NHL Scouting Project

[Hypnotist]

Greetings All

When I started playing EHM05, I was frustrated that you couldn't filter by the scouting report data. So I started an external database for scouting reports. This was so I could filter players based on career roles, secondary positions, current fit, future fit, etc or any combo of those. It became a matter of querying the db to find that defensive third line LW that can double as a center in a pinch. The db itself is pretty basic with a simple form for entering/editing data as well as a query.

When I started playing with '07, I wanted to have scouting reports available when I started the new game as it could take almost an entire season to get semi-complete scouting reports on all NHL teams. Using the Unfaked 1.0 db, I started a new scouting db and used the pre-game editor to set the Detroit AGM to Lou Lamoriello and the Head Scout to David Conte (in my estimation the best in the game for those positions). I started scouting each NHL team and prospect (all players that are on their Depth Chart) with Conte. I scouted one team at a time and didn't overwrite the original save. This will give me a complete scouting report on each teams players and prospects within the first 3 weeks of starting a new game. I know this isn't fool-proof as the game alters some players attribs at the start, but it should be close enough to give anyone an idea as to what a players are worth in a trade in the first year. I also plan on including reasonable NHL UFAs that can be signed at the start of a game (players not subject to Int'l transfer windows) to give an idea of who is available at the NHL as FAs. So basically I will have scouting reports on every player with NHL rights as well as NHL caliber FAs available from the out set. I should have this completed sometime this week-end. I can make it available as an excel spreadsheet if someone doesn't have MS Access.

So my question is...is anyone interested in me posting this here so they can use it? :

[holydogg]

Wow, It must had been a hell of a time doing this!
This could be an interesting tool indeed.

[batdad]

Tis a great monumental project no doubt. And good on you for having the ability/time to do this. Many will love it.

For me though...it smacks of taking some of the fun out of the game. I would rather look around the game and learn things as time goes on. And as you say,players vary from game to game. I always wonder why people have to do this with games...all games. Crack the game...get to be a god...never make mistakes in the game. Sorry but at least half the fun is learning the game (which is different every time in EHM) and trying to do things differently each time. This tool to me makes the game less different. Not necessarily a bad thing for all..but for me it is.

Hard work and congrats on doing the hard work. For the challenges however, and for the fun of this game, I do not want to know this stuff. Just my opinion, not off to start a war against your work or anything. Some may love it, I do not.

Of course, this won't prevent others from using this tool who are in the challenges...and I guess I may suffer in them because of it. Oh well.


Oh and the admins are going to move this to the Graphics and Game add on forums I bet.

[Hypnotist]

For me though...it smacks of taking some of the fun out of the game. I would rather look around the game and learn things as time goes on.

It is more for the players that I didn't have a clue about. I could give you a scout report on most regular NHlers, but not prospects, expecially "Project" prospects. If you start playing a lower echelon NHL team, Columbus or Atlanta for example, you don't have any idea as to what your players are worth in trades to try to improve your team before the season starts. This only gives you a better idea as to the values of players (yours and theirs) as you start.

I always wonder why people have to do this with games...all games. Crack the game...get to be a god...never make mistakes in the game. Sorry but at least half the fun is learning the game (which is different every time in EHM) and trying to do things differently each time. This tool to me makes the game less different. Not necessarily a bad thing for all..but for me it is.

I respect your opinion, but this is far from a crack and believe me, you can still make mondo mistakes. In my opinion, this adds a little more realism to the game. There probably aren't many people hired as a GM of an NHL franchise who doesn't have a "book" on the players and even if they don't the scouts in the organization surely would. Point being, nobody starts from scratch the way you do in the game. Most start out as coaches or scouts who see a broad range of players almost every day. I would only consider this as "breaking the game" if it contained behind-the-scenes data like current abilities and potential abilities. This is merely a way to log, organize and retrieve the scouting data that is presented in-game with scouting reports.

Of course, this won't prevent others from using this tool who are in the challenges...and I guess I may suffer in them because of it. Oh well.

I can see your point, but this was not my intent. I like working off of summary reports and not individual reports (call it ingrained management efficiency). This was just a way for me to do that with this game and thought that some in the community might like it as well.

Oh and the admins are going to move this to the Graphics and Game add on forums I bet.

I thought about this and put it here since it wasn't either a graphic or an in-game add-on, but an external application. If this is in the wrong forum, my apologies to all.

