Tribes 2/How to play

Getting Started

Installing the game

To play Tribes 2, first you must install the game. The instructions from TribesNext are:

Install the game. Download the game from the Tribes2.net mirror and install the game.
Install the patch. Download and install patch RC2a to the directory where your Tribes2.exe is located.
Launch the game. Use the default "Tribes 2 Online" shortcut created in your start menu, or in your installation directory.
Create your account. Click the "Create Account" button in-game and follow through the steps outlined in the prompt. Note that all old user accounts from the first several years after the games release are gone, so every player will need to create a new account.
Follow the onscreen instructions.
Every time you log in in the future, make sure to select your account name from the drop-down menu if it is there. You only need to use the "Retrieve Account" option if your name is not already in the drop-down menu. Do not forget your password; there is no way to reset it!
You are ready to play! Features such as player tags, the browser, and chat are not currently operational, but they will be added in future versions of the patch. Feel free to join a server and play your heart out.

If you need additional help, there are more in-depth instruction on the TribesNext Forums.

Choosing a server

Tribes 2 is an incredibly mod-friendly game. There are many different varieties of mods and game types, and when you look at the server list, you may not know which one to pick. This will be discussed later in more detail, but just know that if you join a server and aren't happy with the game, it's quite possibly that you joined a server running a strange mod or game type that does not truly reflect Tribes 2. It's entirely likely that you might hate one server but absolutely love another.

The basics

Below is a list of some basics facts and tips that should be of great use to you if you've never played the game before. Really, you could learn almost all of this just by playing through the five short training missions that came with the game. However, if you're lazy and want to play online right away, here are some things you need to know:

You have a jetpack at all times. Right-click to activate it and fly around.
If you hold spacebar, you can ski down hills and pick up speed. By carefully navigating the terrain and using your jetpack wisely, you can reach literally limitless speed.
Press enter on the numpad to configure your loadouts with whatever equipment you want.
To buy your selected loadout, find an inventory station. They are usually located somewhere in your base.
All players and objectives are marked with colored indicators. Green means friendly; red means enemy.
Most maps have generators that power base equipment. If they are destroyed, all base equipment will cease to function until the generators are repaired.
Many maps also have vehicles. Vehicles can be acquired from a vehicle station, which are usually near the base.
The command circuit is a tactical map that shows various objectives on the map. You can use it to help you find most things if you are having trouble. The default key to open it is C.

Mods and game types

The game type currently active on a game server is what determines the objectives of the game. There are many of them to choose from, though some of them are harder to find than others.

Capture the Flag: A staple of any good FPS game, this is the most popular game type in Tribes 2. As you probably know, the goal is to take the enemy's flag and capture it by touching it to your own flag on the flag stand.
Deathmatch: Another staple of any FPS game. All players try to kill each other in a big free-for-all. This is much less popular in Tribes 2 than it is in most other FPS games you may have played.
Arena: Another game type you should be familiar with from games like Counter-Strike. This is probably the second most popular game type in Tribes 2. Two teams go up against each other and try to kill each other - the last team with players left alive gets the win for that round.
Duel Mod: Again, this is a game type everyone should be familiar with. Two players fight each other one-on-one until one of them is killed.
Rabbit: This is a more unique mod that not many games used prior to Tribes 2. There is one flag, and everyone tries to grab it. Once someone grabs it, he tries to survive as long as possible while everyone else tries to kill him and take it from him. There is also a variation called LakRabbit, which is actually more popular than the original. In LakRabbit, the goal isn't to survive, but rather to hit difficult shots on your enemies for varying amounts of points.
Siege: Another somewhat unique mod, though you might be familiar with it if you've played Unreal Tournament's Assault mode. One team defends a base with a control switch, and the other team tries to infiltrate the base and reach the control switch.
Hunters: This is another unique mod, though it's similar to Deathmatch - with a twist. When a player dies, he drops a flag that you have to collect. In order to score points, you have to collect many flags and take them to a central "nexus". If you die, you drop all of the flags you are carrying. There is also a team-based variation called Team Hunters, which is almost the same except there are two teams. This is more common, because having a team allows for the use of team tactics and strategies, which make the game more interesting.
Bounty: Bounty is a mod that you will most likely not find in any other game. It's similar to Deathmatch, except you are assigned one target out of the players in the server that you have to kill. If you kill anyone else other than your current target (or a person who is assigned to kill you), you are penalized. When you eliminate your target, you will be assigned a new one. The game ends when someone has killed everyone in the server at least once.

There are many more, as well, but they are too numerous to list. Also, you will find it difficult to find some of them, because of the lower number of servers and players, but hopefully more people will start playing and rectify that problem.

The mod that a game server is running determines the physics, weapons, items, vehicles, and things like that. The most popular mods don't change anything but the physics and other minor things, while keeping the weapons, items, vehicles, etc all the same. The mod that a server is using will be listed in the RULES SET column of the server browser.

