NHL Hitz Pro for PC 1.0.8

NHL Hitz Pro for PC 1.0.8

Windows 10/11 x64, Direct3D 11 GPU. Run the installer (no admin needed) and pick your own NHL Hitz Pro (USA) disc image (.iso/.xiso) or a folder with the game's files. No game content is included. Installing over an earlier version shows the installed and new versions, asks you to confirm, and only updates the program files (no disc needed; game files, saves and settings are kept). The optional hi-res texture pack is a separate add-on (textures-1); the installer's Hi-res texture pack page can install it.

Fixed

• Crash after several matches: after about three matches in a row, going back to the menus could crash the game. The game's graphics memory (a 64 MB pool) filled up: each match left about 13 MB of freed blocks that were never reused, so by the third one the next menu load could not get memory. Freed blocks are now handed back when the pool would otherwise run out; nothing changes until then. Tested over more than five matches in a row (play, win, replay, exit to the menus) with no crash.

Notes

• Only the USA release is supported; the installer checks the disc.
• The installer is not code-signed, so Windows may show "Windows protected your PC": click More info, then Run anyway.
• Known: a winning-team replay was seen once not drawing correctly (no crash); it is being looked into.
• The crash was tracked down with a separate debug build that logs and writes crash dumps; that build is not part of this release.

SHA-256 of NHLHitzPro-Setup-1.0.8.exe: faa1adcbb0f27e4fb7754f7f562c6d73a3671cef03115493de3c50b61e4a901b

NHL Hitz Pro for PC 1.0.7

NHL Hitz Pro for PC 1.0.7

Windows 10/11 x64, Direct3D 11 GPU. Run the installer (no admin needed) and pick your own NHL Hitz Pro (USA) disc image (.iso/.xiso) or a folder with the game's files. No game content is included. Installing over an earlier version shows the installed and new versions, asks you to confirm, and only updates the program files (no disc needed; game files, saves and settings are kept). The optional hi-res texture pack is a separate add-on (textures-1); the installer's Hi-res texture pack page can install it.

Fixed

• Distorted sound effects in matches: skates, hits, the horn and other effects sounded gritty. The effects are low-rate recordings that the game plays back sped up, and the old resampler left harsh high-frequency artifacts. They are now resampled with a proper band-limited filter (energy above 11 kHz in a scripted match dropped from about -35 dB to -42.6 dB, with no clicks or clipping).
• Laptops with NVIDIA Optimus or AMD switchable graphics: the game now asks Windows to use the high-performance GPU instead of the integrated one.

Notes

• Only the USA release is supported; the installer checks the disc.
• The installer is not code-signed, so Windows may show "Windows protected your PC": click More info, then Run anyway.

SHA-256 of NHLHitzPro-Setup-1.0.7.exe: f094a008fa768b64ec298e68b4863bbb779f1641b69731c66aa0a7520b83d8df

NHL Hitz Pro for PC 1.0.6

NHL Hitz Pro for PC 1.0.6

Windows 10/11 x64, Direct3D 11 GPU. Run the installer (no admin needed) and pick your own NHL Hitz Pro (USA) disc image (.iso/.xiso) or a folder with the game's files. No game content is included. Installing over an earlier version shows the installed and new versions, asks you to confirm, and only updates the program files (no disc needed; game files, saves and settings are kept). The optional hi-res texture pack is a separate add-on (textures-1); the installer's Hi-res texture pack page can install it.

Fixed

• Loud buzzing that never stopped: after changing teams in Exhibition (and sometimes at other points) a loud, constant buzz could start and stay on through the menus and into a game. It came from four of the game's sound voices that keep looping over a silent buffer: once the game reused the same memory page for its own data, they started playing that data at full volume. A sound voice now keeps the meaning a memory page had when it started reading it.

Notes

• Only the USA release is supported; the installer checks the disc.
• The installer is not code-signed, so Windows may show "Windows protected your PC": click More info, then Run anyway.
• The buzz fix was verified with a scripted run that replays the team-select menu and records the game's audio: before the fix the sound jumped to full volume and stayed there from about 36 seconds in; after it, the level stays normal. Other situations that could trigger it were not tested; reports are welcome.

SHA-256 of NHLHitzPro-Setup-1.0.6.exe: 005fe9d3fd04d2554a14cd63914ccbef9b5628f9e098862a02c5506607f25b21

NHL Hitz Pro for PC 1.0.5

NHL Hitz Pro for PC 1.0.5

Windows 10/11 x64, Direct3D 11 GPU. Run the installer (no admin needed) and pick your own NHL Hitz Pro (USA) disc image (.iso/.xiso) or a folder with the game's files. No game content is included. Installing over an earlier version shows the installed and new versions, asks you to confirm, and only updates the program files (no disc needed; game files, saves and settings are kept).

