Poker Games?

[Mister Pink]

First of all, I don't care to play for real money. Maybe down the road I will be but for now I'm becoming obsessed with poker. I'm playing Prominence Poker on Xbox One. It's pretty addictive. I've got up as far as Platinum Ranking and have had some good streaks, like winning three tournaments in a row. I've also been playing the seven-deuce game with myself and bluffing wins with 7-2 which has just been hilarious for me. I've been playing for about 3 weeks now and have over 50% of achievements. I'm quite happy with my progress. Eventually I would like to get in to the casino and play in some real tournaments but for now I'm happy playing for the love of the game itself.

 

Prominence Poker is great because you have an avatar that you can customize and buy new swag for. This is what I miss in other online poker games. I do love playing poker in RDR and it was pretty decent in Watch Dogs too. I was disappointed there was no poker in GTA V. I mean that was a missed opportunity to have an awesome side-game to play where it could have been legit in the casino or underground like The Sopranos card game or in Watch Dogs instead we got Yoga and Tennis.

 

Anyone else play Poker games? Would you like to see more poker in videogames?

 

I didn't make this video but if anyone is curious about Prominence Poker..

 

Edited February 11, 2018 by Mister Pink

[Tokasmoka]

I liked Prominence poker for ps4 but hardly anyone played when I tried it. What I really like is the offline against CPU's but it is kind of slow. They need more players and a turbo mode.

 

My beef with every poker game is the sit and go tourneys. People just go all in right away and if they bust out, meh, but if they win they AFK forever so they're in the money. I mean I was guilty of that on pokerstars but it kind of kills the point of sit n go's.

[chronic lumbago]

I really enjoyed my poker days in Red Dead Redemption. After dealing with a stressful day of killing bandits, robbing a store and capturing a lady and accidentally dropping her at the train tracks, there was no better way to end the day than to walk soaked from rainwater into a local bar, order a drink and blow your money on poker.

 

I spend a fair amount of time on Yakuza's poker and other cards minigames. Yakuza did it's minigames exceptionally well. They basically put a complete card game into Yakuza, as well as table pool, bowling and others.

 

With Yakuza resting on my shelf, I see no real need to buy another Poker game though, unless I wanted to play online. I think Yakuza had online features too but I doubt anyone uses those.

 

I've had a poker app or two on my mobile phone too.

 

--going a bit off topic here but don't want to delete this--

IRL, the only gamble I'd do is slot machines. I had a phase where I was hitting some slots once or twice a month and didn't waste more than 10 bucks every time and it worked out for me. I even made profit, if I counted all my winnings. I moved out since then and the casinos over here are sh*t so yeah, I'm not playing anymore.

My mindset was simply going in to play, not going in to win. If you're going to a casino thinking that you're going to win, that's how you can get addicted. I observed a friend of mine that was getting way too excited about this after making profit once.

--

 

But back to gaming, I think harmless poker or other gamble games that include no real life bets are a very good thing since real life gambling can turn out to be a very harmful addiction. There's definetly a rush and a dopamine shot if you win irl that will keep you coming back for more. It's better to stay off it and just stick to gaming. It's very fun too.

[trip]

Yeah you bastard...Thanks to you always playing Prominence every time I see you on, I had to install it last night. Not joking.

 

I did the tutorial and tried playing one quick game but panicked. All I had to do was wait for the next hand but the 'push to join group chat' message that kept popping up scared me and I ran away*. Some of my running away was because I wasn't totally confident in how people play (or any protocol) and the tutorial had me a bit concerned because it seemed to encourage you to 'ready' your move before your turn. I kind of forgot how to do all that and didn't want to look like a total 'new guy'.

 

I love Poker as a video game. I'm a huge fan of traditional games converting over to video game medium. Heck, I've done my own conversions of card and board games. Not to brag but I did a pretty good version of Life and Battleship - network multiplayer no less.

 

I will continue to play Prominence. I grew up playing poker so I know just enough to not look totally stupid. At the end of my evening I tend to play slower games(thanks to beers not mixing with hand eye coordination and reflexes) and I saw Prominence as a good fit.

