Q: How do I learn this game?
A: Play through the Training Campaign or set up a LAN game with only AI "bots"
as opponents. Online, look for Newblook servers with beginning players. Seek
advice on tactics and teamplay on the community forums.
Q: How do I move?
A: Use the default ESDF keys to run. Combine running with jet use to cover
ground quickly. Hit the Jump control just before you jet, and you'll get more
distance. You can either "bounce" along or jet up in place and then move
forward to catch altitude. The mouse controls what direction you face. When
you go downhill, hold the spacebar down to "ski" at much greater speed.
Properly done, skiing adds greatly to your mobility.
Hop into vehicles with your jets. Vehicle controls work the same as ground
movement, but the jet control triggers your afterburners. Jump to exit a
vehicle (spacebar is default "jump" control). NOTE: You won't fit into a
cockpit while wearing the larger packs!
Q: How do I shoot?
A: The icons at the right of your screen show your weapons. The number by an
icon shows that weapon's ammo. Hit the number keys or "W" until you see a
weapon ready. Pressing "1" gives you the weapon at the top of the icon stack,
for example. Aim using the crosshair, but be sure to lead your targe. Press
the left mouse button to fire.
Know your weapons. Since its rounds spread with distance, the Chaingun makes a
better close-range weapon. The Fusion Mortar is more accurate when someone
spots for it with a targeting laser. Several weapons deal splash damage- but
you can kill yourself if you're not careful.
Finally, remember that hitting opponents in mid-air is tricky. Instead, jump
above them and either hit them when they're on the ground, or fire a splash
damage weapon right under their feet as they land.
Q: Where do I get new weapons and gear?
A: Pre-select equipment by pressing the numpad's "Enter" key and choosing gear
from the inventory station that appears. You can save up to twenty different
configurations, or "favorites". You always start out and respawn in Scout
armor with a default loadout, so you'll have to use an inventory station to
rearm to a different setup.
Find your team's Inventory Staion. When you step on it, you receive whatever
configuration is currently selected on your inventory screen. Note: You must
set your configuratio before steppin onto the station's pad. You cannot select
equipment while on the station.
Remember, some configurations have prerequisites. For example, only a Scout
armor with an Energy Pack can carry the Laser Rifle. Onle a Juggernaut armor
can carry the Fusion Mortar. The Scout armor carries three weapons, the
Assault armor carries up to four, and the Juggernaut armor has a maximum of
five.
Q: How do I repair stuff?
A: Use the Repair Pack. The Health Kit and the Health Patch will heal you, but
won't fix anything else. Press "Q" to use the Kit. The Patch is a "one-shot"
used when you run over it during a game. The Repair Pack, on the other hand,
makes you a medic. Like other packs, it activates when you press "R". You can
repair yourself, teammates, and damaged equipment. It only works at very short
range, so get close to your "patient". If you have no target in range, using
the Repair Pack heals you.
Q: How do I use packs?
A: Press "R" to activate or deploy a pack. Ammunition and Energy packs are
always activated.
Q: How do I deploy equipment (like turrets, stations, cameras, etc.)
A: Press "R" and look down in front of you. The item will deploy at your
crosshair location. If you get an error message, you're either looking too
close or too far away. Also, you can't deploy on top of other objects like
inventory stations or vehicles. You can only carry one deployable device at a
time, so you will have to make multiple tribes to an inventory station if you
ambitious plans for your perimeter.
Q: How do I use mines?
A: Press "B" to toss a mine, "G" to throw a grenade. The longer you hold down
the key, the farther your throw goes.
Q: Where's the enemy base?
A: A red waypoint on your compass indicates the location of the enemy base on
all maps. Waypoints appear on your HUD as small triangles.
Q: How do I set my own waypoint?
A: Press "C" to go to the Command Circuit. Right-click anywhere on the map and
choose set waypoint. When you return to the in-game screen (again by pressing
"C"), the Heads Up Display will display your new waypoint.
Q: What's a server?
A: A server is a computer that acts as a messenger to all players in the game,
sending statistics and positions and coordinating game events. When you join a
particular game, you join a server that relays data between you and other
players.
Q: What are "lag" and "packet loss"?
A: "Ping" is the time it takes for information to go from your comptuer to the
server and back again is what defines "lag". The lower the ping, smaller the
lag and the smoother your gameplay. "Packet Loss" occurs when various factors
slow down information as it traverses the Internet. When you experience high
rates of packet loss, you suffer delayed responses when trying to act, and
gameplay becomes "jerky".
Q: What's the best way to be a team player?
A: Know the game objectives. Whether it's Capture the Flag or Siege, each
Tribes 2 game has different objectives. Make sure you're clear on your team's
goals. The Loading Screen provides mission summaries.
Get Organized. Coordinate with other team members. Pick a commander. Follow
orders. Don't just be out for yourself. A well-coordinated team works better
then a mob.
Adopt a role. This is a team game, so you'll be more effective if you fill a
role on your team. What role do you want? Medic? Grab a repair pack.