New

• Hi-res texture pack (optional): 1,910 textures redrawn at 4x: the ice, boards and glass, team logos, jerseys and numbers, faces and more. It is a separate 1.27 GB add-on, NHLHitzPro-HiRes-Textures-1.exe. The installer has a new Hi-res texture pack page: if the add-on is in the same folder as the installer it uses that file, otherwise it can download it (checked with SHA-256). Installing again later checks the installed pack against the release and skips it when it matches; a different or damaged pack is offered for update or repair. The add-on can also be run on its own.
• Textures tab in the settings program (config.exe): a master switch and one checkbox each for rink, logos, jerseys, glow and other. It is greyed out, with a download button, when no pack is installed.
• Hi-res textures line in the F1 menu: turns the whole pack on or off while you play. The 4x pictures are only used at Render Scale 2x or higher; at 1x (native) the line is dark and the original textures show.
• Frame Rate setting in the F1 menu and the settings program: 30, 60 (original), 120, 144, 240 or 360 fps. Game speed stays the same. The intro movies always run at 60.

Changed

• Graphics work now runs on its own thread, about 25% faster in busy scenes.
• The Esc quit prompt uses a lighter font.

Fixed

• The intro movies stuttered at frame rates above 60.
• The settings program showed Frame Rate 30 instead of 60 when no settings file existed.

Notes

• Only the USA release is supported; the installer checks the disc.
• The installer is not code-signed, so Windows may show "Windows protected your PC": click More info, then Run anyway.
• Controller 1 menu control, hot-plugging and the new installer page were not tested on a range of hardware; reports are welcome.

SHA-256 of NHLHitzPro-Setup-1.0.5.exe: 2283c0a594a609341190583ee0f5d82bd4e5d18715ca28f8d305754b56d0b8c8

NHL Hitz Pro for PC 1.0.4

NHL Hitz Pro for PC 1.0.4

Windows 10/11 x64, Direct3D 11 GPU. Run the installer (no admin needed) and pick your own NHL Hitz Pro (USA) disc image (.iso/.xiso) or a folder with the game's files. No game content is included. Installing over an earlier version shows the installed and new versions, asks you to confirm, and only updates the program files (no disc needed; game files, saves and settings are kept).

Fixed

• Settings overlay disappearing: switching between fullscreen and window (F11, Alt+Enter or the menu's Fullscreen line), especially repeatedly, could leave the F1 settings overlay (or the Esc quit prompt) invisible while it was still active and the game still paused. The overlay is now put back on screen after every switch, rechecked every frame, and switch presses that arrive faster than the window can follow are ignored.

New

• Controller 1 can open the settings menu: hold Back and press Start, the same as F1. That Start is not passed to the game.

Notes

• Only the USA release is supported; the installer checks the disc.
• The controller combo was not tested on real hardware; reports are welcome.

SHA-256 of NHLHitzPro-Setup-1.0.4.exe: 0014EE7AF8ACA8E808D73DFA185682EE855D23455F5FE747DB9CE039C206B5CD

NHL Hitz Pro hi-res texture pack 1

NHL Hitz Pro hi-res texture pack 1

An optional add-on for the next NHL Hitz Pro for PC version (1.0.5; earlier versions do not use it): 1,910 textures redrawn at 4x resolution (ice, boards, glass, team logos, jerseys and numbers, faces and more). The game runs without it.

Install

• With the game installer (easiest), once 1.0.5 is released: run NHLHitzPro-Setup-1.0.5.exe (or later). Its "Hi-res texture pack" page downloads this file for you, checks it and installs it. If you put NHLHitzPro-HiRes-Textures-1.exe in the same folder as the installer first, it uses that file instead of downloading.
• On its own: run NHLHitzPro-HiRes-Textures-1.exe after the game is installed. It finds the game folder and copies the pack into <game folder>\texture_pack. It can be removed from Windows' installed apps list.

Notes

• About 1.27 GB to download and about 1.27 GB on disk.
• The pack is sorted into folders (rink, logos, jerseys, glow, other). The settings program's Textures tab can switch each kind on or off, and the game's F1 menu has a Hi-res textures switch for the whole pack.
• The game installer checks an installed pack against this release file by file, and offers to update or repair it when something is missing or different.
• Pictures you put in %LOCALAPPDATA%\NHLHitzPro\texture_pack override the same texture in the installed pack.

SHA-256 of NHLHitzPro-HiRes-Textures-1.exe: dd94fc4cbffe3a923c0a130bf01b2bbd7d1d5758d60d64da7589da7ac8021f3e

NHL Hitz Pro for PC 1.0.3

NHL Hitz Pro for PC 1.0.3

Windows 10/11 x64, Direct3D 11 GPU. Run the installer (no admin needed) and pick your own NHL Hitz Pro (USA) disc image (.iso/.xiso) or a folder with the game's files. No game content is included.

