Version 0.9.56 Game Update Now Available (Aug. 4: new Mac fix, see first post)

[JeffR]

Our newest game update, Version 0.9.56, is now available, including a data update.

You can download the new version at:

(PC) FHM - Update 0.9.56
(Mac) FHM - Update 0.9.56
(note: Mac version is now actually 0.9.57 to add a missing file that was resulting in major errors in the GUI layout on some screens, if you're using a Mac and have version 0.9.56, re-download and update to the new version)


PC Installation instructions: After you download the file just install it over your existing game (you don't need to uninstall the old version first.) Make sure to select the correct path to your game if needed.
Mac Installation instructions: After you download the .dmg file, open it, move the fhm.app file to your applications folder and copy over the old version.

After installation, the game should display "Version 0.9, BETA Build 56" at the bottom of the statup screen; if it shows a different build number, you'll need to re-download and reinstall (and before doing so, make sure the update file you downloaded has been deleted and your browser cache cleared.)

Note that if you decide to uninstall and reinstall, you should first release one of your licenses via Preferences-License on the start screen.

Saves from earlier versions are not compatible with this version!


Changes/Fixes/Additions:

*** Comments ***

Quite a lot of new stuff, not surprisingly given that it's been a month and ten build versions.

First, though, a note on pricing: the pre-order price will end on August 20 (i.e., the 19th will be the last day to order at $29.99), two weeks prior to release. From that point on, the game will have the release price of $39.99. We'll post reminders of this in the next couple of weeks.

On to the update:

Most obviously, the game starts in September 2013 now, with updated league alignments and teams. Bear in mind that the research is a work in progress and the state of off-season rosters can be pretty messy. The big leagues will have relatively full rosters, but smaller ones may have teams with significant gaps. And there will be a lot of unsigned free agents, since we're only a month into free agency. NHL contract data is as complete as possible, but will get a thorough update before release to catch all the small inaccuracies (usually based on recent, incomplete information) that crept in over the summer.

Historical play got a significant overhaul and should be much more playable now, aside from very late (post-2005) starts where the data is still being worked on. The WHA should be completely functional now, drafting and signing players properly in competition with the NHL; the NHL will also handle its rosters a little better. Expansion drafts will occur at the correct time. The main thing remaining to be added is the customization of expansion draft rules, such as filling in protected lists during the draft as happened in some of them, the special Cleveland/Minnesota dispersal and San Jose/Minnesota un-dispersal rules in 1978 and 1991, the multi-stage expansion drafts, and a more realistic WHA merger (at the moment, WHA teams don't get to protect any of their players.) And the frequent crashes have been fixed (most were problems with the transition from the regular season to playoffs.)

The new in-game interface is working now; it'll look a little better once facegen is activated (before release) or if you use a user-made portrait pack; otherwise you get the default "no picture" available silhouette for all players. We're also working on using the screen space better on higher-resolution settings, but for now there will be empty space on the bottom and to the right at those resolutions.

The Custom League setup is pretty rudimentary at the moment, and won't prevent you from doing anything that'll break your game, e.g. completely incompatible rules like 16-team playoffs in a 12-team league, so you'll have to plan your league carefully. The format is limited to a top-level league and accompanying minor league, that will be a basic limitation on custom games in this version - i.e., no adding multiple custom leagues at the same level. There is no player generation system at the moment (we'll be enabling the regular player generation/background leagues and/or a special, custom-league-specfic system next), so the player pool will eventually disappear as players retire. An option to use real players (it's fictional-only at the moment) will be added in a later update. It's also badly in need of documentation for all the individual settings, that'll be included in the manual at release.

The rules for signing players away from other leagues have been streamlined to simplify things for both players and the AI. From an NHL perspective, most leagues will allow you to sign players with an active contract, but online during the summer (mid-June through the end of August) and for a small fee. The KHL is an exception and requires that contracts be honoured. Non-CHL junior leagues and the NCAA do not require a fee, but can only have their players signed during the summer. Players can be signed immediately from most minor league teams regardless of contract. There's also a third class of transfer, where one league must honour both contracts and player rights in another league, that isn't used by the NHL but is used, for example, amongst the three CHL leagues. Other leagues have different settings for each other, so I think we may need to add an information screen for each league detailing all the inter-league contract relationships.

