bonus ball is the real deal

Nothing against boner ball but if it makes it in pool I will start walking backwards. If it is such a good game I have never heard of the the players in boner ball talk about how good it is for the game and what the rules of the game will be. Players in the game IMO dont seem to be excited about the game other than receiving a few dollars.
 
Roger Long said:
cleary,

In all due respect, there has already been plenty of money invested in 9-Ball and 10-Ball, but that fact still hasn't advanced our sport all that much. If we are to ever appeal to the masses - that is, people who do not currently play, but might be enticed to play - then we really must change the game, and change the way it is presented. The people at Bonus Ball think they have the game and the plan that can do that. They also have the money to get it all started. Will they be able to keep it going? They will, as long as their game plan works. But even if they fail, it is their ideas, their efforts, and their money to fail with, so who is to say that they are wrong in trying it their way?

Don't get me wrong; 8-Ball, 9-Ball, 10-Ball, 14.1, and 1-Pocket are all great games and their standing in the pool community is solidified. But it has not always been that way. Each of those games had to be introduced at one time, also. But there is plenty of room for more. Now is as good a time as any to introduce a new game, and from what I've seen, Bonus Ball is a great game to be bringing in.

Roger
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Bonus ball has the same chance of "appealing to the masses" as speed pool and trick shots does.

POOL IS JUST A BORING GAME TO WATCH. Sure, I love it but that doesn't make it less boring. Its slow and quiet. It's common sense why it doesn't appeal to the masses.

watching pool:
l.jpg


watching other sports:
r-NFL-FANS-EIGHTEEN-GAME-SCHEDULE-large570.jpg


I go to events all the time and find people falling asleep watching pool. Nobody falls asleep at a football game. Get it? Bonusball isn't gonna change that. Mosconi cup has the biggest/loudest pool fans... and it's still like watching grass grow for 90% of the action.
 
I have never tried it so I cant say anything good or bad about the new game.

For players that have played it, can you please help out on some of the strategy parts of the game?

Seems like one would be, after you make the Bonus Ball, you try and play leave where your opponent cant really make his designated color.



Also in the rules it says you can play safe on an non Bonus Ball and after you play the safe you get to count that ball? So if a person only needs one point and its a hard shot, they can just call safe and hit the ball as long as it doesnt go in a pocket?

Nevermind with that question scoring while playing safe, found out the answer by trying out the scoreboard feature on their website. It does not add up any points on defensive shots.

Another question, if your opponent is shooting at purple ball first and you play safe, does that mean your opponent has to hit a purple ball or its a foul resulting in ball in hand?

TY in advance.
 
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Nostroke said:
Roy Steffensen has the real rules for "bone us" ball - I found them

10-21-2009, 08:03 PM
I think this is the rules of the game.

The Unofficial Official Rules of Bonus Ball

Permanent Rule: You may not play the Bonus Ball the same way twice.

Primary Rule: The following rules are subject to be changed, amended, or deleted by any player(s) involved. These rules are not required, nor necessary to play Bonus Ball.

1.0. The following words in these rules are mostly freely interchangeable, the Primary Rule applies:

§ Can

§ May

§ Must

§ Shall

§ Should

§ Will

§ Would



1.1. All players must wear a Bonus Ball mask (See Bonus Ball Equipment - 2.1). No one may question the masks (Figure 2.1).

1.2 Any player may declare a new rule at any point in the game (Figure 1.2). The player may do this audibly or silently depending on which pocket (Refer to Rule 1.5) the player is aiming at.

1.3. A player may use the Bonus Ball (See Bonus Ball Equipment - 2.2) in any way the player see fits, whether it be to incur injury upon other players or to gain benefits for himself.

1.4. Any penalty legislation may be in the form of pain, embarassment, or any degradation the rulee wishes to execute upon the other player.

1.5 The Bonus Ball Field (See Bonus Ball Equipment - 2.3) should consist of a pooltable, with zones, which are governed by a set of rules declared by players. Zones may appear and disappear as often and wherever the player decides. For example, a corollary zone would enable a player to make a corollary (sub-rule) to any rule already made. Or a pernicious poem place would require the intruder to do what the name implies. Or an opposite zone would enable a player to declare reverse playibility on the others. (Remember, the player would declare this zone oppositely by not declaring it.) (Figure 1.5a and 1.5b)

1.6 Flags (Bonus ball Equipment 2.3) shall be named by players whom shall also assign the power and rules which shall govern that flag (Figure 1.6).

