Interview with Brad Dunnington, CEO of Avalinx

Avalinx is an Ohio based company that recently has been specializing in the production of casino games for the iPhone and iPod Touch. Their games are characterized by flawless design, great graphics, and perfect integration into the iPhone multi-touch system. You can see my reviews of all of their games here. I recently had a chance to speak with Brad Dunnington, the CEO and Co-founder of Avalinx, where we discussed programming, his buisness, the state of the economy, and the future of computers.



Hello, I am Robert Barga with blogcritics.org and I would like to ask you a few questions about your company. Thanks in advance for your time.

What is your name and position within Avalinx?
Brad Dunnington, CEO and Co-Founder

Tell us a little about yourself.
During my career, I have been fortunate to have had experiences within a variety of industries including manufacturing, wholesale distribution, retail, investment banking and technology. I spent my early career with GE and Limited Brands. During the last ten years I have been involved with launching, growing and advising privately held businesses.

Tell us a little about Avalinx.
My partners and I co-founded Avalinx in 2004. Our objective was to create a software development company funded primarily by the cash flow from our consulting practice.

Where are you based?
Dublin, Ohio

What exactly does being the CEO of Avalinx entail?
In my role, I am primarily concerned with the strategic direction of the business as well as managing our key external stakeholder relationships.

What sort of programming does Avalinx do?
Our team has years of experience building robust, business-critical software in areas such as hosted web applications, mobile computing, business intelligence and enterprise productivity serving the retail, manufacturing and gaming industries. While our team is skilled in a variety of technologies, prior to our work with the iPhone, we spent most of our time working in Microsoft oriented environments.

Your company has made several high-caliber iPhone games, what can you tell us about them?
We publish the PRO Series of casino games for the iPhone and iPod Touch. We are committed to build this series into the most comprehensive series of casino games available for the iPhone platform. The series currently consists of:
-21 PRO Blackjack
-Baccarat PRO
-Let’em Ride PRO
-3 Card PRO Poker
-4 Card PRO Poker
In addition to the PRO Series, we have two other series of iPhone apps currently in development.

When you make a game, what are you looking to include in it?
The key design objectives for every PRO Series game are to provide:
A) A near real life casino gaming experience
B) A sophisticated training simulator

Among other things, our users have come to expect our PRO Series games to include features such as:
-Lifelike high resolution graphics
-Comprehensive ‘Ask the dealer’ support
-Detailed ‘Mastering the Game’ content, including:
---History of the game
---Rules & Terminology
---Game Variations
---Basic & Advance Strategy
-Expansive user controlled Preferences
-Exceptionally smooth and fast game play

What gave you the idea to start making games for the iPhone?
When we first consider developing for the iPhone, we held two strong convictions:
A) The App Store would be a VERY competitive environment
B) Our success would depend on providing exceptionally compelling products targeting large audiences.
Our definition of ‘compelling’ included considerations such as:
A) High Quality Standards – every app had to feel like it was created by Apple
B) Superior Domain Knowledge – every app had to feel like it was produced by a domain expert.
C) Premium Value – every app had to make the user feel like they were receiving more for the money than a typical app.
Our background equipped us to develop applications in the productivity, utilities and gaming categories. However, in reflecting on the iPhone platform and the anticipated user demographics, we predicted that gaming would be the category that represented the greatest potential demand for products.

What about the idea of casino games, where did that come from?
Our selection of casino games as the first series to develop was shaped by two factors:
1) Large Target Market – nearly everyone is familiar with casino games. However, there are two distinct categories of users. Skilled users who need a powerful tool to refine their skills. Novice users who need a means to orient themselves to casino games without the intimation that they might feel within a casino. We felt we could build a product to serve both types of users.
2) Domain Knowledge – Having supported the gaming industry in the past, we were confident that we move quickly to deliver a superior product providing our users with a ‘near real’ casino experience.

Several Ohio magazines and newspapers have been talking about various ways to fix the state's economy. They occasionally mention giving tax breaks and other incentives to companies that will be making movies or programming games/software in the state. What do you think about this idea?
I support efforts on the part of the state government to create a business atmosphere that encourages innovation.

Do you think that these companies can help Ohio?
Ohio has a history of innovation during the early stages of many important industries (i.e.: automotive, petro-chemical, lighting, aerospace, plastics, etc.) Tremendous employment growth and wealth creation resulted from Ohio’s participation in these industries. It is reasonable to expect that Ohio based innovators and entrepreneurs can play a significant role in job growth and wealth creation in the new industries of the 21 century.

