EHM The Blue Line

Good morning TBL

Long time lurker first time poster. I have been playing EHM since EHM 2007 and have always been amazed that this community has kept this game going for so many years. The depth and accuracy of the rosters is clearly a testament to the passion this community has for EHM and hockey in general.

I wanted to post because I have started my own side project working on a retro roster. Using the archibalduk templates on github I have started building a 1990-91 roster.

I am really early stages. I have the North American Pro and Junior Leagues setup with the period accurate teams and I am starting on players now. I am using a NHL 09 retro roster DB I found online from the Wasserlasser community as a reference point. Using sites like Hockeydb, Wikipedia, Hockeyzoneplus, to help with the roster build.

I am trying to make it possible where you can run this database without breaking immersion or having to change logo/face packs. I have added "®" to the end of team names so they do not pull in the modern logos and I can create retro logo packs. Not sure what I will be able to do with facepacks. I started with Boston and I have a 25 year old Cam Neely with a 60 year old Cam Neely portrait. I do not want to have to turn off face pack mods or reinstall them.. maybe I just "fudge" the month or date in DOB. If anyone has ideas open to it.

This is my side project. If it takes me 1 year to finish or 10 years to finish I am going to take my time. I have tried roster building with Football Manager previously and I always get overwhelmed and discouraged that I can't play my finished product right away.

I wanted to start this thread to post updates, but most importantly ask the experts on this site for advice. I am open to feedback and any advice this group can provide. Hoping in the near future I can provide a test version to play and get player feedback.

Thank you !!!

I posted info on my blog with a couple screenshots:
https://www.padreplayz.info/post/side-p ... 1-database

I have a screenshot of the league table and of Cam Neely.

I was wondering if there is a way to future retire a player in the editor? Guy Lafleur retires at the end of the 1990-91 season. Is there a way to program that in the editor?

Thank you !!!

This is excellent news to hear! If you need any source roster data or histories or help with league structures then please let me know. I did actually start looking at a 1990/91 DB and have various source data which I'd be happy to send to you via email or Discord.

PadrePlayz wrote: Wed Jun 26, 2024 1:02 pmI am trying to make it possible where you can run this database without breaking immersion or having to change logo/face packs. I have added "®" to the end of team names so they do not pull in the modern logos and I can create retro logo packs. Not sure what I will be able to do with facepacks. I started with Boston and I have a 25 year old Cam Neely with a 60 year old Cam Neely portrait. I do not want to have to turn off face pack mods or reinstall them.. maybe I just "fudge" the month or date in DOB. If anyone has ideas open to it.

One (imperfect) solution would be to have two "pictures" sub-folders within the EHM data folder (e.g. "pictures (90-91)" and "pictures (modern)") and then you rename the relevant folder to "pictures" depending on whether or not you want to play the modern or 90/91 rosters. I'd say it's advisable to you IRL dates of birth as you might get in a spot of bother if you start to import external data, such as player histories, into the database.

PadrePlayz wrote: Wed Jun 26, 2024 1:16 pmI was wondering if there is a way to future retire a player in the editor? Guy Lafleur retires at the end of the 1990-91 season. Is there a way to program that in the editor?

Yes - you can edit the extra_config.cfg file which accompanies your database.db file. This file can be edited in Notepad. If you don't have one then you can just create a new text file or take the example from "C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Eastside Hockey Manager\data\database". Here's an explanation of how to add new lines to the extra_config file: https://ehmtheblueline.com/forums/viewt ... 037#p30037

Here's some example retirements:
This retires Carey Price (who is on the Habs roster in the DB) on 8 August 2023 and Zarc Parise (who is a free agent in the DB) on 8 August 2024.

archibalduk
Thank you so much! These tips are super helpful.

I will take any help anyone is willing to offer. I am too new to the forum to send private message. Could you send me your discord name and I can add you? OR is there a TBL Discord Server I can join?

Thanks again!

No problem - you can find me on the EHM Community Discord under archibalduk: https://discord.com/invite/s4stXd2uhe

Otherwise you should now be able to send PMs in the forums here (I've modified your user settings).