 

 

 

*I played a safe game of Wheel of Fortune instead.

Edited January 10, 2018 by trip

[El Dildo]

dunno if anyone remembers, but Watch_Dogs had an amazingly well designed poker minigame.

so much attention to detail for such an arbitrary side activity. really surprised me.

 

 

[Mister Pink]

@Tokasmoka: Yeah, the only time I went in to casual unlimited game was the day where seasons stops for about 12 hours and you can't play seasons. I bought in for 50 large and there was guys with 100 and 150g's. Lost about 30g, eventually got my money back and got the hell out! lol. Felt like an asshole because I never gave the guy a chance to win his money back - I just bolted out of there. Pity is wasn't active enough for you. On Xbox One it seems OK but some times you could be waiting 3-5 mins to match which can be frustrating.

 

@Fashion: Yeah man, I loved poker in RDR. It was the perfect activity to do when you still want to play RDR but are a little burnt out on all the other things or just want to unwind. As for real life, I've only played the slots too. There is a poker culture here in my city and there are games every night in one of the casinos but I'm really not ready to play face to face. I've only played with the same people face to face and when I meet new people my game just goes off. PP is good for playing semi-seriously as I'm keen to level up without monetary repercussions!

 

@Trip: Haha, good man! That's two of us now that influences our gaming choices! Yeah I think that's why I'm playing more poker lately. Been studying hard and I do get mental stimulation from poker but without the fast action of other games I might play. It's a perfect game to relax to.

 

@El_Diablo: Yeah dude! I got that big win too. I did it early on. It's a very good side game and GTA V could have really done with it...

 

Here's some screens of big wins I got in Watch Dogs..

 

Well, I won this pot, you'll have to take my word for it!

 

 

Edited January 11, 2018 by Mister Pink

[Cosmic Gypsy]

Surely the most important aspect of Poker, reading peoples real time reactions and facial expressions, is lost on a computer game?

[Rhoda]

Maybe so, but there are video poker machines and they work on the same principle. You lose facial expressions and other bluffing techniques, but really electronic poker is all about playing with the hand you've got, rather than playing with everybody else's. It might not be as sophisticated but you can still get some level of enjoyment out of seeing AI betting techniques.

[trip]

I've been playing Prominence for a few days now. Having tons of fun too.

 

What I've noticed is the people seem to treat it more like a video game and less like a poker game. There is a lot of wild high bets and tons of all ins. Way more loosey goosey. It's still all about winning the pot...it just feels like there are different philosophies to get there.

[Mister Pink]

I've been playing Prominence for a few days now. Having tons of fun too.

 

What I've noticed is the people seem to treat it more like a video game and less like a poker game. There is a lot of wild high bets and tons of all ins. Way more loosey goosey. It's still all about winning the pot...it just feels like there are different philosophies to get there.

 

Yes! Exactly. When I tried to apply real poker strategy to the game, I found myself failing. It was like the more I tried applying what I learned from watching WSOP and all the pros, the more I failed in PP. It is played more like a video game and it's fun and unique in that respect.

 

As you level up you will notice the games getting a little more serious. Nobody gets knocked out early, the blinds get so high they do start to cripple you when you have a short stack forcing you to fold most hands and only play with the best hands.

[trip]

Just wanted to share this.

 

Sorry for the poor quality. We don't believe in indoor lighting and I don't like taking indoor phone pics with flash.

 

One of my dogs likes video games that have people. Colonel Ted Pudding has been getting pretty involved in Prominence.

[Presidential]

Nice TV and Prominence is a fun ass game. Been playing it myself.

[Mister Pink]

I love the ambient lighting in your house Trip. It's the only way I can relax in my own house. Also the TV shouldn't be competing with any other light, just like your place.

 

Today, I'm ranked up the highest I've been in Prominence Poker. Number 39! I'm sure it's the highest I've ever been on any online game. I'm still ranked in Platinum but hope to make Diamond tonight or tomorrow. Wish me luck!

