More like buckets than pockets.

On real US tables they have buckets as well

Do they?My memory must be going.

Seems that way to me...or maybe im just too good at US

yup that makes sense. The old table for US8 is probably better because on the new one you can smash them and pot all the time whereas on 9ball you have to be careful to what balls get potted.

But using the new one for US 9 would make combos a hell of a lot easier so i say keep the current Us table for 9-ball, and replace the Us 8 ball table with the new one.

Double Post

Edited at 15:55 Sat 16/12/06 (GMT)

Yer, very true chav_h8r2. It would be a lil bit unfair, but just a lil bit is ok

I think having the 30 day trial will show results nick! Although i have the feeling the new one will be more successful, cause it is more easier!

However i really do like the new one, would like to see them both stay!

Well course the new one will be more used because ppl will be trying it out...not really a fair test of whats more popular!!

Thanks stevo

Had a long play on the new table and it's too much like the UK table.If you play the UK and then the new US table there is little difference except for the ball colours and a few rules.The logical conclusion is to then have just one table with a button to change the balls and the rules.Sorry,too dull for me but that's a personal feeling.

At the moment newbies can start on the easy UK table and then move on to the old US as they improve.Why is that so bad?

I retract my support for a trial as i do not like the idea of a one table sight,too much like the others out there.I came to love this site for it's two different tables.looks like we may be down to one table in the future.
.I know total numbers matter,but does each type of pool have to have an equal share?

What about the snooker where very few play simulation games.Does this also mean the real snooker will be made a lot easier to increase the number of players

Edited at 06:39 Sun 17/12/06 (GMT)

I see that Nick and Martin say that the gulf between the good and the new guys on US is too wide.That sounds a little odd as a wider gap in the rankings was what Nick wanted as the spread from those at the botton to those at the top was not large enough,with no 8 ball virtuosos.Consequently more points were then given for a win on US 8 and 9 balls.Now is the difference too much and we make the play easier?

I don't think i have ever posted so much on here,but then again this site has kept me occupied when there are no cobras in the back garden to kill or buffalos on the front lawn.

Edited at 06:49 Sun 17/12/06 (GMT)

I have the same problem with squirrels. Well not exactly the same.

The problem with that gulf is that most newcomers are put off by it.

If I play a UK game against a (real) newbie, he will beat me if I don't concentrate and I play sloppily. The same newbie won't beat me at US8. I can take too little time lining up, flick through the forums, but I will almost certainly win.

Not because I'm brilliant. I'm a good enough US player, but the difference is just too much for newbies to overcome. They will play a few games, find they can't get the hang of it, go to UK and stay there.

That's bad for our game. We want lots of new players joining us on US, but they don't.

I'd rather be playing closer games. A game with players like potsmoker and co is far more exciting than easing effortlessly through. Trouble is, there's not enough players like that to go around. Most games don't present a challenge.

We need to even things up...not so much that the top players won't stay top if they concentrate and use their experience and know-how to win games...but just a little. We should give the new table a trial to see if it will do the job. I'm sure it will, but it doesn't hurt to put it to the test.

Edited at 11:02 Sun 17/12/06 (GMT)

I dont mind, as i dont play either US 8 or US 9

...and why is that?What do you not like about the games?

Martin,i take you point,but what is wrong with having an easy game and then a harder game?

Edited at 12:42 Sun 17/12/06 (GMT)

I find them boring, i dont like the colour, and the balls are hard to pot, it has dodgy rules, and the pockets are small and hav a bunker round them so you cant get shots in like u would be able to on UK.

Nice post Martin!

The numbers thing is something that only Nick will see properly, since what matters is the number of users who log on to the US games, play a couple, then leave never to return!

As i said before, the "difficulty" level is relative and changes for both players, so nothing really changes for the better players, it just gets better for newbies.

I'm sure ranking percentages will be adjusted once things settle down..

So what is the split between the three games with regard to active players?

I just think its less of a challenge, i really dislike UK8 for that reason..im not even that good at it but i can beat pro players at uk, whereas in US8 i cant, well rarely anyway and when i do win its because im playing really well, not because the balls are massive and the pockets are like buckets, i just think the challenge and skill will be taken away by the new table.