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Not really impressed with tournament director software. Any interest in this? (1 Viewer)

wmcstudios

wmcstudios

Sitting Out
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Hey all - I’ve been looking for a solid software solution to run tournament style play with auto-timed blind raises. I already checked out Travis Poker Timer and a few others listed on the forums here. Some are pretty decent. I was just wondering if anyone has settled on one that they *really* love.

I’m a designer and programmer by trade. I may consider building an app with a visualizer, maybe an iTunes or Groove embedded player and some actual modern, well-designed UI. If anyone is interested, I’ll make this an ongoing development thread and put together some UI design options.

I’d like to make a contribution to the community as a new member if I can! Maybe if we can get it to a finished product, I’ll make it free for everyone on PCF.

For now I’m just gauging interest. Projects like this often get abandoned, but the least I can do is slap together a design and see if it gains momentum.
 
I’m interested! I haven’t spent much time looking at tournament software, but when I have I’ve not been impressed. I also have an IT background and find it surprising.
 
I’m looking to running a tournament in April and haven’t started the process of looking at software yet. I’d be happy to be a test dummy for you if you need one.
 
GetUrShineBox said:
I’m looking to running a tournament in April and haven’t started the process of looking at software yet. I’d be happy to be a test dummy for you if you need one.
Click to expand...
I don’t know if I could spin up a viable test version by April. I’m going to start with just a visual design to see if there is interest, but if I do get some time to develop one I’ll definitely let you know and send it over for a test run! Also due to the nature of software dev... I don’t know if I’d trust a beta version with a tournament where people’s money is on the line. Probably better to let all the bugs get worked out first!
 
I really like Blind Valet but only need it 2-3 times per year, or 0 when covid hit this year so I cannot justify the monthly fee.
I am not sure if you can just buy it for 1 month and then cancel, anyway if you are looking for inspiration that is a good place to start IMO.
 
I use the simple Poker Timer app which I use on a large iPad Pro or kick that over to a screen if desired. It does the basics well and does a good job and tourney structure suggestions while being easily adjustable.

I like the idea of keeping track of the season details as well as cash game results etc. for the fun of it but some records I would just prefer to leave off the books.
 
Forty4 said:
Blinds Up was an app by a guy on this site a few years ago. I was pleased with it and used it up until last year will use it again when we resume play.
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This. If you want some ideas and inspiration, check out Blinds Up. It is an Apple only app though. The UI and interfaces are awesome, but the creator pretty much abandoned it and hasn't seen an update for years.
 
wmcstudios said:
I’m a designer and programmer by trade. I may consider building an app with a visualizer, maybe an iTunes or Groove embedded player and some actual modern, well-designed UI. If anyone is interested, I’ll make this an ongoing development thread and put together some UI design options.
Click to expand...
Great initiative!
wmcstudios said:
I’d like to make a contribution to the community as a new member if I can! Maybe if we can get it to a finished product, I’ll make it free for everyone on PCF.
Click to expand...
If you decide to monetize it, please allow the option for "pay as you go" type plans. For example, if I for a small fee can have full access for, say, 3 days, then I can prepare, test, and run a tournament without needing an expensive subscription. Because this:
ChipTalker said:
I really like Blind Valet but only need it 2-3 times per year, or 0 when covid hit this year so I cannot justify the monthly fee.
I am not sure if you can just buy it for 1 month and then cancel, anyway if you are looking for inspiration that is a good place to start IMO.
Click to expand...
made me stop using BlindValet for anything except the clock. The free version basically only allows the blind structure and clock. I've been in correspondence with the developer about this, but so far no luck...

THRA5H3R said:
Every time I think about developing software like this, I always turn to the database first. How much do you really want to keep track of? Do you want all history, or is this just for simple home games? The rabbit hole goes so deep...
Click to expand...
One thing I suggested to blindvalet was to save all actions (new levels, player eliminations, rebuys/addons, etc) with timestamps (real time and tourney time) and allow the user to download a CSV. That way you can keep track of everything, and mine the data to get @Poker Zombie style statistics. He was intrigued but nothing happened. Perhaps @wmcstudios can oblige? :-)
 
I did like the blindtimer from pokerroom.com
Was free, good to read graphic and easy to change parameters
AF31F6A2-EAAA-4B38-9F8E-A81955D8C4F9.jpeg
 
Definitely interested! I would love to test/provide feedback.
Currently I’m running Poker Timer (paid version)
 
I like blind valet and tournament director.

Tournamnet director isnt easy in handling (at least for me) but when you get used to it you can also open up mix games and not just NL Holdem
 
Eloe2000 said:
I use the simple Poker Timer app which I use on a large iPad Pro or kick that over to a screen if desired. It does the basics well and does a good job and tourney structure suggestions while being easily adjustable.