State-based player names are working now, so newly-generated Quebec players get French names, Massachusetts and Newfoundland get more Irish names, different regions of Switzerland get predominantly German/French/Italian names as appopriate, etc.; YZG, our names researcher, has also expanded the number of ethnic name lists.

The AI now assigns player numbers properly, and there's a user option to change them. One thing I should clarify: right now, players have only their preferred number listed in the database. If that's not available, the game will choose a different one for them, based on typical number use by position. So what you see in the game doesn't always reflect current uniform numbers; I think we may need to add a configuration system to assign those (and maybe captaincies) at the start so they're technically correct.

One known issue that isn't fixed : while in commissioner mode, the user (as an NHL GM) will be able to send NHL players to the minors without needing to use waivers even if they are waiver-eligible. This isn't intended and will be fixed pending a review of what other rules exemptions commissioner mode is allowing.

This should be the last significant content addition before release; while there may be some minor additions (new playable leagues, facegen, etc.) and large adjustments to current systems (mainly Custom Setup and the scouting system), most of the focus from here to release will be on bugfixing/AI improvement.


*** 0.9.48 (3 August 2013) ***

Bug fixes:

Free agents now import correctly during historical startup with Draft and/or Import at 17 turned on.
Historical contract system fixed so teams will sign free agents properly now.
Crash at start of playoffs in historical mode fixed.
Defunct teams (Cleveland, various WHA teams) now expire at the correct time in historical mode (at the end of the season, mid-season folding isn't possible and won't be in this version.)
Ex-WHA players no longer "off limits" if they had no NHL rights set when the league expires.
Teams should now obey maximum protected list size.
KHL draft rules fixed, no longer have redundant nationality/region settings.
Fixes to a couple of dozen historical players with incorrect team settings.

Changes:

All leagues changed to 2013-14 formats (NHL and NCAA realignment, various European promotions and demotions, expansion teams, Elitserien name changed to Swedish Hockey League, etc.)
Start date of modern game changed to September 2013. Some schedules are the real 2013-14 ones (including the Olympic break), others are temporarily re-used 2012 versions until the real ones are released.
Delete button added to load screen.
Custom league creation added.
Large number of minor GUI/graphics tweaks.
In-game interface redesigned.
Transfer fee/termination clause system redesigned.
Better budget settings for historical teams.
State-based player naming implemented: player names are now determined at the state/provincial level instead of national level, where data is available. Right now, Canada, Switzerland, Austria, Belgium, and Kazakshtan have state data for all regions; Italy, Sweden, Romania, Russia, and the United States have them for some areas, and we'll be continuing to add to that list (Finland is next.)
Proper player numbering system implemented, including user option to change uniform numbers. More to follow on this, including the addition of retired numbers.

Database Changes:

Players with NHL debuts in 2002-03, 03-04, and 04-05 now included in historical database. 2004-05, the lockout season, will play the full, as-planned, schedule using the 03-04 (i.e., pre-lockout) rules, as if the NHL and NHLPA had played the season under the old rules while negotiating. Wouldn't that have been nice?
Historical draft rules (both entry and expansion) added.
Historical teams now have correct city, arena, and attedance data.
Leagues/countries with significant amounts of updated data: NHL, AHL, OHL, WHL, QMJHL, NOJHL, BCHL, FHL, NCAA, KHL/Russia, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Italy, Norway, Switzerland, UK, Asia League. Most of the existing researcher vacancies have been filled, so those leagues and countries that haven't seen an update in a while should start getting them again soon.
Injury data updated.

[Habsfan18]

I'm not sure if I'm doing something wrong in the settings, but starting a 1992 historical file, guys like Chris Pronger, Martin St. Louis & Paul Kariya (all 17 years old) are listed as free agents and are eligible to be signed by any team..

