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Tribes Aerial Assault (or Tribes:AA) is an online first-person shooter computer game released for PlayStation 2 in 2002 by Sierra Entertainment. Even though the game did not sell well, there is a very dedicated community of gamers who gather to plan clan matches and discuss the game.
Because of TAA's strong community, a number of the original programmers of the game (Ricochet) continually browse the site and edit coding to help the community. Ricochet and the other programmers' biggest contribution to the community was the Aerial Assault Dedicated Server.
Armor
In the game Tribes Aerial Assault (and all other Tribes games for that matter), the player can choose from three types of armors by stepping onto an inventory station. The available types are:
- Light/Scout Armor: This is the fastest armor. Light armor is the favorite of flag runners, duelers, and people who prefer hit-and-run strikes on the enemy. It is also the most delicate armor, so the wearer must rely on his skill of maneuvering to stay alive in combat. The wearer of light armor can carry all weapons except the fusion mortar, missile launcher, inventory packs, turret packs, and base turret packs. But this is the only armor allowed to use the laser (sniper) rifle. Players in light armor can pilot any vehicle, except when wearing an Ammo Pack.
- Medium Armor: Medium armor is a balance between light and heavy. It is moderately fast and can sustain more damage than light. The wearer of the medium armor can wear any pack and carry any weapon except the laser rifle and the fusion mortar. Players in medium armor can pilot the Dingo, Transport, and the Bomber, unless equipped with an Ammo Pack or a Remote Inventory Pack.
- Heavy Armor: Heavy armor is usually the favorite of those who defend their own base against an enemy attack or attack the enemy base. Heavy can sustain the most damage of any of the 3 armors, but is also the slowest and hardest to maneuver. The wearer of heavy armor can use the devastating fusion mortar, which launches a huge exploding shell of green energy at its target, usually destroying it in one blast. The heavy armor can use all weapons except the laser rifle. Vehicles cannot be piloted by players wearing heavy armor.
Weapons
The Tribes genre is known for having many sci-fi and creative weapons. Here is a list of the weapons that appear in Tribes Aerial Assault.
- Spinfusor: The most commonly used and versatile weapon in TAA. The Spinfusor shoots out a blue frisbee-like disk that causes moderate splash damage.
- Grenade Launcher: A weapon that shoots grenades and causes significant damage to its victim.
- Chaingun: While use of the chaingun is acceptable in the single player game and in online play for use with shooting down aircraft and destroying stationary targets, use of this gun on fellow players is often thought of being "n00bish" and unfair. Players complain that it takes no real skill to use the chaingun, and a player's chances of getting shot largely reflects his or her internet connection (the faster the connection, the higher the chances of being hit).
- Plasma Rifle: Although largely ineffective for outdoor combat, the plasma rifle is great for destroying stationary targets and for close-quarters indoor combat. (Edit: Plasma rifle is extremely useful for outdoor combat at close range. The plasma projectile moves much slower than any other projectile making it easy to dodge from a distance.)
- Blaster: A laser rifle type weapon, although not as powerful. The blaster's red energy beam will bounce off of walls and the ground at short to medium range. The blaster's beam also has the ability to penetrate some shields.
- Laser Rifle: Tribes Aerial Assault
' s only sniper rifle. It can only be used by people in light armor. The ammo of the laser rifle is unlimited because it draws energy directly from the armor's power supply. The beam's destructiveness is proportional to the level of the shooter's power reserves. - Fusion Mortar: This weapon can only be used by those wearing heavy armor. It shoots a devastating green mortar that will kill any nearby light-armored players in one blast and cause heavy damage to any equipment within range.
- Missile Launcher: The missile launcher is used by medium and heavy armors. To use the missile launcher, the player must "lock onto" the target for at least a half second (a missile can only be launched at a target that has a heat signature, such as a player using a jetpack or a vehicle). Furthermore, if the target throws a flare, the missile will disregard the target to lock onto the flare.
Secondary / Throwable Weapons
- Basic Grenade: A timed explosive charge that does a large amount of damage to its enemy and nearby objects. The basic grenade, when combined with the chaingun, plasma rifle, or spinfusor makes an excellent offense against foes or destroyable objects.
- Concussion Grenade: When this grenade is thrown, players caught within the blast radius drop any flag, weapon, or pack they are carrying. Causes very minimal damage.
- Flare Grenade: As opposed to the grenades named above, which "detonate" instantaneously, the flare grenade creates an intense heat profile for several seconds. This is useful for diverting missiles from flying players or vehicles.
- Mine Grenade: When deployed, the mine burrows into the ground and arms itself in a matter of seconds. Unlike mines in real life, the mine grenade is completely visible to players. Deploying these in dark areas or in certain types of terrain can help to conceal the mines, but distracted or inattentive players often stumble across them anywhere they are placed.