 

Edited February 10, 2018 by Mister Pink

[El Dildo]

What I've noticed is the people seem to treat it more like a video game and less like a poker game. There is a lot of wild high bets and tons of all ins. Way more loosey goosey. It's still all about winning the pot...it just feels like there are different philosophies to get there.

Yes! Exactly. When I tried to apply real poker strategy to the game, I found myself failing. It was like the more I tried applying what I learned from watching WSOP and all the pros, the more I failed in PP.

this is the problem with 'Free' poker games.

or any casino game played without cash. it's basically pointless.

 

if you're not playing for any stakes, then there's no reason to take it seriously, because there's never any risk. poker games are ruined by free platforms. if you enjoy getting dealt some cards and just dicking around trying to make a hand that's great.... but you'll never actually experience the kind of excitement that makes [real] poker such a timeless and classic game. you'll never get to apply any techniques. you'll never get to practice different strategies. you'll never have the opportunity to 'read' your opponents or pull off a big bluff or a gutsy call.

 

cards and gambling are one of the oldest human passtimes but it only works if you're playing for something. anything. but playing for nothing gets old fast.

Edited February 10, 2018 by El Diablo

[Mister Pink]

Yes! Exactly. When I tried to apply real poker strategy to the game, I found myself failing. It was like the more I tried applying what I learned from watching WSOP and all the pros, the more I failed in PP.

this is the problem with 'Free' poker games.

or any casino game played without cash. it's basically pointless.

 

if you're not playing for any stakes, then there's no reason to take it seriously, because there's never any risk. poker games are ruined by free platforms. if you enjoy getting dealt some cards and just dicking around trying to make a hand that's great.... but you'll never actually experience the kind of excitement that makes [real] poker such a timeless and classic game. you'll never get to apply any techniques. you'll never get to practice different strategies. you'll never have the opportunity to 'read' your opponents or pull off a big bluff or a gutsy call.

 

cards and gambling are one of the oldest human passtimes but it only works if you're playing for something. anything. but playing for nothing gets old fast.

 

 

While I mostly agree with you, it's worth pointing out that people do have a reason to play. You don't have an endless stream of cash. I mean it's easy to earn money but you can also blow it all in unlimited buy-in games.

 

There's are enough incentives to play to win:

 

• Earning money to buy new clothes, accessories, table items and "boosts" for those table items.
• Move up the ranks to unlock mentioned items.
• Bragging rights
• Winning is fun and people will always be competitive and to win, you need to concentrate and play poker.

As for reading people. Yes, you can pick up on player's betting habits such as overbetting on crap hands to muscle in on stealing the blinds or underbetting when pocket aces etc. You can also still lay traps and "check" even if you know you all ready have a set of kings, prompting the other guy to raise, then you shock them by re-raising and they've gone too deep they call and you win big.

 

And I disagree that poker is only fun or works for monetary gain. It certainly helps and adds a lot of excitement. I get what you mean though.. if people are playing for real money then supposedly it adds a tension, people are less likely to clown around and the game is played more seriously. But really, don't underestimate people's competitiveness and wanting to win. Winning a no-cash game doesn't sound as thrilling but it's quite fun when you've pulled off some bluffs, called someone out on a bluff, went all-in and beat two people etc. It's more engaging than you might imagine and has a really strong fanbase. I'm starting to go to real friendly games in my city but it's also great to practices and strive to get to "Diamond" ranking in Prominence Poker.

 

As I said, as you go up the ranks, it get's super-hard and people play super-tight and aggressive. Games can go on for over an hour which is obviously quite long for a online game.

[trip]

this is the problem with 'Free' poker games.

or any casino game played without cash. it's basically pointless.

Not entirely pointless.

 

There are a few instances with me where poker on the Xbox totally works. I don't watch a lot of TV but have a lot of time to kill. Poker fills a perfect chill spot where I don't need to worry about reflexes or following along stories or whatever.

 

The game still offers the same good feeling of winning and bad feeling of losing like any good game should. It still feels like good old risk reward stuff.

