Just for Halloween, here's some special illustrations of the Detective Game-masters in costume!
Greg as the Game-master Mug!
Clark as a Scarecrow!
Kane as a Cat!
Mellie as a Ghost! Thanks for playing and we hope you're looking forward to the next year of Methods! LockedOn & Erabit

Bug fixes, typo fixes, minor plot holes fixed. More details below.

• Font changed for character names in English
• Autosaves restored (were previously inaccessible due to coding error)
• Text history in Interviews bug fixed
• Rankings in Chapter 5 synced properly with rank screen
• Ashdown and Woes rank in early Stages changed in rank screen to reflect story details
• Text history icon updated
• Placeholder slots showing up as question marks in Interviews fixed
• Added Wishlist MTCF button to main menu
• English typo fixes

Good news for all #Methods fans: Pre-Order for Methods4: The Best Detective has been opened! Click here: App Store https://apps.apple.com/us/app/methods-4-the-best-detective/id6651830371 Google Play https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.erabit.methods.tdc4.paid.gp

Time to follow the fourth-tier Detective Ashdown with his fellow detectives on the investigation of the mysterious killer! Will they eventually find the murderer, or be kicked out of the competition first? Dive in and find out! App Store: Google Play: And the whole game has been split into five apps for the mobile release, with 'Methods 3: The Invisible Man' being the third part, and containing Chapters 43-60. Enjoy, and until next time...! LockedOn & Erabit.

For the 13th Anniversary of LockedOn Games, here is a status update on ongoing and upcoming Methods-related projects!

THE ART OF METHODS

METHODS FOR MOBILE

METHODS JAPANESE TRANSLATION

METHODS: THE CANADA FILES

MOTIVES: THE ULTIMATE PROBLEM

A typical murder on a train. A typical killer for the win. Methods3: The Invisible Man is now available to pre-order on App Store and Google Play!
If a criminal wins, however, they will also receive a million dollars... and parole, no matter the severity of their crime. At the end of the previous part, the mysterious detective competition has turned deadly. Who is the one behind Detective Asper's murder? Find out in.. Methods 3: The Invisible Man the whole game has been split into five apps for the mobile release, with 'Methods 3: The Invisible Man' being the third part, and containing Chapters 43-60. TapTap: https://www.taptap.io/app/33708990 Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.erabit.methods.tdc3.paid.gp App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/methods-3-the-invisible-man/id6502622226

Dear detectives, good morning! Exciting news incoming "Methods: The Detective Competition" has officially launched on mobile in China today!
The mobile version for China mainland is available for free download, with chapters unlocked through ads. If you encounter any bugs, please feel free to join our QQ at 625731204 or leave feedback! Download links: TapTap: https://www.taptap.cn/app/391345 3839.com: https://www.3839.com/a/159721.htm iOS: https://apps.apple.com/cn/app/%E6%8E%A2%E6%A1%88%E6%B3%95-%E4%BE%A6%E6%8E%A2%E5%A4%A7%E8%B5%9B/id6469603251 In the days to come, we hope for your guidance and support in unlocking more intriguing storylines (and CP)! So, dear detectives, enjoy the game. LockedOn & Erabit

Detectives, Hows it going? We are thrilled to announce that Methods: The Detective Competition is going to attend the video game fest called G-Fusion 2024 in Guangzhou, China! G-Fusion is a video game fest hosted by GCORES. Methods will be exhibited at booth D17 on May 18th and 19th . We cant wait to see you there! G-Fusion 2024 Website: https://site.gcores.com/fusion2024/ Ticket Purchase: https://show.bilibili.com/platform/detail.html?id=84177

Save slots will finally be properly labeled in Chinese

Fixed English font size

Hi, Methods2: Secrets and Death is now LIVE on Mobile! There will be a 30% launch discount all week long, so it's a great time to get it! What started as just a competition has taken a dark turn with a real-life murder unfolding... Can our adorable detectives handle the heat? Dive in and find out! 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 We've split Methods: The Detective Competition into five apps for the mobile release, and "Methods2: Secrets and Death" is the second part, and contains Chapters 21-42. And we could promise the next one would be released in three month!! So keep an eye out for that, and enjoy! LockedOn & Erabit.

