Canadian NHL project

[pinheirobcp]

Hey there!

I've been doing some research (and trying to find enough spare time) to run this database project. Honestly, I love EHM, but without new versions, I've been strugling yo find new ways to keep my games fun and motivating.

So, I'll basically do a remake of the NHL, with teams from the WHA, past-NHL, NHA and PCHL (the last two are leagues prior to the existence of the NHL, in case you haven't heard).

In that, there are two separate projects. In the first, I'll edit teams one by one to create a 30 teams NHL, but only real cool teams!

I haven't decided yet wich teams will "fold", but I'll sure bring back the Nordiques (maybe keeping the Avalanche in the process), the Jets, North Stars, while adding the Montreal Maroons, Toronto St. Patricks, the Original Ottawa Senators, Hartford Whalers, NY Americans, and others, while also adding teams in places like Halifax, Manitoba (using a retro Manitoba Moose logo from the AHL), St. John, Hamilton, maybe more. Players will stay as they are, maybe rearanging to keep parity. Divisions will be done accordingly.

In the second project, I'm planning to do an "All Time NHL" for every team. This will take considerably longer. In this, I'll edit every team so theyr roster is the best roster all-time for that team.

For example, Boston will be add Eddit Shore, Bobby Orr, Terry O'Reily, Phil Esposito, Dit Clapper, Bobby Bauer, Gerry Cheevers, etc. The Canadiens will have Serge Savard, Doug Harvey, Ken Dryden, Guy Lafleur, Yvan Cournoayer, bob Gainey, etc. You get the picture.

If a player plays significant periods with more then one team, he will be on the team he had the most sucessfull tiem of his career in (for example, Paul Coffey will obviously be on the Oilers, as will Messier, Gretzky, Kurri, Anderson).

So, basically, I'm asking for opinions, ideas, tips, overall help, and if anyone knows of anything like that ever been done.

[pinheirobcp]

Oh, and I forgot. If this is ever complete, the databases will be open for download (even here), so we can enjoy togheter and share our experience.

Maybe even a Challenge where you're an expansion team playing the best Boston, Toronto, Montreal, Buffalo, Detroit and others have to offer. That's tough!

[archibalduk]

Good luck! I too am quite interested in retro rosters. Sometimes it's nice to take a break from playing the same old teams. I'm starting research on a 98/99 NHL roster mod - not that I'll be definitely releasing a DB, it's just researching teams and attributes at the moment.

I have also considered doing an all-time NHL mod but I'm not sure how it'll work out because every player will have fairly stacked attributes (i.e. lots of 18s, 19s and 20s).

The way I'll be starting out with a 98/99 mod is to come up with every players' current and potential ability ratings. This is obviously key as it will greatly affect how the player will turn out. I'm currently making a quick reference guide which lists the ability ratings (0 to 200) and gives examples of players with each rating in EHM. Hopefully this will be a useful guide in determining what ability rating to give created players. I'll be sure to post the guides in the Knowledge Base when they're ready. Maybe they'll be of some help for you.

[pinheirobcp]

An All-time roster will surely be stacked, but it can all be relative. If theres not many 20's, the 15's are the new 20's. See what I mean?

Players like Gretzky and Orr, though, wouldn't be perfect, certainly. Wayne's defensive skills would be weak at best and Orr would be injury prone beyong recognition.

[Sbufkle]

I actually began to make an "All Time" Leaqgue with the Freeware versionof EHM a while back, you cvan check link here at another forum: http://www.fhockey.com/forum/phpBB2/vie ... php?t=7026

The link to the master graphic ios goen, but as you see in thread, the ball WAS rolling... but the scope was pretty big.


A key thing to make a mod successful is graphics and a few things like staff ect. I just updated my WHA Mod blog with an scope showeing what needs to be doen in a full blown mod of the main pro level with a two levelled affiliate program.. (Over 1400 players to make edit ect!!) You probably know all this, but thought for the sake of other modders they might want to get a godo look whats involved.

Blog is here: http://www.ehmtheblueline.com/forums/weblog.php?w=51

[pinheirobcp]

Thanks for the reply, Sbufkle. I'm curious, though, as to how things were going. Besides the high amounts of edditing, what other ploblems came up, etc.

[Sbufkle]

Thanks for the reply, Sbufkle. I'm curious, though, as to how things were going. Besides the high amounts of edditing, what other ploblems came up, etc.

So far no issues really although testing has been limited.

The fact is from reading old modding threads and my own limited experience in modding EHM, its not a buggy program to mod. There are concrete things one shoudlnt mess with, like changing the League Name. But really I havent seen anything crash by changing the things I listed that had to be done.

EHM modidng is only time consuming... theres no strange rules that come into play.

The worst part is doign players from scratch, as I have chosen to populate the minor league with real players and complete rostewrs on the AHL and ECHL level. But hey... that wa smy choice! lol!


Actually the only thing I can see is if you modify an arena thats in database, be aware that other teams in other league may use it as well, so if you change it for Team A, it will effect Team H and U, so you have to consider if that has any bearing at all in your mod. This wont crash your mod, but it may bug you if you are really into details, or perhaps if you (as a strange example) change a rink capacity from 12,000 to 5,000.. you might be shafting another teams financial lifeblood.

The only advice Id give, is the rule of thumb with ANY modding of ANY game. Make sure, IF YOU CAN, to do entire scopes at once. So do all the rink graphics at one shot, after you change one or two verify they work in game without crash. Finish that up all in one shot. If you are able to check off your list one by one things as doen instead of updating partials, it always seems to make the job easier. Always test when starting a new scope and always back things up.


As a novice EHM modder myself (Once my first mod is done, NO MORE NOVICE TITLE!! lol!0 but an experinced games modder this is what I woudl do if I were you in order.

1-Change the cities one by one. Change team name, change the rink detaisl and even the color if you can, get that out of the way. this is for the pro and the minor level.

2-Restructure the divisions if needed to each league you modified.

3-Enter/modify player data

4-Work on graphics

Do graphics last because graphic issues in testing stand out right away and are easy to fix. Data cna be hidden and thus needs longer more thorough testing. So in my steps you can beta release to testers after step 3 while you work on step 4 to save time.