapons etc.

" dude, that menu system looked annoying as hell. "

" @Laketown said:

" dude, that menu system looked annoying as hell. "

How did it? It loaded instantly, and the only difference was you had to walk a few steps. You do the same motions, except instead of moving a cursor and highlight words, you move a character.. "

I think the biggest turn off for me was the quest tracking thing. In order to change the active quest, so the "bread crumbs" would lead you to the right objective, you have to go to the sanctuary, walk over to the map, load that, then bring up the quest list, find the right quest, and then make it active. This could definitely be simpler.

" I think the biggest turn off for me was the quest tracking thing. In order to change the active quest, so the "bread crumbs" would lead you to the right objective, you have to go to the sanctuary, walk over to the map, load that, then bring up the quest list, find the right quest, and then make it active. This could definitely be simpler. "

" @OneManX said:

" The way it sounded was that is was a huge hassle, but when I saw how fast everything loads and that the sanctuary stuff is almost instant, I didn't see the complaints.  But is there no real way to check your inventory? That just seems messed up. "

@Vorbis said:

" How do you check your items?  I think that's his biggest issue. "

You can check your inventory by going to the guy you sell stuff to. But I don't see how that could really be a problem. It shows your items when you enter combat, and you don't need them out of combat since the game regenerates health and everything. "

The thing about the menu in Fable III is that once you pop in the Sanctuary, all of the rooms are assigned to the d-pad so you really don't need to do that much walking around. As, for the map, just step forward and there it is. I really didn't have a problem with the menu system (so far) and I do feel it's more comfortable that Fable II.
 
But I do agree that the map should be shortcutted to the Back button. Such as when Jasper calls you can you can hit the compass icon on the d-pad and go straight to the map, that should be the Back button all the time. 

Speed != efficiency and you seem to be ignoring one major factor: Brad said it was a minor complaint that he was able to deal with. 
 
Quit gettin' mad over video games, G.

" The thing about the menu in Fable III is that once you pop in the Sanctuary, all of the rooms are assigned to the d-pad so you really don't need to do that much walking around. As, for the map, just step forward and there it is. I really didn't have a problem with the menu system (so far) and I do feel it's more comfortable that Fable II. But I do agree that the map should be shortcutted to the Back button. Such as when Jasper calls you can you can hit the compass icon on the d-pad and go straight to the map, that should be the Back button all the time.  "

I don't a lot of it seemed unnecessary.

When I heard the complaints it did sound pretty awkward, but when I watched the quicklook it all flowed so seamlessly, I would need to play it to decide whether or not it has a lasting effect or gets tedious the more you play of the game.

Not being able to check your items sounds pretty annoying.

" @CL60:  I'm with you, Brad made way too big a deal over it in the review, when the Sanctuary really is just an interactive menu. "

"

When I heard the complaints it did sound pretty awkward, but when I watched the quicklook it all flowed so seamlessly, I would need to play it to decide whether or not it has a lasting effect or gets tedious the more you play of the game.

Not being able to check your items sounds pretty annoying.

"

My initial thought was that it's all for Kinect, which is more or a selling point to me personally.

" @Jasta said:

"

When I heard the complaints it did sound pretty awkward, but when I watched the quicklook it all flowed so seamlessly, I would need to play it to decide whether or not it has a lasting effect or gets tedious the more you play of the game.

Not being able to check your items sounds pretty annoying.

"

A lot of the menu complaints are things that become annoying over time. None of them are game breaking, just poorly planned out. As it stands now, the menu system is no faster than Fable 2's. That is a bad thing. Honestly, I believe a faster loading and easier to use form of Fable 2's inventory system would have been the way to go. "

" @Jasta said:

"

When I heard the complaints it did sound pretty awkward, but when I watched the quicklook it all flowed so seamlessly, I would need to play it to decide whether or not it has a lasting effect or gets tedious the more you play of the game.

Not being able to check your items sounds pretty annoying.

"

A lot of the menu complaints are things that become annoying over time. None of them are game breaking, just poorly planned out. As it stands now, the menu system is no faster than Fable 2's. That is a bad thing. Honestly, I believe a faster loading and easier to use form of Fable 2's inventory system would have been the way to go. "

" I posted this on the QL itself, but I may as well post it here too, because frankly. I do not understand Brads constant complaints in that QL about how "inefficient" the menu system is.    In Fable 2 opening the menu, and clicking on the map took longer than it takes for you to press start and walk up to the map in Fable 3 simple as that. Brad complained about the menus so much in the QL, when in reality, they are exactly the same as the regular menus. The only difference being you walk around in them, and as I just said, it's faster than the Fable 2 menu.  So if you will, please tell me what the difference between navigating a menu, or walking up to the things you want is. Because Brad never explained it, and to me it seems exactly the same as every other menu, just a different way of doing it.  So as I said. Please tell me why a bunch of you are whining now(Mostly on the QL video itself)saying "the menu is so inefficient!!!" Is it because Brad says it is? Because as I've said twice(?) now, it's actually faster than the other menus of Fable games, perhaps even faster than games such as fallout for getting your quests, and fast travelling, so I don't see how that is inefficient, and I would love somebody to explain to me how it is. "

I think it was a mistake to let Brad review this game.

