A new update for Franchise Hockey Manager 4, version 4.2.46, has just been released.

This is the second major update for FHM4, addressing more issues that have been reported since release. There's likely to be a longer gap between this update and the next one unless a maintenance update is required to fix urgent problems; we'll need the additional time to make larger changes and additions and get them through a proper testing cycle.

As always, we'll still be monitoring our forums and Facebook (FranchiseHockeyManager), Twitter (@FranchiseHockey), Reddit (/r/FranchiseHockey), etc. on a daily basis, answering questions and offering help as needed, so if you have any problems or suggestions, please let us know. Thanks for your continued support.

Changes:

-more adjustments to the lineup and player role selection system, should allow the AI to choose better tactic combinations as well as fixing the most serious remaining issues with line selection. Note: unlike the previous update, most of these changes are coding-related and not dependent on data, so they'll work immediately in saved games. However, we did also make some small data adjustments to the tactics and tactical roles, so if you want to get the full effect of those particular changes in an existing game, you can add their effects to a save by copying the files "tactics.dat" and "player_roles.dat" from the \Documents\Out of the Park Developments\Franchise Hockey Manager 4\quickstart_games\OpeningDay.quick folder to your save folder (i.e., the folder in saved_games with the .lg extension and the name of your saved game), overwriting the versions of the files that are currently there.
-fixed issues with creating a lineup and line selection in leagues with very low roster limits (e.g. the NHL in 1917) - note that the AI Setup Organization, Dress Players, and Create Lines functions all require that there be enough players on the roster to create a full lineup in order to function properly
-getting a popup warning (e.g. Healthy player on IR list) on the same day you get the season summary/season score popup will no longer prevent you from closing the warning popup
-goalies will no longer win the rookie of the year award every year (caused by changes to ROY games played criteria in last update)
-all players passed over in the NHL Draft should now be signable as free agents by NHL teams within the alloweed time period before the new season starts (i.e., undrafted CHL players must be signed before the WHL/OHL/QMJHL season starts)
-alumni lists should no longer display a few players who were never on that team
-value of older players in trades decreased a little more
-relative influence of the "Always start a goalie again after a shutout" criteria for goalie starts lowered
-bonuses from highest end of the goalie heat scale reduced slightly, should lower shutout frequency to a more normal level
-fixed issue that could lead to Champions League group stage teams playing each other an incorrect number of times
-scouts on permanent assignments can now have their reporting frequency changed - it won't revert back to the original value
-players who play in the Ivan Hlinka tournament no longer occasionally getting their VAC status stuck after the tournament ends
-the NHL will no longer have a February schedule break (and no all-star game) in 2022 and later Olympic years
-player scouting screen will no longer call players "very durable" when they have very high injury proneness ratings
-players will no longer occasionally get their number reversed (e.g. 91 to 19) at the start of game despite the preferred number being available
-postseason all-star team now uses the same criteria as the top goalie award for goalies, so the 1st All-Star goalie will always be the Top Goalie winner
-offer sheet compensation for NHL RFA's updated to the exact 2017-18 values
-missing Vegas helmet files added
-player-requested number changes re-enabled (had been temporarily disabled to avoid a crash issue, since fixed)
-the "meet demand" button in the negotiation screen no longer double-counts the current offer to the player when determining remaining available budget for the team
-CHL team trade windows screen no longer showing draft picks from previous years after the first season
-CHL import draft picks no longer also getting traded when regular picks are traded
-fixed errors in the ability and potential sections of the player scouting screen - players should now be compared to someone more appropriate for the comparison being made
-fixed potential crash if user quits international job during tournament
-Hall of Fame induction announcements no longer stop after 2018
-the "owner must approve coach firings" requirement is now disabled for the human player if commissioner mode is turned on
-historical games started before 1945 no longer begin with four pre-NHL players in the Hall of Fame
-the check to see if players gain a new nationality no longer counts 0-GP seasons as a year in that country
-no-trade clause and no-movement clause boxes in contract offers are now mutually exclusive, both can't be checked at once (player negotiation AI can't recognize NMC if NTC is also active)
-fixed issue with fit score display in the "Defender" slot for power play units that was showing LD with lower fit scores (internally, the correct value was still being used, issue was display-only)
-expanded NHL now uses generated rather than pre-created schedule, should avoid much earlier start dates that could e.g. conflict with World Cup
-various small text and interface changes and database adjustments