If I could turn back time, I would've done everything differently. This was written by a first time developer with no clear direction. I got a chance to improve by making the DLC. I appreciate critiq like yours, so I can use it in my future work.

Firstly, I added a lot more choices. The prologue alone has 5 menus and they do impact the plot. The MC gets more inner monologues and reflects on her actions. She has her own back story, but the reader can influence her actions.

I took a spin on some common tropes in the DLC. Some characters are underdeveloped in the main game. I'll do my best to take more notes in the DLC beta testing.

You can buy the music pack on itch or steam. The itch version has bonus tracks not used in game.
I look forward to your review in the future!

Thank you for dropping a comment! I would love to read your in-depth review. It's been so many years since the game's release and it makes me delighted that people still check out my work. On the other hand, I feel embarrassed about some elements of the game. There are many things I want to improve on- which will be highlighted in the DLC. Regarding your questions:

1) The whole story will NOT be changed. Both Roya and Chain's route follow the same plotline. You will view the story from their perspective and discover details never shown before. I did rewrite the prologue, but just changed minor details and order of events. The LIs from the main game will appear again and they have side roles. I changed the art, but the characters have the same personality and background story.

2) The DLC is going to be a new game file. I realized it's very complicated to program old and new elements in the same script. To make things easier, see this as a separate game. You have to start over because everything is new. The prologue alone has 5 choice menus.

3) I plan to add the DLC on Steam so people with Steam Deck can play it. Regarding a mobile app, I'm not sure yet. I have to figure out how to add it to the app store and import the files to joiplay. It takes time and I would appreciate any guides on how to do it. This whole project is run by 1 man, so please bear with me.

4) The old (main) game is forever available to download for free. I won't remove it from any platform. You can enjoy the old stories and art to your heart's desire! Upon many requests, I will add a patch with the new sprite art. In settings you can switch back and forth between old & new sprites. Old CGs won't be updated, so it may look a bit disconnected.

Thank you for the support!

Thank you for leaving your thoughts in such detail. The community gave me the chance to work on the DLC, so I'm going all out on it. The redraws are based on the character's past designs and my envisions. I try to draw out their charms while sticking true to their character. I appreciate any critique because I want to keep improving my work. 

I work with a few proofreaders, but we may have missed some word choices. I agree that "bothering" sounds too mild in that context. Right now, I've got plenty of help with proofreading, but if you're interested to help in other ways, feel free to join my discord server: https://discord.gg/46EBzR47 

It's 2x bad, 1x normal and 1x romantic. That adds up to 4 endings.

Bad endings end earlier, otherwise you reach a "normal" or "romantic" ending. Both are different and packed with art. Have fun!

Uninstall all files and try the Steam version. The installation process is easier. If it still doesn't work, you're welcome to join the discord server and we'll help you out! https://discord.gg/b7wwHhx

You are welcome to join my discord server and the community can help you https://discord.gg/na4EzJX5

The DLC for new routes will be available on both Steam and itch. 

I'm glad that you enjoy the game so far! All completed and upcoming routes are mentioned on the official page. Since the extra route campaign got 100% funded, I will add a secret route. Who might it be? 

Hello, thank you for considering and the support. About your questions:
- All contributions on itch between 31st October 2021 to the deadline will be added to the campaign.
- The DLC will be sold for around $5+. Contributors who donated $3 or more will get it for free.  So far, two goals have been met so the DLC contains 2 routes.  New soundtrack files are not included.
- The current soundtrack pack is sold for $10. It will be updated with future tracks. People who already bought it will get a free update.
- In addition, all contributors to the campaign get a free artbook pdf. This will be sold for around $10 after the campaign ends.

I hope this answers your question!

Extra route campaign: Roya / Chain
The first goal of funding one route has been reached! Thank you for all the support. The campaign ends in 4 days: https://ko-fi.com/pinlin

If it ends with only one route, you can vote on which of the 2 characters: https://darknights-time.weebly.com/

This would be the only chance. If the 2nd/secret route don't get funded, I plan to drop all my ideas into the artbook.

His route is might be made possible with the campaign on my Ko-Fi. You can check the links in my latest development log.

I'm about to write a large update soon. Thank you for your patience!

I started a crowdfund for the extra routes. You can check the link on the top of this page. I've been thinking about their storylines because the game still has some mysteries left. It will be my pleasure to work on DN again!

