Tribalwar diffuse les premières informations sur la suite de Tribes 2 que Sierra a annoncée aujourd’hui à Los Angeles. Comme tous les jeux doivent aujourd’hui comporter deux points, cette suite à été baptisée Tribes : Vengeance.
Tribes : Vengeance sortira uniquement sur PC fin 2004. Le jeu est développé par Irrational Games, connu pour System Shock 2 et Freedom Force (le RPG un peu nul). Philip O’Neil, le commercial de service, nous baratine comme quoi le but de Tribes : Vengeance est d’atteindre de nouveaux sommets en matière d’immersion et de scénario pour la campagne solo, tout comme dans les films d’Hollywood qui font plein d’entrées. C’est pas pour rien que les commerciaux ont si mauvaise réputation.
Le communiqué de presse parle ensuite de cette fameuse campagne solo qu’il compare à un thriller galactique. Au cours du jeu, le joueur incarnera différents personnages.
A présent accrochez vous bien car ca va vous faire un choc. Tribes : Vengeance utilisera l’Unreal Tech comme moteur 3D ce qui permettra d’ajouter des expressions faciales aux personnages. Voila qui devrait faire plaisir aux joueurs de Tribes 1 et 2 qui se baladent actuellement sur les serveurs à plus de 200Km/h en CTF. En tout cas, le seul screenshot diffusé semble correct (ci-contre) bien que l’amélioration par rapport à Tribes 2 ne soit pas transcendentale.
Côté multiplayer, Irrational Games a engagé Michael « KineticPoet » Johnston, le développeur en chef de la communauté de Tribes, et merci de ne pas me demandez pas ce que ca signifie. Tout ce que j’en sais, c’est que « KineticPoet » a développé le mod Team Rabbit 2 et qu’il affirme rester en contact avec la communauté des joueurs de Tribes pour leur offrir le jeu multiplayer dont ils ont toujours rêvés (avec des expressions style chute libre quand on disk jump à plus de 200Km/h).
A présent, il n’y a plus qu’à croiser les doigts pour que les développeurs ne fassent pas la même erreur que pour Tribes 2 : vouloir en faire trop au lieu de se concentrer sur ce qui à toujours fait le succés de Tribes : la rapidité, la possibilité de voler et le CTF. A les entendre parler de campagne solo et d’expression faciale, je crains le pire mais je vais de ce pas brûler un cierge.
Pour lire le communiqué de presse dans son intégralité et jetez un oeil à 4 artworks : [–SUITE–]
TRIBES RETURNS WITH A VENGEANCE
Latest Installment in Tribes Franchise Combines Ground-Breaking Single-Player Storyline and Intense Online Multiplayer Action
BELLEVUE, WA (April 25, 2003) – Vivendi Universal Games today announced development of Tribes: Vengeance, the next installment in the world-renowned and award-winning Tribes videogame series. Due in late 2004 only for PCs, the game is being developed by Irrational Games, known for some of the game industry?s most respected and revered titles, including System Shock 2 and Freedom Force.
?One of the goals for Tribes: Vengeance is to take single-player story telling to the next level,? said Philip O?Neil, VU Games? SVP of Sales & Marketing. ?We want to immerse the gamer in the story similar to the way a blockbuster film pulls you in. Our challenge to Irrational Games was to create a game that grabs hold of the player and never lets go, and they have risen to the task.?
In Tribes: Vengeance?s single-player campaign, gamers become immersed in a roiling galactic thriller. Throughout the game, the player catches glimpses of other, interrelated stories that are unfolding behind-the-scenes. In addition, gamers are given the opportunity to experience the full scope of the single-player story through multiple viewpoints and characters. Powered by an enhanced version of the Unreal Engine, the world is brought to life with characters that have facial expressions and fully-realized personalities, vehicles that kick up dust as they pass by, and weapons that display spectacular effects.
?Our plan is to not only enhance the multiplayer component of Tribes, but to also blow people away with a single-player story unlike anyone has ever seen in a videogame,? said Ken Levine, general manager of Irrational Games.
Tribes: Vengeance will also build upon the series? legendary online multiplayer action. Irrational Games has hired one of the Tribes community?s leading developers, Michael ?KineticPoet? Johnston, to head up the design and creation of the game?s multiplayer component. Johnston previously created Team Rabbit 2, a major Sierra-commissioned game modification for Tribes 2 that was included in the game?s commercial re-release in late 2002. ?Being involved in the design and execution of Tribes: Vengeance is a dream come true,? said Johnston. ?In the coming months we will be actively working with the Tribes online community to make sure they get the multiplayer game they?ve always wanted.?
More information about Tribes: Vengeance can be found at http://tribes.sierra.com/. In addition, the game is the subject of a cover story in Computer Games Magazine?s July issue, available on newsstands nationwide in late May.
About Irrational Games
Irrational Games is a leading developer of high quality video games with offices in Boston, Massachusetts and Canberra, Australia. The company?s goal is to produce games using innovative approaches to game design, art and technology. Irrational?s games focus on incorporating unique story and characters into user-driven open-ended gameplay. For more information, please go to www.irrationalgames.com.
About Vivendi Universal Games
Headquartered in New York, Vivendi Universal Games (www.vugames.com) is a global leader in multi-platform interactive entertainment. A leading publisher of PC, console and online-based interactive content, Vivendi Universal Games? portfolio of development studios includes Black Label Games, Blizzard Entertainment, Coktel, Fox Interactive, Knowledge Adventure, NDA Productions, Sierra Entertainment and Universal Interactive. Through its Partner Publishing Group, Vivendi Universal Games also co-publishes and/or distributes interactive products for a number of strategic partners, including Crave Entertainment, Interplay, Majesco, Mythic Entertainment and Simon & Schuster, among others.
This is some great news for the community. In summary for those that hate reading…
– Will be created by Irrational Games known for their System Shock 2 and Freedom Force games.
– Will be made with the latest Unreal engine.
– Multiplayer will be done by KineticPoet, creator of Team Rabbit 2.
We have also received a few screenshots and concept art…
