[FM21] Canadian Megapatch

[yellowsweatygorilla]

The Canadian Megapatch revamps the Canadian football pyramid in Football Manager 21, with a plethora of changes that improves the accuracy of the Canadian Premier League and the Voyageurs Cup. League 1 Ontario, Première Ligue de soccer du Québec, and the Alberta Major Soccer League are also added as playable leagues, alongside journalists, coaches, USports/provincial league teams. Faces have also been added for every single CanPL/L1O/PLSQ player. Scroll down for an extended list of changes.

Download file here -> http://yellowsweatygorilla.com/2020/11/26/canadian-megapatch-2021/

For support, come chat about the megapatch in the canpl discord #gaming channel -> https://discordapp.com/channels/350036389905039362

Features:
-Playable L1O, PLSQ, and AMSL
-Canadian media sources and journalists
-Faces for all CanPL, L1O, PLSQ players, as well as, journalists
-Teams from Manitoba, Nova Scotia, and Usports
-USport coaches
-Salary cap for CanPL now increases $250k a year, before being eliminated in 2026
-CanPL finances tweaked to allow for annual growth

Fixes to Base Game:
CanPL
-Correct single table format for 2021 Canadian Premier League
-As only Pacific, Cavalry, and Edmonton have academies, other CanPL teams no longer have youth intakes and will have to rely on signing young players from L1O/PLSQ/AMSL. The quality of newgens have also been improved for those leagues

CONCACAF League/Champions League
-Forge replaces Cavalry as the correct CONCACAF League 2020 representative
-2020 CONCACAF League postponed correctly to October to avoid fixture congestion with Island Games and made single legged
-Corrected CONCACAF League 2020 format with 5th/6th team play-in match
-Fixed bug where 5th and 6th place team calculations for CONCACAF League 2021 – included preliminary round
-If same Canadian team qualifies through CL and CC, the second spot now goes to the other CC finalist instead of drawing a random CL team

Canadian Championship
-2020 Canadian Championship now a single leg match with Island Games winner qualifying, instead of it automating to Forge (Please note, because of editor limitations, the game is scheduled in October 2020 instead of early 2021)
-2021 Canadian Championship now correctly includes PLSQ champion, which was previously left out
-Tweak to club vision to encourage Canadian MLS teams to sign Canadian players (still doesn’t quite work though)

Special thanks to UncleSam, whose continental file I adapted to fix the issues with CONCACAF League.

[Chad Beaulieu]

YSG, this is fantastic. As a fellow Canadian, thank you for the hard work you have put in for this and all the versions you have put out.

Can I ask why the CPL salary cap disappears in 2026? Is that something the league plans on doing?

Cheers.

[kandersson]

Great to see this back for FM 21!  Looks amazing as usual. Also good to see that @yellowsweatygorillais now part of Canada research for SI, excellent addition to the team 

[yellowsweatygorilla]

8 minutes ago, Chad Beaulieu said:

YSG, this is fantastic. As a fellow Canadian, thank you for the hard work you have put in for this and all the versions you have put out.

Can I ask why the CPL salary cap disappears in 2026? Is that something the league plans on doing?

Cheers.

No plans for that, but I wanted to take away the ceiling in how much the league can improve. So if a player does well enough to grow their team, it'd be possible to catch up to the MLS in a decade or so. Do you think I should push the cap elimination much further down the road? Maybe 10 years instead of 6?

[Chad Beaulieu]

Thank YSG. I don't think the CPL will ever be without a salary cap, but it's your game and modifications so do what you like. Similarly, I don't imagine the MLS ever being without a salary cap. I also just realized the cap growth is 250k per year. I thought I saw 25k per year. I think increasing by 250k a year is too much. But again, this is your baby and you can set it up as you like.

I am no editor expert, such as yourself, so I am curious about the following things:

1. can you add Designate Player rules (or something similar) in future years (say in 5 years teams can have one DP)?

2. is there a way to give CPL champion some extra transfer funds (coming from the League, not the team) to help with Continental Competition (the MLS Cup winner gets extra TAM money for following season to help with Champions League competition).

