FHM Update Version 1.0.3 Now Available

[JeffR]

Our first post-release game update, Version 1.0.3, is now available.

You can download the new version at:

(PC) FHM - Update 1.0.3
(Mac) FHM - Update 1.0.3

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 1.0 Build 3" 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 version 1.0 (and the post-release quickstart update) are compatible with this version, but to take full advantage of the changes and fixes we recommend starting a new game.


Changes/Fixes/Additions:

Comments:

As I indicated on the forum, the primary purpose of this patch is to resolve major issues that could potentially make 1.0 games unplayable, as well as add fixes that could be made and tested properly in a short amount of time. Things that require more coding and testing, such as complex AI behaviour regarding free agents (e.g., North American players signing in Europe too easily), AI team use of tough players, and Mac interface issues, will take more time and be addressed in the next patch (Multiplayer is still coming in the first major content patch, but these smaller patches with necessary immediate fixes will happen first.)

Thanks to everyone for their patience, that launch was a lot rougher than we hoped for but we're on the road to recovery now. There will be many more improvements to come.

Changes:

• Game should no longer crashes when clicking on names of players currently playing in non-playable leagues (e.g., in draft previews or during draft.)
• Fixed crashing when adding players to a trade, or moving scroll bar while looking at trade offers.
• Should now be possible to move the starting goalie to G2 position when switching goalies during a game.
• Rights issue when re-signing your own players resolved, should be possible to do this properly now.
• Swedish and Finnish relegation should work correctly now.
• Goalie shutouts and W-L-T now recorded properly.
• Computer-run teams should no longer make trade requests to the player that offer nothing in return.
• Custom mode inaugural drafts now scheduled for August to prevent conflicts with league formats that have an early start date.
• Custom mode games no longer crash on June 30-July 1 of first season (was due to improper setup of draft rules in nonplayable leagues.)
• Inaugural draft in custom mode should no longer force user to choose goalies first (this may occur in regular draft mode, though - discovered too late in testing to fix on this patch.)
• Ability rating will now be recalculated after editing a player.
• Now possible to start games as St. Louis (had been crashing because Missouri hadn't been assigned to a scouting region.)
• Entry drafts should now occur properly in in historical mode.
• Expansion drafts should now occur properly in in historical mode.
• Historical mode will not crash on transition from June 30, 1979 to July 1, 1979.
• Newly generated players outside Canada and US no longer always getting their national capital as a birthplace.
• Players serving bench minors no longer get 2 minutes added to their PIM.
• Mental ratings for post-prime players in historical mode stop collapsing to very low (1-2) values.
• Staff portraits enabled.
• Initial import of players in historical mode with generate at 17 turned off should now include only correct players for that option.
• "Generic Leagues" description is now "Other Leagues."
• Text/grammar errors in some news items corrected, new items added.
• Neverending penalties in match engine fixed (caused by bug allowing already-penalized players to receive a second penalty.)
• Should no longer be possible to sign "late-birthdate" (Sept. 16-Dec. 31) 18-year-olds before they're drafted
• Team entry draft previews now "written by" amateur scout instead of assistant coach.
• Should be fewer "Cy Young" players (high number of goals, low assists), may require a little more tuning.
• "Return to Start Screen" feature removed from Mac version (should have been taken out at release, it causes crashes when trying to start new games after using it and needs more work before it's stable.)
• Incorrect starting cap hits for some NHL players corrected.
• Recent NHL roster moves added.
• Starting ability of 17-year-olds in historical mode modified downward slightly.
• Award winners should now be storied in league history correctly.

Partially Fixed/Workarounds:

As a temporary fix, the free agent list now defaults to the goalies filter to prevent extremely long load times. We have a lot we want to add here in the way of filters and sorting, but it wasn't possible in this patch.

Not fixed yet, but we know the cause of the slow inaugural drafts in custom mode; it'll get fixed next time (so the apparent freeze you see there isn't actually one - it's just the game taking a very long time to process the draft.) It's probably faster right now to make your own picks rather than letting the computer do them for you.

Teams should passing on draft picks in historical mode less often than they were, but this isn't 100% fixed yet, requires some additional investigation and work.

It's now a little more difficult to acquire player rights in a trade, but there appear to be issues with the AI's evaluation of multiplayer trades that require further investigation, it's not working as designed right now.
We're not sure what causes randomly-named saves appearing when using the load feature in Mac games, but deleting the "saved_games.dat" file removes them.

Valuation of "tough guys" adjusted to make them more valuable to the AI in trades/when signing contracts, but it's going to require more tuning and testing to get them to use the players properly in lineups and games.

We can't find the cause of match engine text disappearing from some games, but it may be related to the \Out of the Park Developments\Franchise Hockey Manager 2014\data\text\english.xml file being missing or unreadable - if it happens to you and that file is missing, you should re-download and reinstall.

Home advantage has swung too far in the direction of the home team after being too little earlier, we'll adjust that.

