Tribes Ascend - How to Ski Like a Boss 

the way he just swoops over their base, grabs the flag and takes it home is so chill and swag

Tribes skiing is one of those "easy to learn and hard to master" things. And it's so fun, i wish more shooters would gravitate towards such fast paced gameplay.

i miss this game so much. so many hard times healed by memories of this game. thank you tribes. thank you.

Every commentary you make I am completely intrigued. Keep up the great work.

Your movement is do fluid in this game brandon. So awesome to watch. Keep the tribes comin' bro!

Very good video! This is the first video I've seen of yours (Dan retweeted you so I checked it out) and I really like your personality! I've never even heard of Tribes Ascend but this was really entertaining. Keep up the good work! Subbed :)

Subscribed, your commentaries are spot on.

It's amazing how much things have changed, with 300+ routes being standard for most maps, and stealth with a cap route being such a huge factor (as well as different classes being viable for capping).

You had one kill in this gameplay, yet it was some of the most exciting gameplay I've watched in ages. Love Tribes. Do a Live Comm?

This video helped me a LOT with my tribes game. Thanks a million :)

very nice, sir. I've been playing for a few days and haven't realized I could boost myself with explosives -- thanks and keep up!

ive graced the infamous ski tutorial. youtube sensation. keep it up brando

The key to good chaining (using rapid fire weapons) is to lower your graphics settings until you get really smooth framerates. Then, go into settings and gameplay. Scroll to the bottom and TURN OFF simulated projectiles. Now, when your bullets show up on screen, they are not "simulated" - instead, the server will show you exactly where your bullets are. This will help you judge lag and lead your shots correctly. Remember to always aim ahead of your opponent, and *pulse* not spray.

I lol'd when you mentioned Tiny Wings, thats exactly how ive been explaining tribes to my friends! Great stuff. I'm totally going to be using these tactics.

I remember playing Tribes on the old playstations when I was younger. I was SO damn happy when I saw Tribes ascend that I joined the beta. I love feeling skiing again.

You just inspired me to choose Path Finder after my game is finishing to download. IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE FLYING AND LOOKS SO FUN!

Speed is generated mainly by converting vertical drop speed to horizontal forward speed. If you land on a more vertical surface and you take off on a more horizontal surface, that's where you really gain speed.

Look in the direction you want to go and hold forward. It provides a slight boost, and is good for turning without losing speed (you lose speed when you move against your direction). It doesn't replace WSAD.

At the time this video was made, the thrust pack was still a part of the now-defunct Jumper class.

I had to learn to ski the hard way in tribes 1.09 and 1.11 patch on base mod and if the physics engine works the same as it did back then I should be able to own the n00bs and a few exp players. This is exciting! Havent even thought about tribes for over a decade.

I really appreciate you doing this vol1tion. I just got the game and i was getting decimated by the opposing team, but now that i know how to ski i don't get killed AS MUCH. So THNX

To stop the skiers, you need the auto guns online, which means you need to defend/repair your generator. You can also sit a super heavy on the flag with shields. The key to the game is teamwork!

I love your commentary, so clear, descriptive, my first time watching you, but your fucking great man! great vid

Well as a man who plays pathfinder religiously, that last cap was very nice. I honestly didn't think you had the propulsion to make it over the edge of the flag stand there. Well done.

just started playing this with friends.. video really helped :D subscribed :)

That last cap was awe inspiring.

@vol1tion I think I was just in a game with you and I didn't realise soon enough to thank you for the tips! really helped me get past that initial learning curb. [VGRT]

He doesn't say that, he gives off the feeling that whenever he meets someone useful on RU-vid, he sounds like a 11-year old. But he hasn't said that that made it any less worth it.

Really helpful video man. I Can't believe how fun this game is!

Thank you for this video! I've gotten so much better at skiing since I watched this, especially on Katabatic.

Cool! I had no idea you did youtube clips and such, awesome skiing btw, I just unlocked Pathfinder myself, looking forward to trying it out. :)

Yes, you can still get up to decent speeds with Technician. I just meant that skiing isn't a primary part of a Technician's typical role (like it is for a Pathfinder, for instance).