I'm ok with the new menu system but not being able to check your inventory seems like a very odd choice.

Yeah I feel like Brad over-exaggerated it a little bit. Though, a menu would still be better.

I agree with you. I suppose its just Brad being Brad.

Was Brad right about not being able to look up potions in the menu or was I misunderstanding his complaint?

" I agree with you. I suppose its just Brad being Brad. "

I kinda like the idea of the menu system in Fable 3, but it still has major problems, for one thing is that it ruins the flow of the game. You're in the middle of a dungeon fighting enemies and every time you want to check anything, the entire game grinds to a halt as you walk around this hub with a butler talking to you. The entire game stops, more so than with a menu system. Also it really begs the question if all of this is even necessary. Was Lionhead really THAT incompetent at creating a menu system that they had to throw it out all together? 

" @CL60:  I haven't bought the game yet. But so far, it's your word, some random duder on the internet, against Brads, a professional game reviewer. So uh..it sure seems pretty childish to say "Is it because Brad says it? Because I say otherwise, and I'm right, and Brad isn't, that's just a fact and my opinion is better than his because I say so."   Plus you say it "looks easier", have you even played the game yet? Not to sound too dick-ish but if you haven't, GTFO honestly, talking shit about others opinions when you haven't even experienced it for yourself. "

" @CL60: This has been quite the adjustment to me. As I was playing I was curious if I had enough health potions to enter a battle and couldn't figure out how to find out. At another point I was curious how much money I had to figure out if I could buy that next property, but had to wait until more rent came in to catch the total update in the corner.  I guess the game presents the information when you absolutely NEED it, but I guess I want to know at other times, too. I can appreciate the game trying something new, but it is a disconcerting coming from other games that give me more options with how to interact with inventory. "

" The way it sounded was that is was a huge hassle, but when I saw how fast everything loads and that the sanctuary stuff is almost instant, I didn't see the complaints.  But is there no real way to check your inventory? That just seems messed up. "

I love the menu system in the game. Only Bethesda knows how to design a better system for consoles. And there's something incredibly rewarding about walking into a room filled with weapons and magic gloves that you've collected--a traditional menu system would become more overwhelming with time.

Even if some people have issues with this (I don't see it being a problem personally) I really think it's cool that they decided to try something really different and unique (yes I know there is a thread about how it's not original, but it is for modern games).

I can't say much cause I probably won't getting around to playing it for some time but I think it looks fun.
Efficiency doesn't bother me near as much as lack of clarity and the menu system looks like it's got clarity down pretty solidly.
 
...the Quicklook also prompted me to give Fable 2 another whirl.

" @CL60:  Hahaha dude. Of course I've watched the Quick Look, and the system looks slow and unnecessary. Run up to the map, click A, then click quest log, just to see one quest? Going to the menu, D-Padding to the gold room, running to my pile of gold just to check how much gold I have? Why can't that just be on a main menu screen, right under health potions, which is right under a big button labeled "Press for Quest Log". Sounds crazy to me. You are of course, as with all people on the internet, free to have your own opinion. But the fact remains bro. You haven't even played the game! Hahaha duder...pardon me, but what a joke. I don't think the staffs word on everything is the correct one, I think the opinion of a professional video game reviewer, who has actually PLAYED THE GAME (you, ya know, haven't) holds far more weight than some random dude talking shit in a forum. You wanna throw around terms like "whiners" and "people who take the staffs word on everything" when I am neither a whiner, nor one of those people? Well you sound like a whiny  fanboy who saw a 3/5 review and immediately leaped to a valiant defense of your game, using arguments like "You're all wrong because you just want to agree with Brad", like the Giantbomb community has never heard that before. Are you just a crazy Fable fanboy? I mean no offense man, cause I am too, I love Fable to death. And I think Fable 3 as a game looks great...except for the menu. You should just re word your posts so that you don't make it sound like what you're saying is fact, when really, what you're saying is totally you're opinion. You should make a poll and be like "What does the community think about the Fable Menus". Just a suggestion :P "

Assassins Creed 2 anyone? Selecting weapons required you to go all the way back to your house...it was kind of annoying but I didn't see most of the reviews for that game complaining about it. Brad was complaining when there's nothing there to complain about. But then again that's his opinion, and it's his review, so get over it!

It's a pretty inefficient menu to be honest, when you get over the novelty, doing anything at all is a real hassle, scrolling through clothes, finding out how much gold you have, renting and repairing properties is absurd and I need to pause, run to a map, and open a quest log to see what's available. Simply making a better menu system from Fable 2 would have been better.

I agree with all back button complaints. While the Sanctuary doesn't bother me for the most part, the back button isn't mapped to anything! I thought it would have been a no brainer to map a tiny pause menu for it or something. It's a bit silly having to go to your sanctuary to change your gamma settings.

" Assassins Creed 2 anyone? Selecting weapons required you to go all the way back to your house...it was kind of annoying but I didn't see most of the reviews for that game complaining about it. Brad was complaining when there's nothing there to complain about. But then again that's his opinion, and it's his review, so get over it! "