Messages

1

Help Me / Re: H.O.R.S.E. settings and layout.

« on: August 18, 2008, 03:54:52 PM »

Here is how I handled the setup for H.O.R.S.E.:

First of all, I'd like to thank Corey for all his hard work (and everybody else involved).  I have been a long time user (over 3 years).  It has been the best $30 I could have spent.  It has made my life as a Tournament Director in my home game a lot better.  I can focus more on playing and less on everything else.

I have a suggestion for the next release (I just downloaded 2.5 so I know this has not been done yet). 

Recently, I have decided to start hosting tournaments in formats other than No Limit Texas Hold'em.  Even more recently, this has led to mixed game tournament formats (Omaha8/Stud8, S.H.O.E., H.O.R.S.E.).  The problem I run into when setting up my Layouts for these mixed games is switching between "blind" format games (Hold'em & Omaha) to "stud" format games (Stud & Razz).  For the "blind" format games I use the Ante, Small Blind, Big Blind, Limit 1, Limit 2 cells just as they are intended to be used.  However, for the "stud" format games I have to use the Small Blind field for the "Bring-In" and the Big Blind field for the "Complete". 

It is not difficult to create a layout for games where the whole tournament is either "blind" or "stud" format.  It is not even that difficult to create a layout where the format switches from "blind" to "stud" every other round (i.e. Omaha8/Stud8) because you can base the labels on even or odd rounds.  What becomes REALLY difficult is to switch between formats for S.H.O.E. or H.O.R.S.E. tournaments.  Now I am no longer able to base the labels on odd/even rounds and it becomes more difficult when you have to consider what the format is for the next round as well. 

Here is what I do now as a workaround:  I created a new screen for each format (I used "Main Screen - H", "Main Screen - O", "Main Screen - R/S", and "Main Screen - E").  Note that the same screen can be used for the Razz and Stud Hi rounds.  Each screen takes into account the current format and the format for the next round.  Next, I create one Screen Set for each round and each Break.  Finally, I associate the appropriate screen to the screen set where the labels will be correct ("Main Screen - H" to Screen Set for round 1, "Main Screen - O" to Screen Set for round 2, etc.).  I have found this to be very time consuming and prone to error.

I think there should be 2 new Layout Cell Property Group Conditions for "Betting type is" and "Betting type next round is".  These conditions should have a dropdown containing "Blinds" and "Stud" (and any other types there are). 

Or, alternatively, there could be 2 new Layout Cell Property Group Conditions for "Game name is" and "Game name next round is".  This would require a few more Property Groups for each cell, but I think this may give the application more flexibility.

I hope this wasn't too confusing.  Thanks again for all the hard work.

-Tony

2

Suggestions / Re: Suggestion: New Layout Cell Property Group Conditions

« on: March 10, 2008, 02:28:40 PM »

Sounds perfect.  Thanks for the quick reply!

3

Suggestions / Suggestion: New Layout Cell Property Group Conditions

« on: March 10, 2008, 01:46:02 PM »

First of all, I'd like to thank Corey for all his hard work (and everybody else involved).  I have been a long time user (over 3 years).  It has been the best $30 I could have spent.  It has made my life as a Tournament Director in my home game a lot better.  I can focus more on playing and less on everything else.

I have a suggestion for the next release (I just downloaded 2.5 so I know this has not been done yet). 

Recently, I have decided to start hosting tournaments in formats other than No Limit Texas Hold'em.  Even more recently, this has led to mixed game tournament formats (Omaha8/Stud8, S.H.O.E., H.O.R.S.E.).  The problem I run into when setting up my Layouts for these mixed games is switching between "blind" format games (Hold'em & Omaha) to "stud" format games (Stud & Razz).  For the "blind" format games I use the Ante, Small Blind, Big Blind, Limit 1, Limit 2 cells just as they are intended to be used.  However, for the "stud" format games I have to use the Small Blind field for the "Bring-In" and the Big Blind field for the "Complete". 

It is not difficult to create a layout for games where the whole tournament is either "blind" or "stud" format.  It is not even that difficult to create a layout where the format switches from "blind" to "stud" every other round (i.e. Omaha8/Stud8) because you can base the labels on even or odd rounds.  What becomes REALLY difficult is to switch between formats for S.H.O.E. or H.O.R.S.E. tournaments.  Now I am no longer able to base the labels on odd/even rounds and it becomes more difficult when you have to consider what the format is for the next round as well. 

Here is what I do now as a workaround:  I created a new screen for each format (I used "Main Screen - H", "Main Screen - O", "Main Screen - R/S", and "Main Screen - E").  Note that the same screen can be used for the Razz and Stud Hi rounds.  Each screen takes into account the current format and the format for the next round.  Next, I create one Screen Set for each round and each Break.  Finally, I associate the appropriate screen to the screen set where the labels will be correct ("Main Screen - H" to Screen Set for round 1, "Main Screen - O" to Screen Set for round 2, etc.).  I have found this to be very time consuming and prone to error.

I think there should be 2 new Layout Cell Property Group Conditions for "Betting type is" and "Betting type next round is".  These conditions should have a dropdown containing "Blinds" and "Stud" (and any other types there are). 

Or, alternatively, there could be 2 new Layout Cell Property Group Conditions for "Game name is" and "Game name next round is".  This would require a few more Property Groups for each cell, but I think this may give the application more flexibility.

I hope this wasn't too confusing.  Thanks again for all the hard work.

-Tony