[batdad]

Like I said..some may like it for themselves, and I will probably check it out if it ends up here, but likely will go back to my ways of scouting and doing things now. Part of the fun for me I guess. Different strokes.

Best of luck!

[archibalduk]

Sounds like an interesting project. I'll give your post a good read when I find the chance later this week.

I've moved it to Game Knowledge Forum because I think that is where it best fits - although yes it could have gone in the Addons Forum too!

[Hypnotist]

The file is uploaded. Will be available as soon as the admins approve.

[V4ND3RP00L]

Thanks for the little file/download and I know that most of everyone else will love it here. I just have to agree with batdad on this though, it's fun to learn more about the game from just playing it.

Makes it for more fun and if you get to the point that you are perfect at the game, there is no reason to play it anymore.

Or that is my opinion!

[archibalduk]

It's now available to download here: http://www.ehmtheblueline.com/forums/dl ... ile_id=359

It's incredible the amount of information Hypnotist has compiled here - over 2300 scouting reports I'm sure this will be a very useful tool for those coaching in the NHL.

[bruins72]

I'm not able to open this. The downloaded file is just called "EHM" and doesn't have an extension. I tried adding .mdb to it and opening it with Access. I also tried importing it into Excel. No luck.

Any ideas?

[archibalduk]

It'll work now. The server doesn't like it if a file name has a space in it. I actually just discovered this today so I'll go through the other files on our server to make sure that there aren't any other files like that.

Anyway, I've renamed the file so it'll download fine now.

[bruins72]

Excellent! Thanks, archi!

[Hypnotist]

A few typographical data errors were brought to my attention. They were all in the Age, Height and Weight fields so nothing major. To find them, simply sort the table by those three catagories both acending then decending and you will find them. Took me about 10 min to fix all the entries. When I get to the first draft and do an update, I'll repost a new data base with the updates.

If anyone finds anything else, please let me know.

[Hypnotist]

This project has been DL'd over 200 times now. I was wondering if anyone had any feedback? I'm getting to the draft soon and will be updating my files, but I haven't heard if anyone else has found this useful and would like me to post the updates.

I was also considering doing this for other leagues and was curious if anyone had a particular league they would like to see scouted.

[deknegt]

i like it but i have one problem.
i wish to know what status the player has in the team (key-core-regular-depth-fringe etc)
because i like it what the list says about how good a player is now and how good someone will be.
but i want to know if the ai finds him useless while he can be great so i can do easy trades for future stars.

[white knight]

As an outsider looking in, you have no possibility to see how a player is regarded on that team.

The only way you could see if a player is touted as a big prospect or is untouchable is via trade, but again this may also change from game to game.

Plus, as it is in the real NHL, different GMs and AGMs value players differently...

[tkbuffalo]

I want to use this to update my scouting reports of players and then add others in after the draft(s) for the upcoming years.

I am not too well versed on Microsoft Access,however i have Access 2007, and just would like someone to maybe send me a private email as to what Id need to do to run reports and do adjustments with rankings,etc.

I find this a fascinating tool and want to use it to its full potential.

I have many "what if" scenarios Id like to go through if anyone has the time to walk me through a couple of them, I'd appreciate it greatly.

[tkbuffalo]

I want to use this to update my scouting reports of players and then add others in after the draft(s) for the upcoming years.

I am not too well versed on Microsoft Access,however i have Access 2007, and just would like someone to maybe send me a private email as to what Id need to do to run reports and do adjustments with rankings,etc.

I find this a fascinating tool and want to use it to its full potential.


Does anyone use this database???????

[bruins72]

I think this was made for one of the earlier databases (unfaked 1.0, I think) and most people have moved on to newer databases since then. Plus, if you really wanted to know how good the players are, you could just run the editor and check the player's potential and stuff like that.

Sorry, I don't really use Access, so I can't help you with that one either.

[tkbuffalo]

I think this was made for one of the earlier databases (unfaked 1.0, I think) and most people have moved on to newer databases since then. Plus, if you really wanted to know how good the players are, you could just run the editor and check the player's potential and stuff like that.

Sorry, I don't really use Access, so I can't help you with that one either.

The application itself with the current information may be out of date, however, it can be updated with whatever database one would choose to use. I am more or less looking to insert information from my scouts and apply that to the database. If I went into the editor and saw potential, thats more or less cheating.