After reading a lot of reviews and playing the game to completion, the 2 thing that came to mind is that .. 
 
-Lionhead hard limited time to work on the game (abrupt ending, Fable 2 bugs still present, etc.) 
-Fable 3 was supposed to be KINECT compatible (either at launch or eventually).  
 
From what i read in news and interviews, it seems that the Kinect features were dropped... 
Could the idea of making Fable 3 "Kinect friendly" have had a lot of influences in the games design ? 
What makes it almost obvious to me is  
--the (one on one) NPC interactions,  
--other moments where you have to hold a button for a couple of seconds to activate something, 
--everything is (over) simplified, no menus, no HUD, 
 
What do you guys think about this ? 
 
( I liked the game, but unlike Fable 2, I don't think I will be playing it a second time...)

I believe when the kinect was first revealed Molyneux knew the question was coming and said they had no plans to integrate it with fable 3.  However, if I'm wrong my hate for the kinect will grow even more.  First they dumb down a perfectly fine xbox dashboard for it, now this. 

Well the button holding stuff was there in fable 2 as well.  
 
Honestly I think the game is the way it is because of Fable 2. It's so damn similar in every way, just less menus. The combat's the same, the simplified clothing system (as in armor defends the same as pyjamas) is still there, etc.  
  
I mean, it could be fun to play on kinect, but unfortunately I rapidly beat fable 3 to clear up time for kinect. I'm totally done with that right now.

Fable 2 was simple too, I also remember holding buttons to open things

It's simplified because of Fable 2. Tidious interface and a broken map system, all addressed in Fable 3. However, i think some of this could be because of the Kinect, like the interaction with NPC's. They basically removed the wheel from the other Fable games and replaced it with a "touch" based system. Which i dont like because i dont have any control over it.

From everything I've seen it just seems like more Fable 2 really.  

Yeah the button holding was there in Fable 2, I know, its just something I was thinking about while whatching the Kinect launch special on Giant Bomb. 
 
And you the heck complained about Fable 2 having too much menus ? LOL !
To focus on that and not fix real bugs is pretty crazy if you ask me !

I still think a good chunk of dev time was spent trying to make this game Kinect compatible before they dropped the whole thing and just tried to get it out for the 2010 holidays.

@CharleyTony

" I believe when the kinect was first revealed Molyneux knew the question was coming and said they had no plans to integrate it with fable 3.  However, if I'm wrong my hate for the kinect will grow even more.  First they dumb down a perfectly fine xbox dashboard for it, now this.  "

things I forgot to mention:\ 
-no health meter  
-absurd amount of courier and fetch quests (are they randomly generated?)
-no defense stats (although I don't remember how Fable 2 handled that) 
-Road to Rule is actually MORE complex than using a menu with upgrades and how much Guild Seals they cost 
-nothing happens to the dog (you have it at the beginning, you still have him at the end)  (I had no feelings for that dog, quite the contrary to the one in Fable 2) here, in Fable 3 he is almost only regarded as a tool.

the clothing is okay, when you want to change your look, those dummies can be pretty handy... 
 
But the game could have used some kind of defensive power up in the "Road to Rule" 
 
And then why have so many different weapons in each types ? I would have liked to have 1 hammer, 1 sword and then maybe 2 or 3 DIFFERENT types of weapons. Keeping only one weapon of each type and make its power go up as you level up your melee attack skill

I can't tell, it's kind of a tradition for each new Fable being worse than the previous one.

I don't think that's why it was simplified.  Fable started simple and has been getting simpler with each iteration.  The franchise was always intended as a mass-appeal RPG, and to be approachable for people that don't typically play RPGs (or even know what RPG means).
 
I wouldn't be surprised if they were intending for the gestures to be Kinect activated (optional) at some point, but maybe they decided the potential confusion ("So do I need Kinect or not?")  was more hassle than the feature was worth.  If so, I think they were right.

If Fable 3 Kinect support allows me to say "Xbox: Map" then I will go buy a Kinect right away.

The series has never been complicated to begin with.

Yeah the hold down  'A' or 'X' parts,  are pretty clear indicators that it was.

Xbox, gay marry in Fable III. 
 
Xbox, kill husband. 
 
Xbox, pay good Church. 
 
Xbox, make Fable III good. 
  
...nope, don't see any Kinect support.  Add another for Tin-Foil Hat topics.

They tried to simplify the game to attract a wider audience, which is weird because the past games were not all that complicated. 

" They tried to simplify the game to attract a wider audience, which is weird because the past games were not all that complicated.  "

Was ME2 simplified for the same reason?
 