Fixed duplicate save slot Fixed font issue with swapping between English and Chinese

Fixed error message in Chapter 44

It's been four years since I completed Methods!
[previewyoutube=8NqIBpHI470;full][/previewyoutube] This was an extremely important year for Methods, as after many years of searching, I finally found and partnered with a publisher Erabit Studios! They helped me launch the game on mobile, get merch to fans, and so much more! A big thank you to them for helping to support Methods! And thank you as always to the fanbase for the many many fan-created works! It's so great to see! For this anniversary, I wanted to make sure there was a meaningful update to the game. This Fourth Anniversary update has some big changes which have been requested for a while!

New Hackett, Haney and Lucha Sprites!

Text History

New Side Images

Checkmarks on Solved Evidence

Dear Detectives,
We're thrilled to announce that after much anticipation and meticulous preparation, the Japanese version of Methods: Detective Competition Chapter1-20) is officially live on mobile! Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.erabit.methods.tdc1.paid.gp App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/methods-detective-competition/id6467845950 Now, you can experience this captivating mystery-solving game in Japanese on your favorite platform. Till next time! LockedOn & Erabit

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/_/?curator_clanid=44664540 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

Small but significant gameplay update: You no longer need a 100% perfect score on the mysteries, and are allowed to get one question wrong and still proceed.

Happy Chinese New Year from Methods! The second mobile game 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

Methods Mobile Series is back with its second part! Now Pre-Order on Google Play, App Store, and TapTap! And the whole game has been split into five apps for the mobile release, with 'Methods2: Secrets and Death' being the second part, and containing Chapters 21-42. Will Mellie be able to stop T.A.D.S before they can find the Game Master? Find out in... Methods2: Secrets and Death 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

Typo fixes for Chapter titlecards Fixed bug with chapter screens unlocking before you reached them Updated credits

I'm really excited to announce that Methods: Detective Competition is now available on Google Play and the App Store to play on mobile devices! There will be a 30% launch discount all week long, so it's a great time to get it! App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/methods-detective-competition/id6467845950?platform=iphone Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.erabit.methods.tdc1.paid.gp I would like to thank my publisher Erabit Studios for helping port the game! We've split Methods: The Detective Competition into five apps for the mobile release, and "Methods: Detective Competition" is the first, and contains Chapters 1-20. The next one is called Methods: Secrets and Death, and contains Chapters 21-40.
So keep an eye out for that, and enjoy! LockedOn.

Hello everyone, Surprise Drop Alert! We're excited to share that "Methods: Detective Competition," the first part of Methods series has been successfully ported to Google Play! After relentless efforts, we are officially live on the Google Play today. Now, you can feed your inner Sherlock Holmes anytime, anywhere. Download Link:https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.erabit.methods.tdc1.paid.gp Bug Feedback: https://discord.gg/66eSXVpKWC
Happy gaming! LockedOn & Erabit

Hello! The Bundle ofMethods: The Detective CompetitionX 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 Detective Competition , you can get ISOLAND4 with another 10% off! https://store.steampowered.com/bundle/37713/Methods_The_Detective_Competition_X_ISOLAND4/ Till Next Time, LockedOn & Erabit

[previewyoutube=YAtUXhj_XG8;full][/previewyoutube] Methods: Detective Competition the first chapter of thrilling visual novel series ported from Steam, is set to launch on mobile on January 22nd! Click to Pre-order App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/methods-detective-competition/id6467845950?platform=iphone Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.erabit.methods.tdc1.paid.gp

English typo fixing build.

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

Hello! Im excited to announce that Methods: The Detective Competition is part of the Be A hero Comic Con Stuttgart!
During the event, there is a special 30% discount! ! https://store.steampowered.com/app/2063530/_/ Discounts continue during the end of the year, and the winter sales are also coming soon! See you next time! LockedOn & Erabit

Fixes glitch with Gallery screen Fixes English typos Game content is now archived, hence the update size

Hello, Steam autumn sale has begun!! And we have decided to going on 60% historical discount, hoping that more players will participate in this competition!! https://store.steampowered.com/app/1271300/_/ Till Next Time! LockedOn & Erabit

Hello! This is exciting announcement - pre-reg for "Methods: The Detective Competition" in mainland China have been opened! Click here App Store https://apps.apple.com/cn/app/id6469603251?platform=iphone https://www.3839.com/a/159721.htm TapTap https://www.taptap.cn/app/391345 We hope that all players from China will also enjoy the different experience brought by mobile version~ Till Next Time LockedOn & Erabit

Fixed missing image issue in Ashdown chapter

I've been wanting to do get around to this for a very long time. This build is an optimization update. The game's many assets have been compressed to half the size they were before! It will also run a bit smoother as a result. This means that this update is "big" because it will need to re-download most of the game since the assets have been replaced with compressed versions. However, once it's done it will take up less space on your computer!