1.7 Songs are an integral part of Bonus Ball and verses must be sung spontaneously through the game when randomly assigned events occur.

1.8 Score may be kept or disregarded, on the official Bonus Ball Score Card. In the event that score is kept, it shall have no bearing on the game nor shall it have any logical consistency to it. (Legal scores include 'Q to 12', 'BW-109 to YU-34, and 'Nosebleed to Pelvic Fracture'.)
Last edited by Roy Steffensen; 10-21-2009 at 08:07 PM.
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Thank you. It all seems so clear now. :banghead:

Question though. Are there rules regarding chalking while doing the practice strokes? I find it amusing trying to chalk while stroking and maintaining a bridge. If there are what are they? If there arent any what are they?
 
lee brett said:
We need to get behind each other in this industry, and not fight and slag each other off, support each other and work together for ONCE!
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Every person in the industry says the same thing when it is "their" product they are trying to push.

If a professional 8-ball tour was to start up in November would the people working with Bonus Ball get behind them and support them along with supporting their own game or would they see it as competition?

That is the key problem, people only want to support "their" product and their dream of what pool should become.

************************************************************

I have a question though, when you shoot the bonus ball after shooting the 2 colors do you lose your turn or do you then revert back to the first color ball again? Is shooting the bonus ball basically a shot where you are playing shape on your next ball or a shot where you are potting the bonus ball and playing safe on your opponents incomming shot?
 
Roger Long said:
cleary,

In all due respect, there has already been plenty of money invested in 9-Ball and 10-Ball, but that fact still hasn't advanced our sport all that much. If we are to ever appeal to the masses - that is, people who do not currently play, but might be enticed to play - then we really must change the game
Click to expand...

Not exactly. There are a SLEW of people who play pool, the problem is a very very small minority play anything other then 8-ball and they don't give two craps about any other game including 9-ball or 10-ball.

If you could just get even 2% of the general public out there who casually play 8-ball a little interested in a professional 8-ball tour that would represent a massive increase in popularity to this sport.

The people who do not play do not need to be marketed to, the people who DO play pool but who pro pool does not cater to in the slightest need to be marketed to, and that requires playing the game that THEY have played for decades while they ignored all the convoluted contrived games pro pool has messed around with for decades now with no success.

The truth is 8-ball has NEVER been given much of a honest chance in professional pool, being played on the proper equipment with the proper marketing and in more then 1-off events or the IPT which had the most absurd scoring and advancement system ever concieved and was marketed more to a small select group of celebs then to the general public who could not even watch the thing live when it took place.
 
Roger Long said:
cleary,

In all due respect, there has already been plenty of money invested in 9-Ball and 10-Ball, but that fact still hasn't advanced our sport all that much. If we are to ever appeal to the masses - that is, people who do not currently play, but might be enticed to play - then we really must change the game, and change the way it is presented. The people at Bonus Ball think they have the game and the plan that can do that. They also have the money to get it all started. Will they be able to keep it going? They will, as long as their game plan works. But even if they fail, it is their ideas, their efforts, and their money to fail with, so who is to say that they are wrong in trying it their way?

Don't get me wrong; 8-Ball, 9-Ball, 10-Ball, 14.1, and 1-Pocket are all great games and their standing in the pool community is solidified. But it has not always been that way. Each of those games had to be introduced at one time, also. But there is plenty of room for more. Now is as good a time as any to introduce a new game, and from what I've seen, Bonus Ball is a great game to be bringing in.

Roger
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What does this game have that will make it appeal to the masses? It is just another pool game other then adding a cool score board. Heck, Cowboy pool is fun, as is many of the various games you find in the basic rule book. What sets this game apart? Cribbage is really a great game for that matter.
 
