9balls Virtual Pool 3DL and Round Robin Site ©

Review by: David Laprad
Published: January 26, 2001

Pool is a beautiful game. I love entering a billiards hall, stopping for a moment and breathing in the atmosphere. There’s something calming in seeing the tables through the dull light and hearing the quiet tapping of balls. Just as enticing is the art of the sport, with its complex mechanics and clever strategies. I also get a great deal of pleasure from watching someone who is accomplished and understands the intricacies of the game compete. It has been a challenge for PC developers to produce an accurate representation of billiards for a number of reasons, including the aforementioned mechanics and the immaterial sense of atmosphere that is so difficult to capture. Despite this, one design studio has managed to remain at the cutting edge of pool simulations since the mid 1990’s: Celeris with their Virtual Pool series. Part 3 has just hit stores, so it’s time for another glance at this classic franchise.

For those needing a brief primer, the Virtual Pool series has earned the praise of both fans and critics with its uncompromising approach to realism and ease-of-use. The prior installments each contained their own innovations, but the heart and substance of the franchise has never changed: bring 8 Ball, 9 Ball and more to the PC with the same sense of exactitude as one would find on a real pool table. Another goal has been to imbue the titles with enough depth to appeal to hardcore users while allowing newcomers and casual users to load up a fast match without memorizing fistfuls of commands. The latest installment continues the tradition of offering ongoing innovation wrapped up in more features, enhanced realism and-- believe it or not--an even greater spirit of fun.

The moment Virtual Pool 3 loads, the first major addition becomes apparent: Jeannete Lee, one of the most notable competitors in her field. Sports games have long used top athletes to bring attention to their products, but in this case, Lee also contributes a helping hand with a series of training videos designed for amateurs. A Korean American, Lee has won numerous tournaments and was rated the number one female competitor in the world in 1996. Her presence in VP3 exudes an apparent passion for the sport, even if she does stumble across some of her lines in the videos. Beating this acute master in the Career mode is the ultimate goal--and it does not prove simple.

Attentive readers who are also long-time fans of this series will notice something interesting in that last sentence: the mention of a Career mode. That’s right, Celeris has, at long last, implemented a Career mode, giving us the motivation to improve our abilities and the chance to do something other than load endless single matches. The Career mode is launched in one of two places--The Garage or the Hawg Pen--against a less than talented group of competitors. Better not laugh at their game, though, because these are the sorts of venues most people avoid because of their reputed bad element. Starting out with 50 dollars, the idea is to beat all comers and earn enough cash to compete against the local boss, Big T. And so it progresses, with fancier locations opening up with each successive triumph until the user earns ten grand, which is enough to challenge Lee. In-between matches, users can visit a billiards shop and purchase new cues and cases based on actual sponsored products.

Careful readers will notice another interesting word from the last paragraph: “locations.” Celeris has revamped the graphics engine powering this series and included eight detailed environments that range in taste from the aforementioned garage to the palatial Monte Carlo casino private room and Lee’s beach house. The visual enhancements are more than aesthetic; the interface has also been rebuilt from the ground up to offer users more options for controlling the camera and the on-table action. I will discuss both the locations and the interface more in our criteria section, but for now, it is enough to write that Celeris has put considerable effort into ensuring that VP3 is the most attractive and powerful pool simulation around.

Celeris has also made strides toward creating the most comprehensive PC pool game to date. Inside the eight venues, users will be able to compete in 18 different modes. These include the requisite renditions of 8 Ball, 9 Ball and so on, as well as some unique variations, such as Bowlliards, which is pool with a bowling scoring format. Multiple rule sets are included where applicable, so users who prefer Midwest to APA rules when competing in 8 Ball will find their needs addressed. Also included is a lo-o-o-ng list of computer-controlled opponents who represent a broad range of talent from novice to professional. Although these characters are integrated into the Career mode, Celeris has also implemented a single match mode in which users can create a character and select from this stable of competitors. This single match mode sports another of VP3's new features: a Ghost Ball that helps users line up their shots. So, new content aside, does Celeris offer the same caliber of product that made Virtual Pool the best-selling PC pool series to date?

