Eastside Hockey Manager - Part IX Maybe 1.5 Edition?

[Treb]

I'm excited for @xECK29x 's database in 1.5

 

[BKarchitect]

Wishlist item...

We have some users who do a great job with facepacks (ie @Aahlstroem) but they are so much work and get out of date rapidly. Plus they'll eventually be less useful as you progress in the game and get to computer-generated players. One might want to go the way of EA Sports or even FHM with the CGI faces but I find them kind weird and creepy in an uncanny valley kind of way.

EHM07 had a user-made utility that turned custom jersey's on the NHL website into profile "pics" that had the team jersey backside - with name and number. Unfortunately, thois only worked for the NHL and you had to run a batch file every single time you played (or as you wanted to maintain accuracy) to create updated portraits.

EHM1 has embedded deep in the graphics tree a folder for jerseys/kits. They are blank right now but it has me wondering...if there was originally an intent to do a simple kit-creator function in the game, much like FM has had. No logos, no custom graphics just like a couple dozen pre-baked jersey templates that use the primary/secondary/tertiary team colors to create a simple jersey representation. It seems like you could use this with the name/number data to create jersey profile pics within the game that update automatically when a player moves teams, no matter the league or level of player. Looking at blank, fuzzy, fake or incomplete player profiles just really bothers me and this seems like a simpler and IMO better solution than implementing a face-development feature.

You could even turn line-up screens into something a bit more graphical as well. Small measures that could define a real EHM2 someday in the future...

 

[Savi]

I have seen Belarus win gold at the WC in my current save but I think Italy almost winning bronze might be an even bigger upset

Also, what's the record for most OT games in a series?

 

[xECK29x]

Wishlist item...

We have some users who do a great job with facepacks (ie @Aahlstroem) but they are so much work and get out of date rapidly. Plus they'll eventually be less useful as you progress in the game and get to computer-generated players. One might want to go the way of EA Sports or even FHM with the CGI faces but I find them kind weird and creepy in an uncanny valley kind of way.

EHM07 had a user-made utility that turned custom jersey's on the NHL website into profile "pics" that had the team jersey backside - with name and number. Unfortunately, thois only worked for the NHL and you had to run a batch file every single time you played (or as you wanted to maintain accuracy) to create updated portraits.

EHM1 has embedded deep in the graphics tree a folder for jerseys/kits. They are blank right now but it has me wondering...if there was originally an intent to do a simple kit-creator function in the game, much like FM has had. No logos, no custom graphics just like a couple dozen pre-baked jersey templates that use the primary/secondary/tertiary team colors to create a simple jersey representation. It seems like you could use this with the name/number data to create jersey profile pics within the game that update automatically when a player moves teams, no matter the league or level of player. Looking at blank, fuzzy, fake or incomplete player profiles just really bothers me and this seems like a simpler and IMO better solution than implementing a face-development feature.

You could even turn line-up screens into something a bit more graphical as well. Small measures that could define a real EHM2 someday in the future...

Sent to Riz, will find out what that folder is used for.

 

[37 others]

One might want to go the way of EA Sports or even FHM with the CGI faces but I find them kind weird and creepy in an uncanny valley kind of way.

I assume you haven't seen my generated facepacks?

 

[archibalduk]

Wishlist item...

We have some users who do a great job with facepacks (ie @Aahlstroem) but they are so much work and get out of date rapidly. Plus they'll eventually be less useful as you progress in the game and get to computer-generated players. One might want to go the way of EA Sports or even FHM with the CGI faces but I find them kind weird and creepy in an uncanny valley kind of way.

EHM07 had a user-made utility that turned custom jersey's on the NHL website into profile "pics" that had the team jersey backside - with name and number. Unfortunately, thois only worked for the NHL and you had to run a batch file every single time you played (or as you wanted to maintain accuracy) to create updated portraits.

EHM1 has embedded deep in the graphics tree a folder for jerseys/kits. They are blank right now but it has me wondering...if there was originally an intent to do a simple kit-creator function in the game, much like FM has had. No logos, no custom graphics just like a couple dozen pre-baked jersey templates that use the primary/secondary/tertiary team colors to create a simple jersey representation. It seems like you could use this with the name/number data to create jersey profile pics within the game that update automatically when a player moves teams, no matter the league or level of player. Looking at blank, fuzzy, fake or incomplete player profiles just really bothers me and this seems like a simpler and IMO better solution than implementing a face-development feature.

You could even turn line-up screens into something a bit more graphical as well. Small measures that could define a real EHM2 someday in the future...

BK where did you get those jersey templates from? I could probably add something to the Editor to generate those for all players in a DB/saved game using their relevant club colours.

