Hey everyone! I started this passion project back in 2020. I had to put it on hold when I transitioned to graduate school in 2021, but I finally got the first release polished and published.
To date, I haven't seen another fully playable pool / billiards datapack or mod out there before, so I hope you guys enjoy it!
Here is a quick overview of the features:
- Gameplay: Includes fully playable Snooker, 8-Ball, 9-Ball, and custom practice settings. Supports both single-player and PvP duo modes.
- Easy Interaction: Most of the mechanics and UI can be controlled simply by clicking your mouse.
- Realistic Physics: Fast and accurate physics simulation. You can add spin to the cue ball just like in real life.
- Smooth Visuals: On newer MC versions, it uses Display Entities so the balls roll smoothly at high FPS.
- AI-Accelerated Break: Complex collisions of a rack during a break shot requires costly simulation using a much more complicated physics model. I use a neural network written in scoreboard operations to simulate this. This gives you a realistic break so you actually have a good chance to run out the table!
To get it: Just search something like "Minecraft pool and billiard datapack" to find it on Google, CurseForge, Modrinth, or Github (source code if you are interested). If you decide to try it out, I'd love to hear your thoughts. Bug reports, feature requests, or constructive comments are super welcome and will help me make it better!
by mingshi3_uiuc