For Chinese translation:

• Casefile wrong font fixed
  
• CGs in Chapter 9 and Chapter 15 updated with Chinese translations
  

Fixed spacing issue in text history screen

Fixed File 02 remaining locked
Score will now properly reset when replaying File 03

Fixed blurring in Viu's method in File 03
Fixed back button in dummy interrogations in File 03

Fixed glitch with auto-fill answer in Chapter 12
Chapter 12 achievement should be unlockable now
Bio titles in Chinese fixed

Note: This update may break old saves as it contains improvements to previous Files!

In this update...

File 03



In the most intriguing mystery yet, Team Tads heads to Iqaluit to investigate a brutal murder in a museum, created by Team Nailbiter. It's the first match-up between Larika and Joane... who will win!?

Please note that the price of the game will increase after this week.

Support System



There is a new gameplay mechanic, "Support", which is very similar to "Theory", however this time you are supporting your teammate's argument with evidence instead of disproving it! There were previously Theory puzzles in File 02 which were solved by supporting statements instead of disproving them, which was inconsistent and therefore confusing those have now been replaced with Support puzzles.

Updated Casefile



The old casefile tried to cram everything in one screen, and large sections of it were just empty space for most of the mystery. The new casefile is sleeker and tidier, with separate tabs for the case summary, bios of suspects and victims, evidence, and autopsy information.

You can now click the arrows in the corner of the photo of the crime scene to cycle between various images of the mystery as you discover them.

There's also now a little bio about each suspect and victim to refresh your memory about them, and you can click the dummy icon on their profile picture to see what they look like as dummies, making it easier to identify them.

Quick-Switching for Morale



If you're one of the players who likes to unlock the outfits, maybe you've gotten annoyed that in order to unlock those outfits, you may have ended up with certain characters hating you or liking you, and had to replay the Hangout a third time to get them back to where you wanted.

Now once you've unlocked a character's two routes in a Hangout, you can click the "Smile" or "Frown" icons to quickly switch the character to liking you or hating you!

You can also now click the shirt icon to open the Outfits menu and try on their unlocked outfit!

Smaller Improvements!

• CG Gallery added
  
• Interrogation/Theorize layout and text size updated to reduce the need for scrolling on evidence descriptions
  
• Tads' hair is no longer cut off at the top when he is transitioning between standing/sitting poses
  
• Scoring System readjusted
  

The beta is wrapping up, and we now have a definite release date!



Wow, it feels great to fill in the graph! Here's what I worked on since the last devlog.

Released the File 03 Beta for Patreon and Afdian members!

• Added support puzzles to File 02
  
• Adjusted the scoring system
  
• Viu now gives you a map in File 03
  
• Published File 03's soundtrack
  

File 03 is aaaalmost finished!



Here's what I've done since the last devlog!

• Finished all CGs
  
• Finished all titlecards
  
• Completed half the music tracks needed
  
• Finished and implemented all backgrounds
  
• Added a new menu
  

Spring is in the air, detectives! And you know what that means - it's time for the Steam Spring Sale!

Get ready to dive into incredible discounts on the Methods series! Embark on thrilling adventures with:

Methods: The Canada Files - Now at an unprecedented 30% off!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2063530/_/

Methods: The Detective Competition - Enjoy a whopping 60% discount!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1271300/_/

But that's not all! We're not stopping there. Dive into the immersive worlds of game soundtracks and other titles under the LockedOn label, all at jaw-dropping discounts!

It's the season of rejuvenation, so why not rejuvenate your gaming library too? Don't miss out on these amazing deals and immerse yourself in gaming bliss during the Steam Spring Sale!



Happy gaming!

LockedOn & Erabit

File 03 is feature-complete!



Here's what I've done since the last devlog!

• 
  
• Finished and implemented all backgrounds for Chapters 11-14
  
• Implemented all theories and interrogations
  
• Methods minigames implemented
  
• Created a music track
  

The biggest background in File 03 has been finished... and now it's all coming together very quickly!



Here's what I've done since the last devlog, where I finished all the sprites for File 03!

• 
  
• Finished the largest background
  
• Coded the expressions for all 5 chapters
  
• Rendered backgrounds for Chapter 12
  
• Implemented backgrounds for Chapter 12
  

All the sprites for File 03 have been completed!



Here's what I've done since the last devlog, where I finished writing File 03!

• Worked on the largest background
  
• Finished the character sprites for File 03
  
• Worked on 4th Anniversary content
  

Happy Chinese New Year from Methods!

The second mobile game in Methods: The Detective Competition is coming soon!

Pre-order it here:

App Store:
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/methods2-secrets-and-death/id6475326812


Google Play:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.erabit.methods.tdc2.paid.gp


TapTap:
https://taptap.io/app/33659711

LockedOn & Erabit

Greetings!

