Virtual Games

HomeBrewer

HomeBrewer

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
So, a couple years ago I saw an ad for a ceiling-mounted projector system that Caudron endorsed that let you laser-mark and recreate ball position to play against folks in another location. Kind of like the old chess matches by mail, I took it as.

It got me wondering if any of y'all here would want to do a poor man's version of that to engage in friendly play through the forum? It could be as simple as just taking a photograph of your shot and posting it, although of course video would be good too.

I live in kind of a no-man's-land for billiards activity, and my game is really suffering without getting human interaction. Anyone wanna talk about how to make it work and give it a go? A 10 point game, maybe to start?
 
Texas Carom Club

Texas Carom Club

9ball did to billiards what hiphop did to america
Silver Member
You seriously cant get people to play with?
Not even with platinum now having 3 3c tables?
Is the viet community there that unwelcoming?

Ive heard of them in some areas not wanting to deal with Americans but all my experiences with them have been nice people
 
HomeBrewer

HomeBrewer

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I like playing the Vietnamese rooms and have always been treated well, but there are things not to like such as distance, the neighborhoods they're in, smoking (I'm an ex-smoker), etc.

Wanting to explore other options doesn't have to be to the absolute exclusion of going to them...
 
Scratchy

Scratchy

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I’d be interested in trying out some less-costly ideas with you. I’m thinking like FaceTime on an iPad, perhaps. The ball positions may not be “sub-millimeter” precise but for 99+% of shots I don’t think the minor error would be significant compared to the ease and cost of an approach like that.
Data rates and limits could be a factor, I suspect, for some. I’m essentially unlimited, though, so that would not be a limiting factor at my end.

Would you like to give it a shot? Where are you located?

Got me thinking - good job!



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HomeBrewer

HomeBrewer

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Yeah man, I'm down. I'm in Louisiana, USA and I am a tech nerd so any IT junk needed, I will already own.

I'll send you my email and phone number - I don't check AZB PMs regularly at all.
 
jeagle64

jeagle64

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
That’s a great idea on the cheap. I saw that laser system and while nice it’s really elaborate and expensive. I’ll try and play with you. FaceTime is a great idea.


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HomeBrewer

HomeBrewer

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Awesome.

A couple of us are already theorizing on the best way to handle the viewing and comms, and as we improve the process through trial and error I'm sure it will become lots of fun.

Jeagle, if anyone else posts who'd like to pair up with you on it, we can be all running two games in parallel and could compare notes after the first few attempts on how it went and what could improve.
 
wildwilly

wildwilly

Woooozy
Silver Member
My suggestion is to start playing 3C on Virtual Pool 4 on your computer. It has very good physics, and you can chat with people using Teamspeak or Discord, etc. while you're playing. It only costs 10 dollars per year. Let me know if you'd like more info or to play.

http://vponline.celeris.com/
 
jeagle64

jeagle64

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
HomeBrewer said:
Awesome.



A couple of us are already theorizing on the best way to handle the viewing and comms, and as we improve the process through trial and error I'm sure it will become lots of fun.



Jeagle, if anyone else posts who'd like to pair up with you on it, we can be all running two games in parallel and could compare notes after the first few attempts on how it went and what could improve.
Click to expand...



I watch live pool on twitch app. Maybe that platform can be used. Idk.


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HomeBrewer

HomeBrewer

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Hmmm interesting, thanks.

That may well be worth looking into - I'm all for any platform that works, though I'm certainly interested in keeping the stream as 'private' as can reasonably be expected in 2019.

My only knowledge of Twitch is that it's something people use to let 'the whole world' view, as it were. I'll dig in tonight and see if there's an option to change that.
 
HomeBrewer

HomeBrewer

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
jeagle64 said:
I watch live pool on twitch app. Maybe that platform can be used. Idk.


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Click to expand...

I created an account on Mixer (recommended as an alternative to Twitch by gamer friends of mine) but I admit I quickly got confused and a little turned around. I'm a tech guy, sure, but that was a whole 'nother world.

Mac and I have made some progress with a FaceTime session and we'll probaby keep going that route while we continue to refine solutions that have to be figured out with *any streaming platform (nomenclature for standardizing/calling out ball positions, camera placement, etc.)
 
jeagle64

jeagle64

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I’m game on learning how. Let me know when ya figure out how and I’m willing to help anyway I can. Thanks
I got a quarter on the rail for winner. Lol


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Scratchy

Scratchy

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I’m out of town the next couple weeks and can’t play, but what Jason and I did is this:
Mounted an iPad in landscape orientation about 7 ft off the floor perpendicular to the table such that the view is the full table, from the side. Head on the left, foot on the right in the view. By agreement we will be using diamonds on the long rail as 1-8 left to right and diamonds in the short rail 1-4 far to near in the view. Coordinates always long first, short second, so balls are starting at break positions: red= 6.0/2.0 position; yellow at 2.0/2.0; white at 2.0/2.3.
We connected using FaceTime and could see each other’s table and talk to each other. He broke, made a point or two, then missed. He would tell me where the balls were after his shot using our coordinate system and I would locate my balls to those positions and take my turn. When I missed, then I would give him the coordinates to position his balls and take his turn.
We’ve only had one session, but we think it is definitely viable and with more time using the system the ball positioning will become second nature and go smoothly.
Admittedly it is not as laser-precise as Caudron’s, but these games ain’t for the world championship, and ‘close enough’ is good enough for us.

Maybe you can connect with him and try it. I’d be happy to play when I get back. I’m glad Jason started this thread! Like him, not many folks to shoot with and long haul to rooms w/tables and players. This seems pretty workable- give it a try. Any suggestions are welcome.




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HomeBrewer

HomeBrewer

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Yup yup, I think it can work.

Is it easier than playing in person? Of course not, but the alternative is playing with nobody at all, so ...

jeagle, I'll shoot you a PM with my contact info if you wanna try in the next few weeks while Mac is out of town. I don't check AZB PMs very often, so email and phone may be best, if you're game.
 
HomeBrewer

HomeBrewer

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
What would be cool is an app that lays out gridlines over the table and beeps when it sense visually you've moved your ball into the right position.

I may futz around with that since in my experience coding skills come from coding towards a real goal, not just learning exercises in books.

That said, I don't expect it to be done next week or the year after :)
 
Scratchy

Scratchy

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Ok, let’s run with that, Jason. Ignoring cost for the moment, since you are a coder, how do touch screens know what you’ve touched? Is that via some kind of XY grid sensor array? Could that idea extrapolate to ball positions?
Or, vision systems are getting quite sophisticated, maybe borrow something from them?

I think cost will be an issue, but ...


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