Tribes Closed Beta Version 0.1.742.0

SERVER DOWNTIME: The Tribes Servers are expected to be down for a number of hours on THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2012 while the patch is deployed. Watch the Server Status on the game loader for the latest availability information.

CONVERSION NOTE: Due to the depth and breadth of changes in this update, users will start fresh in the game with no items purchased. Gold and XP will be refunded based on previously earned XP, Tokens and Gold in the game (such that your time in the game thus far is rewarded). This will allow each user to choose how to allocate their earnings optimally under the new system without being constrained by your previously made choices.
Major Highlights

● There is a new UI for all the front-end menus. Many aspects of the new UI are still a work in progress, so please forgive any issues or quirkiness.

● The class and purchase systems have undergone a major overhaul. The new system allows greater customization within a given class. Among the highlights:

○ There are now 9 classes instead of 12 (Pathfinder, Sentinel, Infiltrator, Soldier, Technician, Raider, Juggernaut, Doombringer, Brute).

○ New players receive the Pathfinder, Soldier and Juggernaut classes for free.

○ Each class has a default loadout associated with it that includes your Armor (Light/Medium/Heavy), a Primary Weapon, a Secondary Weapon, Belt item, a Pack, and two Perk Slots. You may unlock alternate weapons for each slot, using XP or Gold.

○ The class specific skill trees have been removed and replaced by a weapon-centric and armor-centric upgrade system. Upgrades are still unlocked using XP.

○ Perks have been overhauled. With this patch, there are 18 perks in the game -- nine assigned to Perk Slot 1 and nine assigned to Perk Slot 2. You now unlock Perks using XP or Gold. Once a perk is unlocked, it can be used on all classes.

○ Perks now have upgrades that can be purchased with XP, and contain additional functionality. (Example: The Pilot Perk gives +10% vehicle health, and has upgrades that provide +10% more health, with a final upgrade giving Ejection Seat).

● 16 new weapons have been added to the game.

● A new Crossfire Team Deathmatch map has been added. This map is an early iteration and is not in its final intended artistic or design state.

● Several new Rabbit maps have been added (using previously released Team Deathmatch maps as their base).

● Tokens have been removed from the game, and all purchases previously made through Tokens can now be made through XP (see CONVERSION NOTE).
Weapon/Balance Items

● The following Classes have been condensed:

○ Jumper has been removed, and most of Jumper’s weapons and gear are now available on Pathfinder. The Sawed-off Shotgun is now a Technician Secondary option.

○ Ranger has been removed, and Ranger’s weapons and gear are now available on Soldier.

○ Scrambler has been removed, and Scrambler’s weapons and gear are now available on Raider.

● The following new weapons have been added:

○ Light Assault Rifle (Pathfinder Secondary)

○ Explosive Nitron (Pathfinder Belt)

○ Phase Rifle (Sentinel Primary)

○ Falcon Auto-Pistol (Sentinel Secondary)

○ T5 Grenade (Sentinel Belt)

○ Stealth Spinfusor (Infiltrator Primary)

○ Prism Mines (Infiltrator Belt)

○ Thumper (Large version) (Technician Primary)

○ Sparrow Pistol (Technician Secondary)

○ Motion Sensor (Technician Belt)

○ MIRV Launcher (Juggernaut Primary)

○ X1 LMG (Juggernaut Secondary)

○ Disk Toss (Juggernaut Belt)

○ Heavy Bolt Launcher (Doombringer Primary)

○ Mines (Doombringer Belt)

○ Nova Colt (Brute Secondary)



● All Perks have been significantly modified, and many have been combined together. Perks have upgrades that can be unlocked with XP, and the final upgrade usually provides new functionality.

● Reduced damage by roughly 6% on Ranger’s Assault Rifle, Raider’s NJ4 SMG, and Infiltrator’s Rhino SMG. Reduced by 11% on Technician’s TCN4 SMG.

● Updated reticule on Doombringer’s Chaingun so it does not block visibility as much.

● Increased fire rate on Pathfinder’s Light Spinfusor. Slightly decreased damage, per the fire rate increase.

● Reduced starting clip size to 32 on Infiltrator’s Rhino SMG.

● Reduced Saber Launcher starting ammo to 8.

● Increased damage on Pathfinder’s Bolt Launcher to be more in line with other medium AOE weapons.

● Changed the way the Looter perk was calculated. It now gives a lot more bonus ammo to all weapons.

● ST Grenade was removed from the game, and replaced with a new option on Pathfinder.

● Reduced initial clip size to 28 on Technician’s TCN4 SMG.

● Fixed a bug that gave extra starting ammo to Raider’s Whiteout Grenade.

● Reduced initial values on Juggernaut’s Regen Pack.

● Reduced damage from Raider’s EMP Grenade, enhanced EMP effect in upgrade track.

● Increased damage on Infiltrator’s SN7 Pistol by roughly 6%.

● Reduced damage by roughly 8% on Soldier’s (previously Ranger’s) Thumper DX. Reduced knockback on Thumper DX to account for damage reduction.

● Reduced knockback on Whiteout grenade.

● Increased damage by roughly 8% on Juggernaut’s Fusion Mortar.

● Decreased damage on Shrike’s Plasma Cannon by 18%.

● Decreased energy recharge rate and maximum energy on Shrike Afterburner.