Changed: the installer now recognises an existing install

• Already installed, different version: the first page says so and shows the install folder, the installed version and the new version, then asks you to confirm with Update. Only the program files are replaced; your game files, saves and settings are kept and you do not need your disc. The Ready page and the final page repeat what was done ("from version X to version Y").
• Already installed, same version: the installer says the version matches and lets you choose Repair the installation (reinstalls the program files and shortcuts) or Quit (leaves everything as it is).
• If a newer version than the installer is installed, it warns before replacing it.
• A running game or settings program is closed automatically so its files can be replaced.
• An incomplete earlier install (missing game data) is not treated as installed: the installer asks for the disc as usual.

The game itself is unchanged from 1.0.2.

Notes

• Only the USA release is supported; the installer checks the disc.
• Not yet tested: the "newer version installed" warning page.

SHA-256 of NHLHitzPro-Setup-1.0.3.exe: FD719D0AA50BFB28C5FB50D46C64750BFF65FB7137AFB1CC56F33C21BC59FE47

NHL Hitz Pro for PC 1.0.2

NHL Hitz Pro for PC 1.0.2

Windows 10/11 x64, Direct3D 11 GPU. Run the installer (no admin needed) and pick your own NHL Hitz Pro (USA) disc image (.iso/.xiso) or a folder with the game's files. No game content is included. Installing over 1.0.0 or 1.0.1 updates it in place and keeps your settings.

Changed

• Render Scale replaces "Resolution" in the F1 settings menu and in the Video tab of the settings program (config.exe). It is one multiplier for all of the game's drawing: 1x is the Xbox's native 640x480, up to 5x (3200x2400). The choices show the exact pixel size, with "Native" on 1x.
• The finished picture is now shrunk to your window by averaging the block of rendered pixels behind each screen pixel, instead of taking a single sample, so a high Render Scale keeps its detail on a smaller screen (before, a large scale could look no better than a low one).

Notes

• The game's own textures are fixed-size data from the disc and are not scaled; everything it draws (the picture, off-screen buffers, depth and shadows) is.
• Only the USA release is supported; the installer checks the disc.

SHA-256 of NHLHitzPro-Setup-1.0.2.exe: 228C0026DF86AB2DA090BFFC2388BFB46D15617C571109C8FE9799B42EF69250

NHL Hitz Pro for PC 1.0.1

NHL Hitz Pro for PC 1.0.1

Windows 10/11 x64, Direct3D 11 GPU. Run the installer (no admin needed) and pick your own NHL Hitz Pro (USA) disc image (.iso/.xiso) or a folder with the game's files. No game content is included.

New

• Esc quit prompt: pauses the game and asks "Do you want to quit?" (Yes / No).
• F1 settings menu: pauses the game; resolution (1x to 5x the Xbox's 640x480, labelled 1080p / 2K / 4K), fullscreen, Stretch image (4:3 lock off, fills the window), VSync, anti-aliasing (2x / 4x / 8x MSAA) and anisotropic filtering (with mipmaps). Saved automatically.
• Both overlays are driven by the keyboard and controller 1 only; the mouse and the other controllers do nothing while they are open.
• Settings program (config.exe, Start menu): a Video tab with all the F1 options so they can be set before the game starts, and a Controls tab with a keyboard remapper.
• Up to 4 controllers, plugged in or removed while the game runs (controller N is player N).
• Alt+Enter (and F11) switch fullscreen/window; the game starts in borderless fullscreen and remembers the last mode.
• Per-monitor DPI awareness, so fullscreen is sharp on scaled displays.
• The installer is per-user (no UAC prompt) and no longer leaves the import tool in the game folder.

Notes

• Only the USA release is supported; the installer checks the disc.
• Changing the resolution or anti-aliasing from the F1 menu during a match remakes the game's drawing surfaces; it was tested from 1x up to 5x.
• Not yet tested on real hardware: controller 1 on the overlays and four controllers together. Reports are welcome.

SHA-256 of NHLHitzPro-Setup-1.0.1.exe: 8938DE9D004A1C583BBEDB4130C98457D524E2AA0419BC076E919AD5070FB438

NHL Hitz Pro for PC 1.0.0

NHL Hitz Pro for PC 1.0.0. Windows 10/11 x64, Direct3D 11 GPU.

Run the installer (no admin needed) and pick your own NHL Hitz Pro (USA) disc image (.iso/.xiso) or a folder with the game's files. No game content is included.

• Esc pauses the game and asks to quit
• F11 or Alt+Enter switches fullscreen/window; starts in borderless fullscreen and remembers the last mode
• Up to 4 controllers, plugged in or removed while the game runs
• NHL Hitz Pro Settings (config.exe): keyboard remapper

See the README for controls and known issues.