After a period of preparation, we are excited to announce that Methods mobile would release soon!!
However, before the official release, we need to open a beta test. We kindly ask you to help us find more bugs and game experience issues. Sign-up for beta test here: https://forms.gle/CAJkpRj6SfSMq5LaA ---------------------------------------------------------------- Pre-reg Mobile version: App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/methods-detective-competition/id6467845950?platform=iphone Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.erabit.methods.tdc1.paid.gp Tap.io: https://taptap.io/app/33621832 Report bugs to us on discord: https://discord.gg/BQS9fvmw Till Next Time! LockedOn & Erabit

• Erabit logo added
• Ranks menu mistake with Mouse's name fixed

Methods: Detective Competition is LIVE for App Store Pre-Order NOW Click here to Pre-order App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/methods-detective-competition/id6467845950?platform=iphone
The Other pre-reg Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.erabit.methods.tdc1.paid.gp Tap.io https://taptap.io/app/33621832 Till Next Time! LockedOn & Erabit

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

Hello detective, I'm so overwhelmingly excited to tell you Methods: Detective Competition is LIVE for Mobile Pre-registration NOW
You can soon test your investigative skills in my mysterious competition with the aid of your mobile device!! Click here to Pre-Reg Google Play:https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.erabit.methods.tdc1.paid.gp Tap.iohttps://www.taptap.io/app/33621832 Join the discord to conspire with your fellow detectives: https://discord.gg/5sTcg5B3 Unfortunately, due to technical reasons, pre-reg of the App Store has been delayed. So detectives with iOS devices will have to wait a little longer for that... Yours truly, The Game-master

17 months ago, I announced a mobile version of Methods as part of the Methods Two Year Anniversary. Unfortunately, due to limitations with Ren'Py, I was unable to get it working on iOS and Android, and so I had to put the project aside. But now I am very happy to announce that Erabit's hardworking porting team have been working hard on fixing those issues in order to bring Methods to you on mobile devices! My eternal gratitude goes to them for completing such intense work in such a short time, and grappling with my less-than-organized code to do so! It feels like a miracle has occurred, and I can't thank them enough. Methods: The Detective Competition is expected to be available for mobile pre-registration on October 25 and mainland China in November! It will be split into 5 separate games, launched on App Store, Google Play and Tap.io.
To celebrate this big news, we have decided to discount some games during the week of October 23rd-30th!! Here is the Weeklong Deal List 60% off Methods: The Detective Competition Methods: The Detective Competition Soundtrack The Evolving World: Catalyst Wake 80% off Broken Minds Broken Minds - OST 40% off Methods: The Canada Files Soundtrack And if you haven't grabbed them yet, now's an ideal time as it's on sale all this week~ https://store.steampowered.com/app/1271300/_/ Thank you to everyone for your support, and I hope you will try it on mobile! It's like a whole new experience! Until next time! LockedOn & Erabit

Hello everyone! The Bundle ofMethods: The Detective CompetitionX 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 Detective Competition , you can get Kamifuda with another 20% off! Check it out here: https://store.steampowered.com/bundle/35776/Methods_The_Detective_Competition/ 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

Hello everyone!
The prequel game Methods: The Canada Files has just had a major update! File 02 is now here, with a brand new mystery. You may see some familiar faces from Methods as well! Check it out here! https://store.steampowered.com/app/2063530/Methods_The_Canada_Files/ File 02 was a long time coming, and I'm happy that everyone can finally play it. I hope you can enjoy it and give me feedback in a steam review! You can also join LockedOn Game Discord to talk to me directly :) Thank you!!! Many more cool things are in store! Thank you for playing my game:) Until next time! LockedOn

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.