Graphics: This is pool, not a first person-shooter or a sublime adventure, so Celeris was going for functional, not “Omigod!” And for that reason I am hard pressed to gripe about the sometimes uninspired simulated environments. Sure, it was difficult to ignore the collapsed sprite suspended over a table in the corner of the Hawg Pen that was meant to represent a plate of food, and the clipping of the lights and other fixtures above the pool table was distracting. Oh, and do not get me started on the comical character portraits, which are a feeble stab at humor. Despite these imperfections, the overall graphical presentation meets with surprising approval because Celeris focuses on what’s important: the table. Sporting 16- and 32-bit color and crisp resolutions, the table is a thing of splendor. The manner in which the light in the room hits rolling balls would be enough to pull even the most jaded user into the game, and it is further impossible to resist the thrill of seeing the balls spin according to the various forces of nature. If the cue ball has draw on it, rest assured this will be made evident in its animation. The frame stutters during faster shots when there are a lot of balls in motion, but this did not reduce the immersive effects of the well-rendered action. The videos in which Lee stars are also smooth and clear, and since each clip comes in mpeg format, can also be watched using an external media viewer.

Interface: This is where I write “Omigod!” Celeris has crammed so much information into the interface, it is staggering. There are a total of 51 basic commands for controlling the game, all of which can be remapped. In fact, I am unable to come up with a single item that cannot be changed; from the size of the chat font to the graphics and audio, the entire range of functions can be reconfigured to some degree. This includes the camera, which, untouched, lines up behind the cue ball at the start of a new shot. Angle and zoom level are then controlled with the mouse, although extensive adjustments can be made to the field of view, the reorientation speed, how the user aims and more. It is even possible to watch through an opponent’s point of view. It is to Celeris’ credit, then, that the interface remains manageable despite its considerable power. The endless menu screens are well organized and the use of a cue tip cursor is too cool. The in-game HUD also contains a wealth of information, such as whose turn it is, what the score is and what the object ball should be in 9 Ball, for example. The design of the HUD varies for each mode of competition and the large section of real estate at the top of the screen that the HUD occupies tends to obstruct the field of view at higher angles. Since the HUD cannot be turned off, this is a small nuisance.

Gameplay: Let there be no doubt: VP3 is a simulation, not a watered down arcade interpretation of the real thing, so there’s a lot to learn in order to utilize the program’s full potential. Yet Celeris has made it simple to get into the game fast due to an uncomplicated set of core controls. Using the mouse--to aim and simulate the movement and speed of the cue--and a few other commands for setting up and executing a shot are all that’s needed to get through a single match. Those who need assistance learning the rails will appreciate the various help aids such as the ghost ball, which helps with lining up a shot, lines that show the results of a shot before it is made, and handicaps when competing against Lee. There are also numerous save files in which the balls are set up in certain arrangements to help fine-tune specific abilities. All of this is complemented with a comprehensive manual that details all of the controls, lists the rules for each permutation of billiards included, explains the basic mechanics of the sport and contains an appendix of pool terms and tips. Given all this and the instructional videos, it could not be easier to get into the game of pool without an actual table and a high-paid instructor.

This does not mean the hardcore user--if there is such a thing for PC pool sims--will be disappointed with the depth of VP3. The career mode eliminates all the aids and even incorporates a level of strategic planning. For example, winning enough matches and purchasing a better cue brings on more experienced contenders with larger amounts of cash to wager. The competition ramps up in terms of challenge with the perfect arc, which means losses are inevitable. Foreseeing this, Celeris incorporated a number of means for saving one’s progress, including allowing the development of multiple careers and the automatic saving of the current match when VP3 is exited. I also admired the sheer amount of content available, which would be difficult for even the most impassioned fans to exhaust. There are 18 modes in which to compete and dozens of competitors. Add online and local competition, the latter of which even includes a hot seat tournament mode, and there is more than enough content here to warrant the upgrade.

Despite all the depth and ease-of-use surrounding the on-table action, a pool simulation lives and dies according to how real it is. Fans can relax: If realism were a religion, VP3 would have choirs of angels singing its praises. In all the matches I competed in, I could not recall a single moment when something happened that was inconsistent with the real thing. The entire breadth of ball and table mechanics has been incorporated into this edition, including the calculation of how fast a ball is traveling when it hits the pouch, meaning an accurate shot hit too hard can now pop out onto the table. Even though it is impossible to get past the interface and be 100 percent immersed in the action, fans who delight in the game of pool should also have great fun with VP3 for all the same reasons.

