Franchise Problem

[buzzy]

As you all know, we created the Charlotte Bobcats succesfully.
But, there's this poblem in the Franchise Mode.
When selecting the regular NBA schedule the Bobcats are in the teams list, the game puts it into a divison, but when proceeding, the Bobcats simply don't play. It looks like the game doens't care whether there's a new team or not, and just doesn't put them into the schedule. They stay 0-0 all the time.

You can also select and make your own NBA plan, means you can assign every team to one of the four divisions and the game should create a schedule or wahtever, but after that, the game crashes.

So does anyone know, how to change the schedule, so that the Bobcats actually play in the franchise mode?

[Andrew]

It would be a lengthy procedure, but you can edit schedule.dbf to add them.

Alternatively, you could try using the schedule files from NBA Live 2005, making sure all the team IDs are correct. I can't guarantee that will work but it's worth a try.

[buzzy]

Thanks for the reply.

I took a look at the schedule files from both games, and fortunately hey are very similar, but the team IDs are completely different. We gave Charlotte the ID 41 I think.

And because of that missing team in 2003, every team after CHarlotte would have an ID minus one.

Atlanta and Boston has 0 and 1 in both games, but then it contines differentely, as number 2 is the Cats in 2005, and the Bulls in Live 2003.

[Spree#8]

So you can switch the IDs to fit the schedule, but that will mess up almost every files of the roster and then it will be a lot of work to fix it...

But adding them to schedule.dbf is probably even worse.

I don't know. If there's not any other way, it doesn't look well.

[buzzy]

Indeed. Every player is assinged to his team via ID. You know the rest ..

[Andrew]

I'd recommend changing the IDs in the schedule files to match teams.dbf. You could use a batch file to make those changes much more quickly.

[Spree#8]

I've got another idea.

Switch Bobcats with FA. So Bobcats will have 29 and FA will have 41. NBA teams will have 0-29 IDs, as in Live 2005 and schedule will work. However there won't be real schedules, but I think it's not that important.

Of course we'll have to re-assign players, coaches and jerseys, but it's better than re-assigning everything. It's not that much.

[buzzy]

Spree, interesting idea. But first i will try Andrew's version.

But you gotta give me some help, I've never done this before. Can batch files replace particular values with any other inside of a dbf file?

If yes, might know some tutorials?

[buzzy]

I tried now Spree's idea.
I'm so close. I succesfully added the 2005 schedule.

You see here

Charlotte being playable and it looks like it works.

Now, look at this day:


Weird. It says TEAM À and M @ POR in the next line.
The game crashes when simulating past that day.

Looking at the schedule, who's that "Team AM" and is gonna play at Portland that day. I figuered it was Atlanta.
So what the fuck, what happened to Atlanta. Any ideas?

But I still don't give up.

[tommy]

I've never had this kind of problem...

Buzz, if you want I can send you my files so you can try another way

[buzzy]

You can play with the Cats?

Sure, I'd love to.

[tommy]

Yes I do!

I'm playing with Charlotte since last May and I also added 'em to my already started franchise... see here http://www.nbaliveforums.com/viewtopic. ... 412#777412 (I also performed an expansion draft... )

Ok man, tomorrow I'll send you the files

[buzzy]

Sounds great.

But after step 5 I can't simulate, 'cause the game crashes. Your files fix that?

[Spree#8]

Because they aren't in the schedule. Tommy, I don't know how it can work without creating a schedule for Bobcats or how the game generated it itself, which I think is not possible.

Looking at the schedule, who's that "Team AM" and is gonna play at Portland that day. I figuered it was Atlanta.
So what the fuck, what happened to Atlanta.

Any ideas. Atlanta's ID didn't change, so I really don't know what could happen. I'll try to do it in my game later today.

edit: I tried and I've got different problem. I don't know how, but I didn't have to do anytihing, schedule was ok for every teams, Bobcats too. I simulated full season and when I was displaying awards, game crashed.

What to do with this?

[tommy]

Tommy, I don't know how it can work without creating a schedule for Bobcats or how the game generated it itself, which I think is not possible.

Honestly, I don't know how... but it works!

When I start playing a new franchise (CUSTOM) with 30 teams, selecting or not the Cats, the game generates everything itself without any problem.

I have to tell you that I play a MEDIUM franchise (58 games), I never tried playing the 82-games one. Maybe the error/problem is here...

Tonight I'm gonna try and then I'll tell you

[buzzy]

Tommy, I don't know how it can work without creating a schedule for Bobcats or how the game generated it itself, which I think is not possible.

When I start playing a new franchise (CUSTOM) with 30 teams, selecting or not the Cats, the game generates everything itself without any problem.

Not for me.
There are schedule files called SEASONS, SEASONM, SEASONL standing for short, medium, and long.

Nothing worked for me. I tried a long season with my edited schedule, and the problem is that one mentioned above. Trying to create a medium season with the default SEASONM file, it crashes immediately after selecting the teams.

[tommy]

There are schedule files called SEASONS, SEASONM, SEASONL standing for short, medium, and long.

But those are Live 2005 files... I suggest that the game crashes because it doesn't recognise those files

[buzzy]

Those are also in Live 2003, check your Origdb folder.

[Spree#8]

I have to tell you that I play a MEDIUM franchise (58 games), I never tried playing the 82-games one. Maybe the error/problem is here...

Maybe. But I played 28-game franchise. And till the end of regular season everything was fine, game crashed when I was displaying the team awards.

But those are Live 2005 files... I suggest that the game crashes because it doesn't recognise those files

I think they're compatible. If they weren't, I think game will crash when simulating first games of the season or earlier.

[Andrew]

Note that in NBA Live 2005, TEAMID 29 belongs to the Wizards so there could be a conflict there. 2005's schedule files will of course reflect those IDs rather than the ones in NBA Live 2003.

[Spree#8]

But it results only with that schedule won't be correct, yes?

As I wrote above, it's not important for me. I just want to play this franchise with Bobcats in the roster, without any problems or crashes.

[Andrew]

What I meant is there might be conflicts with the IDs, either two teams sharing the same ID in the schedule or an ID in the schedule that is unassigned in teams.dbf.

[tommy]

There are schedule files called SEASONS, SEASONM, SEASONL standing for short, medium, and long.
(...)
Those are also in Live 2003, check your Origdb folder.

In my Origdb folder there aren't, there is only a schedule.dbf file.

Obviously, mine is the italian version of the game but I don't think it depends from this.

Sorry, for this moment I don't have other ideas...

[Spree#8]

I tried putting Live 05 schedule and game crashed when loading franchise.

buzzy - just for make sure - do you set schedule type in franchise settings to random?

[buzzy]

buzzy - just for make sure - do you set schedule type in franchise settings to random?

yes I do