Nice vid. Would love a video on the technician class, as where to place turrets and so on

@Spaxuable One thing to remember is that you'll want to use jetpack in short bursts if you need to strafe left/right in midflight. With little practice you can maintain good speed while adjusting your flight trajectory, very important if you intend to play as capper or chaser on CTF. Or if you want to play Rabbit.

hey could you do a video about how to use skiing as a way of outmaneuvering people such as using slopes to change direction or gain height quickly or run circles around people? i've found small tips like these great for taking down heavies as light classes

It hasn't gotten old for me yet; I enjoy experimenting with new routes and just generally going fast.

I personally have not played ascend, but back in T:AA if you held jump while descending on slopes it improved your skiing tremendously.

@Spaxuable I usually keep W (forward) held down at all times and use A/D to help maneuver in the air (as well as looking at where I'm aiming to go). It's kind of hard to explain, but it begins to come more easily with practice. Boosting when you want to turn will also make the turn more pronounced and effective. Hope that helps!

original Tribes was amazing, i miss it!

Haha I just got to the end and realized you were Brandon from kbmod! I never miss a show.

Subed purely on TA videos - great info (needed) thanks

this was really pleasant to watch

This skiing looks like some dreams I had

Very nice skiing video. Could you perhaps upload some nitron jumping videos? I find that really challenging.

@vol1tion Thanks(again) I kinda understand it after trying it out (and wasting alot of time in a game :p ) Didnt really expect an answer either, kudos man! Looking forward to your next tribes vid. Helped alot!

I miss this game.

Thanks! I found this video very helpful.And i would like to ask you if you could make another video for Tribes Ascend explaining how you play Infiltrator, I have a hard time playing him,but he is my favorite class. Thanks again for shearing your knowledge . :)

I use Ultra capicitor 1 / Reach (depends on map) + Egocentric for capping Rage + Lightweight for chasing and also for Light Defense. These are the best I think. And what perks do you use ?

hey brandon, i love your tribes videos and have just started to get more into this game. any chance of you doing a couple videos on good setups for different situations? i think it could really help some people out (me).

That last part where he landed EXACTLY on the flag was amazing.

i enjoyed your commentary. you have a soothing voice haha

Best game ever! Maybe not Ascend, but Tribes in general. I'll never forget when Starsiege: Tribes came out. So groundbreaking! If any game should get a remake, it should be that one!

Really nice vids, your skiing is sooooo smoooooooooooth, landing at perfection... +1 Like

I know this is a super old video, but this reminds me of the Evade glitch in Halo Reach. The game's dodge roll scales seemingly exponentially with movement speed, so at 300% speed, you launch into the horizon faster than many of the game's projectiles, and bounce around the level geometry at several hundred miles per hour. Or brain yourself on a doorway :P I was just thinking about meta-defining glitches like GunZ' K-style and Warframe's coptering, and I realized I haven't looked _nearly_ deep enough at the Tribes series :D

oh my god more vids of you skiing, please youre amazing

@ThunderNuggetGaming The two vertical bars on the right and left edges of the screen show your current speed.

Could you do a series where you play as all the classes and each class have their own video and you would go over tips on the class?

Great video once again.

much love my friend.. I am downloading the alpha now

wow that last ski was sick

Good catch. I try to avoid mistakes like that, but they still happen occasionally.

Both are good options. If you like setting up long routes, energy recharge is probably better; if you're chasing and/or switching directions often, thrust pack might be more useful. Pick the one that suits your playstyle (and the map you're on) better.

I'm still working on getting the hang of the Infiltrator class (especially with its new items from the last patch), but I will try to do a class guide for it at some point.

you have gotten a lot better since this Brandon

This helped me alot! I'm wondering though, I have some trouble maneuvering in air. I'm wondering if you use "A" and "D" in air to do a "turn" or point with the mouse and do some boosting with the jetpack. I subbed up! Great vids! : )

@vol1tion feel free to check the hi rez tribes ascend forums it's reported multiple times, you should not hold down ski while jetting up slopes as it causes a small but noticeable loss in speed. and also you should bind jump / jet seperately because jump jetting while skiing also causes a loss of speed of anywhere from 5-30 kph (the way you hit the slope after the jump) feel free to check reddit's tribes section for a post verifying that.

i had a blue plate special today and a 20 sec. flag cap. i love this game

Cap routes would be good to cover in your videos, good stuff!

i like to watch how ppl try to get better

The way i describe the classes in the game to friends of mine whom I played competitive promod with is, the Solider is the Ak and the pathfinder is the 74u and of course the heavy classes are that guy that sits in the corner on vacant with a shotgun.

