Game freeze

[Starbase503]

I can't believe there is no "Bugs/Glitches" thread; I think this is the first of the big gun games here that I have not seen one.

But this problem definitely falls under that heading. On Sunday, I played a January 15th game between the Boston Bruins and Detroit Red Wings. Everything played out fine, I checked the standings, etc., saved the franchise and shut her down.

Last night I loaded it up to play a game, but everytime I tried to move the calendar past the 15th to a date one of our four-controlled teams had a game scheduled, the game would freeze...stuck on the 15th, the same ESPN loop of music playing until I restarted the game. Four times I tried to advance past the 15th, four times it froze. (I wound up playing CH 2K5 instead.)

Any clues/fixes?

[VanCitySportsGuy]

Re: Game freeze

This is the dreaded franchise freeze bug. I'm not sure if there's a solution. I've heard people try to tinkle with the rosters though.

I believe the computer sometimes doesn't fill up it's rosters if there's injuries.

[VanCitySportsGuy]

Re: Game freeze

This is the dreaded franchise freeze bug. I'm not sure if there's a solution. I've heard people try to tinkle with the rosters though.

I believe the computer sometimes doesn't fill up it's rosters if there's injuries.

[Starbase503]

Re: Game freeze

This is the dreaded franchise freeze bug. I'm not sure if there's a solution. I've heard people try to tinkle with the rosters though.

I believe the computer sometimes doesn't fill up it's rosters if there's injuries.

Thanks, asianflow...I will at least check my four team rosters. I have had my CH legacy freeze on me, but it was from the "Daily View" screen, which can be circumvented by going thru the calendar or season schedule. Sadly, NHL doesn't have these possible workarounds.

[Starbase503]

Re: Game freeze

This is the dreaded franchise freeze bug. I'm not sure if there's a solution. I've heard people try to tinkle with the rosters though.

I believe the computer sometimes doesn't fill up it's rosters if there's injuries.

Thanks, asianflow...I will at least check my four team rosters. I have had my CH legacy freeze on me, but it was from the "Daily View" screen, which can be circumvented by going thru the calendar or season schedule. Sadly, NHL doesn't have these possible workarounds.

[Starbase503]

Re: Game freeze

Okay guys, after much frustration and many reboots, I finally figured out what to do if your franchise season hangs and won't advance a day. Asianflow was correct in saying there were CPU teams with incomplete rosters.

I won't go into the details of what I tried before finding the fix, but here it is. Scroll thru the rosters of each team and note those not dressing the required 20. Go to that team's Edit Lines (and yes, you cannot edit CPU controlled teams' lines, but no matter). Hit accept and it will pop up a menu for you. Choose to let the CPU auto edit the lines, and it will fill the missing roster spots automatically, and you are good to go.

[Starbase503]

Re: Game freeze

Okay guys, after much frustration and many reboots, I finally figured out what to do if your franchise season hangs and won't advance a day. Asianflow was correct in saying there were CPU teams with incomplete rosters.

I won't go into the details of what I tried before finding the fix, but here it is. Scroll thru the rosters of each team and note those not dressing the required 20. Go to that team's Edit Lines (and yes, you cannot edit CPU controlled teams' lines, but no matter). Hit accept and it will pop up a menu for you. Choose to let the CPU auto edit the lines, and it will fill the missing roster spots automatically, and you are good to go.

[slickdtc]

Re: Game freeze

Yup, that's the loophole around the franchise freeze. But have you tried playing the game yet? Because I thought that once you got to the game, it was unsavable. Perhaps I just didn't pick up on that though.

I suggest having multiple saves though, like 3 and save each after the other just in case (a lot easier to do with the XBOX's HD then the PS2's memory cards).

[slickdtc]

Re: Game freeze

Yup, that's the loophole around the franchise freeze. But have you tried playing the game yet? Because I thought that once you got to the game, it was unsavable. Perhaps I just didn't pick up on that though.

I suggest having multiple saves though, like 3 and save each after the other just in case (a lot easier to do with the XBOX's HD then the PS2's memory cards).

[Starbase503]

Re: Game freeze

Yup, that's the loophole around the franchise freeze. But have you tried playing the game yet? Because I thought that once you got to the game, it was unsavable. Perhaps I just didn't pick up on that though.

Once I got the rosters fixed (oddly, one of the two teams was Detroit, a CPU team I had just beaten with Boston on the very day the game would not advance), the game moved on perfectly.

