Front Office Football 2004, Version 5.1

[Solecismic]

Solecismic Software is proud to announce the release of Front Office Football 2004, version 5.1, a full update for the latest game in our series of award-winning career-play football simulations.

Version 5.1 is free for those who already own Front Office Football 2004. New features include a 2004 player file and schedule and a primer offering a completely random player universe with every new career.

As a pre-holiday shopping period bonus, we are dropping the purchase price to $29.95 for those of you who don't already have the game.

Solecismic Software is an entertainment software company dedicated to producing cutting-edge career football simulations. We have two products available: Front Office Football, our professional football simulation, and The College Years, our college football simulation.

A career-play football simulation focuses on elements of the game you won't find in more traditional computer games. Please visit www.FrontOfficeGames.com for more details about the release and to try free demonstration versions of our products.

[Blackadar]

SWEET!

[Noop]

Wow.

[Blackadar]

First response, too!

Where's my cookie?

[Vince]

Nice

[Ksyrup]

OK, so what's the new game?

[GrantDawg]

Ok, so are we still to expect another game, or is this it?

[Noop]

So no new game Jim?

[Ksyrup]

Front Office Games as a linked URL? Is this new info, or did I miss this in the past?

[gottimd]

Am I the only one who can't find the "New" or "updated" features?

[cubboyroy1826]

Free, did he say free? No way. Come on new players and a new schedule that is at least worth 39.95 just ask EA they will tell ya.

Thanks Jim this is great news. I was looking for a new game to purchase but i dont think i will need to spend that money. Have a great Thanksgiving.

[Eaglesfan27]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

Front Office Games as a linked URL? Is this new info, or did I miss this in the past?

Seems like new info to me

[SackAttack]

Damn, and I missed this cuz I was in my PM box. Off to download it.

One question, though, Jim: am I going to have to restore any IHOF settings afterwards?

[JAG]

The following items were fixed or added for version 5.1 of Front Office Football 2004 (the patch also includes all fixes from earlier versions):

1) Created 2004 season player file.

2) Created 2004 schedule.

3) Reversed pass rush percentage and tackle percentage labels on defensive career statistics screen.

4) Correct record-keeping of best per-game points scored average for one season.

5) Correct record-keeping of best total yardage gained and allowed for a single game.

6) Percentage of running plays now adjusted for all scenarios when coach is resetting game plans before each game.

7) Under certain penalty situations game no longer incorrectly displays drive in drive chart.

8) Penalties in play-calling mode on kickoffs where foul occurred very close to goal line no longer potentially result in next play starting from zero yard line.

9) Players released during free agency stages in multi-player game are now eligible to consider bids immediately.

10) Relevant highlighting added for players on free agency screen during multi-player game.

11) Correct assignment of visiting team's defensive front seven versus home team's blockers category in game preview screen.

12) AI gives less weight to rookie status, especially low-round rookies, when deciding who to release when it needs to release a player.

13) Changes made to depth chart AI to allow for more sensible backup choices, especially on offensive line.

14) Corrected cosmetic error in injury report email, allowing a player to be listed both as he healed and as he was almost recovered.

15) On the player salary offer screen, now shows current offer from your team in offer boxes, if there is one, during free agency period.

16) Corrected cosmetic error of some unassigned free agents appearing to come from Akron during free agency of multi-player game.

17) Grey out ability to export stage file during multi-player game when the game is open and you have already hit the export button once to create a file. In the past, this created a corrupted file.

18) Reduce the number of interceptions returned for touchdowns.

19) Add a little more slope between mediocre starters and top starters to the algorithm determining player salary requests.

20) Reduce the number of free agents considered starting material, allowing slightly better performance of salary request AI.

21) Allow fifth column of statistics to appear in FOF drafts generated from draft utility.

22) Assign the same salary to all franchise players at the same position, correcting error where first player considered at a position would bump up the average.

23) Do not show rookie ratings, pre-signing, on attribute screen.

24) Several changes in AI for determining the value of a salary offer, including more value given to bonus money and less to money offered in future years. The result of this also essentially ends the annoying habit of players to refuse any offer that doesn't exactly match their request.

25) Tweak attendance algorithm to give more weight to fluctuating factors like the interest level of the opponent.

26) Add fluctuation to weather in stadiums with a retractable roof.

27) Tie available bonus money for salary and staff offers to the team's financial performance for the year.

28) Correct interpretation of staff salaries when computing yearly coaching costs.

29) Add comments to help file about positional requirements.

30) Tweak AI for late fourth-quarter clock management. Some day, maybe in 2010, we'll get this down perfectly.

