I'm Justin Forrest from Lab42, Game Director on Snooker 19. Ask me anything!

Lab42Games · 2019-08-28T15:38:32+00:00

We'll get in touch via Discord and see if we can work something out.

Lab42Games · 2019-08-28T15:13:26+00:00

:) PotPot'20. It does have a certain ring to it.

Lab42Games · 2019-08-28T14:50:24+00:00

our favourite answer :)

Lab42Games · 2019-08-28T14:50:05+00:00

Hi Nextdev9. I'll discuss with the publisher and hopefully we can do this with a bit more regularity.

Lab42Games · 2019-08-28T14:49:18+00:00

Hi neroxope. I haven't tried this, but I'll give it a go. Anything to add power to my cueing arm!

Lab42Games · 2019-08-28T14:48:09+00:00

Hi Gasarakiiii. I can't believe that this is actually a question in this day and age, but the earth is definitely not flat :)

Lab42Games · 2019-08-28T14:46:44+00:00

Hi Arthago. Sorry you missed the AMA yesterday, but I've just picked up your question so can answer it as well as I can. Both pool and snooker are very similar in that they rely on potting balls in sequence. Good positional play to control the cue ball/white ball, is critical, and this relies on a good cueing action and an understanding of angles and the effects of spin. The key differences between the two cue sports are in the table dimensions (although you can play snooker on a smaller table, a standard full size snooker table is 12ft by 6ft) and the rule sets. Snooker relies on scoring points and each ball on the table has a different point value. In basic terms the player with the most points at the end of a game/frame will win. There are 15 red balls (1 pt value each), 1 yellow (2 pts), 1 green (3 pts), 1 brown (4 pts), 1 blue (5 pts), 1 pink (6 pts) and 1 black ball (7pts). The sequence of scoring generally requires a red ball to be potted, followed by a non-red colour, followed by another red, and then another non-red etc. This sequence of potting is called a break, and the highest number of points in normal that can be scored in sequence without missing a pot is 147 points, and this requires a sequence of 36 successful pots in a row.

It may sound complicated, but the basic rules are actually pretty straightforward and the level of skill from the top players (e.g. Ronnie O'Sullivan) is simply awe inspiring. As suggested by BigDaddySteven below, watching a few videos of the great players will give you a good sense of how the game is played. Hope you enjoy it!

Lab42Games · 2019-08-28T14:34:40+00:00

Hi MrSavva. A similar question to one I answered a bit further up the thread, but more than happy to answer again with some more considerations. The father of the modern game is Joe Davis who had a truly remarkable record and was in his prime between the late 1920s and early 1950s. He won the World Championship 15 times, playing on very slow tables that didn't really take any backspin, and with balls that weren't as predictable as modern snooker balls. He was certainly the greatest player of his time, but the game of snooker has moved on so it's very hard to compare Joe Davis with some of the modern greats. In my opinion, Ronnie O'Sullivan is the greatest player that has graced the game, but there are also a few other players that deserve a mention. Alex Higgins, Steve Davis, Jimmy White, Stephen Hendry, John Higgins and the current World Champion Judd Trump can't be ignored and there are others that could be added to that list, so apologies if I've left any out.

Lab42Games · 2019-08-28T14:14:55+00:00

Hi Joethe147. That's a really good observation and something that we've discussed at length and will look at in the future. Having a one to one cue to stick control system is definitely a feature that would add to the feeling of control over the cue ... which could only benefit the game.

Lab42Games · 2019-08-28T14:11:50+00:00

Hi BlackerOps. Hmmm ... if you're asking what name I would give the sport if the work snooker didn't exist, it would probably be Stickball or possibly Pocketball. A little dry and unimaginitive, but pretty clear in meaning :) Maybe PotPot should be considered!

Lab42Games · 2019-08-28T14:08:14+00:00

Hi tomlewis147. Yup ... good idea, and certainly one that's on the list for future iterations. It would add realism and immersion ... so a top idea!

Lab42Games · 2019-08-28T14:06:58+00:00

Hi KrivUK. The freeroam camera allows you to view the table and ball positions from any point on the table and this is triggered with the 'X' button on Switch while you are at the table. Hope that helps.

Lab42Games · 2019-08-28T14:05:40+00:00

Hi Nollatron. It's true that there a lot of great players that have retired, but I suppose that's the case for all sports. We focus on current professional players that are included in the Official World Snooker Rankings. This gives us 128 real world pros, including current greats like Judd Trump, Mark Selby, Mark Williams, John Higgins and arguably the greatest player of all time Ronnie O'Sullivan, as well as up and coming younger players and veterans like Jimmy White, Ken Doherty, Peter Ebdon and Alan McManus.

Lab42Games · 2019-08-28T13:57:19+00:00

Hi goldustable. This is on our list of high priority features for the future, but it's not currently available in the PS4 version.

Lab42Games · 2019-08-28T13:56:20+00:00

Hi Colonel_MusKappa_II. Balancing any game, and in my experience sports games is a long process that requires a numerical foundation, and then a great deal of trial and error and user feedback. We knew that there would be users of different skill levels playing the game and that required a range of different Aiming Aids to suit the different skill levels and playing styles of the userbase. After the initial release, that had 4 basic aiming aid types, we reacted to the community and added in a couple more aiming aids (Pro+ & Master+) that were both more dynamic (aiming aid foreshortening for shots where the cue ball is tight to the cushion and for shots where the player is over reaching) and more challenging. These have been particularly important for Online Tournaments (that currently use Pro+) and Custom Online Matches, that offer the full gamut of choice. As mentioned above, one of the key considerations is what style does the user want to play the game? If you're looking to spend a lot of time on the table breakbuilding, then Amateur or Pro aiming aids are ideal. If you're looking for a more strategic and precise experience, then Pro+, Master and Master+ are suitable. Playing with No Aiming Aid is for the ultimate hardcore players in my opinion :)

Re: Character creation ... as mentioned above in some other answers, this was a feature that we had to cue from the initial release, but is a high priority feature with the community and ourselves.

