lost all downloaded fighters

[dragon29]

i opened tbcb2 and kept getting a message saying the files for my downloaded fighters couldn't be found so a new record has been create. i clicked okay and it proceeded to give me this message for over 1,000 downloaded fighters. at the end of it i then got error messages saying that important files couldn't be found and the program will have to close. being that i couldn't open the game at all, i redownloaded the game. i began by doing a mass import of fighters and next time around, got the same opening and closing messages. i redid the game again and everything seems cool but any ideas of what this was about or how this can be prevented? i 've been playing and importing fighters for years and never experienced that before.

i've also had the game crash on me everytime i've changed several fighters' nationality catagories at a time. i like to try to assign a nationality for all fighters and many imported fighters are without, or have a city name (brooklyn, syracuse) in that catagory. when i've reloaded the game after it crashes in that fashion, i'll get an error message, closing out the game. is that multiple fighter changing just something the game doesn't like? if any of this makes sense, ideas and suggestions are appreciated. thanks guys.

[JCWeb]

Sounds as if at least part of your problem relates to the "No Ratings Record" bug, which has been addressed before. Here is the most recend thread on the subject (note all the links in post #2 to the thread which contain advice about how to deal with the situation).

Empty Rating records...

Basically, you need to find the "ratingrecords.dat" file and insert a recent backup as that file has most likely become corrupted. Then try restarting the game. I have learned through bitter experience that every time I add or edit a fighter's ratings, to make a backup copy of the very crucial "ratingrecords.dat" file in case I get hit by this bug again.

The second problem you mention, with changing fighter nationalities, is one I have not run into before, but since nationalities are part of the fighter data screen, I believe if you follow the same instructions for the "fighters.dat" file (another key file) and make backups after every set of changes, it should help resolve your issue there as well.

[SAL]

JC,
Do you make a back-up of these files before or after you shut the game down after making changes?

I've never had this problem yet............knock on wood, but I always make back-up files only after I've shut the game down.

Should I do it before shut down?

[dragon29]

i thank you, so much, for the help. i apologize for making anyone repeat whats already been said before. i especially appreciate being walked through the detailed process, step by step. it helped greatly and everthing seems cool. thanks, guys!

[JCWeb]

SAL, I make backups usually right after I exit the game but before I exit the computer. For example, just right now I exited the game but saved those files that I knew were changed right before logging on the internet and this Board.

dragon29, thanks for the comments. I am not a computer technician but any means, but urge you to continue posting if you have any future issues and experiences with these or any other bugs with the game. It's likely that the OOTP technical people will be trying to do something about this in a future patch or new edition so as much information as we can give them about problems encountered, etc., would I am sure be helpful.

[SAL]

Originally Posted by JCWeb

SAL, I make backups usually right after I exit the game but before I exit the computer. For example, just right now I exited the game but saved those files that I knew were changed right before logging on the internet and this Board.

Thanks JC for the reply. I'll continue as I have in the past with making back-ups after I exit the game and hope I never see any of these bugs.

[JCWeb]

Just went back and corrected a crucial spelling error in all those earlier pieces of advice -- the affected file is the "ratingrecords.dat" file -- sometimes I had it backwards.