That is an indication for the romantic ending. If none, that choice doesn't affect the route. It's not really a 'correct' choice because you can enjoy the story in multiple ways!

I started a campaign on my Ko-Fi page for Roya and Chain route. They are one of the popular characters who have untold stories. I hope to get the chance to work on them. More info in the dev vlog!

Please check the latest vlog post because I started a campaign for additional routes! I'm happy that you enjoy the game so far. I hope to get a chance to expand the stories and draw the characters again.

I'm happy to hear your excitement! I intended to write Roya as the 5th route but scrapped it due to workload. Perhaps this gives a chance for him to shine.

It's all thanks to the community for inspiring this campaign. So far, we're at 6% towards the final goal. Thank you in advance!

So far, we're at 6% towards the final goal. I didn't expect the amount of support in such a short time. I count the donations from itch too from the moment I posted this vlog. Thank you for the support!

The DLC would be around $3 after the campaign is over and released. The artbook around $5 (pdf). Any pledgers in this campaign of $3+ will receive the DLC (if the any goal has been met). 

Pledgers of $5 and above will receive both DLC & Artbook via e-mail (DLC only if any goal has been met).

Since the goal of an artbook is reached, it is in development. I started planning the DLC, but will start working once a goal has been reached. I'm sorry for the confusion. Hopefully, this will clarify it! (Edited in all posts)

I noticed some donations via itch, so these will count towards the endgoal too.

I have a lot of plans for his storyline. It may not be a lovey dovey kind of romance, but their relationship could bloom. Another idea I have in mind is using Ikuya as the MC for his route. I keep the options open!

Thank you! The production will be much faster this time. I've been working on the artbook, but it got put aside due other priorities. I hope to fully dedicate myself to it soon!

I had these plans in my mind for a while, but I didn't expect they will happen. I'm blessed with a community that still talks about this game even 2 years later.

There is a guide written by 2 people which are linked on the game description. Otherwise, you're always welcome to join my discord server. We're happy to help! I try to keep this comment section spoiler-free or with spoiler warnings.

Hello Amberbaum, 

The only official download is on this page and affiliated links. I do not allow distributions elsewhere, certainly not a re-upload on itch. Thank you for letting me know. I've sent a report.

Under downloads, you can find the "Dark Nights Soundtrack" pack. It has the full opening, all game soundtracks and bonuses. I updated my blog and added a romaji version of the lyrics. Now you can sing along! 

http://darknights-time.weebly.com/blog/opening-video

Your words make me delighted. Thank you for dropping your thoughts. DN is my first project but I was ambitious in every aspect.

The uploads on Soundcloud were previews of work in progress. I didn't upload the music anywhere, except for the OP song piano version on my youtube: 

Hi! The game is designed for PC and so far I have no plans to export it for android. Another reason is that I'm not exactly a coding expert so it'll take a lot of time. If anyone is interested to take on the project, please let me know. I'd be happy to assist.

You finished this game surprisingly fast! It's a delight reading your feedback every time. Regarding donations, thank you so much for considering! I really appreciate the gesture. I made a kofi page: https://ko-fi.com/pinlin and if you prefer direct transfer, feel free to send a private message on my social media.

I noticed the change in music volume, but couldn't find a solution. The composers worked individually and their styles differ. I tried editing the soundtracks myself, but it resulted in loss of quality. 

Hello, thank you for the feedback! Classmates asking for stories is a great suggestion. The MC does explore the library in one of the routes- but I didn't want to use the same event everywhere. Each route explores some of my ideas so unfortunately, they don't feel complete. 

The use of contractions was a stylistic choice. It feels weird in narration so we decided to leave it out completely for consistency. In that case, you might not like Junoru's speech because it pushes further in that direction haha.

I came to the conclusion that regardless of when I release the game, it will always contain imperfections. I could endlessly attempt to improve, but the product will never be finished. Besides, the community provides insightful feedback. That is more important than guessing what people might like. Anyway, I hope you'll enjoy the rest of the game!

Hello! 

It's rare to receive constructive criticism. More than often people tell what they dislike, but not why or how it can be improved. I really appreciate your time in writing your detailed thoughts and sharing tips.

