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[Tribes] Ascend: Everything for one purchase price, 6 maps, shielded assests, SHOCKLANCE!
A Flock of Walrus
For the Greater Good!Registered User regular
For the Greater Good!Registered User regular
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Q2EtUe1_NE
Tribes: Ascend is a free-to-play multiplayer-only first-person shooter part of the Tribes franchise.
It features a class-based loadout system. Each loadout specifies what type of armor the player has, along with what weapons and items they carry. Each loadout supports two in-hand weapons, a set of belt items such as grenades or mines and a pack. There are three possible sizes of armor to choose: light, medium and heavy, with 3 loadouts in each weight group, for a total of 9. Players can select which loadout to use either when first joining a game, respawning or at an inventory station. Loadouts may be acquired either through an upfront payment, or through playing the game and earning experience, which can be used to purchase classes, weapons, perks and upgrades. Paid-for loadouts will be available to the user instantly, while those who choose to unlock them through playing will have a much longer wait. Upgrades to armor, weapons and perks can only be purchased by experience points. Players will be given 3 free loadouts: the Pathfinder, Soldier, and Juggernaut, when they first start playing the game, each wearing light, medium and heavy armor respectively.
Skiing and Jetpacking
Learning to shoot with Tribes Ascend unique weapons.
Brief guides for all the classes:
Pathfinder
Sentinel
Infiltrator
Soldier
Technician
Raider
Juggernaut
Doombringer
Brute
Video Guides for the classes:
Useful Links
PA Players List
Official Forums
Pro Streams
Community Wiki
PA Steam Community
Premier kakos wrote: »Okay. It's up. In the grand tradition of G&T, it is called "[PA] The Angry Dome" on US-West. I currently have it set to do CTF with all maps in rotation and Naked Spawn enabled. For those that don't know what Naked Spawn is, it means you spawn in basic armor (Pathfinder, Soldier, Jugg) and you have to visit an inventory station to kit out.
[img][/img]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Q2EtUe1_NETribes: Ascend is a free-to-play multiplayer-only first-person shooter part of the Tribes franchise.
It features a class-based loadout system. Each loadout specifies what type of armor the player has, along with what weapons and items they carry. Each loadout supports two in-hand weapons, a set of belt items such as grenades or mines and a pack. There are three possible sizes of armor to choose: light, medium and heavy, with 3 loadouts in each weight group, for a total of 9. Players can select which loadout to use either when first joining a game, respawning or at an inventory station. Loadouts may be acquired either through an upfront payment, or through playing the game and earning experience, which can be used to purchase classes, weapons, perks and upgrades. Paid-for loadouts will be available to the user instantly, while those who choose to unlock them through playing will have a much longer wait. Upgrades to armor, weapons and perks can only be purchased by experience points. Players will be given 3 free loadouts: the Pathfinder, Soldier, and Juggernaut, when they first start playing the game, each wearing light, medium and heavy armor respectively.
Skiing and Jetpacking
Reading through the controls section, you should have noticed two very peculiar tools at your disposal: Ski button, and Jetpack button. These two tools make Tribes: Ascend and the Tribes series so distinct. The two mechanics introduce many intricacies to the game. Skiing can be activated/toggled with the Space Bar and jetpacking used by pressing the RMB. Skiing doesn't have any negative effects on its user, whereas using a jetpack will drain your energy. Energy regenerates over time to a class specified capacity.
The first that needs to be mentioned is large amounts of velocity. Velocity can be easily acquired through the combination of skiing down hills and jet-packing up inclines. But why do you need velocity? Well, a foe who is not moving will be easy picking for your team. Motion throws off the enemies targeting, allowing more time for you to complete your objective (either neutralizing a target, asset or capturing a flag).
The second is that jetpacking and the terrain allows players to access the z-coordinate (up-down). Each player has the ability to expel enough energy through their jetpack to rise upwards. Again, why should you care about this? The height advance in Tribes: Ascend allows the player to have better situational awareness of the battlefield. This awareness offers the player a better view of the opponents' motion so that the player may lead his shots.
The first that needs to be mentioned is large amounts of velocity. Velocity can be easily acquired through the combination of skiing down hills and jet-packing up inclines. But why do you need velocity? Well, a foe who is not moving will be easy picking for your team. Motion throws off the enemies targeting, allowing more time for you to complete your objective (either neutralizing a target, asset or capturing a flag).
The second is that jetpacking and the terrain allows players to access the z-coordinate (up-down). Each player has the ability to expel enough energy through their jetpack to rise upwards. Again, why should you care about this? The height advance in Tribes: Ascend allows the player to have better situational awareness of the battlefield. This awareness offers the player a better view of the opponents' motion so that the player may lead his shots.