Fatboy said:
Pool fans IMO should give support to people who are trying to make something of cue sports.
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If the game is such that people need to be begged to pay for and/or watch the game then it is doomed. The game needs to actually be entertaining enough such that it sells itself, people need to not see it as a

"gee this is kinda boring but I am helping pool so I will continue to watch it"

and instead need to see it as

"man this game is awesome to watch, I love this stuff and will for sure be tuning in simply for my own personal enjoyment"

If Bonus Ball cannot get that latter effect out of its audience then it is going to fail. The game need to sell itself, it cannot rely on support from people who are mostly as JCIN said doing so as a charity event, they need to tune in because they want to watch.

I buy TAR PPV's alot of the time but I do not buy their PPV's to support TAR and help pool, I buy TAR matches because I want to watch those matches.

If Bonus Ball cannot actually get me to "want" to watch the game then I wont, I have better things to do with my time and money then watch a game people are trying to push that I do not find entertaining.

Forget asking people to support Bonus Ball, that game better be entertaining enough that it supports itself and people WANT to watch it.
 
Fatboy said:
I dont think its a "Job" I thinks oits a smart thing to do, Just like the people who have been behind you and done their part. You have done a lot for pool alone and with the support of others. same thing for Larry.

Pool fans IMO should give support to people who are trying to make something of cue sports. Thats not a "Job", a Job is work and is due compensation.

With respect,

Eric:smile:
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I keep hearing I "need to support" bonus ball in particular. I am curious why that it is? Why not support OB Cues, BCAPL, Kamui, Simonis and all the other people who have supported what I do ? I'm supposed to support something that hasnt actually done anything yet.....how?

The best thing bonus ball can do to get support is not ask for it but to put a good product out there and be honest with their customers. I have no reason to think they would be anything but honest so I think all they need to do is put the product out and support it themselves before telling everyone else to get on the train.

Right now very few people even know what Bonus Ball is so it will be an uphill battle to get people to support something dont know or understand. Better to educate and entertain first then start getting people to pull together behind a proven product.

Just my opinion.
 
JCIN said:
I keep hearing I "need to support" bonus ball in particular. I am curious why that it is? Why not support OB Cues, BCAPL, Kamui, Simonis and all the other people who have supported what I do ? I'm supposed to support something that hasnt actually done anything yet.....how?

The best thing bonus ball can do to get support is not ask for it but to put a good product out there and be honest with their customers. I have no reason to think they would be anything but honest so I think all they need to do is put the product out and support it themselves before telling everyone else to get on the train.

Right now very few people even know what Bonus Ball is so it will be an uphill battle to get people to support something dont know or understand. Better to educate and entertain first then start getting people to pull together behind a proven product.

Just my opinion.
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I'm not saying you have to do anything-infact you have done more for pool than 99.999% of the people including me.

If you dont like Bonus Ball then thats ok with me, I just like to see any cue sport do well.

best

eric
 
I have gone back and watched the promo a few times now. I have to say, unless they are trying to introduce a new bar game with the score board gimmick, I can't imagine myself watching two pro's playing this game for more then like 5 minutes. And forget about paying to watch this. Am I just missing something that is supposed to be exciting about this game? Now a good game of bank pool, that is exciting. If you really think about it, what they are really trying to do is sell their games for $199.00. That is their business, not pool promotion. Nothing wrong with that.
 
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I try and play every night of the week. Its not uncommon for me to play for a few hrs, come home, read AZ and hit UTube and watch as much pool as I can.

Any other spare time is spent in the shop tinkering with pool cues.

I try to live and breathe pool.

I watched JAs demo and I can honestly say that there is absolutely zero attraction there for me. And thats before I have seen it played.
Now, if the demo is putting people off or to sleep, I don't see it going too far down the road.

I'll watch trick shots and speed pool, before this. I'm not trying to be ignorant or mean, just my honest opinion from what I have seen so far.
 
It seems like a fun game, and it's like baseball, you make an out and your inning is over, you score 6 points and your inning is over, next batter.

I'm gonna give a try. I'm not so sure you need to buy "special" balls, when stripes and solids will work just fine in this game. In my opinion, the "ball package" just makes it sound like a slick marketing scheme, versus a good game.

Pool rooms are NOT going to buy special balls. I spend freely on pool products but I'm not gonna buy special balls when they are NOT needed.