Missing image crash for deleted "GAMEMASTERS" chapter menu screen fixed

It's a great time to get Methods for 20% off in the Steam Visual Novel Fest! With achievements now implemented in the game, experiencing the story has never been more fun! Enjoy the sale and I hope you look forward to the upcoming release of File 02 in the prequel game, Methods: The Canada Files! Best, LockedOn. Check out the prequel game here in Early Access now! https://store.steampowered.com/app/2063530/Methods_The_Canada_Files/ View the backlog of devlogs here on my website! Support the development of my games on Patreon!

Finally added achievements to the game! This was made possible by the newest version of Ren'py (the game engine).

Updated to latest version of Ren'Py engine with Python 3 and Apple silicon support

[previewyoutube=V9iTutYl7eU;full][/previewyoutube] Three years have come and gone since I completed Methods which is strange. It feels like it hasn't been that long, and yet so much has happened. Glad to see that the fanbase for the game is still so lively, posting many artworks everyday! I'm currently hard at work on File 02 of Methods: The Canada Files. The project has increased in scope quite a bit from when I first announced it one year ago, and each file is taking me quite a while to complete. That's because I've raised the quality bar pretty significantly from Methods it takes much more time to create these more complicated mysteries, and I don't have a novel that I'm adapting this time, which helped a lot for the first half of Methods' development! https://store.steampowered.com/app/2063530/Methods_The_Canada_Files/ This anniversary comes with a much-needed update to Methods that I've had on my to-do list for a while: a revamped chapters menu!
This is actually the reworked chapters menu from the mobile version repurposed for the PC version. The colors pop a lot more. I'm no longer collecting all the Game-master chapters into one screen in hindsight that ended up being more confusing. They now appear as you'd expect them to. There is also now a little thumbnail showing an image from the chapter when you hover over it. That may help jog your memory about what happens in the chapter, when you're replaying the game! :) Speaking of the mobile version, we ran into issues with how Ren'Py handles memory, which unfortunately put that project on hold. I am still hoping to release it at some point, but don't have any details on a timeline for that right now. Lastly, for the anniversary, Methods will be on sale soon (can't give details yet because of Steam guidelines. But it will be soon). Until next time! LockedOn.

Dialog box character portraits update. The hair is properly cut off, so it no longer looks like some characters have grown a beard.

For some reason one of the chapter menus in the Chinese translation was the mobile version by accident! Now that's fixed.

Happy Holidays everyone! I will continue to work on Canada Files in the New Year, and I'm hoping to release the first file early next year. https://store.steampowered.com/app/2063530/Methods_The_Canada_Files/ Best, LockedOn.

Still hard at work on The Canada Files! In celebration of Halloween, here is Team Tads in various outfits! Enjoy!




https://store.steampowered.com/app/2063530/Methods_The_Canada_Files/ Until next time! LockedOn.

Backgrounds gallery had incorrect references for Mystery Eight, resulting in error screen

Fixed bug where total_chapters variable was undefined and needed to be called, resulting in an error.

Revised Noman's running CG. The old version looked off-model and the expression was too vacant.

Quality of life update

• "Unlock all chapters" will now unlock all the music tracks as well
• Added descriptive text to dialog box buttons
• Options menu is no longer off-center

Small update:

• Some early chapter titlecards still had a ":" after the chapter number in English
• The Unlock All Chapters button will now unlock all bios and casefiles as well
• Added custom vertical scrollbars to menus for easier scrolling

[previewyoutube=Y4MnfRwWE0U;full][/previewyoutube] Two years ago, I finished Methods. Thank you to everyone for continuing to create fan works and remain invested even two years after its release. Sometimes I forget how many people are into this game. A trip to Lofter helps remind me, and motivates me to continue doing this. I seriously doubt it would've gotten a fraction of this following if it wasn't for Sound of Mystery and Sanren, so I must thank them as well for shining a spotlight on it, and drawing their positive communities to the game. And thank you to the Master Translators who continue to help extend the game's reach even further by translating it into Chinese. Out of all of my projects, I feel that Methods is the one that I really put myself into, for lack of a better term. I took everything I like the most and put it into one package, in perhaps the most shameless way I've ever done. It's a mystery story. It's a superhero story. It's a story about introverts and extroverts. It's a tournament arc. It has satirical moments. It has goofy moments. It has cringey moments. It has pretentious moments. It has earnest moments. It's very unpolished in a lot of ways. It is a true indie game. So thank you for your support! I think it can only get better from here. The sequel "Motives" is still a long way off. This is less to do with my other projects "getting in the way", and more to do with wanting to simmer on the plot. Since it will be the end of the story, I want to be confident in it before I start production. I'm pleased to say that as of right now, I think it's shaping up well. However, more Methods content IS coming!

