Historical seasons

[Bigdummie]

Its been a number of years but looking forward to rediscovering this sim. Does the game come with historical seasons or just the current one. Thanks for any advice.

[digamma]

Just the current one. You can find user created historical player/draft files, but it will still be a simulation of current league structure.

[Bigdummie]

Thanks for the info, I will check around to see maybe there is a historical league that has an opening. Thanks again

[SFL Cat]

That's the one thing that is kinda disappointing. It would be nice to be able to run historic seasons with real-life expansions... oh well.

[nilodor]

I hope one day Jim will have expandable league size. It would be a huge deal. Apparently the playerfile structure has changed in this version of FOF. I'll have to recreate the historical files which I hope to do this weekend.

[Senator]

Nilidor is in my FOFC Hall of Fame.

[RomaGoth]

Nilidor is in my FOFC Hall of Fame.

I guess there isn't much to do in Calgary during the winter when the Flames suck. :D

[Bigdummie]

That would be good news. Thank You for your reply

[nilodor]

If you don't ski, not a ton to do in the winter, lol. I'm hoping that all Jim did was add a column or two, which wouldn't be much of an issue because I have all the data in one master spreadsheet and I'd just have to change a line in a macro. The whole thing would take about half an hour to get ready. The big time suck is adding players or extras to the database. If pro-football-reference ever gets customizable tables I'd be the happiest guy ever and I might actually update the historical project past 2010 or wherever it stopped.

[nilodor]

For anyone having issues with their own player files the changes are as follows:
Columns T & U used to be games played and games started in the previous season, this has been replaced by one column (T) that is the % of snaps played in the previous season.
Also Column X has been removed, which was the % of fulfilled potential. Not sure how the game determines how much potential players have fulfilled but it may require some playing around. I'm taking a look for my most recent database. If I don't find it in the next hour it'll be monday before I can get to generating the files.

Also is anyone interested in hosting the files? That would be super awesome.

[Ben E Lou]

Also is anyone interested in hosting the files? That would be super awesome.I can host. I try to grab everything and host it so that we don't have dead links in the reference thread.

[nilodor]

Thanks Ben.

I also noticed that the contract portion of the files have changed. The max length is now 5 years instead of 7 and players have roster bonuses in addition to their traditional bonuses. Since it only affects the starting player file I'm going to split the bonuses I previously assigned 50/50 to roster and normal.

PS. I also wish that I wasn't learning how to code when I wrote all these macros. It's like looking at homework from grade 5. Bleh.

[nilodor]

Dola: Can you pm me your email address. I imagine I'll send the files later today.

Thanks

[rockmedic109]

I tried to edit the Players.csv file and tried to use PlayerFile to create a new players file. Everything worked until I used PlayerFile to create a new file.

It told me that one of the areas {it was supposed to be Overall Rating in the new system} had a value other than 0-9. And this was on the first player on the list....that I did nothing to.

I don't know if I goofed something up {probably} or if maybe the PlayerFile creator is the previous version.

[rockmedic109]

I confirmed that I screwed up. Normal situation if you ask my wife.

[nilodor]

Ok I've sent the files to Ben. I ran a couple of random seasons and drafts to see if they worked. I was quite encouraged by the results, from a really rough first glance it looked like the improvements in the game work well with the historic files. The files span 1960 to 2008. Maybe one day I'll bring it into the future. Let me know if there are any files that aren't working and I can see if I can fix them.

Thanks

[nilodor]

I also noticed that there is an option to import coaches. I may have some new files to work on!

[Ronde Barber]

Ok I've sent the files to Ben. I ran a couple of random seasons and drafts to see if they worked. I was quite encouraged by the results, from a really rough first glance it looked like the improvements in the game work well with the historic files. The files span 1960 to 2008. Maybe one day I'll bring it into the future. Let me know if there are any files that aren't working and I can see if I can fix them.

Thanks

Thanks a lot for all your work....can't wait for the file to be uploaded and to try them!!!

[NawlinsFan]

I also noticed that there is an option to import coaches. I may have some new files to work on!

Hell yeah!

[Senator]

This is roster and draft files?

