Hi-Rez buys Tribes IP; plans MMO

[DLRiley]

HR makes a game where people die in a reasonable fashion? Alright maybe time to use some mouthwash, the bile I had for their company may need to be removed.

[Mrbloodworth]

 

[Malakili]

Discjumping for fun and profit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHGaRyo_DO4&feature=player_embedded

[Mrbloodworth]

Patch!

   Bella Omega has been re-added to the CTF Map Rotation. Significant changes have occurred since the map was last available for play.
    Vehicles have undergone a variety of improvements and cleanups.
    An early (still unpolished) preview of Spectator functionality is available for testing. See additional notes below.
    Token gain from the "First Win of the Day" challenge has been doubled.
    The token price of some classes has been reduced.
    A variety of changes have been made to the in-match credits system.
    Early versions of "Mute Player" and "Report Player" functionality have been added. See additional notes below.
    Fixes to prevent some disconnects and server instability. Additional fixes planned for future patches.

FULL:

[Malakili]

The new version of Bella Omega is amazing.

[Malakili]

There was a competitive exhibition match hosted by Hi-Rez tonight.  This game still needs a lot of work before its ready for competitive play.  Long story short - good snipers are amazing, heavies are useless, and pathfinders and rangers seem to win the day on offense. 

[Mrbloodworth]

Patch Notes for December 15, 2011
Tribes Closed Beta Version 0.1.619.0 and Version 0.1.621.0
Note: A small patch 0.1.621.0 was deployed on Friday, Dec. 16, 2011, to fix a small handful of bugs.
Major Highlights

    Converted all fully automatic hitscan weapons to use projectiles. This includes the Ranger’s Assault Rifle, Technician’s TCN4, and Infiltrator’s Rhino SMG.
    Significantly improved projectile inheritance.
    A votekick option has been added. Open the console and type “/votekick <playername>” to initiate a vote to kick another player.
    Significant improvements have been made to spectator functionality (see below). Further improvements are planned for future updates.
    Added new accolades to reward flag grabs based on speed, e-grabs, vehicle destruction, flag defense, and generator defense.

Balance Items

    Increased starting ammo on Soldier’s Spinfusor, Pathfinder’s Light Spinfusor, Jumper’s Bolt Launcher, and Juggernaut’s Heavy Spinfusor D.
    The Pathfinder’s Iron Grip perk has been replaced by a new perk, Reach, which allows players to pick up flags at a larger distance. Players who had spent Pathfinder class XP to unlock Iron Grip will be refunded their XP.
    Decreased time delay on Scrambler’s Arx Buster shot detonation.
    Increased Scrambler’s default Health pool.
    Adjusted skill order in the soldier’s skill tree.
    Adjusted skills on the Infiltrator skill tree based upon the changes to the Rhino SMG.
    The Shrike is now vulnerable to damage from all weapon types, and particularly vulnerable to standard projectile fire. Its health has been adjusted based on these new vulnerabilities.
    Increased repair rates using repair tools on vehicles.
    Implemented a brief “lock out” feature for inventory stations to help prevent players from rapidly revisiting them and exploiting various things.
    Inventory Stations spawned from a call-in no longer kick starts health regen.

Spectator Changes

    Enter and exit spectating through the Team Select window (default key bind is ‘P’) instead of through a console command.
    Added the first part of a larger work-in-progress HUD overhaul to spectator -- an info pane with details of the viewed player. Additional panes will arrive in a later patch.
    Fixed an issue where a spectating player was asked to select a team when the match ended.
    Whiteout grenades no longer cause a spectator’s view to white out.
    Damage post process effects no longer persist in spectator view.
    When viewing a flag or flag base in spectate mode, players may zoom in and out.
    Added spectator “bookmark” camera views throughout the maps. While spectating, hold ‘C’ and hit next/previous to cycle through the various views.
    While spectating, toggling ‘O’ shows and hides objective markers.
    While spectating, holding ‘R’ while clicking next or previous will snap to the fastest player.
    Fixed win message at match conclusion when spectating.
    When spectating a flag being captured, the camera now stays on the flag stand which received the capture rather than following the flag as it teleports back to its base.
    When spectating a dropped flag being returned, the camera now enters free roam mode rather than following the flag as it teleports back to its base.
    When spectating a flag carrier who drops the flag, the camera stays with the flag rather than the flag carrier.