 

Even if it is pretend money I still get that feeling of "in your face"!!! When I win a big hand.

 

*any game where I can comfortably drink a beer while playing gets bonus points in my book.

[-LN-]

I've been playing 'Prominence Poker' on PS4 since the summer of last year; I've completed all of the solo matches against the AI personalities and now I strictly play ranked tournaments - though I have yet to try the ranked H2H matches. All in all, it has been a blast; I learnt the game of poker at a very early age and I played very seriously (both online and offline) for a number of years. Though the game has its flaws, it does manage to execute a semi-realistic experience compared to most other poker or casino games that I have tried in the past. Someone who is passionate about poker would be better off avoiding games such as 'Four Kings Casino and Slots' where the poker atmosphere seems to mimic a bastardised version of bingo. However, what Mister Pink is saying is true - once you reach the Platinum and Diamond level tiers in 'Prominence Poker', the games transform into a very competitive and worthwhile battle. It doesn't matter that actual money isn't at stake - many are simply playing for higher spots on the leader board and others are high Platinum level players grinding and fighting their way to Diamond status. The points you gain or lose from a single game can easily make or break you in the long-run of a season.

 

I don't know how it is on Xbox, but there are communities on PSN that are dedicated to serious players who strive very hard each season to reach and stay within the Diamond level and place as high as they can overall. The game is flawed in the sense that it doesn't offer any incentives for most overall points or overall ranking at the end of each season; therefore, a good number of players will simply stop playing once they reach the Diamond level in order to simply cash in on the bonuses at the end of the season, which are the same each season no matter how high you manage to place within each specified tier. In other words, the number one overall ranked player at the end of the season will receive the same bonuses as someone who finishes the season with a rating of 1300 (which is where the Diamond level tier begins). For finishing within the Diamond level, you receive 1,500,000 chips, a golden cigar (table item), a legendary loot case, and the ability to use "The Legendary" as your nickname within the game. Finishing within the other tiers also offer rewards at the end of a season, but as far as chips are concerned, it drops down to 500,000 for Platinum, 150,000 for Gold, 50,000 for Silver, and 20,000 for Bronze. If they managed to add incentives and bonuses for highest scores or overall placement, it would certainly help the game overall - finding an "ideal" match when you're within the Diamond tier can unfortunately be quite difficult at times, especially near the end of a season.

 

Here is something to keep in mind though - when you're queuing for a game, be sure to keep an eye on whether it is searching for an "ideal", "good", or "any" match. Although it may take time, you will eventually be placed into some sort of game. However, if you're a Diamond, you do not want to be the lone Diamond at a table full of Platinum and/or Gold players. The reason is because of the points system distribution. Even if you do happen to finish 1st amongst a table of all lower ranked players, the points you receive will rarely be worth your overall time and effort. Once you have reached Platinum, it is best to simply wait and only play "ideal" matches. If you decide to settle for "good", you will often be the lone Platinum player at a table of full of Gold players. This happened to me several times when I was Platinum (I am currently Diamond); I received 20 points for finishing 1st against all Gold (not terrible, I suppose), but in the game where I finished 2nd, I think I only made about 8 or so points at most. As you can guess, finishing lower than 2nd will often cost you points in these situations - you may gain or lose 1 or 2 points overall for placing 3rd (I'm not 100% certain which way that goes), but if you run into an unfortunate situation that takes you out of the game any earlier, well, that can often wreck havoc upon your overall progress. However, on the flip side, if you're Gold or Platinum ranked and there are a couple of Diamond ranks at your table, you stand to gain more points if they're eliminated earlier and you place 3rd or better. 3rd and better is considered a "win" within the statistical element of the game - every ranked tournament game is restricted to six players and six players only, you start with 10,000 in chips, and the blinds increase every ten minutes (the starting point is 50/100).

 

This is a great topic, Mister Pink; glad to see that you're enjoying the game and poker itself! I wish you the best on your journey into Diamond level territory. My best season was 1395 and that was good for 2nd overall at the end. However, every season is different and I've noticed that the overall scores seem to be much higher these days - there are 16 days left in the season and our current number one ranked player has 1416 points. My friend, who finished 1st last season, got all the way up to 1497!