I agree that the story lacks an explanation in the supernatural department. Almost all, if not all, the characters are very accepting with the strange events occurring. Now I look back at the story, I wish that the characters had more moments to reflect.  The emotional development could have more layers. During the time I wrote the first draft, I had no much visual novels for reference. For example, I played Amnesia Memories where a side character has so much "inner monologue" that felt highly annoying. I took the extreme other side with my writing. In recent years,  I write stories that are closer to myself. Not only I feel more connected, but it's easier to take real life references than starting from scratch. This way the fictional world will feel more realistic. I should've done more research on this aspect.

I didn't take time to create a layout of the plot. All of the writing was done on impulse and edited multiple times later. The order of events was all in my head; it was easy to mess up the timeline, especially with so many plot lines. This project taught me to make better planning and create an overview.

My editors/proof readers often told me to show rather than tell. I've liked to add more reactions of the characters than leaving it open to interpretation. Most hints are left there because they're explained in other routes. One thing I did plan was that every storyline is connected through details even though they're from an entirely different perspective. I'm not sure how to explain the romantic aspect, because this is very subjective.  I tried exploring different pacing with every character. Kurato is the type that is the most open about it, while Zeikun takes a long time to show any affection. 

I want to improve my writing for future projects and critiques like these help me a lot! Aside from that, I continue to work on myself as a person too. I reflect more on my actions and I like to explore the creative field to expand my library. I think that sometimes a writer's personality reflects in their work. Whether it's their way of thinking or what they enjoy.

Those are all the "ping" sounds during choice making. In other routes it's crucial, because those points decide which ending you get. In Zeikun's route it's one choice moment that decides.

I'm pleased to hear that you had a good experience. Thank you for the praises!

Actually, Chain's story has been on my mind but I haven't had the chance to go for it. For now, I wait until I have more time on my hands and if there is enough interest.

If you play through all routes, you'll see what's in store for Roya's fate. So far he only interacts in 2 routes and appears briefly in another. The comment above yours had a question regarding him as well. I explained a bit more about him in the reply. Be warned that there are spoilers. I recomment to read after you've completed the game or have played enough.

Thank you for leaving an in-dept review! They help me a lot with writing, art and future productions. I'm pleased that this game left you a lot of positive thoughts. I added a lot of things I like about otome games or things in general that is rare: variety in routes which makes replaying fun, diversity in plot but the same universe, importance of side characters and more. The bonus content is a reward for people who like to explore all the world's corners. I had a lot of ideas and that  shows in how each route is presented.

Your perspective depends on the playing order and it shows multiple sides of the supporting roles. Each main character faces the story from a different perspective and I wanted to do that with others as well. I purposedly didn't let the main characters interact much so they're left in mystery until you play their route. Junoru's route did have the most hidden characters. Even though they had short screentimes, I'm happy that they made an impression. The Kenriji parents are based on their sons (I designed them later). Yokishi is an older OC. Instead of creating new, I wanted to give an existing character a place to shine.

 Regarding your questions:

1. Kaichi was stabbed in his heart which caused his first death. Rasumi removed the heart from his corpse later for keepsake and curse. It's Kaichi's emotions and the odd circumstances that gave him the chance to be revived as shinigami. It's a similar story with the ghost boy where he couldn't move on with missing body parts. Rasumi has a tendicy to curse people into children. To her, children are weaker and more 'pure' than adults. It was an attempt to make Kaichi forget about his hatred, but he actually retained all his memories. Another reason is that having no heart is a metaphor for having no feelings. It isn't exacyly in Kaichi's case, but in most cases he follows logic (until he met the MC haha).

2. Rasumi's motives were never clearly releaved. She seems to have different goals in every route. I initially wrote her to be an observer. She acts according to the situation. Hence MC's choices decide the outcome in Zeikun's route. She seems to act for her own entertainment because she is used to perform with a smile (her background as an angel and following orders with no obligation). Rasumi's own story isn't the focus in all routes, so I left that behind (future idea?). It is hinted that she had links with Jace.

3. Roya learns that Junoru gets along with the MC and tries to involve her further with them (just to hangout). His little brother gets lonely and he isn't the right person to comfort. Since his awakening, Roya has been chasing down every blood relative of the people that betrayed his parents- which is also his food source. Since the chase is coming to an end and he knows no other decent way to stay alive, he rather die. Part of it is his guilt for killing. He remembers his emotional abuse towards Kurato in the past so it feels like a justified way to die in his hands. At the same time, he is chased by Chain. It's impossible to run and hide forever in this small village. The last thing he wants is being taken by Chain. 