There are hidden motives for each company when releasing a game, I guess they thought from previous games that if they will simplify it than the series will be back on the 9+ ratings.

the holding down of the buttons and animations all seem very kinect-y like maybe they were going to have all villager interactions be kinect based gesture things

I really don't think so. With all of the Kinect launch titles Microsoft have laid down a clear line between Kinect games and games they're aiming at a traditional market. They know traditional games are too complex for casual gamers and traditional gamers are bored by the simplicity of casual games. Sure, Fable III is accessible as an RPG and has some interface issues but those are both traits that Fable II held, and even Fable was still a very accessible experience. There's really no actual proof this game was dumbed down with the intention of adapting it to the Kinect.

"@Worm: ME2 was not simplified, at least it wasn't on PC.

                   

                "

I don't see how you'd be able to make an RPG into a connect game. Honestly, Kinect games should only be for simple games, and by that I mean dancing and racing and such. Considering how long it can take you to finish a Fable game as well, having Kinect support seems stupid. But I do like Vinny's idea of yelling "GIVE ME THE FUCKING MAP"

I don't think they did, Fable has always been a simple game. It's what makes it appealing.

When "Natal" was first revealed Peter Molyenaux was all for the idea and pretty much promised that there would be some way it would be intergrated into Fable 3. When "Natal" was finally given an official name a few months later he backed out, which is not really surprising since most of what he says is complete bullshit.
 
They should have kept Fable 3 the same as Fable 2 and just focused on the gameplay. They spent so much time with redesigning the menus, the maps, and how you improve your skills that they forgot about everything else. I find it to be a poor verison of Fable. Fable 2 had me hooked, even though the ending pissed me off I still wanted to play more at the end. Fable 3 is doing the opposite for me

"... which is not really surprising since most of what he says is complete bullshit. "

" the holding down of the buttons and animations all seem very kinect-y like maybe they were going to have all villager interactions be kinect based gesture things "

Most of the stuff mentioned in the initial post was in Fable II as well. No, Fable III was simplified (yet again), because in Peter Moleyneux's head "fixing the interface" is secret code for: "Adding a meaningless hub that really, isn't much more convenient than Fable II's totally retarded menus and not having a HUD of any kind". I love listening to the man weave his own personal tapestry of nonsense, but as a game designer some of the things he does are... questionable at best.

" I believe when the kinect was first revealed Molyneux knew the question was coming and said they had no plans to integrate it with fable 3.  However, if I'm wrong my hate for the kinect will grow even more.  First they dumb down a perfectly fine xbox dashboard for it, now this.  "

" @ShadowofIntent said:

" I believe when the kinect was first revealed Molyneux knew the question was coming and said they had no plans to integrate it with fable 3.  However, if I'm wrong my hate for the kinect will grow even more.  First they dumb down a perfectly fine xbox dashboard for it, now this.  "

The Kinect isn't even able to be used on the dashboard. So you're argument against it is invalid. "

" @ShadowofIntent said:

" I believe when the kinect was first revealed Molyneux knew the question was coming and said they had no plans to integrate it with fable 3.  However, if I'm wrong my hate for the kinect will grow even more.  First they dumb down a perfectly fine xbox dashboard for it, now this.  "

The Kinect isn't even able to be used on the dashboard. So you're argument against it is invalid. "

eh if it had then Id never have bought it...as it is I wish I had never purchased it.

....so when this comes out for PC in the coming weeks...what should I expect? 

" @drok17 said:

"... which is not really surprising since most of what he says is complete bullshit. "

Man, I'm tired of all this hate on the guy.  He really means what he says but the technology isn't there yet.  Are you making games?  Are you paid the same million dollar salary he is?    The quick answer is, no.  So I trust him, and I'll believe it when he says he could do it if the technology was able to keep up with his limitless talent. "

" @KaosAngel said:

" @drok17 said:

"... which is not really surprising since most of what he says is complete bullshit. "

Man, I'm tired of all this hate on the guy.  He really means what he says but the technology isn't there yet.  Are you making games?  Are you paid the same million dollar salary he is?    The quick answer is, no.  So I trust him, and I'll believe it when he says he could do it if the technology was able to keep up with his limitless talent. "

 He has a limitless talent for exaggerating everything about the games he has a part in. "

The way you have to hold down A to select or do something kind of reminded me of the kinect interface

As far as i know it, they are still considering a future Kinect patch that will allow some Kinect features and apparently facial mapping is going to become a big thing that Kinect has going for it. 
 
So you can play Fable 3 and it'll be your face saving the Kingdom...if you're into that sort ego boosting stupidity.

I've only played 3-4 hours but it does feel like they had gestures in mind. I think the way that the jobs are played really show that, they have such a basic interface! 
 
I am really liking the game though, the writing is amazing.