Apps Cueist - our new pool / snooker game is on sale

[oftheheavens]

Thanks for the feedback oftheheavens!

When you hold the main button down ready to take your shot, it enters a "fine-tuning" mode where the zoom level is fixed and you can make tiny adjustments to your aim.
My own playing style is to roughly line up the shot, hold the button down, make whatever adjustments are needed, then play the shot. A simpler "beginner mode" with fixed zoom could be a good idea though, as well as variable cpu opponents of course.

But it was deliberately designed to require some skill to play well.
Most pool games are very "digital", where you set the aim (or the cpu sets it for you)... then set the power at 72% or whatever... then push the play button to start the programmed shot. I wanted Cueist to be more flowing like the real thing
So there is a bit of a learning curve at first, but you get better with practice.

pjarvi, I tried it with and without cue ball dots but decided on dots just because it makes it obvious "why" the ball is curving or stopping etc. It could easily be an option to add though.

thanks for the reply as I am still playing this because I see i can be amazing but I just don't know what the remote will allow. Maybe a tutorial would prevent many of these types of questions, nothing long and crazy just about how to angle and use the remote. Anyways, I don't want it to be dummy proof but even now that I have figured out and use almost exactly your method I then have to work about watching the pool stick to see how strong my shot will be, and even with fine tuning it can move a little to much. So I know I am being a bit contradicting so since I have no idea how to actually program games but
- maybe turn down the sensitivity of the amount it can move while in fine tuning
- turn off zoom completely, I spend so much time ensuring that I stay perfectly still so I don't have to keep zooming in and out
- brings us to the next point, maybe that can be solved by making the zooming and panning faster with extreme tilt of the remote (don't know if this can be done)

think thats it but it is early morning. I like the game a lot though, great game and super fun!

 

[SaitaraSoft]

Thanks for all the useful feedback, much appreciated!
MFI Game Controller support is now live in the app, which gives more of a precise way to play.
I'm not sure it's as much fun as swinging the remote around though

I think the best way to implement your control suggestions would be to have variable response curves (and dead spots) for the remote movements.
That way people who like the current controls can keep them, and others can choose a curve that suits them.
Does that sound like a plan?
Thanks again!

 

[Donka]

Just discovered this app and the video demo certainly looks like the ball physics are pretty much spot on. I'm actually trying to decide if the ATV4 is a keeper or not and this may well be the very app to do it.
Are there any promo codes available or even a TestFlight invite to beta test and provide feedback? I'm been a uk pool player for a number of years and would be keen to see how this transitions to the big screen.

 

[pjarvi]

Finally got around to buying the game last night and played a round of 9-ball. Looks and performs great, only thing I haven't gotten used to is the control when using the remote. Tilting the remote left/right was very sensitive and kept moving on me which made lining up a shot difficult. I was getting used to it towards the end of the round but I'm going to try the SteelSeries controller (already purchased) and see if that is a little easier.

 

[LiveM]

In-game graphics and physics look great. Controls are a nightmare - why can't you just swipe left and right for pan and up and down for zoom? You have to hold the remote like a chopstick to tilt it forward as required to get it to zoom in to a normal perspective.

The icon will not attract much interest - poor design and worst typeface ever. The menu is a bit better but way too messy. What's with all the fonts - especially the start button which is also written over an image. Hard to notice.

I would suggest taking the in-game text and flourish style and applying it everywhere else. It's like visiting three different apps at the moment from the browser to the menu to the game.

The different game types look like they are locked due to reduced opacity, btw. I would declutter the menu screen by taking out as many parts as possible and using sub-menus. For the game type etc. I would use a swipe slot machine type rotator.

 

[SaitaraSoft]

The 1.03 update now available has some control options to be more accessible for the casual player, with reduced remote sensitivity and dead spots etc. You can also push the Play/Pause button in-game to recalibrate the remote's resting angle.

I agree that the icon and menu screen definitely aren't as pretty as they could be, but I'm no artist and had no time to find one. If anyone wants to take on a redesign, I'd be very interested!

 

[CJF1]

I really enjoy the game, and the graphics are great. However, there are two things that are very frustrating. I'm not sure anything can be done about the first, which is that the computer opponent sometimes plays like an only moderately skilled player for most of the game, then when I'm one ball from winning, he runs the table and sinks 5 or 6 shots in a row. I understand that sometimes players get lucky, or arguably more focused, when the pressure is on, but this behavior is pretty consistent.

The second issue should be very simple to resolve. In 8-ball (and maybe others; I haven't played all the variants yet), if a human player sinks the first ball, he gets to call spots or stripes. However, the game chooses one by default, and the player has to shake the remote to toggle to the other. Since it's typical to call whichever the player sinks first, could the game please default to spots or stripes based on the first ball that the player sunk? I find myself sinking one stripe, mentally calling stripes but, because it's obvious what my intention is, forgetting to toggle it in the game, which for some unknown reason has decided that I wanted spots. Then I sink a second stripe on my next shot, and the game tells me that I hit an illegal ball first. So I've now sunk two balls for my opponent, given up my turn, and allowed him to position the cue ball. Not good.

 

[SaitaraSoft]

CJF1 thanks a lot for the feedback, it's very helpful!