As we usher in the Year of the Dragon on the lunar calendar, we want to extend our warmest wishes to all of you

In celebration of the Lunar New Year, we are excited to announce that the Methods series is keeping the festive spirit alive with unprecedented discounts! Get ready for epic adventures and thrilling experiences as we offer historic discount on our beloved titles~

Methods Series Lunar New Year Sale Highlights:

MethodsDetective Competition: 60% Discount

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1271300/_/

Methods: The Canada Files30% Discount

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2063530/_/

Wishing you a Happy Lunar New Year filled with great achievements, epic victories, and, of course, plenty of gaming fun!

Till Next Time,
LockedOn & Erabit

File 03 has been written!



The last time I checked in with a devlog, I had just finished writing Chapter 14. Here's what I've done since then.

• Finished Chapter 14
  
• Finished Chapter 15
  

Fixed issue with Hangouts menu

Fixed missing Chinese text during Chapter 8

File 03 is still being written!



The last time I checked in with a devlog, I was 40% done with writing Chapter 12. Here's what I've done since then.

• Finished Chapter 12
  
• Finished Chapter 13
  

The last time I checked in with a devlog, I'd begun writing Chapter 12. Here's what I've done since then.

• Finished 2 sprites
  
• Created a rough version of one background
  
• Writing on Chapter 12 is 40% complete
  
• Created a mock-up for an improved version of the UI
  

Hello!

The Bundle ofMethods: The Canada FilesX ISOLAND4 has been released, now with a 10% discount!!!



ISOLAND4 is the fifth installment in the ISOLAND series by CottonGame. The game continues to feature the distinctive hand-drawn style of CottonGame, with point-and-click gameplay. The game also features a second playthrough mode, which allows players to gain a deeper understanding of the game.

If you already own Methods: The Canada Files , you can get ISOLAND4 with another 10% off!

https://store.steampowered.com/bundle/37712/Methods_The_Canada_Files_X_ISOLAND4/

Till Next Time,
LockedOn & Erabit

Wonderful Christmas Eve,
Lets exchange gifts together!!

Hello!

As the frosty winds of winter usher in the season of joy and giving, we are thrilled to announce that the highly acclaimed Methods Series is set to grace your gaming library with unprecedented discounts during the upcoming Winter Sale!



MTDC - 60% Off:
Immerse yourself in suspense and strategy at a historic 60% off.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1271300/_/

MTCF - 30% Off:
Unravel the mysteries of the future with a 30% discount on this puzzle-solving adventure.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2063530/_/

Soundtrack Special:
Enhance your gaming experience with discounted soundtracks that sync perfectly with the Methods Series.

Happy holidays and see you next time!

LockedOn & Erabit

Join our Discordhttps://discord.gg/C5FUhDMZ

File 03's mystery has now been outlined!



It's definitely been a while since last time. A lot of the time, I don't want to put out a devlog until I actually make significant progress or reach a milestone, and now I can finally say that I've finished my basic outline for File 03's mystery, which will aid me a lot in writing the next three chapters.

This next file's mystery has a different tone from the previous two. I'm also going to try not to "clump" puzzles too much, because I think File 02 had too many too close together and it got a bit tiresome. This was not feedback I specifically received, just something I noticed while watching people play the game.

I tried to create a mystery that both Joane and Catscratcher would cook up together. In many ways this mystery is a prelude to File 06... I hope you're looking forward to seeing what Team Nailbiter has in store for Team Tads.

Now writing begins on Chapter 12.

Until next time!

LockedOn.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2063530/Methods_The_Canada_Files/

View the backlog of devlogs here on my website!

Support the game's development on Patreon!

Hello!

We would love it if you could nominate Methods: The Canada Files for the "Outstanding Story-Rich Game" award.

Please vote


LockedOn & Erabit

Hello,

Steam autumn sale has begun!! And we have decided to maintain the current 30% historical discount, hoping that more players will participate in this competition!!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2063530/_/

Till Next Time!

LockedOn & Erabit

Writing continues on File 03...



Chapter 11 has now been written! I did get a bit stuck writing this chapter, certain scenes weren't quite working. One of my theories about writing is that it's good to focus on contrast rather than conflict. Only focusing on conflict can make characters come off as always argumentative, unlikable, and aggressive. Contrast can bring out conflict, but sometimes all you need in a scene is, for example, two characters who approach things in different ways solving a problem together.

Once I went through with some revisions, I think I was able to clarify the contrasts and the scenes started to work better, and before I knew it, the chapter was written! Going to start plotting out the mystery this week so that I have more of an outline to work with than usual.

Until next time!

LockedOn

Hello!

I'm happy to announce that Methods: The Canada Files is joining TurnBasedCarnival by @acramdigital



During the event, there will be a 30% historical discount!!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2063530/_/

I think this is the lowest price it will be for a long time to come, the best time to own it

Till Next Time!

LockedOn & Erabit

Corrected evidence count for Fake Mike Theory

File 02: Montral and Hangout Two are now complete, so with this devlog it is time to announce the next file, and location of the third mystery in The Canada Files. Without further stalling, I'm excited to officially reveal...



