Virtual Pool 3 – Windows Manual – English

Table of Contents:
2. Virtual Pool 3 Enhancements

33. Rules and Tips

2. System Requirements

33. General Pool Rules

3. How to Get Set Up and
Start Playing

36. Specific Game Rules
36. Nine Ball
37. Eight Ball
42. Straight Pool
44. Rotation
44. Six Ball
45. Ten Ball
46. Three Ball
46. Bank Pool
47. OnePocket
48. Fifteen Ball
49. Basic Pocket
Billiards

4. Main Menu
4. Quick Play
8. Career Play
9. Load Game
9. Internet Play
9. Lan Play
12. Trick/Setup Shot
13. Tournament
14. Movies
15. Statistics
16. Settings
20. Demo
20. Quit

50.
51.
52.
53.
54.
55.

20. The Game
20. The Game Screen
21. The Controls
25. Tracking and Force
26. Career Mode
30. Enhanced Online Play
30. Basic description of
playing VP on the internet
30. How to get connected
30. The VP3 Website, a place
to learn more about VP
Online, and pool in
general
30. Basic description of
GameSpy Arcade
31. How to use GameSpy
Arcade to create or enter
a pool room and find
your friends
33.
33.
33.
33.
33.

Cowboy
Cribbage
Honolulu
Bowlliards
Snooker
Three Cushion
Billiards

57. One Cushion
Billiards
57. Da Fundamentals
66. The Advanced
Techniques
70. “Tall Steve’s” Hints
71. Credits
73. Interplay Entertainment Corp.
Technical Support
73. Contacting Celeris
74. Appendix A - Glossary

Challenge Rooms
Team Play
Tournaments
Leagues
Ladders

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Games Player Charter
•
•
•
•
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Avoid playing when tired. Play for no more than one hour at a time.
Sit well away from the screen.
Play games in well-lit areas.
Reduce the brightness of the screen to darken the contrast.
Use as small a screen as possible. These tips will help you enjoy your
gameplaying more and maximise your performance.

Virtual Pool 3 Enhancements:
Jeanette Lee – You’ll get movie instruction from “The Black Widow” herself. Jeanette
is an expert at overcoming life’s obstacles and opponents. She rose to stardom quickly
and was the #1 Ranked woman player in the world for 1996. Always keeping a place
in the top 10 ranked women in the world, she continues to win tournaments to this
day.
Career Mode – There’s a NEW mode of play in Virtual Pool 3. You’ll start by playing
in a garage for chump change. As you work up enough money and skill, you can
play the boss of each location and put them in their place and their money in your
pocket. Once you’ve beaten a boss, move on to a new unlocked location with more
opponents. Buy the cue of your choice (at least the cue that your wallet allows you to
buy), until you have your dream equipment. If you stick with it, and learn to play the
game like a professional, you’ll get to play “The Black Widow” for the big bucks at
her beach house (the Virtual Pool 3 Jeanette Lee…not the real life one).
Graphics – There’s 8 new pool-playing environments to choose from, including a
garage, a biker hangout, a couple of fancy pool halls, a castle, a Monte Carlo casino
private room, and Jeanette’s beach house.
Internet Play – Play multi-player games against your friends or other fans of Virtual
Pool 3 over the internet. It also allows spectators to watch so your friends will believe
your “I ran the table” stories. Take part in online tournaments, leagues, and ladders.
And it’s compatible with Gamespy Arcade™.
Educational – If you stink at pool, this is your chance to learn without embarrassing
yourself in public. You get lessons from Jeanette Lee, one of the top-ranked women
pool players.
New real time game features - The Ghost ball Aiming Aid.
Real cue stick models from Viking™, Joss™, Schon™, and Creative Inventions™.
Tables modelled after Imperial International™ tables.
New Look and Feel – Virtual Pool 3 features a brand new user-friendly interface
along with a totally revamped graphics engine. These combine to make this the bestlooking pool game ever.

System Requirements:
IBM or 100% compatible Pentium™ 233Mhz or better, Windows® 95/98/2000
with DirectX 7, 32MB RAM, 200MB of free hard drive space, 4X CD-ROM drive or
better, DirectX certified video and sound card The recommended system
specifications are: P2 400 with 16MB Video Hardware Accelerator

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How to Get Set Up and Start Playing
Setting Up:
To set up Virtual Pool 3, simply insert the Virtual Pool 3 CD-Rom into your CDRom drive. The AutoRun feature will bring up the Install menu. Select “Install”,
and the program will lead you through the necessary steps to set up the game on
your system. If your AutoRun is disabled or does not work for whatever reason,
use the Run option from your Start Menu to locate and run
d:\Windows\Autorun.exe (where d: is the letter of your CD-Rom device). This will
bring up the Install menu, and you can follow the above instructions.
Note: You MUST have DirectX 7 installed on your system to play Virtual Pool 3. If
you do not have DirectX 7 installed, the Setup program will ask you if you wish to
install it. Select Yes.
Please take some time and fill out the Electronic Registration form. A few minutes
of your time will get you access to free Interplay Demos, product updates,
discounts on products, and more.
Starting the Game:
The Virtual Pool 3 disc must be in the CD-ROM drive even if it has already been
installed. If Virtual Pool 3 is installed on your system, the Autorun feature will start;
otherwise, the Virtual Pool 3 install program will be displayed.
You can also start the game by going to the Start Menu, and under the Programs there is
a shortcut to Virtual Pool 3. Select the VP3 icon from the Virtual Pool 3 pull-down menu
and the game should start.
If you have your Desktop Colour Palette set to High Colour (16-bit), you can play
either full screen or in a scalable desktop window. If your Desktop is True Colour (24
or 32-bit), Virtual Pool 3 can only be run at full screen. (This is only true if you’re
running in software mode with no 3D acceleration.)

Getting a Quick Start:
After some introductory screens, the Virtual Pool 3 Main Menu screen will come up. If you
want to get into a game quickly, select the Quick Play option, and if you have problems
with the menu look at the Quick Play menu explanation (see Quick Play, page 4). The
game screen consists of the Status Area, Pool Window, and Action Bar (see The Game
Screen, page 20). These areas will keep track of everything in the game for you.
By moving the mouse left or right you can adjust the Aim. Moving the mouse forward or
backward tilts the view of the table. Holding down the left mouse button while moving
the mouse forward or backward increases or decreases the Zoom level.
When you are satisfied with your aim, press and hold the S key. The mouse is now
controlling the cue stick. As you move the mouse backward and then forward, the cue
stick will move in response. The speed at which you move the mouse determines the
force in which the cue stick strikes the cue ball. Move the mouse forward slowly for a
light tap and quickly for a more powerful shot.
Press ESC at any time to bring the mouse cursor back onto the screen and bring up
the Menu Items (if they are hidden). You can find a complete description of the game
controls in this manual. (See The Controls, page 21 for a description of the
keyboard interface and hot keys, and Game Menu, page 4 for a description of the
in-game menu choices.)

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Main Menu:
When the game starts you’ll be given a list of options to choose from. This section
describes the menu items, what they do, and how to use the menus.
Quick Play:
If you want to get into a game quickly, choose the Quick Play option. Once you
have all of your settings the way you want them, click on the OK button in the
bottom right hand corner of the screen. If you’d like to go back to the Main Menu,
click on the Cancel button.

Game: Simply click the cursor on the type of game you’d like to play, and then
click the OK button. If you change your mind, hit the Cancel button. Choose
between the following games:

See the Rules and Tips section on page 33 for details on specific rules to
each type of game.

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Match Length: Adjust the number of matches you’re going to play by using the
cursor to click up or down on the buttons. The maximum number of matches is
50, and the minimum is 1.

Table Setup: Table adjustments allow you to tailor the table to your skill level and
desired playing difficulty. All tables have adjustments for Table Speed and Rail
Speed. There are three preset table adjustments: Amateur, Pro, or Championship.

Selecting a preset changes the table parameter sliders. Pick the Custom option to
further customise any preset. Pressing the buttons up (higher numbers) will make
the table more difficult and pressing the buttons down (lower numbers) will make
the table easier. If you wish to remove customisation just click on a preset again.
The adjustable parameters are:
Table Speed - changes how fast the balls slow down when rolling
Rail Speed - changes the rail rebound
Pocket Size - changes the size of the pockets
Pocket Cut - changes the angle cut of the pockets

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Try starting with the Amateur setting and play until you are proficient at making
shots and get a feel for the table speed. When you think you need a challenge,
move up to the Pro Table and/or move the table setting to Championship. The
Championship setting is for Virtual Pool 3 sharks. Most pool halls have tables
set up somewhere between the Amateur setting and Pro setting. Championship
tables are usually only found at tournaments and often only in the finals.
Location: Choose between different locations to play your game of pool. There are 8
different locations with 3D environment backgrounds, 4 of which must be unlocked
in Career Mode before they can be played in Quick Play. If you’d just like to see a
table displayed with no background environments (when you’re in the game), hit
Escape, then click on Settings, then Graphics, and deselect Room Background to
turn off the backgrounds. This will help if your computer is running slowly and
having problems displaying the graphics. Once you’ve picked the location you want,
click on the OK button to continue or double click on the location with the cursor.

Shot Clock: If you’d like to use a shot clock (it puts a limit on the amount of time
you have to take a shot) and change the settings for it, choose this menu.

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If you want to use the shot clock, click on the blue box. The Shot Clock Length is
adjustable from 5 seconds to 99 seconds. The Extension Count is how many times
you will be warned until you lose your shot. It is adjustable from 0 to 9. You can
also set the length of time for each extension by adjusting the Extension Length
option. The length of each extension is adjustable from zero to 60 seconds.
Players: Right away you’ll want to create your own character. Click on “Players” to
get to the Player Selection menu. There is a Create Character option on this
screen. Click on it. Enter the name of the character you’d like to create, and click
on the OK button.

To add the player to the game, click on their name in the left window. To remove a
player from the Players In Game box, click on their name in the right window.
If you want to play against a specific computer opponent, you can choose between
them, by selecting the Computer Opponents option, and using the up and down
arrows to move through their names in the box in the upper left corner.
If you want to play against another human player (sharing the same computer)
select their name from the Human Opponents list.
If you just want to shoot by yourself, only add your name to the Players In Game
box on the right.

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Career Play: If you’d like to play the new Career Mode, select this option from
the Main Menu. You will be able to play through all the pool halls/rooms and play
against tons of challenging computer opponents. Hustle your way to the top until
you have both the skills and money to even stand a chance against Jeanette Lee,
“The Black Widow”.

If you already have a career in progress, it should appear within the Career
window. Each career is labelled by the player’s name, the game they are playing,
and the difficulty level of the career.
If you want to start a new career, click on the Start New Career button. This will
take you to a menu where you can choose the player you’d like to play with, the
game you’d like to play, and the difficulty level (Easy, Medium, or Hard). You can
Create a new player, and destroy existing ones.

Once you are satisfied with how you’ve set up your career, hit the OK
button, and go back to the Career Play Menu. Hit the OK button to start
your career.

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See the Career Mode section of this manual on page 26 for more instructions on
how to play the Career mode, and use the Career Mode Menu (the menu that
appears when you start a career, or press ESC during a game).
Load Game: If you’d like to load a game-in-progress that you saved previously, go
to the Load Game Menu. Double click on the game name, or click on it once and
hit the OK button to load the game.

Internet Play: You must have Gamespy Arcade™ installed for this to work. When
you click on the Internet Play choice on the Main Menu, Virtual Pool 3 will
minimise, and Gamespy Arcade™ will launch. Look at the Enhanced Online
Play section of this manual on page 30 for more instructions on how to connect to
Gamespy Arcade, and how to play Virtual Pool 3 Online. For instructions on
how to play in challenge rooms, tournaments, leagues, and ladders refer to
page 33 in the Enhanced Online Play section of this manual.
Lan Play: When you choose Lan Play from the Main Menu, the first screen will
be the Player Selection screen.

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On the left is the list of Human Opponents to choose from. Click on the player’s
name that you’d like to put into the game. If you want to create a new player,
choose the Create Player option. If you want to destroy a player, select the
player’s name and choose the Destroy Player option. Hit OK when you are ready,
or Cancel to go back to the Main Menu.

On the Session Menu, there are Host Session and Join Session options. If you
want to create a room, and host the game on your computer, select the Host
Session option. If you want to join someone else’s room, then select Join
Session. If you’re selecting Host Session, you can put the name of your room in
the space provided. Click on the space with your mouse, and type in the name of
the room you’d like. Once you’ve made your selection, click OK.

Regardless of whether you’re trying to host a game or join a game, you will have to
indicate what type of connection you want to play on the Providers Menu.

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Choose between TCP\IP or IPX. For Lan play, IPX is easiest because you don’t
need to specify the Host’s IP address to join the game.
Choose the protocol by double clicking on the option in the list or just click on the OK
button when you’re ready to proceed, or hit Cancel to go back to the Session Menu.

If you choose to just join a game, you will be asked to put in the Host’s IP address
of the game you’d like to join (only for TCP/IP). If you want to search a Local Area
Network for the game, don’t put any address in the space provided (leave it blank).

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You will be provided with a list of rooms available to join. Double click the cursor
on the game’s name that you’d like to join. If you’d like to see if any of the games
have changed (more or less people, etc…) select the Refresh button from the
bottom of the menu. This will update all the listed games with the current
information available.

If you selected the Host Game option, you will be presented with the Remote
Play Menu.
Choose between all the normal play options. Choose between the games on the
Game Menu, just like in the Quick Play Menu on page 4. Also choose which
Location to play, just like in the Quick Play Menu on page 6.
The host can put anyone into a match who has joined the game. Players not
selected will be spectators. Computer opponents can be inserted into Lan games.
Trick/Setup Shot: If you’d like to practice a specific shot, or shoot trick shots,
choose the Trick/Setup Shot option from the Main Menu.

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You can specify which type of game you’d like to play, the Table Setup (see
Quickplay, Table Setup on Page 5 for more information on that menu), and the
Location of play.
You can place the cue ball wherever you want by pressing and holding the M key
and then moving the mouse into position. While in Move Mode, a green 3-D
cursor will appear above the selected ball. To select a different ball to move,
press and hold the H key down, move the cursor (using the mouse) over the ball
you want to move, then release the H key.
The cursor will lock to the nearest ball, which you can then move by holding the
M key and moving the mouse.
You can add or remove balls from the table by pressing the Insert key (INS) to
open the Spot/Pocket Balls window, and then clicking on the balls you wish to
spot or pocket.
To re-rack the balls, hit Esc and select New Game.
Tournament: Selecting the Tournament option from the Main Menu will bring up
the Tournament Play Menu. If you’d like to play a set of games in a tournament
against a variable number of computer opponents, this is where you’d set that up.

