Cue Club 2: Pool & Snooker News

Hi Everyone,

We hope you are all keeping safe and well. Today, we released another new update for Cue Club 2 with a nice collection of improvements to graphics, user interface, ball physics, multiplayer, controls, AI and cameras. Please continue to share your feedback with us and we hope you enjoy these latest additions to the game.

• Introduced a new table wear option. There are four settings and you can select from new, used, worn and very worn cloths. We think these offer an interesting look and feel to playing, and welcome your thoughts! See 'Options > Tables & Equipment > Tables' and locate the 'Condition' option beneath the cloth colours. You can choose individual settings for pool and snooker.
  
  
• The cue ball is now more effective at splitting the pack on the opening shot when using full force and a direct hit. Balls spread better around the table and due to random variation no two break shots will ever be the same.
  
  
• Playing a shot along the rail is more realistic. If struck at the correct angle the object ball closely follows the wall of the cushion and is less likely to stray outwards.
  
  
• Ball trajectories after a collision are more accurately simulated on high power shots.
  
  
• Topspin and backspin have been given a stronger effect, allowing for better control of the cue ball and more effective trick-shots.
  
  
• The notifications capsule on the bottom left of the screen now shows the current break in snooker first, making it easier to keep track of the break score for you and your opponent.
  
  
• When switching between turns in multiplayer, the notifications capsule now rotates between all game information instead of just showing the updating message.
  
  
• Solved a problem that could sometimes halt activity during multiplayer games when using the TV camera to watch your opponent.
  
  
• Fixed an error that allowed the cue ball to be moved using the 'B' key when the player stands back from the table and the camera is zoomed out.
  
  
• Dragging the cue ball close to the cushion when you have ball-in-hand now raises the top-spin crosshairs slightly to allow the cue to assume a better position.
  
  
• Increased number of settings for 'Navigation Speed' and 'Mouse Acceleration' when using a mouse or touchpad device. Go to 'Options > Controls > Advanced Settings' to raise or lower aiming sensitivity.
  
  
• Increased default aiming sensitivity for touchscreen input devices when playing in 3D mode.
  
  
• Various fixes to gamepad navigation in the menus.
  
  
• Computer players on Pro level have slightly improved potting ability making them a little more challenging to defeat.
  
  
• The vertical camera angle has been raised a fraction when using first-person camera mode to watch your opponent play, giving a better overall view of the table.
  
  
• The default 3D camera setting for your opponent is now first-person, but this can be changed to one of two TV-style cameras. See 'Options > Cameras > Default Camera (Opponent)'.
  
  
• Fixed an issue where zooming in with the right mouse button on 3D view would not always zoom back out after a shot was played.
  
  
• Added support for ultra high refresh monitors that run at 300Hz and 360Hz. All other refresh rates ranging from 60Hz upwards are also supported, and can be selected from the menu at 'Options > Display > Graphics Settings > Refresh Rate'.
  
  
• Other minor fixes and enhancements.
  

Hi Everyone,

In today's update we have a collection of new features and improvements to Cue Club 2, focusing on cameras, game rules, keyboard input, graphics and multiplayer, plus some fixes and general gameplay enhancements. As always we hope you enjoy these tweaks and please keep sharing your thoughts and suggestions with us here and on the forums.

• Added a TV-style camera for watching opponent gameplay and replays. This new 3D view is located behind the end of the table and is available in standard and elevated height. See 'Options > Camera > Default Camera (Opponent)'. It can also be selected for instant replays and saved shots, plus snooker breaks and speed pool replays. The first-person camera mode is still available as an option if you prefer this view for your opponent.
  
  
• Improved 3D first-person camera tracking after a shot is played. On all shots following the initial break, the camera now automatically tracks the cue ball and then follows the first ball contacted, to capture more of the action. As before, clicking the middle mouse button or gamepad left shoulder button can be used to quickly zoom out after a shot is played.
  
  
• Improved keyboard input with left / right cursor keys and delete key now supported for easier and faster editing of chat text, filenames and so on.
  
  
• Virtual keyboards in the menus have been improved and expanded to accomodate the above keys. There is a also clearer input window and text is shown left-aligned.
  
  
• Multiplayer matchmaking and chat messages from other real players are now enabled when you're playing against AI opponents from the lobby. To turn on these notifications go to 'Options > Match Settings > Multiplayer' and set 'Receive Alerts' to ON, or enable them in the lobby using the toggle switch at the bottom-right of the page.
  
  
• In snooker, making 3 consecutive fouls now results in a loss of game, in accordance with the official rules. The player must not be snookered when committing the fouls for this rule to apply, and a warning is given after the second offence.
  
  
• On the cue selection menu, the various cue sizes are now described in inches or cm, with an option underneath to toggle between the units of measurement.
  
  
• Cue elevation adjuster has been modified to show a ghost line representing where the true cue angle is, complimenting the solid line which shows the target angle. This has been added to give the player a better idea of cue elevation when obstructing balls occasionally force the cue upwards.
  