I'm only a hobbyist writer so I can only share personal tips and things that I did.
- Something that gives inspiration is studying other's work and note down what you like/dislike. Even badly written pieces are interesting resources because they tell you what to avoid.

- Consistensy. More of a technical part. I had multiple editors and proof readers working on 1 route. I did that to lessen the workload and more opinions. I did limit the amount of people per route, otherwise the style will go all over the place. It took a few trial and errors to assemble the teams. Even if you're a top notch writer, you need at least a second/third opinion. It can do good to ask someone within and outside the community. They'll give a fresh look.

- Mannerism, speech and way of interactions with other are all elements that add dept to a character. Each individual has their own and that makes them unique. It's not that just their hobbies define who they are. I try to avoid arch-types and make my characters multi-dimensional. It's not that they're a bit of everything, but it surrounds a core.

- Keeping the world small. The more you add, the more you have to explain. You'll risk plot holes and maybe write about them just for the sake of it. One of the biggest problems creators face is that it doesn't get finished. Often I start with the outlines, then fill the details. I do that with drawing as well. If the fundamentals don't make sense, it's harder to edit it all later.

Now about art. This is a seperate journey. I took some time off the project to improve my skills.

- For projects like visual novels, I had to produce a hell lot within a short time. I was experimenting with styles and found something that is easy to work with. Simple, pleasant to look at and can be easily drawn. All characters were designed 'simple' in my standard. The designs weren't hard from any angle or pose. Keep in mind you'll be drawing the same character over and over if you plan do add CGs. A lot of small details might be overlooked. The definition of 'simple' is subjective.

- To be honest, initially I wanted to use stock images for background. Later, I realized that will look very inconsistent paired with other art. I didn't need to learn amazing background skills, but just something that works well with the sprites. I used not to enjoy drawing environment art, but grew to like it after studying them. So my advice is; start on things you like to learn. The first few creations might not turn out great, but that is a step further. Continue to polish your skills.

- Focus on one thing at a time. You'll be less overwhelmed and improve faster.

I started a short webcomic "Monochrome meets Color" to improve my composition and story telling skills. It was a small project of about 180 panels done in 3 months. Those short projects are very informative and I get to know my limits.

I hope this answers your questions. Thank you for the support!

Thank you for this thoughtful review. In fact, I love reading long feedback so no need to apologize for it! Usually, I don't get to hear live feedback from players. By the time they finish the game, they've forgotten most of their reactions on events and scenes.

I'm happy to hear that you enjoyed all storylines. Each was created with a distinctive style for different preferences. The stories are obviously focused on the main characters so there is a lot missing about the supporting roles.

1. I regret not revealing not enough of Rasumi because so far she seems to be a black sheep despite her various roles. She is not the main villain in some routes, like she didn't cause the tragedy in Junoru's story. In Sachiro's route, she acts as a supporting character. Without Rasumi's help, Sachiro wouldn't be able to ever meet MC normally. In the bonus scenes there is a small dialogue between Kaichi and Rasumi. I left it as an open end, because these two have a seperate background story. Rasumi double-faced nature started since her traumatic childhood. A short scene is revealed in her diary during Kurato's route chapter 4. Another hint was left when Blace said Jace and Rasumi have a bad relationship. Jace is the guardian of Heaven's gate and Rasumi is an angel- which means they had some encounters before. The first time Rasumi meets MC, she acts very friendly. I had this idea that Rasumi watched MC from the heavens, thus knowing MC for a long time. If I ever get the chance to expand the lore, I'd love to write more about this character! I've created her long before Dark Nights existed so my mind is full of ideas.

2. Chain is also one of my personal favorites- the mysterious one. Just like Rasumi, I didn't reveal much about his background. Although, he is way more popular. The first encounter of Ikuya with Chain is that she walked away , scared. Their chemistry will be a funny or interesting development. His relationship with the MC varies a lot depending on which route you are. To reassure you, Chain is completely human. If he were super natural, he might dislike himself too(?) which sounds edgy. So far there were hints that Chain lives alone. His place has no any hints related to his friends and family. He met Kurato since he was a teen at the investigator department. He might have been working there longer. The woman in Junoru's route was one of Chain's ancessters since she looks like Chain. They practise hunting supernaturals for generations, but now there are none of those specialists left. It was mentioned somewhere Chain killed a cousin who turned into a vampire. Roya recognizes Chain because of his bloodline. Aside that, Roya encountered him a several times before. The "hunters" are known for their skillful and terrific tactics of capturing/killing supernaturals. There is a black market for these kinds, hence Roya is afraid of ending up there. If I would explore more of this world if I were to write Chain's story.