Game: Select between the different pool games. See the instructions in the Quick
Play, Game section on Page 4. The games, One-pocket, 3-Cushion Billiards, 1Cushion Billiards, and Cowboy aren’t available as tournament games.
Location: Select between the different locations to play your tournament. See the
instructions in the Quick Play, Location section on Page 6.
Player: Select your player just like you did in the Quick Play, Player section. See
instructions for adding players, removing players, creating players, and destroying
players on page 7.
Match Length (Games): You can choose between 1 and 50 games to play
against each opponent in the tournament. A set of games is called a Match
between players.

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Field Size: Field size is how many players you have in the tournament. Choose
between 4, 8, 16, or 32 players.

Table Setup: Change the table parameters. See the Quickplay, Table Setup
section on page 5 for more instructions on how and why to set up your table.
Field Strength: The Field Strength is how good the players are in the
tournament. Choose between Weak, Average, and Strong players.
Shot Clock: Turn the shot clock on or off. A shot clock limits the amount of time
you have to take a shot. See the instructions for the shot clock in the Quickplay,
Shot Clock section on page 6.
Handicapped: Checking the Handicapped option creates a tournament that
handicaps players by giving games to the weaker player. If you are a weaker player
than your opponent, you will start the match with one or more games won. If you
are stronger player, your opponent will get games. If you and your opponent are
about equal both players start with zero games. This feature allows you to play
opponents further from your player rating.

Movies:
Gives you access to the tutorial and trick shot movies featuring Jeanette Lee,
“The Black Widow”.
Video Controller
The video controller panel allows you to play back videos and try out trick and
practice shots.
Try Shot: Sets up the shot in Virtual Pool 3. You can try or practice the shot
using Undo, Tracking, Replay, etc. When finished you can return the video by
entering Ctrl-V or to the game by entering Ctrl-G.
Return to Video (Ctrl-V)
Returns to video play from trick shot or practice setup. This menu item is
only valid when in a trick shot or practice shot via the Try Shot button
in the video control.

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Return to Game (Ctrl-G)
Returns to the game from trick shot or practice setup. This menu item is only valid
when in a trick shot or practice shot via the Try Shot button in the video control.
Statistics: If you’d like to keep track of the all the statistics of the games you’ve
played, choose the Statistics option from the Main Menu.

Choose between Human and Computer players. Then click on the name of the
player whose record you’d like to look at. If you’d like to see the player’s record in
a different game (the default is 9-ball) then click on the game name (if it’s still
9-ball, click on the words “9-ball”). You’ll then be shown a menu much like the
Game menu that is available in Quick Play.
If you’d like to look at a Computer Player’s profile, select the computer player, and
then press the Computer Opponent Profile button at the bottom of the screen.
The Computer Player Profile will show their description, the cue they use, their
skill levels, and advantages/disadvantages.

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Settings: Select the Settings option if you’d like to change the options for the game.

Video Mode: Choose the screen size/resolution and colour-bit depth you prefer
based on performance and your personal style.

The largest resolution and colour-bit depth is 1600X1200 with 32-bit colour.

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Keyboard Mapping: Selecting this option brings up the Key Re-mapper dialog
which allows you to change which keys control which Virtual Pool 3 functions.

The Reset to Defaults button restores the Virtual Pool 3 standard key setup.
By clicking a function in the list, a Modify Key Map dialog appears allowing you
to enter a key or mouse button. When you exit the Key Re-mapper by selecting
OK, you will be notified of any conflicts in key assignment. Resolve the conflicts
and then exit. Selecting the Cancel button will exit the re-mapper without
making any changes.

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Cameras: Here you can adjust your camera options.

Field of View You can adjust the Field of View from 10 degrees to 60 degrees.
Real Life- Clicking on this button will set the FOV to 40 (the default setting).
VP2/Hall- Clicking on this button will set the FOV to 24 (the FOV from Virtual
Pool 2 and Virtual Pool Hall).
Action Camera
Do Nothing- When you hit the cue ball, the camera won’t move at all, remaining
stationary where it was when you shot.
Follow Ball- When you’ve shot the ball, the camera will follow the object ball.
Auto-Zoom (default)- When you’ve shot the ball, the game will automatically zoom
out from the shot so you can see the whole table, and see the results of the shot
on all the balls.
Aiming Options
Auto Line Up- Virtual Pool 3 will point the cue in the direction of the next ball to
shoot. It won’t perfectly aim your shot for you though, so that’s up to you.
Same Aim Distance- The beginning of every shot will be from the distance and
pitch it was when you took the last shot. With this option off, the viewing distance
is set to a standard distance and pitch.
Adversary Camera
Do Nothing- If selected, when your opponent shoots, the camera angle won’t
change to show you his shot.
Down Table- If this option is selected the camera will automatically position itself
down table from your opponents shot.
User Defined- If this option is selected, you specify the camera angle while
your opponent shoots. To set the view: hit V to change to viewing mode
and then hit Ctrl-A.

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Replay Camera
Do Nothing- The camera won’t move during a replay.
Use Action Camera- Follows whatever setting you have for the Action camera.
Graphics: Here you can fine-tune your graphics options.

Hi-Detail (Drawing Option)
Toggles off and on the detailing of the rooms. If you’re having a performance
problem, turn down the details.
Room Background (Drawing Option)
Toggles off and on the Virtual Pool 3 3D room. If you are having performance
problems or just want to concentrate on the table more, try turning off the
background.
Show Aim Path (Enhanced Tracking Option)
If tracking is on, this option adds the aiming path (red line). Without it, tracking
only shows the path of the balls.
Toggles off and on the tracking between the cue and object ball (the white ball,
and the ball you are trying to aim for).
Sound: Set sound and music volume for Virtual Pool 3.
Mouse Sensitivity: There are two sensitivity settings. One setting is for the cue
stroke and the other for rotation and zoom.
Lower cue stroke sensitivity settings are better for controlling cue ball speed. Only
set this slider high enough to hit a very firm shot. For really hard shots or break
shots use Amplify (>).
Set the rotation and zoom sensitivity where you can rotate and zoom with ease.
This setting affects your aiming resolution. If you need more resolution on a
really tough shot use Fine Tune (<).

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Exit This Menu: To exit the Settings Menu, and go back to the main menu,
select the Exit This Menu option.
Demo: Selecting this menu item will automatically load a demonstration game
between two computer opponents, and play it out in front of you on-screen.
Quit: If you’d like to exit Virtual Pool 3 and go back to your desktop, select the
Quit option.

The Game:
The Game Screen:
The game screen is broken into 3 basic areas: the Game Status area at the top of
the screen, the Game Window in the middle of the screen, and the Action Bar
which goes across the bottom of the screen.

The Game Status area displays the player names and status of the current match.
The score display will vary depending on the type of pool game, but in general,
there will be a column for score and a column for the number of games won.
During some games an icon of the ball you are supposed to be hitting will appear
next to the player name. For example, when playing Nine Ball, an icon for the
lowest ball on the table will appear next to the name of the player shooting. Game
alerts appear on the right-hand side of the Game Status area. These inform you of
important game events, such as FOULS or MISCALLED shots.
The Game Window is devoted to the ‘‘virtual’‘ pool table. You can play the game
from any angle you like using Virtual Pool 3’s unique 3D world to line up your
shots just like you would in real life. Check out Keyboard Controls for
information on how to move around the table, take shots, and more.
The Action Bar at the bottom of the screen displays information about the
current shot, and shot mode. The left side of the bar will show the current
mode the player is in. For example, if you are getting ready to shoot the
ball and are holding the S key on the keyboard, this will display ‘‘Shoot

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Mode’‘. The text to the right of this describes the effect of the mouse. If you are in
shoot mode, this will display ‘‘Stroke Cue’‘, which lets you know that moving the
mouse at this point will stroke the cue. The Cue Angle and Replay Rate are
displayed on the far right of this menu.
The Controls:
Keyboard controls are used in conjunction with the mouse to interact with the
Virtual Pool 3 environment. Control keys are used in conjunction with the mouse
or affect mouse operation. Action keys perform frequently used game control
functions. Option keys activate game options (also accessible via options menu)
and activate chat mode.
Here is a list of keys by category:
Control Keys
Action Keys
Option Keys
These are default key settings and can be change by using the Key Re-mapper.
Control Keys
A:
Aim
The A key puts you into Aim Mode. If you are in Aim mode before shooting,
Virtual Pool 3 automatically puts you back into Aim Mode after you shoot. This
key allows you to move back to Aim Mode from other modes like View Mode. Move
the mouse left or right to aim the cue. Move the mouse forward or backward to
change the tilt of the table. Hold the left mouse button and move the mouse
backward to zoom in. Hold the left mouse button and move the mouse forward to
zoom out. The view stays centred around the ball. The Status Area will inform you
when you are in Aim Mode.
S:
Shoot
Hold the S key down and move the mouse backward for your backstroke, and
then forward to strike the cue ball. The faster you move the mouse forward, the
harder you will strike the cue ball. As with a real pool cue, a smooth stroke is very
important. The Status Area will inform you when you are in Shoot Mode.
Change View
V:
Press V to select View Mode. Move the mouse left and right to rotate the table.
Moving the mouse forward and backward changes the tilt of the table. Hold the
left mouse button and move the mouse forward/backward to Zoom the view. Hold
the V key down and move the mouse to change the centre of view. The centre of
view is the point about which the view rotates. Changing to Aim mode will bring
the view back to the cue ball (Aim) view.
M:
Select and Move Ball
Hold the M key down to move the currently selected ball. Hold the H key down to
change the ball selection. ‘‘Move’‘ will only work on the cue ball when you have
ball-in-hand during a game, or while in Trick/Setup Shots mode. H only works
in Trick/Setup Shots mode. You can move through other object balls if you
turn on Amplify (>).

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B:
Raise Butt of Cue
For some advanced shots, such as the masse’, you must hit the cue ball from
above. Hold down the B key and move the mouse forward or backward to bring
the butt of the cue up or down. The Status Area will display the cue angle, which
will be reset to normal after the shot.
C:
Move Centre Point
Hold the C key and move the mouse to move the centre point of the view to a
different location on the screen. Moving the view in this way does not affect the
aim of the shot.
E:
English: Move Cue Tip
Hold the E key and move the mouse to apply English (change the cue tip location
on the cue ball). The blue dot on the cue ball indicates where the cue tip will hit.
English is used to place spin on the cue ball, and can be very helpful in making
what would otherwise be impossible shots. Hitting the cue ball to the left or right
of centre places a left or right spin on the cue ball. Hitting the cue ball above or
below centre puts a forward or backward spin on the cue ball.
Vary Force of Tracking Hit
F:
This option is only available if Tracking is turned on. While Tracking is on, hold
the F key down and move the mouse forward or backward to change the force of
the hit. Tracking Lines get longer as the mouse is pushed forward (Increase Force)
and shorter as the mouse is pulled backward (Decrease Force). Use the SPACE
BAR to use exactly this amount of force.
H:
Select Ball to Move
You must first press M to activate Move; then hold the H key and using the
mouse, move the green cross-hair cursor over the ball to select. When you release
the H key the cursor will snap to the nearest ball. Once the ball is selected, hold
the M key to move the ball to the desired location. This option is only available in
Trick/Setup Shots Mode.
Left Mouse Button:
Zoom
Hold the left mouse button down and move the mouse backward (down) to zoom
in; move the mouse forward (up) to zoom out.
Toggle Amplify
>:
Press the greater than (>) key (no need to hold it) to toggle Amplify. ‘‘Amplify’‘ will
appear next to the mouse action on the action bar. Mouse movements are
exaggerated while Amplify is turned on. This option is used primarily for the
break.
Toggle Fine Tune
<:
Press the less than (<) key (no need to hold it) to toggle Fine Tune. ‘‘Fine Tune’‘
will appear next to the mouse action on the action bar. Mouse movements are
much finer while Fine Tune is turned on. Use this control when setting up balls
for trick shots or anytime precision alignment is needed. It also comes in handy
for hitting the cue ball softly for delicate shots.
Space Bar:
Shoot Tracked Shot
Press the space bar to shoot with the exact force shown by Tracking. You
must have Tracking turned on (T) to use this control.

VIRTUAL POOL 3
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G:
Ghost Ball Aiming Aid — This simply toggles a ghost ball on and
off. When it is on, a ghost ball will appear showing you where to hit the object ball
in order to pocket it. You need to aim at the ghost ball. This shows the point at
which the cue ball needs to make contact with the object ball in order to pocket
the object ball. This is accessible in “Quick Play” and “Trick/Set Up Shots”.
Action Keys
L:
Toggle Table Lines
Press the L key to toggle the table lines off and on.
O:
Overhead View
The O key changes to View Mode and shows a direct overhead view.
R:
Replay Last Shot
Press R to replay the previous shot. You can change the rate of replay (even
during replay) with the plus and minus keys. During remote play, only the active
player may select Replay. If the shot clock is being used, replay is disabled.
Toggle Tracking
T:
The T key will toggle the Tracking Lines on and off. Tracking shows you the path
of every ball on the table, based on the current aim and force setting. Each ball’s
path is indicated by a line of the same colour as the ball (i.e., striped balls have
striped paths and so on). The Tracking Lines end where the ball will stop. The
exact path balls will follow is based partly on the force of the hit. To hit the cue
ball with exactly the force shown by Tracking, press the space bar instead of
shooting the ball with the mouse. Toggle Tracking only works during Trick/Setup
Shots and Quick Play with only one human player.
U:
Undo
Press U to Undo the last shot. The view will reset to the Aim and table position of
the previous shot. This is very useful for practicing shots. Undo only works during
Trick/Setup Shots and Quick Play with only one human player.
X:
Examine Table
Snaps to an overhead view of the table while X is held down.
Your View
Y:
The Y key snaps to the view previously set using Ctrl-W.
Z:
Zip to Result
Press Z after you shoot to progress immediately to the end of the shot. Z will skip
to the result of the shot, placing the balls where they would have ended up if
allowed to roll naturally to a stop. Zip is not available during remote play.
+/=:
Increase Replay Rate
The plus (+) key (or the = key) will step up the replay rate to 1/8 speed, 1/4
speed, 1/2 speed, or 1 (full) speed. The replay rate is shown at the top right of the
status area and can be adjusted at any time, even during a replay.
-:
Decrease Replay Rate
The minus (-) key will slow down the replay rate to 1/8 speed, 1/4 speed,
1/2 speed, or 1 (full) speed. Again, the replay rate is shown at the top
right of the status area and can be adjusted at any time.

