What is the First Version of Maximum Football?

[David Winter]

Well that's okay if it's already there. Sometimes when you uninstall other applications, they tend to uninstall shared components. So that was just something to check.
 
Does the schedulededitor.exe work?

[marcntx]

The schedule editor runs, but when I try to open a league database, it gives the the OPEN ERROR noted above.

[David Winter]

Mmm..well I'm afraid with that happening that tells me that something has happened to your system files. The schedule editor is a very generic database editor. That little application does not make use of any of the custom components of Maximum-Football. It simply makes direct calls to the Microsoft JET database engine and loads a list.

Again, the only thing I can think of that would cause the game to work one day and not the next, would be that something else was installed or uninstalled between those two days.

Did you install OpenOffice? I ask because I'm curious to know if that's making a mess of the microsoft files.

[marcntx]

I think I've officially given up. Re-installed Microsoft Office thinking that might fix the problem. Now I get this error when installing and I still get the DB error messages:

[David Winter]

marcntx, I'm very sorry, but I don't think there is anything wrong with the game here. If you say that you're getting this error after re-installing open office then I am thinking more and more that open office made this problem in the first place, the first time you installed it.

Perhaps contact the people that make open office and ask them how to revert your system files back to the way they were before the did whatever it is they did to them.

For me, the clincher is the schedule editor. That editor is making pure calls to the microsoft JET database engine. There is honestly nothing special there. I'll be happy to make the source code for the schedule editor available to anyone so they can see that this is indeed the case. So if that's failing, then I can only surmise that those files have become corrupted some how, and I suspect open office is the culprit there.

I have a test machine here that I'll try to install open office on and see if I get similar results. That doesn't mean I'll have a solution to fixing the problem without wiping the hard drive and starting again, but at least it will be known who to look to for possible answers.

David

[garysorrell]

I use Open Office, and have had zero problems. Ive also used Microsoft office Small business, and Microsoft office 2007. At different times and all at once. And all on MaxFB mdb files. No problems here.

[Tbird]

Somone I was helping had a somewhat similar error message
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/279223

I couldn't fix it and had to reinstall his Windows and then upgrade to service pack 2

[David Winter]

Hi.
 
I'm aware that some seem to be able to use both at the same time. As this customer mentioned 'reinstalling' that tells me that he's obviously uninstalled open office at some point. It's a guess at the moment, but I suspect uninstalling that tool set is uninstalling critical components. Although I have no idea what version of Open office was installed in the first place on that machine.
 
I'm currently testing this theory with OO2.2

[David Winter]

ORIGINAL: Tbird

Somone I was helping had a somewhat similar error message
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/279223

I couldn't fix it and had to reinstall his Windows and then upgrade to service pack 2

Hi.

Yes, this is what I suspect has happened. While this knowledge base article is specific to Office 2000, Maximum-Football uses several of the same common components. The article makes reference to "mismatched Microsoft Data Access Components (MDAC) files or a damaged MDAC installation.", which is exactly what I'm thinking has happened here.

I have installed and uninstalled Open Office 2.2 a couple of times here and have not had any problem with the game after installation or uninstallation. That said, again, I have no idea what version the customer originally installed or if there were any problems with that version.

Even if Open Office turns out to be a red herring and there's nothing wrong with that package, the end result is the same, something has mangled the data access components on this machine. As the game was working one day, and not the next, as reported by the customer, I don't think Maximum-Football is the culprit for doing the mangling. Besides, if that were the case, it would be an extremely heavily reported problem.

The link provided in that Knowledge base may help (as it claims to be the solution), but I can't be sure of that.

David

[marcntx]

David, I don't have Open Office, I have Microsoft Office 2003.  Anyway, I'll keep trying.  It seems that all my programs other than MF work fine. 

[David Winter]

Okay.. I must have misread one of your posts.
 
That said, I believe the root of the problem is the same. Something has caused your data access components to become corrupted.
 
I'm sorry but unfortunately, there's not much I can do to help with that.

[rcleslie]

I just read through this thread and it struck several chords:
1. I recently had a system "crash" that required reformatting my hard drive and reinstalling the OS (WinXP). I wanted to reinstall MaxFB and did so using MaxFB Setup Release - v1095DR which I have on disk. I then downloaded and installed the v13176 patch. All of this went without a hitch. So far I have played a few Quick Games and noticed that my old "too easy to win" problems have gone away; or so it seems for now. The game is now a whole lot better, i.e., more realistic and FUN TO PLAY! My concern at the moment is the question someone raised about which version is the "base" version. I assume anything labelled "Setup Release" is the base, or some version of it that may used with the latest patch to play the game with all features operating.

