Simple solution to the random-next-shooter problem: that the shooter be picked randomly from all those remaining players who haven't played the last shot. In other words, pick a player randomly but not the same player twice in a row.

Simple solution to the random-next-round problem: again, make sure the first player in the next round isn't the last player in the previous round. When a game gets to the heads-up stage, this will end up with alternating shots, like the current version.

Not spread up enough evidently... I hit the pack a nice whack and was happy to not have to deal with a potentially unlucky spread when I head the ball going down, and next thing I was penalised cos a third ball didn't hit a rack. Actually... I can't remember now, but maybe two balls hit the rack and a third dropped in the pocket. Now how unjust would that be!!! But not to worry...

Apart from a pot being considered a legal break shot in most rules i've found (besides the ones used locally), when you think about it, on a strong break you might pot 3 balls, and only another 2 hit rails, so that strong break would be a loss!

After all, to pot you must have travelled further than to hit a rail..

Regarding randomness, whist it works wel in a pub/club environment, i dont think randomising player positions is helpful to this version. Its good to know ehre you are so you know roughly when you're playing etc (i have NEVER seen pub killer with a timer! )

Randomising the order after each rack, however, would be a great help in "spreading" players skill levels.

I also reiterate the request for the timer limit to be lowered to 5 seconds.


(i've been here a long time and its really the only thing i've asked for...)



Edited at 00:20 Wed 2/07/08 (BST)

It certainly helped a lot merely to have a new random order for each *game*. This would take it a bit further, and it sounds good to me.

You also would generally not bring any issues around possibly playing a safe on yourself, since the second shot you take will be a break on a new rack in any case.

Mightn't that make it into a lottery by taking away the aspect of skill?

You take away one skill and introduce another (quick decision-making).

In either case, it's just another option - can't really get too many of those

'Tis a long running debate i have had with many people over that subject.

Maybe i just have a short attention span, but i play much worse in long games, i just lose concentration having to wait.

5 Seconds is more than enough to play a shot, and even more so with Killer where you have even more players to watch while you decide on the one shot you will play.

Its not like planning what you need to do to win in any of the other games.

In short, my personal belief is that less time means more skill, as opposed to sticking a protractor on the screen and making notes to be sure you don't miss

As always though, i only suggest it as an option, which i believe would make all games more fun.

Edit - posted at the same time as Jan, but slightly different so will leave it

Edited at 22:22 Wed 2/07/08 (BST)

I've been rumbled

I personally need longer than 5 seconds on some shots, as not only do i need to pot a ball, i need to leave the white in as safe of a position as possible. Of course, other people may disagree and all it would mean is that i wouldn't join those 5 second games.

Well, thankfully we're all different or life would be very boring.

I've spent almost 5 years avoiding 20 sec games so i can safely say, checking the timer isn't a big hassle

I would say that re-randomising the order of play following a re-rack would be the higher priority upgrade though.

(I will probably never write a sentence with two "re-"'s in it again)

Well, then it's not surprising you stink at killer lol

(sorry mate, but that serve was too good to leave alone lol, never played you in killer so sure wouldn't know :) )

In killer, you don't know what shot opportunities you even have before it's your turn, so little you can do up front there really, other than some basic scouting for which balls are open and which are not (assuming they don't get moved in the mean time)

All completely irrelevant tho - the 5 sec option doesn't really need any justification or defense at all - as long as it's an option, it can be as retarded as you like and still be sensible to add. I for one would think it can be fun on occasion, but normally too short to allow the planning and thought behind the shots I prefer to see in pool.

Ah - but you dont just start thinking when the balls have stopped rolling do you?

Most of the others have stopped well before the last one, so what do you do during that time? Twiddle thumbs or plan the next shot?



Sorry, will drop it now, and hope for Nick to add the option, even just as a trial. This was just too much like the good old days (where are you phillippe124!) to miss

I A-D-O-R-E Killer!!

What!? Is it allowed to start before that?

Problem with your line of thought tho, is that in killer, most of the time (assuming a decent or good shot) the cueball is the last ball to move, and often it ends up right behind other balls or whatever other disfavorable position. Other than what I wrote about scouting, you can often not do much before it settles.

Edited at 07:21 Thu 3/07/08 (BST)

Why cant 2 people play each other aswell?

Good point - nothing wrong with heads-up killer. After all, that's what all games come down to in the end!

OK the following fixes have been implemented.
- percentage order on killer tables
- stat on profile page regarding points per game
- 3 different balls to hit cushion or pot on killer break
- remove incorrect warning message for killer about abandoned games

In addition I've added a countdown of 20 seconds for people to click after game start. If people don't do within the time they will be bounced out to the chat room. If this system works well I'll add to the other games.

Can you do 2 player yet?

This is a great, much awaited addition.

I much suspect Spinner's idea would be the better one though: Auto-starting the game after 20 seconds instead of the bounce.

Several benefits from auto start over bounce:
- The game would actually start
- Harassing players would be excluded automatically (with the bounce, they can still join games, wait for timer, then rejoin etc etc. Not at all a real problem of any magnitute, but still a consideration to make)
- People would learn not to sit in game rooms if not being attentive. It would cost points - to the benefit of the other players - which would in my opinion be perfectly deserved and fair for both sides of the equation.

Again, thanks Nick - great work

Well done nick it would be good if its added to other games

Auto-remove to chat room after 20 sec does not seem to be working.

We had a 3 player game, two hits rack, the third doesn't. We sat there waiting for about a minute, until the third player did hit rack.

The third player (which I would have expected to be removed) was the game owner. Could that have significance?