6.0b CTD

[Raiders Army]

Originally Posted by Solecismic

You can force an update/paint message in there. I do that in week 17 because the process of updating the career and single-season records takes a lot of time now with the expanded record books.

In general, it's better to let Windows queue the messages. Last thing you need is a crash in a graphics element initialization routine for something completely unnecessary.

I have noticed that the "not responding" message that Windows slaps on a window title is rather misleading. It's not responding because it's processing data and Windows has chosen not to process the display message queue. There needs to be a more precise message, akin to the hourglass cursor (which I try to use whenever the game is doing something that takes more than a second) that a programmer can force Windows to use in these instances. Just to say "yeah, I know it seems like a while, but it's intentional."

This just happened and I've manually rebooted my computer six times now: I get the hourglass of death when I click on "View How Acquired". Here's how I've modified FOF 6.0b:

Changed the bmps for 300, 302, 305, and 323. I did not use a different .exe (although I believe Reshacker changes the .exe anyhow).

I did a new career with a complete draft with the 1970 .fdt file. I then clicked on "View How Acquired" and it hung on me. The only other program I had running (that I could see since there are a lot of programs running in the background like iPodService.exe, etc.) was Excel where I was making notes about my players. Excel was fine and fully operable, but internet explorer was not. I had to manually reboot completely to get internet explorer running again.

I then tried to do this again and the same results.

Third try was the 1970 .fdt file with no draft at all. Same results.

Fourth try was the 1970 .fdt file with no draft at all. I then simmed through the exhibition games. Same results.

Fifth try was the 2006 ybanci file with no draft. Same results.

Sixth try was the file that came with FOF 2007. Same results.

Each time I had to manually reboot my computer. It's a Pentium 4 3.0Ghz, 1 GB RAM, 256 MB Radeon 9800.

[Raiders Army]

doh. Just saw this:

http://www.operationsports.com/fofc/...5&postcount=52

I didn't realize it was already reported...and I just sent Jim an email.


edit: Ummmm...or even this thread: http://www.operationsports.com/fofc/...ad.php?t=54332

[AlexB]

Originally Posted by Icy

So has the mod anything to do with this? i really doubt it but if you guys have proofs it should be made public, else i would prefer the thread title to be changed before everybody pulls the gun towards the mods. I have seen that already in another board about another game and another mod and it really makes me wonder if i should waste my time anymore.

Sorry - didn;t mean to imply that it was a problem with the mod. I changed it to appease others.

I'll change it back again - the letter grades are fantastic.

[gstelmack]

Originally Posted by Solecismic

I don't know the answer. Intuitively, I'd say res-hacking isn't bad. I would require that anyone providing new resources NOT re-distribute the executable for legal reasons as well as for customer support reasons (versioning, primarily). Instead, provide a tool to add the new resources.

As a writer of one such utility, I'll chime in now.

My UtilitySuite includes ResourcePatcher, which will patch the various resources for the user. The intent is to allow a player to update the FOF exe with resource patches whenever the exe is updated. This works through standard Windows APIs for doing this and was based on an MSDN sample. Because it's automated, it should be about a safe a way of patching the resources as exists.

However, that doesn't mean it's COMPLETELY safe. If any reliable evidence turns up that patching these bitmaps CORRECTLY (i.e. ResHacker was used without a mistake, or my utility used without an error in the packages) causes instability in the game, I'll yank my utility immediately.

[Icy]

Originally Posted by Jari Rantanen's Shorts

Sorry - didn;t mean to imply that it was a problem with the mod. I changed it to appease others.

I'll change it back again - the letter grades are fantastic.

No problem, can you please check if you have the same crashes with the original file? I can't test myself as i have never had a crash with the original or modded file.

[AlexB]

Ran 11 seasons after uninstalling/reinstalling without any problems, but stupidly clicked on accept the firing, never having been fired before - didn;t realise this equated to 'end game'

Will try the same game file as I had been using...

[AlexB]

But on the fourth season of the old game file, crash.

[AlexB]

Jim, I can't copy & paste the report, so I've got screenshots of the first eight or nine modules listed.

Rereading your post, it's only the start & module 1 info you need?





If you need more I can add to these if needed.

[Solecismic]

The first of those pictures has all the information I need from the report, thanks.