But I will try this after league next week and see what my team mates think of it. NIce change of pace from 8b or 9b aftert league is over... Nice cheap game to play for a buck a point....
 
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lee brett said:
I have been filming bonus ball for the last 2 weeks and it's the real deal, for all the people that knock this game go out and play it and tell me you don't like it.

We need to get behind each other in this industry, and not fight and slag each other off, support each other and work together for ONCE!.


This game has had some great matches, with some amazing shot making and the players love the game, the studio is the best ive ever seen and the camera work is top notch, just wait for the promo by runoutmedia, it will be like nothing you ever seen before.

This is going to happen so lets support this game and give us all a chance at finally getting somewhere.

Gonna wait for the knockers, well know who will reply with his 2 cents already but won't name names, got nothing good to say then don't say it.

The league will be starting the first week in November so lets get behind it, great job by everyone this week, we all worked together and are looking forward to the 6 month season.
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You know, best wishes and all that, but your PR approach on this is DOA. You cannot start off with this Judy Garland - Mickey Rooney, "Hey kids, let's put on a show" approach because you haven't shown anyone why they should care a wit. Until you can demonstrate value-added to the average pool player, as well as to the aficionados, this is a transparent case of "support this so I (and a few pros) can collect another meal ticket" (until the well goes dry).

Bonus Ball may, somehow, look attractive to snooker players trying to crossover to pool, but as a dyed-in-the wool pool player, to me, it looks pretty bogus. (Of course I'm not JA trying to sell it.) Soooo, like I said: best wishes and all that. Stock up now. Maybe in a few years the balls sets and score boards will bring some value as collector's items.

Lou Figueroa
 
I have been in Vegas for almost 2 weeks now helping Run Out Media with video work so I am seeing it all behind the scenes. I have to say I was a skeptic at first and then when I heard the players being very happy about the opportunity and also the meeting with Larry where he laid it all out I have to say my doubts are no longer there, I believe it has a good shot. It has all aspects of pool in it, banks, one pocket, snooker, straight pool and rotation, the players love it.

The market for this game is bigger than just us diehards here, fans in the US, these guys are Canadian based so if this game is on TV in Canada, Asia an in the US then I find it hard that it will not make it. There are a ton of ideas I know of but wont speak on that are different from what all the other people are trying to do which is nothing, the people in pool now are doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results which is the definition of insanity.

Things that are different that I can speak about that sets this game apart along with it being fresh for cue sports is the scoreboard, shot clock and time limit on games, that keeps it going and the spectators interested and you always know what is going on in the match instead of whispering to your buddy to find out what the scoop is. There are teams just like other sports with the players wearing jerseys, trying to change the "game" image of pool which is not taken seriously and making it a "sport" is huge.

The lights in the arena change color with which ball they are shooting, looks great on video, the atmosphere of it for the fans is nice, modern, colorful and classy. I hope it works out because if it does then the players will make more money, pool popularity will increase and all in the pool industry will benefit, the only difference is they will have to pay more money to the players.

The players and fans have nothing to lose here if this does not work, but its the best chance I have seen for pool because the ideas, game and whole concept of it is new and fresh. The reason people should support Bonus Ball is because it is supporting the players and paying them too, just like TAR, Mark Griffin and other good people in the industry have. Larry and Barry are good people taking a chance and are "all in" on it, no shortcuts.

If Bonus Ball takes off then it works out for everyone as I said earlier, I am not into the pool politics that have hurt this game for so long, people get worried that it will take money out of their pocket even though this could be better for all players, the game and fans. I support those who I feel are good in the industry, buying TAR, Accu-stats PPVs and also products along with my little contribution of streaming.
 
A few quick points to clarify:

1) The rules posted are not the actual rules. The game has completely evolved over the past year into a completely different animal, and the past three weeks have been dedicated to refining the game to make it playable at the highest level. The new rules will be released shortly.

2) there has been zero promotional work for this, and that's because the creators want the game perfected before it goes public. They made that mistake a few years ago, and are not going to make it again. Promotion will begin in a few months when everything is properly put in place.

3) If you think this game is just to amuse spectators and is similar to trickshots, then expect to be surprised when you see it in a few months. A much closer comparison would be one pocket on speed with a straight pool breakout and snooker scoring.
 
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