3. is the CPL draft for USPORTS players included in your set-up? is that even possible to do? 

[yellowsweatygorilla]

1 hour ago, Chad Beaulieu said:

Thank YSG. I don't think the CPL will ever be without a salary cap, but it's your game and modifications so do what you like. Similarly, I don't imagine the MLS ever being without a salary cap. I also just realized the cap growth is 250k per year. I thought I saw 25k per year. I think increasing by 250k a year is too much. But again, this is your baby and you can set it up as you like.

I am no editor expert, such as yourself, so I am curious about the following things:

1. can you add Designate Player rules (or something similar) in future years (say in 5 years teams can have one DP)?

2. is there a way to give CPL champion some extra transfer funds (coming from the League, not the team) to help with Continental Competition (the MLS Cup winner gets extra TAM money for following season to help with Champions League competition).

3. is the CPL draft for USPORTS players included in your set-up? is that even possible to do? 

I hear you regarding the cap. And with some inside sources, I am also certain that the cap won't be increasing much, if at all, the next couple years. I added that more for gameplay reasons, but happy to revisit it. Interestingly, even with the cap increase, I rarely see AI spending more than 1.1-1.3m even after a decade.

1. It's technically an option in the editor, but with the amount of hard coding the DP rule has in the game, I am skeptical I'd get it to work in a way we'd expect it to. But now I want to try it.

2. Yes there is in the form of prize money. But the board will determine if that leads to increase in transfer fund. I have a feeling it won't have that big an impact. How much would you propose?

3. I have never gotten a draft to work. Definitely something we're proposing to SI though. While we can't add USports in official DB, would be cool to have a draft of L1O/PLSQ/AMSL players.

[Fmfan00]

31 minutes ago, yellowsweatygorilla said:

I hear you regarding the cap. And with some inside sources, I am also certain that the cap won't be increasing much, if at all, the next couple years. I added that more for gameplay reasons, but happy to revisit it. Interestingly, even with the cap increase, I rarely see AI spending more than 1.1-1.3m even after a decade.

1. It's technically an option in the editor, but with the amount of hard coding the DP rule has in the game, I am skeptical I'd get it to work in a way we'd expect it to. But now I want to try it.

2. Yes there is in the form of prize money. But the board will determine if that leads to increase in transfer fund. I have a feeling it won't have that big an impact. How much would you propose?

3. I have never gotten a draft to work. Definitely something we're proposing to SI though. While we can't add USports in official DB, would be cool to have a draft of L1O/PLSQ/AMSL players.

As far as the bottom quote goes about the draft... just an idea... what if we named the draft like CPL rookie draft and not had the USports clubs actual names in the game for legal purposes and we can just change the names within the editor that way its not officially in the DB per say

[kandersson]

The problem of such low salary cap is that while it might be annoying for human player, it's absolutely lethal for AI. Personally I like the idea of progressive cap increase, and even a future DP rule (if possible). A cap of around $2M after 5 years sounds reasonable to me.

[Fmfan00]

53 minutes ago, kandersson said:

The problem of such low salary cap is that while it might be annoying for human player, it's absolutely lethal for AI. Personally I like the idea of progressive cap increase, and even a future DP rule (if possible). A cap of around $2M after 5 years sounds reasonable to me.

The thing that i like about the low salary is I don't think out of 23 players half of them CPL teams will want to pay 1k or more for them... I can see your point if you have like 1 DP spot where you bring a big name player but atleast with the low salary, it has your mind thinking always who to bring in and Managers always have to make that decision of who to keep and who not to keep. As a manager you can't always keep everyone on your team

[animal31]

Would it be possible to use this database as a base for a modified fantasy canadian pyramid?

[winter57]

thank you for the hard work

[kieko1986]

brilliant just as last years was would love to see a proper canadian pyramid system with pro/rel

[ClemB]

Also, to get around the salary cap, CPL teams tend to provide additional benefits to their players such as free accommodation,  transportation, etc. And FM cannot replicate that. So I think it's harder to make good signings in FM since we are just left with wages to attract new players. Increasing the salary cap a little before more than the figures announced (25k$ each year) could make up for that.