Sniper? Gear up with a laser rifle and energy pack. Base defense? Get
Juggernaut armor and deploy turrets. Pilot? Secure a vehicle. Let your team
know what you're doing. Ask your commander whether he needs any particular
roles filled.
Communicate. Use Voice Binds and Microphone Communication to stay in touch
with your team. Remember: good teamplay requires good communication!
Use deployables. Deploy turrets to defend your base or ring the enemy base.
Keep track of enemy movement with sensors. Place mines effectively. Drop an
inventory station or deploy a forward base closer to the action.
Tribes 2 Troubleshooting
First, let me tell you that Tribes 2 is a very buggy game. The patches have
fixed most of these problems, but a lot of users are still having problems. An
extensive troubleshooting guide is below. All the downloads you may need are
at the very bottom of this section.
Unhandled Exception Suggestions
Unhandled Exceptions, the most frustrating part of Tribes 2. I think a good
90% of all players have experienced them, and this article should fix them.
Do a clean install of Tribes 2 (uninstall the game, delete the Tribes 2
directory, then reinstall). Run the First Aid Utility to make sure all the
files copied over from the CD. Then patch up to the latest version of Tribes 2
using the AutoUpdater.
Delete all *.DSO files from your Tribes 2 subdirectories. DSO files are
compiled scripts. Tribes2 does not compile updated scripts if a .DSO of the
same name is present. This can cause scripts to not work properly, UEs, and
other problems. You can do this manually, or you can download Absynthe's DSO
Killer. Once done, restart Tribes 2.
Make sure your computer meets the minimum specifications. More specifically,
make sure your video card is supported. Update to the latest drivers. NVidia
card owners should be using OpenGL and Voodoo owners should be using Direct3D.
Generic NVidia drivers can be found here. Voodoo users can also try the
WickedGL drivers. Other Voodoo drivers can be found here.
Find the OpenGL2D3D.dll file in Tribes2\Gamedata directory. Rename it to
OpenGL2D3D.bak. DO NOT delete it. This file is needed for patching the game.
When a new patch comes out, you will need to rename it back to OpenGL2D3D.dll
to patch the game successfully.
Try reducing the Hardware Sound Acceleration by one notch. Go to Start-->Run
and type in dxdiag. Click the Sound Tab and move Hardware Sound Acceleration
Level down one notch.
Reduce your AGP Speed from 4x to 2x. Your motherboard and Video Card may not be
running stable.
If you have a Motherboard with a VIA chipset, make sure you have the latest VIA
4-in-1 Drivers.
If you are using Windows 2000 and have an AMD Processor, try the Microsoft
Windows 2000 Patch for AGP Applications. Windows XP supposedly fixes this
problem, but if you are having problems it's worth a try.
Make sure you have the latest drivers for all your hardware.
You may have bad RAM or a RAM conflict. If you have extra RAM modules or you
have mixed 2 different types of RAM, try swapping them out.
Users that have Motherboards with VIA Chipsets should also try the mini-drivers
for their chipsets. They can be found at VIA's Site.
Scan your system for Spyware. I recommend LavaSoft's Ad-Aware.
Scan your system for Viruses and Trojans.
Hit Control-Alt-Delete and close down any unnecessary programs.
Try updating your Motherboard's BIOS. Note: This can be very risky, suggested
for advanced users only.
If all else fails, you can try Sierra's generic response. Who knows, maybe
it'll work!
ATTN: If you have Windows XP, go to your Tribes 2 shortcut and hit the
compatibility tab. Change the OS to Win 95. The game should work. This
solution fixed 50% of XP user's problems.
Q. I can't patch Tribes 2, I keep getting the error: "Old file not found.
However, a file of the same name was found. No update done since file contents
do not match."
A. Uninstall Tribes 2. Delete the Tribes 2 directory. Reinstall Tribes 2. Use
the first aid utility to make sure files copied properly. Update using the
autoupdater. If you're still receiving this error, try patching manually by
downloading the patches from various sources around the internet. If you still
receive this error, scan your system for viruses. If you have a VIA chipset and
the virus scan comes up clean, make sure you have the latest VIA 4-in-1
Drivers. The problem can also be attributed to incorrect CD-ROM Drive
configuration. Right click on "My Computer" click "Properties" then go to
Device Manager. Find your CD-ROM and try enabling or disabling DMA.
Q. I've tried everything, but the First Aid Utility keeps telling me some files
have failed the check.
A. Check to see which files have failed. Then, right click on the CD-ROM drive
that Tribes 2 is in and click Explore. Manually drag and drop each file that
has failed. After you copy the file manually, make sure you go to its
properties and uncheck Read-Only. Run the First Aid Utility each time to see if
it copied properly. If you're still having problems, try installing the game on
a friend's computer. If he/she has the same problem, then your CD may be
defective and you will need to contact Sierra to get it replaced.
Q. I just upgraded or installed Windows XP and when I try to play Tribes 2 I
get an Unhandled Exception!
A. The drivers that Windows XP installs for your video card do not support
OpenGL. If you have an NVidia card get the latest drivers from NVidia. Check
the UE guide above for some more suggestions.