What is the biggest difficulty facing programmers and technology companies today?
Small technology companies have to select their targeted markets very carefully. Given the accelerating speed of innovation and the increase pressure of global competition, the margin for error is rapidly shrinking. When it comes to investing our most precious non-renewable resource - our time - we need to be right more frequently than we are wrong.

How do you plan on combating this problem?
[We plan on combating it using four main methods:]
1) Closely study emerging technology trends.
2) Continually update, refine and enhance our technology skills.
3) Make fact based decision centered on return on our time invested.
4) If our decisions prove to be wrong, make quick course corrections.

Where do you see the future of programming going?
We are all faced with data overload. I believe that an area of great opportunity is in leveraging data across multiple platforms, in order to speed the transformation of data into useable knowledge, moving toward the Semantic Web.

How about the future of technology, where do you see it going?
[I see the future of technology going in two directions:]
1) Mobile computing
2) User Interface Enhancements - Touch and Voice

What advice would you give to anybody who is interested in programming, either for the iPhone or for another device?
Obtain a solid foundation in mathematics and engineering. These core skills are portable. Differences in computing platforms, development environment or programming languages are irrelevant to an engineer with a solid foundation. As the pace of technological innovation continues to accelerate, speed and adaptability will be especially critical to your success.

Is there anything else that you would like to add?
All great thought provoking questions. Thanks!
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iPhone Game Review: 4 Card Pro

Of the hundreds of variations of poker that exist, only handfuls are known to the masses. Texas Hold ‘Em, 5 Card Stud, and 5 Card Draw are among the best known variations of the game. 4 Card Poker, however, is not one of those that many people know; but that doesn’t mean that it doesn’t have a large following and fan base. Avalinx, the makers of the PRO series of casino card games for the iPhone and iPod Touch have decided that it is time for you to learn of this variation.



4 Card Poker is a variation of poker that is both popular and interesting. Instead of the normal table based game, you can choose to play only against the dealer, not against other players. Additionally, the game is two games in one (if you take an optional bet), meaning that you can both lose and win in the same hand. 4 Card PRO, the newest poker game from Avalinx, takes this odd variation of a popular card game and simply ports it to your iPhone, doing so in their normal flawless manner.

Did you know that a former US Navy Lieutenant Commander won over six thousand dollars while playing poker during the Second World War? Did you know that he then used the winnings to buy a seat in Congress (very interesting considering the person). Finally, did you know that the political clout gained by that seat got President Nixon into the Oval Office? Well, now you do! You can learn this, and more interesting facts about poker in general, simply by reading the ‘history’ section in the main menu of 4 Card PRO.

Following their standard model, Avalinx included a history section in 4 Card PRO to get you more in the game. Not only does it serve to entice, it also serves to educate and show that the game was well thought out and developed. I really do like these features as they help me learn and remember new items. Plus, as a frequent buzztime player at my local BW3, I can use this information to get lots of answers right; thanks for the help. My only issue is that the history section was not specific enough to 4 Card Poker, and instead it focused on Poker in general. I would like more game specific information in the future.

Still sticking to their standard model, Avalinx delivered another flawless and perfect concept and design in 4 Card PRO. The game play is easy, the controls great, and the menus intuitive. They have found a method that works and, unlike most companies in America these days, were smart enough to stick to it. This is a good idea, as people will come back for what they like, and they clearly like this. I believe that no other card game on the iPhone or iPod Touch, including the Texas Hold ‘Em game from Apple themselves, come close to being nearly as good, as pretty, or as sensitive, as the games in the PRO series. Congrats on doing so well.

An interesting feature of 4 Card Poker is that the dealer has an advantage over you. While you are dealt five cards, and need to pick the best four, the dealer is given six cards. While this sixth card is shown to all players (to help you calculate odds and decide to fold), this gives the dealer a huge advantage. In a two player game, like 4 Card PRO is set up as, odds are that that single card will help him 12% of the time. While this might not seem like a lot, it surely is when you are talking about lots of money.

To counter this, Avalinx has included an ‘ask the dealer’ option that helps you decide how to play the hand. Sometimes you need to muck (fold) and lose the anti, sometimes you should raise, and sometimes you should play the aces bet. No matter what you should do, the dealer will tell you what the odds say you should do. Your own risk aversion, however, is entirely up to you. This is a cool feature as it allows you to practice your odds counting, and it makes sure that you can learn how to play the game properly. This sort of thing is there to help out new players, and that makes sure that people will play the game over and over.

