Tribes Fast Attack unveiled

GameSpot talked to Sierra's Chris Mahnken, producer for Tribes, and Tribes brand manager Alex Rodberg today about Tribes Fast Attack, the publisher's upcoming multiplayer action game. The stand-alone game will include an upgraded version of Tribes 2, Sierra's team-based action game released in March 2001, as well as an all-new Tribes game that will focus on smaller, faster battles reminiscent of the original Tribes.

Tribes Fast Attack will include new single-player missions that follow the story of a cadet in a training camp that gets attacked by an alien force. The beginning missions serve as a tutorial and introduce the player to the game's different weapons and features, while the later missions are more involved objective-based scenarios.

The new game is designed to appeal to both fans of the previous Tribes games and new players. According to Sierra, the scope of Tribes 2 is too large for many players, since the game is designed to support battles on large maps between teams of up to 32 players per side, and many players don't have access to that large of a team. With this in mind, the publisher set out to create a game with a faster pace that didn't require large numbers of players or team-based play.

To speed up the pace, Tribes Fast Attack will feature smaller maps with opposing bases placed closer together so that players will spend less time traveling and more time in combat. The game will also feature an adjusted physics engine that will make players feel as if they are moving quickly. In addition, the game will feature a new set of vehicles designed to focus on individual combat rather than groups of players. Tribes Fast Attack will include a single-player bomber and a redesigned armed transport that can carry characters and defend itself against attacks.

Tribes Fast Attack will also come with an enhanced version of Tribes 2 that includes two exclusive mods. The Competition mod is designed specifically for league and tournament play, and it has faster movement and recalibrated weapons. The Team Rabbit 2 mod was created by Michael Johnson, the person responsible for the Team Rabbit mod for the original Tribes. It lets teams of four to six players compete in a capture-the-flag-style match that awards extra points for speed, style, and multiple passes.

According to the publisher, different parts of the game have been in development for about a year, and the plan to release the game as a new stand-alone product was formed in November. The game is currently in the pre-alpha stage of development and is scheduled for completion this fall. Sierra plans to conduct a beta test of the game this summer. The game's suggested price will be $39.99, and a $20 mail-in rebate will be available to those that own Tribes 2.

Tribes Fast Attack is in development at Inevitable Entertainment, the Austin-based studio that is developing Tribes 2 for the Sony PlayStation 2. We'll post more information about Tribes Fast Attack as it becomes available.