Q. I have problems with Tribes 2 during the Intro Movie.
A. You may need to disable the Tribes 2 Intro Movie if you're having trouble.
To do this, you need to edit the clientprefs.cs file. You can locate the file
in Dynamix\Tribes2\gamedata\base\prefs. Open the file with Notepad or any text
editor of your choice and find the line $pref::SkipIntro = "0";. Change the 0
to a 1 and then save the file and exit. Tribes 2 generates this file the first
time you start it.
Q. Whenever I connect to any server online on T2, within a minute or so I get
kicked out and I receive the error message: "Connection Lost".
A. If you've installed any weapon skins, new textures, or new models, the
Tribes 2 CRC check is most likely the culprit. The only thing you can do about
this is to remove those skins, textures and models, or find a server that has
CRC Checking disabled.
Q. I forgot my password! HELP!
A. If you remember your username, click the "E-mail me my login information"
button. If you forgot your username, then you will need to either e-mail or
call Sierra Customer support and explain to them your dilemma. You will need to
have your CD Key handy, as this is what they will use to validate you as the
account holder. Once they validate you, they will reset your username and
account.
Q. When I try to login to Tribes 2, I get the error "Unable to fetch
Authentication Servers". What's the deal?
A. First, make sure you are connected to the Internet. Second, if you are
running a firewall like ZoneAlarm, make sure you have it set to allow Tribes 2
to access the Internet. The third possibility is the Tribes 2 Authentication
servers may be down.
Q. I can't access any of the community features!
A. If you are able to login to Tribes 2, but cannot access the community
features, the Tribes 2 Community Servers may be down. There is nothing you can
do about this except wait for them to come back online.
Q. My mouse buttons keep sticking! When I let go of the fire or jet buttons, I
keep firing and jetting anyway!
A. Open up the console by hitting the tilde (~) key. In there, type
mousefire(0); or mousejet(0);.
Q. When Tribes 2 starts loading a mission, it freezes at the "Loading Objects"
phase and/or kicks me back to the desktop. It gives the error message, "Fatal
ISV (bitmapPng.cc @89) PNG Error: extra compressed data".
A. This error generally pops up when your CD-ROM drive has problems reading the
Tribes 2 CD for CD Checking. Some newer CD Drives may be more sensitive to
erroneous data written on a CD. Try another CD-ROM Drive if you are getting
this error. If you made a copy of the Tribes 2 CD and are using that to play,
switch it with the original CD. Errors have been reported when trying to use
backups of the original CD.
Q. When I try to make a Tribes 2 account, it gives me the error: "Account
Creation Failed: CDKEY in use -2902". Did someone steal my CD-Key?!
A. If the warrior name you are trying to make is already registered you will
get the error: "Account creation Failed: CDKEY in use -2902". You will keep
getting this error until you register with a unique warrior name. If you
continue getting this error, email [email protected] and inform them
of your problem. They will need the Tribes 2 CD Key and the e-mail address you
used when you tried to setup your account.
Q. When I try to make a Tribes 2 account, I get the error: "Account Creation
Failed. CDKEY has already been used to create an account." What's up with
this?!
A. There are two possibilites for receiving this error:
1) You may have already created your account. Type in your login name and click
"E-mail me my Login Info" to check if your account was created.
2) You may have purchased a copy of Tribes 2 that had been returned by a
previous user. If that is the case, then you need to e-mail
[email protected] and let them know your problem. They will need your
CD-Key.
Q. Whenever I am inside buildings, the walls randomly turn different colors and
flash. Everything is fine when I'm outside, it only happens inside.
A. Disable "Vertex Lighting" in Tribes 2's Settings under Graphics.
Q. I'm running Windows XP, and in Tribes 2 I experience moments of lag whenever
a sound is played. None of my other games have this problem!
A. For some reason, Windows XP, Tribes 2, and a High Point RAID Controller do
not get along well together. If you have a motherboard with a High Point RAID
Controller, first check to see if your sound card is sharing an IRQ with the
RAID Controller. If it is, make sure you change it so that the RAID Controller
has its own IRQ. If this solution doesn't work, then there are 2 other
solutions, both of which you will not like. You will have to disable the
HighPoint RAID Controller and move your Hard Drives onto a different IDE
Channel, or you will have to Disable your Sound Card. Currently, these are the
only known solutions for this problem.
Q. The water and lava in the game have razor sharp edges and are very jagged.
What gives?!
A. Enable 32 bit color in Tribes 2. It is an issue with the Z-Buffer. If
enabling 32 bit color does not solve the problem, make sure that your desktop
is set to 32 bit color.
Q. I received some message box in the game about being unable to log in because
the account is already in use. It told me to wait 20 minutes and try again. Is
my account stolen?
No, your account is not stolen. You'll usually get this error if Tribes 2 quit
abnormally (ie: crashed or lost connection). The reason you get it is because
the Tribes 2 Authentication servers haven't received notice that you logged
off. Wait about 20 minutes and the account will time out. Once that happens you
should be able to log on again.
