Tribes: Ascend may get map editor, mod tools

Hi-Rez Studios is "exploring" the addition of a map maker and mod tools for its first-person shooter Tribes: Ascend, features players have been requesting since the game launched last April, studio co-founder Todd Harris said in a recent interview with GameFront.

Last week, Harris announced that Hi-Rez would postpone major updates to the Tribes: Ascend for six months in order to focus on development for its MOBA, Smite. Harris told GameFront that, in the wake of this announcement, the company is exploring putting creation tools in the hands of players as a replacement for developer-made official maps.

"Really, the main community request we're hearing, which was always a part of Tribes, is for some way for the community to create their own maps," he said. "So, over the next six months, as far as what's next for Tribes, that's really the area we're going to be exploring. We don't really have any details on that, but that's what we're hearing mainly from the community. They'd like a way, independent of our own map schedule, which is obviously slowing down, to be able to update their own maps. We're going to be exploring that.

"We're looking to give users more flexibility rather than less," he added. "We're just in the scoping process now. I don't have any other specifics I can give other than the intent we're going to support it."

Harris said last week that the company will prioritize Smite, and while there are no plans for major Tribes: Ascend updates, Hi-Rez may finish currently in-development maps and release them "if time allows." Despite moving away from Tribes development, Harris also noted the studio will continue to support the game's community.

"We continue to support TA servers, online community events, tournaments with prizing, bringing Tribes to offline events like recent RTX and upcoming QuakeCon, and live-streaming."