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Starsiege: Tribes (Free Game) To celebrate the release of Tribes: Vengeance, Vivendi Universal Games and FilePlanet partnered to bring you a free download of the award winning PC action game Starsiege: Tribes. If you enjoy Tribes, you can purchase Tribes: Vengance on Direct2Drive. Tribes Features.
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Starsiege: Tribes | |
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Developer(s) | Dynamix |
Publisher(s) | Sierra On-Line |
Director(s) | Tim Gift |
Producer(s) | Ken Embery |
Designer(s) | Scott Youngblood |
Programmer(s) | Mark Frohnmayer |
Artist(s) | Mark Frohnmayer |
Writer(s) | Blake Hutchins |
Series | Tribes |
Platform(s) | Microsoft Windows |
Release | |
Genre(s) | First-person shooter |
Mode(s) | Multiplayer |
Starsiege: Tribes is a first-person shootervideo game. It is the first of the Tribes video game series and follows the story from Metaltech: Earthsiege and Starsiege. It was developed by Dynamix and published by Sierra On-Line in 1998. An expansion pack, Tribes Extreme, was cancelled; it was supposed to add single-player missions, multiplayer maps, and bot AI.[2]
Gameplay[edit]
Starsiege: Tribes screenshot
Tribes is a squad-based multiplayeronline game. The story is set in the 40th century, after humanity has settled across the galaxies via jumpgates. Conflict has broken out between several factions of humans, the four largest of which are the Children of the Phoenix, who descend from people isolated from the Great Human Empire during the 'jumpgate diaspora', Blood Eagle, a force of imperial knights originally sent from the Empire to subdue Humans who have gone 'tribal' over time, and Diamond Sword and Starwolf, who are of secondary importance, with innumerable other splinter tribes constantly fighting for territory. The player assumes the role of a warrior loyal to one of the four major tribes battling in the front lines of the conflict.[citation needed]
The battles take place in one of 40 levels. Most of the standard maps are outdoors environments in a variety of climates, from sunshine to snow and hail. In general, bases are scattered throughout the map depending on the game type. The outdoor environments can extend for several in-game kilometers.[citation needed]
There are five distinct 'default' game types:
- Capture the flag (CTF) - Each team (up to eight, normally less than three on any given mission) has one or more bases and a single flag. Each team tries to take an opposing team's flag and touch it to their own, which 'captures' the flag and awards the capturing team a point. If a flag carrier is killed, the flag is dropped; the flag can be picked up by a teammate to finish the capture, instantly returned to its base by a member of the flag's team, or returned after a certain interval of time. Stalemates often occur when multiple teams' flags are taken at the same time; a team's flag must be at its base to accomplish a 'cap'. Capture the Flag is a popular mode, with 75 percent of servers running this game type.[3]
- Deathmatch (DM) - It can be played with or without teams; in both cases, players must get the highest number of kills to win.
- Capture and hold (C&H) - Teams must seek out capturable bases or other assets, sometimes complete with turrets and stations, throughout the map. Points are given based on the amount of time an asset is 'owned'.
- Defend and destroy (D&D) - Players on a team must destroy certain items in an enemy's base before the enemy does the same to their base. Subsequent team-based First-person shooter games, however, did use variations of the concept (such as with the later Unreal Tournament and its 'Assault' game type). Defend and Destroy is the second-most popular game type.[3]
- Find and retrieve (F&R) - A number of flags are scattered across the mission area. Team members must find and bring them back to their base. The flags can be captured from the enemy as well. The team to capture all the flags wins.[citation needed]
Each player wears either light, medium, or heavy armor. Heavier armors supply larger amounts of armor, energy, and ammunition. Different armor types support different weapons and equipment; for example, only the heavy armor supports the heavy mortar but only light armor supports the sniper rifle.[3] When damage is dealt to the player (by falling or being hurt by a weapon), armor is lost. Loss of all armor results in the player's death. After dying, the player respawns at the team's base (or somewhere in the field). Players also have an energy cell, which is drawn on for jetting, firing some kinds of weapons, and activating packs. The different armor types can be accessed at an inventory station. There are various items of equipment usable by the players, including vehicles, eight weapons, and 'Packs' which alter the abilities of the player. On some maps, bases include various defense mechanisms and other tools to assist the team: Generators, turrets, stations, and sensors. Generators provide power to systems. Destroying them can disable an entire team's defense by deactivating turrets and stations. Weapons include the heavy mortar, sniper rifle, explosive disc launcher, short-range gatling gun, grenade launcher, blaster, plasma rifle, and laser rifle.[3]