2. Prior to my "crash" and forced reinstallation I was installing each patch as it came along without resetting my leagues. I have a recollection that David Winter once suggested it was a good idea to reset leagues after installing a patch. Is this still correct?

3. I am now revisiting my attempts to print rosters, etc. I have downloaded and installed Open Office which is now my primary office tool. I have also downloaded MjH's program from FBMax.com to enable MAXFB players to work with MAXFB data bases via Open Office. I haven't tried it yet, but I have high hopes. Any how, many thanks to MjH and to whoever first suggested this to me many moons ago. Will there be day when the game will make all this easier, as in click "Print roster"?

4. This relates to the "too easy" issue and involves player ratings. I assume that it is not a good idea to change a player's position. That is, If I want a speedier RB than the draft gives me I ought not switch a 90+ DB to RB. I think it was Garysorrell's posting that advised against this sort of thing. (Thx again!) However, given that the game makes such switching possible will there be a time/version that makes this realistic? For example, DBs and WRs should be interchangeable (more or less) and ditto for RBs, TEs, and LBs (more or less)? I would be interested in the opinions of others on this.

[garysorrell]

I was doing the 'bait and switch' with players quite a bit, and with a 99speed DB at RB, it was killer. But, the CPU teams obviously wont do that. So I was sweep left, sweep right for TDs nearly as often as i wanted.
My solution to this was to just bump up RBs speed ratings in the Maindata so when RBs were generated, they were in the high 80s, low 90s. With a few at 95 or 96.
I also upped the DBs coverage rating. Plus a few tweaks to the constants.dat file and its really competative. Especially the outdoor 11 man game. Indoor 8man is a back and forth shootout, but thats realistic also.

But, all in all, a more diverse set of playbooks for the teams has made the biggest difference. With some decent defenses, even the 99Speed DB is stuffed more often than not now.


Open office works fantastic with Max.

Sorry for the off topic slide here.

[David Winter]

For version 1.5 effort has been put into making the skills a little more balanced. The spead of good and bad players is higher so that there are very few players generated in the 90's if on the pro league setting. To get players into the 90's they'll need to go through a few training camps.
 
So far the testers seem to feel that the changes that have been made are working out.

[nmleague]

Just a note, with version 1.5 that we are testing now.  I edited the speed range for a number of positions in the maindata file and David is now using that file in the builds we are testing.
 
The changes reflect what you are talking about. 
 
THe RB range max and min have been increased. This even with the improve pursuit as the result to changes to LB and DL should make the RB more of a break away threat
The LB range max and min have been increased, gives the defense much better pursuit
The DL max has been increased, also gives the defense more realistic pursuit, plus should help the pass rush some
DBs are still the fastest players on the field, and for play balance they need to stay the fastest

[Marauders]

I was doing the 'bait and switch' with players quite a bit, and with a 99speed DB at RB, it was killer. But, the CPU teams obviously wont do that. So I was sweep left, sweep right for TDs nearly as often as i wanted.

 
In Pro Football Simulation and FBPro Leagues, that would be considered cheating.
 
As its stands now, the new depth charts will allow defensive players to be used in offensive positions, but that is for two way "iron man" play for 8 man leagues.  I suspect most 11 and 12 man leagues will have position change rules to keep "bait and switch" to a minimum.
 

[garysorrell]

In my solo league, its not cheating

I dont do it anymore cause I dont need to....my RBs now have speed.

It was never legal in any of the FBPRO leagues I was in or ran.

[marcntx]

Just wanted to let everyone know, I fixed the problem, or should I say, the problem fixed itself.  I think the problem was pretty simple.  I originally had MF installed on one partition.  When I bought a new hard drive, I guess I didn't correctly or completely uninstall the game from it's original location.  Even though the game was "uninstalled" from it's original location, there must have been a file(s) left behind.  Anyway, I reinstalled the game in the original location, then uninstalled it from it's original location, then reinstalled in the new location.  Everything works perfect and I look forward to getting back in the game now.  Can't wait for 1.5!  Thanks for everyone's help and suggestions, I really apprecitate it.  Marc  

[garysorrell]

Thats great news! Glad your 'Back on the field'

[Marauders]

That's great, Marc.
 
Thank you for updating us.