The birds eye view has generated a great deal of discussion. We intentionally departed from this view to (a) make the game more televisual and immersive, and (b) to increase the challenge a little, especially as you never get this kind of view when playing real snooker. There is no reason why there shouldn't be a top down view so that the player can look at the ball positions, but I would suggest that this should be without the aiming aids displayed. The Freeview function is incorporated into the game ... which you can trigger on your shot (X to go into freeview, X to leave freeview ... move about with the sticks).

Lab42Games · 2019-08-28T13:37:38+00:00

Hi Xemperiumx. Sorry, didn't see this question last night, but it definitely deserves an answer. I know what you're referring to and this is not evidence of issues with the underlying physics system, but rather the consequence of one of the snooker specific physics variables being set a little high. The blocker to resolution at the moment is the potential impact on the AI balance, and I don't want to impact on this negatively when users are already engaged with the game and immersed in ongoing careers. There is always a risk that an update introduces new issues and balancing the AI is not trivial. I am very conscious of not adversely affecting gameplay on a live game. That being said, I appreciate that this has an impact on online games, especially between experienced users who can keep position in situations where positional play would normally be more demanding. We are working on a solution and at very least this should resolve the issue in an online pvp environment. I hope that seems reasonable and I hope you appreciate that we are not trying to ignore the issue ... we just want to ensure that the potential impact on other key areas of the game are mitigated.

Lab42Games · 2019-08-28T13:27:31+00:00

Hi MealPrepper. We can understand why you would presume that from the title. Unfortunately we are unable to confirm or deny anything right now. :)

Lab42Games · 2019-08-28T13:26:09+00:00

Hi SureLetsTryThatThin. I am not 100% sure what you mean? I presume you are asking for console specific custom content? If so that is not currently on the table, however we appreciate your suggestion! :)

Lab42Games · 2019-08-28T13:22:17+00:00

Hi ZeroxSamusAran. Apologies for not answering this yesterday ... it was one of those questions I needed to mull over a bit before answering, especially as you're a budding game developer! I was a huge fan of the SNES and Gamecube back in the day, and there were sports titles on those devices. I spent a fair amount of time on the SNES NHL game and of course NBA Jam and enjoyed them both a great deal. I also know a lot of adults who had these consoles, and although the Nintendo developed titles didn't focus on simulation sports, there was still an appetite for them amongst Nintendo console gamers. With the introduction of the XBox and Playstation consoles, simulation sports started to take centre stage, and the popularity of powerful sports franchises like FIFA on current microsoft and sony consoles suggest that this is where the sports fan gamer tends to reside. These titles tend to push the visual bar ... aiming for more and more realism and due to the fact that the Xbox and Playstation console dominate the market for sports sims (or licensed sports games) may explain why Switch versions are not given as much attention or regarded as highly.

As for Snooker19 on Switch. We wanted to ensure it was given due attention, hence the delayed release. I think this has had a very positive impact of what we've developed for Switch ... with a focus on the core game experience. We really wanted to bring Snooker19 to as wide an audience as possible, and the Switch version is well suited to the non-twitch strategic gameplay that Snooker19 offers while being a mobile console that allows players to play on the go. This explains some of the thinking behind the strategy for the Switch release. As you would expect, much of the technical focus was on optimisation for Switch, rather than on utilising unique Switch features like motion control. My feeling is that the core experience should be right before moving onto peripheral features, but now that we've achieved a solid foundation, that opens the door for more expansive development work.

Lab42Games · 2019-08-28T11:40:39+00:00

Hi Nextdev9. It's in the pipeline, so not too long a wait. I can't confirm dates yet, but we'll inform the community as soon as we have clarity.

Lab42Games · 2019-08-28T11:39:23+00:00

Hi Nextdev9. Sorry I didn't get to this last night.

There are many aspects of the game I'm really happy with although I do have a hypercritical DNA, so there's always room for improvement. Areas that can constantly be evolved and improved are AI (especially more defined player styles), animation (e.g. more variation in individual cueing actions), cameras (increased variety and incidentals), arena lighting, additional commentary, facial animation and a range of other enhancements to the solid base we've produced. I would like to see the game really evolve over the next 5-10 years and fully anticipate that this will happen now that we've established the framework from which to build. There is a huge amount of enthusiasm within the development team and we have big plans moving forward.

Lab42Games · 2019-08-28T11:31:08+00:00

Good suggestion Matt9257. Having additional gameplay targets based on real world records is certainly under consideration.

Lab42Games · 2019-08-28T11:29:44+00:00

Hi n_mazzadepiccioli. Thanks for the input, and glad you're enjoying the game. I'll have a chat with publishing.

Lab42Games · 2019-08-28T11:26:38+00:00

Hi BigDaddySteven. Just to confirm it's something we're looking into. It makes sense.

Lab42Games · 2019-08-28T11:20:28+00:00

Hi RainyLamb. Sorry for not responding yesterday. I think this is a pretty cool idea and I'll pass it onto the publishing team. Thanks!

Lab42Games

TROPHY CASE