In addition to running and jumping, players are equipped with a jetpack which allows them to accelerate into the air until the armor's energy is used up. In addition to straight-line movement, the jetpack has other versatile uses. It can be used to make short hops whilst zig-zagging to make a player harder to target in open areas. An upward thrust can help the player evade oncoming enemies armed with short-range weapons.[4]
Another method of movement is known as 'skiing', and relies on an exploitation of the game's physics engine.[5] If a player taps the jump button with the correct timing whilst descending a hill, their momentum will accumulate. High speeds can be achieved this way, and if this momentum takes the player to the crest of another hill, the jetpack can be used to rapidly propel them across the map.[4] This technique was later developed into a game feature by Dynamix for Tribes 2.[6]
Reception[edit]
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In the United States, Starsiege: Tribes sold 98,840 copies during 1999.[17]
Tribes Computer Game 2017
Next Generation reviewed the PC version of the game, rating it five stars out of five, and stated that 'Tribes has the design and the technology to be the next standard in action gaming.'[13]
The game received 'favorable' reviews according to the review aggregation website GameRankings.[7]
GameSpot considered the game to be an almost perfect balance between gameplay, online connectivity, and speedy performance. The multiplayer gameplay drew comparisons with NovaLogic's Delta Force, with good visuals and customizable weapon loadouts. The maps were highlighted as being wonderfully rendered, with seamless indoor-outdoor transitions. The site's criticisms included the difficulty in conducting long-range combat, a lack of close-combat weapons, and the queues that form at weapon consoles. They felt that Tribes would have benefited from a stronger training mode and better handling of scores and statistics.[3]
In 2005, GameSpot chose the game as one of 'The Greatest Games of All Time'.[18]
The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences nominated Starsiege: Tribes for its 1998 'Action Game of the Year' award, although the game lost to Half-Life.[19] The game won Computer Games Strategy Plus's 1998 'Online Game of the Year' award. The editors highlighted its 'excellent Internet performance, depth of strategies and tactics, and its accessibility and ease of play.'[20]PC Gamer US awarded the game its 1999 'Special Achievement in Innovation' prize; the editors raved that 'Tribes re-wrote the rules of online combat', and that it features 'airtight networking code and what is still today one of the best self-contained online interfaces we've ever seen.' It was a finalist for the magazine's 'Best Multiplayer Game' award, but lost to Team Fortress Classic.[21]
Sequels[edit]
A sequel, Tribes 2, was released in March 2001. Sierra licensed the franchise to Irrational Games for a third installment, Tribes: Vengeance, which was released in October 2004. Vivendi Universal released Starsiege: Tribes and Tribes 2 for free on May 4, 2004 on a DVD-ROM with Computer Gaming World magazine and on FilePlanet in order to promote the release of Tribes: Vengeance.[22]
References[edit]
- ^'New Releases'. GameSpot. 23 December 1998. Archived from the original on 8 June 2000. Retrieved 20 September 2019.
- ^Blevins, Tal (14 October 1999). 'Tribes Extreme Interview'. IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved 28 November 2013.
- ^ abcdefRyan, Michael E. (22 January 1999). 'Starsiege Tribes Review'. GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on 6 March 2007. Retrieved 8 June 2017.
Tribes is an ambitious game that successfully delivers a rich and addictive multiplayer gaming experience. Any team-minded action fan will love this game, and I suspect that more than a few freelance types will also.
- ^ abLambert, Kornel. 'PC Cheats: Starsiege Tribes'. Computer and Video Games. Future Publishing. Archived from the original on 21 January 2007. Retrieved 8 June 2017.
- ^Butts, Steve (5 October 2004). 'Tribes: Vengeance'. IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved 8 June 2017.
- ^Parker, Sam (5 April 2001). 'Tribes 2 Review'. GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 8 June 2017.
- ^ ab'Starsiege Tribes for PC'. GameRankings. Retrieved 8 June 2017.
- ^House, Michael L. 'Starsiege: Tribes - Review'. AllGame. Archived from the original on 14 November 2014. Retrieved 8 June 2017.
- ^Lynch, Jim (April 1999). 'Go Team! (Starsiege: Tribes Review)'(PDF). Computer Gaming World. No. 177. p. 181. Retrieved 8 June 2017.
- ^Strauch, Joel (2 April 1999). 'Starsiege: Tribes Review for PC on GamePro.com'. GamePro. Archived from the original on 16 December 2017. Retrieved 8 June 2017.
- ^Kemuel (1 July 1999). 'Starsiege TRIBES'. GameZone. Archived from the original on 30 June 2001. Retrieved 8 June 2017.
- ^Ward, Trent C. (15 January 1999). '[Starsiege] Tribes'. IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved 8 June 2017.
- ^ ab'Finals'. Next Generation. No. 51. Imagine Media. March 1999. p. 87.
- ^'Starsiege: Tribes'. PC Gamer UK. Future plc. 1999.
- ^Poole, Stephen (April 1999). 'Starsiege: Tribes'. PC Gamer. Archived from the original on 13 October 1999. Retrieved 8 June 2017.
- ^Bortorff, James (1999). ''Tribes' puts the emphasis on teamwork'. The Cincinnati Enquirer. Archived from the original on 28 April 2001. Retrieved 8 June 2017.
- ^Staff (April 2000). 'PC Gamer Editors' Choice Winners: Does Quality Matter?'. PC Gamer US. 7 (4): 33.
