*Official* ICC2002 Editing Developments

[Emcee]

Surely these details could just magically appear in Neil's inbox and he suddenly cracks the code without ever mentioning how. I mean ffs it is so unresonable from Empire not to allow us this info.

 

[CricketGames.com]

The info will not magically appear anywhere. If it did it would be obvious where it came from.

Empire are not being unreasonable in any way and I am not the biggest fan of Empire after previous experience but I respect their stance. They are perfectly entitled to keep hold of their assets for as long as they want to. Age of a game is irrelevant.

Daniel.

 

[Emcee]

But wasn't the only justification Empire could provide for not allowing data editing in the first place that it would destroy the online game. They well and truely killed that so the fact that they still won't let us in on how to create an editor shows that as was said all along its just so they charge full price for a data update each season and they don't even make that anymore.

 

[CricketGames.com]

No Empire (like many publishers of sports management games) have always been against an editor. I only published the intial breakthrough once the on-line game was no longer available. The on-line game was removed as it was hardly being used any more and didn't justify the monthly costs of $300.

The data/fixture upgrades were not sold at full price (at least not in England) and they weren't just updates as they contained the full game and you didn't need to own previous versions. Whilst there hasn't been an update for 2 years Empire still always retain the right to do another one.

Daniel.

 

[sawu]

Its a bit of a shame. Maybe Empire should realise that id they did release the info for a data editor, people such as myself will continue to play the game continuously; however, if they (or any associates) ever DID release a sequel, which had gameplay improvements over ICC2002, then myself (and I'm sure everyone who was still playing ICC) would jump straight out and buy it.

I'm afraid that with no updates, ICC will die a slow death, and everyone will have forgotten about it in a couple of years. :'(

 

[SIX AND OUT]

Very disappointed in Empire, If the workers/technicians don't want to upgrade the game, then fine. But if someone has come forward and said that they will do the hard work and get not only "the greatest game ever" and even Empire back up and running, they should consider it. I would put in hard work to make an editor - i would pay $20-$25 AUD for an editor for sure. C'mon Empire you have let everybody down.

 

[Emcee]

The data/fixture upgrades were not sold at full price (at least not in England) and they weren't just updates as they contained the full game and you didn't need to own previous versions. Whilst there hasn't been an update for 2 years Empire still always retain the right to do another one.

This paragraph makes no sense. You state that ICC 2002 was not an update as it contained the full game, it did but it was almost exactly the same thing we had already paid for the previous year. All it did as far as I can see was fix a couple of things that a more reputable and caring development company would have fixed in a patch (I.E The four day online game and the Zims, Aussies not being available for County cricket) and somewhat updated the data. A game such as CM/FM would have had these issues sorted in one free patch. Why would allowing the development of a data editor hinder Empire making another ICC game unless they planed on releasing the same game with only updated data. Simply admit that your to scared to release the infomation and would rather play along with Empire's unjustifable, poor treatment of their fanbase and keep some programmer mate of yours with dollar signs in his eyes happy.

 

[marc71178]

Erm no, CM/FM release a new version every year and rarely if ever release data updates.

 

[CricketGames.com]

Six and out - Empire don't need help to get back up and running so not sure what you meant by that. No-one has ever mentioned charging for the editor or giving the editor to Empire so they could charge for it.

Emcee - The paragraph makes perfect sense and you obviously know very little about the whole situation. You are wrong about CM. Thay release a new version at the begining of every season with the latest data and a few new features and it is always a full price update. The ICC updates represent a lot of work (several man months and other costs like paying for updated stats and pictures). They were released at the price of an add-on rather than full price. If you had bought the previous version then yes it wasn't a huge change hence the lower price but if you were new to the series you only had to buy the latest one as it included the full game.

I'm certainly not too scared to release the information. Your comment about money is meaningless. None of the development team have earnt any money from ICC in 3 years or been enployed by Empire for 5 years! I simply respect the lead developer's request.

ICC 2001/2002 only came about because we as a development team approached Empire to do it. Despite effectively being made redundant by Empire (the whole team was disbanded after the development of ACC 2000) we wanted to try and keep the game going. The team did the significant work required around our normal full time jobs. There wasn't a 2003 as after 2 mainly data updates we wanted to add more features but Empire didn't want to. ACC 2000 cost too much to be developed and never had a chance to re-coup those costs. ICC 2001/2002 did better but still didn't make up the shortfall from ICC 2000/ACC 2000 development costs.