Q. Tribes 2 crashes after the Intro movie and gives me a Fatal Exception error
mentioning VXD Wsipx. What should I do?
A. You will need to install or reinstall the IPX/SPX network protocol. To do
this, follow these instructions:
1. Double-click the Network icon in the Control Panel to display the Network
Configuration screen.
2. Scroll through the Network Configuration entries to see if the
“IPX/SPX-compatible Protocol” entry is listed. If the entry is present, then
the IPX/SPX-compatible Protocol may need to be removed and then added again. If
the entry is not present, click the <Add> button to begin the installation of
the protocol.
3. Highlight the “Protocol” entry in the Select Network Component Type dialog
box and click <Add>.
4. In the Select Network Protocol screen, select “Microsoft” from the
Manufacturer’s list on the left-hand side of the dialog box and then choose
“IPX/SPX-compatible Protocol” from the list on the right-hand side.
5. Click <OK> to return to the Network Configuration screen. Click <OK> again
to complete the installation of the IPX/SPX-compatible Protocol. Restart the
computer when prompted.
NOTE: You will be prompted to insert a Windows 95 or Windows 98 CD-ROM
(depending on the computer’s operating system) to complete the installation of
the IPX/SPX-compatible Protocol.
6. After the computer has been restarted, double-click the Control Panel’s
Network icon and confirm that the “IPX/SPX-compatible Protocol” entry appears
in the Network Configuration list.
Q. I'm running Windows XP with a Voodoo 3/4/5, and I can't get Tribes 2 to run.
Any suggestions?
A. The following suggestion comes from HellBent:
Uninstall Tribes 2 and delete the directory. Follow the installation guide
found below. DO NOT install the WickedGL drivers. In the "Properties" section
of the shortcut go to the "compatibility" tab and set it to run compatible for
Windows 2000. That is the only one that worked for me. If I set it to be
compatible for Windows 98 I would get sound but no graphics. Set to Windows
2000 everything works fine. I did not have to set the 640x480 mode in the
compatibility tab. From there I was able to start the game, change the
resolution, and everything is working fine. The Wicked3d drivers may work but I
opted to try it without them.
I. Pre-installation
The pre-install guide covers nearly every possibility to insure a smooth setup
prior to installing T2. While you do not have to flash your system's BIOS, for
example, it is a step you can take if you need to repeat the process due to a
failure. Bear in mind that such actions are not without risk and we offer no
guarantee of success.
1. Make sure you have updated your BIOS to the latest version.
2. Get the latest motherboard drivers and install them. You may need VIA 4-in-1
drivers, Intel drivers or others. Check your motherboard manual to be sure you
are getting the right driver set. AMD also has updates that may be important if
you are running Windows 2000 with an Athlon chipset.
3. Get the latest official drivers for your video and sound cards. You may
update drivers on other components, but these two are most important. Avoid
beta drivers, as they can lead to instability, which is especially bad for a T2
install.
4. Go to Lavasoft and get AD-Aware. This small program will find spyware on
your system that may interfere with the Tribes 2 install process.
5. Disable your anti-virus software before installing. You may re-enable the
anti-virus software after the install.
Once you've done the above, you are ready to install the game.
II. Game installation
It's important that these steps are followed carefully.
1. Create a subdirectory to save all the following files to. Do not run the
game until finished with this process.
2. The Sierra Updater will, itself, need to be updated, listed as SierraUp
Update for Tribes 2 at http://tribes2update.sierra.com.
3. Next, grab the Tribes 2 First Aid Utility.
4. Go to the patches page and get the following four patches for the game:
21570.exe-22755.exe
22755.exe-23115.exe
23115.exe-23669.exe
23669.exe-24834.exe
5. Install the game. Do NOT not run or update the game yet.
6. Run the First Aid utility and use the "Check Files" option. It will compare
the files against your CD to make sure they copied correctly. If any files did
not copy over correctly, use the utility to copy over the pertinent files. If
they still fail to copy over properly, even with the utility, you can see which
files are being flagged and manually copy them over from the T2 CD.
7. Once the First Aid Utility has given all of the files a clean bill of
health, run the update to the updater.
8. Run the patches in order.
9. You are ready to play the game. Enjoy!
III. Summary of possible causes of a T2 install failure
This is a quick list that covers the usual causes of a T2 install failing (some
of which is covered above).
Spyware. Software that is typically installed on your system without your
knowledge, usually piggybacked on another program you download and install.
Viruses. It may seem obvious, but a lot of games will install fine even on an
infected system. T2 typically won't.
Bad ram. A defective DIMM will often cause a T2 install to fail. Run a memory
diagnostic program or try pulling out the suspect memory while installing (and
replace it if it is defective, obviously).
Downloads
All the patches: http://www.tribes2central.com/downloads/downloads.php
Tribes 2 First Aid Utility:
http://www.tribes2central.com/downloads/downloads.php
Sierra UpUpdate: http://tribes2update.sierra.com
Absynthe's DSO Killer:
http://www.planettribes.com/depot/downloads/view.asp?ID=165
A: Play through the Training Campaign or set up a LAN game with only AI "bots"
as opponents. Online, look for Newblook servers with beginning players. Seek
advice on tactics and teamplay on the community forums.