Mobile Version

New DLC

Vignettes

Some very exciting news today. As you know, I keep a close eye on the Methods fanbase, to see what kinds of content you would all most like to see. I like to think I'm super "clued in", so to speak, as to which characters everyone likes the most. And over the years, it's become obvious who the fan-favorite character is he gets all the fan art, he gets all the AMVs, I think you know who I'm talking about by now! So I'm happy to confirm that you have spoken, and I have listened. I'm completely re-configuring the entire vision of Methods content going forward, in order to highlight everyone's favorite Methods character. I was going to make DLC for other characters characters that were a bit more obscure that nobody really cares about like Greg, Mellie, 772, or Catscratcher. But they just weren't getting any fan art. After a while, I came to grips with the fact that I can't just make whatever I want. Methods doesn't just belong to me now it also belongs to all of you and what I've been hearing is "More Lord Loomy!", "More Lord Loomy!" I get at least fifteen Lord Loomy-related DMs a day. So yes everybody, I'm happy to announce the just-released DLC. It's called "The Fascinations of Lord Loomy". However, this time it's a bit different. It's not part of the full game, instead, it's a short story you can download as a PDF. Get it here!
You guys REALLY twisted my arm here, I was like "Huh, I don't know if Lord Loomy is really the best character" (I'm just kidding he's amazing, please don't kill me) but if this is what will make the fanbase happy, I'm happy, no proud, no honored, in fact, to deliver it to you. The Fascinations of Lord Loomy is also available to download from the itch.io page. It will be coming to Steam as free DLC on April 15th. Enjoy! By the way, Motives is cancelled. It will now be called Loomy: A Loominous Adventure. I hope you're just as excited as I am for more Loomy content. Until next time! LockedOn.

Hello Methods fans! My new game Catalyst Wake has finally been released on Steam! I'm not sure how many of you were even aware I'd completed another game but now you know! https://store.steampowered.com/app/1600470/The_Evolving_World_Catalyst_Wake/

Catalyst Wake is a "cinematic visual novel" set in a post-apocalypse where everyone wears masks. It's fully voiced (in English) and is my most ambitious game yet. It's a very action-focused story, and extremely different from Methods. Nevertheless, I hope you'll check it out! In other news, I'm planning more Methods content this year. Keep an eye out around the 2 Year Anniversary for some announcements! And in case you missed it, here's some art I made for Lunar New Year!
Until next time! LockedOn.

Small update

• Fullscreen/windowed, skip all text/skip seen text buttons in options are now highlighted when selected, making it easier to tell which state the game is in
• New splashscreen animations

The "suspects file" in Stage Two will now prevent you from proceeding until you've marked a suspect.

Updated Chapter 10 so that the ranks no longer have repeating names, and the pairs match the actual ranking. Thanks to for spotting the mistake!

I can't believe it's been a whole year since my last Methods Halloween post. Time seems to just fly by. I continue my work on Catalyst Wake, but don't think I've forgotten about Methods! Here are three special illustrations. This time I decided to go in a different direction. Instead of wearing costumes, the characters have been transformed into various Halloween monsters. Enjoy! (Content warning: Body Horror)
Detective Ashdown as Ashula
Detective Noose as the Candie Demon
Detective Mackle as a Metaphor for Modern Society In other news, exciting things are coming for Methods in the future. I've decided to make porting the game a higher priority in 2022. I hope this will help bring the game to a wider audience! I'm also working on the outlines for the next several extra chapters, which will also probably be released sometime in 2022. Until next time, LockedOn.

Honor pronoun update for Chinese language version. Honor should now only be referred to using gender neutral pronouns. Updated the bios menu so that the bio no longer covers the slider.

More typo fixes! Thanks to KigyoDev for pointing out the typos. Chapter 27: "Hydrogen" misspelled as "hydrogren" Chapter 38: "Hannibal Lecter" misspelled as "Lector" Chapter 44: "Helicopter" misspelled as "helicoptor" Chapter 69: Casefile for A Dance in Chains mentioned one banana in description, but two bananas in the bonus question Chapter 100: "Effect" instead of "affect" First and second round ranks misspelled Everreave's name as Evereave. "Confidant" instead of "confident" in Honor's interview Bug fixes: If you opened the casefile and then switched chapters, the casefile would remain open.

