PartyPoker released its long-awaited new online poker client last Thursday introducing players to a new, socially-centered game experience. The highly anticipated launch, however, could have gone more smoothly.
First, let’s take a quick look what’s new. The first thing players will notice after the software is downloaded, installed, and launched, is the new branding. Out is the green, red, and yellow color scheme, in is orange, white, silver, and black. Everything has taken on a simpler tone, from the lobby to the logo. Speaking of the logo, that has changed significantly, as well. The good, old poker chip is gone, replaced with a stylized diamond, as is the gaudy font, replaced by simpler, all lowercase lettering.
Aside from the color scheme, the lobby is largely the same, though there is a new “1 Click Lobby” option that allows players to simply choose a game type, stakes, and buy-in amount, and be immediately seated at a table. This will likely appeal to newer players who would rather just start playing instead of sifting through rows of tables in the standard lobby.
More than aesthetics, though, what PartyPoker is really aiming for in this new release is a social gaming feel that will appeal to casual players. Case in point: the achievement system. Video gamers will be familiar with this concept, as achievements have been used in console and PC gaming for years as a way to motivate people to keep playing beyond the point they might have otherwise gotten bored. On PartyPoker, there are three types of achievements: Collectibles, Milestones, and Highlights. Collectible achievements are earned simply for doing things like being dealt a certain hand; they are largely out of a player’s control. Milestones occur at certain points in a player’s PartyPoker career. Highlights have to do with the actual game play, things like winning a huge hand or losing after being an overwhelming favorite. Achievements are displayed on a player’s profile page.
Similar to achievements are missions, again, something gamers know well. The differences between missions and achievements are that players will know what their missions are and can actively work to complete them and players will actually be rewarded for doing so. There is an initial group of missions from which to choose, while others can be unlocked after completing earlier missions. Rewards come in the form of cash, tournament tickets, bonuses, tournament dollars, or PartyPoints.
Adding to the social aspect of the game is the new friends list, which works similar to a friends list on, say, Facebook. Players can search for people they know (by screen name or e-mail address) or invite a player who they see at the tables to be their friend. PartyPoker will even give recommendations as to players someone might know. Like on Facebook, players must accept another’s friend request. Players can see where their friends are playing and will also be provided notifications when a friend hits an achievement or completes a mission (those notifications can be turned off).
While players were excited for the new software, last week’s launch was a minor disaster. The software was incredibly laggy, players experienced frequent crashes, graphics were glitch, tables wouldn’t open, and more. PartyPoker has worked to solve many of the problems, but players are still having issues today (including me – I had the software freeze on me while simply observing and had to force it close).
