PoolTable
From ThorxWiki
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...
[edit] 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?
- 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.
[edit] 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.
