Hi everyone!
I am working on a new update for Midnight Files.
This time I want to focus mainly on the things that appeared most often in player reviews, comments, and Steam discussions. The goal of this update is to improve the clarity of the investigations, make the evidence flow easier to follow, and remove the elements that caused the most frustration.
One of the bigger changes will be the removal of the system where players had to determine the next crime location. I know that for some players this part was too unclear and too often felt like guessing instead of actual deduction. I want the endings of the cases to feel more logical and better supported by the evidence collected during the investigation.
I am also working on improvements to the investigations themselves. Selected cases will receive revised threads, better connections between clues, and more polished puzzles. My goal is to make the solutions more satisfying and less arbitrary.
The update will also add a new optional noir visual mode. This is a black-and-white visual mode that gives the game a more classic detective atmosphere. It will be possible to enable or disable it in the settings.
Planned changes:
new optional noir visual mode
removal of the next crime location system
improvements and redesigns for selected investigations
more polished case threads, evidence, and clue connections
the ability to review taken photos directly at the crime scene
a new photo hint system that shows when an object is framed correctly
menu fixes, including the removal of duplicated hints
translation fixes
The update is coming soon.
If you have played Midnight Files and have specific suggestions about the cases, puzzles, photos, UI, or evidence, please let me know in the comments or in the Steam discussions. Feedback about moments where it was unclear what the game expected from the player, or why a certain solution was supposed to be correct, is especially helpful.
One more important note. As part of this update, I am removing assets created with the use of AI from the game. This includes both visual and audio elements. Some of them will be replaced with new materials, while others will be removed or reworked so they fit the rest of the game better.
Thank you for all the feedback and for continuing to share your thoughts. It helps me better understand which parts of Midnight Files need the most improvement.
Pawel / Paper Lynx Games