Is this the end for downloadable Casino?

[mclee321]

I traditionally preferred a desktop Casino client over a browser based one, they always ran smoother and were not prone too the endless hassles of browser play - random log outs during a session, games crashing, impenetrable error codes, and worst of all the terrible Flash plug in.

My attitude is changing though, I've been playing more and more at Betsafe and Bet@Eu, and they really have done a fine job. The sidebars with bonus and other info, flawless payment into the accounts, and the vast selection of game providers. In Betsafe you can jump from Bruce Lee to Immortal Romance to Dead or Alive, great stuff.

Performance is also improving (apart from the recent teething troubles at Bet@Eu). I would still consider memory leaks in either the flash plugin or browser to account for great deal of issues. Hopefully the platforms can migrate to native HTML5 in the future, removing the need for buggy plug in's.

I still use the desktop client for Dash and 32Red (and occasionally a few others), the standard flash microgaming casino you use through a browser is so appalling though. Its actually hard work finding a game, previews don't work, and at best looks like 'amateur hour' at the web design talent contest.

Do you think they may look to develop a multi platform browser presence? (not just crossfire, something built from the ground up like bet@EU). I think they need to start now, the tide might be turning.

 

[Nate]

I have to agree with you.

MG's Flash Casino needs a lot of tweaking. Its a pity they have left the same format for years. They could at least put in a search tool or arrange their slots in Alphabetical order.

Betsafe has a great layout. I love the way you are able to add favorites on the right and then just click between the games without exiting.

Nate

 

[dunover]

I've never liked download clients as they just add too much clutter to your computer. For those of you who have downloaded numerous MG casinos in the past, check your add-ons on I.E. - even though you've deleted them off and deleted the bulky MGS files on your PC, these still will appear in your list of add-ons whether they are disabled or not. Herpes is easier to get rid of (apparently). The downloads are simply a cost-cutter for the software provider, especially MG - you keep all the game logs, results, jpg's of each spin and clutter etc. on your PC and not on their servers. I'd rather they keep all this crap to be honest.

The lack of search facility is tedious, the flash version where you have to scroll through 27 screens each displaying 6-8 games is tiresome too - you have to remember which page your particular favourites are listed on. They also don't have the tourneys on the flash, obviously an incentive for you to download.

DOWN WITH THE DOWNLOADS I SAY!

 

[elscrabinda]

You only have to look at Intercasino's abysmal new browser only casino to see how easy it is to trash a perfectly good casino in the rush to non-download platforms. Give people the option, sure, but until the performance is on a par with the downloadable software, casinos should hold off on abandoning them all together

 

[Igor82]

I traditionally preferred a desktop Casino client over a browser based one, they always ran smoother and were not prone too the endless hassles of browser play - random log outs during a session, games crashing, impenetrable error codes, and worst of all the terrible Flash plug in.

My attitude is changing though, I've been playing more and more at Betsafe and Bet@Eu, and they really have done a fine job. The sidebars with bonus and other info, flawless payment into the accounts, and the vast selection of game providers. In Betsafe you can jump from Bruce Lee to Immortal Romance to Dead or Alive, great stuff.

Performance is also improving (apart from the recent teething troubles at Bet@Eu). I would still consider memory leaks in either the flash plugin or browser to account for great deal of issues. Hopefully the platforms can migrate to native HTML5 in the future, removing the need for buggy plug in's.

I still use the desktop client for Dash and 32Red (and occasionally a few others), the standard flash microgaming casino you use through a browser is so appalling though. Its actually hard work finding a game, previews don't work, and at best looks like 'amateur hour' at the web design talent contest.

Do you think they may look to develop a multi platform browser presence? (not just crossfire, something built from the ground up like bet@EU). I think they need to start now, the tide might be turning.

Thanks mclee Nice to see our name up there!

You are more on than ball than you can imagine. Flash is on its way out - you will be seeing this more and more going forward but it will take a couple of years. Multi-provider platforms are on the raise but based on what I've seen about - a far cry from acceptable as they need to cater for multitude of provider system which aren't standardised however ties are turning on there too. Soon operators like us, may start turning toward B2B offering with the correct infrastructure in place.

Existing giants are hard to shake up. Playtech barely allows their content to be integrated into established third party platforms unlike MGS QF solution and providers like NetEnt will allow still only allow content on their predominant wallet although they do facilitate API integrations allowing businesses like ours to simply pull content and do all else on our end.

You will rapidly see the change in tide with the raise of broadband, cloud hosting CDN's etc. Downloads and single provider operators will be times of the past - or eradicated unless they adopt the new way of things.

 

[Sovietsky]

If MG became as good as the downloadable version then yeah I would agree but that is not the case for me atleast. Downloadable MG compared to betsafe, nordicbet,bet@eu and all the others is still better imo.

 

[Balthazar]

I've never liked download clients as they just add too much clutter to your computer. For those of you who have downloaded numerous MG casinos in the past, check your add-ons on I.E. - even though you've deleted them off and deleted the bulky MGS files on your PC, these still will appear in your list of add-ons whether they are disabled or not. Herpes is easier to get rid of (apparently). The downloads are simply a cost-cutter for the software provider, especially MG - you keep all the game logs, results, jpg's of each spin and clutter etc. on your PC and not on their servers. I'd rather they keep all this crap to be honest.

The lack of search facility is tedious, the flash version where you have to scroll through 27 screens each displaying 6-8 games is tiresome too - you have to remember which page your particular favourites are listed on. They also don't have the tourneys on the flash, obviously an incentive for you to download.

DOWN WITH THE DOWNLOADS I SAY!

I reinstalled one MG casino last month and got an alert email from my internet provider a few days later that I could bust my download limit (60GB) for the month of June. I was wondering what the hell happened until I saw in my stats that I had over 12GB of download (which is highly unusual) the day that I downloaded the software. Most of it downloaded in the background so I didn't realize it, I thought I had been hacked or something.

 

[Simmo!]

Testing aside, I haven't played on a download casino for a long time... I do it all in the browser now. The sheer size and the juttery gameplay during install puts me off. I still have 32Red on my hard drive but unless I want to play a tourney, I log into the Flash site.

MG's Flash lobby could definitely benefit from an overhaul though. I just go straight to the pages I know have the games I want as I guess many people do but that way there is nothing to entice you to play the new games.

Playtech's new Flash navigation layout is poor two - you can't scroll the top games bar...click click click yawn.

 

[dunover]

I reinstalled one MG casino last month and got an alert email from my internet provider a few days later that I could bust my download limit (60GB) for the month of June. I was wondering what the hell happened until I saw in my stats that I had over 12GB of download (which is highly unusual) the day that I downloaded the software. Most of it downloaded in the background so I didn't realize it, I thought I had been hacked or something.

Yes, MGS files are incredibly large, and every time I've wiped them it's between 8 and 13GB of crud cleared. The files get gradually larger the more you play as your spins are logged there, like when you retrieve the generic MG screenshot for an old win you forgot to snip at the time. Obviously the software keeps up to 6 months of game reports - you'll notice if you delete the MGS files and re-download the casino, your playcheck files will have gone.
When you download the casino and start playing, you'll see the 2 little blue boxes keeping illuminated in the top right even when you stop spinning as more and more crud is downloaded - this can slow the games' performance too.