File 03: Iqaluit!! I was always interested in including Northern Canada in the game and decided on Iqaluit I have already enjoyed learning more about it with the small amount of research I've done so far. File 03 raises the stakes and introduces new conflicts. My aim is to continue to improve the quality and impact of the story, mysteries and gameplay. I think it has the potential to be the best FIle yet!



I have begun production and I'm about halfway done writing Chapter 11. This time, I'm going to be blocking out rough versions of the backgrounds (like the "graybox level" from File 02) after each chapter is written. I think that will give me more of a jump on starting those, which tend to be a big hurdle to get through. The current numbers for how much I need to complete are just estimations and will have to be adjusted as production continues, just like before.

I hope you are interested to see what happens !

Until next time!

LockedOn.

Just for Halloween, here's some special illustrations of The Illusion Murders characters!!









Thanks for playing and we hope you're looking forward to the upcoming standalone release of The Illusion Murders on Steam! Wishlist here!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2636320/Methods_The_Illusion_Murders/


LockedOn & Erabit

Glitch with music screen fixed

The wait is over! Hangout Two has now been added to the game in both English and Chinese! This new Hangout is longer, coming in at about 9k words.

Though the Hangouts are optional, they have lots of hints about what's to come, so I encourage you to check them out.

I hope you will enjoy spending time with Team Tads and learning even more about them!

With Hangout Two comes a new Outfit set, themed appropriately for the upcoming holiday... Halloween outfits! You can now play the game with Robot Larika, Spider Struess, Plague Doctor Anadyne, Mummy Viu and Wizard Tads!



And in other news

Methods: The Detective Competition is expected to be available for Pre-registration on October!



To celebrate these two huge developments,

from October 23rd to the 30th, Most LockedOn games are discounted at a historic price

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1271300/_/?curator_clanid=42254172

so if you've been waiting to get the games, now's a great time!!

Have fun with the new Hangout and outfits, and thanks for playing! Coming up next: File 03.

https://store.steampowered.com/bundle/35775/Methods_The_Canada_Files_X_Kamifuda/

Until next time!

LockedOn & Erabit

It's been a while since the last devlog! But here is another one! Hooray!



With the announcement that The Illusion Murders is coming to Steam as a standalone game, you can see that I've been kept very busy since the release of File 02! But I'm happy to say I just finished writing Hangout Two. It's longer than Hangout One's 5k words, at around 9k words. There are a lot of secrets to discover, for those who are thorough enough to check every conversation path. ;)

It's close to being done, so I hope you'll look forward to it!

Until next time!

LockedOn.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2063530/Methods_The_Canada_Files/

View the backlog of devlogs here on my website!

Support the game's development on Patreon!

Hello everyone!
The Bundle ofMethods: The Canada FilesX Kamifuda has been released, now with a 20% discount!!!



Kamifuda is a visual novel and deck builder gameTake the role of Tarot as you explore an enigmatic campus hidden in a dimension of eternal gloam. Granted a stay of execution, you have been consigned to the strange institution of Gloamrot University: a school for the eldritch arts. New to the world of Pact-swornindividuals who have been touched by an eldritch entity from the realm beyondyou have been given only a single semester to pass the Trials at Gloamrot and prove that you can control the evil within.

If you already own Methods: The Canada Files , you can get Kamifuda with another 20% off!

Check it out here:
https://store.steampowered.com/bundle/35775/Methods_The_Canada_Files_X_Kamifuda/

Have a good day, everyone!


Best,
LockedOn

Hi everyone!

After some consideration, we decided to launch Methods: The Illusion Murders as a free game on Steam!



The Illusion Murders is a linear mystery visual novel with some light gameplay elements. Famous detective Red July tracks down a serial killer who patterns his crimes after illusions, in one of her most notorious early cases.

As you may know, MTIM is a short five-chapter story featuring Red July which is included as free extra content in Methods: The Detective Competition. Since it's a self-contained story, we thought it'd be a wonderful way to introduce new players who havent purchased MTDC to the world of Methods.

This standalone version of the story features new reworked menus, and an exclusive music track "Illusions".

We hope you'll enjoy it!!

LockedOn Games & Erabit Studios

Corrected Chinese translation for "moose"

Fixed translation typos, evidence count number for "Nobody Noticed" theory

Saul Odev's scribbles on desk now translated into Chinese

Hello,everyone!
You can now get 10% off in Methods: The Canada FilesX 20 Minutes Till Dawn Bundle

20 Minutes Till Dawn is a survival roguelite where endless hordes of creatures lurk from the dark. Craft an array of overpowering builds and eradicate waves of Lovecraftian nightmares. Will you be able to survive the night?

Btw, 20 Minutes Till Dawn is on Steam daily sale today,If you already own Methods: The Canada Files , you can get 20 Minutes Till Dawn with another 20% off!
Check it out here:
https://store.steampowered.com/bundle/35397/Erabit_Bundle/

Have a good day, everyone!