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ESC or ALT:
Opens Main Menu System
Press the ESC or ALT key to enter the Main Menu. The menu system can be
exited by pressing the ESC key.
Option Keys
/:
Send Message to Remote Player
Press the / key to send a text message to a remote player. Pressing Enter when
you are done sends your message to the remote player. Pressing ESC cancels the
current message.
Ctrl-A:
Set Adversary Shooting View
Sets the camera view used while the computer or remote player is shooting. Go
into View Mode, change to the view you want, and press Ctrl-A. To activate this
view you must select Go To User Specified Opponent View in the Opponent View
sheet of the Game Preferences dialog.
Ctrl-B:
Spot Lowest Ball
Spot Lowest Ball is only available for Rotation and is only active if all balls are
behind the head string and the you have ball in hand. If you’re in this situation
and you don’t like your shot, which is usually the case, pressing Ctrl-B spots the
lowest ball.
Ctrl-C:
Call Shot
Ctrl-C brings up the Call Shot dialog where the player selects a ball and pocket.
Call Shot is only valid for games of Eight Ball (except UK rules) and Straight Pool.
Ctrl-D:
Draw Game
Ctrl-D ends the current game in a draw, re-racks the current game, and starts a
new game.
Ctrl-G:
Return to Game
Ctrl-G only works during a trick shot that was loaded during a trick shot video. It
returns to the game in progress.
Ctrl-K:
Kibitz Shot
You can ask the computer to recommend a shot by pressing Ctrl-K. The computer
will suggest a shot using tracking. This feature only works in Quick Play with only
one human player.
Ctrl-L:
Load Saved Game, Shot, or Tournament
Ctrl-L loads previously saved games/shots/tournaments.
Ctrl-M:
Declare Miscall on Previous Shot
Virtual Pool 3 uses the honour system for calling most shots. If you pocket the
wrong ball or put a ball in the wrong pocket, you can declare a Miscall by pressing
Ctrl-M (see Call Shot).
Ctrl-P:
Push Out
Ctrl-P is only available in Nine Ball and Ten Ball. After a break, the player who
has control of the table has the option of calling a Push Out. This allows the
player to ‘‘push’‘ the cue ball anywhere on the table, and does not require the
player to hit any ball or rail. The next player then has the option to take the
next shot, or pass it back to the player who originally called the Push Out
(also by entering Ctrl-P).

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Ctrl-Q:
Quit Current Match
Ctrl-Q quits the current match - don’t worry if you hit it by accident, you will be
asked to confirm this option. Game and Foul totals will reset to zero for both players.
Ctrl-R:
Resign Game
Ctrl-R forfeits the game and opponent is assigned a win. The balls are re-racked
for the next game.
Ctrl-S:
Save Game, Shot, or Tournament
Ctrl-S saves the current game/shot/tournament. You can use this to save a game
to resume later, or you can use it to save trick shots. You must enter a name to
save the game/shot/tournament under.
Ctrl-T:
Change Player Turn
If you want to change whose turn it is, press Ctrl-T and play will go to the other
player without the movement of any balls or the assessment of any fouls.
Ctrl-V:
Return to Video
Ctrl-V returns to the video. This only works during a trick shot that was loaded
during a trick shot video.
Ctrl-W:
Set Momentary User View
Sets the camera view for user momentary view (Y key). Go into View Mode, change
to the view you want, and enter Ctrl-W. Then use the Y key to jump to that view
at any time.
Ctrl-[:
Called Safety
Pressing Ctrl-[ declares a Called Safety. Called Safeties only apply in Straight Pool.
A Called Safety means that the turn will change to your opponent even if you
pocket a ball. You do not need to call a safety unless you intend to pocket a ball
on a safety play.
INS:
Spot Selected Ball
INS brings up the Spot/Pocket Ball Menu. The Spot/Pocket function only works
during Trick/Setup Shots mode.
D:
Designate Ball On
D brings up a dialog for selecting the ball on. This is used, while playing Snooker,
to select the ball the player is attempting to shoot. It must be specified when
shooting a colour after pocketing a red ball. Designate Ball On is only available
when playing Snooker.
N:
Nominate Free Ball
N brings up the select free ball dialog. This is used, while playing Snooker, to
specify a “free ball”. A free ball can be selected when your opponent fouls and
leaves you snookered. Nominate Free Ball is only available when playing Snooker.
Ctrl-J:
Setup Artistic Billiard Shot
Ctrl-J (the Jewett key), brings up a dialog for entering Artistic Billiard Shots. It is
only available while playing Billiards and in Trick/Setup Shot mode.
Tracking and Force: Have you ever wished that you could tell exactly what those
ricocheting balls are going to do before you take the shot and test your luck? In
Virtual Pool 3 you can do just that. Tracking lets you see the projected
paths of the balls, depending on how you’re about to strike them. Press T
to turn Tracking on - coloured lines will appear, showing where the balls

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will roll. The colours of the lines correspond to the colours of the balls; logically,
solid-coloured balls have solid lines and striped balls have dashed lines. As you
move the mouse to adjust the aim, the Tracking Lines will shift in response. Just
like in real pool, how hard you hit the balls makes a difference as to where they’ll
end up. You can change the force setting by holding down the F key and either
moving the mouse forward to increase force or backward to decrease force.
While Tracking is on, you can take the shot with the exact amount of force shown
by pressing the space bar. If you shoot the shot in the usual way, the balls may
not follow the same paths because the force may be different. Moving the cue tip
on the cue ball or changing the cue angle also affects the tracking lines. Tracking
is not available during computer or human opponent play.

Career Mode:
In the Career Mode, you start playing in the Garage. You’re a lowly minnow in an
ocean of pool sharks. To advance to the next pool location and players with more
skills and larger wallets, you must beat “Big T”, the Boss of The Garage. Each pool
location will have a boss that you have to work up to and beat. He’s usually the
best player in the hall, armed with the best cue, and the largest amount of money
to bet with. Your goal, and final reward, is to play and beat Jeanette Lee at her
private beach house. Even if you think you can beat her, she bets way out of your
league, for now……
When you first choose the Career option from the Main Menu, you will be
presented with the Career menu. Choose from the careers on the left, or start a
new Career by hitting the Start New Career button to get to the Career Setup
menu. Enter the name of the player you’d like to play, and make sure you have
selected the game and difficulty. Then click OK, to enter the career, and go back
to the Career Menu. Then click on the career you’d like to play, and choose OK.
The Career Map will then appear. It looks just like the Location Menu from the
Quick Play game. The only locations available will be the ones you have earned
the right to play in. Double click on the room you’d like to play in. When you start
the game only the Garage and the Hawg Pen are open. The Garage players won’t
have as much money or skill as those in the Hawg Pen. Start off in the Garage if
you’re new to Virtual Pool. When you’ve beat Nightrain Lane, the boss of the Hawg
Pen, you’ll earn the right to play in another fancier hall, Deep Pockets. Also, on
this screen is an option to go to the Billiards Shop to buy/upgrade up to five of
your cues which might get you more action for your game. Don’t spend all your
earnings on cues right away though, you still need money to bet with. You can
also choose to Put Career On Hold.
After selecting the room, you’ll be given the option of who to play.
Once you’re in the location, you’ll be able to select from a list of opponents in the
room based on the amount of money you’ve collected so far. You start with $50 so
your opponents are only going to be able to bet small wagers. Once you have
enough loot, select the Locations boss, and if you defeat him, you’ll be able to
select the next location.

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The computer players have photos showing what they look like, their Rank (how
good they are), their possible Wager, and the handicap they’re willing to give you
or take to play against you, or Spot Games. Get 1 means that you get a 1 game
lead on your opponent. Get 0 means that you don’t get a lead. If the opponent’s
line is grayed out and says “Refuses to play” it means that the opponent either
thinks you are too good or not good enough to play him or her.
If you want to look at an opponent’s profile before playing him or her, click on the
player’s name once to highlight it, and then click on the Player Statistics option
at the top of the screen. On the Player Statistics screen, select the game you’d like
to see the computer opponent’s statistics for. Their stats will display in the upper
right corner. Take a look at the Profile by selecting the Computer Player Profile
button on the screen.

While in the game, the screen for career play is slightly different than other types
of play. In the upper left hand corner is the type of game being played, how
many games for a match, and how much the match is worth. Underneath
that are the players’ names. When you are in control of the game (it’s
your turn) your name will be lit. When it’s your opponent’s turn their

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name will be lit, and their picture will appear in the upper right corner of the
screen. Next to your name is the amount of money you have total.
Hitting Esc while in play will bring up the Career Mode In-Game Menu.

Game Options - In this small menu you can Quit The Current Match and go
to the next one, Change Turns, Declare a Draw, Resign the whole game (and
lose your bet), and Set Momentary User View. To exit this menu, select Exit
This Menu.

Put Current Career on Hold - Selecting this option will temporarily stop your
career. You can come back and resume a career by selecting the Career Mode
option from the Main Menu, and selecting your career name from the menu.
Billiards Shop - Here you can buy cues of your choice from Viking™,
Schon™, Creative Inventions™, and Joss™.

VIRTUAL POOL 3
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Cue Case - In this menu you can pick which cue you’d like to use. You can set a
cue to be your “breaking cue” (the one that you use when you break), and you can
pick which one you play with (once set up, the game will automatically remember
which cue you like to use for each, so you don’t have to keep coming back to this
menu every time you break).

Statistics - For more information on how to use the Statistics menu, please look
at page 15 of this manual.
Settings - See the Settings menu description under the Main Menu section on
page 16 of this manual.
Continue Game - Select this option to continue the current game/career.
Quit - Select this option if you’d like to quit your career.

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Enhanced Online Play:
Basic description of playing VP3 on the internet:
To play Virtual Pool 3 on the internet, simply click on the Internet Play choice on
the Main Menu. Gamespy Arcade™ will launch if you have it installed already.
When you install Virtual Pool 3 you will have the option of installing Gamespy
Arcade and any recent updates to the program. If you forgot to install it or didn’t
think you needed it during installation, look for the Gamespy Arcade directory on
the CD.

Firewalls or Internet Connection Sharing Problems
If you are using a firewall or some form of internet connection sharing (such as a
proxy server, gateway, router, etc.) there may be problems playing VP3 online. If
you are using a firewall you will either need to disable it while playing VP3 online
or configure it to allow online play. If you are using a form of internet connection
sharing you will need to either play VP3 online on a system that has direct access
to the internet or configure your sharing software/hardware to allow online play.
Information on configuring firewalls and internet connection sharing
software/hardware can be found in the readme.txt file or at the VP3 website at
www.interplay.com/VP3.

How to get connected:
When Gamespy Arcade™ launches you will be presented with the Connection Menu.

If you already have a profile, press the Connect button. If you don’t have a profile,
press the Login Wizard button to create a new profile.

The VP3 Website, a place to learn more about VP Online, and pool
in general:
To get to the VP3 Website, look in the Network area on the left side of your
Gamespy Arcade™ screen. Select the VP3 icon and double click to be taken to
the website.
Basic description of GameSpy Arcade:
GameSpy Arcade is an online multiplayer environment that helps you find and set
up games with people all around the world. You can use it to set up games of
Virtual Pool 3, chat with other players, and meet new ones.

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How to use GameSpy Arcade to create or enter a pool room and find
your friends:

Joining a Game
If you’re like us, you hate reading help files — you just want to play! No worries.
Joining a game is easy.
1. Pick your game.
Click on the game icon for the game you want on the left-hand side of the
program. You’ll be taken to a chat room for that game, which will appear in the
lower half of the centre window of the application. You can hang out in the chat
room and talk to people or get right to the good stuff. The upper half of the
window is a listing of all the rooms set up for the game you want to play. Again,
the lower half of the window is a chat area — start typin’ to start talkin’.
2. Join a Game Room.
To join a game room, double-click on it in the upper window. The Players column
will let you know how many people are in there, and the “Ping” column will show
you how good your connection to the server is — the lower the ping the better!
Once you’ve double-clicked on a room you want to join, you’ll enter the setup
room for the game. Instead of all the noise of the main game room, you’ll just be
chatting with the people you’re going to play the game with. You can argue about
rules or teams or who’s got the coolest nickname.
Creating a Room
Once you know how to join a game (see Joining a Game), starting one of your
own is very simple. You can create a normal room where all game parameters
can be set and players are chosen from who is in the room. You can also create
a challenge room where you only specify the game, table parameters and
location. Challenge rooms are 1 game matches between two players with the
winner staying on. The other players in the room are on a waiting list to play
the winner.

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1. Pick your game.
Click on the icon of the game you want on the left side of the program. You’ll go to
a chat room for that game.
2. Click on the “Create Game” button.
This will create your own room that other people can join. To get it set up, type
in a name for your room, set the maximum number of players and select the
game type.
Tip: Name your game room something helpful. Something like “Southern
California 2-on-2 teamplay” tells people what type of server you’re running and
where it is, which is nice. “Everyone sucks but me!!” is certainly catchy — but not
as helpful. But hey, it’s your call.
3. Wait for people to join.
It won’t be long before people will start coming to your game room. You’ll be able
to chat with players as the room fills up.
Try to ensure that everyone has a good connection to your game by looking at the
little status bars by their names. If any single player has a really bad connection,
it may mean a bad game for them, or worst case scenario, they may mess up the
game for everyone who’s playing.
4. Ready up and start the game!
Once everyone has clicked the Ready button (the light next to their name will turn
green), just press Launch Game to start your game. It’s a cakewalk!
Finding Your Friends
GameSpy Arcade has a new PlayerSpy feature that lets you see when all your
friends are online. You can send messages and invite them to join games, no
matter what room they’re in. This is good stuff, so pay attention.
1. Viewing Your PlayerSpy List
Click on the star icon to display (or hide) your PlayerSpy list of friends.
Your friends will show up as little happy faces if they’re online with
Arcade (because everyone’s happy when they use GameSpy Arcade).

VIRTUAL POOL 3
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If you’ve just started using the program, your list is probably empty — hopefully
not for lack of friends. Let’s add some people.
2. Adding New Friends
There are two ways to add your friends to your PlayerSpy menu. The first is to click
on the PlayerSpy menu option at the top of the application, then select Find
Players in the list that appears. You’ll then get a dialogue box where you can search
for people by their nickname, real name, e-mail address and more. You can also
access this search window by double-clicking on the PlayerSpy icon that appears at
the top of your list of contacts when you click the star icon.
Keep in mind that if your friends didn’t enter certain info when they walked through
the Arcade setup screen, you won’t be able to find them using that information.
The other way to add friends is directly from the chat window. While you’re talking
with someone, just right-click on his or her name and select Add to Player List.
This is a great way to meet new people and stay in touch.
3. Sending Messages to Friends
Just right-click on someone’s name in your PlayerSpy list, and you can send them
a text message. Here’s a fine example of how you can use PlayerSpy to foster the
bonds of brotherhood with your fellow man (or woman):
If a fellow player is online, their location will be shown under their name in your
PlayerSpy list so you can seek and destroy. Right-clicking on any name in your
PlayerSpy list will also give you other options, such as whether or not to show
locations and how to sort the list.
Challenge Rooms: For more information about playing online in challenge rooms,
look at the help file, readme on the VP3 CD, or www.interplay.com/VP3.
Team Play: For more information about playing online Team Play, look at the help
file, readme on the VP3 CD, or www.interplay.com/VP3.
Tournaments: For more information about playing online Tournaments, look at
the help file, readme on the VP3 CD, or www.interplay.com/VP3.
Leagues: For more information about playing in online Leagues, look at the help
file, readme on the VP3 CD, or www.interplay.com/VP3.
Ladders: For more information about playing online Ladders, look at the help file,
readme on the VP3 CD, or www.interplay.com/VP3.

