Its funny. I never stopped playing Tribes. More Tribes 2 now, and strangely enough Im noticing a small but sudden increase in new players. It seems a younger generation is finally discovering the greatness that is Tribes CTF. Its Bizzare but cool to see. Maybe all the mulitplay stuff on the consoles and all are opening more people up to mulitplayer gaming.

And comparing TF2 to Tribes. Totally different games with the similarities of classes and thats about it. TF2 is more like team based strategy in smaller more confined maps that lends itself more to deathmatch style of melee fighting. Like CSS. Its not far too different from most team based FPS shooters, but its definitely well executed and polished. A good game.

Tribes is still quite unique even today for a few reasons. The maps could be large or small with both outdoor and indoor environements, and a lot of Tribes was about the big immersion factor and the scale. No hard boundries, vehicles and tactics like many other team based FPS games, but the defining unique quality is the concept of Tribes jump skiing, jetting and and the total freedom of movment. The concept of good cappers running "routes" to cap the flag based on the "accidental" discovery and widespread adoption of jump skiing. Or defenders not just simply going melee on each other in small corridors, but able to chase over expansive terrain to take down an escaping capper. Its just so different from everything else and so awesome. Once you get it its like Team based tactics, a sport, and Matrix esque moves all in one. Plus it can play fast for a game known for such big maps. In fact once you do get it, you are ruined because everything else seems so constraining in movement, claustrophobic and slow. It was a darkhorse underground hit in 99, but overshadowed by Quake and the oncoming of Half Life.

For those trying to download it, Tribes 1 is probably easier to get up and running, but the graphics and all will seem really dated and a bit cheesy by todays standards.

Tribes 1 download
http://www.tribesftw.net/

If you can manage it I recommend getting Tribes 2. I know tribes lovers will hate me for saying this, but Tribes 2 will offer more of the tactical warfare experience many of you like while offering the classic stuff from Tribes 1.

T2 download
http://www.tribalwar.com/forums/showthread.php?p=9306881#post9306881

This comment was edited on Dec 14, 07:42.

Which means, in the long run, is the 80MB or 142MB download worth it? I assume like you implied, that I'd be a rookie going into slaughter territory. With the occasional server with people on it, if I could find it.

I wouldn't mind finding out what you've been going on about all of this time, but I suspect that I might not like what I see. The Wiki sounds good though.

Full
http://www.clan-tn.com/tn/index.php?action=tpmod;dl=item134
Complete
http://www.clan-tn.com/tn/index.php?action=tpmod;dl=item65

Edit: Added links to downloads

This comment was edited on Dec 12, 23:57.

I have no idea what the Full Pack contains. However, if you want to play the game probably, you are going to have to get some scripts (which the Full Pack may contain). Skiing scripts, grenade/mine toss scripts, quick inventory scripts, etc. There's one good base server left and it is mostly full most of the time. However, it mostly cycles LT maps, which means that everyone is stuck in light armor and there are no inventory stations or base assets.

But yeah, it's probably too late to get into the game now since the community is largely dead. That, and the people that still play are very good, making the learning curve even steeper than it was before.

For some reason, I don't know how, I missed the whole 'Tribes' thing. Looking on Wikipedia and reading everything here for the last couple of years, I'm suspecting that downloading the Full Pack isn't going to be that much fun? Ie. It looks like it's pre-quake3 graphics and probably no servers?

I actually do still play Tribes, though the community isn't what it was 10 years ago.

Move on.

Supporter of the Cell Phone Jamming movement.

TF2 does not need to be changed, nor is it going to be changed by Valve.

Naturally, I disagree on the first part but I'm obviously not expecting the game to drastically change. I'm simply explaining my opinion that the game would be better if it were a wee bit more complex.

But what you are really saying is you want TF2 to be more like Tribes.

Well, yeah. I see Tribes as the high point in the genre and that all shooters should have the same perfect combination of speed, over-the-top combat, teamwork and strategic depth.
That said, I'm still enjoying TF2. I like the feel, even if I don't like the simplicity. I actually do still play Tribes, though the community isn't what it was 10 years ago.

Of course, since you have to go all the way back to your spawn point to do so, my point still stands. You can't change classes on the battlefield, which takes away potential strategies and tactics.

Since the maps are small, its actually a short run back to spawn, usually less than 20 seconds. Seeing as the stats have proven most people don't live longer than a minute, you could just keep playing for a few more seconds and just change when you die if you deem you are too far away from spawn to run back.

The maps are not large enough to warrant any kind of re-classing in the field. It is simply not needed. If you can't run a few seconds to change class, or wait until you die to change class...then really you are just VERY impatient.

But what you are really saying is you want TF2 to be more like Tribes. Why don't you just go play Tribes?

TF2 does not need to be changed, nor is it going to be changed by Valve. If you want more out of it, make a mod.

Beyond that...there are plenty of other popular FPS games to play that has the kind of gameplay you are wanting out of TF2.


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This comment was edited on Dec 12, 13:29.

For what you seem to call a simple game you don't seem to know the game mechanics very well.

Fair enough, I didn't know that you could change your class without dying. Of course, since you have to go all the way back to your spawn point to do so, my point still stands. You can't change classes on the battlefield, which takes away potential strategies and tactics.

Keep in mind that I've never said that TF2 doesn't require teamwork or strategy. The rigid class system ensures that it does. The problem is that the rock-paper-scissors balance is so forced that a lot of potential depth is lost and the game comes out as relatively simplistic when compared to other team-based shooters with more flexible systems like Tribes.