Q: How do I move?
A: Use the default ESDF keys to run. Combine running with jet use to cover
ground quickly. Hit the Jump control just before you jet, and you'll get more
distance. You can either "bounce" along or jet up in place and then move
forward to catch altitude. The mouse controls what direction you face. When
you go downhill, hold the spacebar down to "ski" at much greater speed.
Properly done, skiing adds greatly to your mobility.
Hop into vehicles with your jets. Vehicle controls work the same as ground
movement, but the jet control triggers your afterburners. Jump to exit a
vehicle (spacebar is default "jump" control). NOTE: You won't fit into a
cockpit while wearing the larger packs!
Q: How do I shoot?
A: The icons at the right of your screen show your weapons. The number by an
icon shows that weapon's ammo. Hit the number keys or "W" until you see a
weapon ready. Pressing "1" gives you the weapon at the top of the icon stack,
for example. Aim using the crosshair, but be sure to lead your targe. Press
the left mouse button to fire.
Know your weapons. Since its rounds spread with distance, the Chaingun makes a
better close-range weapon. The Fusion Mortar is more accurate when someone
spots for it with a targeting laser. Several weapons deal splash damage- but
you can kill yourself if you're not careful.
Finally, remember that hitting opponents in mid-air is tricky. Instead, jump
above them and either hit them when they're on the ground, or fire a splash
damage weapon right under their feet as they land.
Q: Where do I get new weapons and gear?
A: Pre-select equipment by pressing the numpad's "Enter" key and choosing gear
from the inventory station that appears. You can save up to twenty different
configurations, or "favorites". You always start out and respawn in Scout
armor with a default loadout, so you'll have to use an inventory station to
rearm to a different setup.
Find your team's Inventory Staion. When you step on it, you receive whatever
configuration is currently selected on your inventory screen. Note: You must
set your configuratio before steppin onto the station's pad. You cannot select
equipment while on the station.
Remember, some configurations have prerequisites. For example, only a Scout
armor with an Energy Pack can carry the Laser Rifle. Onle a Juggernaut armor
can carry the Fusion Mortar. The Scout armor carries three weapons, the
Assault armor carries up to four, and the Juggernaut armor has a maximum of
five.
Q: How do I repair stuff?
A: Use the Repair Pack. The Health Kit and the Health Patch will heal you, but
won't fix anything else. Press "Q" to use the Kit. The Patch is a "one-shot"
used when you run over it during a game. The Repair Pack, on the other hand,
makes you a medic. Like other packs, it activates when you press "R". You can
repair yourself, teammates, and damaged equipment. It only works at very short
range, so get close to your "patient". If you have no target in range, using
the Repair Pack heals you.
Q: How do I use packs?
A: Press "R" to activate or deploy a pack. Ammunition and Energy packs are
always activated.
Q: How do I deploy equipment (like turrets, stations, cameras, etc.)
A: Press "R" and look down in front of you. The item will deploy at your
crosshair location. If you get an error message, you're either looking too
close or too far away. Also, you can't deploy on top of other objects like
inventory stations or vehicles. You can only carry one deployable device at a
time, so you will have to make multiple tribes to an inventory station if you
ambitious plans for your perimeter.
Q: How do I use mines?
A: Press "B" to toss a mine, "G" to throw a grenade. The longer you hold down
the key, the farther your throw goes.
Q: Where's the enemy base?
A: A red waypoint on your compass indicates the location of the enemy base on
all maps. Waypoints appear on your HUD as small triangles.
Q: How do I set my own waypoint?
A: Press "C" to go to the Command Circuit. Right-click anywhere on the map and
choose set waypoint. When you return to the in-game screen (again by pressing
"C"), the Heads Up Display will display your new waypoint.
Q: What's a server?
A: A server is a computer that acts as a messenger to all players in the game,
sending statistics and positions and coordinating game events. When you join a
particular game, you join a server that relays data between you and other
players.
Q: What are "lag" and "packet loss"?
A: "Ping" is the time it takes for information to go from your comptuer to the
server and back again is what defines "lag". The lower the ping, smaller the
lag and the smoother your gameplay. "Packet Loss" occurs when various factors
slow down information as it traverses the Internet. When you experience high
rates of packet loss, you suffer delayed responses when trying to act, and
gameplay becomes "jerky".
Q: What's the best way to be a team player?
A: Know the game objectives. Whether it's Capture the Flag or Siege, each
Tribes 2 game has different objectives. Make sure you're clear on your team's
goals. The Loading Screen provides mission summaries.
Get Organized. Coordinate with other team members. Pick a commander. Follow
orders. Don't just be out for yourself. A well-coordinated team works better
then a mob.
Adopt a role. This is a team game, so you'll be more effective if you fill a
role on your team. What role do you want? Medic? Grab a repair pack.