Rules and Tips:
General Pool Rules:
The General Rules apply to all pool games and Snooker. Exceptions to these
general rules are noted in the Rules for each game.
Play by Innings
Players take turns at the table called innings. An inning continues until

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the player fails to pocket a ball on a valid shot, according to the rules for each
game. The player at the table is referred to as the ‘‘shooter’‘.
Rack
The Rack is the number and arrangement of the object balls at the start of the
game. Racks vary by game, but generally it is a triangle or diamond shape with
the front ball on the foot spot.
Break Shot
A Break Shot is the shot that starts the game. Some games require the first shot
of each rack to be an ‘‘open break’‘ in which at least four object balls make
cushion contact. In matches that consist of several racks, the winner of each rack
will break the following rack unless the rules for the game state otherwise.
Call Shot
A Called Shot refers to the object ball and the pocket as specified for the shot.
Most games require the shooter to call the ball and pocket for any shot that isn’t
obvious. The usual convention is obvious straight-in shots are not explicitly called.
Called shots do not require details such as kisses or combinations, only the ball
and pocket.
Extra Balls Pocketed
For most games, if extra balls are pocketed on a shot, they usually count for
the shooter.
Low Ball First
In a ‘‘Low Ball First’‘ game (nine ball, rotation, ten ball, etc.), the first ball the cue
ball contacts must be the lowest numbered ball remaining on the table.
Cue Ball in Hand
Cue Ball in Hand means the player can pick up and place the cue ball anywhere
on the table. The break shot begins with ‘‘cue ball in hand behind the head
string’‘, meaning that the shooter may place it anywhere in the top quarter of the
table. Ball in hand also occurs after the cue ball is pocketed (scratched), hit off the
table, and after other fouls in some games. Depending on the game, this may be
either behind the head string or anywhere on the table. The area behind the head
string is also referred to as the ‘‘Kitchen’‘.
When playing from behind the head string, the first ball struck must be on the
other side of the head string. However, a ball behind the head string may be
struck first if the cue ball crosses the head string before contact, such as banking
the cue ball off the foot rail. In case all legal target balls are behind the head
string, the one closest to the line is spotted so the shooter is not forced to play an
out-and-back shot.
Spotting Balls
Most pool games spot balls in situations where a rules violation or illegally
pocketed balls require balls to be returned to the table. They are usually placed on
the foot spot, or as close to the foot spot as possible on a line between the spot
and the centre of the foot rail. If several balls are spotted, they are spotted in
numerical order.

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™

Owed Balls
Some games penalise fouls by returning previously pocketed balls to the table. If
the shooter fouls without any balls to his credit, he ‘‘owes’‘ a ball to the table, and
it is spotted at the end of the next inning in which he scores. Several balls may
be owed.
Delayed Balls
In some games, other balls pocketed along with legal scoring balls are spotted at
the end of the shooters turn. If the shooter pockets all balls on the table the
delayed balls are spotted so the shooter can continue.
Fouls
Fouls end a shooters inning and are penalised according to the rules of each
game. The following are fouls:
Scratch – Pocketed the cue ball.
Ball Off Table - Hit a ball off the table. If a ball jumps onto the rail and
returns to the table, there is no penalty.
Bad Hit - In eight ball and the low ball first family of games, the cue ball
contacts a non-target ball before a legal target ball. For all games, the cue ball
does not contact a ball.
No Rail - If no ball is pocketed, and at least one ball does not contact a
cushion after the cue ball contacts an object ball. This usually comes up
during safety (defensive) play or when the shot is played too softly.
Three Fouls
In some games, if one player fouls on three consecutive shots, there is an
additional penalty, usually loss of the game. Games without a three foul rule may
have a special rule to prevent stalemates.
Physical Pool vs. Virtual Pool
On the physical table, there are other rules that do not apply to VP3. For example,
VP3 will not let you hit the cue ball twice on one shot or move object balls with
your sleeve. It’s OK with VP3 if you have both feet up while shooting, but do not
try this at the local pool hall.
Virtual Pool 3 does not require all shots to be called via the call shot dialog except
in Honolulu and Bank Pool. As a general rule, players should call shots that are
not direct (combos, banks, caroms, billiards, etc.) and any other shots that are not
obvious. This is also the accepted method for most situations when playing on a
real table. If a shot goes in an unintended pocket and the call shot dialog was not
used, the player should use the Miscall selection in the options menu or Ctrl-M.
For official rule books:
APA:
American PoolPlayers Association, Inc.
1000 Lake Saint Louis Blvd., Suite 325
Lake Saint Louis, MO 63367
(314)625-8611
www.poolplayers.com

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BAPTO:
The British Association of Pool Table Operators
c/o Moy House
176 High Street
London Colney, Hertfordshire AL2 1JY
www.bapto.org.uk

Specific Game Rules:
Nine Ball Rules
Nine ball is a low ball first game, so the balls must be struck in numerical order.
The goal is to pocket the nine ball which ends the game; the other balls have no
scoring value. This is the most popular game played among pool players today.
Rack
Nine balls in a diamond with the one ball in front and the nine ball in the middle.
Break
Open break required. Failure to do so is a foul.
Valid Shot
Pocket any ball in any pocket without a foul to continue at the table.
Spotting Balls
Only the nine ball is spotted. All other balls pocketed on a foul or driven off the
table remain off the table.
Penalty for Fouls
Ball in hand anywhere on the table.
Three Foul Penalty
Three consecutive fouls is loss of game.
Push Out Rule
On the first shot after the break, the shooter may choose to play a ‘‘push out’‘
(Ctrl-P), the ‘‘No Rail’‘ and ‘‘Bad Hit’‘ rules are suspended for that one shot, and
no ball pocketed counts. The opponent then chooses to shoot or to pass the shot
back to the player who pushed.
Strategy
If possible, run all the balls off the table from the break. If that seems unlikely, keep
an eye out for good safety possibilities. Play to miss and leave the cue ball where it is
impossible or very difficult to hit the object ball. If your opponent fails to hit the
lowest object ball first, you get ball in hand anywhere.
Look for shots to pocket the nine ball early, but if you play a combination shot on
the nine, be sure to hit it firmly enough that the nine is not left as a duck sitting
in the jaws of the pocket in case you miss.
If you push out after the break, try to leave a hard shot but not
impossible — make it hard for your opponent to decide whether to pass
it back to you.

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Eight Ball Rules
Eight Ball rules vary depending on the variant. There are four types of Eight Ball
variants in Virtual Pool 3, APA Rules (American PoolPlayers Association),
Midwest Rules, UK Rules, and American Bar Rules. APA rules are used for APA
sponsored pool leagues and tournaments. UK rules are used by the British
Association of Pool Table Operators (BAPTO) and are used for leagues and Pub
play in the UK. American Bar rules are to satisfy all the people who haven’t
learned the proper rules (APA) and want to play the same game they play in their
local bar.
The object of Eight Ball is to pocket all seven stripes or all seven solids (yellows or
reds in UK rules), then pocket the eight ball. The table is said to be open at the
start of the game and there is no ownership of balls. The first player to legally
pocket a stripe or solid is assigned ownership of those balls. After ownership is
assigned, you must pocket all your balls before shooting the eight ball.

APA Rules
Rack
Fifteen balls in a triangle with the eight ball in the middle.
Break
An open break is required. Failing to do so forces the shooter to break again.
Making the eight ball on the break wins the game. Scratching and pocketing the
eight ball on the break loses the game.
Ownership
On the break, if the shooter pockets only one ball type (stripes or solids), the
shooter is assigned ownership of those balls. Otherwise the table is ‘‘open’‘ and the
shooter can shoot at either ball type. Upon pocketing just one ball type, ownership
is assigned.
Valid Shot
If the table is open, the shooter may pocket any ball except the eight. If ownership
has been assigned, the shooter must hit an owned ball first and pocket an owned
ball to continue at the table. Combinations are valid with any ball if the table is
open. If ownership has been assigned, an owned ball must be hit first. It is a foul
to strike a non-owned ball first. This includes the eight ball unless all owned balls
have been pocketed. The eight ball shot must be a called shot.
Balls Off Table
Knocking object balls off the table is not a foul in APA Eight Ball. Knocking the
eight off is loss of game.

Spotting Balls
All balls knocked off the table are delayed and spotted at the end of the player’s
inning unless all the player’s balls are pocketed and the player has delayed balls
which are then spotted at this time.
Penalty for Fouls
Ball in hand anywhere on the table, except after the break, it’s ball in
hand behind the head string.

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Three Foul Penalty
None.
Loss of Game
The game is lost if the any of the following occur:
— the eight ball is pocketed before all owned balls are pocketed
— the eight ball is knocked off the table
— the eight ball is made in the wrong pocket
— the eight ball is made on the break and the cue ball scratches
— scratching when playing the eight ball
Winning the Game
The game is won when one of the following occur:
— the eight ball is made on the break without scratching
— the eight ball is pocketed in the called pocket after all owned balls have
been pocketed
Strategy
Determine if running the table is possible. If not, plan on playing safe at some
point. Never shoot balls without having another shot or safety in mind the next
shot. If you clear most of your balls off the table and give your opponent a chance,
they will probably run the table. Pocket balls until you reach your safety shot and
try to hook your opponent so they have to kick at balls or foul and give you an
opportunity to win. The best type of safety is one that hooked your opponent and
clears up any balls you have clustered. This improves your chance of winning on
the next turn and puts your opponent in a bad position.
If you are breaking you can win by pocketing the eight ball on the break. Try to
break from near the side rail and hit the second ball as full as possible. The eight
ball will tend to go in the opposite side.

Midwest Rules
Rack
Fifteen balls in a triangle with the eight ball in the middle, a stripe on one corner
a solid on the other.
Break
An open break is required. Failure to do so gives opponent choice of accepting
table in position or re-racking and breaking or making the shooter break again.
If the eight ball is pocketed on the break the shooter has a choice of spotting the
eight or re-racking and breaking. If there is also a scratch, the opponent has the
same option.
Ownership
The table is always ‘‘open’‘ (any ball can be pocketed except the 8) after the break.
Ownership is not assigned until a called shot is made without fouling.
Valid Shot
If the table is open, the shooter may pocket any ball except the eight. If
ownership has been assigned, the shooter must hit an owned ball first and
pocket an owned ball to continue at the table. Combinations are valid
with any ball if the table is open. If ownership has been assigned, an

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owned ball must be hit first. It is a foul to strike a non-owned ball first. This
includes the eight ball unless all owned balls have been pocketed. The eight ball
shot must be a called shot.
Spotting Balls
All balls knocked off the table are spotted.
Penalty for Fouls
Ball in hand anywhere on the table, except after the break it’s ball in hand behind
the head string.
Three Foul Penalty
None.
Called Safety
Players may explicitly call a safety. On a called safety, pocketed balls are spotted
and the turn changes.
Loss of Game
The game is lost if any of the following occur:
— the eight ball is pocketed before all owned balls are pocketed
— the eight ball is knocked off the table
— the eight ball is made in the wrong pocket
— scratching when playing the eight ball
Winning the Game
The game is won if the following occurs:
— the eight ball is pocketed in the called pocket after all owned balls have
been pocketed
Strategy
Determine if a running the table is possible. If not, plan on playing safe at some
point. Never shoot balls without having another shot or safety in mind the next
shot. If you clear most of your balls off the table and give your opponent a chance,
they will probably run the table. Pocket balls until you reach your safety shot and
try to hook your opponent so they have to kick at balls or foul and give you an
opportunity to win. The best type of safety is one that hooked your opponent and
clears up any balls you have clustered. This improves your chance of winning on
the next turn and puts your opponent in a bad position.

UK Rules
Rack
Fifteen balls in a triangle with the eight ball in the middle and the yellow and red
balls alternating across the rows of the rack.
The D
As in Snooker, there is a semi-circle called the D located at one end of the table
with the flat side of the D running down the head string. The D is the area
where the cue ball is placed when the player has ball in hand. There are
no restrictions on crossing the D or head string when shooting with ball
in hand.