Fantastic database otherwise. For more fun, I was thinking adding some expansions teams and maybe the rumoured second division with pro/rel.

- Joining the CPL in 2022: FC Vieux Québec (Québec City), Tri-City United (Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge)

- Joining the CPL in 2024: Saskatoon Sowers (Saskatoon), Fraser Valley United (Abbotsford)

- Canadian Second League: Acadian FC (Moncton), BC Spirit (Kelowna), Swan City (Burnaby), Calgary Owls (Calgary), Royal Laval (Laval), Sauga City (Misissauga), St John's Town (St John's), Toronto FC II, Surrey, Regina, London and maybe Red Deer or Lethbridge

Not sure about all the cities/names, if you have ideas let me know.

 

I'm not as good as you with the advanced editor and I faced a couple problems setting up a promotion playoff between a team from Div1 and a team from Div2. I don't want to hijack your thread though so I can make a new one or go in DMs.

Edited November 29, 2020 by ClemB

[TheWednesday]

Thanks again for all your hard work mate, it's appreciated every year!

[Fmfan00]

11 hours ago, ClemB said:

Also, to get around the salary cap, CPL teams tend to provide additional benefits to their players such as free accommodation,  transportation, etc. And FM cannot replicate that. So I think it's harder to make good signings in FM since we are just left with wages to attract new players. Increasing the salary cap a little before more than the figures announced (25k$ each year) could make up for that.

Fantastic database otherwise. For more fun, I was thinking adding some expansions teams and maybe the rumoured second division with pro/rel.

- Joining the CPL in 2022: FC Vieux Québec (Québec City), Tri-City United (Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge)

- Joining the CPL in 2024: Saskatoon Sowers (Saskatoon), Fraser Valley United (Abbotsford)

- Canadian Second League: Acadian FC (Moncton), BC Spirit (Kelowna), Swan City (Burnaby), Calgary Owls (Calgary), Royal Laval (Laval), Sauga City (Misissauga), St John's Town (St John's), Toronto FC II, Surrey, Regina, London and maybe Red Deer or Lethbridge

Not sure about all the cities/names, if you have ideas let me know.

 

I'm not as good as you with the advanced editor and I faced a couple problems setting up a promotion playoff between a team from Div1 and a team from Div2. I don't want to hijack your thread though so I can make a new one or go in DMs.

Is that second division hard to create?

[ClemB]

il y a 45 minutes, Fmfan00 a dit :

Is that second division hard to create?

No it's pretty easy. Where I struggle is how to set up relegation/promotion playoffs between the 2nd of Div2 and the 11th of Div1. 

[Watson156]

On 27/11/2020 at 16:54, yellowsweatygorilla said:

 

Fantastic work with this update, cant wait to get started with it. 

Out of interest in the above screenie, how did you get the media logos to show up instead of the default face etc. Also presumably would it therefore be possible to put the Athletic logo instead of the journalist's face?

[Chad Beaulieu]

On 28/11/2020 at 18:19, yellowsweatygorilla said:

I hear you regarding the cap. And with some inside sources, I am also certain that the cap won't be increasing much, if at all, the next couple years. I added that more for gameplay reasons, but happy to revisit it. Interestingly, even with the cap increase, I rarely see AI spending more than 1.1-1.3m even after a decade.

1. It's technically an option in the editor, but with the amount of hard coding the DP rule has in the game, I am skeptical I'd get it to work in a way we'd expect it to. But now I want to try it.

2. Yes there is in the form of prize money. But the board will determine if that leads to increase in transfer fund. I have a feeling it won't have that big an impact. How much would you propose?

3. I have never gotten a draft to work. Definitely something we're proposing to SI though. While we can't add USports in official DB, would be cool to have a draft of L1O/PLSQ/AMSL players.