Learning to shoot with Tribes Ascend unique weapons.
Most weapons in Tribes: Ascend are not your standard run-of-the-mill Hit Scan rifle, instead Tribes' weapons are projectile based. These projectiles take time to travel across the battlefield before exploding upon impacting on a surface. Due to travel time, shots must be lead in front of the unpredictable path of the target.
The classic weapon in Tribes: Ascend is the Spinfusor. The Spinfusor shoots discs that are not affected by gravity. These discs move at a moderate speed and have some splash damage upon impact. This is the perfect weapon to start out with, as it introduces the player to inheritance. Inheritance is addition of a percentage (50%) of the player's velocity on to the disc's specific velocity. There are many different Spinfusor Type weapons in Tribes: Ascend.
The question is how far do you have to lead your shots? The answer is that the faster both you and the target are travelling and the direction in which each of you are travelling makes a single answer impossible as well as your shot. A good rule of thumb is to shoot ahead of them by a few meters at common landing location where their feet will be on the ground. Shooting at a target on the ground is a lot simpler and more efficient then trying to hit them mid-air. A common mistake is to shoot for the opponent's body, but this causes missed shots to sail into terrain outside the blast radius of the projectile.
After a few games, predicting the foe's path and leading your shots will become more natural but yet still impossible. These two will allow you to be more efficient in your deathmatching skill and conservation of ammunition.
These type of weapons will arc due to gravity. Fusion Mortar, Bolt Launcher and Thumper DX are three examples of these type: each moves at a certain speed and is affected by inheritance and therefore the player needs to lead the shot for these types of weapons.
These types of weapons instantly hit the target if the 'bullet' emitted intercepts the target. Currently, Sniper Rifles, pistols (Eagle Pistol & Sparrow) and Shotguns are hitscan weapons but the Chain Gun, Assault Rifle, and the Rhino SMG are not a hitscan but instead shoot a fast moving projectile. Hitscan weapons are an interesting addition to Tribes where previously all weapons (aside from the laser sniper rifle) were projectile based.
The classic weapon in Tribes: Ascend is the Spinfusor. The Spinfusor shoots discs that are not affected by gravity. These discs move at a moderate speed and have some splash damage upon impact. This is the perfect weapon to start out with, as it introduces the player to inheritance. Inheritance is addition of a percentage (50%) of the player's velocity on to the disc's specific velocity. There are many different Spinfusor Type weapons in Tribes: Ascend.
The question is how far do you have to lead your shots? The answer is that the faster both you and the target are travelling and the direction in which each of you are travelling makes a single answer impossible as well as your shot. A good rule of thumb is to shoot ahead of them by a few meters at common landing location where their feet will be on the ground. Shooting at a target on the ground is a lot simpler and more efficient then trying to hit them mid-air. A common mistake is to shoot for the opponent's body, but this causes missed shots to sail into terrain outside the blast radius of the projectile.
After a few games, predicting the foe's path and leading your shots will become more natural but yet still impossible. These two will allow you to be more efficient in your deathmatching skill and conservation of ammunition.
These type of weapons will arc due to gravity. Fusion Mortar, Bolt Launcher and Thumper DX are three examples of these type: each moves at a certain speed and is affected by inheritance and therefore the player needs to lead the shot for these types of weapons.
These types of weapons instantly hit the target if the 'bullet' emitted intercepts the target. Currently, Sniper Rifles, pistols (Eagle Pistol & Sparrow) and Shotguns are hitscan weapons but the Chain Gun, Assault Rifle, and the Rhino SMG are not a hitscan but instead shoot a fast moving projectile. Hitscan weapons are an interesting addition to Tribes where previously all weapons (aside from the laser sniper rifle) were projectile based.
Brief guides for all the classes:
Pathfinder
Sentinel
Infiltrator
Soldier
Technician
Raider
Juggernaut
Doombringer
Brute
Video Guides for the classes:
Pathfinder
Sentinel
Infiltrator
Soldier
Technician
Raider
Doombringer
Juggernaut
Brute
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zMehXbSZPc&feature=plcp&context=C4e90918VDvjVQa1PpcFPjOtfNKomKAcqANMjetjo8mykhSn4bKgk=
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCUQKcI3VgI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OfUmm5juxmU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sg8NKXAiVrY&feature=plcp&context=C43f7b3eVDvjVQa1PpcFPjOtfNKomKAcF91vSYtGuXckdXGpBdxL4=
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IijPUyS2KqM&feature=plcp&context=C4d16ed7VDvjVQa1PpcFPjOtfNKomKAc5RK61GftOjTEhqRF4c5dc=
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3sO8rsSEbc&list=PL82CB03B87BFF3384&index=5&feature=plpp_video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awRVB5ZQsSs&list=PL82CB03B87BFF3384&index=6&feature=plpp_video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBB_yK7ByI4&list=PL82CB03B87BFF3384&index=2&feature=plpp_video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9gXZGPw-6oUseful Links
PA Players List
Official Forums
Pro Streams
Community Wiki
PA Steam Community
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So unfair.
