Hi. New member here!

[jdhalfrack]

Hi, I'm a new member, and this site looks really neat!

Oh wait... no I'm not... It just seems like it.

Well, good news ladies and gentlemen... SCHOOL HAS STARTED. Why should you care? Because what better way to kill free time in school then working on a Max FB Database Editor. Am I right?!

But I need your help.

First, you have to understand that I am going to start it over from scratch. Why, you ask? Because while I was working over on the Madden MOD for a while (which I DO still help with), I have learned SO MUCH MORE programming than I ever thought I would. So, I am going to make a much more stable and hopefully user-friendly (not the the previous versions weren't) version of the editor.

Second, I need to know what the latest version/patch of Maximum Football is.

Third, I would like some league files from some of you from the latest patch. This will make my life easier. The longer along you are, the better.

Fourth, I need your patience. I want to make a good editor that has all the features of before PLUS the new ones I had started t implement before I took a break. This will take some time, though. I joined this site in late October of last year. My goal is to have a working, awesome, 100% completed, bad ass, nothing beats it editor by the end of THIS October (yikes! that's only two months!).

Suggestions and requests are ALWAYS welcome but not always feasible. Please post any in this thread.

WELCOME BACK, ME! [:)]

JD

EDIT: Here is the current suggestion list:

- make it compatible with VISTA
- make it possible to save edits in a file
- add salary cap features
- export/import players, teams, STATS, etc...

[redwolf1]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1if9kLJpWw

...guess who's back...back again...

[therhino]

Welcome back JD! My only request is if you could get it to work on all Vista's. Unfortunately your current editor doesn't work on my machine.

[dreamtheatervt]

Welcome back!  I have a request as well - do you think it would be possible to save edits in a file, so if I make a randomizer again, instead of having everyone reput in my data manually, all they would have to do is load up my file (like an excel file or even a comma separated text file)?

[jdhalfrack]

My only request is if you could get it to work on all Vista's. Unfortunately your current editor doesn't work on my machine.

This should be no problem now. I have moved to using nothing but VB.NET, which should be completely compatible with VISTA.

...do you think it would be possible to save edits in a file, so if I make a randomizer again, instead of having everyone reput in my data manually, all they would have to do is load up my file

Duh. This almost seems too obvious that I am surprised I hadn't thought of it yet. Good suggestion!

I will add these to my list!

JD

[Mykal]

Nice to see you back again Bro,
cant wait for the new editor,

having the "Salary tab" functional would be nice if you can manage that
yep I know it aint relevant to the game but would be easier as a League GM to access from your editor.

[garysorrell]

Very good to see you back JD. Im pretty sure the latest version of Max is 2.2.70.

[Magnum357]

I hope you guys don't mind me interupting, but I would like to reintroduce myself aswell.  For the past 7 or 8 monthis, I have not been able to play Maximum Football because I couldn't get it to work on Windows 98.  Fortunetly, with the Windows Script 5.6 fix, I'm up and running on at least one computer.  [:)]  But unfortunetly aswell, I have been only playing version 1 of the game (I have not tested Windows 98 with Version 2 of Maximum Football yet).
 
I started working on some utilites in the past, most noteably on www.fbmax.com my "DataConstant" Utility, and I have some ideas for additional Utilites aswell so you may see me on these boards more often now and I may release more utilites if I got time.

[Tullius]

@ Magnum357

Even when you can not run the latest version (2.2) i would recommend that you try to install the files. The maindatabase structure has been changed, some addtional files are now added, e.g. so you have now for every league a simdat.

When you have problems installing the new version (which is free) then i can you send you some mdb-files.

[Magnum357]

Tullius

Noted, and thanks for the info.  I plan to actually install version 2.2 soon, but in case version 2.2 doesn't work on my Windows 98 OS (David made it clear that he won't support 98 anymore) then I will just work with Version 1 of the game for those who won't or couldn't upgrade to version 2.  I might be one of the few left that actually plays version 1.3176 but I could give technical support and utilites to those that still use Version 1.  I have played a lot of Version 1 and know the Play Editor quite well to get around the bugs.  Compared to Sierra's Football Pro 99, version 1.3176 is still more playable.
 
As for old Utilities, I know I have a few of my old Utility Source codes somewhere, and if I get version 2.2 working, I will try to convert them to the new version.  Is the Database structure much different then Version 1?  Does is still use Microsoft Access? 

[Tullius]

The game uses still Microsoft Access but maybe a newer version (= not more Access 97). When i recall some notes correct the limit is now 2 GB. In the Maindata.mdb some tables are deleted or inserted so the databases of version 1 and version 2 are a little different but the basic structure is the same.

[jdhalfrack]

Okay, as part of my new editor, I have given users the ability to "manipulate" the "OVERALL" rating formulas. Basically, I just allow users to manipulate the weighting of each skill.

However, I am attaching a spreadsheet ( Max FB Overall Ratings Spreadheet) with the default formulas for you to experiment with. The formulas are based off of the Madden rating formulas (which your truly finally cracked over at Football-Freaks.com). The numbers that are bolded are the skills that actually affect OVERALL ratings. For example, Kick Strength for a QB will not affect the OVERALL rating of the QB.

To get the full effect, unhide all cells. That will give you the option to see the full formula.

Let me know what you think after you put in some values to test. If you don't like a certain result, post the skill ratings and overall rating and tell me why you think it should be different.

