Thanks for purchasing PowerPOKER™ from Electronic Arts. It was an exciting first year for The Ultimate Poker Simulation™. Among the glowing reviews, version 1.0 earned 4-1/2 Mice in MacUser and a place in MacWorld’s Game Hall of Fame. I’m proud to announce that version 1.3 is Accelerated for Power Macintosh. (Now if I can only get a dollar for every PowerPC — I'll be a millionaire!)
Note that you must own a legal copy of PowerPOKER to use this upgrade. PowerPOKER 1.0 is available through Macintosh software resellers, or you can order it directly from Electronic Arts by calling 1-800-245-4525. The “PowerPOKER 1.3 Update.sit” package may be freely distributed in its entirety and without modification.
This is a pre-release BETA version of PowerPOKER 1.3. The application itself will expire (safely) at midnight on Halloween — after which it will not launch. The final 1.3 updater will be released once reasonable compatibility is assured. Your direct feedback will be most appreciated during this process. Please send bug reports to: Scenario@eWorld.com
This package includes the following files:
• READ ME (You’re doing it!)
• PowerPOKER 1.0->1.3 Updater
• New Games: 7-Card Stud, Spit Card
• New Games: Hold ‘em
• New Games: Omaha, 8 or Better
• New Options: Balloon Help
To create the PowerPOKER 1.3 program:
1. Install PowerPOKER from your original floppy disks (if it's not already on your hard disk).
2. Download the “PowerPOKER 1.3 Update.sit” package and UnStuff its contents.
3. Launch the PowerPOKER 1.0->1.3 Updater program.
4. Find the PowerPOKER file in your PowerPOKER™ folder.
5. Click the Update button.
A new file is created called “PowerPOKER 1.3”. It’s a “fat binary” program that runs on both 68K Macs and PPC Macs in native mode — And it sizzles! Your original program is left untouched.
To install the new poker games:
Drag the three game files from the New Games folder into your Games folder. Hold ‘em is a replacement, and the other two are new. These files haven’t changed since version 1.1, so you can skip this step if you already have them.
To install the new Balloon Help file:
Drag the Balloon Help file into your Options folder, replacing the old one.
Changes in version 1.3:
516
Accelerated for Power Macintosh
The PowerPOKER application is now a universal (fat binary) version that runs on both 68K and PPC Macs.
517
Multi-track Sound Effects and Dealer’s Speech.
Four sampled sound channels are now used instead of one. One is dedicated for the digitized Dealer’s Speech, and three are for Sound Effects. This allows speech and noise to overlap, so the game runs much faster and with more fluid sound. Sound Manager 3.0 is recommended.
518
New Status display graphics in Table window.
The status area at the top of the Table window now sports a new high-tech look, resembling LEDs behind rounded bezels. The drawing of these displays is handled much more efficiently now, which helps to speed the game up.
519
Dealer’s hand now snaps fingers while waiting.
While waiting for you to make a bet or pick cards, the computer dealer may get impatient and snap his fingers at you.
520
Sound Volume menu doesn’t work right.
When using Sound Manager 3.0 or a Power Macintosh, the Sound Volume submenu now sets and displays the speaker volume correctly. The old volume ranged from from 0 to 7, and now it’s 0 to 255. A “Mute” item, and a series of bullets have also been added to the menu.
521
Changed Metallic Table Trim to Stone patterns.
In The Table dialog, the “Metallic” Table Trim option has been changed to “Stone”. This will change the default “Woodgrain” look to a granite-like texture.
522
Colored junk in Color Cards dialog.
Using Translucent Shadows no longer leads to “colored junk” in the Color Cards dialog. There was an internal buffering problem when the new card back designs drew. Thanks to Dick Peters for reporting this.
523
Possible incompatibility with Greg’s Buttons.
I’ve had one report that PowerPOKER won’t launch if an old version of the Greg’s Buttons control panel is enabled. Apparently, Greg didn’t want me to use my own golden buttons! However, Greg’s Buttons 3.6.1 appears to be tolerant of all versions of PowerPOKER.
524
Updated Balloon Help file.
The Balloon Help file has been updated to reflect recent changes.
525
House Rules file renamed and moved.
The House Rules file is now the “PowerPOKER Preferences” file, located inside the System’s Preferences folder. You can either discard the House Rules file from your Options folder, or rename it and move it to the Preferences folder.
526
Grayscale dialog backgrounds.
Dialog windows now use a light gray background with engraved group boxes.
527
Splash screen clapboard sound too loud.