I love that you compared it to Tiny Wings. I explained to my friends that Tribes was like Angry birds meets halo.

This game reminds me of falling dreams I've had. The ones that wake you up because you jump so hard when you finally hit something from your momentum

@atenyearold Depends on the situation. If you are boosting yourself around the map and know you will likely regen health before engaging the enemy, there's nothing wrong with using the spinfusor or bolt launcher. You have a limited number of nitrons, so it's best to use them in situations where you're concerned about preserving health.

Technician class is the most effective so far. Technician w/ EXR turret and Thumper. EXTREMELY effective. Also, Sentinel class can be very very good once you get used to sniping. Also you should add me, I go by KnottyNatt.

Do you ever get the feeling that you want to play a game so much that your chest hurts and you feel very excited? You also feel all tingling in your body :P

Hey, quick question. What are some tactics you use as a pathfinder, against shields around the flag, and light turrets. I'm really good at skiing, and really fast like you. But the biggest problem I come up against, is them placing shields down, and laying a ton of turrets everywhere. Great video btw, I look forward to seeing more!

@SimpleSock No, but I do use my jet pack when I self-propel with the spinfusor while going uphill.

I mean that Hi-Rez initially planned to put in four call-ins (or so I assume), so they put four icons on the UI. However, they only ended up implementing three, so they removed the fourth erroneous icon.

Are you using the Egocentric perk? It's virtually essential as an offensive Pathfinder, allowing you to take either two self-discs or a disc and two nitrons before dying.

@vol1tion I'm stupid. I guess I never realized that they're called Impact Nitrons aka they explode on impact. I was thinking you had to time it correctly.. That's a lot easier than I had thought. Thanks!

@Metoollhead Yep, nitrons are extremely useful for boosting since they take away less health than a disc will. And no, skiing when jetpacking uphill won't decrease your speed. I usually keep ski toggled on whenever I'm jetpacking around.

Aight. I was saving up for a jumper but thanks to this vid I'll go with the pathfinder.

Yes, I have the Reach perk, which increases range on flag grabs.

@NarayanAT The faster you're moving, the harder it is to change direction in midair. Just keep practicing and, as you refine your skiing routes, you'll eventually get to the point where minor course correction just comes naturally.

Can you make more Tribes vids? These are fun to watch! :D

thanks. very informative video. one tip i can think of that should've been included in that video is energy management

@DuckFuker It's been a long time since I played Tribes 2, but skiing is now such an integrated part of the game that I would bet skiing in Ascend is easier or, at the very least, more intuitive than it was in T2.

Check out some of my recent ski route videos. Starting with the thrust pack and then throwing a couple of nitrons at your feet slightly behind you should get you up over 200 sanics pretty easily.

The extra call-ins shown on the UI were just placeholders back during beta. There have only ever been three: tactical strike, inventory station, orbital strike.

Yep. For example, the Juggernaut class has a top speed of about 110 and a slow running speed, while the Pathfinder has a top speed of about 210 and runs pretty fast when not skiing. That's why the classes are split into light, mid, and heavy, according to their speed in relation to their attack power.

do u have to hit spacebar like the other earlier tribes... (space bar over and over which was the jump button while skiing downhill)

@RomanNumural9 You can use your directional keys to alter your path in the air so you avoid hitting the edge of the map. Always try to land on a downward slope, and you should be able to consistently hit 150+ easily.

@SensEmporer6 Not yet, it's still in closed beta. Hi-Rez does seem to be upping the amount of keys they're giving out though.

Reach (perk) also helps. You can also upgrade perks just like weapons, armor etc...

Thanks. Im new to the game and this is very helpful =)

@vol1tion Why do you use the spinfusor instead of Bolt Launcher? Is it because you want to use it for self propulsion or do you find yourself hitting more targets with the Spinfusor?

Never thought of it being similar to tiny wings like that. Good comparison.

@Dextrizzle Absolutely. In fact, Tribes just got picked up for NASL Season Three.

Great video! Although, I believe the nitron grenads are a bit more useful for the Pathfinder to boost himself. Also, I have a question- when jetpacking uphill, does holding the skiing button along with it decreases your speed, or does it not matter?

@FlissyRS Yep, the stealth spinfusor works for self-propulsion as well.