  
• Primary aiming line now fades out close to the cue ball and appears less distracting from the 3D first-person view.
  
  
• Fixed an issue that sometimes prevented the referee from re-spotting balls on the table after they had been potted. This applies mainly to snooker colours and the cue ball.
  
  
• Fixed a problem that could freeze the mouse pointer after clicking on the 'Restore Balls' button during saved replays.
  
  
• Fixed an issue in Killer pool, whereby if the table was cleared and the cue ball was potted at the same time, the balls would not be re-racked.
  
  
• Solved an issue that prevented the circular aiming target from being displayed in 3D mode when aim lines had been turned off in the menus.
  
  
• Smoother target navigation around the edges of the table in 3D mode when using a game controller.
  
  
• Other minor fixes and enhancements.
  

Hi Everyone,

We're pleased to release another new update today for Cue Club 2 with more tweaks to controls, graphics, gameplay, AI opponents and performance tuning. We hope you enjoy these enhancements, and we would like to say thank you for your support and send best wishes to all our players from around the world during these unusual times. As always please feel free to share your thoughts and ideas with us.

• There is a new shortcut added to quickly move the cue ball when the player has ball-in-hand and 'Fast Aiming' control method is selected. Press and hold the 'B' key whilst moving the mouse, or if using a gamepad press the 'B' button whilst moving the left thumb-stick. To enable the fast aiming feature (or to turn it off), go to 'Options > Controls > Basic Settings > Fast Aiming'.
  
  
• Quick Match setup has been simplified, and all 15 computer opponents can now be played over a greater degree of difficulty from Novice to Professional, over 5 increasing levels. See 'Games > Quick Match > Game Type'. Please note: the difficulty level for Quick Match is now separate from the setting used for Tournament and Bar Challenge modes. To adjust the latter, see 'Options > Match Settings > Difficulty Level'.
  
  
• Pressing ALT + TAB no longer pauses action at the table. So you can safely tab-out to do another quick task while your opponent is playing shots. If you still wish to pause the game, press the escape key to bring up the in-game menu before tabbing out.
  
  
• Added support for different keyboards including QWERTY, QWERTZ and AZERTY layouts. See 'Options > Controls > Advanced Settings > Keyboard Layout'. This feature allows WASD keys to map to ZQSD for players using a French-style keyboard.
  
  
• In the ball set selection menu, the ball finish option has been moved from global settings to the main page, for easier navigation. There are 4 settings of shine: 'Matte, Satin, Gloss and High Gloss'.
  
  
• Visual improvements have been made to ball shading and shadows in 2D overhead mode for increased realism.
  
  
• Added an option to limit frame rate (capped at the selected refresh rate), which may be useful to control game speed, optimise performance and improve compatibility with G-Sync monitors. See 'Options > Display > Graphics Settings > Limit Frame Rate'.
  
  
• Fixed an issue that occasionally displayed the cue in Slam mode.
  
  
• Solved some isolated issues surrounding gamepad navigation.
  
  
• Other minor improvements and fixes.
  

Hi Everyone,

We hope you are all keeping safe and well during these unusual times. Today we released a major update to Cue Club 2 with many new features, fixes and enhancements to various aspects of the game, covering the control system, graphics, gameplay, menus, AI and multiplayer. Thank you for the continued support and we hope you enjoy the improvements, and as always please continue to share your ideas and suggestions with us.

• Introduction of a new control system called 'Fast Aiming'. This method allows you to navigate quickly around the table and line up shots more easily than before, by simply moving the mouse or gamepad left stick, then pressing the left mouse button or gamepad 'A' button to shoot. The control system is similar to that used in the original Cue Club, and has been carefully expanded to work with the 3D first-person camera mode. Existing users will need to enable this feature to try it out, and for new users it's the default setting. To activate, go to 'Options > Controls > Basic Settings' and turn 'Fast Aiming' to on. Please note, this option is only compatible with the 'Compact' control panel setting, and with mouse input or game controllers. For touchscreen devices, the original control setting is recommended (Fast Aiming set to off).
  
  
• There is a new mouse acceleration option for more rapid positioning of the aiming target. See 'Options > Controls > Advanced Settings > Mouse Acceleration'. It ranges in sensitivity from 25% to 100% or may be turned off. The default setting is 50%. We do recommend experimenting with this to find what works best for you.
  
  
• Menus have been reorganised and optimised for simpler navigation. Tables, ball sets, cues and chalk have been grouped together and can now be found in 'Options > Tables and Equipment'.
  
  
• Practice mode has been moved up a level to the 'Games' menu, for easier access. DirectX settings have been relocated to 'Options > Display Settings > Graphics Settings'. The 'Controls' menu has been expanded with 'Basic' and 'Advanced' sub-menus, and the in-game 'Save Shot' option has been moved to the 'Replay' menu.
  
  
• The graphics menu has a new option to change screen resolution from all the available settings, plus an option to auto-select the native resolution at start-up. You can now also select the refresh rate in Hz, from whatever settings are available for the chosen resolution.
  