Additional Items

    The Ranger now costs 50 tokens. Most players should be able to unlock this class after their first full match.  We hope this will help new users understand the class unlock process better.
    Improved notification when Classes and Skills become affordable with Tokens and XP.
    Locked classes are now ordered on the class screen based on their token price.
    The game console has undergone major changes. Launching the console (default ~) will default into the “Say” menu, allowing users to type chat messages (even at match end). To execute a command, you must start your command with “/”. The currently supported commands are /report, /mute, /unmute, /votekick, /quit.
    Vehicle improvements, including a HUD panel showing vehicle ammo and clip sizes.
    Fixed an issue where skiing on a flat surface after previously skiing downhill could incorrectly compute velocity and cause projectiles that inherit the shooter’s velocity to veer off course.
    Fixed Grav Cycle passenger floating off into oblivion.
    Beowulf’s secondary gunner tracers now function properly.
    Muzzle flashes now correctly work on all vehicles.
    Fixed an issue where sometimes the Doombringer’s Saber Launcher missile particle effects were barely visible.
    Fixed an issue where players standing on the flag stand and grabbing a flag thrown to them could not capture the flag unless they moved off the stand and back on.
    Fixed an issue where players were stuck jetpacking when entering an inventory station while using the jetpack and releasing the jetpack button.
    Fixed an issue where the first person arms mesh would sometimes not be correct on spawn or when changing classes to different armor types.
    Fixed an issue where the call-in cooldown time was being reset when entering an inventory station or the player respawned.
    Fixed an issue with the Sentinel’s Drop Jammer where, in some cases, it would continue the jamming effect on players who were outside of the range. This fix also addresses teammates being unable to remain cloaked when in the Jammer’s range.
    Fixed an issue where certain keys were unusable in adding Friends.
    The in-game login screen (not the Hi-Command login) has gone through a first pass of changes, preparing for future updates both to the game and Hi-Command. Significant further changes are planned.
    Player Summary scene set as default after finishing a match.  Some elements of the previous default XP summary have been incorporated into the Player Summary for quick accessibility.
    Social Panel renamed to Friends Panel on footer in Menus.
    Various bug fixes and enhancements for the Classes Scene.
    End of Match chat is now done through the new console (see Major Highlights)
    Fixed a bug allowing users to change what others see when they issue VGS commands.
    Some under-the-cover network changes have been implemented, in preparation for future changes.

Known Issues

    After being votekicked out of a match, some clients may experience a hang that requires a game restart.
    Stealth players may show a small effect while skiing.

[MahrinSkel]

    Converted all fully automatic hitscan weapons to use projectiles. This includes the Ranger’s Assault Rifle, Technician’s TCN4, and Infiltrator’s Rhino SMG.

Score one for Team Bitter Vets.  And credit to Hi-Rez for acknowledging reality and making the change.  This leaves the sniper-rifle as the only hit-scan LPB/Aimbot toy, just like T1.

--Dave

[Gets]

Crap.

[Malakili]

Crap.

Honesty, I understand why you don't like the change, but my god the game plays better than it did two days ago.

[Nija]

Fantastic change. Good show Hirez.

[Thrawn]

Installing now, I just hope I can find a good D&D server instead of just that CTF crap everyone seems to insist on playing. 