Typo fixes! (Slight spoilers here) Thanks to KigyoDev for spotting the mistakes. Chapter 17: "Threw" changed to "through" Chapter 24: "Mytsery" and "preform" changed to "mystery" and "perform" Chapter 27: "Hydrogen flouride" changed to "hydrogen fluoride" Chapter 37: Ashdown incorrectly refers to the Game-master as plural (this was left over from an earlier draft where the detectives in Fourth Class had already figured out there were multiple Game-masters)

Rank menu fix

Small plot inconsistencies fix. Updated Chinese version to reflect these changes. Details below (spoilers). Chapter 14: Roel now says that she is able to tell Honor apart from Red July. This is more consistent with her own method and how Honor's method works. It's also less confusing considering the conceit of the chapter (The detectives are pretending not to know Honor was acting as Red July if Roel can't actually tell Honor from Red July, then it unnecessarily complicates the situation even more). This change also helps foreshadow the events of the Sixth Stage. Chapter 23: 772's alternate theory about the method of death had a big flaw that some reviews of the game have touched on. Namely, you can't choke yourself to death, much less cut off your own head, for the simple reason that you would lose consciousness before you died. I've changed it so that now he suggests a simpler and more reasonable "hanging" explanation, where gravity does the work of slicing off the victim's head rather than the victim themselves.

Fixed inconsistency in ranking screen Mellie mentions Nell was at the Third Floor after the first round of Stage One, but Nell appeared higher in the ranks, which meant she would be on the Fourth Floor. She has since been moved down to Rank 26 in Stage One. Updated to latest Ren'Py version which should fix errors caused by rollback.

New Methods extra content The Illusion Murders is now available, free for everyone who owns the full game! - 5 new chapters - 20 minutes of new music - One new interview - Two news articles Unlocking the new chapters requires playing through Chapter 100 (or replaying it. You can use the skip button to get through it quickly). Once you see the credits roll, the first Illusion Murders chapter should unlock. Alternatively, you can unlock all of them at once by using the "unlock chapters" button in the options menu. Anyone who owns the soundtrack will also be getting the new tracks as a free update as well! Stay tuned for news about even more Methods extra content in the future! LockedOn.

[previewyoutube=M9UCB0We8Yk;full][/previewyoutube] Motives is finally announced! It's been super awkward to dance around whether I was making a sequel to Methods after very obviously teasing a sequel at the end of Methods. Motives was planned even before I started working on adapting the novel into a visual novel, but it was only a vague idea at that time. I was happy with just leaving Methods where it ended, if I felt it wasn't worth my time to make the sequel. But since there is so much interest in Methods, I think it's definitely worth it. What I have planned for Motives is actually pretty difficult on every level imaginable, and I wonder if I can pull it off... but the challenge of it makes it all the more exciting! I probably won't be able to work on it for some time, so extra content here and there like The Illusion Murders will have to do. The extra content is important because, although some characters from Methods will return, quite a lot of them won't. Without these extra stories, some of those characters would not have a chance to be explored further.

[previewyoutube=_bBBQ0HBKb4;full][/previewyoutube] An extra story featuring Detective Red July "The Illusion Murders" has been announced! Five new chapters tell an exciting mystery story set in Red July's past that explores the nature of an impossible crime. Why is this a free update to the game and not paid DLC? I have nothing against paid DLC or DLC in general. Personally I think the price of the game is totally justified with the amount of content already in it. The reason it's a free update is... laziness on my part. It's simply easier for me to update the base game instead of setting up a whole separate DLC page and coding the game so that the DLC shows up in the base game when you buy it. Can you tell I don't like coding that much?? Thanks to my laziness, you get to enjoy free extra content! Why is Red July getting a featured story and not everyone's favorite character, Detective Eastman? I keep a pretty close eye on which characters are popular in the Methods fanbase. The decision to make the story about about Red July was partially based on that, but mostly because I had a story I wanted to tell with her, about this optical illusion serial killer case that I'd very briefly mentioned in a Twitter DM many months ago. I thought it would be hilarious to actually deliver a full story based on an offhand remark I made while answering a random question on Twitter. But I also found it an interesting enough concept for a killer, and Red July has character flaws that are fun to explore. So, three factors: Meaningful story to tell, significant character, and a fan favorite. Sorry, but Detective Eastman strikes out on all three counts there! But I would say having a meaningful story is the most important factor for me, and being a fan favorite is the least important. Because you never know what character could turn into a fan favorite provided I gave them more attention! How will I access the extra story in the game? The Illusion Murders chapters will be accessible from the chapters menu, just like all the other chapters, after completing Chapter 100 and the credits roll. You will need to go through Chapter 100 again (you can skip through it) to unlock them. Alternatively, you can use the "unlock all chapters" option. When will The Illusion Murders be released? I don't like to give out specific release dates, but I will say that it's currently a high priority and a lot of it is already finished, so hopefully soon. I hope you're looking forward to it!