For the AI using the salary cap. Is there a way in the editor to force AI to use a minimum amount for salaries. Like instead of a salary cap, it would be a salary floor? In other words, a minimum amount that a team must have spent. My thought here is it would force AI to keep, add players.

#2. As long as there is extra funds that works. Each team can use as it sees fit.

#3. Draft would be useful IMO only with USports not L10/PLSQ/AMSL... allow players from that league to transfer, etc. as it really is.

 

 

[yellowsweatygorilla]

 

On 28/11/2020 at 21:39, animal31 said:

Would it be possible to use this database as a base for a modified fantasy canadian pyramid?

Feel free, as long as I get credit and linked back to.

 

On 29/11/2020 at 07:42, ClemB said:

Also, to get around the salary cap, CPL teams tend to provide additional benefits to their players such as free accommodation,  transportation, etc. And FM cannot replicate that. So I think it's harder to make good signings in FM since we are just left with wages to attract new players. Increasing the salary cap a little before more than the figures announced (25k$ each year) could make up for that.

In fact, these accommodations do count towards the cap in real life. It's one of the criticisms of how the cap is implemented given how it disadvantages York.

7 hours ago, Watson156 said:

Fantastic work with this update, cant wait to get started with it. 

Out of interest in the above screenie, how did you get the media logos to show up instead of the default face etc. Also presumably would it therefore be possible to put the Athletic logo instead of the journalist's face?

I literally stuck the logo as a 'face' for non-broadcast journalists (mostly fan journalists) to respect their privacy. If you wanted to put in the athletic logo, you'd just replace Paul's face with that.

[yellowsweatygorilla]

22 hours ago, Chad Beaulieu said:

For the AI using the salary cap. Is there a way in the editor to force AI to use a minimum amount for salaries. Like instead of a salary cap, it would be a salary floor? In other words, a minimum amount that a team must have spent. My thought here is it would force AI to keep, add players.

#2. As long as there is extra funds that works. Each team can use as it sees fit.

#3. Draft would be useful IMO only with USports not L10/PLSQ/AMSL... allow players from that league to transfer, etc. as it really is.

 

 

1)You can indeed add a salary floor, but testing in the past showed that AI would often just ignore it. AI with salary caps are just completely broken.

3)Well, the way it'd be proposed is that teams can still directly sign players from these leagues ... the draft serves as a way to encourage AI to make the signings and to showcase the players.

[themodelcitizen]

Is the AI a bit better with handling the cap this year?

One thing I've done unofficially is give CanPL teams a transfer ban until the first "draft" date - keeps them from raiding USL2 teams (if you've got the US active) at least until "draft day". I've also set certain USports-->CanPL players with future transfers on that day to simulate some movement.

[Fmfan00]

With the custom database that ive been using is that without the US league they have been going after League1 Ontario... thats with 20 CPL teams on the database ive been using... I have not added the USA one yet

[themodelcitizen]

23 hours ago, Fmfan00 said:

With the custom database that ive been using is that without the US league they have been going after League1 Ontario... thats with 20 CPL teams on the database ive been using... I have not added the USA one yet

I suppose if you weren't going to use the US, you could do a version swapping the details for MLS and CanPL, and change USL2 to USports - would that retain the draft? Could we override the DP-style roster restrictions with custom rules?

Edited December 2, 2020 by themodelcitizen

[Fmfan00]

30 minutes ago, themodelcitizen said:

I suppose if you weren't going to use the US, you could do a version swapping the details for MLS and CanPL, and change USL2 to USports - would that retain the draft? Could we override the DP-style roster restrictions with custom rules?

I've already figured out what I am going to do... I've created a Pro/Rel file for the CPL teams... the CPL teams outside of the 3 that have U18 teams in real leagues will have to get their youth intake players from the USports league (which I am currently working on and League1 Ontario... But more information will be posted under the thread as far as my file goes... As far as draft goes I think that is hard-coded into the game.

Edited December 2, 2020 by Fmfan00

[arsenalrodj]

I know you are busy can you help adding the CFU Club Championship

and Club shield to this. Thanks

[SaintsCanada]

YSG this looks fantastic. I can't wait to try it.