Sniper? Gear up with a laser rifle and energy pack. Base defense? Get
Juggernaut armor and deploy turrets. Pilot? Secure a vehicle. Let your team
know what you're doing. Ask your commander whether he needs any particular
roles filled.
Communicate. Use Voice Binds and Microphone Communication to stay in touch
with your team. Remember: good teamplay requires good communication!
Use deployables. Deploy turrets to defend your base or ring the enemy base.
Keep track of enemy movement with sensors. Place mines effectively. Drop an
inventory station or deploy a forward base closer to the action.
Tribes 2 Troubleshooting
First, let me tell you that Tribes 2 is a very buggy game. The patches have
fixed most of these problems, but a lot of users are still having problems. An
extensive troubleshooting guide is below. All the downloads you may need are
at the very bottom of this section.
Unhandled Exception Suggestions
Unhandled Exceptions, the most frustrating part of Tribes 2. I think a good
90% of all players have experienced them, and this article should fix them.
Do a clean install of Tribes 2 (uninstall the game, delete the Tribes 2
directory, then reinstall). Run the First Aid Utility to make sure all the
files copied over from the CD. Then patch up to the latest version of Tribes 2
using the AutoUpdater.
Delete all *.DSO files from your Tribes 2 subdirectories. DSO files are
compiled scripts. Tribes2 does not compile updated scripts if a .DSO of the
same name is present. This can cause scripts to not work properly, UEs, and
other problems. You can do this manually, or you can download Absynthe's DSO
Killer. Once done, restart Tribes 2.
Make sure your computer meets the minimum specifications. More specifically,
make sure your video card is supported. Update to the latest drivers. NVidia
card owners should be using OpenGL and Voodoo owners should be using Direct3D.
Generic NVidia drivers can be found here. Voodoo users can also try the
WickedGL drivers. Other Voodoo drivers can be found here.
Find the OpenGL2D3D.dll file in Tribes2\Gamedata directory. Rename it to
OpenGL2D3D.bak. DO NOT delete it. This file is needed for patching the game.
When a new patch comes out, you will need to rename it back to OpenGL2D3D.dll
to patch the game successfully.
Try reducing the Hardware Sound Acceleration by one notch. Go to Start-->Run
and type in dxdiag. Click the Sound Tab and move Hardware Sound Acceleration
Level down one notch.
Reduce your AGP Speed from 4x to 2x. Your motherboard and Video Card may not be
running stable.
If you have a Motherboard with a VIA chipset, make sure you have the latest VIA
4-in-1 Drivers.
If you are using Windows 2000 and have an AMD Processor, try the Microsoft
Windows 2000 Patch for AGP Applications. Windows XP supposedly fixes this
problem, but if you are having problems it's worth a try.
Make sure you have the latest drivers for all your hardware.
You may have bad RAM or a RAM conflict. If you have extra RAM modules or you
have mixed 2 different types of RAM, try swapping them out.
Users that have Motherboards with VIA Chipsets should also try the mini-drivers
for their chipsets. They can be found at VIA's Site.
Scan your system for Spyware. I recommend LavaSoft's Ad-Aware.
Scan your system for Viruses and Trojans.
Hit Control-Alt-Delete and close down any unnecessary programs.
Try updating your Motherboard's BIOS. Note: This can be very risky, suggested
for advanced users only.
If all else fails, you can try Sierra's generic response. Who knows, maybe
it'll work!
ATTN: If you have Windows XP, go to your Tribes 2 shortcut and hit the
compatibility tab. Change the OS to Win 95. The game should work. This
solution fixed 50% of XP user's problems.
Q. I can't patch Tribes 2, I keep getting the error: "Old file not found.
However, a file of the same name was found. No update done since file contents
do not match."
A. Uninstall Tribes 2. Delete the Tribes 2 directory. Reinstall Tribes 2. Use
the first aid utility to make sure files copied properly. Update using the
autoupdater. If you're still receiving this error, try patching manually by
downloading the patches from various sources around the internet. If you still
receive this error, scan your system for viruses. If you have a VIA chipset and
the virus scan comes up clean, make sure you have the latest VIA 4-in-1
Drivers. The problem can also be attributed to incorrect CD-ROM Drive
configuration. Right click on "My Computer" click "Properties" then go to
Device Manager. Find your CD-ROM and try enabling or disabling DMA.
Q. I've tried everything, but the First Aid Utility keeps telling me some files
have failed the check.
A. Check to see which files have failed. Then, right click on the CD-ROM drive
that Tribes 2 is in and click Explore. Manually drag and drop each file that
has failed. After you copy the file manually, make sure you go to its
properties and uncheck Read-Only. Run the First Aid Utility each time to see if
it copied properly. If you're still having problems, try installing the game on
a friend's computer. If he/she has the same problem, then your CD may be
defective and you will need to contact Sierra to get it replaced.
Q. I just upgraded or installed Windows XP and when I try to play Tribes 2 I
get an Unhandled Exception!
A. The drivers that Windows XP installs for your video card do not support
OpenGL. If you have an NVidia card get the latest drivers from NVidia. Check
the UE guide above for some more suggestions.
