2) you want us to buy ads in Cardplayer / Bluff / Pnews / etc and make a big noise in the poker world. Remember this is a major cost - something we are looking into, something we are likely to fire on soon, but something that is not to be taken lightly.
I really think it you need a nice standalone downloadable client, or a vastly improved in-browser experience before it's worth spending significant money on advertising to regular poker players. The flash Poker Mavens interface feels clunky and unprofessional, and probably puts a lot of people off the site. The existence of an Android app proves that it's possible to make a client independent of the Mavens interface. I realise it's a big job to make a nice poker client, but I also think it's crucial to do so.
I think you are probably right, but I want to say two things.
First the Poker Mavens software is like a proof of work for good flash programming. It works about as good as it possibly could using that bloated platform. I find the software runs smoothly and is easy to use.
Secondly, I have rather enjoyed the backroom honest feel of playing poker against people who are regulars and you get to know their game. There is a wide variety of skill levels at seals. There are folks who can play the game well, but there are enough bad players to make it a profitable place for a semi-skilled player to park his ass.
In some ways a nice standalone client seems like it would draw the hud using 100nl reg types who just turn the game into a mechanical exercise.The part in bold, that's what I was thinking today. Part of what I like about playing at seals is the fact their's no HUD/Tracker. Then again how long before someone makes one for the existing client? If it hasn't already been done. Hope not though.
Also, little more feedback:
Had a nice session with the Android client again today and everything about it is awesome. Can't fault it apart from ONE little thing: When you raise a bet, it opens the native Android keyboard as well as the interface to specify how much you want to raise. Quite a few times this has lead to me typing in the wrong number (very wrong numbers at times, eg 25 instead of 5). Not fun placing the cursor in the correct place, press backspace, type bet, click done, click bet. That's the current bet process quite often.
What I suggest:
When you click raise, don't have it opening the native keyboard. Keep the specify raise window exactly how it is but without the keyboard (keep the buttons eg. [1/2][3/4][pot], and the slider) and add plus (+) and minus (-) buttons so you can also increase the bets in controlled increments. So in the 1/2 blinds the +/- would increase 1 chip, and in the bigger stakes rooms it could be more.
Basically the slider would look like this(ish): [-]||---O------||
Then if someone really wants to type a bet manually, have it open the native keyboard when you tap the number of chips.
This would reduce mistakes (causing frustration), and speed up the game pace a little.
Coming to think about it I don't know if there already is a +/- on the slider or not? But I don't want to log back on to check right now or I'll be tempted to play all night.
)
