Help design a new poker room! Brainstorming needed

[MrHubbard]

I am opening up a new poker room online within the next 6 months to a year ( development has just started). It will be designed from the ground up and I am looking for input from regular online players regarding features and other things you would like in a poker room that you are not currently getting in the ones available or even the features that keep you coming back to a specific poker site that you are faithful to. (Please don't ask for things like donkey free play or sucklike as I can't control those things!) I will have a freeroll for the forum when the app is finalised and their will be some beta testing later on in the project so if you are interested in that please say so and I will post my email address (it will be rake free for beta! woohoo) Topics under discussion include : Rabbit hunting: yay or nay ? Buddy lists with private chat? (obviously not available when players are at same table) Avatars: are they necessary ? What do I want from a lobby? Also very interested to hear from multi table players on how to make their lives easier and also VERY interested in anything that I have not already mentioned so keep it coming ! Thanks for all your help !

Kevin

[Fatalist]

Topics under discussion include :
Rabbit hunting? Nice feature, highly suggest and should allow to see only both the turn and river without allowing the other players to see your whole cards when this option is checked.
Buddy lists with private chat? A buddy list is important or at least a way to search for players is an important feature but don't like the idea of private chat as it will some how be linked to collusion in some way no matter how hard you monitor it
Avatars? Avatars neither attract nor distract me from playing on a site so your choice. Would not suggest cartoon characters but avatars that the user can download his or herself can be fun and entertaining
Lobby? easier navigation in general. like the tab feature of mozilla firefox instead of everything popping up in separate windows. Lobby should include the buddy list in some way if you choose the buddy list option (like UB where it is a separate application altogether). It isn't bad that it may be a separate app but just incorporate it better into the lobby.
Multi tables? As far as this feature goes, it isn't necessary for me to play more than 4 games at a time so this feature isn't as much of interest to me. Will let you know if I think of anything.

I own a PC but I know some players that own a Mac computer and you should make it compatible to Mac users. This is a big point with the push of Mac marketing in the late 07 and early 08 year with Leopard OS fighting against Windows Vista.

Thats it for now. Cheers!

[ColoradoAvsFan]

I agree with Fatalist on all his points. I will add a few

I like the "open" feel of the Bodog table.
I like the In-Game Info tab on FTP: i.e., Where I stand, time to break, etc.
FTP's "Previous Hand" graphic is the best. I hate text style previous hand tabs.
The breadth of games I feel will be important. i.e., Badugi, Triple Draw 2-7, Knockout and 5-Draw would be excellent features for a grass-roots layout.
Seeing your folded cards is important.
Keep your site homogenious. Don't sell it to five sites who will all look alike and compete with eachother for our deposit dollars.

I wish you luck, Kevin, with your project. I'd love to visit your developed site when that time comes. With the right investors and forethought, there should be plenty of money to be made here.

[Fatalist]

By the way, keep us all updated on your development and let us know what you thank of our ideas. Cheers!