31) Add field goal percentage to calculated statistics on career, single-player and yearly statistics screens. Add a significant digit for rushing averages.

32) Eliminate ability of quarterbacks to fly down the field at lightning speed to make the tackle on an interception return.

33) Correct assignment of forced fumbles on sack plays.

34) Correct calculation of over cap rejection when making offers to free agents prior to the draft.

35) Add a "primer", allowing you to create an entirely fictional universe when beginning career with allocation draft or full draft. Pretty neat, huh?

36) Prevent AI from releasing injured players in certain situations.

37) Tweak logic used to select players during an allocation draft.

38) Create the concept of positional groups, used when calculating a legal roster, both for single-player and multi-player games. Now, for instance, you need to have eight offensive linemen active, but only a minimum of one center, two tackles and two guards. The same applies for defensive linemen, linebackers, your secondary and your offensive backfield.

39) Add the concept of an extended game log, which stores bits of additional information in the game log displayed upon request.

40) When switching a player's position between position groups, better assignment of previously unassigned attributes.

41) Correct assessment of leaders in certain categories when sorting using the career statistics screen.

42) Rewrote AI for determining which player to release when in the situation of reconfiguring a lineup because the current roster has too many players.

43) Tiny tweak to assessment of scouting error for players not on your team.

44) Lower the reward for repeated blitzes coming from the same position. Sooner or later, the offense is going to figure it out.

45) Some nagging injuries, like a pulled hamstring, should have a good chance of healing completely during the off-season.

46) Delay of game penalties should not be called in a hurry-up situation.

47) Allow third quarterback to remain in depth chart when injured and unable to play. This does not mean he will appear in a game.

[Franklinnoble]

This just made my day.

A few questions:

1. Will current leagues (SP and MP) work ok? I assume so...
2. Is this the new game? Or is there something else on the way?

Thanks again... As always, I appreciate your outstanding support of your games.

[Solecismic]

This is it for 2004. It's been two solid months of work on the TCY and FOF updates, so I hope that buys some goodwill (and a bunch of new sales) as I prepare for the future. Exprect the next news release in mid-2005.

[VPI97]

Great news, Jim!

Originally Posted by SackAttack

One question, though, Jim: am I going to have to restore any IHOF settings afterwards?

Not so great news...for now, I would like to ask IHOF owners to see if we can hold off installing the patch until we determine whether or not we want to migrate the league over to 5.1 now, or after the season.

We'll have a discussion at the board.

[Huckleberry]

Originally Posted by Solecismic

Exprect the next news release in mid-2005.

Why, that's smack dab in the middle of baseball season.

[Eaglesfan27]

That list of fixes/enhancements is excellent!! 47 gems. I really like being able to keep the 3QB in the depth chart even if injured. Also, the idea of positional groups is excellent!!! All of them look great

[SackAttack]

Originally Posted by VPI97

Great news, Jim!

Not so great news...for now, I would like to ask IHOF owners to see if we can hold off installing the patch until we determine whether or not we want to migrate the league over to 5.1 now, or after the season.

We'll have a discussion at the board.

Yup. I'm downloading it right now so I'll have it, but I'll hold off on installation for now.

[Franklinnoble]

Originally Posted by Solecismic

This is it for 2004. It's been two solid months of work on the TCY and FOF updates, so I hope that buys some goodwill (and a bunch of new sales) as I prepare for the future. Exprect the next news release in mid-2005.

That's good enough for me.

As a current customer, I feel like I just got two free games this year.

[JeeberD]

Originally Posted by Solecismic

38) Create the concept of positional groups, used when calculating a legal roster, both for single-player and multi-player games. Now, for instance, you need to have eight offensive linemen active, but only a minimum of one center, two tackles and two guards. The same applies for defensive linemen, linebackers, your secondary and your offensive backfield.

Word!

[VPI97]

Originally Posted by Franklinnoble

As a current customer, I feel like I just got two free games this year.

Ditto.

[Anthony]

24) Several changes in AI for determining the value of a salary offer, including more value given to bonus money and less to money offered in future years. The result of this also essentially ends the annoying habit of players to refuse any offer that doesn't exactly match their request.

Ave Maria!

[Eaglesfan27]

You definitely bought some goodwill from me. I can't wait to purchase your next game in 2005

[Ben E Lou]

This is a very, very nice upgrade. It is also mirrored at the younglife server. In case you didn't realize it, the "FRONT OFFICE FOOTBALL 2004" header in the reference thread is a direct link to download the game from there.

