BKmodern EHM Skin

BKarchitect · Post by **BKarchitect** » Fri Sep 25, 2020 6:20 pm

BKmodern EHM Skin

While I’ve been catching back up to speed with tinkering with my NHLX series database after a lengthy hiatus, I’ve also been working on a new skin for EHM. We all love EHM the game and the mod community certainly has propelled the sim far beyond it’s initial shelf life. To that end – one thing that we can’t really upgrade is the interface. But – like any SI game, we can at least freshen it up. Not to the extent of some of the brilliant Football Manager skins but there are graphics that are adjustable. But the “skinning scene” for EHM has been…well, lacking. Shindig did a great skin update years ago and this skin, although completely 100% from scratch, kind of builds on that start.

So the BKmodern skin is my attempt to update, streamline and modernize the EHM interface – as best as possible within the framework of this game and the files that we can edit. There are a few things we cannot do – and more on those later. The skin is meant to be minimalist, tight and uncluttered. Gone are all the background images, 3D buttons, gradient headings and heavily sectionalized screens. In its place is a simplified and cleaner design with a streamlined palette. Everything has been updated from the ground-up – from team heading designs to in-game rink look to start-up screen logos. The skin colors are actually based on the Autodesk dark mode for AutoCAD products – I am partial to the very slight blue hue as opposed to straight black/charcoal.

With that said, here are the limitations:
- No, we cannot actual change the interface layout to match EHM07 or FM.
- No, we cannot change the default background images – this data is stored in the FMF file in the Skins directory. In fact, the installation of this skin, for full effect, highly recommends removing / renaming this FMF file, as the installation instructions will explain. This also removes the splash screen graphics at start-up which looks a bit odd but nothing can be done about this.
- You can still use team/league background image packs but they are not recommended with this skin – you won’t see them very well and this skin is meant to be minimalist.
- No we cannot edit or unarchive the FMF file. Even with the FMF utility that comes with Football Manager. We have checked with Riz – it is locked for licensing purposes.

So give the BKmodern skin a download, READ THE INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS, and let me know what you think. I did a pretty thorough check of all screens but there could still be a glitch or weird graphic here or there. I will continue to update this skin and may eventually do a light or silver version. I will NOT be taking requests to simply update a color of a button here or there or things like that. It’s simply too much energy required to customize this for every single person. But more than happy to “fix” issues or look at parts of the interface that can be improved!

DOWNLOAD BKmodern v1.1 (9 December 2020)
Download: https://1drv.ms/u/s!AsXFKQMOdPqgiSryjq7 ... b?e=cYb9FW
Mirror: https://1drv.ms/u/s!AtIMzu_jrD0_hv9mM1r ... g?e=xLKLv0

INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS
The ZIP file will put the BKmodern skin folder and files into your data/skins folder and also overwrite your rink logos under data/pictures/rinks. The rink logos include current updated corporate NHL partners and all of dani9’s NHL arena center ice logos. BACKUP THAT FOLDER if you want to save the generic rink logos that come with the initial EHM install.

DE-ACTIVATING THE EXISTING FMF FILE
You will need to rename the background.emc.fmf file so the game does not read it in order to remove the default background images in the game (which conflict/clutter the intent of this skin). I simply rename the file from .fmf to .bak. You can then always change the name back if you want the background images back for a more traditional skin.

RELOAD THE BKMODERN SKIN EACH TIME YOU START EHM
Another glitch with EHM is that even when you have a new skin loaded when you start a new session of the game, it does not read the skin colors file and defaults to the original EHM colors. So, when you start EHM, you may already have the BKmodern skin loaded and the graphics will look updated but none of the colors for headings, attributes, etc will be updated. So, as annoying as it is, here is what I recommend:
1) Start EHM
2) Go to Preferences – if the skin is listed as Traditional or some other skin, change to BKmodern and you should be set. If it is already listed as BKmodern, you need to change it to Traditional or another skin and press ok.
3) Then go BACK into Preferences and change to BKmodern. This will reload the BKmodern skin with the correct color file.

BKarchitect · Post by **BKarchitect** » Fri Sep 25, 2020 6:29 pm

SCREENSHOTS (v1.0) - SIDE-BY-SIDE W/ TRADITIONAL SKIN

Rigafan · Post by **Rigafan** » Sat Sep 26, 2020 8:01 pm

This is amazing

Honestly feel like I'm playing EHM 2 now, ha! It looks very smooth and modern, nice work and thank you!

I've scanned the screens and the only very slight 'issue' was on a players positions screen, so say click crosby - positions. The text is green on green for 'natural' and blends in abit.

Post by **xECK29x** » Sun Sep 27, 2020 1:20 am

Great work! I can confirm this is working on the 1.5 beta with no issues.

Post by **xECK29x** » Sun Sep 27, 2020 12:42 pm

Also you don't need to re-load the skin each new launch in 1.5, guess that was something that was fixed.

Post by **archibalduk** » Mon Sep 28, 2020 9:44 am

Outstanding work! This is now my default skin for EHM and I don't think I could go back to the old look.

Btw let me know if you no longer have the ability to edit your original posts in this thread and I'll fix this for you (moving things to the Skins, etc sub-forums can sometimes disable editing).

Smirnov2Chistov · Post by **Smirnov2Chistov** » Mon Sep 28, 2020 6:16 pm

Thanks again! Can't wait to try this!

rodrigo363 · Post by **rodrigo363** » Thu Oct 01, 2020 1:22 pm

BKarchitect
I'm using your skin and I really liked it. I thank you for your work.

