PokerStars Simple-Slick Theme

A while ago I analyzed a few different PokerStars table themes. It was my long drawn-out thought process figuring out what I liked about different themes and why. My goal was to try to come up with a table theme that I like as much as Hyper-Simple that was more visually appealing.

The result is my PokerStars Simple-Slick Theme. Instructions for downloading and installing it follow some of the reasons I made the decisions I did.

Description

The base of the theme is derived from the PokerStars Slick Theme. I chose this theme because I liked how the player info boxes are small, rectangular and took up little space. This makes it easy to place Holdem Manager panels around each player. I also liked the table and how the last hand, view lobby and other controls were on the top giving more room for HUD panels.

While I initially thought sticking with the standard deck was the best choice, I think using the simplified deck with large values might be easier to read, especially when tiling multiple tables.

I found the controls too flashy and distracting in the Slick Theme so I changed the colors and toned down the gradient effects to give it a more calm, relaxed feel. I also wanted to make sure the theme was easy to use and all bets were easy to read.

After reading a bit about color psychology I decided I wanted to stick with blue, black and green for the color pallet. Below is information on the different colors from Wikipedia's Color Psychology page.

Blue

Blue is non-threatening, yet confident and stable. It is the calmest color proven to affect the audience in a soothing manner. This is why many police uniforms are blue because the color says confidence and security, while being non-threatening. Weightlifters have proven to lift heavier weights in blue rooms. Blue can symbolize devotion, seas, men, clouds (New Zealand), productive, interior, skies, peace, unity, harmony, tranquility, calmness, trust, coolness, confidence, conservatism, water, ice, loyalty, dependability, technology, winter, depression, coldness, idealism, air, wisdom, royalty, nobility,

Black

It has an air of intelligence (graduation robes), marked with rebellion (the bad guy), shrouded in mystery (space). It typically symbolizes absence, modernity, power, sophistication, formality, elegance, wealth, mystery, style, evil, death (in Western cultures), fear, emptiness, darkness, seriousness, conventionality, rebellion, anarchism, unity, sorrow, and professionalism.

Green

Green symbolizes intelligence, nature, spring, fertility, youth, environment, wealth, money (US), good luck, vigor, generosity, go, grass, coldness, cunning, jealousy, perverseness (Spain), deceit, disgrace (China), illness, greed, corruption (North Africa), life eternal, air, earth (classical element), sincerity, Cancer (bright green, star sign), renewal, natural abundance, growth, health, August, balance, harmony, stability, calming, creative intelligence, Islam, and the ordinary.

It took a day or so to get used to the theme but I'm very happy with it.

Installation

1: Download

Download the Simple-Slick theme zip file here.

2: Extract Files

Extract the files into the XThemes folder in your PokerStars install directory. It should look something like c:\Program Files\PokerStars\XThemes


If that folder doesn't exist create it in that location.

The path to the new theme should now look something like c:\program Files\PokerStars\XThemes\microrollers.pokerstars.com\simpleslick

3: Edit xthemes.ini

xthemes.ini is a configuration files that lets the PokerStars client know about 3rd party table themes it is located in the XThemes folder.

If the file does not exist in that folder, simply create a new text file naming it xthemes.ini.

Copy and paste the contents from this link into the end of your xthemes.ini file.

4: Apply The Theme

Before PokerStars recognizes the theme, you need to restart the PokerStars client.

After restarting, from the PokerStars Lobby select Table Themes... from the View menu. It will open the following window.

Scroll down to the end of the list and select the table theme labled MicroRollers.com Simple-Slick and click the Apply button.

That's it. If you use the theme please leave comments and suggestions below.

Variations

My first quick set of variations on this theme... I created 4 different background versions and changed the controls to match.

I included a monotone black/grey theme for those that want ultra simple as well as red and green backgrounds.

I quoted the aspects of green as it relates to color psychology earlier in this post. Red is about the opposite of blue. From http://psychology.about.com/od/sensationandperception/a/color_red.htm

• Red is a bright, warm color that evokes strong emotions.
• Red is associated with love, warmth, and comfort.
• Red is also considered an intense, or even angry, color that creates feelings of excitement or intensity.
• Consider how red is used in language: redneck, red-hot, red-handed, paint the town red, seeing red

If there's any merit to color psychology then Red might be a good color to use when playing a LAG style? Maybe you just like red. Who knows. It's now an option. :)