Hardwood Spades for Mac

User Reviews

• Spades

  rackemmmmJuly 7, 2005

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  This review was originally posted on VersionTracker.com.<br />If you read the HW Forum; it is pretty telling. Some of their long time vocal players have posted that they no longer play there and don't recommend it. To play the spades game online; you do have to log into HW. Their website to play is small, so games are hard to find. There just is not that many players compared to Yahoo or the Zone. And yes, most of the spades games at HW are prov or low ranked. Even then, you still have to sort through the ranked games to find a table you want. It' not that easy visually given the poor lobby game graphics. It's not unusual to clik into a game that you did not want. Other spades sites also sort games by rank, which HW does not. Sorting by game and rank makes it much easier to find a game that you want to play. The settings for the HW game timers and rankings are also lacking compared to what you find elsewhere. HW recently split their spades games into different lobbys again. It just makes it worse to find games at certain times, because there are just not that many players. Paying for software where there is a lobby with less than 10 game tables is pretty frustrating. As a side note, my family plays other games like; backgammon, cribbage, poker, mahjong, word puzzles and pool, etc. Those games are just not there at HW. The other 3 or 4 games that HW does offer must also be bought, making it a bit expensive; especially when you can play many many games for free at other web sites. If you have a family, you can't use the purchased HW software to play against one another in a ranked game, you have to purchase yet another game account. $$$$ Several other smaller spades web sites have fallen by the wayside. If HW was not to survive; you may be left with purchased software with no place on the internet to play it. I think the jury is still out on HW. If this were the stock market; I'd put it on the Do Not Buy list.

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• Hardwood Spades

  May 7, 2005

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  This review was originally posted on VersionTracker.com.<br />This game company has made games including this one with the best graphic's I have seen on the net. They have also made it so anyone can go there and play and not worry about letting thier young teens play or worry about being imbarrassed about the content. The games, the people and the extra's like fooms, smileys and more make it a fun game for all and I highly recommend it. The makers of this game and the other Silver Creek games are constantly updating them to add even more features which you get free, and they have a discussion board for all their games where you can give feedback on things you like, don't like or would like to see added. That the owners not only read, but comment on and many of the wish list items have been granted to the growing list of players already. With more to come I am sure. If your looking for a spades game, and you want to have good family fun get this software today and bring along your friends.

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• Beautiful graphics, great extras, friendly players

  KellyDawn--2008May 6, 2005

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  This review was originally posted on VersionTracker.com.<br />If you're looking for something different and enjoy some creativity (choosing and designing your own avitar, using colored text, etc) and beautiful graphics then you really should give Hardwood a try. Compared to some of the other game sites I've tried HW provides a much easier social interface where you can chat with the other players at the game table and even show emotions through their "fooms' by sending kisses, stars, clovers, a snowball, fireball and more. HW also provides many variations of the game such as suicide, mirrors, pass, 3-way cut, individual and more. There is also league play available with a number of different leagues providing competitive play around the clock. Hardwood does promote themselves as a more family friendly site and they do their best by having volunteers, called guides, help to keep language and public disputes to a minimum. The Guides are also there to help new players learn to navigate and learn how to use all the extras like creating 'binds' or learning how to make your text colored and more. Overall, for the money, Hardwood gives you unlimited online play on a site that does its best to maintain a family friendly atmosphere where you can meet and play the game with players from all over the world. Personally, I have made lasting friendships with players in many parts of the U.S., Europe and Australia. I highly recommend you give the trial a try!!

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• Hardwood Spades Offers Biased Harrassment on...

  February 5, 2005

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  ...Internet<br />This review was originally posted on VersionTracker.com.<br />Although this is perhaps one of the finer graphics internet card games available, the purchase of this software inherits many complications and problems. In order to play the SilverCreek Entertainment (Hardwood) games interactively on the internet, you must agree to a terms of service which has a standard set of terms and conditions relative to a family site. However, it is soon realized that the terms and conditions are not the same for all subscribers. There is a group of volunteer monitors that "police" the site. They are called "guides." These guides have no training or skills to mediate or problem solve, they are simply members like you or I who have gained favor with Hardwood and have volunteered their time. This is a means for Hardwood to have employees without pay. The biggest problem arises should your level of intelligence be greater than theirs. You will find biased judgment calls, harrassment, terrible English grammar, vindictiveness, etc . . . and a complete sense that this gaming site is a very small social club for a few misfits who have cornered their niche of power on the internet. I recommend contacting any or all board members for this company and requesting change.

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