- ^Colayco, Bob (15 July 2005). 'The Greatest Games of All Time - Tribes'. GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
- ^'Second Interactive Achievement Awards; Personal Computer'. Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on November 4, 1999.
- ^Staff (February 11, 1999). 'The Best of 1998'. Computer Games Strategy Plus. Archived from the original on February 3, 2005.
- ^Staff (March 2000). 'The Sixth Annual PC Gamer Awards'. PC Gamer US. 7 (3): 46, 47, 49, 50, 54–56, 60, 62.
- ^Franco, Julio (4 May 2004). 'Get Tribes and Tribes 2 free'. TechSpot. Retrieved 17 June 2012.
External links[edit]
- Starsiege: Tribes at MobyGames
Retrieved from 'https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Starsiege:_Tribes&oldid=917885474'
Starsiege: Tribes overview
Type:Action
ESRB Rating:Teen
Release Date: 11/30/1998
Developer: Dynamix
Publisher:Sierra On-Line
ESRB Rating:Teen
Release Date: 11/30/1998
Developer: Dynamix
Publisher:Sierra On-Line
Starsiege: Tribes brings out a lot of features that the standard versions of other multiplayer games lack. In Tribes, players have the capability of playing standard deathmatch, capture the flag, last tribe standing, defend & destroy towers, as well as other options.
What makes Tribes unique from other standard first-person shooting games is the wide open arena where users play both inside and outside. Jet packs enable players to hover for short periods of time. The top-down commander screen allows individuals to have an overall map of the playing field and set locations for attack, defend, repair.
Players should play Tribes over a network or the Internet to get a real feel for the game and its action. Overall, Tribes is a great game for any individual who enjoys first-person shooters or squad warfare games.
System Requirements:Microsoft Windows - Apple - Linux
Windows System Requirements | |
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Operating System: | Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows NT 4 with Service Pack 4 |
Processor: | Intel Pentium 166 MHz - With a 3D graphics accelerator Intel Pentium 200 MHz - Without a 3D graphics accelerator |
Memory: | 32 MB RAM |
Graphics Card: | SVGA graphics, high color, 640 x 480 resolution or higherDirectDraw compatible card or 3Dfx Glide compatible 3D accelerator recommended |
Sound Card: | Recommended 100% Sound Blaster compatible sound card |
Hard Drive Space: | 150 MB |
CD/DVD Drive: | 2X CD-ROM |
Controls: | Keyboard & Mouse Joystick/Gamepad optional |
Multiplayer: | 28.8 Kbps modem or TCP/IP compatible network card |
This game is not available for Apple. Consider using Windows under Bootcamp.
NoteThis game is not available for Linux. Consider using Wine to run Windows programs and games.
Tribes 2 overview
Type:Action
ESRB Rating:Mature
Release Date: 03/28/2001
Developer: Dynamix
Publisher:Sierra
ESRB Rating:Mature
Release Date: 03/28/2001
Developer: Dynamix
Publisher:Sierra
Tribes 2 brings back the fun of the original Tribes with a greater scale and strategic combat situations. The game supports for over 60 players and has new weather environments, vehicles, and weapons.
System Requirements:Microsoft Windows - Apple - Linux
Windows System Requirements | |
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Operating System: | Windows 95B, Windows 98, Windows ME, Windows NT 4 w/SP4, Windows 2000 |
Processor: | Intel Pentium II 300 MHZ & 400 MHz, Pentium III 500 MHz |
Memory: | 64 MB RAM |
Graphics Card: | Pentium II 300: nVidia GeForce & GeForce 2; Diamond Viper II; ATI Rage 128 Pentium II 400: nVidia Riva TNT & TNT2; Matrox G400 & G450; 3Dfx Voodoo3 Pentium II 500: 3Dfx Voodoo2, Voodoo4 & Voodoo5; Kyro; 3Dlabs Permedia 3 |
DirectX: | DirectX 8.x |
Sound Card: | DirectSound compatible sound card |
Hard Drive Space: | 531 MB |
CD/DVD Drive: | 4X CD-ROM |
Controls: | Keyboard & Mouse Joystick/Gamepad optional |
Multiplayer: | 28.8 Kbps modem or TCP/IP compatible network card |
Note
This game is not available for Apple. Consider using Windows under Bootcamp.
Linux System Requirements | |
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Operating System: | Linux kernel 2.2.x or 2.4.x XFree86 3.3.5 or later |
Processor: | Intel Pentium II 300 MHz or faster (Pentium III 500 MHz recommended) |
Memory: | 64 MB RAM (128 MB recommended) |
Graphics Card: | 3D accelerator video card with OpenGL support, 4 MB Video RAM |
Sound Card: | 16-bit OSS compatible sound card |
Hard Drive Space: | 500 MB |
CD/DVD Drive: | 8X CD-ROM |
Controls: | Keyboard & Mouse |
Multiplayer: | 28.8 Kbps modem or TCP/IP compatible network card |
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