Best,
LockedOn

Fixed bug on hint in Chapter 7 which would skip the final "Meeting" theorize puzzle

Updated Chinese translation of "hacker"
Struess no longer says that Ki is the only one who doesn't believe the suicide theory

Some translations updated and incorrect hint count for theory corrected

File 02 has been released into Early Access, and the price will increase on Oct 6th, so you will be able to get File 02 at the current price for this week!



It took a long time, but File 02 has been written, modeled, composed, designed, implemented, tested, and translated and now is finally in Early Access!

Please note that this update may break your saves, because I've added new systems to File 01.

Speaking of that, this update to the game comes with a few new features and improvements, not just in File 02, but File 01 as well!

Outfits



As a reward for completing Hangouts, you now unlock outfits for Team Tads. Hangout One's outfit set, "Casual", is now included! More outfit sets will be released with later Hangouts.

Hangouts



The Hangouts now get a special menu where you can see which routes you've unlocked, and navigate to the different Hangouts in the future.

Scoring System



Both File 01 and File 02 have a new scoring system with rank "S" as the highest and "F" as the lowest. See how you score!

Hearts System



I've implemented a hearts system to the Interrogation and Theorize puzzles. Every incorrect answer loses a heart. If you run out of hearts, you get the chance to "Auto-fill" the correct answer.

Viu Minigame Updates



I've implemented feedback from players about Viu's minigame. Now areas "focus" to highlight where you can find eyes. It makes the minigame a lot easier, especially for people who for some reason play the game with a trackpad instead of a mouse (kudos to you for dealing with that), and hopefully encourages more careful searching as opposed to randomly roaming your mouse around.

Music Room



The music room is here! Listen to the soundtrack in-game, now with functionality to scrub through the track or pause it.*

Achievements
Achievements have now been added to the game!

Smaller Improvements!

• The evidence the dummy is being asked about now appears on screen
  
• "Correct!" sound effect for when you submit the right evidence in Interrogations, select the right toxins in Anadyne's minigame, and as positive feedback for positive answers in Hangouts.
  
• Dummy icon now marks dummy interrogations
  
• Dummies will now be "locked" until you have found the evidence you need for their interrogation, so that you waste less time backtracking
  
• Added casefile summaries
  
• The amount of evidence you need to select for an Interrogation/Theorize puzzle is now simply a UI element, instead of the characters awkwardly discussing it in the hint.
  
• In Chapter 4, Larika will now only say she "almost submitted the wrong answer" if the player did in fact choose to submit the incorrect answer.
  
• Fixed Anadyne's bio.
  

Hello!! I have some very exciting news!
I'm teaming up with Erabit Studios, the publisher of 20 Minutes Till Dawn, Brotato, Star Survivor, and many other indie games! They are coming on board as the publisher of the Methods franchise!

Erabit will be helping bring the games to a bigger audience, so be prepared for the fanbase to expand soon! ;)

I chose to work with them because of their passion and enthusiasm for helping indie devs like myself. Rest assured that Methods is in safe hands! I still have creative control of the series and I'll be involved with everything to be sure it's in the spirit of Methods. And I'll keep developing Canada Files as well as Motives. With their help, I'll be able to go full-time, which will speed up development.

As you may know, I have a very open policy on fan works to encourage fans to make their own Methods-inspired creations. Erabit is all about supporting fans too, so don't worry that policy has not changed!

We have many cool things in the works, so I hope you will look forward to more news soon.

Many thanks to Sound of Mystery for getting the ball rolling.

Here's to the exciting next chapter of Methods!

Until next time!


LockedOn.

Hello everyone! After lots of hard work by the translators, File 02 is finally fully translated! I'm happy to announce that File 02 will be releasing within 10 days! Dive into a brand new mystery, as well as many improvements to the game!

Please note that the price will be increasing after File 02's release but to thank all the players who have Wishlisted and supported the game, you will be able to get File 02 at the current price before Oct 6th!

I know it's been a long time coming, so thank you for your patience! I think this file is even better than File 01, and I'm glad you get to finally play it!

Until next time,

LockedOn

The Canada Files translation continues!



Guess it was too soon to say goodbye to the graph... whoops! Anyway. To simplify the graph a bit, from now on I'm counting "Designs" and "Sprites" as just... "Sprites". Since designing the sprites is essentially working on sprites. Not sure why I counted them separately.

The translators have been working hard on File 02 and estimate having a playable build of the Chinese version by the end of the week. Of course I'll still need to create custom renders and graphics, but it will likely be released into Early Access before the end of the month.

But I'm not sitting on my hands I've been busy working on Hangout Two so that it can be released soon after File 02. It will come with its own Outfit set that I'm very excited about. And I will be going right into writing File 03 after that!

File 03 is what I would call a "key turning point" of the story. In order to break a pattern, you need to establish one.

That's all I'll say about it for now.

Until next time!

LockedOn.

With the beta now available for a week, now the progress graph looks like this!



I won't be needing this progress graph anymore soon... :') Say goodbye to the File 02 progress graph everybody. :')

With the feedback from the beta implemented, we have begun the translation process and will be launching File 02 when translation is completed. While I'm waiting for the translation to finish, I've begun writing Hangout Two.

