Tribes Ascend or crashing down?

A couple of days ago the first footages were released of Tribes Ascend game play together with an article with additional details. The article was featured on the IGN website: http://uk.pc.ign.com/articles/117/1179299p1.html

So to answer the first question we got thus far, no there is no beta or alpha for that matter that we could test. But when we read the articles and check the footage we still remain hestitant about what the end product will be. It appears as with T2 and T3 that the clans were not approached, we weren’t but heck I am not picky. So to keep it easy we are going to name Tribes Ascend – T4.

The graphics look good at first sight but its not a Starsiege world anymore. T1 was made of course in a different era but all the graphics, arms and items were made functional fitting the storyline of that reality. T4 doesn’t seem to have this, if this is a good thing or not I can’t say. They did implement skiing but I don’t know if this works the same as in T1. 

The armor types are different and the items that one carries as well. To be hounest it doesn’t look functional as in base with T1 or even in Annihilation mod so I think I will get bored real fast. There are also to game types, CRF and Rabbit, to which my reaction is wtf!?

There is no single player and no bots it appears. As for running a server for a clan I am not sure if this is going to be interesting when we consider the model of game. The game supposedly is free to play but you need to spend money on your armor and weapons. In short, for clans its not interesting to hold skirmishes because if one clan owns $$$ they will totally rape the opponents base. You go through that once and throw away your console knowing you don’t stand a chance in hell unless you spend money.

I am afraid that the current model that is being used will not be welcomed with the T1 clans that are out there, and for those who are ignorants there are still a lot of them. From what I have seen thus far I wish that Hi-Rez Studios applied the Steam method for T4 as with Counter Strike Source. Its a proven method for these kinds of games and it encourages sportmanship and clan gaming. The current model will not work, just as much as I use a standard armor in T1 base and own n00bies the same will be with T4. You can spend all the money in the world on upgrading your armor, but if you suck you will still catch my disque in mid-air.

So the total score thus far for Tribes Ascend or T4 is as following:

Game model: –

Game graphics: +

Game play: to be determined

Clan demography: –

Conclusion thus far: T4 seems to be a rehearsel of T2 and T3 and cannot be regarded as the T1 successor we all hoped for.