  
• Most menus now feature a 'Reset' option to restore the local settings back to default values.
  
  
• In-game 'Minimise' button has been moved to the bottom right of menu, to simplify navigation up and down the page when using a gamepad.
  
  
• New option to reverse the menu colour scheme, doubling the amount of custom themes available. See 'Options > Display > Menus > Reverse Colours'.
  
  
• A new mouse pointer design has been added (3 in total to choose from), with 3 new pointer colours (orange, green and purple) making 6 in total. See 'Options > Display > Pointer'.
  
  
• AI players now use a different pointer colour to you, or you can define a custom setting. See 'Options > Match Settings > Virtual Players > Pointer Colour'.
  
  
• Tournament fixtures screen has been improved with a new animated reveal of the match pairings.
  
  
• Graphical improvements to most menus including leaderboards, game rules screens, chalk selection, and in-game match information screens.
  
  
• Visual enhancements to 3D cue rendering and shading in-game.
  
  
• 3D aiming circle now uses a discreet hollow disc to complement the target used in the 2D view.
  
  
• Cue elevation, side spin and shot power can now be set more easily with game controllers using the 'A' button and left thumb-stick or D-Pad.
  
  
• Solved an issue that caused slight over-correction when using 'Q' key for cue elevation or 'E' key for English (side and top spin).
  
  
• Keys 1-6 now mimic F1-F6 keys, to make the associated functions slightly easier to access on the keyboard.
  
  
• Fixed various gamepad navigation issues where the pointer would occasionally jump to the wrong location on-screen.
  
  
• Using the Zoom feature in 3D mode now moves the camera to a position just behind the cue ball, so you can still see the cue tip making contact with the ball when playing a shot.
  
  
• Corrected an issue where AI players would sometimes respot the cue ball by picking it up, where the path was clear for the ball to slide to the new position.
  
  
• Solved a problem in Slam mode that caused the captured ball to swing off-centre towards the edges of the table.
  
  
• Improved the aiming system on touchscreen devices in 2D overhead mode, to reduce the likelihood of fingers obscuring the target when lining up shots.
  
  
• Fixed an issue that could prevent touchscreen working correctly in 3D first-person mode.
  
  
• Online multiplayer has been made more stable with improved connectivity.
  
  
• Added an auto-correction feature for default level of top spin when the cue ball rolls up close to a cushion and access to strike the cue ball in the centre is limited.
  
  
• Various other minor fixes and enhancements.
  

Please note: With this large update user options did need to be reset to default, so existing users should take a moment to re-configure their preferred settings in the menus.

Hi Everyone,

We're pleased to release our second update for 2020 today with a collection of new features, fixes and refinements to ball physics, gameplay, graphics, cameras and multiplayer. Please continue to let us know your suggestions, we very much appreciate your input in helping us to continually improve Cue Club 2.

• Ball physics has been enhanced. At low speeds, top and bottom spin has more effect, allowing you to position the cue ball more precisely between shots. In addition, applying large amounts of power and backspin has less effect on decelerating the cue ball unless the cue angle is raised very high. As before, you can tweak the physics by going to 'Options > Tables > Global Settings' and changing the various cloth and cushion settings. Remember to apply chalk before a shot to give better control of the cue ball !
  
  
• Maximum cue power has been increased for shots where the cue angle is raised up high, giving greater cue ball travel - useful when playing on the larger tables.
  
  
• In 3D mode, the middle mouse button can now be pressed after a shot is played to quickly zoom out further, giving a broader view of the action. Use the left shoulder button on game controllers.
  
  
• Ball and pocket nomination is now handled instantly for your opponent's shots when playing against an AI or in multiplayer, considerably speeding up gameplay.
  
  
• In snooker matches the referee now makes a better attempt to respot colours on their spots when other obstructing balls are close by.
  
  
• New option to customise the overhead table lamp. There are 3 settings: Standard, Alternative and Grey. The available colours vary with the venue selected. See 'Options > Visual Effects > Lamp Colour'.
  
  
• Higher resolution flooring textures have been produced for 3D Bar and Theatre venues for increased realism.
  
  
• Added an option to display an in-game clock on the control panel. This will show the current time in 12 or 24 hour formats. See 'Options > Display Settings > User Interface > System Clock'. Can also be displayed in the menus or turned off.
  
  
• Camera transitions in 3D mode have been made smoother when zooming in and out of the table.
  
  
• The view can now be adjusted when the in-game menu is active (or minimised) to allow players to look around the table. This is particularly useful in snooker, when players must make a decision on whether to continue or make their opponent play again following a foul.
  
  
• Default field of view in 3D mode is now set to 80 degrees, offering better visibility at the far end of the table. Can be adjusted from 70-90 in 5 degree intervals. Go to 'Options > Display Settings > Cameras > Field of View (3D)'.
  
  
• Multiplayer has been made more robust with greater connectivity, and several synchronisation issues have been solved.
  
  
• Various visual and layout improvements to menus.
  
  
• Other minor fixes and enhancements.