Email to party support re: disconnect bug

[MaqEvil]

I'm sure that some members of this forum have had this problem at party in a tournament, where you get disconnected in a hand, then hitting the "I am back" button doesnt really do anything and the solution usually is to close and reopen the client. Well, twice now, I have been unable to reconnect when I reopen the client. The first time, they said that if I emailed support, they would reconnect me. It happened again tonight and they tried to blame my ISP, which is BS, since I tried from two different ISPs. The following is a copy of the email which I just sent to support - The email on the bottom was sent immediately after being disconnected.



Yes, yes, I heard that crap last time. This is an ongoing problem, which occurs both when I use my university connection, and dialup to earthlink. Usually, when I close and reopen the program, I am able to reconnect to the table, while having only missed a few hands. However, this time and once before, I was unable to reopen the table. The last time, you instructed me to email you if it happened again and you would reconnect me to my table. THE PROBLEM IS ON YOUR END, I don't think it is a connectivity issue, but a software bug. The same thing happened to one of my friends as well.

The problem is as follows:
I'm playing a hand, then everything pauses and I get an "establishing connection" box on the table and my cards are folded. The next hand, I can see all of the action on the table, I recieve cards, however, when I hit the "I am back" button, it still folds my hand and the "I am back" button reappears the next hand. Usually, this problem is "fixed" by closing the partypoker client and reopening it, usually it takes me right back to my table. However, this time, and once before, It displayed the "taking you to table 12002" window, with a progress bar that repeated without actually doing anything, ending in a window telling me that it could not connect me to my table and to contact support if the problem persists. Regardless of what I did, I could not reconnect to the table. I can connect to ANY other table on the site at this time.

The solution you gave last time was to email support and they would somehow fix the problem and allow me to reconnect. This is what I did, this time and, obviously, it did not work.

This is unacceptable. I refuse to play on a site where I can get randomly disconnected and cannot reconnect for no reason. Refund my $110, figure out why this is happening, fix it, and promise to refund my money or allow me to reconnect should this problem occur again, or I will cash out and not return. I have paid almost $5000 in rake in the year that I have played on partypoker, I enjoy playing with you, however, I refuse to lose money due to your buggy software.


----- Original Message -----
From: <info@partypoker.com>
To: <ME>
Sent: Monday, May 31, 2004 11:43 PM
Subject: Tournament [#1170211]


> Dear ME,
>
> Thank you for contacting us.
>
> With regards to your e-mail we would like to inform that we have checked the hand history of the hands you have played on 01-JUN-2004 02:05 on Table 12002($50/$5) and we see that all the players at the table were able to play this implies that the connection at the table was good.
>
> You have finished playing at the table and finished in the 4th position.
>
> However we see that you face a disconnection problem at your Internet therefore you were unable to play at the table. To avoid this situation in future we request you to check with the Internet service provider so that he can resolve the problem.
>
> Please note that if the problem is at the table all the players will not be able to play in that situation we go ahead and make a refund according to our Disconnection policy and Cancellation Policy.
>
> Please check the following link for more details :
>
> http://www.partypoker.com/games/disconnection_policy/index.html
>
>
> If you have any questions or suggestions, please do not hesitate to contact our Customer Care Department at any time. We are here 24/7 to assist you via email.
>
> Thank you for choosing us as your online gaming site!
>
> Haritha
> Poker Customer Care
>
> Tell a friend about PartyPoker.com and get a chance to win a slice of the $50,000 Bonanza.
>
> Go to http://secure.partypoker.com/tell_a_friend/index.html for more details.
>
>
>
> --Original Message--
> From: ME
> Date: 2004-06-01 01:56
> To: info@partypoker.com
> Subject: disconnected from tournament[#1170211]
>
> I had this problem before, I was in a single table tournament, table 12002,
> then I was disconnected, when I click "I'm back", it still folds me. I can
> see the moves of everyone at the table, but am unable to act. when i close
> the client and reopen, it will not let me get back to the table, doing the
> progress bar thing forever. Last time, you refused to refund my money and
> told me to contact you if it happened again. Well, it is happening again,
> please connect me with my game or refund my money for both tournaments.