I've been trying to think of ways to make the other four files' development go a bit faster. My new plan is to do the hardest tasks simultaneously So I will be writing and creating the backgrounds for Files 03 & 04, and Files 05 & 06 at the same time. This means when I release File 03, File 04 will already have been written and the backgrounds will be ready to go. And then the same for Files 05 & 06. I'm not sure how this will turn out, but one advantage is that I do think coming up with the mysteries for the next four files will be easier than it was for File 02. I will explain more about the challenges I faced with File 02 in future behind-the-scenes content!

Until next time!

LockedOn

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2063530/Methods_The_Canada_Files/

View the backlog of devlogs here on my website!

Support the game's development on Patreon!

File 02: Montral's beta launches next Tuesday.



You may be a little surprised because in my last devlog I said that I'd just completed Chapter 7 after many months of production. Now only eleven days later, the final three chapters are completely finished and beta is set for next Tuesday. So what happened??

Basically, a bit after I began working on File 01, I got a part time job. This is a necessity at the moment I do not make enough from just game dev to completely cover my monthly expenses. Though it's only part time, I find that it kind of exhausts me, and my productivity levels have definitely been affected. But I've gotten a break for the past two weeks, so I thought I'd make every second count, and spent every waking moment working on File 02 trying to finish it before my break ended and I managed to do it!


What really kicked it off was trying to create simple, rough versions of all seven remaining backgrounds in just one day. Turns out all I needed was to get the ball rolling, and I basically finished them in only three days. It took a day to complete the remaining sprites. Another to complete the music. The next six days were just implementing code and the minigames.

Even though I worked harder than I've ever worked, staying up way past midnight every day working on it, I was having fun. Something I would like to say about crunch before the File is released is that when you are "crunching" on a personal project, with your characters, your story, about what you are passionate about, and nobody forcing you to do it I find that a euphoric and exhilarating experience. Every day I felt productive and full of energy, as I could see how fast I was making progress compared to these past few months. "Crunching" on a project for some company that's forcing you to do it is a completely different experience a horrible one that I wouldn't wish on anybody.

Hopefully File 02 will be ready to launch in early access next month. But if you are impatient, the public beta launches on the 22nd for Patreon and Afdian members. If you are planning to get the game, now is a good time because the price will increase with File 02's release.

With that, I leave you with this sneak peek of File 02. ;)



Until next time!

LockedOn.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2063530/Methods_The_Canada_Files/

View the backlog of devlogs here on my website!

Support the game's development on Patreon!

Latest Montral progress...!



I'm pleased to say Chapter 7 is now complete. It was definitely more complicated than I thought. Now that I've completed the music tracks for the chapter, I think it really came together well. Now I can focus on the three remaining chapters which are less complicated, but still require a lot of backgrounds. I'll be devoting my time this week to completing those backgrounds.

The Outfits feature has now been completed File 02 will be launching with one alternative outfit set for Hangout 01 (the Casual set), and an additional outfit set will be released with File 02's Hangout.

I also spent a few days finally adding achievements to my other games on Steam I was prevented from doing so for a while due to some glitch with Ren'Py which has now been resolved. Achievements will also be coming to Canada Files with File 02's release!

Until next time!

LockedOn.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2063530/Methods_The_Canada_Files/

View the backlog of devlogs here on my website!

Support the game's development on Patreon!

The latest French Canadian devlog...!



I spent the past week coding Chapter 7, drawing the evidence icons, and getting everything implemented. I also made some revisions to the backgrounds. Basically all the code is in place interrogations, inspecting evidence, that's all done I'm just missing the chapter's minigames. Once again, the minigames trip me up! But in my estimation, the chapter is 90% complete.

Until next time!

LockedOn.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2063530/Methods_The_Canada_Files/

View the backlog of devlogs here on my website!

Support the game's development on Patreon!

The latest French Canadian devlog...!



Some items on my progress list take longer than others, which was the case for this background. It took the whole week to complete it but now all of Chapter 7's backgrounds are complete.

The rest of the backgrounds I need are not nearly as large, but there are still nine left. As I said before, I'll be implementing everything as I go, so my aim for this week is to complete Chapter 7. Even though Chapter 7 is pretty long, I can reuse a lot of the code I've already written for File 01's mystery investigation.

I'll begin working on Chapter 8's backgrounds this week as well!

Until next time!

LockedOn.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2063530/Methods_The_Canada_Files/

View the backlog of devlogs here on my website!

Support the game's development on Patreon!

The latest French Canadian devlog...!



The past two weeks I worked on the Outfits system, which I announced earlier this week for the 12 Year Anniversary of LockedOn Games. I made a new background, and implemented all dialogue and expression changes along with it. But I was also working through my backlog of player-requested features, which will be retroactively added to File 01.

The mystery-solving sections will now have a scoring system, which will give you a final score based on the number of wrong answers across the entire mystery. "Confrontations" measure the amount of wrong answers during dummy interrogations, "Refutations" for during the Theorize sections, and "Deductions" during the final deduction section.