 

[BKarchitect]

@archibalduk

www.leftwinglock.com

If you go under the line combos, that is where they use them. The SVG files themselves are in a pictures folder for the website:
LWL_Jerseys_Ducks (leftwinglock.com)

The website basically does what I hope some version of EHM does in the future - takes a simple template and adds a name and number based on (I'm assuming) a database of player info.

They probably have to be simplified a bit to fit the three color EHM system

 

[BKarchitect]

I assume you haven't seen my generated facepacks?

I went back and looked and it's impressive! I still like the idea of jerseys generated in-game someday - I just prefer the graphical concept of the jersey for a team and don't love that faces cannot change, age, etc. Your work is definitely great for what we can do right now though!

 

[Nino33]

FYI - TBLer ideawithoutamind has created a "Global United Hockey DB" that is avaialble over at TBL now.

There are details in the front page post Global United Hockey DB Released – The Blue Line and here's the thread for the database Global United Hockey & North American Expansion 40 - EHM The Blue Line

What is described is really, really impressive

 

[BKarchitect]

FYI - TBLer ideawithoutamind has created a "Global United Hockey DB" that is avaialble over at TBL now.

There are details in the front page post Global United Hockey DB Released – The Blue Line and here's the thread for the database Global United Hockey & North American Expansion 40 - EHM The Blue Line

What is described is really, really impressive

Agreed, you can tell a ton of work has been put into it. Definitely the most far-out there database I've seen, but one that has been really well-thought out!

 

[Treb]

FYI - TBLer ideawithoutamind has created a "Global United Hockey DB" that is avaialble over at TBL now.

There are details in the front page post Global United Hockey DB Released – The Blue Line and here's the thread for the database Global United Hockey & North American Expansion 40 - EHM The Blue Line

What is described is really, really impressive

Does the GUH replace the leagues like SHL, KHL, Liiga and so on or does it exists on top of it?

 

[Nino33]

Does the GUH replace the leagues like SHL, KHL, Liiga and so on or does it exists on top of it?

The GUH exists in addition to those leagues


As Archi noted on TBL's main page:

The database features a three tiered Global United Hockey league system with a total of 90 teams across 90 different nations and players from over 130 different nations. The NHL, AHL and ECHL and have all additionally been expanded to 40 teams each.

Here is a brief run-down of each GUH tier:
Global United Hockey Master League: 24 teams, Gold, Silver, Bronze medals to the top 3 teams in a 16 team playoff, 8 team relegation playout, with the last place demoted to Diamond League.
Global United Hockey Diamond League: 36 Teams, Gold (gets promoted to Master League), Silver, Bronze medals to top 3 teams in a 32 playoff format. 4 team relegation playout, with last place demoted to Platinum League.
Global United Hockey Platinum League: 30 Teams, Gold (gets promoted to Diamond League), Silver, Bronze medals to top 3 teams in 16 team playoff format.

Ideawithoutamind goes on to explain that he has added over 26,000 players spanning over 131 countries. The GUH teams lie somewhere between the NHL and the KHL, so many of the NHL holdouts and stalled prospects head to the GUH.

In addition to the GUH, many of these players make their appearances in an extended World Championship and World Junior Championship tournament which allow more international teams to compete and with an aggressive promotion/relegation system

In addition to the playable leagues, each GUH team has one minor league affiliate and two levels of junior affiliates

 

[Treb]

The GUH exists in addition to those leagues


As Archi noted on TBL's main page:

The database features a three tiered Global United Hockey league system with a total of 90 teams across 90 different nations and players from over 130 different nations. The NHL, AHL and ECHL and have all additionally been expanded to 40 teams each.

Here is a brief run-down of each GUH tier:
Global United Hockey Master League: 24 teams, Gold, Silver, Bronze medals to the top 3 teams in a 16 team playoff, 8 team relegation playout, with the last place demoted to Diamond League.
Global United Hockey Diamond League: 36 Teams, Gold (gets promoted to Master League), Silver, Bronze medals to top 3 teams in a 32 playoff format. 4 team relegation playout, with last place demoted to Platinum League.
Global United Hockey Platinum League: 30 Teams, Gold (gets promoted to Diamond League), Silver, Bronze medals to top 3 teams in 16 team playoff format.

Ideawithoutamind goes on to explain that he has added over 26,000 players spanning over 131 countries. The GUH teams lie somewhere between the NHL and the KHL, so many of the NHL holdouts and stalled prospects head to the GUH.

In addition to the GUH, many of these players make their appearances in an extended World Championship and World Junior Championship tournament which allow more international teams to compete and with an aggressive promotion/relegation system

In addition to the playable leagues, each GUH team has one minor league affiliate and two levels of junior affiliates

Yeah I read that and that's what I thought, but wasn't sure and I'm not at my game computer right now.