Also I can't wait for the next content patch.
But... You don't really get experience from grabbing the flag. You get XP based on time in the match, whether you win, and then your leaderboard position. These people COST themselves experience by llamagrabbing.
But it shows you a number, and thus the vast majority of people assume they're being rewarded.
Some people just don't get it though. Like heavies that try to walk the flag home. Or I've seen someone in a light come it at a decent clip, touch the flag, STOP, turn around, and then start jetting the other way. He died very quickly.
EDIT: Keep in mind that I'm not very good by any means...I practice my routes in actual matches, for example. If our team has good cappers then I'll follow them and learn... If the team doesn't, then I'll do the job myself.
I have graduated from what I assume was the 'people who have had the game for two days and/or are otherwise completely terrible" bracket to the "everybody else who plays" bracket, and the difference has been... jarring. It seems like the game ought to distinguish between level 7 bronzes and gold players, if only because they all seem to have crazy weapons. Or maybe it does and there just aren't enough highend players queuing up
that's why we call it the struggle, you're supposed to sweat
hey i made this! glad you guys liked it. I have been lurking on PA forums for 3 years and this prompted me to make an account. a couple notes:
1) poopfeast420 is one of the best T:A players currently and plays for the #1 NA team, no shame in getting wrecked by him.
2) inquisitor seems to know what he is talking about usually.
3) sniperguy and I may have to agree to disagree.
4) you guys should totally make a team for this: http://forum.hirezstudios.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=307&t=68428 ; would be a great way to get your feet wet playing 8v8 organized ctf which is fantastic fun.
hope you don't mind me coming to hang out in PA, I would love to share some of the things I have learned playing comp.
Attracting pros like magnets, this thread is!
@ Everyone else, depending on interest + time commitment I am definitely down for the newblood tournament. I'll have to spec out and practice with a more common 8 v 8 class, but I'm not terribly good with the one I play now anyway, so no big loss!
That was my immediate reaction upon first playing Tiny Wings
Obligatory
Gotta go fast.
*blushes, kicks a rock* Awww shucks you really think so? :oops:
Joking aside, welcome to the PA community! You are of course more than welcome to come and hang out with us.
A newblood tournament sounds like a really fun idea and I'm willing to throw my hat into the ring as a potential player, assuming scheduling works out for me.
Also, Inquisitor, I added you to my friends list. Is "Inquisitor" your TA name?
Steam // Secret Satan
WinterFlea is my TA name, should be under the PA Player List google doc thingy.
You don't really want to mix or match them. Thumper and Spinfuser fill the same role. Pistol and AR same role. I mean, I have seen people use thumper and spinfuser, but it's really derpy and pointless.
It starts out slow, bear with it.
I never thought of putting a Beowulf inside the bases. Why would you do that. Why. You'd be a sitting duck.
That first kill is the best because it had to be a midair mortar collision. No way his trajectory would let him land on any surface from that height.
This is a good route.
In maps not designed like skate parks, people eventually figured out how to cap very quickly. In maps that feel like skate parks or greased up bathtubs, we've gone from insanely fast cap routes (when nitrons didn't flagdrop) to changing items to slow them down (nitrons now cause flag drop), and people still adapt and find crazy fast routes.
Give people the tools and organic environments not conveniently designed to run the flag and they will find and perfect fast routes, don't worry about that. They should be focusing on base design and overall flow of the map and offensive/defensive roles beyond - flag runner <> flag chaser <> heavy on flag - the solution they are trying for right now seems to be "well, just make the other dudes better at combat by selling them upgrades" (infiltrator).
... I don't know, I enjoy the game but I think it has real potential if they'd allow for more depth at the cost of a learning curve. The game has training wheels right now, which is fine. I like that it's easy to pick up and explain to new people, which is awesome. They can do well and really improve a lot very quickly with the tooltips and things, the community seems not bad at all, etc. It just needs something to increase the skill ceiling and how long you can play before you feel like there's not much more to see or learn. I am afraid that outside buying new skirts and guns, there's nothing else there right now.
Something Completely Different:
I like the new Raindance, physics being what they are a few things feel off about the environment and some of the angles in the center riverbed but it plays nicely. It shows that old map design still works fine, and in all the matches I've played on it so far, I haven't seen any ridiculous caps in the same way you would on any of the Ascend specific maps, more terrain that results in a scramble and strange routes to get in and out with the flag are all good times as far as I'm concerned.