You'll notice the "Skipped Theories" counter as well. I've also added a hearts system for each wrong answer, you lose a "heart". When all the hearts run out, you will be given the option to skip the Theory by auto-filling the correct answer if you are really truly stuck. Of course, this will impact your final rank, but it should be a relief for players who simply want to experience the story but are bogged down with a tricky or obscure puzzle.

Though I had my doubts about it at first, after implementing the scoring and hearts systems, I think they make the gameplay more fun and alleviate some frustrations.

That's not all of the changes coming with the release of File 02, but I hope you enjoyed this first look.

Until next time!

LockedOn.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2063530/Methods_The_Canada_Files/

View the backlog of devlogs here on my website!

Support the game's development on Patreon!

Exciting French Canadian news this week!!



Chapter 6 has now been completed that means it's all coded, and fully playable! This was a chapter with a few CGs and two backgrounds to make. Now that I've begun making backgrounds, progress should go much faster. There are quite a few backgrounds, and a lot of them are pretty elaborate.

This time I'm implementing everything as I go. As soon as I get a background done, I'm adding it to the game and coding all the expressions. That should speed up the process a little.

Character designs for the File are all complete now as well! So development is going strong. I definitely do not think I'll be able to meet my target of October for full release of all the Files, but I will keep soldiering onward!

Until next time!

LockedOn.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2063530/Methods_The_Canada_Files/

View the backlog of devlogs here on my website!

Support the game's development on Patreon!

Checking in again with the French Canadians!



I spent a lot of time working on commissions the past two weeks, but I've also started creating all the new characters that will be appearing in File 02. I think I may have mentioned this, but there are six suspects this time a big step up from the two that appeared in File 01, as well as some more characters you will meet. Hopefully this will keep you guessing about who the true culprit is until it is finally revealed ;)

Designing characters is definitely one of the parts of production that I actually look forward to and enjoy. Unlike writing, I don't have to literally force myself to sit down and start working. I am still getting through the remaining commissions, but since they are stopping in July, I'm feeling a lot less burned out.

I'm hoping July will be my most productive month yet.

Until next time!

LockedOn.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2063530/Methods_The_Canada_Files/

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It's been a while, French Canadians... but I'm back!



I was on a trip for the whole month of May, working remotely to write File 02. I'm very pleased to say that all five chapters in File 02 have now been written. This one was very difficult to write, and I'm eager to finally be able to focus on what I enjoy way more: creating and implementing all the sprites, music, backgrounds, etc.

My progress has been slower, partly due to taking on art commissions this year. So I will be pausing commissions from July onward, and hopefully that will let me invest more time and energy into progress on the game. It's definitely taking longer than I estimated what else is new?

This week, I have to get through my queue of commissions, but I will also be coding expressions and implementing what I can. Work on backgrounds will start very soon.

Until next time!

LockedOn.

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View the backlog of devlogs here on my website!

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Bonjour, French Canadians!



Chapter 2 is finally complete that might have been the most difficult chapter I've had to write yet. Partly because I'm still planning out the mystery. This File is proving to be a tough one, but I'm excited about it.

This week, writing continues.

Until next time!

LockedOn.

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Another French Canadian update...



The past two weeks, I haven't made much progress on writing unfortunately. Though I started Chapter 2, I have not yet finished it. However, I did make a little progress in the music department, composing one track.

This graph has been given a much-needed addition: actual estimations for how many things I need to complete. You can now clearly see how much my progress actually relates to the things I need to do. For example, I need to finish writing five chapters, and I've written one so that's 20% complete. These are early estimations and I may end up needing less backgrounds, or more music, depending on what I write. But hopefully this makes it clearer what I actually need to do.

Until next time!

LockedOn.

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Hello French Canadians!



I spent the past two weeks thinking about the mystery, and outlining, and now I've finished writing the first chapter of File 02. There are lots of cool things about it, which I am excited to finally bring to life.

Looking at how long it took to write File One 23 days I expect to finish writing File 02 sometime next month. Once writing is complete, I will actually begin implementing it right away, even without backgrounds, since I have the main cast's sprites done. I'm hoping that helps get me motivated, and will reduce some of the stress at the tail end of File 02's production.

I didn't expect Hangout One to take a whole month to make I will have to factor that into my future estimations for the timeline. But needless to say, it's very possible I won't get to Broken Spirits this year, which is a bit of a shame, but considering how long that game will take to complete, it's okay. In any case, I'm sticking to my "one game at a time" commitment, despite being very tempted to do a NaNoRenO project this year. Oh well, maybe next year. ;)

Until next time!

LockedOn.

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View the backlog of devlogs here on my website!

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Hangouts morale fix:
Recasting your vote in Chapter 4 will now reset the Hangouts properly, readjusting the initial morale values.

Note:
The way the Hangouts work, the person you vote for will have lower morale.
Voting for yourself (Downs) means that everyone will have lower morale.
There is no way to fully fill up the meter for every character. This is by design.