[MaqEvil]

The problem is not the connection. The problem is that your software will not allow me to resume play after a connection problem.

Please explain how it is that a connection problem would allow me to see everything that is happening at the table, including my hole cards, in real time, with no lag, but not allow me to act after hitting the "I am back" button, no matter how many times I press it. Also explain how it is possible that a connection problem would allow me to access and play on any table other than the one that I was playing on previously. Furthermore, explain how it is that the exact same problem has happened to my friend in california. And don't try to blame my ISP, because during my last problem, I connected both with dialup Earthlink, as well as my university connection.

If you can explain that to my satisfaction, I will withdraw my complaint.

----- Original Message -----
From: <info@partypoker.com>
To: <ME>
Sent: Tuesday, June 01, 2004 1:11 AM
Subject: No problems on our end [#1170211]


> Dear ME,
>
> Thank you for contacting us.
>
> With reference to your email, I would like to inform you that there are no problems on our end. I see that you have been complaining of frequent disconnectivity problems.
>
> Any system has connectivity problems when you work on many applications at a time. Hence, we suggest you to close all other applications while playing at PartyPoker.com to avoid such problems.
>
> However, I would like to add that since you are connected via Internet and there can be some connection problems.
>
> The connection sometimes goes up and down, probably during the tournament there might have been some server down some where between your computer and our servers.
>
> When you are trying to connect to a computer which is somewhere else, your computer has to connect to that computer via a lot of intermediary servers and routes, if there is a server down some where in between then you will experience a connection problem, because your link stops at the point where there is a server down, causing internet delays and poor connections.
>
> I also understand your concern and empathize with you for having lost. At the same time, I request you to appreciate that we cannot issue any bonus in view of this. The reasons being that when you lose, you lose to other players and not to PartyPoker.com and whenever, there are technical problems on our end, we immediately refund our players in compensation.
>
> If you have any questions or suggestions, please do not hesitate to contact our Customer Care Department at any time. We are here 24/7 to assist you via email.
>
> Thank you for choosing us as your online gaming site!
>
> Japheth
> Poker Customer Care
>

[Frozen]

Mag, just letting you know that I've suffered the EXACT same problem. It happened only once, when I tried to add a name to my buddy list, if that's a clue of any help to you.


I had the leading stack in a $200 NL SNG with 4 guys left.
Logging off party and getting back in didn't work, and I finished 4th. Party support blamed my ISP and did not compensate.

[MaqEvil]

The information that you request is already enclosed in this email, I will copy and paste it for you.

> > > With regards to your e-mail we would like to inform that we have checked
> > the hand history of the hands you have played on 01-JUN-2004 02:05 on
> > Table 12002($50/$5)

I do not know the tournament ID, as I could not request a summary of it since I got disconnected and could not get back on the table. Likewise, I don't have a clue of what hands I could have won, though it shouldn't matter. The other tournament in which this happened to me was #3519564 and the support tag which you gave my complaint for that one was #1069167.

My point is that my connection with the table was fine, as evidenced by the fact that, after being disconnected in one hand, I could see the action on the next hand without any lag, I could see my hole cards, the only thing that I could not do is act. After a normal disconnection, I can hit the "I am back" button, and resume play. However, when this problem occurs, hitting the "I am back" button has no effect, it still folds my hand and the button reappears the next hand. I do not see how a connectivity problem could cause this, it seems clear that it is a software issue. If I were unable to connect to the server on which the game is being played, I would not be able to see these things.

This problem (to the best of my knowledge) does not happen on any other poker sites, furthermore, it had never happened to me prior to a couple months ago. This problem has happened to me twice and I know of atleast two other cases; it is not an isolated incident. Regardless of what causes this problem, it is clear to me, a paying customer of your service, that it is your responsibility to protect against it. If you disagree, I will take my business elsewhere. There are many online poker sites and I do not feel that I should have to worry about randomly losing a tournament because of a glitch in your system.