[Kitsune]

Tried this tonight, the jetpack physics are very good, at least as far as I could tell with just medium armor to work with.  The lack of freeform customizing of weapons rather blows, on the other hand.  I don't even care that they made the weapon sets into 'classes' and want to be paid to unlock the classes, fine, whatever.  Just let the player swap weapons at will once they've unlocked them by getting the class that uses them.

[MahrinSkel]

Crap.

Honesty, I understand why you don't like the change, but my god the game plays better than it did two days ago.

In a game that emphasizes speed and scale, hit-scan was just never going to work.  Either you dial down the damage to trivial levels, cut down range to uselessness, or you use projectiles.  Even very fast projectiles are dodge-able.  It means more load on the server, but resolving simple straight-line ballistics is trivial for modern systems (where it was possible to lag out a T1 server if too many people were using chain-guns).

--Dave

[UnSub]

Anyone want a beta code I'm not going to use? PM me if interested.

[Malakili]

Mother of God....

http://hi-rez.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/297

Massive overhaul of the loadout system.  Off the cuff, I approve.

[Mrbloodworth]

Oh wow.

That's an interesting compromise between classes, and customization everyone was clamoring for. This is why I like Highrez. They are willing to iterate and gut entire systems until its right.


The Firing Line Extra: Tribes' Todd Harris on class customization and base gameplay

[Malakili]

So, I booted this up and it is overwhelming.  On the one hand, things have been distilled down into just two currencies , XP and Gold.  But on the other hand, now a lot of things cost gold OR exp that used to only cost exp or tokens.  To make a long story short, a lot of upgrades weapon and loadout wise can now be purchased with gold, but its on a per class basis.  So, your Soldier (the new Ranger/Soldier class from the old patch) somes with a Thumper for free, but the Tech class can also get a thumper, for 140,000 exp OR 780 gold (~$7.80). 

On the one hand, I like the new system, but its crazy overwhelming, there is an insane amount to unlock, and the UPGRADE once you've unlocked it, and lots more to potentially spend real money on.

Also, they've refunded everything, and its insane to just have nothing unlocked (but the free stuff), and a pool off 900k experience points to spend, especially because I don't have a good sense of how much that will get me.  Prior to this I had all 12 loadouts unlocked, and each of their skill trees partially or fully unlocked.  My first impulse was to try to replicate the amount of progression I had before, but it doesn't seem like it translates well enough to do that.

[MahrinSkel]

For people who are playing: How well would a 6770 handle it?  I am just about to upgrade, as my 7800GT simply doesn't have the heft for newer games, and I had been holding back from this on that account.  6770 was the best I could manage within my budget that still seemed like a significant improvement.

--Dave

[HaemishM]

Before I got my new computer, I played an early version of the beta with a Nvidia 9800 GT. I'm sure a 6770 will do just fine.

[MahrinSkel]

Finally got everything working, went in and played a couple of rounds of Rabbit: Shazbot!  It's really Tribes.  Felt clunky on the skiing at first in the solo practice area, then realized that you default to Juggernaut.  Switched out for Pathfinder, and felt much better.  Ski skills came back quickly, biggest difference (and probably a good one) is that you can change vector in the air (slightly) without hitting the jet-pack, makes it a little easier to fine-tune your landing.  Hit 221 in Rabbit, I don't know if that's considered fast but it felt fast.

Shotgun is an interesting weapon for a light, I managed to unload into the rabbit on a high deflection cross, didn't get the mid-air flag grab, though.  Need a better mouse and to dig out my old SpeedPad.  I can already tell I'm going to put some money into this, only question is how much real dough I'm ready to drop to speed up my unlocks (I've promised myself it won't be more than the $50 for a retail box).

--Dave

[Malakili]

Finally got everything working, went in and played a couple of rounds of Rabbit: Shazbot!  It's really Tribes.  Felt clunky on the skiing at first in the solo practice area, then realized that you default to Juggernaut.  Switched out for Pathfinder, and felt much better.  Ski skills came back quickly, biggest difference (and probably a good one) is that you can change vector in the air (slightly) without hitting the jet-pack, makes it a little easier to fine-tune your landing.  Hit 221 in Rabbit, I don't know if that's considered fast but it felt fast.

