**PokerStars Software Improvement Thread***

[PokerStars Stefan]

Hello 2+2,

Over the next few days we will be releasing another client update that will introduce some new features which will hopefully improve your experience at PokerStars. We are also continuing to add support for upcoming promotions, such as the recent milestone hands in France, Spain, and Italy, but I will not reveal more details for now. Here is an overview of what is immediately player-visible with this update:

Views for Ring Games Lobbies (Beta)

After adding few enhancements and polishing functionality during the Beta stage we are releasing the new views for the list of games in the ring game lobbies to all players. With next update you will see a new control in the ring game lobbies to change the “View” and you have three options:

• List View (default) – This is the same view as today, i.e. one list with all tables that match your filter settings
  
• Groups View – All tables of the same type are grouped together in one entry and there is a “Find Me A Seat” button. “Find Me A Seat” will look for an empty seat at a table of this type. If no seat is immediately available you will be given the option to continue searching for a seat – in this case the system will automatically add you to waiting lists and check for available seats until you either cancel the search or a seat is found. In either eventuality, you are automatically removed from any waiting lists where the system has added you. Next month we plan to integrate this with Table Starters, so that if one exists you will also be added to the Table Starter.
  
  We have also added a new “Observe” icon which when clicked will open a table of this type that a player can observe. Also, the number of tables now shows only tables which are dealing (for non-HU types) as opposed to also including empty or non-dealing tables.
  
  Here is a screen grab of the Groups view:
  
  
  
  
  
• Combo View – You can see groups, and once you select a group you also see the specific tables within a group. Great for players who like to monitor multiple table types, but like to easily switch between them. Here is a screen grab:
  
  
  

Graphical Preview for Ring Games

After the update you will see a new toggle icon above the list of players on a table in the main lobby. You can then switch between today’s list and a new graphical view of the table. In the graphical view you will still see notes on opponents, but in addition you will also see sitting out players, as well as where the button is. You can also directly choose a specific seat to take from the lobby if one is available.

Progressive Knockout Tournaments (Beta)

We will be trialling a new type of a knockout tournament – working title is Progressive Knockouts. In this variant, when you eliminate a player you get a part of their bounty credited to your account, but another part goes towards you own bounty so you become more attractive to be eliminated!

We will initially deploy only few of these to make sure everything is running smoothly before we deploy these on a wider scale.

Ability to Change Order of Columns in Lobby

This update we are adding Drag & Drop functionality for the columns in the main lobby so you can arrange them just the way you want. Simply drag the header of any column and drop it where you want. You can also click the Column Settings gear icon just above the scroll bar to further configure your lobby.


Other updates:

• ZOOM Tournaments – We have added support for more ZOOM tournament types (Timed, Bounty, and satellites) and will run another set of Beta tests after the clients are rolled out.
• We have added a separator line between “Sit Here” and “Find this player” in the right-click menu on another player on the table. This will hopefully reduce mis-clicks in this area.
• We are also working on an ability to observe ZOOM gameplay and will share more details about this later on.
• This update we are also merging the “Find Seat Options” and “Table Starter Preferences” into one new “Auto-Seating Options (Ring Games)” that is found under then “Options” menu in the main lobby.

Note: The above changes would only take effect once your gaming client has been updated, which could happen at different times for different players. We are planning to update the Estonian client first today with Belgium and Denmark clients following tomorrow. .COM Windows client will most likely be updated on Thursday this week. Please ensure you are running PokerStarsUpdate.exe to get the update.

[MissPoker]

With the nova theme, after a SNG is ended it is no longer possible to go through the HHs in text format, only by using the hand replayer.

[Dude Abides]

I hope this new layout will be optional, it looks bad and I will feel bad if the lobby layout I'm using now will be no longer available

Progressive Knockout Tournaments (Beta) - Dislike

[Hood]

Originally Posted by Dude Abides

I hope this new layout will be optional, it looks bad and I will feel bad if the lobby layout I'm using

.

Originally Posted by PokerStars Stefan

[*]List View (default) – This is the same view as today, i.e. one list with all tables that match your filter settings[/I]

[ynkgg]

If I have a friend that plays in .com come and visit me in Sweden for a couple of weeks or something, can he still play .com client here and make VPPs or is .com client completely geo blocked?

