FTP Answers 11/22

[FTPDoug]

Thanks for all the suggestions in the last thread. If you haven't seen it, please check here before posting:
http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showfl...rt=all&vc=1


1. Lag
-If you are still experiencing lag, look at this thread: http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showfl...rue#Post8049571

We believe it is related to Hand Histories, and external programs that read from those Hand Histories. Basically the text files are constantly getting opened and closed, so multi-tablers have a million things going on behind the scenes. Some anti-virus programs are adding to the problem too. We think we have a fix on our end that should go out within a few weeks. In the meantime, see the thread I posted for some solutions to the problem.

2. 'Sit out next blind' for speed tables.
-Very good idea, I've added it as a feature request. Any other suggestions on our speed tables? I personally wonder whether they play faster, or whether faster players just flock to them.

3. Is the Aussie Millions 18+ or 21+?
-The actual tournament is 18+. As far as qualifying on Full Tilt, we are requiring players to be 21. It has something to do with legal reasons, traveling outside the country, etc. That being said, if you are 18 and you win an Aussie package on the site, we aren't going to confiscate the money. We might convert it to cash, or send you to the 2009 Aussie Millions.

3. "Is there a way to prevent the lobby from popping up each time a table that I am on the waitlist for is available."
-Probably, I'm logging that as a bug.

4. The 50%, 75%, 150% resizable table idea is great. I'm going to push for it.

5. "Question on the new table view: It will be optional, right? I've grown accustomed to the tables as they are and I fear change."
-It will be optional. And the new and old views will both have options to hide avatars.

6. We are working on some Ironman improvements for 2007. Easy opt in/out. Special gear items for Ironmen, including the ability to buy tokens/tournament buy-ins. And I would like to see the ability to spend points to buy a day. So if you go on vacation for a week, you don't have to give up your status.

7. Bots
-I obviously can't disclose too much in regard to our bot policies, since making our detection methods public would make them obsolete. At this time, it is our stance that a reactive approach is good enough. That is, we look forevidence of bot play after the fact. The Party method is more proactive, but the trade-off is an invasion of privacy that we just aren't comfortable with at the moment.

That being said, the Party bot thread was quite disturbing, and we are always re-thinking our policies.

A few people brought up points that it's not really in a site's best interest to prevent bots. In the short term, they might be right. But I have two responses to that.

More than any other site, we pride ourselves as a site built by poker players, for poker players. Some of the best poker players in the world gave input (as well as an endorsement) for this site, and we continue to value the input of core poker players like yourselves. No matter how much additional rake we could generate by allowing team play, bots, etc...we wouldn't do it.

Secondly, in the long run, a site is better of running a clean game. All it takes is one disgruntled employee, one 60 Minutes special, or one giant pokertracker database that could easily prove the deal isn't random. How many people are scared of the 10-20 at Party after that thread?

That's just a response to people who say site's like bots for financial. In the short run, they might be right, but overall it makes sense to take a firm stance against them. More importantly, it's the right thing to do.

*

Edit/MH: Fixed date in title of post, only.

[TylerD]

What about the store, any ideas on when electronics etc. will be added? I see a lot of stuff waiting to be done, any ideas when this will happen (spec. resizeable tables).

[Allinlife]

CUSTOM FILTERS PLZ

[jt1]

Good post! To fix LAG, I manually import HH every 20 minutes or so at a time when I am not in any hands. I also turn off all spyware and music before import. It seems to fix the freezing.

The bot thread was indeed very disturbing. I don't mind a reactive approach as long as FTP is investigating. I've been winning at FTP for 3 months with very tight play. IMO, my account should have been flagged as a possible bot. It seems to be that simply calling me up while I'm playing and asking me a question about a particular hand would verify that I'm a human player.

[TylerD]

not to hi-jack but could some give me the cliff notes of the party bot thread.

[Percula]

[ QUOTE ]
not to hi-jack but could some give me the cliff notes of the party bot thread.

[/ QUOTE ]

There are several bots that are/were making money (1-2BB/100) at the Party mid stake LHE games. Several of the 2+2 regulars are losers to them too.

[bonds]

[ QUOTE ]
I also turn off all spyware and music before import. It seems to fix the freezing.

[/ QUOTE ]

I need to try that.

[Percula]

The new deep tables seem to be a success which I am thankful for. However, they are not really deep tables when you allow people to buy-in for 20BB or any amount less than 100BB. How about you really spread a deep stack game, 100BB minimum and 400BB maximum. Or if you are too worried about players busting too fast at 400BB, 300BB or even 200B, but the minimum has to come up from where it is now...

I like the tables because I like deep stack NL poker. When I have to sit with half the table buying in for <100BB, many with the minimum possible, I can no longer "play poker" with these players past the flop, as any serious action PF and on the flop results with them AI before the turn or river. I would rather play poker instead of flipping coins for 20BB at time.

Also it wouldn't hurt to put their existence on the "news" pop up on log in. Considering they are all non traditional limits, many players have no idea they are even there. It is VERY common during a session to have some observer pop in with "what is 'deep 6'?". Maybe even talk one of your pros into doing a "tips" on deep stack play.

[brick]

The deep stack tables are pretty cool. Thanks FTP.


When are the mixed games coming?

[Percula]

Doug,

Another bone to pick...

There is a basic security flaw in the way all the poker sites are doing their accounts, including FTP.

The bottom line is that having the screen name (SN) the same as the account name (AN) is a bad idea. Since my SN is the same as my AN, any half smart script kiddie can now launch a dictionary attack on my account and sooner or later crack my account and gain instant access to all my funds at FT.

If you do not tie the AN with the SN, you have made cracking poker accounts harder by orders of magnitude. Or put another way, why would any dedicate the time and money to crack poker accounts if they did have a "known good" target to go after. After all it would be pretty stupid/wasteful to crack some account only to find out it was a play money account with no real value as opposed to cracking say Phil Ivey's account.

While I am on my rant... A couple of other security features would be nice too, like expiring passwords, requiring strong passwords. And if you no longer tie AN or SN, have a account lock out after X failed login attempts that sends an email to the registered email address for the account. Oh and make sure you have enough support staff to support the calls on locked accounts.