----- Original Message -----
From: <info@partypoker.com>
To: <ME>
Sent: Tuesday, June 01, 2004 10:23 PM
Subject: RE:Re: No problems on our end [#1170211]


> Dear ME,
>
> Thank you for contacting us.
>
> To explain to you in full details let us start from the basic level of how tables connect from the Players Internet Service Provider (ISP) to our Game Servers. Every time you connect to the main lobby it is through a network of servers on the Internet. These network connections or routes or paths are decided by your ISP. When you connect to the tables, each table is again connected to our Game Servers through individual sets of network connections on the Internet. Each of these network connections has multiple intermediate servers on the network. Each of these servers is handling not only your connection, but also various other connections on the Internet that happen to take a route on which the server lies. This puts a lot of load on these intermediate servers. Some of the servers can handle a lot of load and are very stable but some of them are not. If it is a weak server, then it will randomly select a connection passing through it and disconnect the subscriber. This is why Players face a sudden disconnection on a table even though they are still able to browse through the Internet or even play on another table.
>
> I fully understand that it is not a problem from your end. However, if there is a weak server on the network connection, that your ISP has chosen to connect to our Game Servers, then it is quite possible that you might get disconnected from a table.
>
> Further, I understand that you were disconnected from the tournament or games while you were playing in it.
>
> However I would need one or more of the following information to be able assist you further
>
> 1.Tournament I.D
> 2.Table number
> 3.Date and approximate time of the tournament
> 4.A hand number in the tournament that you might have taken down
>
> Please provide me with the above information so that I can look into the matter immediately and revert back.
>
> If you have any questions or suggestions, please do not hesitate to contact our Customer Care Department at any time. We are here 24/7 to assist you via email.
>
> Thank you for choosing us as your online gaming site!
>
> Josephine
> Poker Customer Care

[nbajam]

Sounds like good ole party support at work...keep us updated.

[Prickly Pete]

I also had this problem once or twice and someone around here mentioned it may have to do with Party's search feature / buddy list. Since then, I search with a different Party skin and have never had a problem.

Like Frozen, I "froze" on 2 $200 + 15s and couldn't get back in. After some nastygram emails, they gave me a $100 bonus which required 700 raked hands or something.

[MicroBob]

same problem here...except i don't really play very many tourneys...just ring-games.

and it certainly seems to be related to the buddy-list and/or search feature.

what is especially interesting is that only 1 or 2 of my tables will disconnect and not let me back in no matter how many times i click the 'i am back' button. my other tables all continue just fine and dandy.

i believe it has something to do with where you are to act on each table that determines if you disconnect because of the search feature.

if i still have cards on a table then i don't use the search feature....if i get a quick fold on all 4 tables and they are all still on the flop or turn, then i feel comfortable using the search-feature to see if any of my favorite fishies are floating around.

this has not been a perfect method....but it works significantly better then just searching at any random times and i have had far fewer disconnects.


also....if 1 of my tables is in 'i wont let you back' mode i have noticed that my search-player feature is frozen AND i am unable to use the cashier as well (to check my balance).
after closing that table.....and sometimes opening a new one...i am able to use the search feature again and the cashier window is no longer frozen.

it's all very strange.
just wanted to share some of my observations on this.

i feel like i have an old car where i have to pump the clutch 'just right' exactly 4 times in rhythm just to get the thing started. something like that anyway.


as far as your tourney disconnects are concerned...if it doesn't take you back to the table by closing and re-opening the client i might suggest opening (and then maybe closing) any other random table (which actually does have an effect for my situations believe it or not...but not all the time) or reconnecting your ISP conncetion.

[MaqEvil]

If you had told me that last time, maybe we wouldnt be in this situation. The last time this happened, you said:

"However, if you have any problem like in future just contact us so that we can immediately direct you to the main server on which that particular tournament is held."

I was under the impression that emailing you WAS contacting you, especially since "email info@partypoker.com" (info@partypoker.com) is one of the options given on the error message when I am unable to reconnect to the table.

If you want to see more examples of this bug and maybe fix it instead of denying that there is a problem, see http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=721932&page=0&view=collap sed&sb=

Please have this entire email reviewed by a senior support staff member who is fluent in english. [thanks Ro-me-ro] You have one more shot to retain my business, I'm done wasting my time with you.