[ThatsAGoodCard]

Originally Posted by PokerStars Stefan

Hello 2+2,

Over the next few days we will be releasing another client update that will introduce some new features which will hopefully improve your experience at PokerStars. We are also continuing to add support for upcoming promotions, such as the recent milestone hands in France, Spain, and Italy, but I will not reveal more details for now. Here is an overview of what is immediately player-visible with this update:

Views for Ring Games Lobbies (Beta)

After adding few enhancements and polishing functionality during the Beta stage we are releasing the new views for the list of games in the ring game lobbies to all players. With next update you will see a new control in the ring game lobbies to change the “View” and you have three options:

• List View (default) – This is the same view as today, i.e. one list with all tables that match your filter settings
  
• Groups View – All tables of the same type are grouped together in one entry and there is a “Find Me A Seat” button. “Find Me A Seat” will look for an empty seat at a table of this type. If no seat is immediately available you will be given the option to continue searching for a seat – in this case the system will automatically add you to waiting lists and check for available seats until you either cancel the search or a seat is found. In either eventuality, you are automatically removed from any waiting lists where the system has added you. Next month we plan to integrate this with Table Starters, so that if one exists you will also be added to the Table Starter.
  
  We have also added a new “Observe” icon which when clicked will open a table of this type that a player can observe. Also, the number of tables now shows only tables which are dealing (for non-HU types) as opposed to also including empty or non-dealing tables.
  
  Here is a screen grab of the Groups view:
  
  
  
  
  
• Combo View – You can see groups, and once you select a group you also see the specific tables within a group. Great for players who like to monitor multiple table types, but like to easily switch between them. Here is a screen grab:
  
  
  

Graphical Preview for Ring Games

After the update you will see a new toggle icon above the list of players on a table in the main lobby. You can then switch between today’s list and a new graphical view of the table. In the graphical view you will still see notes on opponents, but in addition you will also see sitting out players, as well as where the button is. You can also directly choose a specific seat to take from the lobby if one is available.

Progressive Knockout Tournaments (Beta)

We will be trialling a new type of a knockout tournament – working title is Progressive Knockouts. In this variant, when you eliminate a player you get a part of their bounty credited to your account, but another part goes towards you own bounty so you become more attractive to be eliminated!

We will initially deploy only few of these to make sure everything is running smoothly before we deploy these on a wider scale.

Ability to Change Order of Columns in Lobby

This update we are adding Drag & Drop functionality for the columns in the main lobby so you can arrange them just the way you want. Simply drag the header of any column and drop it where you want. You can also click the Column Settings gear icon just above the scroll bar to further configure your lobby.


Other updates:

• ZOOM Tournaments – We have added support for more ZOOM tournament types (Timed, Bounty, and satellites) and will run another set of Beta tests after the clients are rolled out.
• We have added a separator line between “Sit Here” and “Find this player” in the right-click menu on another player on the table. This will hopefully reduce mis-clicks in this area.
• We are also working on an ability to observe ZOOM gameplay and will share more details about this later on.
• This update we are also merging the “Find Seat Options” and “Table Starter Preferences” into one new “Auto-Seating Options (Ring Games)” that is found under then “Options” menu in the main lobby.

Note: The above changes would only take effect once your gaming client has been updated, which could happen at different times for different players. We are planning to update the Estonian client first today with Belgium and Denmark clients following tomorrow. .COM Windows client will most likely be updated on Thursday this week. Please ensure you are running PokerStarsUpdate.exe to get the update.

How about the option register to next available sng? I thought stars would get it fixed after the next update?

[mathpokers]

• ZOOM Tournaments – We have added support for more ZOOM tournament types (Timed, Bounty, and satellites) and will run another set of Beta tests after the clients are rolled out.

Will the more regular zoom tournaments then be available too?

[Mexican_Natis]

Thanks for update Stefan, good stuff.

@ Adibas, 99% sure the new layout is optional and even though looks bad for most I'd say def looks more appealing for your average rec player. Good improvement imo.

[Kihog]

Originally Posted by PokerStars Stefan

Hello 2+2,

Over the next few days we will be releasing another client update that will introduce some new features which will hopefully improve your experience at PokerStars. We are also continuing to add support for upcoming promotions, such as the recent milestone hands in France, Spain, and Italy, but I will not reveal more details for now. Here is an overview of what is immediately player-visible with this update:

Views for Ring Games Lobbies (Beta)

After adding few enhancements and polishing functionality during the Beta stage we are releasing the new views for the list of games in the ring game lobbies to all players. With next update you will see a new control in the ring game lobbies to change the “View” and you have three options:

• List View (default) – This is the same view as today, i.e. one list with all tables that match your filter settings
  
• Groups View – All tables of the same type are grouped together in one entry and there is a “Find Me A Seat” button. “Find Me A Seat” will look for an empty seat at a table of this type. If no seat is immediately available you will be given the option to continue searching for a seat – in this case the system will automatically add you to waiting lists and check for available seats until you either cancel the search or a seat is found. In either eventuality, you are automatically removed from any waiting lists where the system has added you. Next month we plan to integrate this with Table Starters, so that if one exists you will also be added to the Table Starter.
  