Q. I have problems with Tribes 2 during the Intro Movie.
A. You may need to disable the Tribes 2 Intro Movie if you're having trouble.
To do this, you need to edit the clientprefs.cs file. You can locate the file
in Dynamix\Tribes2\gamedata\base\prefs. Open the file with Notepad or any text
editor of your choice and find the line $pref::SkipIntro = "0";. Change the 0
to a 1 and then save the file and exit. Tribes 2 generates this file the first
time you start it.
Q. Whenever I connect to any server online on T2, within a minute or so I get
kicked out and I receive the error message: "Connection Lost".
A. If you've installed any weapon skins, new textures, or new models, the
Tribes 2 CRC check is most likely the culprit. The only thing you can do about
this is to remove those skins, textures and models, or find a server that has
CRC Checking disabled.
Q. I forgot my password! HELP!
A. If you remember your username, click the "E-mail me my login information"
button. If you forgot your username, then you will need to either e-mail or
call Sierra Customer support and explain to them your dilemma. You will need to
have your CD Key handy, as this is what they will use to validate you as the
account holder. Once they validate you, they will reset your username and
account.
Q. When I try to login to Tribes 2, I get the error "Unable to fetch
Authentication Servers". What's the deal?
A. First, make sure you are connected to the Internet. Second, if you are
running a firewall like ZoneAlarm, make sure you have it set to allow Tribes 2
to access the Internet. The third possibility is the Tribes 2 Authentication
servers may be down.
Q. I can't access any of the community features!
A. If you are able to login to Tribes 2, but cannot access the community
features, the Tribes 2 Community Servers may be down. There is nothing you can
do about this except wait for them to come back online.
Q. My mouse buttons keep sticking! When I let go of the fire or jet buttons, I
keep firing and jetting anyway!
A. Open up the console by hitting the tilde (~) key. In there, type
mousefire(0); or mousejet(0);.
Q. When Tribes 2 starts loading a mission, it freezes at the "Loading Objects"
phase and/or kicks me back to the desktop. It gives the error message, "Fatal
ISV (bitmapPng.cc @89) PNG Error: extra compressed data".
A. This error generally pops up when your CD-ROM drive has problems reading the
Tribes 2 CD for CD Checking. Some newer CD Drives may be more sensitive to
erroneous data written on a CD. Try another CD-ROM Drive if you are getting
this error. If you made a copy of the Tribes 2 CD and are using that to play,
switch it with the original CD. Errors have been reported when trying to use
backups of the original CD.
Q. When I try to make a Tribes 2 account, it gives me the error: "Account
Creation Failed: CDKEY in use -2902". Did someone steal my CD-Key?!
A. If the warrior name you are trying to make is already registered you will
get the error: "Account creation Failed: CDKEY in use -2902". You will keep
getting this error until you register with a unique warrior name. If you
continue getting this error, email [email protected] and inform them
of your problem. They will need the Tribes 2 CD Key and the e-mail address you
used when you tried to setup your account.
Q. When I try to make a Tribes 2 account, I get the error: "Account Creation
Failed. CDKEY has already been used to create an account." What's up with
this?!
A. There are two possibilites for receiving this error:
1) You may have already created your account. Type in your login name and click
"E-mail me my Login Info" to check if your account was created.
2) You may have purchased a copy of Tribes 2 that had been returned by a
previous user. If that is the case, then you need to e-mail
[email protected] and let them know your problem. They will need your
CD-Key.
Q. Whenever I am inside buildings, the walls randomly turn different colors and
flash. Everything is fine when I'm outside, it only happens inside.
A. Disable "Vertex Lighting" in Tribes 2's Settings under Graphics.
Q. I'm running Windows XP, and in Tribes 2 I experience moments of lag whenever
a sound is played. None of my other games have this problem!
A. For some reason, Windows XP, Tribes 2, and a High Point RAID Controller do
not get along well together. If you have a motherboard with a High Point RAID
Controller, first check to see if your sound card is sharing an IRQ with the
RAID Controller. If it is, make sure you change it so that the RAID Controller
has its own IRQ. If this solution doesn't work, then there are 2 other
solutions, both of which you will not like. You will have to disable the
HighPoint RAID Controller and move your Hard Drives onto a different IDE
Channel, or you will have to Disable your Sound Card. Currently, these are the
only known solutions for this problem.
Q. The water and lava in the game have razor sharp edges and are very jagged.
What gives?!
A. Enable 32 bit color in Tribes 2. It is an issue with the Z-Buffer. If
enabling 32 bit color does not solve the problem, make sure that your desktop
is set to 32 bit color.
Q. I received some message box in the game about being unable to log in because
the account is already in use. It told me to wait 20 minutes and try again. Is
my account stolen?
No, your account is not stolen. You'll usually get this error if Tribes 2 quit
abnormally (ie: crashed or lost connection). The reason you get it is because
the Tribes 2 Authentication servers haven't received notice that you logged
off. Wait about 20 minutes and the account will time out. Once that happens you
should be able to log on again.