Quick progress update on the Eastside Hockey Manager Retro 90/91 database progress. I started in the Adams division and have completed the Bruins and Canadiens roster and personnel. All regular roster players, coaching staff, and back office to the best of my abilities. I am foregoing accurate player history and stats as I would like to have the player base completed first and then go back and add those finer details.

Having a blast putting this together

My blog post below has some screenshots of the DB so far.

Take care all!

https://www.padreplayz.info/post/side-p ... ase-update

Posted update on Discord as well!

is it playable for us ? if yes , can we have a link to test it ?

kini666

Good Morning!

Thank you for your interest. This DB is far from ready friend. When I have it in a playable state I would love to share it out to get some feedback.

Stay Tuned!

Quick progress update on the Eastside Hockey Manager Retro 90/91 database progress.

Adams Division is complete with regular roster and staff.

While working on some teams added some AHL players who played on both teams during 90-91.

Will help when I work on the American League.

Next will be Norris Division starting with Chicago Blackhawks.

Couple of screenshots on my blog:
https://www.padreplayz.info/post/side-p ... e-update-2

Take care all!

Looks great!

archibalduk wrote: Sat Sep 28, 2024 7:00 pmLooks great!

Thank you archibalduk!!

archibalduk wrote: Sat Sep 28, 2024 7:00 pmLooks great!

Thank you archibalduk!!

Another progress update blog on the Eastside Hockey Manager Retro 90/91 database progress.

At this very moment I working through the NHL Norris Division. Chicago, St. Louis, and Detroit have been completed. Regular NHL roster players, some minor league players, and front office staff. I have noticed the difficulty in finding accurate staff info from that time period. The good friends at TBL pointed out a few good resources, but they are not very complete. I will need to supplement with fictional names for some roles, especially physio therapists. The Elite Prospects site has some good staff info and I have been filling in the gaps with the 1990-91 NHL Guide that is on the Internet Archive. However, the Internet Archive has suffered several cyber attacks of late and has been down. I purchased an actual copy from a eBay user in Winnipeg so I will have the physical copy for reference. I like how it has a good bunch of front office details and prior draft picks which I think will be very helpful as I built out the database.

To break the monotony of the DB I have been doing some logo work and changing league names to historically accurate league names. I am doing my database on top of the 2005-06 fake DB that comes with the game. There will need to be lots of changes to try to get it as close as historically accurate as possible. I am already seeing it will be difficult to get certain information. Like the Russian Leagues in the game will need to be changed to the Soviet leagues of 90-91. Soviet Championship League (1st League) has data out there but the lower leagues might be a challenge.

I still have lots of questions as I work through my DB, but the main focus is to get North America sorted before I start working about the rest of the world. I have some time off work coming up over the last few months of the year so hoping to get in some more progress.

A couple screenshots of some 90s All-Stars here on my blog post:
https://www.padreplayz.info/post/side-p ... update-2-1

Another progress update blog on the Eastside Hockey Manager Retro 90/91 database progress:

I am officially over 50% complete of the NHL main roster. The Toronto Maple Leafs and Pittsburgh Penguins are now complete. I went back and added a few missed prospects for Quebec and Detroit. I was looking at HC CSKA Moscow's 91 roster and noticed Kamensky, Kovalenko, and Konstantinov missed as prospects. They also had a 19 year old named Pavel Bure, wow what a squad. These teams took a huge gamble drafting Soviet players hoping they would defect. This roster building experience is almost like a research project. When reviewing the Maple Leafs front office at that time I learned that long time infamous owner Harold Ballard passed away in 1990. Then there was this power struggle between his son William Ballard and Toronto business man Steve Stavro. Stavro ended up pushing out William Ballard to take majority ownership of Maple Leaf Gardens Ltd. owning the Toronto Maples Leafs and Maple Leaf Gardens. It is also fun coming across names I haven't heard in a lifetime. I forgot Vincent Damphousse was a Maple Leaf before he was a Canadien.


Still tons of work to complete before this will be ready for testing. I started this project in about June and 50% complete the NHL. Realistically June 2025 might be the date where I have the NHL and most of the farm teams completed. For the CHL I am thinking I will just use CA/PA and not play with the attributes which will make creating those teams quicker as for NHL I am also editing attributes for players older than 23.