[Ben E Lou]

Ok I've sent the files to Ben. I ran a couple of random seasons and drafts to see if they worked. I was quite encouraged by the results, from a really rough first glance it looked like the improvements in the game work well with the historic files. The files span 1960 to 2008. Maybe one day I'll bring it into the future. Let me know if there are any files that aren't working and I can see if I can fix them.

Thanks

Index of /fof7downloads (http://www.younglifenorthdekalb.com/fof7downloads/)

[armyofone]

thank you!

[Bigdummie]

I need some help as how to install the roster and the draft files. I just can't figure it out. Any help will be appreciated. Thanks

[nilodor]

I need some help as how to install the roster and the draft files. I just can't figure it out. Any help will be appreciated. Thanks

For the player files you need to select use alternate file when you start a new game. Just use the player file for the year you want to start with. Say1983. Then when the offseason comes make sure you hit the import draft button before you goto free agency. If you use the 83 player file the first draft file will be the 84 file. Good luck!

[Yoda]

Thanks nildor, just saved me from some work from doing the file to restart the GEFL.

[Bigdummie]

Thank You for the info, but where do I put the alternative file so when I begin a season, the info is there when the game asks for it when creating a new game. Hope this makes sense. Also, what file does the draft file go in. I just don't want to mess anything up. Thanks for any advice

[nilodor]

Thank You for the info, but where do I put the alternative file so when I begin a season, the info is there when the game asks for it when creating a new game. Hope this makes sense. Also, what file does the draft file go in. I just don't want to mess anything up. Thanks for any advice

You can put them wherever you can find them. It asks you to pick the file through explorer. So you can navigate to wherever you have them. I think it starts in the fof7 root directory. But like I said it doesn't matter where.

[APC]

Probably a stupid question, but I'll ask anyway: Is there a difference in how the game operates when using modded historical draft files instead of game-generated fictional player drafts?

For example, will the AI do weird things or not operate as effectively as it should if using modded player/draft files instead of what the game generates?

Thanks.

[korme]

How do we modify draft files to .faf?

[nilodor]

How do we modify draft files to .faf?

You need to have FOF2004 installed. There is a draft file converter in there. It would be nice for Jim to re-release the draft file converter with the new version.

[rockmedic109]

You need to have FOF2004 installed. There is a draft file converter in there. It would be nice for Jim to re-release the draft file converter with the new version.

And I tossed my FOF4 out when I got used to fof2007! Ooops.

[korme]

You need to have FOF2004 installed. There is a draft file converter in there. It would be nice for Jim to re-release the draft file converter with the new version.

I need to have a 10 year old game installed. Great.

[nilodor]

I need to have a 10 year old game installed. Great.

I sent a note to solecismic support. I'll update if I hear anything.

[Yoda]

I need to have a 10 year old game installed. Great.

actually you don't, you just need the draft.exe, iirc.

[nilodor]

actually you don't, you just need the draft.exe, iirc.

You're right. I just don't know if it's an acceptable solution for those who haven't purchased the game.

[APC]

Probably a stupid question, but I'll ask anyway: Is there a difference in how the game operates when using modded historical draft files instead of game-generated fictional player drafts?

For example, will the AI do weird things or not operate as effectively as it should if using modded player/draft files instead of what the game generates?

Thanks.

Bumping this in case someone may have an answer :)

[nilodor]

Probably a stupid question, but I'll ask anyway: Is there a difference in how the game operates when using modded historical draft files instead of game-generated fictional player drafts?

For example, will the AI do weird things or not operate as effectively as it should if using modded player/draft files instead of what the game generates?

Thanks.

From my experience so far with the game the imported seasons work much better than in 2K7. There seems to be less talent in the regular, game generated, draft files, which was always the issue with the historic files due to having way more teams than actually existed. I don't think the game plays that differently using the files or not. That is to say I'm finding it a lot damn harder this go around than last.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

I just reloaded FOF2007 on my new computer today, reinstalled the license then came here to grab some logo files and nearly peed myself when I saw Jim had released a new version! Bought it straight away.
I then downloaded the historical files via Ben's link but the game seems to crash when I have them loaded. I click on a player and it crashes. Anyone else getting this too?
Do I need to do anything else with them to get them to work?

