CYOP Systems Launches Online Poker Software

CYOP Systems International, Inc. has launched a demo version of its new poker software at http://www.redfelt.com/demo.html. This demo is intended to showcase the product to potential clients, investors, and stakeholders.

The current version is play money only, and is the same software that Chinese online media company and web portal, Sina.com, is rolling out. CYOP also intends to offer management expertise and support to its licensees.

The software itself is less than glamorous. Reminiscent of Pacific Poker’s interface, the graphics are rather plain, with an attractive red table (as opposed to the standard green) decent looking chips with denominations printed on the face, and small, low-resolution cards. There are no player avatars, which many would consider a positive – players are represented by a rounded-rectangle containing their name and chip count. CYOP does a good job indicating whose turn it is, with a bright, green, flashing “light” on the player’s name, which turns yellow, then red, as the competitor’s time is running out. Each player’s move is announced clearly with a bold, white-on-green text display. At showdown, the software again takes a page out of Pacific’s book and shows “WIN” on top of each card that is used to make the winning hand.

While the graphics are satisfactory although unimpressive, the sounds are downright miserable. The sound of a bet is a cartoony “bubble-pop” noise, nothing at all like what chips would actually sound like. And rather than the quiet riffling of the cards being dealt, the player is presented with a noise that makes it sound like a machine is dealing. At the end of a hand, a computerized-sounding bell chimes and the pot is awarded to the winner. Additionally, throughout play, a creaking door sound effect can be heard as players enter the room, as if it was AOL Instant Messenger.

On the announcement, CYOP’s struggling stock surged 60.53% to 1.22 cents per share.

Originally published May 25, 2005