Perfectly "Regular" Billiards

by Smaft

Cart #perfectly_regular_billiards-4 | 2024-07-18 | Embed ▽ | No License

2

Concept

Spoiler alert: these billiards are not regular (and they certainly aren't perfect). I wanted to take the game of billiards, which I've always enjoyed both in real life and in video game form, and turn it on it's head a little. As you play through the 25 levels in this prototype, you will encounter more and more... irregularities.

Story

Bill Iards is a perfectly regular person. He is perfectly happy with his perfectly regular life. One day, a man in a suit knocks on his door, bringing news of the passing of his estranged Uncle Whiz. Bill had no recollection of such a relative, but in any case, Uncle Whiz had willed to him one item: a billiards table.

Billiards, being a perfectly regular game, is pleasantly unoffensive to Bill. He accepted his inheritance with adequate affability, perfectly oblivious to the deluge of chaos imminently descending upon his life. Help Bill maintain normalcy by uncovering the secrets surrounding his Uncle Whiz, and the billiards table that just might not be so perfectly "regular" at all.

Gameplay

The object of each level is to sink all of the balls (other than the cue ball) without running out of shots or scratches.

• The number of shots and scratches varies by level, and in some cases can be unlimited.
• Sinking the cue ball is a scratch.
• When an 8-ball is present, it must be sunk last or it counts as a scratch.
• Sinking a ball gives you a shot back (unless it's a scratch).
• Balls sunk by forces besides the player count as scratches.
• As you progress, new complications will be introduced that increase the challenge of sinking the balls and avoiding scratches.

Controls (Mobile)

All Control Modes

X - Switch control modes

Place Control Mode

Up / Down / Left / Right - Move the cue ball around the table
O/X - Place the cue ball and switch to cue control mode

Cue Control Mode

Left / Right - Rotate the shot angle
Hold O - Charge up the shot power meter
Release O - Shoot
Press X while still holding O - Cancel a shot

Camera Control Mode

Up / Down / Left / Right - Move the camera

Controls (Keyboard)

All Control Modes

X - Switch control modes

Place Control Mode

Up / Down / Left / Right - Move the cue ball around the table
Z/X - Place the cue ball and switch to cue control mode

Cue Control Mode

Left / Right - Rotate the shot angle
Hold Z - Charge up the shot power meter
Release Z - Shoot
Press X while still holding O - Cancel a shot

Camera Control Mode

Up / Down / Left / Right - Move the camera

Note: The camera automatically focuses on the cue ball after shooting, the balls the cue ball hits, and any pocket where a ball just sunk.

Progress persistence is not working right now. Hoping to fix that soon.

This looks cool! Since this is Picotron, I think mouse control would work well, as well as maybe an option to lock the camera?

Thanks! Those are both great suggestions and I will definitely look into those!