Version 0.9.17 Game and Data Update Now Available

[JeffR]

Our newest game update, Version 0.9.17, is now available, including a data update.

You can download the new version at:

FHM - Update 0.9.17

Installation instructions: After you download the file just install it over your existing game (you don't need to un-install the old version first!). Make sure to select the correct path to your game if needed. (this link should avoid the problems we had earlier with older cached versions, but you may still want to double-check when you start the game that it's version 0.9.17 - look at the bottom of the startup screen, it should read "Version 0.9 Beta Build 17.")

Saves from earlier versions are not compatible with this version!

Regarding the changes I mentioned Sebastian is working on to improve game speed: those are taking a little longer than expected, but we've already gone long enough between updates. So what we'll do is make this update now, then release a hotfix sometime tomorrow or Saturday that'll implement the speed changes and nothing else, so it any savegames you start today will work fine with tomorrow's version - they'll just run faster (hopefully a lot faster, when you combine the effects of those and smaller playable league setups.)

The new nonplayable transactions system is in place, but its full effects won't be completely apparent yet - I need to do a bit more data entry to enable the systems that move players if they become too good or bad for the league, and player generation isn't creating new 14-year-old players in a way that'll populate the junior/youth leagues completely (so you may want to avoid starting games in the Canadian Hockey League for the next week or two until that's working - the incoming pool of players may be a little weak after the first season.) If you want to have a look at what the new transaction system is doing, switch to a team in a non-playable league and view its Transaction Report - the "Move" transactions are created by the new system.

The amount of work Sebastian wound up doing on this update has put the Mac version slightly behind schedule, but we're still aiming for it to be available on May 1.


Changes/Fixes/Additions:

*** 0.9.17 (25 April 2013) ***

Changes:
Users may now select which leagues they want to be playable at the start of the game (NHL and AHL are not unselectable.)
Automatic movement/progression system implemented for the non-playable leagues: players in those leagues will no longer stay on the same team, but move elsewhere at appropriate times to simulate a normal level of player transactions (e.g., graduating junior players becoming professionals, the worst players on a team that's exceeding its roster size limit will be moved to a lower-level league, etc.)

Bug Fixes:

Teams should no longer sign, then immediately release, players.
Aging attribute for all players no longer being set to a very low number.
Shot Targeting, Checking, Switch Goalie, and Pull Goalie settings on tactics screen no longer revert to defaults after being changed.
Teams no longer placing recently-signed free agents on the trading block.
Certain contract negotiations should no longer result in the user's "Offered Contracts" value becoming negative.
Players on LTIR should now affect NHL salary caps correctly.
Teams in the Allsvenskan Relegation and Promotion tournaments should all play the correct number of games.
AI should no longer sign players to the user's team when AI manager options are set to off.
Draft picks that start the game traded to another team will now be used by the correct team in the draft.
Draft picks edited in commissioner mode should save to the correct year.
Editing draft picks in commissioner mode will no longer delete existing pick changes.
Users playing in Czech Extraliga should no longer get a message telling them they did not qualify for the playoffs when, in fact, they did.
Czech Extraliga now has a proper schedule after the first season.
"Setup Organization" will now demote players if the active roster is too large.
"Setup Organization" for KHL teams will now promote enough U-21 players to meet roster requirements.
Now possible to switch trade partners after leaving, then returning via the back button, to the trade screen.
AI will no longer put players with a very short injury duration on the injured list.
KHL rights should now work correctly.
Several crash-causing bugs fixed.

Data Changes (not a complete list):

No new years for the historical game this update (I'm the one that does those, and all my database editing time for the last couple of weeks has been spent getting the non-playable transaction system data entered for the ~2000ish teams in the database. I'm going to try to do 3 years per week in May to get caught up.)
NHL transactions include recent college/junior signings up to April 23.
Various changes to players in the following countries/leagues: NHL, AHL, ECHL, WHL, OHL, QMJHL, KHL, NCAA, Russia, Finland, Czech Republic, France, Sweden, Germany, Slovakia.
Destination teams for the non-playable transaction system set for all teams.

[Skills]

I can't even play because apparently I need to activate the game again...

[Alessandro]

Re-enter your serial number

[Skills]

problem solved

[TheAngryNachos]

Awesome thanks guys! Gonna make a new game now!

[Sharpie]

Thank you for all the hard work.

[Big T]

Ok must have done something wrong, going through a constant loop, trying to load the game, it will not complete the set up and win not open the previous build either. I downloaded the update, then ran it only to get to the point of adding the icon, then it asks me to run again and go throught the same set of instructions

Any help will be appreciated.

Thanks

[JeffR]

Originally Posted by Big T

Ok must have done something wrong, going through a constant loop, trying to load the game, it will not complete the set up and win not open the previous build either. I downloaded the update, then ran it only to get to the point of adding the icon, then it asks me to run again and go throught the same set of instructions

Any help will be appreciated.

Thanks

At this point, I'd do an uninstall and then reinstall from the update file (and it's probably a good idea to re-download that, in case something got corrupted in the initial download and that's where the problem started. The file size should be 38,318 kb.) If it's repeatedly failed halfway through updating, you're better off just starting with a clean installation.

[Big T]

Excuse me for my lack of computor savy, I unistall from my "add/delete" programs and simple reinstall and it will set up a new folder?

Thanks for your quick response btw, I do appreciate it.

[JeffR]

Originally Posted by Big T

Excuse me for my lack of computor savy, I unistall from my "add/delete" programs and simple reinstall and it will set up a new folder?

Thanks for your quick response btw, I do appreciate it.

Right, that should do it.

[JeffR]

Update on the speed hotfix: it'll be tomorrow, we're also trying to get a fix in for the bug that's affecting some people (including me, now) where the first save in a game that you watch is always followed by a crash.

[CNOSLIM]

umm downloaded the new update and it won't let me create a new game it always says "ERROR could not create folder or file" i think so if anyone can help me i'd be greatly appreciated.

thank you for your time

[JeffR]

Originally Posted by CNOSLIM

umm downloaded the new update and it won't let me create a new game it always says "ERROR could not create folder or file" i think so if anyone can help me i'd be greatly appreciated.

thank you for your time

Sounds like you're not able to write to the directory your savegames are in. Try running in Administrator mode (Right click on the icon - Run as Administrator) and that should fix it.

[Ryan S]

Originally Posted by JeffR

Sounds like you're not able to write to the directory your savegames are in. Try running in Administrator mode (Right click on the icon - Run as Administrator) and that should fix it.

Is there a plan to move the save games into the user profile before the final release rather than saving them to the program files folder?

[CNOSLIM]

Originally Posted by JeffR

Sounds like you're not able to write to the directory your savegames are in. Try running in Administrator mode (Right click on the icon - Run as Administrator) and that should fix it.

thank you that helped perfectly, but i got one more question is it just me or is it that nobody can add new teams move divisions/conferences yet?

[Big T]

Originally Posted by JeffR

Right, that should do it.

Thank you, I am up and running again...