Base: Base is the mod that Tribes 2 came with by default. It had much slower physics that Tribes 1, which made games last longer and made the offense have to work a lot harder to coordinate attacks on the enemy base. A majority of the community didn't like the reduced speed for games of CTF, so subsequent mods were made to change the physics to be faster. However, Base is still popular for game types like Arena and Duel Mod. All Base servers will be listed as variant in the server list.
Classic: Classic became the most popular mod in Tribes 2 after it was made. Classic was designed to be just like Tribes 1 as far as physics and speed. It very quickly became the primary mod for CTF games. Most players seemed to find that the increased speed and rebalanced physics made the game much more intense and strategic. However, Classic did not catch on for most other mods than CTF, because it proved to be a bit unbalanced for player-vs-player combat.
Other mods: A few mods that make drastic changes to the game, way beyond simple physics, but still keep the general focus of the game the same are War2k3, Meltdown2, Shifter and Renegades along with many, many others. Take note that if you join any server with one of those mods as the rules set, the weapons, armors and vehicles will all be very different from the ones that Tribes 2 was designed with.

Almost all of the above game types can be played with any of the above mods in any combination. However, there exist several mods and game types that are designed specifically for each other. One such mod is Construction. Construction is a very interesting and complicated mod where you have a multitude of tools to choose from all for the purpose of building any object that your heart desires. You can build houses, palaces, floating spaceships, or anything else that you can possibly think of. It may take a long time to get used to the tools, but Construction players are pretty friendly and will be happy to help. Another mod/game type combo is Aerial Dogfight and BONES Mod. Bones can be played with CTF, but it's incredibly unbalanced and not recommended. If you play Aerial Dogfight, however, BONES Mod adds many interesting new air vehicles that you can choose from to battle your opponents.

There are many, many more mods and game types - way too many to list - but those are some of the most common.

Equipment

The basic customizable equipment in Tribes 2 consists of an armor type, weapons, a pack, and a hand grenade type. Additionally, one thing that sets Tribes apart from other shooters is the jetpack. All players have a jetpack at all times and can use it to fly through the air until they run out of energy. Health and energy are the two meters that you'll need to pay attention to. When your health reaches zero, you die. Your energy recharges fairly quickly over time, but you need it to use your jetpack as well a few of the weapons. You may also notice a red bar underneath your energy - that bar is your heat. If your heat is high, then missiles and AA turrets will be able to lock onto you.

Armors

The armors determine how many weapons you can carry, how much damage you can take, and how fast you move. Some weapons and packs also require certain armors in order to be used.

Scout armor: Most players will refer to this as light armor. This is the most versatile armor because it has the best mobility. Speed has proven to be a much more important factor in Tribes than the ability to take damage, so this armor is almost always the best choice for many tasks. It can hold three weapons. Light armor could be used in the roles Light Defense (LD), Light Offense (LO), and Capper.
Assault armor: Most people will refer to this as medium armor. It is a sort of middle-ground armor, but most player rarely use it because they find it to be closer to "worst of both worlds" instead of "best of both worlds". It has its uses, but it's generally not as good as the other two for most tasks. It can hold four weapons.
Juggernaut armor: Most people will refer to this as heavy armor. It moves very slowly but can take quite a bit of damage. With practice though, you can find ways to move very quickly so you won't need to rely on vehicles for transportation. For tasks that require you to take and deal lots of punishment, this is usually the best choice. It can hold five weapons. Heavy armor could be used in the roles Heavy on Flag (HoF), Heavy Offense (HO), and Heavy Defense (HD).

Weapons

Blaster: The blaster is basically the 'pistol' of Tribes 2. Overall, most players consider it to be pretty useless, but it actually does have a few uses. Either way, in most cases, you are better off with a different weapon unless you know what you're doing. Only weapon in Tribes 2 that goes through shield pack.
Spinfusor: This is definitely the most popular Tribes 2 weapon. It's similar to a 'rocket launcher' in that it fires an explosive projectile in a straight line. You'll be hard pressed to find a player who doesn't use a spinfusor as much as possible, and for good reason. You can also mine-disc with it.
Chaingun: The chaingun is another weapon that ranks up there with the spinfusor in terms of popularity, and for good reason as well. This is definitely the most important weapon to master in the game, as it can kill opponents faster than any other.
Grenade launcher: Another good weapon to master. In the right situation, the grenade launcher can kill people even more easily than the chaingun. This is one of the two weapons where the projectile is actually affected by gravity.
Laser rifle: The laser rifle is another staple weapon. It is Tribes 2's sniper rifle. It relies on your energy for power, and has infinite ammo otherwise. If you want to do some long-range sniping, bring a laser rifle. Only players in Scout armor can carry a laser rifle.
Plasma rifle: The plasma rifle is similar to the spinfusor, except it has a much slower projectile and a very small blast radius. On the bright side, it shoots much faster, so if your target isn't moving much, you can do much more damage. This weapon is ideal for destroying base equipment.
ELF projector: The ELF gun is a weapon that lost much of it's usefulness over the years. It does no damage, but it drains the target's energy. It's up to you if you think that's worth a weapon slot.
Shocklance: The shocklance is a short-range weapon that fires an instant-hit beam instead of a projectile. It is one of the only weapons in the game capable of killing anyone in one hit, but only if you hit them in the back. Otherwise, it will still do a decent amount of damage. On the downside, it has a very slow firing rate.
Missile launcher: The missile launcher can only be fired at a target that is giving off enough heat. However, it fires a fast homing missile that can only be stopped by a flare or by outrunning it (only possible with a Shrike). It does enough damage to kill a Scout armor from full health. Missile launchers cannot be carried by a player in Scout armor.
Fusion mortar: The mortar is a powerful explosive weapon that can only be carried by a player in Juggernaut armor. It does enough damage to kill a Scout in one shot with a large blast radius. It is very good for doing heavy damage to a team's base equipment.