[dave1927p]

this sounds like a fantastic update. Thanks!

[daves]

Do have to install the original game download first?

[JeffR]

Originally Posted by daves

Do have to install the original game download first?

No, this one will work either way, as an update or a fresh installation.

[Habsfan18]

Is there any way we can expand the protected lists for historical mode? Maybe let us edit it ourselves?

Or even better, maybe keep the limit as 50, but have the AI automatically only keep their best 30 or so players on the protected list at all times. Teams really don't need to keep it maxed out all the time, as we know it creates problems. Players rated 4.5 and 5 really don't need to be on the protected list. They can stay in the organization, but they don't need to be protected..

[JWT]

Wow, thank you so much for this! Amazing work, thanks for everything!

[AESP_pres]

Not a critic but a suggestion... Could you find a way for a new update to not erase the logo folder. I forgot everytime do a backup and because of that I have to download the leagues logos again. At least the player picture folder isn't touch.

Of course I talk of the main folders and not the ones for the saved game.

[TheAngryNachos]

Version 1.0 Build 3 at the bottom is that right?

First I thought it wasn't so I deleted it and re-installed it and it still says Version 1.0 Build 3 is this right?

Thanks

EDIT: I'm pretty sure it isn't right but I'm not sure how to fix it I did all you said still same Version 1.0 at the bottom.

[Habsfan18]

I'm in the 1991-1992 season, and for some reason I'm not allowed to trade draft picks? It's not even giving me an option to include them as part of a deal. The only options are players, rights and dispersal picks.

[JeffR]

Originally Posted by TheAngryNachos

Version 1.0 Build 3 at the bottom is that right?

First I thought it wasn't so I deleted it and re-installed it and it still says Version 1.0 Build 3 is this right?

Thanks

EDIT: I'm pretty sure it isn't right but I'm not sure how to fix it I did all you said still same Version 1.0 at the bottom.

Yeah, my mistake in the patch notes about saying it said 1.0.3, fixed now.

[JeffR]

Originally Posted by Habsfan18

I'm in the 1991-1992 season, and for some reason I'm not allowed to trade draft picks? It's not even giving me an option to include them as part of a deal. The only options are players, rights and dispersal picks.

It looks like half of the Stars-Sharks two-stage dispersal/expansion draft is being interpreted by the game as the entry draft, I'll have to get the guys to check exactly what's going wrong there.

[JeffR]

Originally Posted by AESP_pres

Not a critic but a suggestion... Could you find a way for a new update to not erase the logo folder. I forgot everytime do a backup and because of that I have to download the leagues logos again. At least the player picture folder isn't touch.

Of course I talk of the main folders and not the ones for the saved game.

Yeah, I'll see if we can get the installer to stop doing that, it is annoying.

[dave1927p]

I've posted a couple issues on the technical subsection. The AI keeps making trades for me and I don't have it set for AI. Although it keeps trading the same players even though I force them back and changed their salary manually. Perhaps the game still thinks i'm above the salary cap even though I manually adjusted. Would be nice to get a pop up saying to make space.

Otherwise, so far so good.

Is RFA becoming UFA corrected?

[Habsfan18]

Seems like the issues are still there with recent draftees signing elsewhere. Darius Kasparitis was drafted 17th overall by Quebec in the '92 draft, yet he just signed with the Boston Bruins.

Again, it appears the issue is that there was no room for him since Quebec's protected list was maxed out.

[gmerger]

So pumped that we can re-sign our own players now but can something be done about their requests?

Michael Del Zotto wants a 6 year $6.2 million dollar per year deal?

[dave1927p]

Too many starting goalies only play under 50 games. A majority of starting goalies should be at least 60. Most of them in game are around 44. It carries over to the playoffs as well where they only play half the games. Hopefully that is up on the list for the next update.

[gmerger]

Also I am trying to make a trade but for some reason the game is defaulting me as the Montreal Canadians when I am playing as the NY Rangers.

Will post this in the bugs thread too.

[yarfangor]

Fan-freaking-tastic

Really happy about this, great work guys

[Hotstreak]

Got a message on Sept 9th that Saku Koivu would become a free agent as Anaheim had decided not to extend him.

There's absolutely no way a team would announce something like this so far in advance. I mean, the season hadn't even begun yet. Now, there's always speculation throughout any season about which players won't be re-signed and thus will becom free agents, so maybe if the story was changed to reflect this as speculation and not as fact i would make more sense, but even then it would be a bit early for that kind of speculation.

[jameslacy8]

Couple of minor things:

Still getting frequent crash to desktop trying to delete various SINGLE messages in manager email

Also when going to trade list, right clicking and choosing trade for player (or make trade offer) it goes to random trade screens at times, even in completely different leagues, and defaults me to one of them....I just have to backup and go back and it works properly

EDIT: Playing as Red Wings and right clicking on various names in the trade list and clicking on make offer leads to an Ohlund trade offer for a draft pick from another team......neither of which are me.....