**** update****
It seems all is okay. I was clicking on a player's draft year before I had started the pre-season and it caused it to crash. Once the season finished and I clicked the same button it works okay.

[nilodor]

I just reloaded FOF2007 on my new computer today, reinstalled the license then came here to grab some logo files and nearly peed myself when I saw Jim had released a new version! Bought it straight away.
I then downloaded the historical files via Ben's link but the game seems to crash when I have them loaded. I click on a player and it crashes. Anyone else getting this too?
Do I need to do anything else with them to get them to work?

**** update****
It seems all is okay. I was clicking on a player's draft year before I had started the pre-season and it caused it to crash. Once the season finished and I clicked the same button it works okay.

The issue is if you click on the draft year for players before the year you start in. For example if you start in 1975 and click on Walter Payton's draft year (75) you will get a crash. However, any subsequent years will work.

I think the issue is that not all of the draft slots are filled in the draft history for all the years, or it doesn't like going to years prior to the year you start in. Maybe someone can confirm if in the default player file if you click on say the draft year for a player drafted in 01 if it causes an error or not.

You can still check the draft history for players drafted prior to the year you start in though through the amateur draft history link, just most of the rounds will be incomplete.

[beatle]

Where do you get the draft.exe, iirc?

[Danny]

So there is no current way to starter say a year 2000 league and have real players imported every year?

[nilodor]

So there is no current way to starter say a year 2000 league and have real players imported every year?

To have the new players from the draft automatically assigned to their proper teams? No. To have the players enter the draft, certainly. All you need to do is use the import draft button before proceeding through free agency (after the staff portion) and select the corresponding year.

[Danny]

Ah cool thanks

[GuySmiley316]

Hi,

Haven't played FOF in about 5 years but stumbled upon this site and found a new version had been released.

Put me in the "historical season" camp. In the past, I had used the Nilodor draft files and simmed about 30 years before starting my career.

This is a begging type request for someone (Nilodor?) to create the remaining draft files for 2009-2013.

Please, please, please! Thank you!

[nilodor]

Hi,

Haven't played FOF in about 5 years but stumbled upon this site and found a new version had been released.

Put me in the "historical season" camp. In the past, I had used the Nilodor draft files and simmed about 30 years before starting my career.

This is a begging type request for someone (Nilodor?) to create the remaining draft files for 2009-2013.

Please, please, please! Thank you!

It will happen, eventually. I'd really like to get it done before the next season starts. It's probably 20-30 hours of work to update the database.

[jzicc]

BTW -- what needs changed (columns added?) in a FOF2007 CSV to make it work in FOF7 ?

[Senator]

nilodor's #1 fan

[nilodor]

Two things:
1. The latest patch includes support to add LS to the draft files. The major effect here is star centers and tight ends will no longer be converted to LS, once I've had a chance to fix the draft files. I'm making this my top priority for fixing and hope to have new draft files out soon. (Again only to 2008)
2. I'm about 10% of the way to updating the historic files to the 2013 season.

[GuySmiley316]

Two things:
1. The latest patch includes support to add LS to the draft files. The major effect here is star centers and tight ends will no longer be converted to LS, once I've had a chance to fix the draft files. I'm making this my top priority for fixing and hope to have new draft files out soon. (Again only to 2008)
2. I'm about 10% of the way to updating the historic files to the 2013 season.

Great! :) Looking forward to these.

[nilodor]

Ok, so I'm pretty much done updated the files. I just need to convert them from csv to the appropriate types and send them to Ben. This should happen later today. It should handle all of the LS stuff. There probably won't be enough in the initial roster file. I'm not sure if FOF7 will just add some extra LS to cover this or not. The draft files should hopefully have enough, 18-20 ish, to prevent players from being converted to LS.

One issue I discovered is that I screwed up handling my special modifiers. For example Randall Cunningham is rated 6 in the file, however I give him a 9 at running ability, so his scramble freq plus hidden rushing attributes are all maxed out. How I handled this in the macro was all screwed up and none of these cases were actually used. So the updated set of files should have much more personality and a Deion Sanders that hates to tackle.