Though I complimented the template that Avalinx was using earlier, there is one problem with it. Sure, the game play is great and the graphics are stunning, but I want something new. Having the same card backing, same table backdrops, and same chip layout is starting to get a bit tiring. Frankly, this is starting to take away from the game because it is just not customizable enough, and there are not enough options for the total number of products they currently have out. I would recommend taking a week off of developing the next PRO game, and instead focus on revamping the graphics and looks of all of your games. Doing something like this will only make them better, and really should not harm the company in any way. As I sad, however, this harms 4 Card PRO only a little bit.

Overall, I believe that 4 Card PRO is yet another great additions to the PRO series from Avalinx. Like all of their games, it is flawless in design and perfect in game play. Plus, the looks are just killer. I really like the history sections and the fact that it is easy for a new player (I was new until I started playing with this game) to get on their feet. The only downside is that the overall look is starting to get tiring, and that drops 4 Card PRO down a half-star. Other then that, 4 Card PRO is an outstanding game for you iPhone or iPod Touch.


4 Card Pro has not been rated by the ESRB. The game is currently available on the iPhone and iPod Touch
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iPhone Game Review: 3 Card Pro

Poker is one of the few card games that has seemingly infinite variations. Texas Hold ‘Em, Let ‘Em Ride, Three and Four card, and stud are just a few of the thousands of variations that there are in the poker world. Some are well known, and have World Series and television contracts. Others are less known, but are equally enjoyable and loved. No matter what version of poker you want to play, it looks like Avalinx has a version ready for you.



Three Card Pro is the newest game in Avalinx’s PRO series of casino games for the iPhone and iPod Touch. They decided that it was time to introduce people to a variation of poker that most do not know. To do this, they utilized their typical perfect style and design, along with flawless game play, and set up an easy-to-learn and enjoyable game for the iPhone. Three Card Pro allows you to learn a variation of poker that you had never heard of, and it does it without causing you a sweat.

Did you know that As-Nas was a game that was brought from Persia to France, where it became known as Poque? Did you know that Poque was then transported to new Orleans in the mid 1800s by the native French population? Did you know that the southern drawl transformed the name Poque to the name Poker that we know today? Well, you now do. Plus, you can know a whole ton of other facts too if you just read the ‘History’ section of Three Card Pro.

Like most of Avalinx’s games, Three Card Pro contains a ‘History’ section that serves to educate and teach new players about the game. Be it for trivia, poker night, or just because you like to know odd things about French wording, the ‘History’ section is always a good read. I really like the fact that you are able to read up about the past of the game you are playing. Most applications and games do not have something like this, so it makes sure that Three Card Pro stands out above the crowd. Plus, it also serves to make the game feel polished and complete.

Speaking of the feel, Three Card Pro is perfect and flawless, just like all other games in the PRO series. The touch controls are great, the game play easy, and the menus intuitive. Frankly, it seems as though Avalinx has a machine for popping out great games that are top-notch; that machine deserves overtime pay. Three Card Pro is a neat looking game, and it feels fully polished when you play it.

One of the nice features in Three Card Pro is the ‘Ask the Dealer’ option. During the game, you are allowed to ask the dealer what they recommend doing. The dealer seems to run on averages and preordained rules that big-money players follow. Sure, some of you are more risky then the dealer (there is a reason that I keep having to restart the game), and some are less risky; however, the dealer gives you a good base to start off of. I really like this idea, as it ensures that all new players (and most to Three Card Poker will be new) know how to play the game, and it makes sure that they are ready to. ‘Ask the Dealer’ is a nice way to make sure that players do not have to sweat when learning a new game.

Really, I have no complaints about Three Card Pro as a game or as an application. Instead, I have a complaint to Avalinx. Guys, I think that it is time that you make a crappy game. I am getting tired of having really good games thrown at me, and I really want to give something a really bad review. It is just an itch that I need to scratch. You guys should make a game that we can all insult, show that you are human, and give that top-notch machine a break. Call it ‘Just For Barga Shampoo’ or something like that, and let me review it. Or maybe do something to challenge the status quo; take on Apple and their Poker application, or something like that. Anything to get us talking more is a good thing.
Oh well, I tried…

Overall, I believe that Three Card Pro is yet another amazing game from Avalinx. The game play is stellar, the graphics good, and the learning curve is gentle. The addition of the ‘History’ section, as with most of their products, just adds to the feel of the game. Three Card Pro is polished as usual, and it is an outstanding product. As with most of the PRO series, Three Card Pro gets a five-out-of-five star review.