----- Original Message -----
From: <info@partypoker.com>
To: <humphrz@cc.wwu.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, June 02, 2004 5:38 AM
Subject: Technical Problems On Tournaments [#1170211]


> Dear Zachary,
>
> Thank you for contacting us.
>
> After checking the hand information for Tournament Id 3974064 on table 12002. We see that only you faced a disconnection while playing the tournament. There was no technical problem at our end. When you play online disconnections can and do happen.
>
> We also see that you were disconnected at 01:45 hours on hand number 641393378 on table 12002 and the time you were eliminated from the tournament was 02:05 hours. Had you contacted us during this time on our Toll Free Number, we could have helped you get back to the tournament table. Therefore we regret our inability to give you a refund for the buy-in amount of this tournament.
>
> We have also checked the hand information for Tournament 3519564 and do not find any technical problem that occurred from our end.
>
> If you have any questions or suggestions, please do not hesitate to contact our Customer Care Department at any time. We are here 24/7 to assist you via email.
>
> Thank you for choosing us as your online gaming site!
>
> Corina P.
> Poker Customer Care
>

[MaqEvil]

Yeah, I use the search feature a lot, and I get this bug a lot, but 90% of the time, I get immediately back to my table after closing/opening the client. The first time I encountered the problem where I couldn't reconnect to the table, I was in another tournament, which had no problems. Also, this time, I not only reconnected to my university ISP, but I also dialed up to earthlink, with no success.

Dealing with party support is like banging your head against the wall. I don't even care that much about the hundred bucks, I just want them to take responsibility for the problem and try to fix it. Furthermore, they're morons for not just giving me the money to retain my business, since $110 is about a weeks worth of rake from me.

[Frozen]

Mag, FYI, phoning them while the problem is happening doesn't do jack either. They just tell you to reboot your computer. Gee, thanx Party.

[Filip]

[ QUOTE ]
> To explain to you in full details let us start from the basic level of how tables connect from the Players Internet Service Provider (ISP) to our Game Servers. Every time you connect to the main lobby it is through a network of servers on the Internet. These network connections or routes or paths are decided by your ISP. When you connect to the tables, each table is again connected to our Game Servers through individual sets of network connections on the Internet. Each of these network connections has multiple intermediate servers on the network. Each of these servers is handling not only your connection, but also various other connections on the Internet that happen to take a route on which the server lies. This puts a lot of load on these intermediate servers. Some of the servers can handle a lot of load and are very stable but some of them are not. If it is a weak server, then it will randomly select a connection passing through it and disconnect the subscriber. This is why Players face a sudden disconnection on a table even though they are still able to browse through the Internet or even play on another table.
>
> I fully understand that it is not a problem from your end. However, if there is a weak server on the network connection, that your ISP has chosen to connect to our Game Servers, then it is quite possible that you might get disconnected from a table.


[/ QUOTE ]

Frequent use of the word server in the response from party.

So i choose to belive that it is one of partys Game Servers that is the weak link and disconnects the player.

[MaqEvil]

So someone with an indian accent, but who spoke english coherently called me from party and said the same thing that their emails have said. ISP's fault, my computer's memory's fault (not a chance, I have a ton), anything but their fault. Basically, they seem to think that by telling me what they (wrongly) think the problem is enough times, without providing evidence or refuting my claims, that I will suddenly agree with them. He said that I wasn't really seeing the hands where I could not act progress as normal, and there is some magical unseeable internet delay which bends time by routing my packets at faster than the speed of light but will not let me play my hands (oh wait, he offered NO explanation). The guy on the phone said that the search feature couldn't have anything to do with it, but I think he knows about as much about this problem as a retarded monkey on crack

[siccjay]

It has to do with putting people on your buddy list. If you try to use your buddy list and then go click a fold check or bet button before the buddy list finishes it's action it causes you to freeze up.

Happens to me ALL the time.

[scratchy1]

Same thing happened to me. Took 5 emails before they finally refunded my entry fee as a bonus. Be persistent and they'll eventually pay up.

[MaqEvil]

Not good enough, goodbye.

