Hi-Rez: Tribes: Ascend Isn't Dead, It's Complete

[Cognimancer]

Hi-Rez: Tribes: Ascend Isn't Dead, It's Complete

Fear not, butchers and sand-rakers - Tribes: Ascend isn't going anywhere.

There's been a lot of vocal disappointment from Tribes: Ascend players lately. Developer Hi-Rez announced last week that there would be no more content updates [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/125948-Hi-Rez-Studios-Suspends-Tribes-Ascend-Updates] to the free-to-play shooter, which many interpreted as the sealing of the game's coffin. In response to this, Hi-Rez's Todd Harris has explained the rationale behind the decision. The way he sees it, there's no need to keep updating the game because it's functionally complete - now it's time for gamers to dig in and enjoy the finished product.

"Since launch, we added 54 new weapons," Harris points out. "We added a new game mode, a new leveling system, custom servers, server browser, shielded base assets, 29 new maps - all free - and all that in a brief period of time. We also added an option for people to pay one price and get all the weapons ... You can get all the gameplay elements for the price of a normal game. It's fairly complete in its content."

Much of the confusion seems to be a result of that unique business strategy. In contrast to other free-to-play FPS games like Team Fortress 2 that rely on constant development to keep things fresh, Tribes: Ascend is essentially a boxed product that you can buy a la carte. There's more than enough content to last, especially with a level editor on the way [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/126106-Tribes-Ascend-Map-Making-Tools-In-the-Works], and by recognizing that the game is as good as it's going to get, Hi-Rez can devote most of their staff to creating new games.

Source: Rock Paper Shotgun [http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2013/07/19/hi-rez-on-tribes-failings-and-future-tribes-ascend-2/]

Permalink

 

[Dr.Awkward]

No it's not. You still need to reconfigure the length of time that it takes to get those guns - If I remember right it takes a lot of time and devotion to get them, and afterwards you have to decide if it was a good buy or not. Not many people are going to have the patience to play round after round to build their arsenal and then decide which weapon complements their playstyle, and at this point few want to buy anything.

F2P is a fickle beast, and even though it was relatively new and little data surrounded it back in 2011 and 2012, recent data just points out that core gamers would rather pay one price and have full access to a game rather than get in for free and earn/buy each piece, with little knowledge on what kind of loadout can complement their potential in the game. I think it's fair to say that Tribes:Ascend got the bad end of this situation...

 

[Phrozenflame500]

Mate, when a game has no more content updates and it is "fairly complete" it's dead. Since there is no more new content, the player population will steadily drop until only those who REALLY like the game remain. That is what we mean by "dead", the game has no real reason to keep playing for an extended amount of time anymore.

 

[Rad Party God]

I miss the days of Unreal Tournament, Quake 3, Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory... those games were already finished and nobody called them "dead", sure, they got updates here and there, maybe an expansion, but nothing substantial after the game was released.

I've been playing Tribes: Ascend since launch and it's far from dead and it deftinitely feels like a "complete" game*. I surely felt ripped off with Brink.

[small]*Wether you feel different about it, it's your problem.[/small]

Also, that map editor looks yummy, so new content won't be a concern

 

[Zakarath]

Mate, when a game has no more content updates and it is "fairly complete" it's dead. Since there is no more new content, the player population will steadily drop until only those who REALLY like the game remain. That is what we mean by "dead", the game has no real reason to keep playing for an extended amount of time anymore.

I dunno if that really follows for competitive games; Sure, in single player games and MMOs, players leave once they're experienced most of the content, but competitive multiplayer games have a lot of staying power even without lots of new content(See: Counterstrike, starcraft, Dota, Quake 3, etc.)

 

[SL33TBL1ND]

In response to this, Hi-Rez's Todd Harris has explained the rationale behind the decision. The way he sees it, there's no need to keep updating the game because it's functionally complete - now it's time for gamers to dig in and enjoy the finished product.

Bahahahaahaha!

Just wow. Maybe he's forgotten the 50 or so major bugs he still needs to fix.

 

[crystalsnow]

Having played the game myself for an extensive period of time - Allow me to clarify this issue with absolute certainty. The game is dead.

 

[shirkbot]

I actually haven't played this game, but to my mind the developer really should be listening to the players on this one. I've also heard some really nasty rumors that this is a fairly standard pattern of behavior from the company, I.E. developing a game and halting development as soon as a new game proves more successful.

 

[Grabehn]

Am I the only one that gets a "SMITE makes us more money" feel? I mean, Tribes has several bugs, and saying "it's complete here's a map editor" after coming up with "we have no real plans for a major update" sounds a bit weird.

 

[vun]

The game is dead; even if they have managed to balance it properly it's still dead. It's a competitive FPS, without a competitive scene it's stone cold dead, but to have a scene like that you need money going into it to draw players. That's why LoL is big; they've been pumping money into tournaments and the like to draw players and people's attention.