  We have also added a new “Observe” icon which when clicked will open a table of this type that a player can observe. Also, the number of tables now shows only tables which are dealing (for non-HU types) as opposed to also including empty or non-dealing tables.
  
  Here is a screen grab of the Groups view:
  
  
  
  
  
• Combo View – You can see groups, and once you select a group you also see the specific tables within a group. Great for players who like to monitor multiple table types, but like to easily switch between them. Here is a screen grab:
  
  
  

Graphical Preview for Ring Games

After the update you will see a new toggle icon above the list of players on a table in the main lobby. You can then switch between today’s list and a new graphical view of the table. In the graphical view you will still see notes on opponents, but in addition you will also see sitting out players, as well as where the button is. You can also directly choose a specific seat to take from the lobby if one is available.

Progressive Knockout Tournaments (Beta)

We will be trialling a new type of a knockout tournament – working title is Progressive Knockouts. In this variant, when you eliminate a player you get a part of their bounty credited to your account, but another part goes towards you own bounty so you become more attractive to be eliminated!

We will initially deploy only few of these to make sure everything is running smoothly before we deploy these on a wider scale.

Ability to Change Order of Columns in Lobby

This update we are adding Drag & Drop functionality for the columns in the main lobby so you can arrange them just the way you want. Simply drag the header of any column and drop it where you want. You can also click the Column Settings gear icon just above the scroll bar to further configure your lobby.


Other updates:

• ZOOM Tournaments – We have added support for more ZOOM tournament types (Timed, Bounty, and satellites) and will run another set of Beta tests after the clients are rolled out.
• We have added a separator line between “Sit Here” and “Find this player” in the right-click menu on another player on the table. This will hopefully reduce mis-clicks in this area.
• We are also working on an ability to observe ZOOM gameplay and will share more details about this later on.
• This update we are also merging the “Find Seat Options” and “Table Starter Preferences” into one new “Auto-Seating Options (Ring Games)” that is found under then “Options” menu in the main lobby.

Note: The above changes would only take effect once your gaming client has been updated, which could happen at different times for different players. We are planning to update the Estonian client first today with Belgium and Denmark clients following tomorrow. .COM Windows client will most likely be updated on Thursday this week. Please ensure you are running PokerStarsUpdate.exe to get the update.

Hi,

after this update zoom handhistory doesn`t work. Pokerstars saves only first 4-5 hands to handhistory file and further hands will not appear. I m using .ee client. Please fix this.

[Eldorian]

Originally Posted by Eldorian

FTP prompts you twice when it is your turn (so two possibilities for the table to pop up); whereas PS only does it once which leads to more missed hands (for me). Could you also implement this, or is there already an option somewhere I can choose?

alternatively, could you implement a distinctive "sit out" sound? that way one would at least be alerted that you are sitting out on at least one table.

[michty6]

Stefan

Might I make the suggestion that since Pokerstars operates a calendar based VIP system, with a fixed cut off date at the end of every calendar month, that updating your client in the last few days of the month is probably the nut worst time to do it...

[senser86]

Ok updates nice and so...but when will the 'register for similar tournament' option work again? It is frustrating.

Also when I register today for 2,5 180 sng's I get a new warning that i will be blinded out and lose my money if my connection is lost. Why isn't there a button 'not show again' i have to click it away whenever i open a new sng...

[HU4holes]

Originally Posted by PokerStars Stefan

We will be trialling a new type of a knockout tournament – working title is Progressive Knockouts. In this variant, when you eliminate a player you get a part of their bounty credited to your account, but another part goes towards you own bounty so you become more attractive to be eliminated!

We will initially deploy only few of these to make sure everything is running smoothly before we deploy these on a wider scale.

Let me be the first to say that this is the best idea for tournament-poker since hole-card cameras were invented.

There could be KO-only buy-in tournaments (+rake), so that everyone would go nuts during the first levels (and also in mid- and late-stage, and then reg more games, lol).
In example, a 8$+2$+1$ MTT, with 8$ direct KO and all 2$ KO's to the winner.
(or even very top-heavy 7+3+1)
We could basically forget about pay-outs and eliminate the bubble-stalling.....

I'm sure you got smart enough guys on board to give all good ideas with this format a try. Great idea, Pokerstars

[AM3RCUR14L0NE]

make easy seat work again please

[bpran]

Request to add 5/10 Zoom 6max.

Thank you