Empire's position is not unjust. They at no point said they would release the database format. The release of a third party editor would cost them money even thought they had nothing to do with it! This would be due to extra support calls/emails as even though it is third party if any problems occurred people would contact them.

I originally posted here as I thought people might want to know why I couldn't help. Bad mouthing Empire and me isn't going to help the situation. If you really want an editor help decode the data by following the suggestions I did make.

Daniel.

 

[Emcee]

Erm no, CM/FM release a new version every year and rarely if ever release data updates.

You miss my point completely. Name one new feature ICC 2002 had over 2001 and you can't count features that Empire claimed would be in 2001 but wern't working till 2002. Each version of CM/FM has clearly defined new features and SI release data updates with each patch as well as allowing users to edit every part of the data which has resulted in the development of a strong editing community that keeps the games, both in its latest form and previous forms up to date. Also all this talk of ICC 2002 only being the cost of an upgrade certainly wasn't true when I brought it in Australia.

 

[marc71178]

No, SI do not release data updates with every patch,

They have made an editor available, but people who use it have found problems with causing crashes.

Also, editors wouldn't hurt online play, but in ICC they'd have killed it.

 

[Emcee]

No, SI do not release data updates with every patch,

They have made an editor available, but people who use it have found problems with causing crashes.

Also, editors wouldn't hurt online play, but in ICC they'd have killed it.

Ok your right in saying not every patch for CM/FM has had data updates in them but several have, which is more than the zero free data updaes Empire ever released. The FM offical editor is very usuable and multiple people use it to keep the game update along with the 3rd party editors who creation SI allow and even host on their site. SI aren't against others developing editor programs and even took on a member of the community who was building more stable editors than them to help create future offical editors. I guess what I'm trying to get at with the CM situation is SI's whole attitude to data editing against Empire's. SI have always encouraged and allowed data editing as they do not totally rely on it to sell future versions of the series, yet three years since their last release Empire/whoever won't allow us access to a data editor as it seems they feel it would hurt any future versions of ICC, which will probs never exist any way. As to your statement an editor would have killed online play in ICC don't be a fool, as long the server required you to use the default database for teams used online their would be no problem. Actually their are multiple ways editors could be stopped from harming online, you just might have to think!!!!!

 

[squiz]

Would someone inform who/what: SI, FM and CM are?

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Would someone inform who/what: SI, FM and CM are?

CM = Championship Manager, soccer's *spit* version of ICC.
FM = future development of CM.
SI = the guys who developed CM (NOT equivalent to Empire! Eidos is equivalent to Empire, as they were the seller of the game - whoever developed ICC I really dunno)

 

[Nick D]

CM = Championship Manager, soccer's *spit* version of ICC.
FM = future development of CM.
SI = the guys who developed CM (NOT equivalent to Empire! Eidos is equivalent to Empire, as they were the seller of the game - whoever developed ICC I really dunno)

FM = Football Manager

and ICC is in actual fact crickets version of CM, rather than the other way around

 

[Magrat Garlick]

FM = Football Manager

and ICC is in actual fact crickets version of CM, rather than the other way around

True. CM came first.

 

[marc71178]

As to your statement an editor would have killed online play in ICC don't be a fool, as long the server required you to use the default database for teams used online their would be no problem.

And how exactly does the server do that after a season update?

The lack of an editor was the right thing to do because people would play ICC against anyone whereas for CM you'd need to know the opposition a bit more (to even be able to log into the game)

 

[Blaze]

So is anyone editing anything these days?

 

[Robertinho]

 

[KIRKERS]

Debug DLLs

Would appreciate anyone who gives this a shot over the UK-night to have a shot at playing with the age digits and trying to work out what they change and how much by.

Note to all - save the decompiled file in a hex editor, re-encrypt it, then start another new game on ICC. It's a slow process, but you get there. I suggest we concentrate on sc1 (Ashes 1948) - less data so easier to follow.

Get your DLLs here if required:
http://www.cs.wisc.edu/~estrehlo/graphics/msvcp71d.dll
http://www.cs.wisc.edu/~estrehlo/graphics/msvcr71d.dll

New url for MSVCR71d.dll -- http://www.cs.wisc.edu/~estrehlo/projects/graphics/msvcr71d.dll

New url for MSCVP71d.dll --
http://www.cs.wisc.edu/~estrehlo/projects/graphics/msvcp71d.dll