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Free Shot
A free shot is awarded after fouling and the shooter can legally hit any ball. Balls
pocketed are counted except for the eight ball which is a loss. The player then
continues to shoot regardless whether or not a ball was pocketed. The free shot
must contact a ball or it is a foul. Scratching on the free shot is a foul.
Break
At least two balls must hit a rail or a ball must be pocketed. Failure to do so gives
opponent a re-rack and break is a free shot with the shooter continuing at the
table after the break. If the eight ball is pocketed the shooter re-breaks.
Ownership
On the break, if the shooter pockets only one ball type (red or yellow), the shooter
is assigned ownership of those balls. Otherwise the table is ‘‘open’‘ and the shooter
can choose to shoot at either ball type. Upon pocketing just one ball type,
ownership is assigned.
Valid Shot
If the table is open, the shooter may pocket any ball except the eight. If ownership
has been assigned, the shooter must hit an owned ball first and pocket an owned
ball to continue at the table. Combinations are valid with any ball if the table is
open. If ownership has been assigned, an owned ball must be hit first. It is a foul
to strike a non-owned ball first. This includes the eight ball unless all owned balls
have been pocketed. Pocketing your opponent’s ball is a foul.
Spotting Balls
All balls knocked off the table are spotted.
Ball to a Rail
There is no requirement to hit a rail after the cue ball has hit an object ball.
Penalty for Fouls
Scratching, or cue ball off the table, is ball in hand in the D. For all other fouls,
opponent has choice of the table in position or ball in hand in the D. On all fouls
the next shot is a free shot.
Three Foul Penalty
None.
Pocketing the Eight Ball
Unlike the other Eight Ball variants, the eight does not have to be called in UK
Rules Eight Ball.
Loss of Game
The game is lost if any of the following occur:
— the eight ball is pocketed before all owned balls are pocketed
— scratching and pocketing the eight ball
— pocketing your opponent’s ball when playing the eight except when it’s a free shot
Winning the Game
The game is won if the following occurs:
— the eight ball is pocketed after all owned balls have been pocketed
Strategy
Determine if running the table is possible. If not, plan on playing safe at
some point. Never shoot balls without having another shot or safety in

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mind the next shot. If you clear most of your balls off the table and give your
opponent a chance, they will probably run the table. Pocket balls until you reach
your safety shot and try to snooker your opponent so they have to kick at balls or
foul and give you an opportunity to win. The best type of safety is one that
snookers your opponent and clears up any balls you have clustered. This
improves your chance of winning on the next turn and puts your opponent in a
bad position.
When you have a free shot, look to use it to clear up clusters or knock opponents
balls that block yours out of the way. Trying to make a ball on a free shot is not
always the best play.
American Bar Rules
The American Bar rules are those most often observed by an unnamed person at
Celeris Inc. (the developer of Virtual Pool). You may not play by these exact rules
at your bar, but this was the best we could do. These rules were only supplied
because lots of people don’t know the real rules. If you want to play the right way,
use the APA rules.
Rack
Fifteen balls in a triangle with the eight ball in the middle.
Break
No requirement. Making the eight ball on the break wins the game unless the
shooter scratches in which case the game is lost.
Ownership
On the break, if the shooter pockets only one ball type (stripes or solids), the
shooter is assigned ownership of those balls. Otherwise the table is ‘‘open’‘ and the
shooter can choose shoot at either ball type. Upon pocketing just one ball type,
ownership is assigned.
Valid Shot
If the table is open, the shooter may pocket any ball except the eight. If ownership
has been assigned, the shooter must hit an owned ball first and pocket an owned
ball to continue at the table. Combinations are valid with any ball if the table is
open. If ownership has been assigned, an owned ball must be hit first. It is a foul
to strike a non-owned ball first. This includes the eight ball unless all owned balls
have been pocketed. The eight ball shot must be a called shot. The call shot rule
varies depending on your local Bar rule. Virtual Pool 3 only requires you to call
the eight ball. But, you can call any shot by using the Call Shot dialog (it is
enabled for this game), or using the Miscall (Ctrl-M) key. Some bars say you must
call any kiss, carom, etc. We feel this is a ridiculous rule that is ridiculously hard
to implement and therefore do not. The computer opponent does not call shot in
American Bar eight ball.

Balls Off Table
It is not a foul to knock object balls off the table. Cue ball off the table; ball in
hand behind the head string.
Spotting Balls
All balls knocked off the table are spotted.

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Ball To a Rail
There is no requirement to hit a rail after the cue ball has hit an object ball.
Penalty for Fouls
Ball in hand behind the head string.
Three Foul Penalty
None.
Loss of Game
The game is lost if any of the following occur:
— the eight ball is pocketed before all owned balls are pocketed
— the eight ball is knocked off the table
— the eight ball is made in the wrong pocket
— the eight ball is made on the break and the cue ball scratches
— scratching when playing the eight ball
Winning the Game
The game is won if one of the following occur:
— the eight ball is made on the break without scratching
— the eight ball is pocketed in the called pocket after all owned balls have
been pocketed
Strategy
Determine if a running the table is possible. If not, plan on moving balls around
and improving the table. Playing safe is ok, but is not as important as the other
Eight Ball games because there is no ball in hand if your opponent fouls. The
main reason to play safe is to prevent you opponent from running the table. Of
course it is considered bad etiquette in American bars to play safe so you might
want to disguise it as a shot.
If you are breaking you can win by pocketing the eight ball on the break. Try to
break from near the side rail and hit the second ball as full as possible. The eight
ball will tend to go in the opposite side.

Straight Pool Rules
Players score one point for each pocketed ball. The first player to reach the point
goal wins. When the 14th ball of the rack is pocketed, the 14 balls are re-racked,
leaving the 15th ball in position on the table.
Rack
Fifteen balls in a triangle in no particular order. Fourteen balls on re-racks with
the foot spot empty.

Break
At least two object balls and the cue ball must hit a rail or make a called shot.
Failure to do so is a breaking violation and incurs a 2 point penalty. On a
breaking violation, the opponent can take the table in position or have the
shooter re-break.

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Valid Shot
Must pocket a called shot to continue at the table.
Scoring
One point for each ball legally pocketed.
Extra Balls
Balls pocketed in addition to the called shot count for the shooter.
Spotting Balls
All balls pocketed on a foul shot and balls off the table are spotted.
Penalty for Fouls
All balls pocketed on a foul shot are spotted. In addition, the fouler loses one
point. Scratch or cue ball off table is ball in hand behind the head string.
Three Foul Penalty
Three consecutive fouls is a 15 point penalty. The balls are then racked and the
fouler must break with the same requirements as the start of the game.
Called Safety
Players may explicitly call a safety. On a called safety, pocketed balls are spotted
and the turn changes.
15th Ball Position
The 15th ball and cue ball positions are normally left as is for re-racks except
in situations such as interfering with the rack. The following table details
these situations:
Cue in Rack

Cue on head spot

Other cue locations

15th ball in rack

15th: foot spot
Cue: behind head string

15th: centre spot
Cue: in position

15th: head spot
Cue: in position

15th ball pocketed

15th: foot spot
Cue: behind head string

15th: foot spot
Cue: in position

15th: foot spot
Cue: in position

15th ball behind
head string

15th: in position
Cue: head spot

15th: in position
Cue: in position

15th: in position
Cue: in position

15th ball on
head spot

15th: in position
Cue: centre spot

Not possible

15th: in position
Cue: in position

Other 15th ball
locations

15th: in position
Cue: centre spot

15th: in position
Cue: in position

15th: in position
Cue: in position

Strategy
The idea is to string runs of racks together. Leave a shot on the last ball that will
allow pocketing the last ball and breaking the rack apart with the cue ball.
The most common place to leave the last ball is to the side or underneath
the rack.

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Try to clear balls in front of pockets first. Look for opportunities to break clusters
apart. Having an alternate shot to shoot if you get out of line can keep a run going.
If you don’t have a good shot, play safe and leave your opponent a difficult shot.
Don’t ever give your opponent an easy shot, it could turn into a big run.
Examine the rack for shot opportunities. Many combos, caroms, and billiards can
be played with balls clustered in a partially broken rack.

Rotation Rules
Rotation is a low ball first game, so the balls must be struck in numerical order.
The goal is to reach 61 points (which numerically eliminates your opponent). This is
a good game for intermediate to advanced players. Beginners should try Fifteen Ball.
Rack
Fifteen balls in a triangle with the one ball in front, the two and three balls in the
corners and the fifteen ball in the middle.
Break
Open break required. Failure to do so gives opponent choice of accepting table in
position or re-racking and breaking.
Valid Shot
Pocket any ball in any pocket without a foul to continue at the table.
Scoring
The point value on the ball is scored. All balls pocketed without a foul are
counted. If the score is tied when the last ball is pocketed the current shooter is
awarded an extra tie breaking point.
Spotting Balls
All balls pocketed on a foul shot and balls off table are spotted.
Penalty for Fouls
Opponent has choice of the table in position or requiring the shooter to shoot
again with the table in position.
Three Foul Penalty
Three consecutive fouls is loss of game.
Strategy
Play for the big points. Early in the game look for combinations or billiards on the
high numbered balls.
It is much easier to win Rotation by the three foul rule than most other games.
Look for opportunities to hook your opponent early in the rack.

Six Ball Rules
Six ball is basically Nine Ball with only six balls. The goal is to pocket the six
ball which ends the game; the other balls have no scoring value. Six Ball
racks can be strung together quite easily by better players. Players that
are not skilled enough to run nine ball rack may get more enjoyment
from Six Ball.

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Rack
Six balls in a triangle with the one ball in front and the six ball in the middle of
the back row.
Break
Open break required. Failure to do so is a foul.
Valid Shot
Pocket any ball in any pocket without a foul to continue at the table.
Spotting Balls
Only the six ball spots. Any other ball pocketed on a foul or driven off the table
remains off the table.
Penalty for Fouls
Ball in hand anywhere on the table.
Three Foul Penalty
Three consecutive fouls is loss of game.
Strategy
The ideal is to run all the balls off the table from the break. If that seems unlikely,
keep an eye out for good safety possibilities. Play to miss and leave the cue ball
where it is impossible or very difficult to hit the object ball. If your opponent fails
to hit the lowest object ball first, you get ball in hand anywhere, and that can
often win the game for you. Look for shots to pocket the six ball early, but if you
play a combination shot on the six, be sure to hit it firmly enough that the six is
not left as a duck sitting in the jaws of the pocket in case you miss.

Ten Ball Rules
Ten Ball is basically Nine Ball with one more ball. The goal is to pocket the ten ball
which ends the game; the other balls have no scoring value. Although there is only
one more ball on the table than nine ball, it is significantly harder to run ten ball
racks. The tenth ball increases the odds of clusters and other problem situations.
Rack
Ten balls in a triangle with the one ball in front and the ten ball in the middle.
Break
Open break required. Failure to do so is a foul.
Valid Shot
Pocket any ball in any pocket without a foul to continue at the table.
Spotting Balls
Only the ten ball spots. Any other ball pocketed on a foul or driven off the table
remains off the table.
Push Out Rule
On the first shot after the break, the shooter may choose to play a ‘‘push out’‘
and the ‘‘No Rail’‘ and ‘‘Bad Hit’‘ rules are suspended for that one shot, and
no ball pocketed counts. The opponent then chooses to shoot or to pass
the shot back to the player who pushed.

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Penalty for Fouls
Ball in hand anywhere on the table.
Three Foul Penalty
Three consecutive fouls is loss of game.
Strategy
The ideal is to run all the balls off the table from the break. If that seems unlikely,
keep an eye out for good safety possibilities. Play to miss and leave the cue ball
where it is impossible or very difficult to hit the object ball. If your opponent fails
to hit the lowest object ball first, you get ball in hand anywhere, and that can
often win the game for you. Look for shots to pocket the ten ball early, but if you
play a combination shot on the ten, be sure to hit it firmly enough that the ten is
not left as a duck sitting in the jaws of the pocket in case you miss.
If you push out after the break, try to leave a hard shot but not impossible —
make it hard for your opponent to decide whether to pass it back to you.

Three Ball Rules
Three ball is a rotation game where you have to pocket all balls on the table to win.
Unlike nine ball there is no winning ball. This is a fast paced aggressive game.
Rack
Three balls in a triangle with the one ball in front.
Break
Open break required. Failure to do so is a foul.
Valid Shot
Low ball must be hit first. Pocket any ball in any pocket without a foul to continue
at the table.
Spotting Balls
No balls are spotted except when fouling on a winning shot, then all balls
pocketed or hit off the table are spotted.
Penalty for Fouls
Ball in hand anywhere on the table.
Three Foul Penalty
Three consecutive fouls is loss of game.
Strategy
The ideal is to run all the balls off the table from the break Don’t look for safeties
unless you are in a really poor position.

Bank Pool Rules
Players must bank all shots. The goal is to pocket eight balls. This is a good game
for players of all levels. Beginners may want to try it out on the bar table.
Rack
Fifteen balls in a triangle in no particular order.

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Break
Open break required. Failure to do so gives opponent choice of accepting table in
position or re-racking and breaking.
Valid Shot
Pocket any called shot with a clean bank shot to continue at the table. A clean
bank shot can’t kiss or carom off any other ball and must hit a non-adjacent rail
to the made pocket.
Extra Balls
Extra balls pocketed are delayed, and are spotted at the end of the inning.
Spotting Balls
All balls pocketed on a foul shot and balls off table are spotted.
Penalty for Fouls
All balls pocketed on a foul shot are spotted. In addition, the fouler spots one of
his previously pocketed balls or owes a ball to the table. Scratch or cue ball off
table is ball in hand behind the head string. For all other fouls opponent takes the
table in position.
Three Foul Penalty
Three consecutive fouls is loss of game.
Cleared Table
If the table is cleared without the shooter having won, due to owed balls from
earlier penalties or delayed balls pocketed, all of the owed and delayed balls are
spotted and the shooter continues at the table.
Strategy
Go ahead and shoot difficult bank shots just try not to leave your opponent an
easy bank. Play safe before leaving easy banks. On banks where confidence is
high, play shape for an easy bank next shot. You can play banks that are both
offensive and defensive when the shot is difficult by leaving the cue ball in a poor
position. If the bank is made you can attempt another difficult shot or play safe
and if the bank is missed you haven’t left an easy bank for your opponent. This
strategy works very well on multi-rail banks. Don’t be afraid to try two or more rail
bank shots.

One Pocket Rules
Each player is assigned one of the two corner pockets at the foot (rack end) of the
table. The goal is to pocket any eight balls in your pocket first. This is the ‘‘chess’‘
of pool games. Shooting skills are secondary behind knowledge.
Rack
Fifteen balls in a triangle in no particular order.
Break
A object ball or the cue ball must hit a rail after the cue hits the rack or it is a foul.
Valid Shot
Pocket any ball in your pocket to continue at the table.

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Extra Balls
Balls pocketed in your opponent’s pocket count for him unless the cue scratches
or jumps off the table. Balls pocketed in the side or head pockets are delayed, and
are spotted at the end of the inning.
Spotting Balls
All balls pocketed on a foul shot and balls off the table are spotted.
Penalty for Fouls
All balls pocketed on a foul shot are spotted. In addition, the fouler spots one of
his previously pocketed balls or owes a ball to the table. Scratch or cue ball off
table is ball in hand behind the head string. For all other fouls, opponent takes
the table in position.
Three Foul Penalty
Three consecutive fouls is loss of game.
Cleared Table
If the table is cleared without the shooter having won, due to owed balls from
earlier penalties or delayed balls pocketed, all of the owed and delayed balls are
spotted and the shooter continues at the table.
Strategy
Never leave your opponent a direct shot at his pocket unless it is very difficult and
a miss will lose the game. A good place to leave the cue ball is in the jaws of your
opponent’s pocket. Be careful not to leave an easy bank shot, as these are often
the start of game-winning runs. On the break, shoot from your opponent’s side to
hit a little of the head ball and then the second ball to come off the end rail and to
put the cue ball on the second diamond. This leaves the nearly-full rack between
the cue ball and any balls
The best shots are both offensive and defensive.

Fifteen Ball Rules
Fifteen Ball is similar to Rotation except any ball can be shot. The goal is to
numerically eliminate your opponent (61 points minus penalty points). Fifteen Ball
is a great game for beginners. Intermediate and advanced players can enjoy
Fifteen Ball by playing on a Snooker table.
Rack
Fifteen balls in a triangle with the fifteen ball in front and higher balls near the
front of the rack.
Break
At least two object balls and the cue ball must hit a rail, or a ball must be
pocketed. Failure to do so gives opponent choice of accepting table in position or
re-racking and breaking or making the shooter break again.
Valid Shot
Pocket any ball in any pocket without a foul to continue at the table.

