File described by Jim

[BigPitt]

I have the original info on the data structure of the player ratings used in FOF but it seems to me that some time ago someone posted that Jim had made a few errors in the list when he gave us this info.

What I am talking about is the list that is in text format with things shown as ;IE:(Height as short,QBMedPass as short,RBelusive as short) and so on.
He made this available to so utility writers could do there thing.

The searches I have done have not found this post.I sure would appreciate anyone leading me to the post or having the info on hand helping me out.

[Noop]

bump

[sabotai]

Are you sure you didn't dream this post up one night? :D I never saw Jim post anything about file formats. In fact, he's stated that he would not release file formats.

[Draft Dodger]

I think Sabotai is right - there's been stuff about the formats, but not from Jim.

Try searching for posts from 3ric.

[BigPitt]

I have the text on my computer and a printed copy in front of me.

[sabotai]

Several people, none of whom were Jim, have posted file format information for the FOF files. It was probably one of them.

[Solecismic]

I've never posted any file formats. I think some people have made guesses, but I haven't checked anything, because it's better that I not confirm anything. And if I posted how some of those variables truly are used (scouting errors, future development of players), it would spoil the game for many.

File formats may change as well, though I try to ensure that doesn't happen post-release.

[chinaski]

is this what youre looking for?


Column A: Identification Number. This can be any number 1 or higher, but it MUST be unique within the player file.

Column B: Uniform Number. From 1-99.

Column C: Last Name.

Column D: First Name.

Column E: Position Number. From 1-27. Use the Position List button to view the list of position numbers.

Column F: Height, in inches. A player who is six feet tall is 72 inches tall.

Column G: Weight, in pounds.

Column H: Month of Birth. From 1-12.

Column I: Day of Birth. From 1-31.

Column J: Year of Birth.

Column K: Home Town. Use the City List button to view the list of city numbers. Use 0 if you don't have this information. This will place the player's home town as outside of the United States.

Column L: Years of Experience. Rookies are listed as having 0 years.

Column M: College Attended. Use the College List button to view the list of colleges.

Column N: Team Number. Use the Team List button to view the list of team numbers.

Column O: Year Drafted. Use 0 for players who weren't drafted.

Column P: Round Selected in Draft. Use 0 for players who weren't drafted.

Column Q: Pick Selected within Round. Use 0 for players who weren't drafted, or if you don't know exactly when the player was selected.

Column R: Team making selection. Use the Team List button to view the list of team numbers. Use 0 for players who weren't drafted.

Column S: Year joining team. This is the year the player joined his current team.

Column T: Games played last season.

Column U: Games started last season.

Column V: Hall of Fame Points. Players earn these points every season. This field is used to help existing players eventually reach the Hall of Fame by giving them a starting point. The threshhold varies by position, generally a quarterback requires the most to reach the Hall, about 6,000. Defensive linemen require the least, only about 3,000, but they are much harder to earn.

Column W - BY: Player Ratings.

Ratings in each category are on a 1-9 basis. These ratings are not exact. When a new career begins, Front Office Football uses the ratings in the player file only as a general guideline. Internal ratings are on a 0-1000 scale, and are partially determined by random chance. This adds to the replay value of the game, as you can not count on a player being a superstar or a dud in each new career.

There is an option, when starting a new game of Front Office Football, to be more exact when importing ratings. What this does is greatly lessen the variability of the ratings selected for individual categories. A "7" in a rating will always be better than a "6". Without that option selected, the "6" could be better than the "7" in some random instances.

Column W: The Overall Player Rating is the most important rating used. Because of the way Front Office Football begins new game, the player file shipped with the game actually rates players in very few categories, letting the Overall ratings carry over. You should be very careful when assigning overall ratings, as too much talent in the league can greatly alter how the game plays on the field, an d how salaries are assigned.

Here's a list of the frequency Overall Player Ratings are assigned in the default data file:

9 - Rare Superstar - 0.5%
8 - Superstar - 1.5%
7 - Near Superstar - 1.8%
6 - Elite Starter - 2.6%
5 - Excellent Starter - 3.3%
4 - Very Good-Plus Starter - 4.0%
3 - Very Good Starter - 6.0%
2 - Good Starter - 15.6%
1 - Replacement-Level Starter (decent backup) - 28.2%
0 - Roster Filler - 36.5%

This balance applies to an initial player file with 1,758 players. When beginning a new game, Front Office Football will generate roster filler-level players to allow teams to fill their immediate needs. In future seasons, undrafted rookie players play that role.

Column X: The Percentage of Potential Reached rating indicates how fully the player has developed his talent. Generally, a draftable rookie will be about 30 percent developed while a five-year professional starter should be 100 percent developed.

Optionally, you can set ratings in individual categories. The default ratings file only sets the quarterback scramble percentage, quarterback's preferred playing style, running back's breakaway speed, receiver's big-play and defensive player's pass rush strength ratings.

If you set any individual rating to 0, the game will use the Overall Player Rating when creating that player. This does not mean the player will have the same rating across all categories, as all ratings are randomly altered for each new career.

The default player file generally uses the 0 value, with the exception of quarterback scramble freqency and preferred play style, breakaway speed for running backs, big-play ability for wide receivers and pass rush technique for defensive linemen.

All players are rated for all categories, though these ratings are ignored if not relevant to the player's position.