Time to reset the progress graph.



With the Hangouts finally released, this week I am starting production on File 02. As you can tell from File 01, there was a ton of new UI that I had to design and implement. With File 02, I don't need to design new UI, which will be a huge help in speeding up development time.

What you may not know about Methods is that I really completed all the extras fairly late into production, and I'm taking the same approach this time. With each File's release, I will gradually add more extras to the game, and my main focus is getting the actual chapter content done.

As I previously teased, File 02 takes place in Montreal! This file is a bit more lighthearted and should be fun to work on. I have mapped out an outline for the mystery already it was actually the first mystery I worked on since I thought it would be the hardest to come up with.

My task now is to begin writing!

Until next time!

LockedOn.

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View the backlog of devlogs here on my website!

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Viu's Hangout had a bug, which should now be fixed

Conver's age was incorrect, the info has been updated

Bios screen was not loading

For the past month I have been working on an exciting new feature. As of today, you can now play it in English and Chinese!



This feature is called "Hangouts", a way to chat with your teammates and find out more about them. Make the right choices and you'll boost their morale improving the mood of Team Tads! Make the wrong choices, and you'll damage their morale.

Hangouts are available in the Extras menu, which will unlock after you complete Chapter 5.

The Hangouts are affected by who you voted for in Chapter 4. However, because the game is in early access and new builds may interfere with old ones, you might need to cast the vote again to see how it affects the Hangouts.

Have fun discovering this new feature!



There are also many other small improvements and features. In addition to the Hangouts, we've added the Bios menu to the game too, which is a big upgrade from the bios in the first game. You can now see character's age, height, and more information.

You can also find it in the extras menu.

The other extras will be added to the game in the coming months.

Enjoy!

LockedOn.

Hello everyone! For the past two weeks the Translation Masters and I have been hard at work on the Chinese translation for File 01.

As of right now, you can finally play the first file in Chinese! A huge thank you to them for making this possible in such a short amount of time!!



In addition to the Chinese translation, I took this opportunity to implement a few other things. I'm still working my way through all the different feedback I've received, but there are a few quality of life improvements in this update as well!

• Struess mini-game hint! Now hopefully not as many people will be stuck on it for hours!
  
• When submitting evidence, the characters say "need more evidence" or "need less evidence" once you reach the last hint, if you submit too much/too little evidence, to help nudge you in the right direction!
  
• Evidence should now deselect after submitting!
  
• There was a problem with the solution to the mystery, as Anadyne's suggestion would not actually matter in terms of the time of death. Anadyne's explanation has been changed to the next best thing, to resolve this logical hole
  
• Many other little tweaks and typo fixes as well!
  

Working on some very Canadian extra content...



First of all, thanks for supporting the Early Access everyone!

I'm so glad that everyone has been liking the game so far, and I've also been collecting your feedback about it! Definitely hearing that a lot of people are finding the hacking minigame puzzle a bit too obscure haha. I'll be adding a hint system to that minigame so that hopefully not as many people get stuck there.

The translators are working very hard to get the Chinese version out! Meanwhile, I finally finished writing the Hangouts a new feature that is replacing the Interviews. It was way harder than I thought it would be, but I think it's worth it. I also worked on the bios, which now include more information, with these basic facts about the characters that people ask me a lot about Methods characters.



Canada Files is requiring a lot more detail and polish than Methods. I'd hoped to be done with all the extras by now, but I think it's going to take another week. I'm also not sure when the translation will be done, but I'll keep you posted on that as well. My current plan is to hold off on releasing another build for the time being and just getting these extras and translation done first.

I'm also going to return to doing artwork commissions this week, which will slow progress down a bit. Thanks for your patience!

Until next time!

LockedOn.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2063530/Methods_The_Canada_Files/

View the backlog of devlogs here on my website!

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This is a small update that adds a few suggested improvements.

New hotkeys!

• Press H for text history screen
  
• Press Q for quick save
  
• Press L for the load screen
  
• Press S for the save screen
  
• Press O/P for the options screen
  
• Press C to open the casefile
  
• Viu's method now works with WASD and arrow keys on keyboard!
  

• Added new text to Struess and Viu methods to hopefully explain what to do better
  
• Added fullscreen/windowed toggle to the options menu (was previously only available by pressing 'f')
  
• Increased the size of the hitbox on Perspective eye icons and Pinpoint paths to assist people playing on smaller screens
  
• Quality of images increased from 80% to 95%. Now there should be less noticeable artifacts, yet the game is still much smaller (300mbs) than its uncompressed size (700mbs)
  
• Removed 'CHANGE EVERYDAY' from the note you find in the computer as it may have made the note seem more important than it is
  

Methods: The Canada Files Early Access has been released! Join detectives Downs, Viu, Struess, Anadyne, and Tads for the first round of Stage Four in the mysterious Canadian detective competition!



This game is a work in progress.

The Early Access release contains File 01. A Chinese translation and extra features are currently in progress. I hope to release them soon.