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Scoring
The point value on the ball is scored. All balls pocketed without a foul are
counted. If the score is tied when the last ball is pocketed the current shooter is
awarded an extra tie breaking point.
Spotting Balls
All balls pocketed on a foul shot and balls off table are spotted.
Penalty for Fouls
Three points are deducted from the shooters score. Scratch or cue ball off the
table is ball in hand behind the head string. For all other fouls, opponent takes
the table in position.
Three Foul Penalty
None.
Strategy
Try to run the table. Pick off big points whenever the opportunity presents itself.

Basic Pocket Billiards Rules
The goal is to pocket eight balls. This is a good game for beginners on a pool table
or better players on a Snooker Table.
Rack
Fifteen balls in a triangle.
Break
An object ball must hit a rail or a called ball must be pocketed. Failure to do so gives
opponent choice of accepting table in position or making the shooter break again.
Valid Shot
Must pocket a called shot to continue at the table.
Spotting Balls
All balls pocketed by an invalid shot, and all balls knocked off the table, are spotted.
Penalty for Fouls
All balls pocketed on a foul shot are spotted. In addition, the fouler spots one of
his previously pocketed balls or owes a ball to the table. Scratch or cue ball off
table is ball in hand behind the head string. For all other fouls, opponent takes
the table in position.
Three Foul Penalty
None.
Cleared Table
If the table is cleared without the shooter having won, due to owed balls from
earlier penalties, all of the owned balls are spotted and the shooter continues at
the table.
Strategy
Try to run eight balls. If you don’t have a good shot, play safe and leave your
opponent a difficult situation. Don’t ever give your opponent an easy shot
because running eight balls is not difficult

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Cowboy Rules
Cowboy is an unusual game that combines carom and pocket billiard skills. The
Player’s goal is to score 101 points. This is a good game for beginner to
intermediate on a pool table, and advanced players on a Snooker table.
Rack
The balls are not racked. The three ball goes on the foot spot, the five ball on the
centre spot, and the one ball on the head spot.
Break
Shooter must hit the three ball first and then either the cue or an object ball must
hit a rail. Failure to do so gives opponent choice of re-racking and breaking or
making the shooter break again.
Valid Shot
A valid shot allows the shooter to continue. Any shot that scores points is a
valid shot and does not require a rail hit. I.E. A carom is played, and no balls
hit the rail, it is a valid shot. Valid shot definition is affected by the player’s
score as follows:
For the first 90 points:
— Pocketing any object ball or carom the cue off two or three balls. Point number
90 must be reached exactly. Overrunning 90 is a foul.
For points 91 to 100:
— Carom the cue off two or three balls. It is a foul to pocket an object ball.
For point 101:
— Carom the cue ball off the one into a called pocket. It is a foul if the cue ball is
pocketed in the incorrect pocket or if the cue ball hits any other ball.
Scoring
Object balls pocketed score the point value on the ball. A two ball carom scores
one point and a three ball carom scores two points. All combinations of scoring
count so the shooter can score up to eleven points in a shot (1, 3, and 5 are
pocketed with a three ball carom). When the shooter has 100 points caroming the
cue off the one into a called pocket scores one point.
Spotting Balls
All balls pocketed are spotted after each shot at the start of game position. If the
position is occupied the ball remains off the table until the position is vacant. If
the one ball is held out because its position is occupied, and the shooter has 100
points, the balls are placed in the start of game position and the shooter has ball
in hand behind the head string.
Penalty for Fouls
All points made this inning are forfeit. Scratch or cue ball off table is ball in hand
behind the head string. For all other fouls, opponent takes the table in position.
Three Foul Penalty
Three consecutive fouls is loss of game.
Strategy
For the first 90 points it is easiest to score by pocketing balls using

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caroms when pocketing a ball is difficult or to break up a ball cluster. When
pocketing balls, beware of attempting risky caroms for extra points. It’s not worth
scratching to pick up an extra point. Remember a foul costs you all the points
scored in the current inning.
For points 91-100, think about the object ball positions after the carom and try to
get a shape on the next carom. Remember, making an object ball is a foul.
For point 101, don’t worry about where the one ball is going focus on pocketing
the cue ball.

Cribbage Rules
This game is named after the card game cribbage because of a scoring similarity.
A cribbage is made by pocketing two balls that add up to 15. The goal is to score
five cribagges. There are a total of eight cribbages (1-14, 2-13, 3-12, 4-11, 5-10, 69, 7-8, 15). This is a great game for all skill levels.
Rack
Fifteen balls in a triangle with the 15 ball in the centre. No two corner balls shall
add up to 15.
Break
Open break required. Failure to do so gives opponent choice of re-racking and
breaking or making the shooter break again.
Cribbages
A cribbage is scored by consecutively pocketing two balls that add up to 15 in the
same inning. The fifteen ball is a cribbage by itself but only when all other balls
have been pocketed. When a player pockets the first ball of a cribbage he is said to
be ‘on a cribbage’ and then shoots at the companion ball that adds up to 15. If
multiple balls are made when not ‘‘on a cribbage’‘ the shooter is ‘‘on a cribbage’‘
but can choose any of the companion balls. The shooter must continue to pocket
companion balls until all have been pocketed. If, while pocketing companion balls,
additional balls are pocketed, these balls are added to the companion ball list. It is
a foul to fail to pocket a companion ball when ‘‘on a cribbage’‘. If only the fifteen
ball is left on the table it is considered to be ‘‘on a cribbage’‘. If the score is tied at
4 to 4, the fifteen ball is spotted for the tie breaking cribbage.
Valid Shot
When not ‘‘on a cribbage’‘:
— Any ball may be pocketed except the fifteen to continue at the table.
When ‘‘on a cribbage’‘:
— Any companion ball may be pocketed to continue at the table.
Spotting Balls
All balls not pocketed by a valid shot and all balls knocked off the table are
spotted. Any cribbage that is not completed has the initial ball spotted.
Penalty for Fouls
No penalty. Scratch or cue ball off table is ball in hand behind the head
string. For all other fouls opponent has the option of playing the table in
position or taking ball in hand behind the head string.

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Three Foul Penalty
Three consecutive fouls is loss of game.
Strategy
When trying to pocket an initial ball, make sure you can get a shape on the
companion ball. If you can’t get on a companion ball or it is a low percentage play,
play safe. Playing safe is better than giving your opponent a chance with ball in hand.
When pocketing the only or last companion ball, look for the next cribbage pair
and play shape for an initial ball that has easy companion ball shape.

Honolulu Rules
Players can pocket any ball but can’t shoot straight-in shots. Shots must be
combos, banks, caroms, billiards, kicks, or a combination of these shots. The goal
is to pocket eight balls. Honolulu is a good game for all skill levels.
Rack
Fifteen balls in a triangle in no particular order.
Break
Two object balls and the cue must hit a rail, or a called ball into a called pocket.
Failure to do so is a foul and opponent has table in position.
Valid Shot
Pocket any called shot with non-straight-in shot to continue at the table. Bank
and kick shots must hit a non-adjacent rail to the made pocket.
Extra Balls
Extra balls pocketed are delayed, and are spotted at the end of the inning.
Spotting Balls
All balls pocketed on a foul shot and balls off table are spotted.
Penalty for Fouls
All balls pocketed on a foul shot are spotted. In addition, the fouler spots one of
his previously pocketed balls or owes a ball to the table. Scratch or cue ball off
table is ball in hand behind the head string. For all other fouls, opponent takes
the table in position.
Three Foul Penalty
None.
Cleared Table
If the table is cleared without the shooter having won, due to owed balls from
earlier penalties or delayed balls pocketed, all of the owed and delayed balls are
spotted and the shooter continues at the table.
Strategy
Look for shots with object balls close to pockets. These balls are easy to make
with combos, billiards, and kick shots. Any ball close to a pocket is also a
candidate to carom another ball off. Look for caroms with any balls close
together. As with any pool game, you don’t want to sell out. Never
attempt a difficult shot when it will leave an easy score for your

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opponent. Don’t play safe when the table is tough. You might as well try to score.
You won’t be leaving your opponent an easy shot.

Bowlliards Rules
Bowlliards is pool with a bowling scoring format. This format makes it much
different than most pool games because you don’t share balls. Each player
shoots their own rack. You can also play solitaire and try for your best score.
The goal when competing with other players is to shoot the best score. When
playing by yourself, the goal is to beat your own personnel best or try to shoot a
300 point game.
Rack
Ten balls in a triangle in no particular order.
Break
No break requirements. After breaking, all balls made are spotted and the player
has ball in hand behind the head string. There are no fouls on the opening break
and balls jumped off the table are spotted.
Valid Shot
Pocket any called shot to continue a try.
Scoring
Players get two tries to pocket all balls in a rack. If successful on the first try, it is
scored as a strike. If all balls are pocketed on the second try, it is a spare.
Otherwise, the number of balls pocketed is the score for the frame. Frame scores
are kept as in bowling with the player getting up to two additional scoring tries in
the tenth frame (for a strike). If players are tied, extra frames are played in a
sudden death playoff.
Extra Balls
Extra balls pocketed are delayed, and are spotted at the end of the inning.
Spotting Balls
All balls pocketed on a foul shot and balls off table are spotted.
Penalty for Fouls
All balls pocketed on a foul shot are spotted. If it is the first try, player takes ball
in hand behind the head string to start the second try. If it is the second try, the
frame is over.
Strategy
Obviously you want to run as many racks as you can with strike being the ideal
score. Don’t try to make balls on the break. They will spot and leave difficult
shots. Try breaking from straight on and don’t hit the rack too hard. You want to
spread the balls out without leaving clusters or making balls.
Try to clear balls in front of pockets first. Look for opportunities to break clusters
apart. Having an alternate shot to shoot if you get out of line can keep a run going.

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Snooker Rules
Snooker is an English game played on a six by twelve foot table with twenty two
balls. Curved pocket cushions and the large table size makes pocketing balls
difficult. The goal of the game is to outscore your opponent. Although Snooker has
its own terminology, these rules use pool terms for consistency and ease of
understanding. Snooker is a great game for all skill levels. Don’t get discouraged
because balls are difficult to pocket. There are many subtleties to this game.
The D
There is a semi-circle called the D located at one end of the table with the flat
side of the D running down the baulk line. The baulk line is similar to the head
string on a pool table. The D is the area where the cue is placed when the player
has ball in hand. There are no restrictions on crossing the D or baulk line when
shooting with ball in hand.
Fifteen Red balls in a triangle with six coloured balls; a Black below the rack, a
Pink just above the foot spot, a Blue on the centre spot, a Brown on the baulk
line at the centre of the D, a Green on the baulk line at the far left of the D, and
a Yellow on the baulk line at the far right of the D.
Break
No special requirements.
Snooker Game Phases
There are two game phases; the Red Phase, where Red balls are still on the
table, and the Colour Phase, after all Reds have been pocketed. During the Red
Phase, the shooter must hit a Red first and Red is referred to as the ball on. If a
Red is pocketed the shooter chooses a colour, which becomes the ball on, and
must hit that colour first. If pocketed, the colour is spotted and the ball on is
again Red. This continues until all Reds are pocketed. The Colour Phase then
commences and the ball on is the low point colour on the table, meaning the
colours are pocketed in point order.
Snookered
A player is said to be snookered when all balls on are wholly or partially
obstructed by a ball or balls not on. If a player is snookered following a foul, the
player can nominate a free ball. A free ball can be any ball and it acquires the
value of the ball on. The free ball must be struck first or it is a foul. If the free ball
is pocketed, it is scored and spotted. It is legal to pocket and score the ball on as
long as the free ball is hit first. If both the free ball and ball on are pocketed, only
the ball on is scored. It is a foul for the shooter to snooker the opponent behind
the free ball except when only the Pink and Black are left on the table.
Valid Shot
Pocket any ball on or free ball to continue at the table.
Scoring
Each Red pocketed is worth one point. Colours are worth the following: Yellow 2,
Green 3, Brown 4, Blue 5, Pink 6, and Black 7. If a free ball is pocketed, it is
scored as the value of the ball on.
Extra Balls
Extra Reds pocketed when Red is the ball on count 1 point each. If extra
balls are pocketed when a colour is the ball on it is a foul.

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Spotting Balls
Colours pocketed during the Red Phase are spotted on their corresponding
starting spot. If it is occupied they are spotted at the next highest valued balls
spot that is open. If no spots are open the colour is spotted near its own spot
towards the top cushion for Yellow through Blue and towards the bottom
cushion for the Pink and Black.
Penalty for Fouls
If your opponent fails to hit a ball on when shooting you score the value of the
ball on, the value of the ball hit first, or 4 points, whichever is higher. Scratch or
cue ball off table is ball in hand in the D. For all fouls the opponent has the
choice of making the shooter play again or shooting themselves.
Resigning
When a player is behind in points and there are not enough points on the table
to win, snookers must be played in hope of gaining points via opponent fouls.
Typically, a game is resigned if two or more fouls are needed to win.
Strategy
Play safe until a good shot opportunity is presented. During the Red phase, make
sure you can get shape on a colour when pocketing a Red. It’s not worth leaving
your opponent a good opportunity for a 1 point score. The best safeties snooker
your opponent, giving you a chance to score if the ball on is not hit and forcing a
kick shot that could leave you a good opportunity. If you can’t snooker your
opponent with a safe, leave a long shot as they are difficult to pocket on a snooker
table. Play to pocket the Blue, Pink and Black as they are worth the most points.
You can play shots that are both offensive and defensive by playing shape on balls
toward the baulk end of the table when all Reds are near the rack. Shooting a Red
and running the cue back up the table leave a long shot if missed and a possible
score on the Yellow, Green, or Brown if made.
During the Colour Phase try to run the table if possible. If there are balls on rails
or in clusters, play the open balls and then play safe.
Keep track of the score. If you are behind and there are not enough points on the
table to win, you need to play for a snooker to score the extra points necessary. If
you are ahead and there are just enough points left on the table for your opponent
to win don’t take chances and sell out. Play conservatively and shoot balls when
sure of pocketing or play for snookers to get enough points where your opponent
needs a snooker.

Three Cushion Billiards Rules
Three cushion billiards is played on a five by ten foot table with no pockets.
There are two cue balls, a white and a yellow, and one red ball. Players score one
point for billiard made. First player to reach the point goal wins. This is a great
game. If you are not familiar with Billiards you might want to try One Cushion
Billiards first. Three Cushion is very difficult.
Rack
The red ball on the foot spot, one cue ball on the head spot and the shooters cue
ball on the head string within six inches of the head spot.