Edit:
Number one issue!!!!
Projectiles come out of some random point in front of you and not anywhere near the center of the screen most of the time. It would be awesome if it felt like I fire spinfuser discs out of a gun instead of squirt them out of my urethra.
Edit2: Added to the player list .doc in op, invited some folks on it as friends...
As for saying "they need to just have random fucking terrain and people will figure out routes", that's kind of stupid. It's kind of a good thing for the developers to have intent behind the map and available routes, insisting they not attempt to balance their own game is silly.
I would definitely be in for a Tournament, but my connection is still sketchy
Steam (Ansatz) || GW2 officer (Ansatz.6498)
You're misunderstanding or I am not being clear enough.
That route exists because the map was designed with huge slopes pointing at flag stands and nitron grenades to boost with.
Without either of those things, people would run the flag well. With those things people who can already run the flag well run it insanely.
Those things exist so even someone who has never played Tribes can go fast and grab flags. I am saying that going fast and grabbing the flag should require some practice, or else when you put the tools in the hands of someone who would already make incredible runs without them, they make impossible to stop runs.
As for the random terrain, I'd rather have random terrain than what we have on most of the maps right now.
Huge slopes pointed to a big flat area in the middle with a few little hills, conveniently placed ramps pointed directly at flag stands with a flag in the open and a big hill on the other side to land on and get your speed up again.
They're not balancing the game, they're rounding all the corners and streamlining parts that don't need streamlining.
I run Spinfusor/Thumper because I don't have enough exp to unlock the pistol and I really like the spinfusor.
Right, that's a good reason.
Edit: No one's ever actually playing when I check.
I'm really enjoying how much of a great reception Ascend's been getting, questionable player skills and attitudes aside (at least the ones I get on my teams most of the time). Hopefully people will start realizing that everybody making a mad uncoordinated dash for the flag all the time while leaving your base wide open isn't such a great idea.
Also we somehow missed the best video:
Though dammit - I'm trying to get better at Nitron jumps. Got my first 'Gotta Go Fast!' the other night and my heart was beating out of my chest.
STEAM | XBL | PSN
This is good Winky, some solid JUG play.
You fare much better with that grenade launcher than I ever have.
The exact same thing happened to me yesterday, I logged out from a game where I was consistently towards the top of the leaderboard with plenty of close one on one battles etc and logged back in later to one where a group of people 20 levels higher than me took me out without me landing a single hit.
It really does need a mid point somewhere between the top and bottom levels. I'm gradually edging my way back in to being useful to a team but it was fairly frustrating for a while particularly as I'd just gone and bought the top gold pack before the game went from fun to depressing.
If the maps were not designed to have good routes then it would be harder for the average player to figure out how to do a proper flag grab. Most of the dead obvious routes are far less than ideal without doing a bunch of tricks as well. Remember that Tribes 1 maps weren't even designed to allow skiing period. There will always be an ultimate cap route regardless of the terrain - if they really want to stop the insane speed grabs, the solution is a speed cap.
RisenPhoenix: I am still working on gettin good, consistent nitron jumps myself. Aim down at like a 45 degree angle and tap the jets right as it hits. Sounds easy on paper but I still whiff an embarassing amount of jumps while I'm going fast. Oh well, practice, practice, practice.
Which seems like a shame, because the most fun in this game by far are the high-speed chase scenes. Skiing battles are super neat, and there's nothing cooler than having the flag carrier ahead of a mixed wave of enemies and friendlies trying to defend them as they all swarm at high speed towards the base. It seems like at higher level play this is completely eliminated though because there's just no way anyone is ever going to catch up with the flag capper. Maybe I just haven't seen any really good chaser videos, though.
Putting a cap on max speed seems like a lame way to fix that, but it would work. Rather, I'd probably prefer it to just be more difficult to consistently get so fast: make it so that you can't get going like 300 without doing a couple laps around the map first or something.
Actually, the other thing I was thinking of was actually having varying terrain, so it would be actually impossible to memorize routes. That is to say, there would be physical features (primarily hills and structures around the edge of the map) that would be randomly re-arranged every time you play the map. You would have to be smart enough to figure out the ideal route every time you played the game.
all the midairs
I really like playing soldier moreso than pathfinder, but I just am addicted to flag capping. The change in music when your ass is going blistering fast is just so satisfying
Also, an extra man around to spinfusor the flag as the PTH is flying in.
I know people say that assault rifle + thumper is the stronger combo but I just can't ditch my spinfusor! To many years of Tribes. I'm attached to it.