Let me know your thoughts so that I can continue to improve the game in future Files! Each File will add an additional $4 to the game, with a final price of $25 for the whole game. I arrived at this decision after seeing how long it took on average to complete the first File, and factoring in development time and cost. If the game ends up not taking as long to play as I thought, or I am unable to deliver on the amount of content I'm planning, then I will reevaluate this pricing plan.

Speaking of future Files, I think it is safe to announce that the next File's mystery will take place in... Montreal! ;)

Enjoy, and I'll see you in the next devlog!

LockedOn.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2063530/Methods_The_Canada_Files/

View the backlog of devlogs here on my website!

Support the game's development on Patreon!

A Canadian trailer has arrived!

[previewyoutube=7rPey4Wkhpc;full][/previewyoutube]



I spent the past week putting this trailer together, as well as collecting feedback about the beta version from various people who have played it and making adjustments. I think I can now safely say that any major issues with File 01 have been solved, and the "beta test" phase is complete enough for me to move on to getting the demo together.

My new plan is to release the demo by the end of the month so that more people can experience the story. The demo contains the entirety of File 01, but unlike the Methods demo, will not contain any extras. Once the first two files have been translated, I'll launch it in early access at $5. Then, as I've said before, for each subsequent file I'll increase the price by $2.50 until all six files have been released.

These new files are not additional DLC by the way. Anybody who purchases The Canada Files for $5 when it's first released will be able to play all six files without having to pay any additional cost, same goes for anybody who purchased it at $7.50, or $10, etc. This is very similar to my original rollout for Methods.

If you didn't have access to the beta, well, it won't be that long to wait until you can play it! ;)

Until next time!

LockedOn.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2063530/Methods_The_Canada_Files/

View the backlog of devlogs here on my website!

Support the game's development on Patreon!

Finally, Canada is here... in beta!



This past week I worked harder than I've worked in a very long time to finish File 01, and I'm very pleased to announce that The Canada Files beta has now been launched for Patrons, Afdian Sponsors, and LockedOn Discord members.

There's still a lot of work to do before I can release the early access version. I need to make a trailer, extras, the elaborate Hangouts feature, and of course, the chapters need to be translated into Chinese first. I don't know when all of that will be ready, but my plan is to keep developing the game as it is being translated, so the next file will be able to come out sooner.

In the meantime, enjoy the beta and getting a first look at the game!

Until next time!

LockedOn.

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View the backlog of devlogs here on my website!

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My break is over, and I've returned to Canada...



This past week I completed a lot of music tracks, and the music for File One is now 77% complete. I have also finished the most difficult part of Chapter 2 the large number of unique methods minigames.

Chapter 2 has been the main reason File One has taken over fifteen weeks of work. It has the most difficult background to create, the most new UI elements I've ever had to create for one single chapter, as well as the most complex coding.



A screenshot from Chapter 2

I was really stuck on these methods minigames Struess's in particular. How do you make hacking into a simple minigame? There are a lot of different answers, and I looked at my favorite hacking minigames from other games such as Deus Ex Machina: Human Revolution. However, Methods minigames are not as involved as that, and the idea of coding something similar was so daunting that I just felt it was best to keep things as simple as possible.

The methods minigames in File One are about as simple as the ones in Methods as I make more files there's an opportunity to make them gradually get more complex.

But with that out of the way, I'm very hopeful about meeting my two week deadline for the beta. File One has been a much greater struggle than I ever anticipated, so I'll be very glad to finish it.

Until next time!

LockedOn.

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View the backlog of devlogs here on my website!

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The latest news from Canada!



So with my hourly goal method, I was able to get a lot done this week. Chapter 2's expressions are now all fully coded. I now have just the three methods minigames remaining before Chapter 2 is complete. I realized I needed more music, so that completed percentage bar has dropped down to 60%.

My holiday break starts next week and continues into mid-December. Though I might be able to get some writing done, I don't know if I will put out another devlog after then.

Currently I'm really hoping that I can begin beta testing File 1 around New Years. I've noticed that I always get more motivated around the end of the year, and I'm sure this time will be no exception.

My Patreon will remain active during my break however, with scheduled behind-the-scenes posts every week.

Enjoy the holidays, and keep an eye out for some upcoming sales!

Until next time!

LockedOn.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2063530/Methods_The_Canada_Files/

View the backlog of devlogs here on my website!

Support the game's development on Patreon!

A brand new devlog from Canada!



Last week I began breaking up working sessions into hourly goals that I needed to hit. Creating a sense of urgency really helped me get started, and with this technique, I was able to finish a lot of UI that I may not have otherwise gotten done within the week.

I'm really hoping to finish everything in Chapter 2 by next week. Currently the biggest challenges I have to completing it are needing to create three more new minigames, and making the casefile.

I will also be taking some breaks over the winter holidays, so my devlogs will briefly become a little more irregular. However it will be back to weekly posts on Tuesdays by January.

Until next time!

LockedOn.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2063530/Methods_The_Canada_Files/

View the backlog of devlogs here on my website!

Support the game's development on Patreon!