Link to my blog with screenshots of progress:

https://www.padreplayz.info/post/side-p ... e-update-3

Later gamers!

Looks great!

Keep going!

Thanks guys xECK29x and archibalduk!!

Happy New Year!

Side Project - EHM 91 Database UPDATE #4

The holidays an my university course have slowed me down a bit, but here is my 90/91 DB patch update:


New York Rangers

Regular Roster Players complete

2 Way players complete

Front Office Staff Complete


Washington Capitals

Regular Roster Players complete

2 Way players complete

Front Office Staff Complete


New Jersey Devils

Regular Roster Players complete

2 Way players complete

Front Office Staff Complete


I have hit bit of a setback and I will need to go back and make some corrections. I noticed the way I was setting up prospects playing in junior or Europe was not correct. I was setting them up as contracted to the NHL Team and playing for their junior/Europe team. The game sets that up as a player loan which is not correct. I took a look at ECK29's roster and it looks like the correct way to do it is to have them contracted and playing for the junior/Europe club and then have the NHL Team included in the player rights and draft rights section. Luckily I have not started CHL or Europe so I only have a handful of prospects I need to go back and correct. Good learning.


That is it for updates. Next NHL Team Philadelphia Flyers. Enjoy some images on my blog article: https://www.padreplayz.info/post/side-p ... e-update-4

The progress with the NHL continues. I fixed that minor mistake I made with prospects and continued on with roster building.


Completed work:


Philadelphia Flyers

Regular Roster

2-way contracts

Front Office


New York Islanders

Regular Roster

2-way contracts

Front Office


Los Angeles Kings

Regular Roster

2-way contracts

Front Office


The Patrick Division is finished and I have started on the Smythe Division. 4 remaining Canadian western teams to complete and the NHL will be complete.


The next step would be to fill in the roster "gaps" of the AHL, followed by the IHL. This includes any 2-way players I may have missed and 1-way AHL/IHL players.


Then final step of playable North American leagues is the Canadian Hockey league.


Some screenshots showing updated players to the database via my blog

https://www.padreplayz.info/post/side-p ... e-update-5

Think it's about time for another update on my Eastside Hockey Manager retro 1990-91 database. Now the battle for Alberta can continue to rage on as both clubs are done.


Completed work:


Edmonton Oilers

Regular Roster

2way contracts

Front Office


Calgary Flames

Regular Roster

2way contracts

Front Office


I already started building the Vancouver Canucks and with the Jets remaining the NHL is looking almost complete. Starting to think about how to tackle AHL and IHL. Will need to do a comparison of what two way players I have on the farm teams already. Some of it will be assumptions as history usually records who the player played for not necessary what team held their rights. In theory an undrafted player could have signed a two way contract with an NHL team, but only ever played on the farm team. That player may appear to have only had a contract with the farm club. So it is a best guess. To be fair I have taken several liberties already as not all information is available. I know when I get into some serious add-on work I will need to fabricate some item. Logos of European clubs from 1990 including Soviet system are not readily available via a quick Google. Where no info exists I would rather have either or more recent logo or a fictional one vs. the initials the game generates.

Link to my blog with some screenshots:

https://www.padreplayz.info/post/side-p ... e-update-6

Significant progress has been made since the last update post What I am calling the NHL Roster first pass is completed with the wrap up of the Smythe Division.


Vancouver Canucks

-Roster

-Regular 2-Way Players

-Staff


Winnipeg Jets


-Roster

-Regular 2-Way Players

-Staff


I have entered the Farm Team phase of the Roster building. Filling in the holes on those squads that currently only have NHL contracted players. At this stage my progress is 25% on the American Hockey League. Hoping to continue this pace to execute quickly on AHL/IHL.

To be more organized I have built a Kanban board using Trello. I have individual tasks broken out and what status they are currently in. (https://trello.com/b/TqaIFdyK/ehm-1990-91-retro-db)

Link to my blog with a bunch of screenshots (https://www.padreplayz.info/post/side-p ... e-update-7)