This article is about the game and the installation of Tribes: Ascend. For the T:A server, Shazberry, see the related article here
Tribes: Ascend is a Free-to-play FPSZ (First-person-shooter with an emphasis on verticality) developed by Hi-Rez Studios. It was released on April 12th, 2012 and was the 5th and most recent entry into the Tribes series.
The game originally launched with buyable weapons that featured different stats, which was viewed as a "pay-to-win" option, which players were unhappy with. Eventually, Hi-Rez abandoned the game in favor of their latest game Smite, but would eventually attempt to rekindle T:A in the form of an update in 2015 referred to as the "Out of the Blue (OOTB)" update. This; however, did not save the game and is currently considered "dead".
A number of small private servers exist[1], as well as a Discord community[2]. As of May 2022, SCG is currently testing the popularity of an SCG hosted T:A game night.
Gameplay in T:A is similar to that of other Tribes games. Players play familar modes such as CTF or Deathmatch across large open maps. Movement heavily involves the use of skiing down surfaces to build speed, and using jetpacks to push players over hills. There are a number of classes with different physical traits, a number of weapons to select from, and a few (useless) vehicles to traverse the map in.
Players are awarded points for kills and captures, as well as a number of unique events such as picking up a flag while going incredibly fast (or slow). These points are used during the match to spawn vehicles and other such things.
T:A is a difficult game to get into, though rewarding when you get the hang of it. Unlike most FPS games, this game is very much based on movement. Many of your encounters will rely on skills such as leading shots, outpacing your opponents, flag defense, and so on. It is highly recommended that you try out different weapons and abilities in order to see how different weapons feel and see what works best for you.
Tribes: Ascend can be downloaded from Steam, though as it is unlisted, it cannot be found via search. The link to the store page is here: https://store.steampowered.com/app/17080/Tribes_Ascend/
In order to play on private servers, you must use the alternative login server using the following launch option.
-hostx=18.197.240.229
Use literally any username and password. Your username will be what shows up in-game, which will be prefaced with unvrf- until you verify your username. Verifying your username is an optional process and is not required to play, though you will need to do so in order to have any loadout adjustments saved.
Because this game relies on the use of a custom login server, there are no real "accounts", so player accounts aren't saved. The custom server software offers a means of verifying usernames which also allows your loadout settings to be saved. It requires using an email address, but the process is not mandatory to enjoy the game.
You can learn how to verify your username here: https://github.com/Griffon26/taserver/blob/master/docs/user_manual/getting_verified.md
Main article: Shazberry
SCG's T:A server is called Shazberry. You may find it in the server browser during T:A events by viewing it in the server browser, as seen below.