Three Card Pro has not been rated by the ESRB. The game is currently available on the iPhone and iPod Touch

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iPhone Game Review: Baccarat Pro

For those of you who do not remember, Baccarat Pro was an Honorable mention in my best of 2008 application list...

Have you always wondered what James Bond's favorite card game is all about? Have you seen the high rollers playing a game that you can't understand but intrigues you? Are you interested in playing a game where you can actually bet on losing? If so, then the new application from Avalinx is for you.



Baccarat Pro (pronounced bah-kuh-RAH) is an application designed to not only teach you how to play baccarat on your iPhone, but also to teach you the history, strategy, and terminology of the game. With a beautiful interface and amazing graphics, Baccarat Pro can to teach you everything you've ever wanted to know about the popular casino game. This piece of software will give you a good game, good graphics, and a history lesson all for just $4.99.




Pros
Baccarat Pro has several amazing features and adjustments that makes it worth your money. The interface works perfectly as each gesture is perfectly executed. All of the menus are easy to find and navigate. Game play is straightforward, as everything works as expected with no hitches. Almost everything is customizable, from the color of the felt tabletop to the card backs and even the number of decks in the shoe. The overall look is absolutely stunning, and the colors, graphics, and animations make my mouth water. This game is a rare beauty in the App Store, and it is one of the best looking and best polished games out there right now.

Did you know that while France is considered the home of Baccarat, it really originated in Italy in the late 1400s? Did you know that the 52-card deck - with the king of spades (David), the king of clubs (Alexander the Great), the king of hearts (Charlemagne) and the king of diamonds (Caesar) – all came to France during the Renaissance? Well, I didn’t, until I started thumbing through the History section in the main menu. Here you can find a whole slew of things about the game, from where it opened in the U.S. to different playing styles. The History menu is just one of several useful and enjoyable add-ons to this software.

Now, like many of you, I knew very little about baccarat; I was familiar with it from 007 and really nothing else. I had looked it up, experimented with it a little, but really knew nothing. Even with almost no knowledge, I was able to quickly master the game with Baccarat Pro. To help you, the application has a Terminology and Rules section in the main menu which will teach you all you need. You can see draw/stand/natural tables, some betting ideas, and get a rough understanding of the game. The Strategy section allows you to master betting, which, while mostly luck, is based on current trends and past cards revealed. Then, even while playing the game, it will help you. You can ‘Ask the Dealer’, which explains recaps the previous hand and the end result. It also keeps track of recent hands (up to fifteen, I believe) on the screen, so that you can properly bet following trends. Avalinx worked very hard to make sure that all players, new and seasoned, could start playing baccarat in no time at all.

Cons
I often find problems or slight flaws in all products, but with Baccarat Pro I was able to find nothing wrong. Really, everything was great. My only real complaint is that the price is kind of steep when you compare it to most of the other card games on iTunes, but when it in terms of quality and look it's well worth it. While the $4.99 price tag might seem a little high, remember that you get what you pay for.

Overall
As hard as it is for me not to find flaws in products, I was unable to find any real flaw in Baccarat Pro. The gameplay was perfect, the graphics stunning, and there was no real problems with the software. The price, while slightly steeper than most card game on iTunes, was well within the expectations given what this game was. Having enjoyed this application a lot, I am forced to give out my first ever 5-star review. Congratulations.


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Whalertly Endorsements: Issuef 5 and Issue 6

Post 68

If you would like to see the full Secretary of State reports on the issues please follow THIS LINK.

Issue 5

Referendum on legislation making changes to check cashing lending, sometimes known as “payday lending,” fees, interest rates and practices.

“If a majority of Ohio voters approve Section 3 of H.B. 545, all short term lenders, including check cashing lenders, would be subject to the following limitations:

The maximum loan amount would be $500;

Borrowers would have at least 30 days to repay the loan; and

The maximum interest rate would be 28% annual percentage rate (APR) on all loans.”

The maximum should be slightly higher (say about 1000) so that it could cover a months car and rent payments. This, however, is of little importance. I feel that the 30 days minimum is a good idea for a payback method. These are supposed to be short term loan agencies, and 30 days is a perfect amount to make sure they can afford it. This also means that there can be less obscene overage charges as the borrower has more time to get the money gathered to repay the loan. As for the interest rate, 28% APR is high, but still well within a payable amount (for the borrower) and a profitable amount (for the loan company).