So yeah, they don't need to add all that much content to it, but unless they actively support it as a competitive game it's dead.

 

[Novaova]

I actually haven't played this game, but to my mind the developer really should be listening to the players on this one. I've also heard some really nasty rumors that this is a fairly standard pattern of behavior from the company, I.E. developing a game and halting development as soon as a new game proves more successful.

It's certainly what they did to Global Agenda.

 

[teebeeohh]

Am I the only one that gets a "SMITE makes us more money" feel? I mean, Tribes has several bugs, and saying "it's complete here's a map editor" after coming up with "we have no real plans for a major update" sounds a bit weird.

it happened to global agenda when they announced tribes. Which sukcs because i liked GA, tribes and smite but right now it seems the pattern is to drop other titles when something else makes more money. Which kinda makes sense because a studio the size of high-rez can't support three major titles.

This really sucks, tribes could have been so much more, it's the only shooter that was different on the mechanics level of things i have played in years(not counting tf2)

 

[punipunipyo]

I miss the days of Unreal Tournament, Quake 3, Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory... those games were already finished and nobody called them "dead", sure, they got updates here and there, maybe an expansion, but nothing substantial after the game was released.

I've been playing Tribes: Ascend since launch and it's far from dead and it deftinitely feels like a "complete" game*. I surely felt ripped off with Brink.

[small]*Wether you feel different about it, it's your problem.[/small]

Also, that map editor looks yummy, so new content won't be a concern

I feel you man!~ I missed the old UT 2K4 (UT3 was shit)... I think T:A is a fantastic game... need some hack-killer though, lately... it's a big downer... but over all... the game is MORE THAN SOLID...

as far as paying/grinding.... Treat the F2P system now as DEMO.... and the game cost mere 30 bucks... for the world's fastest/skill based FPS... that makes Halo look casual(but it IS already), and UT look slow, and look P2W(Pay-to-win)! No, REALLY! if you play free and master basic load out, you can still kick ass! I know a few players who plays REALLY GOOD, and they use basic load out! It's cheap considering the learning curve, and guns/load out variations/ tactics/ classes/play styles... this game is totally worth it!~

 

[Naqel]

It's so complete that they never got around to making those female skins they promised, or skins for other factions.
Not to mention they were supposed to have the same amount of content for all classes, which also isn't the case.

 

[Smooth Operator]

Well let's say it's actually content complete and the map editor will keep the community going, we all still remember that once devs say "no more updates" for MMO-like games someone already has their eye on canning the servers.

It would be interesting to see this put on sale as stand-alone now with full mod support.

 

[WhiteTigerShiro]

In response to this, Hi-Rez's Todd Harris has explained the rationale behind the decision. The way he sees it, there's no need to keep updating the game because it's functionally complete - now it's time for gamers to dig in and enjoy the finished product.

Bahahahaahaha!

Just wow. Maybe he's forgotten the 50 or so major bugs he still needs to fix.

Bug fixes aren't content updates.

 

[SL33TBL1ND]

In response to this, Hi-Rez's Todd Harris has explained the rationale behind the decision. The way he sees it, there's no need to keep updating the game because it's functionally complete - now it's time for gamers to dig in and enjoy the finished product.

Bahahahaahaha!

Just wow. Maybe he's forgotten the 50 or so major bugs he still needs to fix.

Bug fixes aren't content updates.

"Functionally complete" is the words used there. I'd say bug fixes relate to a game being functional.

 

[WhiteTigerShiro]

In response to this, Hi-Rez's Todd Harris has explained the rationale behind the decision. The way he sees it, there's no need to keep updating the game because it's functionally complete - now it's time for gamers to dig in and enjoy the finished product.

Bahahahaahaha!

Just wow. Maybe he's forgotten the 50 or so major bugs he still needs to fix.

Bug fixes aren't content updates.

"Functionally complete" is the words used there. I'd say bug fixes relate to a game being functional.

You and I both know what he was talking about. Nitpicking at a poor choice in phrasing doesn't change that.

 

[SL33TBL1ND]

In response to this, Hi-Rez's Todd Harris has explained the rationale behind the decision. The way he sees it, there's no need to keep updating the game because it's functionally complete - now it's time for gamers to dig in and enjoy the finished product.

Bahahahaahaha!

Just wow. Maybe he's forgotten the 50 or so major bugs he still needs to fix.

Bug fixes aren't content updates.

"Functionally complete" is the words used there. I'd say bug fixes relate to a game being functional.

You and I both know what he was talking about. Nitpicking at a poor choice in phrasing doesn't change that.

I just find it annoying that they're patting themselves on the back for a job well done when the game should still probably be in beta judging by the number of technical issues they still need to fix.