We've already done a preview of Tribes2 and so instead of doing another we're just going to update you a bit. As you know Tribes2 is the sequel to Tribes, a massively multiplayer game where you could fly planes and even use jetpacks to soar into the sky. The levels were big and the carnage strong, Tribes was such a colossal game that it still lives on with ferocity several years after the original launch.

As multiplayer games go it's as close to Halo as you'll get for another year and easily the most varied and entertaining piece outside of Half Life: CounterStrike. So how has its much sort after sequel, Tribes2, done since we last took a look at it?

Tribes2, GOD IT'S GOOD!

Hands up if you know the Tribes2 developer who looks quite geekish, wears glasses and has a pathetic excuse for a beard? Well screw that because the mans a genius and no matter what his looks he can create games that we'd all envy, such as Tribes2. Speedy3D was lucky enough to meet up with THE MAN himself (never remember his name) and also see good old RangerX, who after three days looked like having one hangover too many (British pubs eh?).

That aside and Speedy3D was able to speak with the bearded master of code, one of the lead developers on the project. Sometime later today you should be able to see the full video interview with constant game footage (6th September 2000). Either way Tribes2 has progressed, it's now hoped to be out around November and hopefully have all the bugs patched up.

Despite the game we were shown being in a low resolution and it crashing several times (watch the video), it still managed to shine. The physics on planes and vehicles are simply incredible, that combined with an impressive array of new and updated weapons already has Tribes2 as number one on my list.

Gameplay WOW Factors

Another big plus is that Dynamix have done their best to get a variety of new game modes in, gone are the old favoured likes of Capture and Hold and in come several new styles. One mode sees everybody after a single player out of many and another is based on the defend/attack strategy. One team MUST defend a specific location and the other attacks; unlike the original Tribes the mode is just that straight forward (defend one location).

Vehicles have come along way, the land scout unit is fast, but has no guns and isn't really any good as anything accept a single person transport. The tank is a colossal behemoth with a powerful cannon up top, although with all the land and air units a sniper could be used to take the driver out, as you'd expect.

Air units are of course redefined variants of the old, although some have controllable turret guns much like a tanks cannon. Not to mention those physics again, you really feel like you're flying and some of the methods used to offset the extra server bandwidth are quite ingenious. For example, if you're flying a transport with four passengers, the server will now only monitor the transport and not the clients inside it.

To sum things up, Tribes2 is feature complete, bar a few bugs and some nasty bot glitches, we should be seeing it soon. Forget about Halo because Tribes2 is only a couple of months off and it ROCKS!

Developer - Dynamix
Publisher - Sierra
Website - http://www.sierra.com
Release - Q4-2000

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