I completed Methods exactly one year ago today! A lot has happened since then, especially ever since Sound of Mystery streamed the game, which resulted in it really blowing up in popularity and getting a full Chinese translation. Thank you to everyone for supporting Methods and keeping the fandom alive. Here is an special illustration for the occasion!
Nell may have enrolled in an online course, but that doesn't mean she can't have school spirit! You can now get Methods 25% off for the day to celebrate the anniversary. Enjoy! Looking back on the development process, there's a lot I could have done differently and probably should have. Overall, I'm happy with how the game turned out and it seems like most people who play it are too. Sometimes I've wondered if I should address some of the gripes people have with the game, but every time I sit down to write it, it just comes off as more to patch the holes in my own ego than anything else, and who needs that? All I'll say is that I will be taking into consideration the issues people have brought up that I agree with in future projects. Speaking of future projects, stay tuned. There's something on the horizon. Wink. haneywink Until next time! LockedOn.

I'm very excited to finally announce something that's been in the works for a really long time as far back as 2014, back when Methods first started. You may not believe this, but Methods was actually originally conceived as a dating simulator. However, without a solid foundation for a story, it just wasn't that interesting, so I started adding more mystery elements. Soon, every character was turned into a detective of some kind, and instead of a matchmaking competition, it became a detective competition. I've decided to add a new game mode that takes Methods back to its dating sim routes. Introducing... Dating Sim mode.

Dating Sim mode adds over 430K words to Methods. It's the largest update to a game I've ever made. Why so much dialogue, you ask? Because in Dating Sim mode, you're actually able to pair up any two characters. And when I say any, I mean ANY.
This means that yes, there are 6724 combinations for you to explore! Will you ever stop playing Dating Sim mode? Probably never. It's taken me a really long time to write all of this. I've been working on it nonstop in every spare moment I have. I write it instead of eating. I write it instead of sleeping. All to deliver on the promise of being able to pair up any two characters! But don't worry, I made it into a special "challenge" for myself the fasting/no-sleep writing challenge! If Gandhi can do it, so can I, right?? (Gandhi was not able to complete a dating sim during his fast, which is unfortunate).
In Dating Sim mode, you manipulate people to fall in love with you by buying them things. Just like real life! A new menu, the "Gift Shop", lets you purchase gifts with "Love Points". You get Love Points simply by finding routes. But watch out! In a unique twist on dating sim mechanics, the character you're trying to pursue can ALSO gift you things and depending on your reaction, it could ruin the entire dynamic and you'll have to start over! Many more surprises lie in wait in this mode like I said, it took FOREVER to write, so I hope you'll try it when it launches on April 31st. Until next time!! LockedOn.

Thank you to everyone who has downloaded Methods! I've been blown away by the amount of support the game has received. roelheart The Steam Awards are here, and I'd be extremely grateful if you would consider Methods for the "Outstanding Story-Rich Game" category it helps raise awareness about the game! Thanks again! LockedOn.

Happy Halloween everybody! The latest update to the game just includes some typo fixes in the Chinese translation, and it also includes the missing Garden interview. But more importantly, I have a special announcement! Methods Keychains are coming soon! Here's a sneak peek of Set One!!

The first set includes Hackett, Haney, Nell, 772, Mellie, Ashdown, and Roel, and if you get all of them, you just might get a secret extra character! I will have more information about where to purchase them in the future! Finally, here are some characters dressed for the holiday. Enjoy!


