henke on 18/11/2018 at 17:37
Not sure when it unlocked, but it turns out I now have access to the Alpha version, just gave it a whirl.
And man, is it a big, awesome, confusing mess or what?
Inline Image:
https://steamuserimages-a.akamaihd.net/ugc/952970256809567097/A58E71CF345BCFCF35D1FC49B6A9DEDB2E6737A0/There is A LOT of stuff to take in right from the start. The opening sequence is an awesome high-altitude drop onto a skyscraper, on the way down you get zapped by lightning and most of your suit-functions and weapons get shut down. There's a bunch of voices from command chattering in your ears about Kings and Bishops and targets and whatnot. I get the option to ask questions but the big picture is still muddy. Once I've touched down on the roof I sneak up behind the nearest guard, and a couple prompts pop up: "Talk" and "Taser". I choose to talk, I ask the man why he isn't shooting at me and he says he doesn't feel like it and turns back around again. I select "Taser", after which he turns around and starts shooting at me. I keep holding down "Taser" but nothing happens. Eventually I die.
Inline Image:
https://steamuserimages-a.akamaihd.net/ugc/952970256809566866/880771A57FBA183B6981AD62FC84782EE219BCC6/After I restart the game I stick to skulking around and scoping the place out. From time to time the guards see me and every time they do the guards' collective "Squad Agitation" meter goes up, eventually it goes all the way to level 8, which is when they start shouting at me, I fear that soon they will start shooting. Eventually I figure out that I'm supposed to be absorbing energy from things on the ground(toolboxes, light fixtures, lost mittens) which I can use to repair my equipment, but by this point I've squandered pretty much all the energy I've absorbed already, and I choose to start the game over for a third time.
Inline Image:
https://steamuserimages-a.akamaihd.net/ugc/952970256809567354/3CDA4812BEC7DE954AD71273C5489AA7BC2128E5/Now I feel like I know what I'm doing. After 105 minutes with the game I've repaired all my equipment, I've got a good lay of the land, and I know what my next objective is. TIME TO CONSORT!
Additional notes:
-initially I could only get audio through my Oculus Rift, had to unplug it to get sound through the headphones. Looking at the Steam forums I see I am not alone with this issue.
-the UI and 2D elements look like ass, but the 3D stuff looks nice.
-doesn't seem like I have a melee or non-lethal attack method. :/
-you can charge up your jump and glide with your arm-jets right from the start, but the snow storm going on makes precise movement with the jets a lot more difficult than you'd expect.
-you can only save in certain save-spots.
henke on 20/11/2018 at 06:21
So I talked to the boss of the rooftop guards and worked out a deal, I'm gonna get them some guns from downstairs and in return they'll let me roam freely without being shot (or shouted) at. I'm bullshitting him, I'm not gonna get him those guns, those guys are terrorists! The conversation system in this is interesting, it doesn't pause the game or go into "conversation mode" like any other game, instead you can freely move around and do anything you usually can do, but dialogue options appear at the top of the screen and you select them with F1-F6.
Anyway, I get the elevator code and head down. The rooftop section of the game was fun to explore, but once you get downstairs the game essentially turns into the most dull corridor shooter. Turrets keep popping out of the ground and I keep shooting them. Eventually I reach a non-functioning elevator and have no option but to turn back and head up to the roof, where I find another door leading into the tower.
Inline Image:
https://steamuserimages-a.akamaihd.net/ugc/952970256814026593/FE82CA29B7AFFA274BBFCEEA4D6F677DF5CB9CCD/Some of the interior looks pretty cool. There's more guards in this part of the tower and I'm supposed to find their leader, but after running around for ages I can't find him. Doesn't help that every character has the same model.
Inline Image:
https://steamuserimages-a.akamaihd.net/ugc/952970256814026804/5B51B4394DAC5D5075210120421831E581A1A7ED/After poking around in vents I find this shaft. I jump down, and when I start seeing the bottom I activate my dampening jets. At the bottom is a small vent which leads me to the end of the current Early Access version. The end.
I wouldn't recommend anyone buy this in its current state. It
is interesting, I will say that, but the amount of fun you can have with it is limited. I'll be keeping a keen eye on its development though.
Pyrian on 20/11/2018 at 06:31
Quote Posted by henke
The conversation system in this is interesting, it doesn't pause the game or go into "conversation mode" like any other game, instead you can freely move around and do anything you usually can do, but dialogue options appear at the top of the screen and you select them with F1-F6.
Oh cool, I've always wanted a system like that, although I understand why devs shy away from it.
henke on 21/2/2019 at 07:51
Playing Underworld Ascendant in the weekend put me in the mood for more overly-ambitious half-baked indie immsims so I decided to reinstall Consortium The Tower to check out the latest update.
But then I discovered that this issue has not been resolved yet:
Quote Posted by henke
initially I could only get audio through my Oculus Rift, had to unplug it to get sound through the headphones. Looking at the Steam forums I see I am not alone with this issue.
Faced with the prospect of having to dig around behind my computer for the Rift cables I decided to just uninstall the game instead.
Anyway, The Tower just had (
https://steamcommunity.com/games/ConsortiumTheTower/announcements/detail/3474994304910595039) a big update and also the first Consortium game (
https://steamcommunity.com/games/ConsortiumTheTower/announcements/detail/1747862827463415359) just got an update as well.
This concludes the quarterly Consortium news update. thenk u