JD

[mbsports]

Sounds awesome to me JD - any chance we might be able to export the ovr. along with the other rates and maybe even stats to a .xls, .csv or some other friendly formation?
 

[jdhalfrack]

....along with the other rates and maybe even stats to a .xls, .csv or some other friendly formation?

This has always been a goal of mine. However, stats exporting/editing will be the last thing I tackle because for some reason, David has decided to store the stats in the most user UNfriendly way ever. But yes, it is on the list for the new editor.

JD

[Tullius]

Here is the formula the game uses to fill the depth chart. An screen is as example added:

QB = (PSS + PSA + INT + SPD + AGL + STR + END + DIS + HND) + Profile (PR1 + PR2)
HB = (SPD + AGL + STR + INT + END + DIS + BLK + CAT + HND) + Profile (PR1 + PR2)
FB = (SPD + AGL + STR + INT + END + DIS + BLK + CAT + HND) + Profile (PR1 + PR2)
WR = (SPD + CAT + INT + AGL + STR + END +DIS + HND) + Profile (PR1 + PR2)
TE/SB = (SPD + CAT + AGL + STR + INT + END + DIS + BLK + HND) + Profile (PR1 + PR2)
OT = (SPD + AGL + STR + INT + END + DIS + BLK) + Profile (PR1 + PR2)
OG = (SPD + AGL + STR + INT + END + DIS + BLK) + Profile (PR1 + PR2)
CT = (SPD + AGL + STR + INT + END + DIS + BLK)+ Profile (PR1 + PR2)
DE = (SPD + AGL + STR + INT + END + DIS + BLA) + Profile (PR1 + PR2)
DT = (SPD + AGL + STR + INT + END + DIS + BLA) + Profile (PR1 + PR2)
LB (ILB, MLB) = (SPD + COV + AGL + STR + INT + END + DIS + CAT + BLA) + Profile (PR1 + PR2)
DB (DB, CB,S) = (SPD + COV + AGL + STR + INT + END + DIS + CAT + BLA) + Profile (PR1 + PR2)
K/P = (KST + KAC) + Profile (PR1 + PR2)
KR = (SPD + AGL + HND + INT + END + DIS + CAT) + Profile (PR1 + PR2)

A profile looks so

Maximum-Football Team Profile File
Rounds:50
RosterSize:45
TeamID;Rnd;Pos;Criteria 1;Criteria 2
2;1;LB;Speed;Agility
2;2;LB;Block Avoidance;Strength
2;3;LB;Speed;Block Avoidance
2;4;DB;Speed;Coverage
2;5;DB;Speed;Strength
2;6;DB;Speed;Coverage
2;7;DL;Speed;Block Avoidance
2;8;DL;Strength;Block Avoidance
2;9;QB;Intelligence;Pass Accuracy
2;10;OL;Blocking;Strength
2;11;OL;Blocking;Strength
2;12;LB;Speed;Block Avoidance
2;13;DL;Block Avoidance;Strength
2;14;DB;Speed;Coverage
2;15;WR;Speed;Catching
2;16;DL;Speed;Block Avoidance
2;17;RB;Speed;Agility
2;18;RB;Strength;Blocking
2;19;TE;Speed;Blocking
2;20;WR;Speed;Catching
etc ...

(Rounds = 50) = 50 round draft

2;20;WR;Speed;Catching
Team ID; List Nr; Position; PR1; PR 2






BTW This example shows that a FB can replace a TE.

[jdhalfrack]

Oh yeah, I think I remember David making some sort of attempt at this, but I forgot that he did. However, I'm not sure that this really makes sense to me...

I don't like the way that each rating has the same "weight" in determining the effectiveness of a player. For example, PSS and PSA on a HB/FB/WR should barely be included (if at all). It should not be on the same level as SPD and HND. I know you can "double" or even "triple" the weighting of some skills by using the Profile, but even then, it still seems a little too close.

But, thanks for that list. This will help me out still.

JD

[Tullius]

The PSS/PSA in the RB/ WR fields were a mistake by me. I have now corrected this.

I agree that the game formula is not the ideal solution. I think DW looked at the Sierra FPS system which used in FPS98 a similar formula. But it shows the way the game AI uses it.

IMO even Weight and Height should be included in a better system. Weight affects blocking and Height affects catching.

[Mykal]

IMO even Weight and Height should be included in a better system. Weight affects blocking and Height affects catching.

Most definately
also weight at the higher end also affects speed
I've yet to find anyone who's 320 lbs who can sprint like I can at 170 lb

[Tullius]

Most definately
also weight at the higher end also affects speed

This is true. But this must be considered when ratings for players are created.
(In FPS98 weight and height were only "Show" ratings.

[jdhalfrack]

IMO even Weight and Height should be included in a better system. Weight affects blocking and Height affects catching.

also weight at the higher end also affects speed

I know about this, but I have a question: how does it affect speed, etc...? In your opinion, anyway.

Basically, Is it pretty much linear? Like will the smallest weight effects speed "the best" and the heaviest weight will affect it "the worst?" Or is it like a bell curve where it peaks at the middle? Same with blocking, catching, etc...

Also, is the range from 5'5" to 6'6" and 175 lbs to 310 lb? Correct me if I'm wrong.

Any suggestions are appreciated! Thanks guys!

JD