[nilodor]

I've updated the files and sent them to Ben. Hopefully this will be the last update until I've finished the more recent seasons. If you notice any issues let me know. Hope you guys enjoy!

[Ben E Lou]

New files in place

Index of /fof7downloads (http://www.younglifenorthdekalb.com/fof7downloads/)

[Bigdummie]

OK, so if I want to start a historical replay starting in 1960, is this possible and how does one go about doing this? Thanks for any advice. Sorry, old guy on computer, sort of scary

[nilodor]

OK, so if I want to start a historical replay starting in 1960, is this possible and how does one go about doing this? Thanks for any advice. Sorry, old guy on computer, sort of scary

Yes. Just be warned that there is no way to have less than 32 teams so the talent level will be pretty thin until you get to the late 70's.

First unzip the files into 2 directories somewhere easy to find. For sake of example lets say you unzip them to your desktop in a folder called draft files and one called roster files.

When you begin the game, make sure start new game with an alternate player file is set to yes. I would suggest turning X-factor to no, then the rest of the options are unto you.

When you hit ok the game will prompt you to load the alternate player file. Navigate to the roster files folder and select the year you want to start, in your case 1960. Voila, you will now have a league with Jim Brown, Len Dawson and the like.

Play through your season as you normally would. After you end the season, and finish the staff draft (You will be in the pre free agency stage) you will have the option to import a draft. Click on import draft and navigate to the draft file folder you unzipped earlier. Select the 1961 draft. (If you ever forget which year you should be loading at the top of the stage window it will say like 1961-62 season, you always import whatever the first year, in this case 1961, is.) Now when you view the draft preview you will have the players for the 1961 draft. The files are limited to players who actually played a game in the NFL + Ernie Davis.

Every subsequent offseason just import the following seasons draft, and away you go.

Just a note there is no way to assign the players to their proper team instead of having a draft.

I hope you enjoy the files!

[APC]

Do I have the option of toggling the x-factor on or off before I import draft files? Or only when using an alternate player file at the start of a career?

[nilodor]

Do I have the option of toggling the x-factor on or off before I import draft files? Or only when using an alternate player file at the start of a career?

I think it only applies to the initial roster file and doesn't have any effect on the draft files.

It's worth a read of the help file to decide if you want it when you're starting your career.

Let's face it. There's not a lot of information about players who don't have extensive professional experience. How should free agent Alex Smith perform in Kansas City? How should players with only a couple of games worth of part-time experience perform?

All other games on the market try and make an educated guess. Front Office Football is no different - except for one additional X-factor. Sure, I gave Smith a set of ratings. After two or three years, he will perform in a manner consistent with other quarterbacks selected first in the draft. Most of the time, at least.

That's where the X-factor comes into play. It's based on the number of games the player has started at the professional level and his years of experience. For instance, the average quarterback has started 37 games in a 5.5-year career. So the X-factor for a quarterback with 22 games in two seasons is about 50. Smith's X-factor is a little lower.

That X-factor determines the random element that changes the core ratings each time you start a new game. When the X-factor is 0, the core ratings can vary by up to 50 percent from the assigned rating. When the X-factor is 100, which it is for about one-third of the players in the league, the core ratings only vary by up to 10 percent.

The net result? Front Office Football generates a new universe every time you start a new game. Most of the time, Smith will be a decent quarterback. A good percentage of the time, he'll be outstanding. And some of the time, he'll be fairly mediocre. Well-established players will perform more as they did in the past, but there will still be some variety.

You'll have to rely heavily on your scouting staff to determine whether or not a player is worth drafting. You'll have access to your scouts from every screen you can make a personnel decision from. They'll know more than general reputation allows.

This allows for a more challenging game and greater replay value. What's the fun of a game where you know that Smith will be a huge success? Or a game where you know that linebacker Brian Cushing is always an undervalued superstar, so your first move in guaranteeing a 12-win season is acquiring him in a hugely unbalanced trade?

That's how the X-factor brings additional realism to Front Office Football without sacrificing the integrity of the simulation.