As Canada isn't listed in current nations, did you start from scratch?

What 'level' do you have AMSL at in the pyramid? In real life I believe it's essentially one of the provincial top amateur leagues (essentially level 4), so I was curious why you added it, but not the other provinces?

Any thoughts on including the Pacific Coast Soccer League and/or the Canadian Soccer League?

Edited December 9, 2020 by SaintsCanada

[yellowsweatygorilla]

3 hours ago, SaintsCanada said:

YSG this looks fantastic. I can't wait to try it.

As Canada isn't listed in current nations, did you start from scratch?

What 'level' do you have AMSL at in the pyramid? In real life I believe it's essentially one of the provincial top amateur leagues (essentially level 4), so I was curious why you added it, but not the other provinces?

Any thoughts on including the Pacific Coast Soccer League and/or the Canadian Soccer League?

Yep, made this from scratch - well carrying over the work from previous years.

AMSL is level 4. I previously only include leagues that I can provide depth in (ie. fill out rosters), but included AMSL because Cavalry/FCE academy teams play in this division.

Will be unlikely to include PCSL, and really really unlikely to include the unsanctioned CSL.

[yellowsweatygorilla]

On 05/12/2020 at 10:04, arsenalrodj said:

I know you are busy can you help adding the CFU Club Championship

and Club shield to this. Thanks

Maybe over Christmas.

[arsenalrodj]

thank you I made a file that sort of work with your database.

Caribbean Updated.fmf

[SaintsCanada]

6 hours ago, yellowsweatygorilla said:

Yep, made this from scratch - well carrying over the work from previous years.

AMSL is level 4. I previously only include leagues that I can provide depth in (ie. fill out rosters), but included AMSL because Cavalry/FCE academy teams play in this division.

Will be unlikely to include PCSL, and really really unlikely to include the unsanctioned CSL.

Very interesting. In your O.P. were you comparing your new CPL to the in-game vanilla version or last year's expansion?

[yellowsweatygorilla]

2 hours ago, SaintsCanada said:

Very interesting. In your O.P. were you comparing your new CPL to the in-game vanilla version or last year's expansion?

Comparing to vanilla in terms of fixes

[SaintsCanada]

YSG this is dynamite. I was wondering what the logic was in making the L1O and PLSQ clubs amateur rather than semi-pro?

[themodelcitizen]

Re: PCSL, I always thought the regional leagues that some of them play in over winter (VMSL, VISL etc) would work even better as secondary divisions. Fall-spring schedule doesn't work though

[Eggie86]

Tested it yesterday. Dual club + manager = Lethbridge & Canada. For some reason after I've finalised the 23 man squad for the first round of upcoming WC qualifiers, each time I click a player and sorta do some editing of the playing stats using the IGE, that player suddenly 'disappears' from the national squad and I'm unable to add that player back into the squad since it's finalised.

Tried it with 2 more players and same thing occurred. So it left me unable to proceed past the Team Selection screen as I had less than the 23-man required for the national team right before the Canucks first game with Panama.

Not sure if it's SI bug or relating to the patch but just thought of sharing.

Marvelous work though. 

[themodelcitizen]

Looking forward to trying this over the break, great work as usual YSG

[Forgefc/tfc]

Is anyone having a problem were it shows as non playable and the reason is because, the minimum amount of teams for the Druga liga RS Zapad is not met

[Fmfan00]

9 hours ago, Forgefc/tfc said:

Is anyone having a problem were it shows as non playable and the reason is because, the minimum amount of teams for the Druga liga RS Zapad is not met

there seems to be an error in the AI or somewhere within SI... if you want to use this one... This one Ed added 4 teams to CPL Sauga City, Quebec, Saskatoon and 1 other team... it works with all other mods if you wanted to give it a shot... a few of us over on the cpl discord are using it from the link below no problem

https://twitter.com/edwardhswong/status/1341794739121696768

[FootballHedgehog]

20 hours ago, Fmfan00 said:

there seems to be an error in the AI or somewhere within SI... if you want to use this one... This one Ed added 4 teams to CPL Sauga City, Quebec, Saskatoon and 1 other team... it works with all other mods if you wanted to give it a shot... a few of us over on the cpl discord are using it from the link below no problem

https://twitter.com/edwardhswong/status/1341794739121696768

Indeed, this one solves my own issue which is in line with yours!