Armor Packs
In TAA, players can optionally equip a pack along with their armor. Packs can increase a player's energy, ammo, shields and much more. The packs are:
- Ammunition Pack: The ammo pack increases the maximum number of rounds (and grenades) that a player can carry for each weapon.
- Energy Pack: The energy pack substantially increases the rate at which a player's energy recharges itself. This allows a player to fly higher, faster, and more efficiently with the jetpack. It also enables the laser rifle to be fired more quickly.
- Repair Pack: The repair pack equips the bearer with a special "gun" which emits a beam of red energy that repairs any destroyed or damaged equipment. The repair pack allows the bearer to "repair" himself or herself or fellow players.
- Shield Pack: When enabled, the shield pack emits a shield that draws from the energy supply of the wearer's armor. The Blaster can penetrate a shield, however.
Deployable Packs
- Base Turret Barrels: A base's turrets can have their barrels replaced by these packs. The different turret barrels are listed below.
- Remote Inventory Station: Once deployed, these stations allow players to recharge their ammo, replenish their health, and acquire new weapons, packs and other items. The only differences, from a functional point of view, between remote inventory stations and "regular" inventory stations are that players can not change their armor or buy additional remote inventory stations at deployed remote stations.
- Remote Turrets: Players in medium or heavy armor can deploy these on nearly any surface. Once activated, they will automatically fire on enemy players within range.
- Remote Sensors: The official use of the remote sensor is to extend the range of a remote turret's firing range. But the most common use is a ploy known as "sensor spamming". Since sensors can be placed within less thant 1 meter of each other (as opposed to the remote turret's 25 meter limit) they are often used to block entrances to a base's important equipment assets, namely generators.
- Remote Detonation Satchel Charge: When this pack is deployed, the player drops it. When the deploying player triggers the satchel charge, it causes a large, powerful explosion that can kill players and destroy equipment. Once deployed, they can be destroyed harmlessly before detonation.
Base Turret Barrels
These are attached to stationary base turrets.
- Anti-Aircraft Barrel: These shoot in rapid succession white energy beams that are extremely deadly against vehicles and extremely annoying against players.
- Mortar Barrel: A larger and more powerful version of the player weapon.
- Missile Barrel: Locks onto targets with heat signatures much like the player-wielded weapon.
- Plasma Barrel: Spits out bluish white semi-rapid plasma that causes significant damage to players.
Non-Deployable Barrels
- ELF Turret: This barrel is found on only one map: Quagmire. It spits out a beam of blue energy which quickly drains a player's energy and then proceeds to reduce their health. Highly effective against would-be flag cappers.
- Sentry Turret: Although these cannot be deployed, they are often found inside bases guarding equipment and entrances.
Base Assets
- Generators: In some maps, there are two sets of generators. One powers the force field around the team's flag, and one powers the base's equipment. When a generator is destroyed, all non-remote base equipment loses power.
- Inventory Stations: These are more powerful version of the deployable station. These allow players to select armor, packs, weapons, and grenades.
- Vehicle Stations: Only found on some levels, and commonly known as the "V-Pad." These allow the player to generate one of the vehicles listed below.
Vehicles
- Mongoose Grav Cycle: On level ground these will beat any other vehicle in speed. However, AADS servers do not allow players to ride Mongoose cycles while holding the enemy flag. Only light armor can pilot the Grav Cycle.
- Dingo Fighter: These have twin laser cannons mounted on them. Commonly, however, Dingos are used for "mowing down" enemies, which consists of flying towards the unsuspecting enemy and running them over.
- Hammer Bomber: TAA
' s only bomber. The Hammer does not have any turrets or energy cannons. Its only weapons are the bombs it drops. Unlike in past Tribes games, this bomber is a one-person vehicle, so the pilot must do both the piloting and the bombing. - Piltdown Transport: These can transport up to four players in any armor across the battlefield. The pilot, however, must be in either light or medium armor. The Piltdown comes equipped with an automatic anti-aircraft cannon and therefore is often left unattended next to a base's flag to help kill would-be flag cappers.
List of campaign missions
- Training 1
- Training 2
- Training 3
- Training 4
- Training 5
- Cap Time
- Shades of Death
- To Have and to Hold
- Full Fledged
- Onslaught
- Dystopia
- Scorched Earth
- Death From Above
- Gen Defender
- Bastion
Reviews
=See Also=
External links
- Sierra's Official TAA Website
- Gamerplug (under construction as of 12/5/05)
- TribesAA
- AADS Homepage
- Above view pictures of Tribes Aerial Assault maps
- Instructions on how to setup EXPERT-A and B controls
2002 computer and video games | PlayStation 2 games | Sierra games | Tribes
"Tribes Aerial Assault"