BKmodern EHM Skin
Posted: 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.
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.
Honestly feel like I'm playing EHM 2 now, ha! It looks very smooth and modern, nice work and thank you!
Any way to change the colors of player attributes? Way too bright for me
