Game Costs Money?

[Player]

I'm confused on the reviews for this game. Does it cost money to play, or are there in-game purchases I need to get?

I'm just looking for a good pool game to play, but I don't want to be forced to spend a lot of money to play it after buying the game.

I'm hoping for a single player mode where I can play in a championship or something.

[Gabriel]

Once you've bought VP4, unless you choose to play outside "online", there are no extra charges to play within the game itself.

VP4 is fantastic. Rest assured that within the game itself there's a full blown single player element to it with tournaments and in "Hustler" mode pool/snooker dens to visit and bet (I mean using computer money, not your own real life money) against other hustlers of varying ability.

There's seemingly a million different elements of the simulation that you can tweak if you so desire, and then, as usual, you give yourself a name and straightaway you can embark upon a career as either a player or a hustler.

I play only the snooker variant, not pool, but I'm sure the setup must be the same. There's lots and lots of computer opponents varying from totally inexperienced to, as far as I have got so far at least, absolute masters. However, within either the tournament or hustler setup, from the start you will work your way progressively though the various groups of computer players from low to high ability with proportionate prize money to be won depending on your placement in tournaments or success against hustlers. Computer players are also grouped together within a tournament to give you a similar level of challenge to that to which you've currently progressed.

Computer opponents sometimes possess quirky habits like, in the snooker at least, occasionally taking several attempts just to hit the pack on the break-off. This will probably not be the case with pool because the table is so much smaller and the balls seemingly bigger than snooker balls. Opponents can also, on occasion, be infuriatingly lucky or "accurate" well above their level in potting obtusely angled (seemingly impossible) shots or defensively leaving a table full of (snooker) balls completely covered without an easy pot on anywhere. They also enjoy a relatively high proportion of flukes, as well, to be fair as foul balls. Their flukeyness can really piss you off at times, especially if you don't happen to be on your game that day.

But overall it is fantastic fun to play and whilst I don't play in real life, the physics all seems incredibly accurate or at least as I would expect the balls to move and react to shots. You can "switch on" guide lines and ghost balls to assist you if you are that way inclined, but regardless of whether or not you use that facility I feel sure you'll love the whole thing. There are countless hours of simulated snooker or pool play for you to enjoy and, in my opinion, there is absolutely no feeling that you've not got the fullest value for your money.

I hope this helps you decide. If you do opt to buy VP4, I'm sure you'll have tons of fun.

[Player]

I bought the game a few days ago. I like it so far. I haven't been able to find anyone to play with online. There was only a couple tables that were password protected and no one replied in chat.

I don't really care about the online play that much though. I like the quick play. I wanted to play a career mode, but I can't figure out how to do it with the lines showing on the table. I went through all the tutorials but I still don't understand how to play well. Unless I have the lines showing I can't make very many of the shots so career mode wasn't working for me.

Even the ghost ball tutorial was difficult to understand. I aim so the ghost ball is showing just like the tutorial says to do, but it rarely ever goes where I want it to, and if it does go into the hole, it's just a lucky shot.

I think quick play will get boring soon, so I really wish I could play in career mode.

I also don't understand all of the rules. It lets me choose different game styles but only says things like "US Rules" or "World Rules". I have no idea what that means. I've never really played pool IRL so I have no idea what the rules are. I know the basics, hitting your balls into the pockets, hitting the 8 ball last, etc... But they come up with weird stuff like telling me I didn't play outside the kitchen, and I have no clue what that meant. Sometimes I'll make a good shoot off the bumper and it will go in, then the game will tell me it was an illegal shot.

[Mr Deanster]

Originally posted by ᲼:

I bought the game a few days ago. I like it so far. I haven't been able to find anyone to play with online. There was only a couple tables that were password protected and no one replied in chat.

I don't really care about the online play that much though. I like the quick play. I wanted to play a career mode, but I can't figure out how to do it with the lines showing on the table. I went through all the tutorials but I still don't understand how to play well. Unless I have the lines showing I can't make very many of the shots so career mode wasn't working for me.

Even the ghost ball tutorial was difficult to understand. I aim so the ghost ball is showing just like the tutorial says to do, but it rarely ever goes where I want it to, and if it does go into the hole, it's just a lucky shot.

I think quick play will get boring soon, so I really wish I could play in career mode.