Multiplayer: One of the most appealing additions to the series in VP3 is Internet gaming, which allows people to connect to each other worldwide using an external go-between called GAMESPY. Since Celeris elected to use an external program for launching Internet matches, getting up and running is a bit cumbersome: I was first required to download the VP3 patch, then the upgrade for the external service, and then the service’s update for VP3 before starting. Also, using the external service means loading and exiting the program to launch to find to someone else to compete against or to launch a different competition; Alt+Tab to GAMESPY and attempt to connect another server and VP3 will crash. However, it is simple as pie to set up a match or join one as a participant or spectator; it is even possible to participate in tournaments, ladders and leagues. Since precise timing is not critical in online pool, I was able to watch a match in which one of the two participants had a ping time of close to 600, though most matches were in the smooth 200-300 range. Except in extreme cases, lag is not a concern here, nor is finding an opponent. It’s 2:00 a.m. on a Thurs. and I just hopped on to find about two dozen contests going, a few of which had one person waiting for someone to join in. Even though internal server browsing and match launching are preferable to using an external service, VP3 Internet gaming is a hit.

Sound FX: The sounds of real pool range from the subtle tap of the cue tip against a ball to the ear-shattering sound announcing of the start of a match. VP3 renders its minimalistic soundscape with ease: The sounds of the balls tapping into one another and hitting off the rails are crisp and accurate. Since there’s not much audio to the sport of pool other than that, Celeris threw in some music blended with ambient crowd noise, though the silence between shots is preferrable. The crowd cheers out of turn and is much too excited and boisterous to be watching some of the matches I participated in. The crowd and the music are turned on or off together, so let’s see how the crowd fared…

Musical Score: Some people prefer music during pool; whether it’s a hard pounding electric guitar or the muted strains of a jazz quartet, music can add to the ambience of a match. The songs in VP3 alternate between these two extremes, with a little blues and electronica thrown in for good measure, depending on the location. There’s even an ominous orchestral piece for Loch Lommond manor that boldfaces the point that the music was not meant to complement the game but to exist as a clever piece of atmospherics. It fails because it distracts. To each his own when it comes to taste in music, but I am still not convinced that the chugga-chugga-chug of Creed-esque guitar riffs is the best accompaniment for PC billiards. In ended up turning both the music and the crowd off.

Intelligence & Difficulty: In the future, when brain implants can teach us new things, I want to be embedded with Lee’s superior abilities in this sport. Even though the A.I in Part 2 was solid enough, it is still inspirational to watch the CPU opponents strut their impressive stuff around the table. VP3 factors in ratings for more than a dozen core abilities and even an opponent’s mental condition during a match to figure out how well he or she will do against the user. Lee, the highest rated competitor, was programmed with frightening precision. As one would expect from an experienced contender, she is able to run the table given the chance. The manner in which she and the other top CPU opponents select shots and control the placement of the ball using follow, draw and English is impeccable. But what is even more exciting is how a tough table will force Lee into difficult shots--and she will miss. Lee can run a 9 Ball table with no trouble, but things tend to get crowded during 8 Ball, and she was forced to do jump or masse shots, sometimes missing and giving me the chance for bragging rights. Of course, as would also be expected from an experienced contender, she never allowed me much to go on.

Human error has been also been reproduced with impressive results. The lower rated participants, such as those who are encountered at the beginning of the Career mode on the easiest and normal settings, miss better than Fast Eddie Felson when he’s pulling a hustle. The point is, VP3 caters to amateurs who want to ramp up their abilities against less adept CPU opponents or just have a little fun against an unrefined contender. There are four A.I. selections when launching a career--from Simple to GOOD LUCK!--and each covers the gamut of expertise.

Overall: Virtual Pool 3 has it where it counts: high precision pool table action and awesome cool-and-confident A.I. opponents. This product manages to be more than the next requisite upgrade in a pioneering series due to its rags-to-riches career option and 3D accelerated set decorations. The career mode adds some much needed motivation for casual users wanting to improve their game, and the eight locations come as close as the PC can at this point to replicating the intangible spirit of pool. Although Expert Pool carried these burdens in 1999, it did not bring the well-engineered sense of science to the table that VP3 does nor the same breadth of match options. Further, Jeanette Lee is a pleasing tutor in the art of billiards. Even though her videos are aimed at novices, I loaded them up just to watch her confident poise at the table. [Hint: Select “About” from the main menu and view the credits for some bloopers of her video sessions.] Animated opponents and smoother online gaming would have put the competition under the table, but for now, pool fans who are searching for the best the PC has to offer will still find that VP3 is no hustle.

Direct3D Screenshots