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Break
The red ball must be struck first by the shooters cue ball.
Valid Shot
Must make a three cushion billiard to continue at the table. A three cushion
billiard can be made by:
— striking the red or the opponent’s cue ball, striking three or more cushions with
the cue ball before striking the other ball
— the cue ball strikes three or more cushions, then strikes the other two balls
— the cue ball strikes a cushion, then the red or opponents cue ball, then strikes
two or more cushions before striking the other ball
— the cue ball strikes two or more cushions, then the red or opponent’s cue ball,
then strikes one or more cushions before striking the other ball
Scoring
Each three cushion billiard is worth 1 point.
Spotting Balls
All balls knocked off the table are spotted.
Penalty for Fouls
None, players inning ends.
Strategy
For a safe play where you don’t leave an easy shot if you fail to score, try to leave
your opponent’s cue ball at one end of the table and the other two balls at the
other end. Usually this means hitting the opponent’s cue ball first, driving it away
from red, and then getting the three or more rails and approaching red fairly
slowly. If the shot must be played off red first, play with a little extra speed so
your cue ball will not be left near your opponent’s ball.
For offense, concentrate first on the shots that need about a half-ball hit on the
first ball and running follow. This is the easiest type of shot to execute if the balls
are in the right places. Always use running english unless you have a good
reason not to. If the second object ball is close to a corner — best is about a ball
from each cushion — it is a very large target. Learn to see “two-way” shots that
have a chance to score after five rails if they don’t score on three. For position
play, try to leave one ball “large” in a corner. Leave your cue ball near at least one
of the other balls – at least the first hit will be easy to control. Do not leave a ball
in the middle of the end rail, as that seems to be the hardest place to get to after
three cushions.
Learn “specialty” shots, such as the “ticky”: rail, ball, same rail, rail, ball, all in
one corner; the “reverse the corner” shot: ball, side rail, end rail, same side rail,
ball; the “swing” shot: ball, side rail, side rail, side rail, second ball; and of course
the many “bank” shots in which you contact all of the cushions before going
towards the two balls which are usually close together.

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One Cushion Billiards Rules
One Cushion is basically the same as Three Cushion Billiards with a one rail hit
required instead of three. This is a good game for beginning billiard players.
Rack
The red ball on the foot spot, one cue ball on the head spot and the shooters cue
ball on the head string within six inches of the head spot.
Break
The red ball must be struck first by the shooters cue ball.
Valid Shot
Must make a one cushion billiard to continue at the table. A one cushion billiard
can be made by:
— striking the red or the opponent’s cue ball, striking one or more cushions with
the cue ball before striking the other ball
— the cue ball strikes one or more cushions, then strikes the other two balls
— the cue ball strikes one or more cushions, then the red or opponent’s cue ball,
then strikes one or more cushions before striking the other ball
Scoring
Each one cushion billiard is worth 1 point.
Spotting Balls
All balls knocked off the table are spotted.
Penalty for Fouls
None, players inning ends.
Strategy
For a safe play where you don’t leave an easy shot if you fail to score, try to leave
the balls spread out. Don’t leave your cue ball and the red ball in a corner or close
to a rail.
If the second object ball is close to a corner — best is about a ball from each
cushion — it is a very large target.
For position play, try to leave one ball “large” in a corner. Leave your cue ball near
at least one of the other balls – at least the first hit will be easy to control.

Da Fundamentals:
This section describes pool fundamentals that apply to both Virtual Pool 3 and pool
in general. Studying this section will improve both your real and virtual games.
One major advantage you have in Virtual Pool 3 is a perfect pool stroke. The cue
stick is guaranteed to stroke straight and put spin on the cue ball just like a
championship-calibre player. To play well, edge and hone your speed control.
Throughout this section, you will find tips for using Virtual Pool 3.

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Cue Tip Position
Virtual Pool 3 allows you to change the position of the cue tip on the ball - and
therefore the path of the ball - just like in the real game. Altering the position of
the cue tip with the E key will alter the path that the balls take.
The diagram below shows the terminology for different cue tip positions on the
side of the cue ball.

Combinations of these are expressed as high right (follow and right) English or low
left (draw and left) English. Distances from the centre of the cue ball are usually
expressed in cue tips, as in: ‘‘follow with half a cue tip of right.’‘ Virtual Pool 3
allows you to be very precise with cue tip placement.
You might want to start out using centre-ball hits only. Then, when you feel
confident enough with the game controls to add a little more flair to your shots,
practice using follow and draw to change cue ball paths. Follow and draw have the
most effect on shots with less cut angles. English has its greatest effect on the cue
ball’s path when the ball ricochets off of a rail.

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Aiming Shots
Practice aiming shots initially using centre ball hits. The diagram below shows
the place the cue ball must be when it contacts the object ball to sink the ball
in the corner pocket.

One technique of aiming is to imagine a ball in this position and try to hit the
imaginary ball full-on.

Bank Shot
If you can hit the object ball with the cue ball and bounce the object ball off one
or more rails then into a pocket, you’ve just pulled off a bank shot. The basic
technique for aiming bank shots is to first assume that the ball will rebound at
the same angle that it hits the cushion. This can be used to estimate the angle;
however, pool tables bank shorter than a mirrored rebound angle. Making banks
seems easy if an adjustment is made for the shortened bank angle. Unfortunately,
it is not that simple. The path of the banked ball can actually curve after the ball
hits the rail.
Any spin in the vertical axis (forward or backward) will cause the ball to curve
after striking the rail. The amount of curve is dependent on the ratio of spin to the
velocity of the ball. The higher the spin in relation to velocity, the more the ball
curves. Note that what is meant by forward spin here means any rotation forward,
and rolling is a rotation forward. Backward spin on an object ball is negligible and
can only be caused by spin transfer. You can demonstrate what backward spin
does by hitting the cue ball into the rail with draw spin. This shot is useful when
kicking at balls.
Banks are also be affected by English. This is covered in the Advanced
Techniques chapter under the Spin Transfer section.

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Shown below is a shot hit centre-ball with a firm stroke. With the object ball close
to the rail it will not have much forward roll before striking the rail. Therefore,
there is little curvature after rail contact. Notice the bank angle is not a mirror
image and the ball has banked short of the input angle.

The same angle bank with the object ball further from the rail and the same speed
stroke misses the pocket. The friction of the table causes the object ball to start
rolling, causing the ball to curve forward after hitting the rail.

Cue Ball Path
After contact with the object ball, the cue ball always starts on a path
perpendicular to the target line. The target line is the line the object ball takes.
The cue ball then curves forward or backwards depending on the vertical axis
(follow or draw) spin on the cue ball.
Shown below is the cue struck very firmly with a centre-ball hit. It starts
perpendicular to the target line and stays close to that line because the

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cue ball has very little forward spin. Even though the cue was hit in the centre, it
gets forward spin from the friction on the table. The curvature forward after
contact with the object ball is determined by the ratio of spin to linear velocity.
Linear velocity is the speed the ball is moving. This example has very little spin in
relation to the velocity because the cue ball is struck firmly and is close to the 3
ball. Moving the cue further away from the 3 ball and striking the cue at the same
speed will result in more curvature because the farther the cue travels before
hitting the 3 ball, the more it induces forward spin. The spin is induced by the
friction between the cue ball and the table. OK, so this is a little complicated.
Don’t worry about the why, just learn what happens and you’ll be a better player.

Shown below is the same shot with the cue ball struck easier. Now the ratio of
spin to velocity is higher and the ball curves forward more.

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Draw and Follow
For straight-in shots, ‘‘drawing’‘ the cue ball by hitting it below-centre will bring
the cue ball back towards you. ‘‘Follow,’‘ which is applied by hitting the cue ball
above-centre, will move the cue ball forward, away from you. The farther away
from centre you hit the cue ball, the more spin will be applied given the same
stroke speed is used. The actual spin is determined by cue offset from centre,
stroke speed, and distance between cue and object balls. You’ll need to practice
your stroke speed to get consistent results.
With shots at an angle, Draw and Follow affect how the cue ball curves off of the
perpendicular line.
Shown below is a Draw shot which pulls back from the perpendicular line:

Follow shots will curve forward from the perpendicular line:

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As the angle of the shot increases, draw and follow have less effect on the cue
ball path.
(Getting Confused? Don’t worry, it’ll become clear when you try it yourself. Feel
free to play around with these options; take some time to give yourself a feel for
choosing and setting up a useful spin.)
Draw and Follow can be put on the cue ball by pressing and holding the E key
and then moving the mouse to change the cue tip position vertically on the cue
ball. The blue dot on the cue ball shows where the cue tip will hit.

English
You can apply English (side spin) by hitting the cue ball off centre to the left (for
left spin) or to the right (for right spin). It’s much easier in a precision computer
environment than with a real cue - this is your big chance to try out all those
shots and tricks that experts use.
English primarily effects cue ball path when the rail is hit. You may remember
from the last section on Draw and Follow, that they affect the cue ball’s path more
when shots are straighter. So, what to do on shots with lots of cut? Cut shots will
usually hit the rail. So use English to change the cue ball path for shots with
more cut.
To put English on the cue ball, hold the E key and move the mouse. The blue dot
on the cue ball will show where the cue tip will hit. English has its greatest effect
on cue ball path when a rail is hit, as it changes the angle at which the cue ball
rebounds from the rail. Plus, it can add or remove speed from the cue ball.
Shown below is a rail shot hit centre-ball:

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The same shot with left English moves the path left off the rail:

The same shot with right English moves the path right off the rail:

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Combinations
A combination is a shot where two or more object balls are hit in sequence to
pocket an object ball.

To line up a two-ball combination, first figure out the necessary ‘‘contact point’‘ on
the second ball - the spot on the ball where you must hit it so that it will shoot
into the pocket. Then determine the contact point on the first ball that will cause
it to hit the second ball’s contact point. Now aim the cue ball at the first ball’s
contact point.

Carom
A carom shot is where a ball (cue or object) hits off another ball.

Use the knowledge learned from the Cue Ball Path section to become
proficient at caroms.

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Kiss
In pool, a kiss is a carom shot where two object balls are frozen together
(touching each other) and a perpendicular line between them goes into a pocket.
Just hit the object ball on the side of the ball opposite the pocket and it’s in.
Shown below is a typical kiss shot.

The Advanced Techniques:
Virtual Pool 3 is so realistic that it accurately models even the more obscure
physical properties of a real pool table. This section reveals some unusual details
that are not general knowledge outside of the realm of professional pool players.

Ball Throw
Balls are thrown off-line by the friction between balls. If the cue ball hits an object
ball at an angle, the friction between the balls throws the object ball path off the
target line. The picture below illustrates this concept showing the actual target
line (target line determined by a line through the centres of cue and object ball at
time of contact) and the actual ball path:

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The amount of ball throw depends on the angle of the shot, the English on the cue
ball and the speed of the cue ball. See Spin Transfer for information on how
English affects ball throw. More angle will mean more throw. Higher velocity
reduces ball throw.

Spin Transfer
The same friction which makes an object ball ‘‘throw’‘ also transfers spin from ball
to ball. It’s a small difference, but if you want to be a pro you’ve got to pay
attention to every detail; in other words, when you’re using English, you should
remember to compensate for Spin Transfer when you’re lining up your shot.
Shown below are two bank shots hit with the same line and speed. The first shot
is hit centre-ball:

The second shot is hit with left English:

The rebound angle of the second shot is increased because of the spin
transfer from the cue ball to the object ball. Left spin on the cue ball is

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transferred to the object ball as right spin, causing the rebound angle to increase.
You can use English to offset ball throw (see Ball Throw ). In the picture below,
a small amount of left English is being applied to the cue ball to remove the throw
effect. This happens because the angular velocity at the contact point cancels the
linear velocity resulting in no friction and no ball throw.

Cue Ball Squirt
The effect of ball throw (see Ball Throw ) is not the only aiming complication
when using English. When the cue ball is hit with English it will squirt off line. If
you hit the ball on the right side of the cue ball, it will squirt left. The amount of
squirt depends on the horizontal cue tip position and the velocity of the stroke.
The picture below shows the cue ball hit straight along the head string line with
left English. Observe how the cue ball path squirts to the right.

You’ll need to practice a lot to get a feel for playing shots with English.

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Masse’
Hitting downward on the cue ball by raising the butt of the cue and causing the
cue ball to curve is called a masse’ shot. This is the kind of shot banned by many
house rules because inexperienced players are quite likely to miss the ball
completely, stabbing down with the cue stick and tearing a gash in the table’s felt!
The cue ball will curve in the direction of any English applied to the ball;
therefore, a masse’ shot hit to the right side of the cue ball will curve to the right
and so on. How much the ball curves, how sharp the curve is, and how fast the
cue ball moves are, of course, determined by:
— The angle of the butt of the cue stick
— The cue tip position
— The speed of the stroke

Masse’ shots are difficult to master, but with some work they can be quite effective.

Jump Shots
Hitting downward on the cue ball by raising the butt of the cue and bouncing the
ball off the table into the air is called a jump shot. This shot is legal as long as the
cue ball is bounced off the table. Jumping balls by using the cue stick to dig under
and miscue is illegal. Jump shots are a lot like Masse’ shots in that the butt of the
cue must be raised.
The main difference is how much the cue ball gets pinched between the cue tip and
the table. If there is significant pinch, the cue ball can’t jump because the cue tip is
in the way and the ball will Masse’. If there is little pinch, the ball will jump. It is
possible, and quite common, to get a little jump in conjunction with a Masse’. The
secret to jump shots is getting the correct butt angle. This, along with cue tip
position and stroke speed, will produce differing launch angles and jump distances.
Turn on tracking and play with jump shots before attempting them in a game.

I N T E R P L AY E N T E RTA I N M E N T C O R P.

“Tall Steve’s” Hints:
Use the Amplify feature when breaking (taking the first shot of the game).
Practice with Tracking on until you feel comfortable lining up shots yourself.
Experiment with Tracking.
Line up difficult shots without Tracking, then turn Tracking on to see how close
you came. Remember, anything you learn here can be applied to a real pool table.
Use the Replay feature to see how you can correct missed shots.
The force with which you strike the cue ball has an effect on the path the cue
ball will take, especially when you add some Draw, Follow, or English. Use
Tracking to experiment with varying force and different cue tip positions.
Be conservative with cue tip placements and shot power. Remember, the player
who best controls the cue ball is the superior player.
Practice masse’ shots and jump shots before attempting them in games. They are
very difficult and practice gives you a feel for the shot.
Practice banks using varying speed to get a feel for the rail and ball curvature
effects on banks.