I also don't understand all of the rules. It lets me choose different game styles but only says things like "US Rules" or "World Rules". I have no idea what that means. I've never really played pool IRL so I have no idea what the rules are. I know the basics, hitting your balls into the pockets, hitting the 8 ball last, etc... But they come up with weird stuff like telling me I didn't play outside the kitchen, and I have no clue what that meant. Sometimes I'll make a good shoot off the bumper and it will go in, then the game will tell me it was an illegal shot.

You need to go to challenge rooms for a casual game, its a tab or two over from the original tab. If you go to the website you be able to see the rules for any game also.

As a guy that literally knew nothing about pool when I started playing this, its a rather large learning curve. You have to adjust your cue to stop the ball going all over the place and either tone down your DPI or adjust it in the setting so power sensitivity is very low.

If you need any help with settings let me know, this game isn't beginner friendly.

You need to go to the support tab on the website to actually look at the game rules but heres a link.
https://vponline.celeris.com/support/

[teraus]

Hi Gabriel, yes this game is fantastic and there has never been any other game out there anywhere close to this. I have spent many years playing this game and have had so much gaming enjoyment. As you progress towards the world tour it gets very frustrating this is the part of the game that lets it down. you end up playing impossible bots and endless snookers
against you. so all your hard work to get there is shot to pieces by unbeatable not anything
resembling like human play. Then all i do is lose and lose and lose again and get back to the regional tour where its ok and fun to play.

[Gabriel]

I find the same, teraus. The snooker AI can be absolutely infuriating, especially as you say at the top end of the NPC listings (Louie makes my blood boil!). No matter how well I play I can't get near them and I have to take solace in doing reasonably well playing in the lower ranks.

I find even the 1000 rated players can miss the break-off red 5 or 6 times and then once the match is underway hit amazing oblique slice shots, plants and perfectly weighted setups for the color only to miss the most straightforward shot. And that's without mentioning the number of flukes they get along the way! I find I suffer an inordinate amount of pocketed white balls too, although it's probably just my own poor play and I'm merely projecting my own failings on the game.

I don't have the time or the confidence to play online, but I still adore the game and am happy to continue grappling with the angles and pacing and above all, despite the use of backspin, trying to control the seemingly endless roll of the white ball on the baize.

It would be great if the Developers did return and try and tweak the game to make the single player game more enjoyable, at least at the top end of the in-game leagues, but I think this is now dead and buried and what we have is all that we're going to get. The physics still feels very realistic and the game itself still amazing value for the money for me still providing, despite the relatively minor frustrations, endless hours of both relaxing and intriguing entertainment.

[Mr Deanster]

Originally posted by Gabriel:

I find the same, teraus. The snooker AI can be absolutely infuriating, especially as you say at the top end of the NPC listings (Louie makes my blood boil!). No matter how well I play I can't get near them and I have to take solace in doing reasonably well playing in the lower ranks.

I find even the 1000 rated players can miss the break-off red 5 or 6 times and then once the match is underway hit amazing oblique slice shots, plants and perfectly weighted setups for the color only to miss the most straightforward shot. And that's without mentioning the number of flukes they get along the way! I find I suffer an inordinate amount of pocketed white balls too, although it's probably just my own poor play and I'm merely projecting my own failings on the game.

I don't have the time or the confidence to play online, but I still adore the game and am happy to continue grappling with the angles and pacing and above all, despite the use of backspin, trying to control the seemingly endless roll of the white ball on the baize.

It would be great if the Developers did return and try and tweak the game to make the single player game more enjoyable, at least at the top end of the in-game leagues, but I think this is now dead and buried and what we have is all that we're going to get. The physics still feels very realistic and the game itself still amazing value for the money for me still providing, despite the relatively minor frustrations, endless hours of both relaxing and intriguing entertainment.

Okay I will give some advice! World Tour is for after you have done hustler on the game mode you are playing on. All the A.I are gonna be at Curly's level on Tour Mode and that's by design. Hustler slowly ramps up the difficulty and depending on what you put the Difficulty on (I would not go past normal) it will ramp up quicker.

[Player]

Months old thread. Please stop bumping.

[Blaze, Syndicate Enforcer]

Originally posted by ᲼:

Months old thread. Please stop bumping. :steamdeadpan:

k