Has this project been abandoned?

[Thrie]

As we move forward with various projects simultaneously, and more reviews pop up for this project calling it "abandonware," we thought we should address this concern directly and explain our thinking as a company.

When the original CONSORTIUM was released in January 2014, this was before Early Access was commonly used. We had internally tested it and even had Kickstarter backers playing it and reporting, but it was not even close to enough. Upon release, the game was still too buggy, with players reporting all sorts of technical issues our team was unable to find on our own. This crippled the game’s ability to propagate and find an audience when seemingly every review called the game "interesting but way too buggy." This hit us hard in all the wrong ways, but we powered on because of our shared belief in the story and a need to finish it.

Fast-forward years later, we realized that a port of CONSORTIUM to the Unreal Engine (and ultimately VR) was not only possible but doable for cheap and only required a few team members. We further realized CONSORTIUM's mechanics are tailor-made for V.R. (especially with VOICE!), so Gregory and Ryan began the porting process as a side project in their spare time.

Whispers From The Rift is another ongoing endeavour that began as a side project by our head writer Steve and has since grown into something much bigger than anticipated, ultimately becoming a bit of an obsession for him. This project was built in Steve's free time (like CONSORTIUM VR / Remastered) and has cost the company very little. Ultimately, this project will come to Steam and even as a phone app (new market!) as a standalone text-based prequel to CONSORTIUM and THE TOWER.

All this is to say that our team is working tirelessly to create a comprehensive budget for THE TOWER while minimizing expenses. Everything is about ultimately finishing THE TOWER. It is where the story takes off and the mystery of our game world begins to truly unfold. The entire Consortium Universe is a passion project for us, and the story is something we simply must tell. To leave things hanging without The Tower completed would be a colossal shame, so we're continuing to do everything possible to ensure that does not happen. It may take a while, but we are just as committed today as when CONSORTIUM was released in 2014.

Please Note: Everybody who owns CONSORTIUM (2014) on Steam has now received access to the flat-screen Remastered Beta . Look for “Consortium Remastered Playtest” in your game library right now! (if you do NOT see it and are reading this soon after this was posted, give it a day or two and it will appear!) Once we come out of this beta/playtesting stage, you will automatically be gifted the full release for free. Continued production on CONSORTIUM Remastered Beta will be in tandem with CONSORTIUM VR as they share a similar code base/mechanics.

That brings us to today. We are correcting our past mistakes by putting CONSORTIUM VR into Early Access (here on Steam and the Quest 2 AppLab) to ensure it is as clear and bug-free as possible before doing a full release, inviting reviewers to play, and then once more moving full-steam ahead into Phase Two of production for The Tower. CONSORTIUM Remastered sharing the same code base means it does not need time in official Early Access, but any feedback from folks with access to the Playtest/Beta version is always welcome!

We have stated some of the above in various responses to comments, and we hope this helps clear things up once and for all. We understand folks thinking this game has been abandoned, and we accept that. This only drives us to get it done and prove you wrong ;)

Thanks for your time and continued patience,

- The iDGi Team.

[Syagrius]

Thank for this detailed action plan for Consortium THE TOWER! As a owner of this game and Consortium (2014 version), I'm eager to see it in its full lenght someday. Good luck! :-)

[vitalik1700]

Thanks for the explanation, but unfortunately I don't care that much about neither of these games. Original CONSORTIUM was neat, but ultimately too boring with it's cramped little world. I never got to replay it even once.

The Tower, on the contrary, is what really makes my gears turning and I did replay it a dozen of times, ultimately abandoning most playthroughs due to being lost in confusing level design. That's what I would like to see in development but it's not going to not happen in the foreseeable future. Unfortunately.

[MMMrph]

If it's ever finished I'll be happy to play it. I hope it is finished but I don't have a lot of faith.

If the Devs are indeed on the level then I wish them the best of luck.

[Warhawk]

I really do hope you mean what you say, I want this project to flourish. I do however maintain a healthy layer of scepticism on this becoming anything.

[Vyral]

Thanks iDGi - for the update. Appreciate the transparency you folks have always had. Best wishes for getting it finished! Look forward to it!

[Solidus]

We would like a new update on this game

[first_knight117]

Probably no change from last year. They’re creating a budget but no milestones, accountability or release date for the completed game

[Callsign Casiotone]

hello from 2024 hows that budget coming

[tarasis]

Well the Remaster of the first is now out, some work should begin again on this I hope.

[stef.castelli]

Any news?

[Callsign Casiotone]

oh yeah i keep forgetting that this game exists and that i paid for it

[GAMING_Alligator]

Originally posted by Thrie:

our team is working tirelessly to create a comprehensive budget for THE TOWER.

Maybe you should have used the team's time to build the game, and let the accountant worry about the budget. Then we might have had a game to play two years after you promised us it wasn't abandoned.

[JojoTheSlayer]

They are now in the process of setting up a budget for the committee that will assess the budget for the game. Plan A for this committee is to acquire funding for Excel, because the month of 365 free trial has run out. After witch Sheet 1, or phase one, if you like, will be moving forward at full Steam (tm Valve).

[CloudKira]

Typical EA project where the dev/s misses his/their deadline by many years but keeps repeating like a broken tape that "Its not dead and it will be definitely and totally completed! No funds and no free time to work on it (plus everyone either sick or burned out) but it will absolutely succeed eventually, trust me/us!". Never mind scope creep when the dev/s decide to bite on way more than he/they can chew...

Then eventually said dev/s post news only on discord, kickstarter or some official game forums where the dev/s expect any and all customers to act as shilling echo chambers to praise them for their efforts and show infinite understanding.

Finally though the dev/s goes radio silent for good with no more reassurances, promises or anything.

No apologies or admitting failure to stop giving empty hope either.

Admitting failure is something akin to taboo in gamedev.

Standard EA procedure on Steam.