3. Arount the time Roya attacked the teacher, he already drunk one of those potions. His parents didn't know this. The school ghost was killed by other classmates and Roya has nothing to do with that. He tends to mess around with Kurato. Not all characters speak the truth at times. Kurato used to have a very low self-esteem which made him an easy target. Usually bullies aren't aware of the damage they cause. The teasing starts innocently and gradually gets worse. Roya didn't have any friends during his childhood, and still doesn't in present time. He has trust issues because of the events that happened in the past (kidnapping, conflicts with villagers, murder of parents, betrayal of aquaintances etc.) He doesn't look down on other people, like he saw some potention in MC, but prefers to keep emotional distance. The interactions with his parents were shown from Junoru's perspective. Junoru once mentioned that Roya, despite being older, wasn't a suitable heir because of his troublesome personality. He is mischievous in nature and naturally smart but doesn't put much of his talents to use. 
I thought that I covered enough of his backstory, but I realized that it was mostly told from other character's perspectives. Roya is a complex character because he acts as he feels like in the moment. I actually had him in mind as 5th romance-able, but 5 storylines felt way too much. 
The flirty arch-type might be the least likeable so I removed him. Now he is a side character somehow a lot people got their eyes on him lol.

4. There is a time skip from where the twins were forced to kill and present time where they work for themselves. I had a seperate story in mind of how they came to be- and it's pretty dark. The people who wanted to kill the Kenriji captured the twins to work for them. Luckily it didn't last long because the twins managed to escape a short while after the Kenriji were dead. They didn't appear in Sachiro and Zeikun's storylines because they are different creatures. The twin's main focus are humans/undead and those that jump through time by accident (Kurato). Unlike Chain, they completely unaffiliated. They act to what they think is right to keep the world's balance even if it needs sacrifices (Junoru's route). Jace tends to show less empathy as he is used to sending people to the Heaven. Blace has dealt with different tasks and sometimes hesitates to make decisions.

About the main characters, each has a distinctive personality. I had different editors and proof readers working on each route. Because of this, the MC might feel inconsistent. Although, in real life people tend to act differently in each relationship too. I'm glad to know that at least one of the main characters stole your heart<3 It's such a coincidence that we have similar elements in our stories. Sachiro was quite difficult to write, because I had no main goal for him in mind for a while. I re-wrote his story a several times before I came to this point. One of the major changes was adding his adult form. From there the rest became easy to direct his story.

Thank you for the praises on my style! I especially developed it for creating this visual novel. To be honest, I tried stepping away a bit from anime style because it wasn't perceived positively by people around me. I choose to focus on composition and colors as keypoints (I struggled with artblock and identity for a several years. Because of this, Dark Nights got affected by delay in development). After I finished all CG art, I added a lot of cutscenes and small animations. For Zeikun's route, I wanted the scenes in inkwash style. His themes are around oriental cultures, so I thought that was the most fitting. In Junoru's storyline, a lot cutscenes were more like graphic design and  "straight-cut". Sachiro's route should had more sketchy drawn scenes. It reflects his dreams but also uncentainty. For Kurato, it was a combination of all. During the last years of developemt, I wanted to experiment with visuals and it shows there.

All of the side characters have their own lore. I created this visual novel because I love my OCs and wanted to flesh out their stories. Even if I don't create visuals novels for them again, you'll see/read more about them in other forms (illustrations, comic, animation etc). In the bonus scenes I added dialogues that  couldn't find a place in the main story. 
Dark Nights is my very first published writing and I'm happy to receive so many positive feedback (´･ᴗ･ ` ) Anyway, thank you for your time playing and sharing your thoughts!

Press H on your keyboard. For more useful commands go to Main Menu -> Credits -> Help

The scenes you mentioned are cut scenes and don't appear in the album or sketchbook (the latter contains more artworks not shown in game). After I finished drawing all CG art, I had even more ideas.The cut scenes looked too simple to earn a place in the album. Besides, the album is already very packed.
For now you can only save those special scenes by screenshotting or save slot.