[Bigdummie]

Thank You for the detailed instructions, I appreciate you help, big time. Thanks again:)

[korme]

Nilodor is there any way you could release your csv files? I wouldnt mind tinkering with a class or even using one as a base to create my own fictional class. Its too bad you cant just generate a fictional file and then edit it from there. Starting from scratch with a blank csv seems so daunting.

[nilodor]

Nilodor is there any way you could release your csv files? I wouldnt mind tinkering with a class or even using one as a base to create my own fictional class. Its too bad you cant just generate a fictional file and then edit it from there. Starting from scratch with a blank csv seems so daunting.

They should be included in the zip files with the roster and draft files. Let me know if they're not and I'll send them to you.

[korme]

Oh, ok. My bad. I guess I didn't pay that close of attention. Thanks.

[wps]

First, a big THANK YOU to Nilodor, for all the work you've put into the files, and to Ben E for posting them.

Unfortunately, I can't get the draft files to work. I started a replay (in 1968), which worked fine for the first year. However, when I try to import the 1969 draft (or any other year) it gives me the message: "Import draft error. The draft file you've chose is not compatible with this version of Front Office Football." I'm selecting the .faf files downloaded from Ben E's link above.

So - are the .faf files still in 2007 format? Or any thoughts on what else I'm doing wrong?

[nilodor]

First, a big THANK YOU to Nilodor, for all the work you've put into the files, and to Ben E for posting them.

Unfortunately, I can't get the draft files to work. I started a replay (in 1968), which worked fine for the first year. However, when I try to import the 1969 draft (or any other year) it gives me the message: "Import draft error. The draft file you've chose is not compatible with this version of Front Office Football." I'm selecting the .faf files downloaded from Ben E's link above.

So - are the .faf files still in 2007 format? Or any thoughts on what else I'm doing wrong?

The files are in the format for FOF7, which is different than for FOF 2007. Files for FOF7 won't work in FOF 2007 because of the addition of the long snapper. For some reason in my infinite wisdom I didn't think about how a fair number of people would still go along with 2K7 and not move to 7. It's unfortunate because when I rewrote the macros I didn't take this into account and didn't really hang onto the old one. Hmmm....

[beatle]

Will the old draft editor 1.4 work with the new draft files?

[nilodor]

Will the old draft editor 1.4 work with the new draft files?

Yes, but you would need to modify the csv files (that are included with the zip files) to remove the LS position (18) and turn them into something else. I think everything else should work.

[nilodor]

Just thought I'd upload a cross section of the average player ratings from the historical player files. The ratings presented don't discriminate by position, so a kicker counts just as much as a quarterback. The black line tracks the league average.

AFC East

http://www.operationsports.com/fofc/attachment.php?attachmentid=5039&stc=1&d=1392317407


AFC North
http://www.operationsports.com/fofc/attachment.php?attachmentid=5041&stc=1&d=1392317407


AFC South
http://www.operationsports.com/fofc/attachment.php?attachmentid=5040&stc=1&d=1392317407


AFC West
http://www.operationsports.com/fofc/attachment.php?attachmentid=5042&stc=1&d=1392317407


NFC East

http://www.operationsports.com/fofc/attachment.php?attachmentid=5045&stc=1&d=1392317407


NFC North
http://www.operationsports.com/fofc/attachment.php?attachmentid=5044&stc=1&d=1392317407


NFC South
http://www.operationsports.com/fofc/attachment.php?attachmentid=5043&stc=1&d=1392317407


NFC West
http://www.operationsports.com/fofc/attachment.php?attachmentid=5046&stc=1&d=1392317407

Enjoy!

[APC]

Any update on completing draft files since 2007?

Thanks

[nilodor]

Any update on completing draft files since 2007?

Thanks

About 40% done. Hoping for before the draft.

[vatech24]

About 40% done. Hoping for before the draft.

This is amazing news!

[nilodor]

Just an update. I'd guess the rosters are about 70% done. So I'd guess they'll be complete by the end of March.

[3ric]

Yes, but you would need to modify the csv files (that are included with the zip files) to remove the LS position (18) and turn them into something else. I think everything else should work.

Wow, it's amazing the old thing still is useful.