[Fmfan00]

3 hours ago, FootballHedgehog said:

Indeed, this one solves my own issue which is in line with yours!

Mine will be fixed later this week when we update ours as we are just fixing one thing then testing then it will be released

[AlexTheTall]

Sadly I have a red ! and cannot select Canada now when I use this database  

[dbrown6]

Hello, this an awesome database for Canada, I loved it last year. However, I have had problems with it, in the started, likes a few other having the red triangle of no in the starting up leagues. Will this be fixed? If that is okay to ask, also I was wondering if there any plans to expand the league with new teams?

Once again thank you, and look forward to more fun to be had with this data set for Canada

[Fmfan00]

On 04/02/2021 at 10:59, dbrown6 said:

Hello, this an awesome database for Canada, I loved it last year. However, I have had problems with it, in the started, likes a few other having the red triangle of no in the starting up leagues. Will this be fixed? If that is okay to ask, also I was wondering if there any plans to expand the league with new teams?

Once again thank you, and look forward to more fun to be had with this data set for Canada

If u look at my post above on the 31st of December.... he had added 4 teams to CPL so it has 12 teams 

[AlexTheTall]

@Fmfan00

 

I tried to download this patch and it doesn't seem to work

[dino88]

its seems as no one is doing the ncaa for the US. is this something you could expand your work to? 

[Fmfan00]

On 08/02/2021 at 09:09, AlexTheTall said:

@Fmfan00

 

I tried to download this patch and it doesn't seem to work

It works for me...

[Fmfan00]

On 08/02/2021 at 14:50, dino88 said:

its seems as no one is doing the ncaa for the US. is this something you could expand your work to? 

It’s just it looks like a lot of work having to create 200 plus teams and a number of leagues 

[dino88]

1 hour ago, Fmfan00 said:

It’s just it looks like a lot of work having to create 200 plus teams and a number of leagues 

oh i see, i can imagine its a lot of work yes. is it possible to extract uncle sams fm20 files and do it for fm21? im not sure how to do it otherwise i would!! 

[kandersson]

Had my most enjoyable save in FM20 using this megapatch + Uncle Sam's file. A USA expansion really makes playing in CPL much more interesting and dynamic (transfers, job offers, youth development etc). I had tried using this patch + a USA expansion in FM 21 but for some reason no regen was ever produced in the many USA youth club/academies, which was obviously a big issue. Can anyone recommend a decent USA expansion (i.e. no game breaking bugs) to use with this file?

[wkdsoul]

16 minutes ago, kandersson said:

Had my most enjoyable save in FM20 using this megapatch + Uncle Sam's file. A USA expansion really makes playing in CPL much more interesting and dynamic (transfers, job offers, youth development etc). I had tried using this patch + a USA expansion in FM 21 but for some reason no regen was ever produced in the many USA youth club/academies, which was obviously a big issue. Can anyone recommend a decent USA expansion (i.e. no game breaking bugs) to use with this file?

I'm gonna try and make this compatible with mine. but its very very fantasy USA and not a replication of the setup (all the NBA/NFL/MLB/NHL teams and rosters are in)

[dino88]

48 minutes ago, wkdsoul said:

I'm gonna try and make this compatible with mine. but its very very fantasy USA and not a replication of the setup (all the NBA/NFL/MLB/NHL teams and rosters are in)

I agree with @kandersson

it was the same with me on fm20 but the regens from the ncaa were great when i played with orange county.. would sign players from ucla, stanford etc. 

 

i appreciate a lot of people have made a number of fantasy usa exapnsions but never understood why people would like them over real expansions including ncaa. personal opinion, not wanting to upset anyone ofc.