A New Pool game...? Yes... Look inside...

I'm in Montana. It appears you are in UK? I can say that the culture in the UK, with their black ball game would likely be much more open to a new game.

In MT, I can't think of more than several public pool halls. If you take away the university pool rooms in Bozeman and Missoula (which are kinda iffy on whether they let non-students play), there are almost no tables that are not coin operated. I just don't see any bars replacing their balls with a new set.

That brings up another problem. Are you making your balls to work with valley coin-op and diamond smart tables? If not, how do you propose to use your new balls to play your new games in coin-op situations?

Finally, you keep telling me that there is nothing wrong with how pool is currently played. You then say that there is a flaw due to pool that doesn't relate to playing pool. Then you tell us that you invented new games and new balls to solve this problem. Taken all together I fail to see how all three can be true at the same time. Maybe that is because I am an engineer and survive on logic, not a salesman who survives on commission.
This isn't developed for those in Montana, but that doesn't mean you can say you won't play or use the balls if available to you if the scenario presents itself to you.

I'm not a salesperson on commission. Developing a set of balls in itself is creative engineering.

Yes, there is nothing wrong with the game itself. Just, in certain scenarios, an issue presents itself and we have developed a concept with balls to fix that issue.

That should be relatively straight forward to understand for an engineer as often you work on projects to fix an issue with a solution?

You know, there are many clubs, including ones I have and do play in, and have done in leagues where for 3 or 4 hours one or 2 evenings a week, we use one or 2 coin operated tables the pub has.

We open up the table, swap the balls from pub grade to league grade.

30 seconds.

If a club or bar has customers who wish to use our balls for an hour or so and play 7 or 8 games on a coin operated table, what is a minute of their time going to be if it means money in the table and some sales on drinks?

Over time, some clubs or bars COULD use one or more tables specifically for our concept. COULD.

Are we using a spotted white? Yes. The the optical sensor will be able to differentiate between cueball and object balls.
 
This isn't developed for those in Montana,

Good to know. Very good to know, indeed.

Developing a set of balls in itself is creative engineering.

Yes, there is nothing wrong with the game itself. Just, in certain scenarios, an issue presents itself and we have developed a concept with balls to fix that issue.

That should be relatively straight forward to understand for an engineer as often you work on projects to fix an issue with a solution?

You know, there are many clubs, including ones I have and do play in, and have done in leagues where for 3 or 4 hours one or 2 evenings a week, we use one or 2 coin operated tables the pub has.

We open up the table, swap the balls from pub grade to league grade.

30 seconds.

If a club or bar has customers who wish to use our balls for an hour or so and play 7 or 8 games on a coin operated table, what is a minute of their time going to be if it means money in the table and some sales on drinks?

Over time, some clubs or bars COULD use one or more tables specifically for our concept. COULD.

Are we using a spotted white? Yes. The the optical sensor will be able to differentiate between cueball and object balls.

I won't argue whether designing images on balls is engineering or not. I don't think it is, but I won't argue the point.

As far as the whole opening the tables, yeah that could happen. It is not going to happen in any of the bars I have ever played at during peak hours. Bars don't allow one group to 'own' a table for any period of time if there are other people who want to play.

I never asked about a spotted white.
 
The biggest problem with new inventions is trying to solve a problem that doesn't exist. If nobody on a billiards forum can even think of what the "problem" could be, maybe the problem doesn't exist. Is this going to be the Peanut Butter Pump of Pool Kickstarters?



And apparently the balls are very simple, nothing drastic, but somehow it's almost impossible to play with regular balls. But I guess they're just solid balls with numbers. And you can makeshift it by combining sets of regular balls? Also you can play with a deck of cards? Then there's "a very basic way, a points scoring option, a brutal tactical version" which sounds like Bonus Ball's 'take one thing from every game" approach. And no matter how you play, it all solves the same problem.
I find it amusing that I have said we can't give away how it is played or the issue yet there are dozens of questions about how it's played and what type of balls etc.

Why not simply wait a few weeks until all is revealed? 😃

No playing cards involved. Doesn't mean you can't introduce them if you find a way to.

Balls. Simply a set of balls that solves a problem that often arises in a particular scenario. That's it.

You could perhaps use balls from multiple sets to do something similar, I've tried, but it could get confusing. You could possibly need half a dozen sets to do it. But half the ways you could play the game using our balls you'd be unable to.

You would then have several part sets others can't use just for the sake of having 1 or more specific sets.

You might like it, you might not. But we hope you will.

Let's see in a few weeks.
 
Good to know. Very good to know, indeed.



I won't argue whether designing images on balls is engineering or not. I don't think it is, but I won't argue the point.

As far as the whole opening the tables, yeah that could happen. It is not going to happen in any of the bars I have ever played at during peak hours. Bars don't allow one group to 'own' a table for any period of time if there are other people who want to play.

I never asked about a spotted white.
The diamond smart tables detect spotted ball from object ball.

In some bars and clubs it will work better than others. It could happen depending on the customers, time of day, how busy it is.

That is down to the individual proprietors as to if, when and how.

MOST places you grab the balls and go to the table. Or they are already at the table in pockets or where they are returned to at one end of the table.

When I say not for those in Montana, I mean not for a spefic state. But you knew what I meant.

Engineering isn't just about making things from metal.

Chemical, computer, industrial, mechanical...

From CAD to production of the balls, various types of engineering is required, is it not?
 