I have played a couple of games since, and it seems to save fine. I just make sure before I hit the calendar page to check the rosters first. Multiple saves aren't a bad idea, nor is doing a backup with something like X-Port.

[Starbase503]

Re: Game freeze

Yup, that's the loophole around the franchise freeze. But have you tried playing the game yet? Because I thought that once you got to the game, it was unsavable. Perhaps I just didn't pick up on that though.

Once I got the rosters fixed (oddly, one of the two teams was Detroit, a CPU team I had just beaten with Boston on the very day the game would not advance), the game moved on perfectly.

I have played a couple of games since, and it seems to save fine. I just make sure before I hit the calendar page to check the rosters first. Multiple saves aren't a bad idea, nor is doing a backup with something like X-Port.

[kirkhart]

Re: Game freeze

Once I got the rosters fixed (oddly, one of the two teams was Detroit, a CPU team I had just beaten with Boston on the very day the game would not advance), the game moved on perfectly.

I have played a couple of games since, and it seems to save fine. I just make sure before I hit the calendar page to check the rosters first. Multiple saves aren't a bad idea, nor is doing a backup with something like X-Port.

Yes, multiple saves are a real good idea for any ESPN game. I have 3 each for NHL and CH.

I read about this freeze fix in an earlier thread. Also, if the CPU has too many people dressed, you can always trade a scrub or draft picks for their lowest rated dressed skater and resolve the issue that way. I've had both kinds of freezes (too many and too little CPU players dressed). Luckily, I found the fix on here, since I was pretty pissed after the game froze 55 games into my 1st season...I played about 40 of those games. I can't believe they released the game with this kind of bug. I'm sure a lot of people couldn't figure out the fix on their own (I couldn't). Their testers had to have found it during testing..it occurs somewhat consistently, strange that they decided to release it like that.

[kirkhart]

Re: Game freeze

Once I got the rosters fixed (oddly, one of the two teams was Detroit, a CPU team I had just beaten with Boston on the very day the game would not advance), the game moved on perfectly.

I have played a couple of games since, and it seems to save fine. I just make sure before I hit the calendar page to check the rosters first. Multiple saves aren't a bad idea, nor is doing a backup with something like X-Port.

Yes, multiple saves are a real good idea for any ESPN game. I have 3 each for NHL and CH.

I read about this freeze fix in an earlier thread. Also, if the CPU has too many people dressed, you can always trade a scrub or draft picks for their lowest rated dressed skater and resolve the issue that way. I've had both kinds of freezes (too many and too little CPU players dressed). Luckily, I found the fix on here, since I was pretty pissed after the game froze 55 games into my 1st season...I played about 40 of those games. I can't believe they released the game with this kind of bug. I'm sure a lot of people couldn't figure out the fix on their own (I couldn't). Their testers had to have found it during testing..it occurs somewhat consistently, strange that they decided to release it like that.

[Starbase503]

Re: Game freeze

Grrrr...looks like MY NHL is on strike now!!! The infamous game freeze has happened again, but this time nothing I do will work. The culprit this time are the Buffalo Sabres, who insist on dressing 21 players after their 2/15 game. I tried letting the CPU edit the lines to no avail.

Then I tried the "drastic fix": my NJ Devils traded a draft pick for one of their lower-ranked scrubs. The trade was accepted, but when I choose the "Adjust the lines for New Jersey" option, the game freezes here as well! If I choose the "Keep Trading" option, it STILL freezes when I then try to leave the trade screen.

I am stuck on Feb. 15 with NO ideas left on how to move forward. Can anyone say GAME KILLER?

[Starbase503]

Re: Game freeze

Grrrr...looks like MY NHL is on strike now!!! The infamous game freeze has happened again, but this time nothing I do will work. The culprit this time are the Buffalo Sabres, who insist on dressing 21 players after their 2/15 game. I tried letting the CPU edit the lines to no avail.

Then I tried the "drastic fix": my NJ Devils traded a draft pick for one of their lower-ranked scrubs. The trade was accepted, but when I choose the "Adjust the lines for New Jersey" option, the game freezes here as well! If I choose the "Keep Trading" option, it STILL freezes when I then try to leave the trade screen.

I am stuck on Feb. 15 with NO ideas left on how to move forward. Can anyone say GAME KILLER?