Packs

Packs give you some extra abilities. Some of them have passive abilities that are always working if you are wearing the pack, and some have abilities that require you to activate with the Use Pack key (R by default).

Energy pack: The e-pack is the most used and probably most useful pack in the game. It has a passive effect of making your energy recharge significantly faster, which allow you jet a lot more. It is also require if you are carrying a laser rifle.
Repair pack: The repair pack is mostly only used to repair destroyed base assets, but you can repair players (including yourself) with it if you really want to.
Shield pack: The s-pack gives you shields when activated. The shields cause any damage dealt to you to be subtracted from your energy instead of your health. When you run out of energy, the shield pack will turn off. This is the second-most used pack, because it allows you to survive for very long periods of time against multiple opponents when mastered.
Ammo pack: All this pack does is allow you to carry more ammo for all of your weapons. It is generally not very useful, because you can pick up ammo from the dead bodies of other players, and without the mobility of the e-pack or survivability of the s-pack, you probably won't live long enough to take advantage of your extra ammo anyway.
Sensor jammer: The sensor jammer prevents you from being detected by enemy sensors, which makes it so no red triangle appears above your head. When activated, the sensor jammer provides this cover to anyone within a certain radius of you. In Classic, the jammer will provide this cover to only you when it's not active.
Cloak pack: The cloak pack renders the wearer invisible when it is activated. However, it gives off a very recognizable sound, and enemy players can still track you by seeing your footprints on outdoor terrain.
Deployable packs: Additionally, there are several more packs that you can deploy on the map for various purposes. These include the deployable station, landspike turret, spider clamp turret, deployable pulse sensor, motion sensor, and turret barrels.

Grenades

Players also get hand grenades of a certain type that can be thrown at any moment by pressing the Throw Grenade key (G by default).

Grenade: The standard explosive grenade that deals damage to all nearby players when it explodes.
Flare grenade: This grenade is thrown to divert enemy missiles and prevent them from hitting their intended target.
Whiteout grenade: Also known as a flash grenade, this causes all nearby players to be temporarily and partially blinded.
Concussion grenade: When this grenade explodes, all nearby players are knocked away from it with great force, and there is a chance that their weapon and pack will be knocked out of their hands.
Deployable camera: These are deployed to detect players using a sensor jammer.

Other Items

Players also get access to two other deployables, explosive mines and targeting beacons, as well as the targeting laser tool.

Mine: Mines can be placed with the Place Mine key (B by default).
Beacon: Mines can be placed with the Place Mine key (H by default).
Targeting laser: The targeting laser can be activated with the Targeting Laser key (L by default)
Repair kit: Repair kits can be used to heal a small amount of health. It can be used by pressing the Repair key (Q by default).

Basic tactics

To get started in this game there are a few terms you should know:

LD - Refers to a defender, usually outdoors, in light armor.
HD - Refers to a defender, usually indoors or at doorways, in heavy armor.
HoF- Refers to a defender that stands on the flag in heavy armor as to stop cappers from being able to grab it.
LO - Refers to a light armor that is attacking the enemy base..Again usually outdoors.
HO - Refers to a heavy armor attacker that hits outdoors and indoors.

While these are not the only positions played they are the ones with acronyms you will see thrown around a lot.

Anyhow onto something you can use. The thing to realize about this game is that each role in this game rolls over and helps every other role in this game. If the HO takes out the gens, then his defense and offense has an easier time facing "naked" players or delaying them altogether. If a capper grabs the flag and makes a run with it he is going to pull the LD out of position giving the HO an easier time doing their job. Each job rolls over and helps another person in the game. That is key in this game so pick a role that is needed and do your best to get it done.

Though don't get disheartened if you can't do your job because the enemy team has countered whatever it is you are doing. This is where communication comes in and you should let your team know whats going on. If one person can flip over and help you then it all works out, but also you need to realize when its better to change roles. If you can't get their gens because they have 5 HD down there defending them? Thats when you go LO or Capper...If theres 5 HD in the gens thats less people defending outside. It is very likely your outdoor attacks will thin out the indoor defenders and you can try getting the gens again.