● Decreased Shrike Health by 33%.

● Increased effectiveness of non-tracking AOE based projectiles against Shikes. (Spinfusors, Thumpers, etc). Luck (or skill) shots provide a bigger payoff.

● Added vehicle boost to the Beowulf.

● Shotgun spread has been adjusted to be less “random” and more reliable. This affects Pathfinder’s Shotgun, Technician’s Sawed-Off Shotgun, and Brute’s Automatic Shotgun.
Additional Items

● All maps may now be roamed using the Training menu.

● Added a “Ski Challenge” mode under the Training menu. This is an early iteration. Expect further enhancements in future patches.

● CTF Bella Omega has had a significant change to it’s base layout. This is an early iteration and is not in its final intended art.

● CTF Arx Novena has had a significant change to it’s interiors. The Bases have been moved further apart (15% distance increase). Workplace safety has installed security fields over the bottomless pits. One of the towns was sacked. This is an early iteration and is not in its final intended art.

● CTF Katabatic has additional inventory stations near the generator. The flight ceiling has been raised.

● Some performance optimisations on Drydock. More still planned.

● The overhead carets and names of players on your friends list will show as green instead of blue when inside of a match, so long as they are on the same side as you.

● You may now switch your active class using Hotkeys (as an alternative to visiting the Change Class menu). The Hotkeys default to Numpad1 through Numpad9 and are configurable under SETTINGS | KEYBINDINGS | HOTKEYS.

● Added a simple ammo indicator when in third-person mode.

● A subsystem has been added for users to redeem promotions inside the game using the EXTRAS menu.

● A “MINIMAL” option has been added under Graphics Detail settings. This better optimizes the game for lower-end machines. Note that additional improvements and optimizations are still planned.

● New Base Turret Fire and Projectile sounds.

● Fix for wolf howl on Arx Novena. Will not play as often as before.

● All projectile explosions and weapons fire now apply a low pass filter at closer range.

● Fixed issue with certain weapons damaging the Shrike pilot when you were shooting any part of the Shrike and not just the cockpit.

● Fixed melee, grenade, and mine animations not properly playing.

● Tweaked the Shrike controls: increased reverse thrust, vertical thrust, and added separate pitch/yaw sensitivity Configuration (under Settings | Gameplay).

● Fixed the Shrike going into a death spiral when no player was piloting it.

● Fixed bug with inventory stations not providing loadouts.

● Fixed call-ins not working if you were killed the moment it deducted credits.

● Fixed the saber launcher being able to instantly lock-on to players.

● Fixed players dying when colliding with friendlies or goomba’ing friendlies/enemies.

● Fixed friendly players being able to block tank shots by sitting on the turret.

● Fixed sound issues with drop jammer ‘jammed’ loop playing across the map.

● Fixed projectile-bullets not playing impact sounds properly.

● Fixed an offline forcefield colliding with tracers, making it appear as if bullet-projectiles and projectiles weren’t going through.

● Fixed issue with base asset damage/death effects not working properly when you first join the server.

● Fixed issue where sticky projectiles weren’t properly exploding.

● Fixed issues with the chaingun loop not ending in a variety of situations.

● Added a timer where all turrets will ignore an invulnerable player to discourage turret farming at spawn points.

● Mines and grenades now consume ammo as soon as the button is pressed, allowing the player to pick up ammo while throwing and be credited for mine/grenade ammo.

● Zooming in while in third-person will kick you back to first-person.

● Fixed objectives not properly taking damage from bullet projectiles when the player was too close.

● Fixed issue where the client could crash or the screen would go black when skiing into objects.

● The Beowulf’s view pitch is now properly limited depending on how inline your view is with the vehicles. When looking the highest you can when the Beowulf is tilted down a hill this still properly limits the view, but does allow a higher view than previously capable when looking backwards which was tilted up.

● Fixed vehicle overhead damage numbers being inaccurate.

● Fixed using the thrust/jump pack while jetting breaking jetpack functionality.

● Flags get a larger impulse when landing on vehicles, preventing them from landing on vehicles and being driven across the map.

● Fixed the ability to place turrets behind walls.

● Made placing deployables more reliable.

● Infiltrators will now only reveal if they throw a belt-item and have ammo.

● Fixed lowered FPS when entering a vehicle with the repair gun equipped.

● Fix for player doing self damage when shooting automatic weapons at feet.

● Flags now animate and react to the flag holder’s movement.

● Overhead damage numbers for shotgun damage now properly display each impact of the spread on its victims.

● Fixed an issue where a friendly flag carrier’s player name would be off-center.

● Overhead damage numbers will display from damage done from a personal deployed turret to a vehicle.

● Added in a new INI setting, PlayerShadowFadeResolution, for handling the fading away of player shadows. Player shadows should now be visible at a larger distance as a result.

● Fixed an issue where turret animations would sometimes not orient correctly if the turret was aiming at a target behind it.

● Fixed an issue where the overhead damage numbers would display if looking directly away from the location of the damage.


Known Issues

● Since this update contains a massive amount of changes, we expect our tester community will find a significant number of issues. Found bugs can be posted in the Closed Beta Private Forums.

● Bass Boost is not in the Audio Settings, this will be added in a later patch.

Stealth Spinfusor (Infiltrator Primary)

Thumper (Large version) (Technician Primary)