Until next time, LockedOn.

The full Chinese translation of Methods has finally been released!

This project went at lightning speed, and was completed in a little over a month. Though the biggest news here is the full translation, this version of Methods not only has additional bug/typo fixes for the English version, but two new extras the requested character design gallery and title gallery, and it turns out there was a missing interview as well, which has been added. So whether you want to read the Chinese version or not, it's worth downloading this new version! Now I'd like to give the opportunity for the Master Translators of the game to say a few words about the making of the Chinese version. Listera says... We really finished this whole localization project in only a month??? This must be the most amazing thing I've been through! As the one that has initiated this project, I'd like to thank every volunteer that has joined us. It was your contribution that turned impossibility to possibility. Of course, I'd love to deliver my deepest gratitude to Vita and Whisky, who has accompanied me all the way through this marathon translation project. Without you and your devotion, I couldnt possibly complete the Chinese version of Methods: The Detective Competition on my own, or with such high quality and efficiency. Hope you all enjoy Methods in Chinese! p.s. I'm working on something called How To Write Conver's Anagram and When to Quit Writing It, should be out very soon, hope you'll like it. Vita says... I'm very honored to have worked on this project with my best friends! It was such an amazing experience - turns out collabs can be fun and super productive as well! One of the most attractive aspect of the game is the title screen designs, and I'm so happy to see them having their own gallery now! With the help of Mr. LockedOn, we managed to translate all of the 100 title cards. I'm still amazed at the sheer quantity and quality of them, and I wish you can appreciate them along with the rest of the game as well! Hope you enjoy the jokes and stuff, and don't remember to click on the "Rope on a Stick" in Chapter 77! Whisky says... I've invested all my music theory knowledge in this localization project already, ha! Also there were times when I teared up right away as I'm translating the part when my favorite character got framed into her failure. I guess it was truly a project that we've invested our time and emotions in. Jokes aside though, a lot of things are going on in the world out there, but there's us chatting about the translation, or life in general, through the voice chat, from different parts of the world and time zones. These were the things that made this summer truly special for me. Hope you guys enjoy the Chinese version of Methods, GLHF! --- Working with them was great, easily the best experience I've had working on Methods. Though I can't read Chinese, I know that their translation of the game is not only representative of the source material, but elevates it, because of the passion they brought to the project. Every step of the way they demonstrated that they knew the characters inside and out, and understood completely what my vision of the game is. I hope you enjoy the translation! Best, LockedOn.

I'm very excited to announce that a full Chinese translation of Methods is on the way! The new demo version of the game contains the translation of the first ten chapters! The translation effort is lead by Listera Tsou, Vita Zhang, and Iris "Whisky" Wu, with assistance from Dawn, Grit, jameslimer, Liua, Membryne, Xixi, , , , , , and . You probably weren't expecting Methods to be translated into another language I certainly wasn't. It's a huge game with over 140K words and lots of jokes and wordplay. I had previously been forced to turn down offers to translate the game because I simply can't afford to. So how did this come about? Almost exactly a month ago, Sound of Mystery, a Chinese Let's Player, contacted me about Methods. He was playing through the whole game on bilibili, which is like a Chinese niconico, which is... kind of like Twitch, I guess? He was translating the game into Chinese as he was playing it, which was super impressive. This stream of his has sparked a lot of excitement around the game in his community. It wasn't long after that that I was contacted by Listera, who volunteered to translate the game into Chinese. Though I was a bit skeptical that it would be possible for such a huge game, there really wasn't any reason to say no, so I handed some files Ren'Py had generated off to her. Around two days later, she had formed a team with 14 other people, just by posting about it on Sound of Mystery's stream. I'm happy to say that we're already about 50% done with the translation!

I've personally re-arranged the translated chapter titles, bios, and re-rendered backgrounds, to make sure the experience is as seamless as possible. I'm really happy to work with such a great team of volunteers, the progress they're making is incredible, and I'm extremely grateful for their generosity, in helping the game find a wider audience. Currently the demo has a bug where switching from Chinese back to English can cause the fonts in English to mess up. I'm looking into how to fix that, in the meantime, restarting the demo will fix the problem. Along with the full translation, the next version of the game will include a lot of typo fixes, grammar errors, adds little bits of dialogue here and there to patch over plot holes, things like that. Until then! Best, LockedOn.