From the against 5 committee - “By voting NO on Issue 5, you will preserve the jobs of thousand of employees within the financial services sector. In Ohio’s difficult economy, further job losses should be avoided, particularly good jobs - with competitive salaries and benefits”

This is one of those fear arguments. Seeing as most of the companies have already started to file under this system, and seeing that most will still make a fair amount of money, there is little chance that most of the loaners will shut down. I feel that while jobs are important, they are not worth a sacrifice of the loss of homes and bankruptcy of other Ohioans. Furthermore, as has been shown, there is no real loss of jobs at all.

Issue 5 is a good proposal as it makes sure that all Ohioans have a chance to still get loans for those days that they are short on cash. Furthermore, it makes sure that all who use said loans then are not in danger of loosing their homes and financial freedoms due to these loans. In the end, by helping keep Ohioans financially free, and helping to preserve jobs, Whalertly endorses Issue 5.

Issue 6

to amend the constitution by initiative petition for a casino near Wilmington in southwest Ohio and distribute to all Ohio counties a tax on the casino.

“Authorize one privately owned casino with a required minimum initial investment of $600 million dollars on a 94-acre site located near the northwest corner of State Route 73 and Interstate 71 in southwest Ohio in Chester Township near Wilmington, Clinton County, Ohio.”

Blah Blah Blah, this is merely what it does, no actual discussion needed...

“Require the casino to pay a tax of up to 30% on its gross receipts for gaming less payouts. The taxes are to be used first to pay expenses of regulating and collecting taxes from the casino, then for funding of gambling prevention and treatment programs, and the remainder to be distributed in the amount of 10% to Clinton County and 90% to the remaining counties based on population and to be used at each county’s discretion.”

The tax is not enough in my opinion. While there is a large tax base created by this casino, I feel that we should tax it far more. I propose we amend this to 50% tax. This keeps our economy running and would help even more to keep those who become addicted having treatment. That said, I like the distribution plan otherwise.

“Reduce the tax paid by the casino authorized by this amendment to the lesser of the rate taxed on another casino or 25%, in the event another casino is permitted in Ohio in the future.”

This is my biggest issue with this proposal, and this is the loophole mentioned in the commercials. While 25% is not that big of a deal compared to the 30%, we are talking about MILLIONS of dollars not going to the state. Plus, it is then only half of what I want it to be. As for the loophole, assuming we charged another casino no tax (for say, 5 years like we do with Car plants) then this casino would owe nothing. This to me is outrageous, and we should not allow a changeable tax rate put in. We should have one that is set.

“Require that the casino be subject to all other applicable types of taxes that are currently in effect in Ohio.”

I assumed they would be paying golf, show, food, and liquor taxes. Don't see why this is even in here.

“Authorize the casino to conduct any game permitted in the State of Nevada, or any state adjacent to Ohio, including any type of card or table games, slot machines, and electronic gaming devices, except bets on races or sporting events. Only persons age 21 and over would be permitted to place bets. Amounts of bets would not be subject to any limits now or in the future. Days and hours of operation would not be subject to limits. “

Okay, so I have two issues with this: What if Nevada comes up with some sweet-ass gambling situation similar to the Gladiatorial Arena in Rome? Well, then this casino can do it too. I know this is a far stretch, but something like that could happen. The other part is the age. I think that if you are over 18 (our legal age, plus you can do the lotto then) you should be allowed to gamble. Days, hours, and size of bets should be governable by our state. Furthermore, if we amend the state Constitution later, this part doesn't matter.

“Set aside the application to the casino of all local and state laws and any constitutional provisions that would prohibit the operation of this privately owned casino, including any local zoning law that would prohibit or place restrictions on a casino from operating on the property in question.”

This is absolutely a horrible idea. The locale should be allowed to govern certain rules that deal with the casino and its property in general. Furthermore, as pointed out above, this regulation means nothing if we later change the state Constitution.

A proposal for a casino in this state has been turned down time and time again. The people of this state do not want a casino, and they don't for very good reasons. This casino makes no guarantee about the amount that it will put into the economy, it harms the citizens, and it does have some loopholes. Furthermore, it opens the door for Indian casinos to come into this state. Due to the dangers presented to the citizens of Ohio by having a casino, and due to the fact that there is little oversight of it, Whalertly says NO to Issue 6.

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