What is TribesNEXT?
TribesNEXT is the multiplayer account system, master server, and long term support update for the freeware release of TRIBES 2, Dynamix's final entry in the Starsiege: Tribes series. These services have been in constant public operation since January 2009, safely connecting tens of thousands of Tribes players around the world.
The current TribesNEXT patch enables players to create new accounts, host and join online servers, and generally have a great time playing together.
TribesNEXT is completely free to play.
How to play Tribes 2 online:
STEP 1: Install the game
HOW DO I INSTALL THE GAME?
STEP 2: Install the patch
STEP 3: Launch the game
Use the default "Tribes 2 Online" shortcut created in your start menu, or in your installation directory.
STEP 4: Create your account
Click the "Create Account" button in-game and follow through the steps outlined in the prompt.
STEP 5: Play the game
FAQ:
I can't connect to the authentication server / I can't see any servers
First, make sure you've correctly installed the TribesNEXT patch from above; this is absolutely necessary for playing online.
Otherwise, this is usually due to HTTP traffic to the game being blocked by a firewall or antivirus software.
- In the case of firewalls and some AV software, the game may require an exception to be able to connect and play online.
- Some anti-virus software incorrectly blocks the server-listing traffic from the game with features such as HTTP filtering or "Link Scanning"
- AVG Anti-Virus is particularly notorious for this, and may require re-installing AVG to fully disable the filtering.
In rare cases this can be caused by the online services being temporarily offline for maintenance.
The game has flickering rendering issues with my new AMD card
After installing the latest TribesNext patch, download the patch script in this thread to your game's autoexec directory.
My server and/or game is jittery
This can sometimes be solved by setting the CPU affinity of the game to a single core. In the case of servers, you can try setting setPerfCounterEnable(0); in a script loaded on startup.
What ports do I need open/forward to host a server?
The only required port is the one you choose to host your server on. The default server port is 28000 (UDP).
I get an "Unhandled Exception" error when launching the first time
In most cases, this error occurs on startup when your display drivers are out of date or incompatible with the game. On first startup, the game may also default to a low 4:3 fullscreen resolution that may not be supported by some devices, but running the game in a window will allow you to choose your desired resolution once you get ingame.
- Ensure you have the latest version of drivers, from your cards vendor website:
- If you have recently updated from a driver that did work, try rolling back (downgrading) to the previous version.
- If you begin recieving the error after your drivers have crashed, try restarting your computer first.
Check this thread for more solutions, and ask in the support section if you need additional help.
"Tribes2.exe is not a valid win32 application."
This error can after you have attempted to patch:
- An out of date version of the game (such as when installing from the CD without applying the final Dynamix update).
- A corrupt or non-standard installation.
The patch requires version 25034 of Tribes 2, which is included in the full download above. If you're installing from the original 2001 release CD, you must install this update before attempting to install TribesNext. If you have already attempted patching an out-of-date installation, it is recommended you completely uninstall the game and start over.
If your installation or media is damaged, it is recommended you use the full installer available above.
Can I run the game on a Mac or Linux PC?
Yes. There is experimental support for running the game through Wine (Linux) and Crossover (MacOSX), you can find instructions here.
What are the recommended specs?
Nearly any PC built in the last few decades should be fine (yes, modern operating systems are supported)!
The original recommended specs were:
- 500+ MHz CPU
- 128+ MB RAM
- 650+ MB hard disk space
- 16 MB+ video card (with up-to-date drivers)
Where can I get more help?
You can visit our Tribes 2 support forum!