When the splash screen appears, the clapboard logo sound effect is too loud if you’re wearing headphones. Its volume has been reduced 50%.
528
Prints blank pages on LaserWriter 8.0.
Text windows no longer print as blank pages when using the LaserWriter 8.0 driver.
Changes in version 1.2.1:
513
Jokers & Bugs are misbehaving
Jokers and Bugs were inadvertently broken in version 1.1, causing hands to misevaluate them as low aces under certain conditions. The bug also caused the purple wild card star symbol to appear twice on Jokers.
514
Prompt says “pass left” when passing right
During a game which passes cards to the “right”, the prompt in the table window now correctly states the direction and the number of cards, as does the PlainTalk Dealer’s Speech option.
515
Script allowed in dialog but not when dealt
The pre-deal check now considers discards when verifying the maximum number of cards held per hand. This allows extreme, yet legal games like: deal 4 to everyone, discard 2, deal 9 to the widow.
516
Grayscale dialog backgrounds.
Dialog windows now use a light gray background with engraved group boxes.
Changes in version 1.2:
511
Hang or crash during final Hand Analysis
Hand Analysis no longer hangs (or crashes) when calculating your odds of beating your opponents. This bug was introduced in version 1.1. The text in the Hand Analysis windows has also been improved.
512
Check for compatible networking versions
The internal network protocol version is now checked for compatibility when you Join Another Table. When playing over a network, all copies of PowerPOKER should be the same version.
Changes in version 1.1:
163
Computer players stay for impossible call
In an open (stud) game, computer players should no longer stay for an impossible call in the last betting round. In 5-Card Stud, for example, a player will fold if he can’t beat the board.
495
MacinTalk voices spell out common words
The low quality MacinTalk 2 voices should no longer spell out words like “C-A-L-L”. The highest quality MacinTalk PRO voices are not affected by this change, and are still highly recommended. These voices are available in Apple’s PlainTalk 1.3 Installer.
496
Female Voice no longer shipped by Apple
In the Speech Settings dialog, the default PlainTalk™ voice has changed from “Female Voice” to “Agnes”, which is included in the PlainTalk 1.3 installer available from Apple. The optional “TTS _____, high quality” voice files are recommended.
497
QuickTime updates are too slow
The QuickTime™ Players now redraw much faster, and the movies should no longer disappear under QuickTime 2.0. Certain player reactions are also less repetitious.
498
Omaha is not played correctly
To support the new Omaha, 8 or Better game file, the Showdown dialog has a new rule: “An ‘8 or better’ low hand is required to split the pot.” Also, the “you may use only X cards in the widow” rule is now interpreted as “you must use exactly X cards in the widow.”
499
Hold ‘em needs blind bets before the deal
The Ante menu and dialog are renamed to Ante & Blinds. The old Blind & Straddle rules have moved into this dialog, where they now take effect BEFORE the deal. This change allows games like Hold ‘em to begin as in casinos and clubs.
500
New application icon
The application file has a new icon, which matches the PowerPOKER logo on the packaging.
501
Color pencil for animated signature
In the About PowerPOKER™ dialog, the animated signature now uses a color pencil.
502
Table pattern too dark for some monitors
Muted (lightened) the color “felt” pattern on the Table Window’s playing area, for better contrast on color PowerBooks.
503
Slow the scrolling credits down
In the About PowerPOKER™ dialog, the scrolling credits now roll slow enough to read. This should also prevent the jerky motion seen when the System is doing background processing, like File Sharing.
504
Preset button not clear in Chips dialog
In the Chips dialog, the Preset button is now “Preset »”. This better indicates that the button moves the selected preset denominations over to the popup menus.
505
Betting rounds and openers
The Blind & Straddle menu and dialog are now called Betting Rounds. A new option determines which player opens in each round, the last bettor or the first active hand (as in Hold ‘em).
506
New Color Card faces and backs
The Color Cards dialog now includes a choice of 13 card back designs, and adds a new set of Super Jumbo card faces.
507
Selected cards turn from yellow to black
Selected cards (highlighted in yellow) should no longer suddenly appear inverted (highlighted in black) under rare conditions.
508
Compress the application file’s resources
The PowerPOKER application is now about 33% smaller than 1.0, even though it contains lots of new stuff.
Unofficial release disclaimer:
As you can see, PowerPOKER has evolved considerably since its original release. And unlike version 1.0, it has not gone through a formal test cycle at Electronic Arts. However, every effort has been made to correct program errors reported prior to this release. Please continue to send your comments, suggestions, or bug reports to:
