Online Poker

It's been a hectic few weeks since I last posted about getting version 3.0 finished and testing started. The official release is still more than a few weeks away and it needs some fairly substantial testing. I guess it's close enough to being ready now though that I can drop a few hints as to what it might mean to the Poker.com world.

Multiple Games in Multiple Windows
The major focus of this version has been multiple game play and how best to allow players this ability regardless of the specs of their machine, the capabilities of their monitors and graphics adapters or how good a poker player they might be. The real struggle in doing this is to find a balance between providing as much flexibility in the user interface as possible and still maintaining a simple, easy to understand software package for players with all levels of computer skills. So here's a basic summary of what has changed in that department (these could all be slightly different if something changes between now and when it releases):

In the settings dialog box ('Settings' button from the lobby) there's a new tab called 'Window', this pane contains settings that apply to where games are opened, you have two groups of settings, 'Window Mode' and 'Window Layout'. Window mode allows you to decide whether you want new games to open in the lobby as a tab (as it does currently) or in a new window. Window layout allows you to choose how the games in the lobby or the new window are laid out on the screen. Currently there are two layout options, 'Single' and '2x2 Grid'.

Another great feature that comes with opening games in a new window is the ability to resize the window to whatever you like. We're still deciding between two schemes here, do we allow the player to resize the window to whatever weird and wacky shape they like or constrain a 4:3 aspect ratio ?? Personally I think players will appreciate the chance to exactly fill whatever empty space they have on their screens with just one more game but you'll have to wait and see how it ends up.

The combination of these two settings provide the user with a lot of flexibility, for example:
• A player who's computer display can only support a maximum of 800x600 (yes a lot of people still ride this old rusty bike) can open 4 games in the one window using a 2x2 layout, everything's going to be a little small but it's still playable.

• A player with multiple monitors can use 'New Window' and 'Single' and then maximize or fullscreen the window to get a game taking up all available space in each monitor. (or 4 or 6 or 8 monitors, you get the picture).

• A player may want to play blackjack at the same time as a ring game or two, maybe a tournament here and there and wants to be able to see what's happening at the same time in all games, they could either open them all in new windows, or pop them all into the one window laid out in a grid and move them around together, maximize and resize them as a group ... the possibilities really are almost endless.

Navigation
Navigation between games and notification when a game requires action remains unchanged, the 'game bar' (I just made that name up, let's call it that from now on) at the top of the lobby remains and finds it's way into every new window.

To navigate to another game in this or a different window, in whatever layout requires a quick click on that game's tab in the game bar. You can tell whether the game in question lives in the current window or another window through the 'detached' nature of the tabs.

Backgammon
Yes, backgammon has almost certainly found it's way into version 3.0. Initially it will be released in play money mode only to ensure players can get a good feel for it and provide some feedback before we hit the big red button and switch it on for players who think they've got the game to stake real money. Initially the format will be two player single games and match play but keep an eye out in the future for additions like big step tournaments and freerolls.

So there you have it, 3.0 in a nutshell. There are too many more subtle changes to describe like the addition of a few new player tags and now displaying how many players are online and some not so subtle changes like a whole new and improved look for the lobby but you'll just have to wait and see for them.

Remember to keep referring your friends, your family, heck just go up to strangers in the street and tell them about Poker.com, it's what I do.

Paulie @ Poker.com