Firstly the CPU player... it's not very "intelligent" right now, but I plan to improve this and offer different levels in a future update. The simple reason for what you're experiencing is that most of your balls have been potted, so there's nothing to block the CPU's possible shots. If the CPU has a clear obvious shot, it'll usually pot it. It's not "trying harder" to beat you or anything devious like that. Honest

Second issue... Yes I agree and I'll definitely change that to the default in the next update. I didn't want to assume which set the player would want... but generally you're right that they'd choose the one they've just potted. I'll make it so.

 

[moe14]

I may have missed this in the thread, but can someone please explain how to zoom in/out, and how to set the power of the cue stick. I'm using the remote by the way... I've figured out how to aim and fine tune the aim, but I'm randomly hitting with different power levels.

Also, how do you place the cue ball (the white one) after an illegal shot? Using the remote seems random.

It would really be cool to have a practice mode to master how to use the remote or game controller.

Nice app and I really like it. Great work...

Thanks.

 

[pjarvi]

Zoom = Tilt remote forward/back
Power of shot = Watch the cue stick animation, it moves back/forth automatically, power is how far back it is
Placement = Use touch pad and keep finger in direction you want the ball to move, think of it like a d-pad

 

[EchoWhisky]

Bought and tried this out last night and was generally impressed. Physics and instructions were good. Some of the tables were quite nice looking (though the colors of the last one are a bit rough). The controls took a lot of getting used to. Maybe casual mode shoud be the default. Even then, I regularly found myself zoomed all the way out accidentally waiting for my turn. A bigger gripe for me ws that I couldn't figure out how to pick which colored ball I was shooting in snooker. After pocketing a red, it suggests the nearest ball and has wavy lines around it, presumably indicating that there is a choice, but shooting any color other than the default results in a foul. Maybe there is some switch on a different controller. I was only using the remote.

 

[Donka]

I see from the screenshots that there are different tables in this game. Are there different sizes of tables or are the changes only cosmetic? I just haven't bought this yet as I don't know if I'll be keeping the Apple TV - depends if they fix the streaming issues or not.

 

[SaitaraSoft]

EchoWhisky - Sorry I thought it would be more intuitive... The wavy lines mean you can give the remote a quick shake left/right to choose another ball.

Donka - All the same size for now, will be more to come.

 

[EchoWhisky]

EchoWhisky - Sorry I thought it would be more intuitive... The wavy lines mean you can give the remote a quick shake left/right to choose another ball.

That works, but even knowing about it I seem to forget to use it and get the foul about half the time. Enjoying the game anyway, though. Looking forward to the iOS version.

 

[SaitaraSoft]

The iOS version just got approved, so you should be able to get it as a free download in the next 24hrs or so.
At least I think that's how it works... First time trying this Universal Purchase system

 

[Donka]

Any news on when the price is going up? I'm not buying anything for the ATV 4 until 9.1 drops and I know the buffering issues are fixed, otherwise the ATV 4 will be going.

 

[EchoWhisky]

I was able to get it on iPhone and iPad today. Have only tried the iPad version so far, but I like it. Controls are nice and intuitive, but that may be because I've been playing the TV version. On the TV I still forget to call my color shots in snooker way too much. There needs to be a way to cancel out of focus mode without shooting.

 

[MacGralich]

Great game, SaitaraSoft! Some questions!

I didn't quite get the Play/Pause button fine tuning thing... What's it for, exactly? How does it work? Could you rephrase?

Moreover: I've seen the gameplay video on YouTube and it shows different angles when performing the shot, while all I can get is the front angle (point of view from the stick). How can we choose the 'camera' angle?

Do you plan some sort of recording/replay of the shots? It'd be a great addition!

Thanks a lot and... great work!

MacG

 

[SaitaraSoft]

Hi MacGralich, thanks for the kind words!

- Play/Pause button : you tilt the remote forwards/backwards to zoom in and out, but it can be tricky to tilt it forwards when you're sitting back on the couch. So pushing the Play/Pause button resets the "zero" position to make it more comfortable

- YouTube camera angles : these were all recorded watching the cpu playing. There's a "view shot replay" function coming soon where you can watch from any angle, but it'll be added after the online versus mode is working 100%. (it's mostly done but still needs some work)

I'm hoping to upload the next update (including many suggestions from here) in the next week or two.
Cheers!

 

[MacGralich]

That's excellent news, Saitara! I have another request, though I think that this is a HUGE one and it won't probabily be ever on your schedule, but it's worth trying.

Since I find that the physics are so good, I wondered if you ever thought to implement a totally other kind of game on the table, too: the so called Italian billiards or five-pins billiards.
It's played mostly in Italy and South America, it's a game where the rebounds on the cushions is fundamental. I think it is a challenge for the player and mostly so for... the coders! What do you think? It is a WONDERFUL game, for the great table champions!

Talking about physics the only thing I think could be modified is the maximum strength a shot can have. I feel that at maximum strength is yet a bit weak. Or you could parametrize the friction of the table!

Thanks a lot
MacG

 

[MacGralich]

One request and one possible bug.

The request: would it be possible to have a free visual before hitting? That's to say: not just from the point of view of the stick and the hitting ball, because it's difficult to look at the details, for example to understand how far is a ball from the cushion if that ball is on the other side of the table.

The possible bug: for two times, playing snooker, the winner was not the one who had the highest score after the last hit, but it was the one who had the highest score BEFORE the last hit. Rules I don't know of or a bug?

Thank you and keep up with this good work

 

[thiskiwicanfly]

I must be missing something here, but how on earth do you aim the cue stick to line up another ball when it's my turn to play a shot? Please help!!! I'm using the apple TV remote, not a controller by the way.