I like the idea of keeping track of the season details as well as cash game results etc. for the fun of it but some records I would just prefer to leave off the books.
Click to expand...
This is interesting... maybe including a randomize-purge of a table would be a good function

THRA5H3R said:
Sounds like some selective encryption could be a feature.
Click to expand...
Someone else mentioned there was some data they’d want to keep off the books. I’m going to consult a colleague who’s a CLI ninja and see if it’s possible to purge and randomize data from a single dataset like that. The way data is written may make that difficult... true forensic purging might be limited by sector size and drive allocation of data.

Forty4 said:
Blinds Up was an app by a guy on this site a few years ago. I was pleased with it and used it up until last year will use it again when we resume play.
Click to expand...
I may reach out to them... if he’d be willing to set up a git repo so I can branch his code base I could contribute a really well designed and dynamic UI. I’m going for a game timer/manager that’s actually a visual masterpiece... like the centerpiece of the game experience. I might actually look to Unity to make a dimensional ui environment.
 
SixSpeedFury said:
This. If you want some ideas and inspiration, check out Blinds Up. It is an Apple only app though. The UI and interfaces are awesome, but the creator pretty much abandoned it and hasn't seen an update for years.
Click to expand...
I have Blinds Up, and use it regularly. My players really like the knockout/hitman graphic. I loved that I could use my iPad to show it on my TV. Best Apple product, too bad its been abandoned.
 
Eloe2000 said:
I use the simple Poker Timer app which I use on a large iPad Pro or kick that over to a screen if desired. It does the basics well and does a good job and tourney structure suggestions while being easily adjustable.

I like the idea of keeping track of the season details as well as cash game results etc. for the fun of it but some records I would just prefer to leave off the books.
Click to expand...
I also run the free Poker Timer app on my iPad during our tournaments. It would be nice to have a little more customization - especially if the OP makes his version free to PCF members. Definitely interested.
 
Himewad said:
I also run the free Poker Timer app on my iPad during our tournaments. It would be nice to have a little more customization - especially if the OP makes his version free to PCF members. Definitely interested.
Click to expand...
I paid for the pro version but I don’t even recall when the be edit is. But I do know for sure that I wouldn’t use anything that required a desktop installation. It’s mobile app for me or nothing.
 
Eloe2000 said:
I paid for the pro version but I don’t even recall when the be edit is. But I do know for sure that I wouldn’t use anything that required a desktop installation. It’s mobile app for me or nothing.
Click to expand...
For sure. An iPad screen is large enough to get the job done, and transportability is ideal.
 
Quite interested.

I have been using the PokerDIY timer on my computer for years, but like so many timers that came out during the poker boom, it has since been abandoned. I'm still quite happy (about 90% or so) with it, but it operates on Microsoft's SIlverlight framework, which Microsoft will stop supporting in October 2021. As such, the next time I upgrade my computer, MS may be on a new OS, and the PokerDIY timer won't work.

Knowing that I'm coming to the end of a road, along with the absence of free timers, makes this a mild stressor in my life. If you could make a new timer, I would be very thankful.
 
Eloe2000 said:
I paid for the pro version but I don’t even recall when the be edit is. But I do know for sure that I wouldn’t use anything that required a desktop installation. It’s mobile app for me or nothing.
Click to expand...
If I built a web code version, I could build in angular and deploy for web, win, osx, iOS, android etc. with just some viewport tweaks and package options I believe. I do want to build a more robust visual experience... OOP would be more appropriate for that combined with an existing engine like unity or unreal to create the visualizer. Not sure what I’m going to do yet... I’m going to design it visually first, then decide on the tech stack. I’m better at front-end if any other programmers or the original author of Blinds Up sees this and wants to get involved! I’ll start working on the UI this week in between client work.
 
Poker Zombie said:
Quite interested.

I have been using the PokerDIY timer on my computer for years, but like so many timers that came out during the poker boom, it has since been abandoned. I'm still quite happy (about 90% or so) with it, but it operates on Microsoft's SIlverlight framework, which Microsoft will stop supporting in October 2021. As such, the next time I upgrade my computer, MS may be on a new OS, and the PokerDIY timer won't work.

Knowing that I'm coming to the end of a road, along with the absence of free timers, makes this a mild stressor in my life. If you could make a new timer, I would be very thankful.
Click to expand...
Silverlight. Very happy that’s going the way of flash... to the internet history graveyard.

I think this will be a fun side project to get my chops back up to speed. Running a business and delegating the dev side of things has made me rusty. Happy to make an attempt at it at least! No promises on the outcome yet though.
 

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