[spoiler]I'm playing the "Liga Sudamericana" in the latest version of NHL32 and I love it. Hopefully you can do it in a new version.[/spoiler]

BKarchitect · Post by **BKarchitect** » Thu Oct 01, 2020 6:34 pm

rodrigo363 wrote: Thu Oct 01, 2020 1:22 pm I'm playing the "Liga Sudamericana" in the latest version of NHL32 and I love it. Hopefully you can do it in a new version.

Thanks! Yeah I'm working on an NHLX update but it'll be a bit...a lot has changed after I took almost a year off

rodrigo363 · Post by **rodrigo363** » Fri Oct 02, 2020 2:56 am

BKarchitect wrote: Thu Oct 01, 2020 6:34 pm Thanks! Yeah I'm working on an NHLX update but it'll be a bit...a lot has changed after I took almost a year off

The tournament format that you created for the "Liga Sudamericana" I liked a lot and today the second season started and it works very well. Thank you very much for the work you do.

Greetings from Argentina.

Beatwave · Post by **Beatwave** » Sun Oct 04, 2020 12:42 pm

Looks nice! However, i don't manage to make it work.

When I go to Preferences, even if the BKmodern is here, when I press ok, the skin doesn't load and it's back to traditional.

Beatwave · Post by **Beatwave** » Sun Oct 04, 2020 12:46 pm

Beatwave wrote: Sun Oct 04, 2020 12:42 pm Looks nice! However, i don't manage to make it work.

When I go to Preferences, even if the BKmodern is here, when I press ok, the skin doesn't load and it's back to traditional.

My bad! now it works

bandwagonfan1TBL · Post by **bandwagonfan1TBL** » Sat Oct 10, 2020 1:49 am

Beatwave wrote: Sun Oct 04, 2020 12:46 pm My bad! now it works

How did you fix it? I have the same problem.

BKarchitect · Post by **BKarchitect** » Mon Oct 12, 2020 5:43 pm

I've never had an issue so I'd be interested in knowing more of any issues people are having.

Make sure to check:

- Files are unarchived into the correct location.
- You follow the procedure in the instructions above that when you start EHM, you load the traditional skin, apply it and then re-load the BKmodern skin. This forces the game to recognize the .col file which contains the BKmodern skin colors. There is an error in EHM where the game will not recognize this file unless you unload and then reload the custom skin.

bandwagonfan1TBL · Post by **bandwagonfan1TBL** » Wed Oct 14, 2020 1:05 pm

My bad. I put it in different folded, apparently i have two ehm folders on my pc. Works fine now

Any way to change the colors of player attributes? Way too bright for me

bandwagonfan1TBL · Post by **bandwagonfan1TBL** » Wed Oct 14, 2020 1:07 pm

Otherwise looks really good. Nice job.

BKarchitect · Post by **BKarchitect** » Thu Oct 15, 2020 12:41 am

It's in the .col file, you can just edit with Notepad, replace the RGB values in the following lines with whatever colors you want:

# PROFILE_ATTRIB_LOW
88 248 45 45

# PROFILE_ATTRIB_NORMAL
89 234 159 9

# PROFILE_ATTRIB_GOOD
90 22 118 75

# PROFILE_ATTRIB_EXCELLENT
91 34 183 23

BKarchitect · Post by **BKarchitect** » Wed Dec 09, 2020 6:53 pm

Version 1.1 of the BKmodern skin is now available. I fixed the green background label on the player position screen. I also edited the attribute colors to something more streamlines. I wanted a gradient that went from grey to blue that would do away with the color coding system and rely more on brightness and saturation to create an easily definable variation on attribute classifications. Something more similar to the colorblind scheme really. For me, extra colors is just extra clutter. I realize this won't be for everybody, so you can easily adjust the colors in the COL file as I described above, to the v1.0 scheme or to your own scheme.

Keep in mind the colors have to be readable in three places: the player profile page, the player position page and the attributes screen on the team roster. Examples below.

https://1drv.ms/u/s!AtIMzu_jrD0_hv9mM1r ... g?e=v6weHK

ivanoff · Post by **ivanoff** » Mon Dec 21, 2020 5:01 pm

Thank you very much for this skin, it has given new life to EHM. I never leave him now ^^

Bjornos80 · Post by **Bjornos80** » Sun Feb 21, 2021 8:07 am

Download seems to be offline

Post by **archibalduk** » Sun Feb 21, 2021 4:21 pm

Bjornos80 wrote: Sun Feb 21, 2021 8:07 am Download seems to be offline

I just tried and it works for me.

Bjornos80 · Post by **Bjornos80** » Mon Feb 22, 2021 8:14 pm

it works fine for me too now

thanks

jozza800 · Post by **jozza800** » Thu Mar 18, 2021 9:21 pm

This is great. The only thing that kills it is the coloured font for the team/player names. Is there anyway to change this or is it hardcoded?

Post by **xECK29x** » Fri May 14, 2021 12:43 pm

archibalduk wrote: Sun Feb 21, 2021 4:21 pm I just tried and it works for me.

Looks like it needs to be fixed again

BKarchitect · Post by **BKarchitect** » Sat Jul 03, 2021 8:50 pm

FYI Riz fixed the .col file issue (skin colors) in the latest v1.5 public beta so the skin can just be loaded once and will work every time...this was a major annoyance before so happy it is fixed.