Q. Tribes 2 crashes after the Intro movie and gives me a Fatal Exception error
mentioning VXD Wsipx. What should I do?
A. You will need to install or reinstall the IPX/SPX network protocol. To do
this, follow these instructions:
1. Double-click the Network icon in the Control Panel to display the Network
Configuration screen.
2. Scroll through the Network Configuration entries to see if the
“IPX/SPX-compatible Protocol” entry is listed. If the entry is present, then
the IPX/SPX-compatible Protocol may need to be removed and then added again. If
the entry is not present, click the <Add> button to begin the installation of
the protocol.
3. Highlight the “Protocol” entry in the Select Network Component Type dialog
box and click <Add>.
4. In the Select Network Protocol screen, select “Microsoft” from the
Manufacturer’s list on the left-hand side of the dialog box and then choose
“IPX/SPX-compatible Protocol” from the list on the right-hand side.
5. Click <OK> to return to the Network Configuration screen. Click <OK> again
to complete the installation of the IPX/SPX-compatible Protocol. Restart the
computer when prompted.
NOTE: You will be prompted to insert a Windows 95 or Windows 98 CD-ROM
(depending on the computer’s operating system) to complete the installation of
the IPX/SPX-compatible Protocol.
6. After the computer has been restarted, double-click the Control Panel’s
Network icon and confirm that the “IPX/SPX-compatible Protocol” entry appears
in the Network Configuration list.
Q. I'm running Windows XP with a Voodoo 3/4/5, and I can't get Tribes 2 to run.
Any suggestions?
A. The following suggestion comes from HellBent:
Uninstall Tribes 2 and delete the directory. Follow the installation guide
found below. DO NOT install the WickedGL drivers. In the "Properties" section
of the shortcut go to the "compatibility" tab and set it to run compatible for
Windows 2000. That is the only one that worked for me. If I set it to be
compatible for Windows 98 I would get sound but no graphics. Set to Windows
2000 everything works fine. I did not have to set the 640x480 mode in the
compatibility tab. From there I was able to start the game, change the
resolution, and everything is working fine. The Wicked3d drivers may work but I
opted to try it without them.
I. Pre-installation
The pre-install guide covers nearly every possibility to insure a smooth setup
prior to installing T2. While you do not have to flash your system's BIOS, for
example, it is a step you can take if you need to repeat the process due to a
failure. Bear in mind that such actions are not without risk and we offer no
guarantee of success.
1. Make sure you have updated your BIOS to the latest version.
2. Get the latest motherboard drivers and install them. You may need VIA 4-in-1
drivers, Intel drivers or others. Check your motherboard manual to be sure you
are getting the right driver set. AMD also has updates that may be important if
you are running Windows 2000 with an Athlon chipset.
3. Get the latest official drivers for your video and sound cards. You may
update drivers on other components, but these two are most important. Avoid
beta drivers, as they can lead to instability, which is especially bad for a T2
install.
4. Go to Lavasoft and get AD-Aware. This small program will find spyware on
your system that may interfere with the Tribes 2 install process.
5. Disable your anti-virus software before installing. You may re-enable the
anti-virus software after the install.
Once you've done the above, you are ready to install the game.
II. Game installation
It's important that these steps are followed carefully.
1. Create a subdirectory to save all the following files to. Do not run the
game until finished with this process.
2. The Sierra Updater will, itself, need to be updated, listed as SierraUp
Update for Tribes 2 at http://tribes2update.sierra.com.
3. Next, grab the Tribes 2 First Aid Utility.
4. Go to the patches page and get the following four patches for the game:
21570.exe-22755.exe
22755.exe-23115.exe
23115.exe-23669.exe
23669.exe-24834.exe
5. Install the game. Do NOT not run or update the game yet.
6. Run the First Aid utility and use the "Check Files" option. It will compare
the files against your CD to make sure they copied correctly. If any files did
not copy over correctly, use the utility to copy over the pertinent files. If
they still fail to copy over properly, even with the utility, you can see which
files are being flagged and manually copy them over from the T2 CD.
7. Once the First Aid Utility has given all of the files a clean bill of
health, run the update to the updater.
8. Run the patches in order.
9. You are ready to play the game. Enjoy!
III. Summary of possible causes of a T2 install failure
This is a quick list that covers the usual causes of a T2 install failing (some
of which is covered above).
Spyware. Software that is typically installed on your system without your
knowledge, usually piggybacked on another program you download and install.
Viruses. It may seem obvious, but a lot of games will install fine even on an
infected system. T2 typically won't.
Bad ram. A defective DIMM will often cause a T2 install to fail. Run a memory
diagnostic program or try pulling out the suspect memory while installing (and
replace it if it is defective, obviously).
Downloads
All the patches: http://www.tribes2central.com/downloads/downloads.php
Tribes 2 First Aid Utility:
http://www.tribes2central.com/downloads/downloads.php
Sierra UpUpdate: http://tribes2update.sierra.com
Absynthe's DSO Killer:
http://www.planettribes.com/depot/downloads/view.asp?ID=165