So, what is Coke saying? We’ve all had a digital representation of ourselves for quite sometime. But, the majority of those have been text based. User names, emails, et cetera. Are we moving into a time where we are all represented by avatars. 3D ones. Well, if Coke says we are, then we must be. What do you think?

Sampling of avatars available on Full Tilt Poker

As a game designer and avid online (and live) poker player myself, I have often thought about ways in which the overall online poker user experience can be improved, and whether a move towards an immersive 3D environment will help bring gameplay closer to the casino poker room. This notion is promising, but the hurdles are many. User Centric’s dissection and interesting suggestions regarding advancements in avatar validity are worthwhile. That said, they analyze avatars out of context and don’t address the core problems of replicating live poker gameplay online.

+ What makes tells (subtle changes in a player’s expression or behavior that offer clues about one’s hand) useful is that they are UNCONSCIOUS and UNCONTROLLABLE. Avatars are both chosen and manipulated quite consciously; the choice of avatar and expression (where possible) might offer some insight into the psychological state of a player, but it would be related to the player’s DELIBERATE action rather than some inadvertent gesture. This is simply not as useful.

+ Secondly, many, if not most, players choose to NOT use avatars. Good players tend to focus on only the relevant data (see below) and ignore everything else. In fact, many players, myself included, hack the user interface to be as minimalist as possible and more usable for playing simultaneously on many tables (these modifications are widely available online). Moreover, even though a player can shut off avatar displays, other players still perceive him to have an avatar. Players would see a default avatar that obviously has absolutely nothing to do with anything; I don’t even know what my avatar is because I turned off that feature the second I installed the software.

+ Finally, and probably most importantly, there is an overwhelming amount of data available about other players’ gameplay that is SIGNIFICANTLY more relevant than their avatar choice, expression, or anything else they may choose consciously. Poker tracking software is extremely popular, even amongst novice players, to the point that it is considered necessary. Focusing on the gameplay data, ranging from general notions such as loose/tight or passive/aggressive to the extreme minutia of what players tend to do in a very specific situation, is much more fruitful.

[source: Elysium Eilde]

My current suggestion for improving online poker gameplay is to focus on information that CANNOT be controlled by the user, but rather is an unconscious byproduct of their play. For example, though not mentioned in the User Centric analysis, Full Tilt Poker displays a little symbol next to users that have achieved ‘Iron Man’ status. This means that they have played a ridiculous amount of hands in the previous month, which in turn means that they are MUCH more likely to be competent players (a bad player is less likely to sustain himself over so many hands without going broke). This symbol is automatic and can’t be hidden by the player; consequently, it is a significantly more useful cue than the player’s avatar selection. Another example that could be provided by the poker site (let’s sweep aside privacy and ethical concerns for now) is the duration someone has been playing for. Again, knowing that it is 6AM and my opponent has been on this table for 13 hours (it happens) is much more relevant information.

In general, approaching online poker with the notion that it could become closer to “real” poker sets one up for failure. As any veteran player will tell you they are very different games, for several reasons. Most pertinent is the sheer amount of data provided by tracking software afforded to players – there is nothing even close to this in live play. Players usually play multiple tables, and coupled with much faster gameplay online, see many more hands per hour. One effect of this is that online players tend to play better hands and be more patient, vastly altering gameplay and hand strength requirements.

I would of course absolutely love to partake in an online poker experience that mirrors live gameplay, but I’ll probably have to wait until players’ images or avatars can be beamed directly to a virtual table in real-time. Please don’t forget the cocktail waitresses.