As for Tribe's weapon access being too much like deathmatch, I disagree. Different armor has different carrying capacity and certain armors can't use certain weapons. Only light armor can use sniper rifles, for example, and only heavy armor can use the mortar launcher. Only medium or heavy armor can carry and deploy turrets or remote inventory stations. There are also more than 3-4 loadouts that are regularly used. You've got cappers, snipers, chasers, heavy offense, heavy defense and engineers, and those are just the most common loadouts. The flexibility of the system means that you can create just about any role you can think of.

In order to pick a class in TF2, you need to die and respawn.

Actually no, you don't. If you go into spawn, you can switch classes without dying. For what you seem to call a simple game you don't seem to know the game mechanics very well.

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No, guys, you're all wrong. Jerkk has played played the game for 3 years and his acute mind, trained for years in game development unlike those morons at valve, has thoroughly analyzed TF2 and found the major weaknesses! He doesn't want to play rock-scissors-paper, he wants to play an old game that's now free to download! So obviously the optimal solution, according to his precise calculations, is to abandon the years of TF2 development and balancing, and make any class pick up any weapon whenever they want. So a scout should be able to pick up any heavy minigun and rampage around.

That sounds like fun, jerkk! Tell us when you're going to make that TF2 mod. We'll be all over it. God knows no one is playing this TF2 piece of crap right now. All the servers are empty and it's clear everyone would rather be playing Tribes. I pray to Almighty God that jerkk will save us from ourselves and fill this vast lacuna in our game-playing souls.
This comment was edited on Dec 12, 11:44.

Right. Success is not determined by access to weapons, but by strategies. Use each class's strengths to your benefit, regardless of how powerful his guns may be.

You're saying if apples tasted like oranges, they'd be more delicious. I'm saying I love these apples.

TF2 is more rock-paper-scissors than deathmatch. Each class strictly and deliberately has specific advantages and disadvantages over others. Work within those controlled abilities to your advantage. Its extremely strict class loadout is the essence of its balance and tightness. To change it in the ways you suggest would make it conform to a completely different genre/rules.

Also, this might have been my timing, but you don’t need to die to change class in TF2. Just go back into your spawn.

On their stats page, I think the fireaxe range-damage and the needle gun are swapped.

I also noticed another mistake... they named the machete the club, apparently. What else is wrong, I wonder.

Everything else can be changed on the fly by salvaging weapons and items from fallen enemies/comrades

This is one of the negative things about tribes. It makes it so that everyone has access to everything, much like most deathmatch games. I don't like that gameplay decision at all.

Is there a way to prevent your opponents from choosing a class in TF2?

There sure as hell is, its called sound tactics. Want to get rid of an engineer? Have a spy keeping destroying his sentry. Want to get rid of a spy? Keep killing him before he can do any damage. Sure, its not the same as what you have in mind, but I like the idea of forcing an opponent to change class because you are kicking his ass.

@Jerykk - Tribes was a great game but it's nothing like TF2. Having inventory stations and multiple armour loadouts would slowdown the game and the smaller levels would make power generators and inventory stations useless as they'd be destroyed in seconds. Also, although Tribes had a lot of flexibility the reality is most people customised three-four different classes, one for each armour group and a spare, and stuck to them - the different classes in TF2 are very unique and are all played, whereas Tribes had three classes with a few different weapons / deployables / grenades / attributes.

As I said I would love to see a proper sequel to Tribes but TF2 is a simple and fast paced game and would NOT benefit from the complexity of the Tribes games.

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Therefore they are functionally equivalent. Picking a class from a menu is not any different than walking up to an inventory in tribes and clicking a loadout.

I can only assume you haven't played Tribes, otherwise you wouldn't have made such an ignorant statement. In order to pick a class in TF2, you need to die and respawn. In Tribes, you just need to access an inventory station (remote inventory stations can be placed anywhere on the map, including the enemy base) and that's only if you want to change armor. Everything else can be changed on the fly by salvaging weapons and items from fallen enemies/comrades. This results in more dynamic gameplay and more potential strategies and tactics.

In addition, inventory stations can be destroyed or the generators powering them can be destroyed, rendering them useless. Is there a way to prevent your opponents from choosing a class in TF2? No? Again, the rigid class system limits the potential strategies and tactics of the game.

The fact is Jeryyk is a moron, and his prediction that TF2 will be dead within a year's time is just ignorant ranting.

Good thing I'm Jerykk, not Jeryyk. Ignorant ranting? Only time will tell. However, your highly defensive posts are all too telling. If you want to contradict me, do so with supported facts (the opposite of what you presented in your post). Calling me names doesn't make your argument any less weak.

This comment was edited on Dec 12, 00:04.

I think that certain clans (or even players) who are "good" simply pick the blue team regardless so they are always on the team with their friends. Another idea is that more team oriented players like to pick blue b/c it's more "peaceful". You laugh, but compare that to WoW where the alliance had way more cooperative play than horde.

No offense meant to you, but I think I have the answer. It's clear that they need to have a map or two that is pro-defense (on the general scale... obviously these stats are very public/non-serious scewed) and another map or two that is pro-offense. If all maps were "perfectly balanced" publicly,
a. they wouldn't be balanced at the highest level of play
b. players that want a certain type of play/game would lose out because everything would be equally easy/hard on all maps.

How many players say they absolutely LOVE a certain map. I have heard more than one say they LOVE dustbowl. Why change a map that people love that much? I also LOVE dustbowl... it is just that fun, even though it's skewed.

Exactly. Jeryyk the dumbass admits that TF2 classes are like loadouts. Therefore they are functionally equivalent. Picking a class from a menu is not any different than walking up to an inventory in tribes and clicking a loadout.

The fact is Jeryyk is a moron, and his prediction that TF2 will be dead within a year's time is just ignorant ranting.

Adding multiple loadouts per class would add some much-needed flexibility, though even that probably wouldn't be enough.

Why would you need multiple loadouts when you can just pick another class?

This comment was edited on Dec 10, 10:30.