[JeffR]

Originally Posted by Habsfan18

I'm not sure if I'm doing something wrong in the settings, but starting a 1992 historical file, guys like Chris Pronger, Martin St. Louis & Paul Kariya (all 17 years old) are listed as free agents and are eligible to be signed by any team..

They start in the free agent pool, but won't be signable until after being drafted in 1993.

[tcblcommish]

Some weird stuff in the fictional league that I made. Every single player was a 5 star gold and silver player. All superstars. This normal?

[JeffR]

Originally Posted by tcblcommish

Some weird stuff in the fictional league that I made. Every single player was a 5 star gold and silver player. All superstars. This normal?

If it was a small league, yeah, since you were drafting the best players in the world. The star levels for the main custom league are still measured against the NHL standard, since that's the highest one in the game, so if you've got 4 teams it's 80 top-level players.

[drewst18]

Couple oddities.

Game starts with Orpik, Stepan, Scandella on waivers and Scandella makes almost 10 million a season.

[yzerwing]

When trying out the custom league, it doesn't allow me to go on with my changes, it just defaults. Only seems to move forward with minimal changes to team names and places.

When picking jersey numbers, it goes from 2 and then jumps to 36 and higher.

Also, wondering if at some point we will be able to edit the shots per game setting as well as picking left for shooters?

[BlackhawksRule]

Cant start an historical game. Tells me invalid database version

[Neuzz]

I also noted that some players start on waivers.
and for some reason the penguins are not affected by the contract maximum.
they have 82 contracts, while 50 are allowed.
the red wings and flyers also exceeded the limit, but they only have 51 contracts

[Orioles1966]

The penalty timer still freezes at 0:01. I had a team play two players short in OT,however they still won in the shootout.

[croatian]

Originally Posted by Orioles1966

The penalty timer still freezes at 0:01. I had a team play two players short in OT,however they still won in the shootout.

Same here...few times already happened.

[zIKANEIz]

Just wondering if you can add to custom league the ability to have 6 total teams. So like 3 in each conference. Also any idea when you guys will be adding the penalties in the game recap screen? It shows the guys that took the penalties but not what they got called for. Other then that I am very happy with this game love it actually only PC game that I play.

[goat10]

managed to sign teemu selanne to a 0$ 0 year deal

[mgom27]

I like Fictional League but Games Against showed go up to 200 so if I have 200 selected then 100 per Division and Conference but can't in a 2013 League.
Also like 32 Fictional Teams but could go higher.
Why isn't other League Options turned on yet like Expansion Draft,Money in Trades,Minor League Option Needed,Dressed League Structure and so on? Also combined a Fictional League with 2013 one?

[ZBGuy]

Re: Create-a-league, is the overall plan for this release to make a system a la OOTP where you can create your own fictional universe, or will it be restricted to a major league + a minor league? And will we be able to adjust the starting date?

[tcblcommish]

Originally Posted by JeffR

If it was a small league, yeah, since you were drafting the best players in the world. The star levels for the main custom league are still measured against the NHL standard, since that's the highest one in the game, so if you've got 4 teams it's 80 top-level players.

It wasn't that small. 16 team league was what it was and all players 5 stars?

[Orioles1966]

I put together a 56 team Custom League and upon playing a game(first game of season) it crashes.

Edit-Game play's fine now. Don't know what I did different except I shut the game down and turned it back on ,later.

[yzerwing]

Playing in historical mode, unsigned drafted players are showing up in unsigned lists and free agent lists and I can sign other teams picks. They also accept the deal the day of, with no need to advance a day, which seems odd.

My team the Sharks knocked Calgary out 4-1 in the second round, yet they somehow managed to move on and play us in the third round and beat us 4-1 and they moved on to the cup, um ok!

[dave1927p]

this sounds like a great update.

One small request (didn't want to make a new thread for it) but can you please add a button to "List all League Players" like ootp has. I really like that easy ability in ootp.

oh and a screen for team captains, perhaps under the team history...sorry I couldn't limit to just one request.

[dave1927p]

Originally Posted by goat10

managed to sign teemu selanne to a 0$ 0 year deal

You really are a goat if you paid that! Might have to bit the bullet and ask your team owner to write a cheque to buy him out one day.