INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS
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Jump to Sections:
DATABASE INSTALLATION STANDARD VS BASIC DATABASE RECOMMENDED GAME SETTINGS
LOGO PACK INSTALLATION SKIN INSTALLATION
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DATABASE INSTALLATION
To install the database, simply unzip the downloaded database file to the database folder in the EHM directory on your hard drive. The files are already setup in a folder based on the version of the database. Typically, your database folder will be in a path similar to below:
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C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Eastside Hockey Manager\data\database
The ZIP file / database folder will contain two files:
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1) The actual database.db file - this is the file that contains most the information.
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2) The extra_config.cfg file. This file contains "extra scripts" such as injuries, future transfers and contract extensions, retired numbers, cap penalties, etc. This info is layered into the start of a new game via this file.
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3) If you downloaded the database version with the empty NHL expansion teams, the folder will also contain an Excel spreadsheet that is editable and will allow you to fill the expansion teams with the players of your own choosing. More on how to utilize this below.
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STANDARD VS BASIC DATABASE
The DOWNLOADS section includes two different databases: NHLX Standard and NHLX Basic. Both are always updated the same with one major difference.​
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- In NHLX Standard, the four NHL expansion clubs have been filled by a predetermined expansion draft of current NHL players.
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The expansion draft mocked to fill the four expansion clubs is constantly updated based on current and trending player values so it will vary from release to release. The goal of the filled rosters is to leave the bulk of existing teams intact while filling the expansion teams with players so you can build line-ups, make trades, etc from the get-go. Don't expect to find a super-competitive club equal to Vegas or even Seattle's initial roster. There will be a decent blend of veteran and younger players and prospects on NHL contracts but this will still be extremely challenging.
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- In NHLX Basic, the four expansion clubs are completely empty.
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If you prefer to build from scratch, the NHLX Basic database is the way to go. However, with updated in-season rosters, expect free agency to offer few NHL-level options. You'll need to sign minor league players, take flyers on free agents with no business being in the NHL and hammer the waiver wire when the season approaches. Trading will be difficult initially because the EHM engine does not give any trade value to players who have recently been signed to a new team.
The NHLX Basic ZIP file includes one additional file outside the .db and .cfg file that will unarchive into the database folder - NHL Expansion Draft.xlsx. This is an Excel spreadsheet that can be imported via the EHM Editor to populate the empty expansion teams with players. The file will initially be the setup used in the NHLX Standard database. In other words, if you download NHLX Basic and import
this file in the EHM Editor, you will have the NHLX Standard database.
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You can edit the file however you see fit - it is pretty self-explanatory when you open it up (you include the players name and DOB information and the expansion team you want them to be on). So you are free to create your own initial rosters. And the best part is that if you modify this file, simply save it somewhere on your computer and even if you download future versions of NHLX that have been updated - you can always start with the same expansion draft rosters by re-importing your modified expansion draft.
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RECOMMENDED GAME SETTINGS
My recommended settings to get maximum usage out of the database are shown below.
In terms of LEAGUE SELECTION - it's really up to you...I've run test sims through the 2050's with all playable leagues turned on Enhanced and have had zero critical error crashes. Obviously the more leagues selected, the slower the sim - but I have cleaned out the database and rebuilt much of it so it does tend to run pretty efficiently.
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On the actual OPTIONS screen, the critical items are:
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Game Start Date: Highly recommend using standard league start dates and not "Early Start". There is a slight bug in the database right now where a contract error pops up on August 1st of the first season. You can generally "click thru" this error by hittng "Ok" several times. However to avoid the error entirely, it is recommended to use a typical league start date (all leagues have a typical start date past this August 1 date).
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Database Size: Highly recommend "Full" - this will maximize the expanded international universe in the database.
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Key Staff: I always turn Add Key Staff "On" - this will populate staff for all clubs and nations and to be honest, outside the NHL this is one area of the database that has not been a focus at this point.
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Extra Player Options: I always keep Disable All Extra Players "On". The game is already populated with players for all international nations, college expansion teams, etc. The four new NHL teams are discussed in the Standard vs Basic Database section. Disabling will ensure that if you want to build from scratch, these teams will be empty. The only reason that I can think of to potentially want to add any "fake" players at start up with these options is if you are playing a Canadian Junior League so it fully stocks the initial midget/bantam entry drafts. Outside of that - everything should be full and functional with extra players disabled and even then - there are still plenty of real midget/bantam players built into the database.
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Retain Data Options: I always keep Retain all Teams "On" - because all clubs and leagues have logos and a specific purpose and because I've already cleaned out or consolidated a lot of the very low level clubs and leagues, keeping this on will ensure you maximize the database without slowing the game down much, if at all.
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LOGO PACK INSTALLATION
The NHLX Logo Pack is a comprehensive pack of logos designed specifically for the NHLX database. Every single nation, league and team in the database is covered. The high-quality logos have standardized sizing and styles - in "huge", "large" and glossy-button style "small" logos. The formatting will be familiar to you if you use dani09's comprehensive logo packs for the TBL and Pivot databases. Credit to dani09 for the seeds of this pack but you will see an almost universal updating of thousands of logos specifically for this database. This includes real life updated logos and logos for future real clubs, higher-quality logos when available, logos for new and expansion teams in the database and everything designed to match up with the color-coding of teams and nations in the DB file. In fact the entire color palette in the database file has been updated and streamlined.
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Before we go any further: if you use other roster databases and logo packs - you should backup your logo library! 98% of the NHLX Logo Pack will work fine with other databases even if you overwrite upon unarchiving. I have streamlined a lot of league and club names and the majority of logos are real anyways so if you were to completely overwrite your current logos with the NHLX pack and then use another roster database - you aren't likely to see a lot of differences. But there are a few instances where you would - for example I have gone "updated retro" with several NHL club identities that are specific to NHLX's "look" that could cause a bit of mismatch, visually, in another database. If backing up your entire existing logo library seems like a chore (and it is) - at least backup the NHL logos.
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To install the logos, simply unzip the downloaded logo pack file to the pictures folder in the EHM directory on your hard drive. The files are already setup in the appropriate sub-folders (flags, logos, etc). Overwrite when prompted (backup first see above!). Typically, your pictures folder will be in a path similar to below:
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C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Eastside Hockey Manager\data\pictures
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Note: Logo Pack Expansions are installed the same way. Overwrite when prompted so that you have the newest and freshest logo sets that correspond with the latest database updates.
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Any player photos or rink graphics you have installed will not be effected. This update is for flags and logos only.
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SKIN INSTALLATION
The NHLX Skin is my BKModern skin released in 2020 - it's just re-branded to match my database and logos now. Hit up the NHLX Skin link in the header to get more info and see side-by-side comparisons to the standard EHM look.
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There are three steps if you want the full, clean, minimalist look you see in the screenshots:
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1. Unzip the downloaded skin file to the data folder in the EHM directory on your hard drive. The files are already setup into the appropriate sub-folders. Overwrite when prompted. Typically, your data folder will be in a path similar to below:
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C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Eastside Hockey Manager\data
2. You will need to rename the background.emc.fmf file in the skins folder 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.
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3. Load the skin in EHM. Skins are loaded under the "Preferences" button in the EHM interface. If installed properly, the NHLX Skin should be visible as an option to switch to.,
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The NHLX Skin is perfectly fine to be used with any database - the database has no bearing on the skin and vice versa!
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