WHA Mod Update Dec 2 2008

[Sbufkle]

One of the things I was really working on before my ‘lull’ was getting player pics.

Its one thing to have new players and teams entered into database, but I’m a firm believer eye candy sells a mod completely.

Now of course there aren’t enough pictures to give full roster uniforms to all the player at the Pro level for the mod. The Ottawa Civics and New Jersey Knights played only partial seasons and in the case of the Civics, there only exists a handful of blurry pictures that exist of them.

So now I have decided I will still scour till I have as many real pics for the mod as possible, but have a contingency plan.

I graphically modded EA Sports NHL 06. Its actually very easy to import jersey and ice images into it. So for players who need it, Ill make player cards using graphics from the game. As it happens there already is a WHA mod for NHL07, so a lot of these jerseys for WHA teams exist (Although I have made a ton of jerseys for the game)

With NHL 06 you can take screenshots and get some actually good shots that will be passible for the EHM players I feel.

I will also now be able to make jerseys for the minor leagues, and have a little fun with it.


Now.. in the next couple of nights I will reopen my mod files and give an update on where the files stand as far as what is and what needs to be completed.

[getzlaf15]

Good to see the mod up and running, any help needed. I'm sure there would be a few volunteers including myself willing to help. Sounds like a lot of work for 1 man.

[Sbufkle]

Following up the NHL06 solution for player graphics.. heres a couple of beta versions…

Im more sold on it now that it will help...

[archibalduk]

The legendary mod lives on

That's a really creative solution for the facepics. I think it works a treat!

[bruins72]

Glad to see this is still in the works. I was really looking forward to this one.

As for the player pics... would you take these pics from NHL06 and put them into a template so that they'd have that old style hockey card look still? I seem to recall your old ones having that kind of look but I could be wrong.

[KOHO]

If you are trying to make an accurate game with past players from the WHA then wouldn't it make sense that the players in the pictures use sticks that weren't invented after the WHA merged with the NHL. Its a small detail but it kind of takes away from the historical accuracy of the game.

[Sbufkle]

If you are trying to make an accurate game with past players from the WHA then wouldn't it make sense that the players in the pictures use sticks that weren't invented after the WHA merged with the NHL. Its a small detail but it kind of takes away from the historical accuracy of the game.

The sticks are already modded that ill use, wooden Sher Woods and Louisvilles ect. The picture you see in example are taken from another mods preview which use WHA jerseys but in modern era, they are only in this thread to give an idea of how the base will look. Ill actually make sure the boards are bare (ad free) as well. Although in the pics you wont likely see to much of the rink and boards int he NHL06 game, it would bug me to have it in background.

The only tough part will be the helmets. As NHL06 doesnt have helmetless mod. (08 and 09 do) But I can put some retro Gretzky Jofa helmets and will work on a proto Northland Helmet than others wore.

There will be small descrepancies in some details that are unavoidable. But the other option of not using these pictures form the NHL game is having only a minority of the players with actual real pics. the trade off is a more complete mod vs one that while more asthetically accurate, has inconsistancy with things like no player pic.

Real pics will be used when they can, and I will likely look at makign some if not all the NHL06 pics either black and white or grainy for the sake of trying to look as real as possible.

Consdiering there are some teams in the mod like Miami who never played a single WHA game.... one has to accept nothing being perfect.

Also note with mods, hostorical accuracy has to be balanced with playability. In my experince proferssionally making computer games/sims, this is normally always the case. Im still wodnering how the New Jerey Knights 5000 seat arena will mean for the long term financial feesability of a team!

[archibalduk]

I personally, am not that bothered about the authenticity of the generic player pics. They're the best that can be done in the circumstances. In my opinion, the generic pics are more for giving the game a WHA-like feel rather than making it 100% representative.