Column Y: Completing Screen Passes.
Column Z: Completing Short Passes.
Column AA: Completing Medium Passes.
Column AB: Completing Long Passes.
Column AC: Completing Very Long Passes.
Column AD: Completing Third-Down Passes - ability to convert those pressure-packed third- and fourth-down throws.
Column AE: Scramble Frequency - desire to abandon the pass and scramble downfield. Unlike most categories, this rating is not assigned on a logarithmic curve.
Column AF: Avoid Interceptions - ability to avoid throwing interceptions.
Column AG: Passing Accuracy - ability to connect with receivers in full stride, maximizing their ability to gain yardage after the catch.
Column AH: Passing Timing - ability to connect with receivers who deviate from the planned play.
Column AI: Sensing the Pass Rush - ablility to avoid sacks.
Column AJ: Reading the Defense - ability to adjust to effective defensive pass coverages.
Column AK: Two-Minute Offense - ability to pass when the team is running a hurry-up offense.
Column AL: Preferred Play Style - the set of plays a quarterback is most comfortable running. You can choose a roll-out offense (1), which is best for quarterbacks who like to run a lot, or a short-pass offense (2), ideal for what's often called the "West Coast Offense", or a long-pass offense (3), which is a more traditional approach to passing. Use 0 for non-quarterbacks.
Column AM: Breakaway Speed - ability to break free for a long gain.
Column AN: Running Power Inside - ability to break through the line for yardage inside.
Column AO: Third-Down Running - ability to gain yardage in third- and fourth-down and short situations.
Column AP: Hole Recognition - ability to make the most of running paths forged by the offensive line.
Column AQ: Running Elusiveness - the ability to avoid getting caught behind the line of scrimmage.
Column AR: Running Speed to the Outside - ability to "turn the corner" to gain yardage on outside runs.
Column AS: Receiving Hands - ability to catch a thrown ball.
Column AT: Getting Downfield - ability to gain yardage after the catch.
Column AU: Route-Running - ability to shoulder the load as a receiver. Receivers with high ratings in this category can be the target of more frequent pass attempts.
Column AV: Third-Down Receiving - ability to make catches in clutch third- and fourth-down situations.
Column AW: Big-Play Receiving - ability to catch long and very-long passes.
Column AX: Courage over the Middle - ability to hang in there on routes planned across the middle of the field.
Column AY: Adjusting to Bad Throws - ability to catch poorly thrown balls.
Column AZ: Punt Returning - ability to return punts.
Column BA: Kickoff Returning - ability to return kickoffs.
Column BB: Avoid Fumbles - ability to avoid fumbling the football.
Column BC: Run Block Technique - ability to block for running plays.
Column BD: Pass Block Technique - ability to block for passing plays.
Column BE: Blocking Strength - ability to handle physical defenders.
Column BF: Punt Distance.
Column BG: Punt Hang Time.
Column BH: Directional Punting - ability to kick the ball inside the opponents' 20-yard line.
Column BI: Kickoff Distance.
Column BJ: Kickoff Hang Time.
Column BK: Field Goal Accuracy.
Column BL: Field Goal Distance.
Column BM: Run defense - ability to stop the run.
Column BN: Pass Rush Technique - ability to rush the passer.
Column BO: Man-to-Man Pass Defense.
Column BP: Zone Pass Defense.
Column BQ: Bump-and-Run Pass Defense.
Column BR: Pass Rush Strength - ability to handle physical linemen.
Column BS: Play Diagnosis - ability to recognize the flow of an offensive play.
Column BT: Hard Hitter - ability to punish the ball carrier.
Column BU: Pass Intercepting
Column BV: Endurance.
Column BW: Special Teams Play.
Column BX: Long Snapping.
Column BY: Holding for Placekicks.

Column BZ: Years remaining on Salary. Use 0 for unsigned players. The maximum contract is seven years.

For salary information, use increments of $10,000. For instance, a salary of $1,400,000 would be written as 140.

For signing bonuses, the amount listed in the player file is the amount remaining under the cap. Signing bonuses were paid to the player when the contract was signed. But under the salary cap, they count an equal amount each year of the contract. Therefore, a bonus of $3,000,000 on a four-year contract counts $750,000 (75) each year of the contract.

Column CA: Salary, Current Season.
Column CB: Bonus, Current Season.
Column CC: Salary, Year Two.
Column CD: Bonus, Year Two.
Column CE: Salary, Year Three.
Column CF: Bonus, Year Three.
Column CG: Salary, Year Four.
Column CH: Bonus, Year Four.
Column CI: Salary, Year Five.
Column CJ: Bonus, Year Five.
Column CK: Salary, Year Six.
Column CL: Bonus, Year Six.
Column CM: Salary, Year Seven.
Column CN: Bonus, Year Seven.

[BigPitt]

That is the file I have Chinaski.Thanks a lot for posting it anyway.Just thought I read somewhere that changes were made to it but I guess I was wrong.Whoever made it did a good job,I thought it was Jim.

[Solecismic]

That's a file released with the game - you can find it in your installation directory. But that's for building player files using the player file creator, it's not a data structure found anywhere within the game. This hasn't changed.

[BigPitt]

What I want to do is use it to make a CSV file to import into the game.

Is that goint to work ????

[nilodor]

Yup

[BigPitt]

Thanks Nilidor.I thought so since I believe you did somewhat the same thing with your fine draft files.