Holdem Tournament Timer App?

[Gardoon]

1 - Color and denomination are fine. Might be a problem to fit it all on the timer page. Is a second page fine for that or would you prefer to see if I can fit it on the main screen?
All tournaments I've been a part of just had a set number of chips regardless of the buy-in amount. Chip-to-cash ratios are irrelevant for tournaments, no? Maybe I don't quite understand what you mean by "denote how many of each chip each player gets based on the number of players entered". Please elaborate.
2 - No problem. In counters I've seen, the break sometimes starts immediately after the previous round ends. In online tourney's I've played, they wait to start the break counter until all tables have completed. I'll start with the second way, but might add an option to allow for the first way if desired (wanted?)
3 - Is this also cool for another screen? And how do you prefer rounding? Weighted or floored? For example, $65 pot, 65/35 split. Does 2nd place get $22 or $23? Or should I just leave the cents in there for the user to choose?
4 - Shouldn't be a problem.

I'll probably get started on it tonight and let you know how it comes along.

[Ciege]

Yes on your questions of 2nd/3rd/etc pages... The front page should remain uncluttered and contain the minimum stuff for the timer, blinds, round #, next blinds, etc...

What I mean by: "denote how many of each chip each player gets based on the number of players entered"... For example, I have my chips I use for my tourneys... Others have their chips. I have most reds, then blues, then greens, then blacks, then whites. I use an excel spreadsheet the I enter the $ value of my reds/blues/etc... Then In a cell I enter the total $ starting amount (not the buy in - Buy in could be $20 but our blind structure is set up for a $1500 starting amount). My spreadsheet then calculates how many reds/blues/etc... each player gets. However, if we want to change the starting amount to $3000 (for example at another tourney) have the app recalculate how many of each chip each player gets. Make sense? The starting amount changes when we want to keep the same blinds but adjust the length of the tourney... Just an easy way to calculate stating chip count is all. Not necessary, but you asked for my requests...

For #2, I don’t really care either way. second option is fine. But if you do first then put in a pause button on the timer screen so we can pause the timer (break or game) anytime we want.

For #3 I would round to the nearest $. Nobody brings change to a tourney. heck almost nobody brings anything other than $20s since they all stop at the ATM on the way over!


Cool, let me know what you come up with... I'll help in any way I can. I am actually a C# developer (client server & web) but have never written a windows mobile app. Sounds like a good time to start looking at the code structure.

Thanks!

[Gardoon]

The code structure is no different. There can be a fair amount of interop necessary as well as extension of seemingly basic classes. The major difference is debugging. But once you get it all set up for the first time, it's not much different than any web or windows app.

How does your spreadsheet figure it out? When I play with 1500 starting chip value, We went 1 500, 5 100, 8 50, 10 10. But if I write an algorithm to minimize chips, it'll just say 3 500.

[Ciege]

What I did was use some math with weighted percentages to determine how to distribute the chip count.

Since I had more chips of the lowest denomination I gave it a higher percentage to distribute to (say 25%). Other percentages where then applied to the other chip values. When the initial pass was completed I checked what remainder was left that I needed to fulfill. I then would fulfill that remainder with remaining chip values that would use the least amount of physical chips.

I.e.
) first pass would get as close to $1500 worth of chips without going over using the percentages for each chip value.
) second pass would determine how much was left to distribute, then determine what chips could fulfill that amount using the least amount of chips possible
) finally it would allocate that amount


This is probably a lot more work than necessary for this app. And can be tabled. But might be a fun exercise in the future to attempt to tackle.

[Ciege]

This PDF (not mine by the way) is pretty close to what I do in my spreadsheet. heck, I may just link this from my phone and not need the whole chip count thing in the app.

http://www.homepokertourney.com/docs...calculator.pdf


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Update: Too bad. It seems the PDF reader on WinMo does not do edits like required. Ugh...

[Gardoon]

Just wanted to give a quick update. I have family staying with me right now and they may be here for another week or more.

So far what I have done is a timer display along with the ability for the backlight to remain on while the app is open. At some point I will make a three-way option of backlight always on, backlight off but phone on, and let my phone settings manage. But my main focus will be primary functionality. User options will come later.

Just wanted to let you know that I haven't forgotten!

[viper8u2]

cool thanks for the update

[Hypnotic2010]

This is the one I use:

http://navsoft.co.uk/pokerclock.htm
♠ Poker iClock

Poker iClock is a versatile timer for poker tournaments. It runs on any Windows Mobile or Smartphone platform in any screen resolution or orientation.

Features:

• 24 possible Blind levels and 12 associated Ante levels
  (ante levels not available for Smartphone)
• Selectable blind duration from 3 to 55 minutes, change possible during any level
• Voice announcements for current small and big blind
• Default .wav file announcements for Start, 1 minute warning and blinds up
• Customisable sound effects - upload your own .wav file
  (not Smartphone)
• Timer can be paused at any time
• Level can be reset, moved back or forward at any time
• Tournament can be reset at any time
• Display for total duration of tournament

Trial cab attatched:

[Gardoon]

Thanks for the post, Hypnotic.

Viper/Ciege,
Can you guys look at this one and tell me what you think? If it does everything you want, there may be little point in me continuing to write a new one.

[Ciege]

Thanks for the update Gardoon.
I will take a look at this other app as soon as I can. Only thing I can see so far is that the poster said this is a trial app, which probably means it costs. Not that I have anything against that, but would rather not have to pay for it.