I liked red pandas as a kid, so I guess I'll take them to the Master league championship! (or fail miserably )

 

[Nino33]

Yeah I read that and that's what I thought, but wasn't sure and I'm not at my game computer right now.

Ah, that makes sense (I had to open up the game/database to check myself)

I really struggle with the league editing, and this database has so much league editing! Amazing work

 

[abo9]

FYI - TBLer ideawithoutamind has created a "Global United Hockey DB" that is avaialble over at TBL now.

There are details in the front page post Global United Hockey DB Released – The Blue Line and here's the thread for the database Global United Hockey & North American Expansion 40 - EHM The Blue Line

What is described is really, really impressive

Sounds really fun! I kinda get sucked in EHM so I need to be careful but this looks so good

 

[archibalduk]

Agreed, you can tell a ton of work has been put into it. Definitely the most far-out there database I've seen, but one that has been really well-thought out!

I need to find a decent font and sort out the artefacts in the top edge of the image, but I've been able to create a rudimentary jersey generator:

The jersey is generated from three .png files (one file each for background, foreground and trim). The generator then colourises each image file and then stacks them one on top of the other before adding the name and number. It's very basic right now, but it could be expanded to use the Left Wing Lock images or specified/random styles for other teams. I could probably add a glazed effect similar to Left Wing Lock too.

Before I go any further, I need to get the font sorted as it looks pretty ugly with Arial!

 

[BKarchitect]

I need to find a decent font and sort out the artefacts in the top edge of the image, but I've been able to create a rudimentary jersey generator:

The jersey is generated from three .png files (one file each for background, foreground and trim). The generator then colourises each image file and then stacks them one on top of the other before adding the name and number. It's very basic right now, but it could be expanded to use the Left Wing Lock images or specified/random styles for other teams. I could probably add a glazed effect similar to Left Wing Lock too.

Before I go any further, I need to get the font sorted as it looks pretty ugly with Arial!

O...M...G. You're a wizard!

 

[BKarchitect]

I need to find a decent font and sort out the artefacts in the top edge of the image, but I've been able to create a rudimentary jersey generator:

The jersey is generated from three .png files (one file each for background, foreground and trim). The generator then colourises each image file and then stacks them one on top of the other before adding the name and number. It's very basic right now, but it could be expanded to use the Left Wing Lock images or specified/random styles for other teams. I could probably add a glazed effect similar to Left Wing Lock too.

Before I go any further, I need to get the font sorted as it looks pretty ugly with Arial!

LWL uses the font "Sports Jersey"
Sports Jersey Font | dafont.com

I can collate and break down the LWL SVG files into PNG layers if you need any help?

 

[archibalduk]

LWL uses the font "Sports Jersey"
Sports Jersey Font | dafont.com

I can collate and break down the LWL SVG files into PNG layers if you need any help?

That's amazing - thank you so much. Let me get the font and a full demo up and running and then we can figure out what to do with the svgs and pngs.

 

[archibalduk]

LWL uses the font "Sports Jersey"
Sports Jersey Font | dafont.com

I can collate and break down the LWL SVG files into PNG layers if you need any help?

Getting the font to render nicely has been a bit of a hassle but I'm there now. It's not the font per se, but rather the manner in which the font is being rendered. It looks too bold, even with the lowest font weight. Anyhow, the solution is to draw the text at a larger size and then shrink it down.

I just wanted to check - what image dimensions are the jersey images you have used for your game? It looks something like 165 x 170. I think the game allows up to 200 x 200 and I'm wondering whether it's worth using the full space or if there's a specific reason to go slightly smaller like you have. I'm thinking of using the maximum space possible as it will allow a little more jersey detail.

 

[BKarchitect]

@archibalduk No reason I used that specific size, it was just a quick screen grab mockup.

 

[archibalduk]

Thanks - I'll go big then!

 

[archibalduk]

The image is a lot more polished now with a proper size, no more image artefacts and the correct font (thanks BK!). I'm working on making the tool customisable so we can experiment a bit more. Once that's done, I'll add a batch generation function, so that it can process a whole DB or saved game in one go. I think it will probably work by exporting a spreadsheet from the Editor and then running it through the Jersey Generator.

 

[BKarchitect]

Unbelievable! I post a pie in the sky concept on Monday...it’s less than a week later and @archibalduk the magician already has a functioning tool in progress.

Amazing!

 

[Beef Cake]

Currently playable (but rough) in my 00DB:
AHL/IHL/ECHL/UHL, All three CHL leagues, (USHL built but not tested), RSL, SM-Liiga, SEL. Working on DEL and whatever the right name for the British leagues were. Swiss league is builtish.

Anything else that might get some usage? Constantly tinkering with the NHL ratings and future prospects.