Starsiege: Tribes is getting a huge modern upgrade with Tribes ModernClient

ModernClient is being built from the original Starsiege: Tribes source code. The aim is simple enough: make the 1998 multiplayer shooter work better on modern Windows without turning it into a different game. That means new graphics features, higher frame rates, updated networking, a cleaner interface and a completely reworked AI system. This isn’t just a compatibility patch.

The graphics engine is getting a serious upgrade

The biggest changes are easy to spot. ModernClient moves much more of the rendering work onto the GPU, including players, weapons, vehicles and other objects. That gives the old engine access to features that simply weren’t part of PC gaming when Tribes first appeared.

Ray-traced sun shadows are included. So is normal mapping for terrain, buildings, water and armour. The client also supports HD textures, true-colour assets and much longer draw distances. There’s support for GLB and glTF models too, which gives developers more options when creating updated assets for the game.

Frame rates get some attention as well. The old limit is gone, so ModernClient can run above 144 frames per second if the hardware can handle it. Players can still use V-Sync or set a frame cap if they prefer. Other graphics settings include field of view, anisotropic filtering, draw distance, weather effects, normal-map strength and ray-tracing quality. In short, there’s a lot more control.

Networking is being reworked too

The work isn’t limited to graphics. ModernClient also changes parts of the game’s networking code. Larger UDP buffers are being used, connection retries can adjust automatically, and movement smoothing can be configured.

Server processing has been revised as well. The idea is to cut unnecessary work during matches and improve responsiveness on current internet connections. Crucially, the project isn’t trying to redesign how Tribes plays. Movement and weapon behaviour are still meant to feel familiar. The interface is getting a similar update.

Vector-based HUD elements and TrueType fonts should make menus and in-game displays look sharper at modern resolutions. That matters on 1080p screens, but even more on 4K displays where old interface assets can look rough very quickly. Existing Tribes 1.40 configuration packs are still supported, so players with customised controls or HUD setups won’t necessarily have to rebuild everything from scratch.

Updates and mods should be easier to manage

Old PC games often come with one familiar problem: file management. ModernClient is trying to simplify that. The client can check for updates when it launches and download only the files that have changed. Settings, key bindings and HUD layouts are designed to stay in place during the process.

Supported mod packages can also be installed from the main menu. If a server needs files that aren’t currently installed, the client can identify what’s missing. That should make joining different setups much less fiddly.

A separate server-management tool is also part of the project. It gives server operators a more straightforward way to configure, launch and supervise dedicated games without relying entirely on old tools and command-line habits.

BotBrain changes how computer players work

The AI has been rebuilt too. ModernClient replaces the original bot scripting with a native system called BotBrain. These bots use navigation graphs and can take on different roles during a match. They can jetpack. They can ski. They can dodge attacks, choose weapons based on distance and take part in capture-the-flag matches.

That’s quite a jump from basic scripted opponents. Bots can also change roles as the situation changes. One might switch from defence to attack instead of sticking to the same job for the entire match. The client also includes Mech Mayhem, a Starsiege-based total conversion with HERC combat, weapons, heat management and damage systems.

Why Starsiege: Tribes still stands out

Starsiege: Tribes launched on Windows in 1998, developed by Dynamix and published by Sierra. At the time, most multiplayer shooters were built around fairly compact maps. Tribes went much bigger. Its outdoor battlefields supported up to 32 players, along with vehicles, base systems and team-based objectives. Capture the flag became one of its best-known modes. Movement was the real difference.

Every player had a jetpack, so fights could move vertically as well as across the ground. Skiing then became one of the series’ defining mechanics, letting players build speed by using slopes and momentum. That changed how combat worked.

Weapons such as the disc launcher rewarded prediction. You weren’t just aiming at where someone was. You had to judge where they were going to be. That mix of speed, height and projectile timing gave Tribes a feel that was very different from most shooters of its era.

ModernClient is still a work in progress

For now, Tribes ModernClient remains unfinished. Beta builds are already being developed, but there’s no confirmed final release date. Features may still change as work continues. What’s already clear is the scale of the project. This isn’t simply about making Starsiege: Tribes launch on a current PC. The renderer, networking, AI, interface, update system and content handling are all being reworked.

The core game, though, is staying recognisable. That’s the balance ModernClient is trying to strike: newer technology around the original Tribes experience, without replacing the movement and multiplayer systems that defined it.