A know a few gentlemen have highlighted parallels with the Bonus Ball venture, Jack, but wondered if you were also familiar with Pierre Deveaux’s Krom Premiere campaign on Kickstarter about ten years ago?

From memory Pierre attracted many thousands of dollars worth of investment, but ultimately fell short of his target. I don’t recall the project progressing further after that, but stand to be corrected as my recollection is a little hazy.

Definitely worth studying if you haven’t already done so, dear fellow.
 
.... When I say not for those in Montana, I mean not for a spefic state. But you knew what I meant. ...
I don't think he knew what you meant. I certainly didn't. Montana is one of the most rural and sparsely populated states. That's a main way it's different from the other states. I assumed you were saying that your product is intended for more urban areas, like ones with lots of pubs.
 
A know a few gentlemen have highlighted parallels with the Bonus Ball venture, Jack, but wondered if you were also familiar with Pierre Deveaux’s Krom Premiere campaign on Kickstarter about ten years ago? ...
Shown here:

or:

1743279502513.png
 
I'm confused. In your very first post you said, "Multiple ways to play the game, like with a deck of cards."
He evidently meant to say:

You can play the game in many ways with the new set of balls, just as you can play many different card games with a deck of cards.​

At first I thought he had reinvented pea pool but with cards instead of peas. Of course there are a hundred or so different games people have played with the standard 15-ball set, so it's not clear this is a significant new feature.
 
A know a few gentlemen have highlighted parallels with the Bonus Ball venture, Jack, but wondered if you were also familiar with Pierre Deveaux’s Krom Premiere campaign on Kickstarter about ten years ago?

From memory Pierre attracted many thousands of dollars worth of investment, but ultimately fell short of his target. I don’t recall the project progressing further after that, but stand to be corrected as my recollection is a little hazy.

Definitely worth studying if you haven’t already done so, dear fellow.
I have taken a look at the 4 minute promo video.

The video talks of such positive responses wherever they went, across "dive bars" and more premium clubs.

Found the kickstarter page. Target £38k/$50K.


It got to £11k almost.

Until we have the intent from those we contact looking to pre-order with a small deposit and a reservation funnel with an indication that we should hit 50% within the first few days, we wouldn't start the Kickstarter. Ideally we would like the intent of the full amount from written orders and what is submitted by those who use the reserve funnel.

£11k - 50 backed for £100, 19 at £115, 12 for a laser engraved set.. less than 100 sets "ordered".

That's quite low. It's also just a novelty item, a gift perhaps, something more to use at home. They would be difficult to pass for TV, far too small a market to sell to.

Our set is not novelty, but could be a gift as with anything.

But 10 years on with funnels and social media users we can tap in to, plus other resources, I'd be more confident that we can reach our target.

Hopefully you'll like what we have!
 
I’ll send Jack a pound.

New pool ball concepts are always of interest to me. I’m particularly intrigued to see his design and follow the Kickstarter campaign.

I’ll get my money’s worth in reading alone!
 
He evidently meant to say:

You can play the game in many ways with the new set of balls, just as you can play many different card games with a deck of cards.​

At first I thought he had reinvented pea pool but with cards instead of peas. Of course there are a hundred or so different games people have played with the standard 15-ball set, so it's not clear this is a significant new feature.
But it will be clear when we reveal.

If it was simply a new way to play using the same sets of balls currently available, it's unlikely we would be looking at manufacturing balls, no?
 
Shown here:

or:

View attachment 815647
Found the Kickstarter link in an above post. Didn't get as much traction as they thought! "High performance resin" isn't necessary phenolic resin, that is only required for tournament balls if WPA, WPBSA etc use them and above 95%.

Chrome balls with all the reflections and what not would be so horrible to play with in my view. I might be tempted at £50 for a set, just for display, but wouldn't play with them.

We haven't designed our balls to be different. Not for novelty!
 
Whatever one might have thought of Pierre’s Krom concept, the gentleman was undoubtedly a very experienced and respected designer.

If I’m not mistaken he was at Aramith for some time before going it alone.
 
How do I send you the pound, Jack?

PayPal?
No no nooooo

We will have a section on our website with a short form to fill in. Some details, intended sets to buy and quantity, location etc. It will then take you to a payment page for your £1 or equivalent.

If you reserve, when you back via Kickstarter, use the same email as per the reservation. When the Kickstarter ends, provided we reach the target, we match up reservation emails with backer emails, once we have those, we release all the reservations back.

Seems complicated but it isn't.

We can then ensure that those who back and used the reservation funnels get their rewards, benefits, perks... whatever you wish to call them.

Those in the reservation list will have updates in the weeks/days leading up to it.

Hopefully that makes a bit of sense.

We won't see a single penny/cent of reservation funds!
 
He evidently meant to say:

You can play the game in many ways with the new set of balls, just as you can play many different card games with a deck of cards.

Ah, I get it now.

I picture there being the big reveal and you go, "Oh that's basically Blurnsball, which was played in Chicago in the early 1900s. Here's a link to a PDF for the rulebook..."
 
Ah, I get it now.

I picture there being the big reveal and you go, "Oh that's basically Blurnsball, which was played in Chicago in the early 1900s. Here's a link to a PDF for the rulebook..."
That's it Moe. Exactly it!

It seems I have been sussed... 🤫 but please don't tell anyone!

How do you hide certain replies here...? 😂
 
Back
Top