What are your global settings regarding letting the coaches handle depth charts and roster replacements?

If you happen to notice if it's simming a game involving your team when this happens, that would help.

[AlexB]

Originally Posted by Solecismic

The first of those pictures has all the information I need from the report, thanks.

What are your global settings regarding letting the coaches handle depth charts and roster replacements?

If you happen to notice if it's simming a game involving your team when this happens, that would help.

As it's pure quick simming, coaches handle everything - signing FAs, rookies, depth charts & game plans.

When simming to get the history, in order to give 'my' team a fighting chance, I'm resigning & franchising some current players, and sending one to summer league. I'm also keeping on top of the stadium and prices, but everything else, including the draft is automated. (Although the last time I was not doing anythign just to get through some years to see if reinstalling had an effect)

Injuries 200, I've changed the salary cap range to narrow it to 25-35 to try and get the cap up to about $102m in 2006.

Three of the four times it's happened in the above game file, it's gone through the point of the crash the second time no problems.

[AlexB]

dola,

And these have all been after hitting the simulate entire season button.

[twothree]

Did this CTD happen at the end of the preseason again? Or, was it at some other point in the quick season simulation?

[AlexB]

Originally Posted by twothree

Did this CTD happen at the end of the preseason again? Or, was it at some other point in the quick season simulation?

No, it was mid-season. I had the thought I guess you might be having, that it could have been something to do with the reductions in roster sizes from 60-53, but doesn't appear to be the case.

[AlexB]

Originally Posted by Solecismic

If you happen to notice if it's simming a game involving your team when this happens, that would help.

The example on page 1 crashed simming the game 2 after my team's game that week, so at least one of the times hasn't been this scenario.

Got bored watching the Jets/Bears, so very quick simmed 25 years doing nothing at all to maintain rosters or finances. Used the rosters that came with the game

Not a single problem. I've only had the problem with that one save game so far out of three attemps:

Game 1 - 4 CTDs in 32 years with mod installed through gstelmack's utility & without mod, which I assume means that there can't be a problem with either the mod or the utility. Started with yabanci's 1970 fictional with a reduced cap, created through the game's roster generator. But as problems have been 1997 and 2001, can't be any problem with the roster file as all players will have well and truly retired after 27&31 years

Game 2 - started with same roster file, but reinstalled unmodded pure FOF. 11 years and no problem, again suggesting no problem with the roster file.

Game 3 - pure FOF & original roster file. 25 years, no problems.

Thanks for looking into this admittedly inconsistent and non-prolific problem: it's not widespread - 4 occurrences in about 75 simmed seasons (as some were resimmed due to the CTDs).

Could it be that the save game has just got slightly corrupted? Don't really understand how these things work, but I note that Marc that this can occur with some other games.

Now Dallas/Indy started, so will try remodding tomorrow and running a new game to help if this was the case...

[Solecismic]

I think, from code inspection, that I can get this one. It should be rare, but I can see a path to a crash from a series of in-game injuries to defensive linemen.

It's too bad crashes prevent looking at the roster afterward to test that hypothesis.

I am not going to be able to get a 6.0c up before my scheduled trip. It's tempting just to patch the How Acquired bug, but I want to take a shot at more difficult issues, like seeing if I can tweak the FA logic so that cap hell won't be so nightmarish for teams. I'm leaving tomorrow, I'll be back to work on Saturday.

[Vinatieri for Prez]

Excellent. I can wait on hitting 'how acquired' for a week or more especially if additional things will be tweaked. Don't forget RB carries too.

[AlexB]

Originally Posted by Solecismic

I think, from code inspection, that I can get this one. It should be rare, but I can see a path to a crash from a series of in-game injuries to defensive linemen.

It's too bad crashes prevent looking at the roster afterward to test that hypothesis.

I am not going to be able to get a 6.0c up before my scheduled trip. It's tempting just to patch the How Acquired bug, but I want to take a shot at more difficult issues, like seeing if I can tweak the FA logic so that cap hell won't be so nightmarish for teams. I'm leaving tomorrow, I'll be back to work on Saturday.

Good news - I'm guessing I don't need to sim twenty random seasons any more! Thanks for not belittling a very occasional problem with a modified game