[Ksyrup]

38) Create the concept of positional groups, used when calculating a legal roster, both for single-player and multi-player games. Now, for instance, you need to have eight offensive linemen active, but only a minimum of one center, two tackles and two guards. The same applies for defensive linemen, linebackers, your secondary and your offensive backfield.



This may be worth the update in and of itself and get me interested, once again, in committing some time to firing up FOF. And just in time for the Thanksgiving weekend. Thanks!

[tategter]

Originally Posted by Eaglesfan27

You definitely bought some goodwill from me. I can't wait to purchase your next game in 2005

ditto

[Ksyrup]

Jeeber beat me to it!

[Fonzie]

Happy happy!

[flere-imsaho]

Wow, this is fantastic! So many GREAT changes. Seriously, after reading the list of features & fixes, I wouldn't have a problem paying for this as if it was version 6.0.

Nice work, Jim!

[jbmagic]

Jim thanks so much

i want to thank you for being honest with me and gave me the advice to wait...


i going to get this game..

thanks again

[sabotai]

Originally Posted by JAG

38) Create the concept of positional groups, used when calculating a legal roster, both for single-player and multi-player games. Now, for instance, you need to have eight offensive linemen active, but only a minimum of one center, two tackles and two guards. The same applies for defensive linemen, linebackers, your secondary and your offensive backfield.

42) Rewrote AI for determining which player to release when in the situation of reconfiguring a lineup because the current roster has too many players.

47) Allow third quarterback to remain in depth chart when injured and unable to play. This does not mean he will appear in a game.

These three alone will make multi-player SOOO much better.

But I must confess, I'm kind of bummed. I assumed like everyone else that a new game was on the way. Now we go back to nothing until mid-2005. Kind of a let down. Don't get me wrong, the update to TCY and FOF are fantastic, and in the hands of other developers (looking your way, EA), might have been repackaged and released as another version. Very very grateful that Jim gave this out as a free update.

[Honolulu Blue]

Thanks for the update, Jim. I'll have to transfer '04 over to the new computer and maybe fire up a dynasty for the fun of it. Thanks also to JAG for posting the list of fixes. I was especially amused by Jim's comments in these (emphasis mine):

Originally Posted by JAG

The following items were fixed or added for version 5.1 of Front Office Football 2004 (the patch also includes all fixes from earlier versions):
30) Tweak AI for late fourth-quarter clock management. Some day, maybe in 2010, we'll get this down perfectly.

32) Eliminate ability of quarterbacks to fly down the field at lightning speed to make the tackle on an interception return.
35) Add a "primer", allowing you to create an entirely fictional universe when beginning career with allocation draft or full draft. Pretty neat, huh?

[Celeval]

Jim, you're the man. :-)

[RPI-Fan]

Originally Posted by Solecismic

This is it for 2004. It's been two solid months of work on the TCY and FOF updates, so I hope that buys some goodwill (and a bunch of new sales) as I prepare for the future. Exprect the next news release in mid-2005.

Thanks, greatly appreciated - that's all I (and I assume most others) were looking for re: new game info.

[Celeval]

Originally Posted by JAG

44) Lower the reward for repeated blitzes coming from the same position. Sooner or later, the offense is going to figure it out.

...and there go Teeters' and Culpepper's stats. :-D

Kevin

[jbmagic]

i am new to fof 2004

what is Created 2004 season player file that was added? can someone explain thanks

[Ben E Lou]

Check out the names of the rookies in the default player file.

[KWhit]

Great stuff, Jim.

Thanks.

[Pyser]

being able to keep an injured qb on the depth chart, and not releasing someone to add a 4th qb is HUGE HUGE HUGE! thank you!!!

id list every change i love, but suffice to say, that would take too long. much appreciated, jim!

(and down goes consulo!!! whoo-hoo!!!!!!!)

[hukarez]

31) Add field goal percentage to calculated statistics on career, single-player and yearly statistics screens. Add a significant digit for rushing averages.

Woohoo! Goodbye, calculator! Hekekekekekeke!

[General Mike]

Wow, that's some nice stuff.

[Ben E Lou]

Front page updated.

[Franklinnoble]

Originally Posted by SkyDog

Check out the names of the rookies in the default player file.

What am I looking for? Or, what will I be looking for, once I d/l and install the thing?

[Franklinnoble]

Jim... any new easter eggs in this version?

Just wondering...

[digamma]

Is the patch a full download of the game? I'm going to use my second license to load it up.

[Ben E Lou]

Originally Posted by digamma

Is the patch a full download of the game?

Yes.

[digamma]

Originally Posted by SkyDog

Yes.

Gracias.

[chinaski]

brings a tear to my eye!