----- Original Message -----
From: <info@partypoker.com>
To: <humphrz@cc.wwu.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, June 02, 2004 8:01 PM
Subject: Table 12002($50/$5) [#1170211]


> Dear Zachary,
>
> Thank you for contacting us.
>
> I understand your point of view and in the face of such a situation, please logout and login to the PartyPoker.com lobby and you will be taken to the table automatically.
>
> If this does not work, I request you to shut down your system and drop your Internet connection. Restart your computer and connect to the Internet and log on to our tables and meanwhile call us at our Toll Free# 1-888-206-4659.
>
> I will not be able to give a refund for "Table 12002($50/$5)" but I see that you have a $100 pending in your account and you have to play 497 more raked hands towards the release of this bonus. As a sign of good faith, I have transferred the bonus to your Real Money baalnce. Your current account balance is: $2,525.
>
> If you have any questions or suggestions, please do not hesitate to contact our Customer Care Department at any time. We are here 24/7 to assist you via email.
>
> Thank you for choosing us as your online gaming site!
>
> Indira S,
> Poker Customer Care
>

[MaqEvil]

I guess cashing out helped them see the light.


I will accept, IF, in the future, you promise to refund my buyin, should I encounter this problem again, restart my computer while calling your support and still cannot reconnect to my table.

I play primarially single table tournaments, and do not feel that I should have to worry about losing my money due to this problem.

----- Original Message -----
From: <info@partypoker.com>
To: <humphrz@cc.wwu.edu>
Sent: Thursday, June 03, 2004 5:43 PM
Subject: Bonus details [#1170211]


> Dear Zachary,
>
> Thank you for contacting us.
>
> We have done what we could have given you at this point of time and we also tried to call you so that we can resolve the issue but we were unable to reach you.
>
> At this point of time what we can offer you is a 20% bonus on your next deposit so we request you to get back to us with a confirmation that you want this bonus.
>
> Please get back to us for any details regarding the same.
>
> If you have any questions or suggestions, please do not hesitate to contact our Customer Care Department at any time. We are here 24/7 to assist you via email.
>
> Thank you for choosing us as your online gaming site!
>
> Kiran
> Poker Customer Care

[MaqEvil]

I decided to give in and meet them partway, this is the last email that they sent, to which I did not reply. If this happens again, I'm not wasting as much time and effort.

If you are being legitimately screwed with and have some demand, cash out. I got a call, which I ignored, within 15 minutes, and an email within another 5. In conclusion, party support can go to hell.


Dear Zachary,

Thank you for contacting us.

We will go ahead and refund the money if the cancellation is from our end and according to the disconnection policy but if the disconnection is from your end then we will not be able to refund you the money.

Regarding the bonus we request you to make a deposit and avail the bonus. Please be informed that you need to play the raked hands to avail the bonus amount.

If you have any questions or suggestions, please do not hesitate to contact our Customer Care Department at any time. We are here 24/7 to assist you via email.

Thank you for choosing us as your online gaming site!

Kiran
Poker Customer Care

[jdl22]

They really need to change their sig so that people deciding not to play on their site don't read that and get even more pissed.

Thanks for the info good luck with this.

[obex]

A couple of weeks ago I was similarly disconnected. I called customer support and they actually had a solution that got me back in right away.
They had me change the desktop shortcut destination line by adding

prusiner.partypoker.com

to the end of the shortcut. They told me to change the shortcut back before I used it again after finishing the tournament. It worked - I got back in the tourney right away. Don't ask me why. I'm surprised no one else got this advice.

[Frozen]

desktop shortcut destination line???

Do you mean the Party icon on the desktop, or something else? /images/graemlins/confused.gif

[Jason Strasser]

I actually had the same thing happen. I was in a $200 SNG and I had a connection problem, when I returned I saw all my hands, but they were on auto fold and the I'm back button did not work.

I called party, and they had me change the shortcut target on the desktop. I'm at work right now, and don't have the specific new target, but after I changed it I was able to return to my game no problem.

[obex]

yeah the party icon on the desktop

[TheGrifter]

This all proves that Party is fully aware of the problem. Has no intention of fixing it. And has no intention of reimbursing people who they KNOW the software screwed.

One more reason I don't play on party.