New Absolute account: comments and questions

benfranklin · #1 03-18-2005, 02:05 PM

I just opened a new Absolute account. As with life, there was good news and bad news.

Sign-up was smooth, and I was given an unadvertised "Pre-deposit Bonus" of $50 immediately, to be cleared in the usual way. I deposited $1000 via Neteller to get the full $500 bonus, but only received the standard 35% bonus. I double checked the main web site to make sure that I had done nothing wrong, and noticed an offer to all players of a $25 unrestricted cash credit (not bonus) for their first Neteller deposit. I then e-mailed Customer Service asking for the credit and for the full bonus.

Within a few hours, I got a reply saying that my account had been credited with the full bonus and the $25 in cash. Bottom line: deposited $1000; initial account balance now $1025 cash, $550 bonus to be cleared.

On the not so good side, the software is barely mediocre. The actual play is slow, and has quirks I am still working out. For example, I had two tables opened, and was making a note on a player on one table, when it was my turn to act at the other. All the buttons were dead at the other table. I was able to figure out in time that I had to close the "Note" window on table 1 before I could act on table 2. All in all, my initial impression is that the software is functionally about the same as Paradise, which I also don't like, but can live with when clearing bonuses.

The big problem is the graphics. They are horrid. They look like they were designed by the same color-blind sadist who designs carpeting for LV casinos. And each "seat" has either a "Stars" type player picture or a big oval with a red and black "AP" logo. Unlike Stars, I have not found a way to hide them. You can turn off individual pictures, but that just replaces them with the AP logo. And my cards are always about 2/3 hidden behind the logo at my seat, making it particularly hard to recognise suits at a quick glance.

Anyone have any solutions to the graphics nightmare? Anyone know of either some site options I have not found yet or software modifications ala the many Party mods floating around? A quick search here revealed nothing. Thanks in advance from my eyeballs for any help.

meep_42 · #2 03-31-2005, 05:04 PM

bump -- any way to fix the graphics on Absolute?

-d

SuitedSixes · #3 03-31-2005, 05:59 PM

Doesn't look like it. The images aren't .jpgs in the program files like with Party etc.

playersare · #4 03-31-2005, 06:18 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Doesn't look like it. The images aren't .jpgs in the program files like with Party etc.

[/ QUOTE ]
that probably explains why the software is so unnecessarily resource intensive.

Absolute is basically a mediocre place to make $15/hr multitabling bonuses when you're done with all the party skins and cryptos for the month. also now a good place to launder idle $2000 deposits in exchange for free $5K-10K freeroll tix.

closest thing to actual work in the online poker world, but most of us still do it.

siccjay · #5 03-31-2005, 10:52 PM

On the Absolute page all I seen was the regular 35% bonus. I just created an account and it's giving me the same thing. I want my 50%!

grouchie · #6 03-31-2005, 10:59 PM

Um, this is what it says on their site

[ QUOTE ]

Initial Deposit Bonus!

Team Absolute is pleased to award a 35% First Time Deposit BONUS up to $350 to every new player on their first purchase OR a 50% First Time Deposit BONUS up to $500 if using NETeller - the best sign up bonuses in poker!

The 35% deposit bonus will be automatically added to your account on your initial deposit. If using NETeller, please email Support@AbsolutePoker.com to claim your 15% additional bonus.

[/ QUOTE ]

SuitedSixes · #7 03-31-2005, 11:04 PM

The hourly rates on bonuswhores.com seem to be way off. I three-tabled .5-1 for two hours today and only worked off a whopping $10. (I think BW estimates it at $3.35/table hour) Guess it's time to polish off the old ring game skills and move up a couple of levels.

siccjay · #8 03-31-2005, 11:16 PM

I found it. I missed the flashing logo at first.

I actually just deposited a G and got no bonus at all. SUPPORT!!!!

pokerrookie · #9 03-31-2005, 11:20 PM

Found the same thing. Too many tight players at 0.5/1 to get enough hands raked. 1/2 and 2/4 are better for this.

playersare · #10 03-31-2005, 11:27 PM

[ QUOTE ]
The hourly rates on bonuswhores.com seem to be way off. I three-tabled .5-1 for two hours today and only worked off a whopping $10. (I think BW estimates it at $3.35/table hour) Guess it's time to polish off the old ring game skills and move up a couple of levels.

[/ QUOTE ]
I think BW estimates 60 dealt hands per hour of which 55-60% are raked at least 25c ($5 pot/5BB). this would be normal on most sites but Absolute can be so weak-tight at times that you might find the rate more like 40-50%.

it's definitely more optimal to clear the bonus at $1/2 and up, since you only need 2.5BB's to count instead of 5BB.