PoolTable
Everybody should be familair with Pool Tables. (or Billiard Tables).
Big rectangle. Green felt. Holes in the corners and in the middle of the long edges. A bunch of small solid balls. A study of dynamic physics.
Now it has occured to me that there are a few ways that this basic concept can be expanded upon and played with...
The Table
In more recent years, I've seen a trend in some clubs and high-end tables to have alternately coloured felt. Royal blue, white/cream, grey...
Some time ago I saw a table with a simple blue/white pattern (half each), and I got to thinking...
Designs for pooltables
- Geometric symbols, designs and equations (eg: atom smashing patterns from a particle accelerator would be neat and appropriate?
- Optical illusions (especially the ones that make parallel lines look curved or appear to be non-parallel)
- Semi-transparent with lights underneath. (Disco floor pooltable!)
- Thick Acrylic instead of slate and white felt? Note that slate is commonly used "due to its thermal stability and chemical inertness" --Wikipedia:Slate. Can acrylic compare?
- mr oCean: I would have some doubts about acrylic because it seems to crack quite easily. As an aside, though, if you couldn't get enough transparency with felt, you could use a clear silicone (or similar) cover to give the required friction, and that would also give a little impact resistance.
- Detect the location of the balls and 'display' stuff on the table appropriately. (eg: ripples). This could be done either from above (projector) or below through the acrylic, using the felt as a screen
- Ball detection would also enable other niftyness - for example, the movement of balls could trigger musical events. Your game of pool has it's own unique soundtrack.
- Lasers below could be used to project sharp clear lines for 'training' type games, or other general fun.
The balls
Another variation in play would be to use weighted balls. Basically - think of lawn bowls. Weighted balls would need to be visually marked appropriately, and would allow for the possibility of non-spin based curved rolling paths.