 

I would definitely like to see more poker games or poker games within other games. Prominence Poker itself could easily benefit by adding multi-table tournaments or by simply increasing the max capacity of players to nine or ten for both tournament and cash games. Also, as I mentioned earlier, it would be absolutely incredible if they offered incentives to keep players playing after they've reached the Diamond tier. I would also like to see other poker variants included - Stud, Omaha, even some Hi-Lo split games, etc would be welcomed additions!

 

My apologies for the novel; I don't really post here very often anymore, but this topic definitely grabbed my attention. Cheers and best of luck!

Edited February 11, 2018 by -LN-

[Mister Pink]

Great to see someone else really into Prominence Poker and poker in general. You made some really great points and really explained it better than I ever could, how competitive it gets at the top. (I felt awesome saying that: "competitive at the top" )

 

Unfortunately, I can't even find one game now! I'm on a European time so maybe less players. I finally made Diamond and just by the skin of my teeth (1300). I'm in the top 29! But that also means that there are only 30 people in Diamond class on Xbox. It really seems like a privilege after all the games I've put in over the last 2 months!

 

I'm afraid to play in case I end up back in Platinum and I don't get the end of season Diamond bonus! Maybe I should just switch if off for the next two weeks?

 

 

Got my only ever Straight Flush in any poker game I've ever played...

 

Edited February 11, 2018 by Mister Pink

[-LN-]

Great to see someone else really into Prominence Poker and poker in general. You made some really great points and really explained it better than I ever could, how competitive it gets at the top. (I felt awesome saying that: "competitive at the top" )

 

Unfortunately, I can't even find one game now! I'm on a European time so maybe less players. I finally made Diamond and just by the skin of my teeth (1300). I'm in the top 29! But that also means that there are only 30 people in Diamond class on Xbox. It really seems like a privilege after all the games I've put in over the last 2 months!

 

I'm afraid to play in case I end up back in Platinum and I don't get the end of season Diamond bonus! Maybe I should just switch if off for the next two weeks?

 

 

 

Thank you so much!

 

I just had a look and there are currently 92 Diamonds on PS4; we're definitely in the same boat though - I am in 65th place with 1303 points and I haven't been able to find a game at all for well over an hour. Even when I let it switch to finding a "good" match, it doesn't seem to match me with anyone - maybe two at best, but then it quickly goes back down to zero again. I've also discovered that apparently the points you end with at the end of a season have a bit of an influence on where you start during the next season after you have completed the three provisional games.

 

I don't blame you at all for not wanting to risk it; especially since it is your first (or perhaps second?) season of ranked play. The game is fantastic when it works well and the regulars are keen on establishing their places on the leader board, but the matchmaking can be truly horrible at times once you've reached the Diamond level. I'm part of a group that posts when we're online and about to queue for a game, but if none of them are online (which appears to be the case right now), it is often very much a struggle to find anything. Perhaps it is because we are going into Monday and most players are either asleep or at work, but for whatever reason, the last couple of days have been rather painful as a whole; it seems that the vast majority are just holding onto what they currently have and aren't in the mood to risk it.

 

They definitely need to rework the points distribution and give people more of a reason to continue playing. Have you tried the cash games at all? I personally don't care for them; I've always been more of a tournament player, but unfortunately most of the cash games I've encountered on PS4 seem to be just random people table surfing and going all in every hand - no matter the cost of the blinds, their table position, or whether or not anyone has opened with a bet or entered the pot at all. It's a huge turn off; I want to play poker, not Russian Roulette.

 

Congratulations again on making it into the Diamonds though! I hope the matchmaking gets sorted and you're able to find some worthwhile games! This is definitely a game that would benefit from cross-platform play, but sadly I don't think that will ever happen. You and I have actually played a similar number of overall ranked games; you have me beat in total though; I have played 242 and won 170. Nice job on the straight flush as well!

 

Cheers!

Edited February 12, 2018 by -LN-