VIRTUAL POOL 3
™

Credits:

Jeanette Lee
Nadine Mazzola
Celeris Credits:
Steve Chaplin
Matt Soares
Nathan Hunt
Gary LIndquist
Brian Vance
John Garber
Ben Varoczki
John Franco
Interplay Development:
Jim Molitor
Scot Lane
Brandon Lang
Stony Christopher
Michael Sherak
David Finley
Scott Holty
Brad Vancata
Troy Paradise
Poor Al:
Alan Barasch
Interplay UK:
Matt Findley

Pool Pro Extraordinaire
WPBA Photographer
Director, Game Design, Programming
Programming, Game Design
Programming
Programming
Music and SFX
Pool Tables and Cue Art
Room Art
Room Art
Division Head
Producer
Assoc. Producer
Support
3D Art Lead/Room Creation
Interface Art Lead/Room Creation
Pool Cue Creation/Room Creation
2D Artist
3D Artist
Player Profiles & Documentation
Head of UK Interplay Development and
Scot Lane’s Virtual Pool 3 Whipping Boy
International Liason
UK Marketing

Scott Burfitt
Harvey Lee
Interplay Quality Assurance:
Michael Motoda
Director of QA
Monica Vallejo
QA Operations Manager
Greg Baumeister
QA Manager
Erik Guenther
QA Project Supervisor
Doug Finch
QA Project Supervisor
Rodney Smith
Senior Tester
GJ Ramirez
Senior Tester
Sean Johnson
Tester
Thomas Edmonds
Tester
Lisa Hawker
Tester
Savina Greene
Tester
Compatibility:
Derek Gibbs
Compatibility Supervisor
Jack Parker
Compatibility Technician
Josh Walters
Compatibility Technician
Dave Parkyn
Compatibility Technician
Tony Piccoli
Compatibility Technician
Interplay Marketing:
Craig Relyea
VP of Marketing
Bob Picunko
Dir. of Marketing
Mike Scharnikow
Marketing Manager
Krista Robinson
Marketing Coordinator
Michael ‘Paco’ Greene
Marketing Coordinator
Interplay PR:
Lisa Bucek
SR PR Manager
Heather McLaughlin
PR Manager
Jeff Jaeke
PR Coordinator
Interplay Creative Services:
Kathy Helgason
Creative Service Manager
Jeff Blanco
Traffic Manager
Larry Fukuoka
Manual Design
Interplay Video:
Dan Williams
Director
Dave Cravens
Editor
Ashley Fisher
Editor
Bill Stoudt
Compression Guru

I N T E R P L AY E N T E RTA I N M E N T C O R P.

Interplay Audio
In-Game
John Fasal
SFX Recordist
Charles Deenen
Additional Sound Design
JP Walton
Production Assistant
Gloria Soto
Operations Manager
Cinematics
Stephen Miller
SFX Editing
Mark Fishman
Re-Recordist Mixers
Lance Brown
Re-Recordist Mixers
Mixed at 4MC, Burbank
Jeanette Lee Video Segments
Dan Williams
Director
Dave Cravens
Editor
E. Ashley Fisher
Editor
Steve Chaplin
Writing
Scot Lane
Writing/Producer
Interplay Web Team
Sean Patton
Dir. of Internet Technology
Sandi McCleary
Creative Webmaster
Suzanne Swinson
Webmaster
Bill Stoudt
Dir. of Rich Media
Joe Norris
Web Developer
Steve Jobes
Web Programmer
Terry Spier
Webmaster
Ed Arandia
Webmaster
Interplay Sales
Gary Dawson
VP of Sales
Beth Ryan
Sales
Dorothy Ferguson
Sales
Kelly Talty
Sales
Octagon:
Tom George
Jeanette’s Agent
Debby Zealley
Client Services Manager
David Schwab
PR Director
Special Thanks…
Brian Fargo
CEO
Phil Adam
Business Development
Tina Aughinbaugh
Legal
David Sullivan
Director of Technology Interplay
Rusty Buchert
Design assistance
Tom George
Octagon
Debby Zealley
Octagon
Mike DiMotta
Imperial Billiards
Dan Janes
Joss Cues
Evan Clarke
Schon Cues
Joel Shapiro
Viking Cues
Joe Porper
Creative Inventions / Porper Cues
Nadine Mazzola
Photographer
Lisa Stancati
Executive Director WPBA
Melanie White
Public Relations WPBA
Jerry Edelson
Operations Assistant WPBA
Rick Raymo
GameSpy
Matt Winberry
GameSpy
David Wright
GameSpy
Art Santos
GameSpy
Darren Monahan
Serialize Guy
PJ Video
Matt the masseuse
George Breedlove
Tina Soares
Matt’s Better Half
Brenda Chaplin
Steve’s Better Half
All people who were kind enough to be players in the game.

VIRTUAL POOL 3
™

CUSTOMER SUPPORT

Thank you for purchasing Virtual Pool 3. If you are experiencing difficulties with this title,
please take advantage of the following product support. Please note that all our operators only
speak English and that we are unable to give gameplay hints through our Technical Support
number. Our Technical support lines are open between the hours of 10am and 5pm.
Technical Support : 0171 551 4266
Fax :
0171 551 4267
WorldWide Web :

http://www.vie.co.uk

Address :

Customer Services Department
Virgin Interactive Entertainment Europe Ltd.
74a Charlotte Street
London
W1P 1LR

LIMITED WARRANTY

In the unlikely event of a software fault please return the complete package, with your receipt,
to the original place of purchase. Interplay disclaims all responsibility for incidental or
consequential damages. These statements do not affect your statutory rights.
If you do telephone, please be sitting in front of your computer (if possible) and be sure to
provide us with as much information as possible. Make sure to note the exact type of
hardware that you are using in your system, including:
•
Speed and Manufacturer of your Processor.
•
Make & Model of your Sound Card and Video Card.
•
Make & Model of your CD-ROM drive.
•
Amount of RAM present.
•
Any additional Hardware and Peripherals.
•
Information contained in your Config.Sys & Autoexec.Bat files.
Note: If you have any problems in obtaining any System Information please consult your
System supplier. It is extremely important that you have the information above at hand when
you call.
When contacting us by post, ensure you include the Title & Version of the game, a detailed
description of the problem you are experiencing and the exact type of hardware that you are
using.
When sending us a fax, please remember to leave your fax machine switched on and ready to
receive. If you are using a Telephone/Fax system please make sure that the Fax connection is
enabled. Ensure to include your name, a return Fax number with the area code and a Voice
number so we can contact you if we experience problems when trying to Fax you back.

NOTICE

Interplay reserves the right to make modifications or improvements to the product described
in this manual at any time and without notice.

COPYING PROHIBITED

This software product and the manual are copyrighted and all rights are reserved by Interplay
Productions and are protected by the copyright laws that pertain to computer software. You
may not copy the software except that you may make a single copy for backup purposes only.
You may not loan, sell, rent, lease, give, sub-license, or otherwise transfer the software (or any
copy) unless expressly permitted to do so by Interplay Productions Ltd. You may not modify,
adapt, translate, create derivative works, decompile, disassemble, or otherwise reverse
engineer or derive source code from, all or any portion of the software or anything
incorporated therein or permit any third party to do so.

INTERPLAY’S WORLD WIDE WEB SITE

"Welcome to the Interplay Web! As a company dedicated to providing innovative, high quality
interactive entertainment software, we are always striving to stay as close as possible to the
leading edge of technology. This Web site is designed to provide a wealth of information and
opportunities to you. As a company of fanatic gamers, we love the idea of gamers all over the
world tapping into cyberspace to see, touch and feel our latest games. To make it work, our
goal is to keep this site fresh and new, to make it a place where you can tell US what you like
about our game and what you don’t like about them! Enjoy your visit to our web site, explore
all the different areas we have to offer, and come back soon. Keep checking us out as we
introduce new and exciting areas for you to experience.
Once again, Welcome!"
Brian Fargo
To find us
www.interplay.com

Contacting Celeris:

Celeris Inc. is committed to producing the finest game simulations on the market.
Our web site at www.celeris.com has information about our products. We want your
feedback. Please send us any comments or feature requests about our products
using the contact information on our web site.

I N T E R P L AY E N T E RTA I N M E N T C O R P.

Appendix A - Glossary:
Three Ball

A pool game played with 3 balls, where the object is to pocket the last
ball on the table.

Six Ball

A pool game played with 6 balls, where the object is to pocket the 6 ball.

Eight Ball

A pool game where the object is to pocket all of the striped or solid balls,
saving the 8-ball for last.

Nine Ball

A pool game played with 9 balls, where the object is to sink the 9 ball.

Ten Ball

A pool game played with 10 balls, where the object is to sink the 10 ball.

Amplify

Mouse movements are exaggerated when amplify is on, causing mouse
movements to make larger changes.

Ball-in-hand

A player who has ball-in-hand can place the ball anywhere on the table or

Ball On

The ball(s) legally playable in Snooker. If a colour after potting a red the

(depending on the game and situation) anywhere behind the head string.
shooter selects the ball on.
Bank

Playing a ball off of one or more rails and then into a pocket.

Bank Pool

A pool game where the object is to score 8 balls by banking them in.

Billiard Shot

A shot where the cue ball caroms off an object ball and into another
object ball knocking it into a pocket.

Blast

A shot with high velocity.

Break

The first shot; the one which scatters the racked balls.

Call Shot

Specifying the ball and pocket for a shot attempt.

Carom Shot

A shot where an object ball collides with another object ball and goes into
a pocket.

Centre Spot

Spot in the centre of the table.

Colour

The Yellow, Green, Brown, Blue, Pink, and Black balls in Snooker.

Combination

Playing a shot that hits multiple object balls in a series and pockets the
last object ball hit.

Cue Ball

The white ball that you hit with the cue stick so that it strikes the other balls.

Cue Stick

The stick used to hit the cue ball.

Cue Tip

The end of the cue stick that makes contact with the cue ball.

Diamonds

Markers on the table that are used to assist aiming banks and kick
shots. The markers and the pockets divide the long side of the table into
eight equal parts. The markers divide the short side of the table into four
equal parts.

Draw

Hitting the cue ball below centre, producing back spin on the ball.

End Rail

The rails at either end of the table.

English

Hitting the cue ball off centre to the right or left producing right or left
spin on the ball.

Fine Tune

Mouse movements are more precise when Fine Tune is on, causing
mouse movements to make smaller changes.

Follow

Hitting the cue ball above centre, producing top spin on the ball.

VIRTUAL POOL 3
™

Foot Spot

Where the balls are racked and spotted.

Foul

An infraction of the rules of play as defined in either the general or the
specific game rules. The penalty depends on the game.

Free Ball

In Snooker, a free ball can be nominated by the shooter after his opponent

Free Shot

In UK Rules Eight Ball, a Free Shot is awarded when the opponent fouls.

fouls and leaves the cue snookered. Free balls are always colours.
The shooter gets one free shot at the balls and gets to keep shooting even
if no balls are pocketed.
Frozen

A ball which is touching the rail or another ball.

Handicap

An advantage given to the lesser player to make the chance of winning even.

Head Spot

Spot in centre of head string.

Head String

The imaginary line between the two centre diamonds at the head of the
table. You must break from behind this line.

House Rules

Many pool halls and bars have their own specific set of rules for a game.
For instance, many places don’t allow masse’ shots for fear of damage to
the tables’ felt.

In Out

The British term for Scratch.

Inning

One player’s turn at the table. Ends at the end of a game, a missed shot,
or a foul.

Jump Shot

Jumping the cue ball over other balls by hitting down on the ball with a
raised butt and bouncing the cue off the table. Digging under the cue ball
is illegal.

Kiss Shot

Hitting two frozen object balls at an angle so that an object ball is
pocketed along the line perpendicular to the frozen balls.

Kitchen

The area behind the head string.

Masse’

A shot in which extreme English is applied to the cue ball by means of
elevating the butt of the cue.

Miscall

Making a shot other than the one intended.

Object Ball

Any ball hit by the cue ball.

One Pocket

A pool game where the object is to score 8 balls into your pocket.

Open Break

A requirement to hit at least four balls to rails on the break, or pocket a ball.

Pocket

To legally sink a ball into a pocket. The word ‘‘make’‘ is also used.

Position

To pocket a ball and leave the cue ball in position for the next shot.

Pot

The British term for Pocket a ball.

Race

To play a match where the winner is the first to win a specified number
of games.

Rack

To set up balls at the beginning of the game; also, the cluster of balls set
up at the beginning of a game.

Rails

The raised edges of the playing surface off which the balls bounce.

Rating

A player’s rank determined by a points trading system where you
gain/lose points for every game. Point count gained/lost is dependent on
difference in player ratings.

I N T E R P L AY E N T E RTA I N M E N T C O R P.

Rotation Pool

A pool game where you have to sink the balls in numerical order. Each
ball is worth its number in points, first player to 61 wins.

Run

To make several consecutive balls.

Run Out

To make all of the balls on the table without giving your opponent a
chance to shoot.

Safety

A defensive shot designed to leave your opponent in a very poor position.

Scratch

Pocketing the cue ball.

Side Rail

The rails on the sides of the table.

Slop

A ball that is pocketed by luck.

Snookered

When there is total or partial blockage of paths from the cue ball to any ball on.

Spot

To place a ball at the foot spot as a result of a scratch or other foul.

Straight Pool

A game where the balls are worth one point each and can be pocketed in
any order. The game is played up to a pre-set number of points.

Table in Position

Accepting the table from your opponent with all balls in the same place.

The Nuts

A match you can’t lose.

Tracking

Feature of Virtual Pool 3 that shows you the exact path of every ball on
the table, based on the current Aim and Force level.

Dog It

Choking.

Barking

See “Dog It”.

Lay Down

Play below your level to get a better match.

Clean Living

A popular reason for good luck.

Smash the Cash

Blasting the nine ball (money ball) really hard in hopes of getting lucky slop.

Brunswick

When a hard hit ball rattles in the pocket jaws and pops out. A common
trait of Brunswick tables.

Top, High

See Follow.

Back, Screw

See Draw.

Side

See English.

Plays Jam Up

Tough customer, plays real good especially for cash.

Jack It Up

Raise the bet.

Cheese

The 9-ball is called “The Cheese”.

Mud

In Snooker the black ball is called “The Mud”.

Choke

Missing an easy big money shot.

Dog

See Dog It.

Jack Up

Lift the butt of the cue stick up.

Bust ‘em

Breaking the balls.

VIRTUAL POOL 3
™

www.interplay.com
© 2000 Celeris, Inc. Digital Mayhem, the Digital Mayhem logo, Interplay, the Interplay logo, Virtual Pool 3 and the Virtual Pool 3 logo are trademarks
of Interplay Entertainment Corp. Licensed by Interplay Entertainment Corp. Microsoft, Windows, and the Windows logo are registered trademarks of
the Microsoft Corporation. All other copyrights and trademarks are the property of their respective owner s. All rights reserved. Exclusively
distributed by Virgin Interactive Entertainment (Europe) Ltd, Virgin is a registered trademark of Virgin Enterprises Ltd. All Rights Reserved.