--Dave

Yea, the new skiing mechanics take some getting used to, but they are easy enough to pick up.  221 is good.  Anything over 200 is generally considered at the very least "fast enough."  Some people claim to regularly get up to 300, but I have to admit I almost never see anyone going that fast in practice, and I have a feeling some people only hit these ludicrous speeds on free roam mode.  Also, I use the term ludicrous speed because if you go fast enough you get an award at the end of the match called "Gone to plaid."

Also, I finally got around to spending all my accrued exp that was refunded last patch.  Another patch game out which lowered the prices of some things and made it feel a lot more reasonable to me.  I like the new loadout system significantly better than the old one.  On top of that, it seems MUCH more exapandable in the future.  You can easily see how new weapons, grenades, deploayables, etc could be added to the new system very easily, and it allows for a lot more customization of your loadout (up from none in the previous version) which is something a lot of people were hoping for.

They really can't decide what the hell they want to do with the Bella Omega map.  Every single patch the base structure gets overhauled.  I think its better than ever at this point, but I don't trust them to leave well enough alone with it.  I think map design is the biggest thing remaining for hi-rez to tackle now that the overhauled the loadout system.  They seem to be getting better at it (ArxNovena is newest one, and arguably the best), but I think the need a solid map pool of 3-5 more new maps before releasing, and hopefully they are able to hit a good balance between possibility of defense (which was utterly lacking from the early maps) and the ability for offensive players to actually touch the flag.

[Mrbloodworth]

I had a hard time getting used to the new looser movement. That's just a personal issue, I spent a lot of time with the old.

Also, for some reason, I'm getting really bad shuddering now.

[MahrinSkel]

Yeah, today I was trying the classic "Skyhook Slingshot" (ski into a nearly vertical hill, grab as much altitude as you can and come down onto the same hill moving like a rocket with your vector reversed) and kept pancaking because of the vector change from trying to move forward while not on the jets (something that didn't matter in T1, you'd keep it mashed if you need to fine-tune your re-entry with a little jab of jet).  I kept overshooting the slope and digging a crater at 200+.  Just means retraining the reflexes, maybe I'll dig out the joystick and go back to "flying" my avatar (for some reason ski-control was always more intuitive to me with a joystick).

--Dave

[MahrinSkel]

Well, ran into my first cheater tonight.  Guy named Discord in Infiltrator using whatever pistol it is that armor gets, wasn't absolutely sure he was cheating until I watched him in Spectator for a while: He was always aimed *perfectly* at his target when he was firing, even if that meant an instant reversal in facing as a target went over him.  I don't think the weapon is hit-scan, just very fast projectiles that might as well be in the tight spaces of a base (and since he was Infiltrator, if he wasn't set up, he just didn't shoot).

Of course he was part of an organized pack that was completely dominating the pick-up newbs on my side, I don't know if the rest were cheating or not, just logged out in disgust after I was sure about him.

--Dave

[Thrawn]

Have a beta key for this if anyone cares to use it (and will actually use it).

[Furiously]

I have an invite a friend key as well.

[MahrinSkel]

I haven't seen another cheater since that one, and haven't seen him since, so they seem to be doing a good job of holding down the anti-social element.  I've gone ahead and put $50 into it (the $30 beta special that comes with what's effectively a free 30-day booster, and another $20 worth of gold).  And I haven't paid $50 for a game since Fable 2.  I've only spent about 2200 of the gold, I'm still working out which packs/weapons are worth unlocking.  Raider is pretty awesome just stock, putting a triple sticky grenade on someone's face is hilarious (and being able to lay down a pattern pretty effective in any fight).

Skiing is much better than even original T1, you can actually do pretty good with a Medium armor when it comes to just getting around (even been doing Rabbit in Soldier, Thumper + E-Pack + both ultra-capacitors = love).

--Dave

EDIT: BTW, I assumed everyone already knew this, but you can get a T:A beta key by "Liking" HiRez on Facebook.

[Thrawn]

I've only spent about 2200 of the gold, I'm still working out which packs/weapons are worth unlocking.

I actually dumped a large chunk of my initial gold into a XP boost and I've been very happy with it.  I unlocked the main stuff I thought I would want with gold and am now getting double XP in every match to upgrade what I have.

As an old Tribes player I'm really enjoying Ascend after the last few patches a lot.  I had a hard time really getting into it early, but now I put a lot of hours into it the last weekend.  Has some pretty big issues to figure out (generators being almost pointless, vehicles mostly bad, too few maps and too small, health regen, no Defend & Destroy game mode) but as a whole I have no regrets spending some money on it.

[Thrawn]

Patch notes.

Major Highlights

• The game no longer requires a key in order to play. Anyone can join the beta program by simply creating an account on http://www.tribesascend.com and then downloading the game. Players are reminded that their progression in the game will be kept once the beta ends and the game officially launches -- so time spent playing now will be rewarded at launch.
• A new gametype, Arena, has been added with two initial maps, Air Arena and Lava Arena. The Arena gametype features five-on-five matches fought on small hazardous maps. The team that wins two rounds wins the match. During the course of a round, each team has 25 respawns. After a team's respawns are depleted, players on that team each get one more life before the round ends. The team with the last man standing wins the round.
• A new Capture the Flag map has been added to the quick match rotation (Temple Ruins).
• A new Team Deathmatch map has been added to the quick match rotation (Inferno).

Weapon/Balance Items

• Infiltrators using the Stealth pack now fade in and become "visible" at speeds over 173kph.
• Increased the activation delay on newly placed Light Turrets (Technician) from 1 to 2 seconds.

Additional Items

• The Rabbit gamemode has been removed from the Quick Match rotation. It will be available through Custom Servers at a later date.
• Made several changes to the Shrike: increased yaw-turn sensitivity, decreased damage received when hitting static objects, and changed the collision model so that wing tips are less likely to cause terrain impacts.

Full patch notes -

[Dren]

Wow, thanks for the heads up.  DL'ing now.

[MahrinSkel]

I've only spent about 2200 of the gold, I'm still working out which packs/weapons are worth unlocking.

I actually dumped a large chunk of my initial gold into a XP boost and I've been very happy with it.  I unlocked the main stuff I thought I would want with gold and am now getting double XP in every match to upgrade what I have.

As an old Tribes player I'm really enjoying Ascend after the last few patches a lot.  I had a hard time really getting into it early, but now I put a lot of hours into it the last weekend.  Has some pretty big issues to figure out (generators being almost pointless, vehicles mostly bad, too few maps and too small, health regen, no Defend & Destroy game mode) but as a whole I have no regrets spending some money on it.

Generators: Depends on the map.  Some of them there are no well-placed turrets and you might as well ignore the generators unless you've got a lot of people to lay deployables.  Other maps it's so hard to grab the flag with the gens up that taking them down is almost a requirement.

--Dave

[Thrawn]

http://www.gamespot.com/event/codes/tribes-ascend/

Giving away a free unlock code for the soldier utility pack.

[taolurker]

So, even though I couldn't really get this to run properly on my machine, I am still faithfully updating it and then letting it crash and send crash reports.

The only benefit so far is I have a beta key to pass on to someone else.

First PM from someone who wants into the beta gets it.

[Thrawn]

So, even though I couldn't really get this to run properly on my machine, I am still faithfully updating it and then letting it crash and send crash reports.

The only benefit so far is I have a beta key to pass on to someone else.

First PM from someone who wants into the beta gets it.

Beta went open two days ago, don't need keys anymore.