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PoolBall

PoolBall is a sport-like game which is somehow a mixture of pool and soccer: basically two teams of disks that can be moved over a field try to score by pushing a smaller disk inside a score area.
The game is turn-based (each turn a team can make one move) and the rules very easy to learn, but still the game can be challenging.

You can play the game in single match mode or start a campaign.

In single match mode you just play a match versus the computer or another human player.
Before the match you can choose the skill level of the computer player and the strength of the team.

During campaigns you can create a team by choosing color, managing formations, etc... and make it grow by playing single games and leagues.

From the main menu you can also go through a little tutorial that will teach you the basics of gameplay.

Rules

Each game is played between two (human or computer) players.
Each player controls a team of seven disks and can make them move on the field.
On the field there is also a small, white disk: this is the target disk.

The match is made of two halves, each one divided into twentyfive turns.
In the first half the red -in single matches- or home -during campaigns- player is the kicking player while in the second half the blue -in single matches- or away -during campaigns- player is the kicking player.
Before each half begins, after a point is scored and in case a team is eliminated from the field a setup phase takes place.

During the setup phase the target disk is placed in the middle of the field and each player can choose a starting formation for his team. During campaign games you can create your own formations and in the setup phase you will choose between one of them.
The kicking player will setup first.

Each turn one player can make a single move, by pushing one of his team's disks or, if he can -- see control area below -- drag the target disk somewhere inside its control areas.

After each move one of the following things may happen:

a point is scored	->	a setup phase takes place again; the kicking player will be now the one that has been scored against
no point are scored and both teams' disks are eliminated from the field	->	a setup phase will take place, and the kicking player will be the next player entitled to move
none of the above	->	the other player will move in the following turn

On the field there are score areas and control areas. Each one of them belongs to a player.

If the target disk is moved into a score area then the player owner of the score area scores.

If a player's disk is moved inside a score area then:

• the disk is eliminated and removed from play until the next setup phase
• if the disk is not part of the moving team, then also the disk that has been pushed is eliminated until the next setup phase

If the target ball and at least one of the player's disk are inside the moving player's control area then the player in its turn instead of pushing a disk can drag the target disk anywhere in one of his control areas.

A disk is considered inside an area if its center is inside the area.

The goal of the game is to score more point than your opponent.

Each player can score a point in two ways:

• if all opponent team's disks are eliminated and at least one of his own team's disk is not
• if the target ball is pushed into its own score area

The game ends after the two halves have expired. At that time, the player who scored most points win. If both players scored the same number of points the game is tied.

Playing

Playing is quite simple: basically the game is played in turns, and you use the mouse to make your moves.
In the main menu tou can start a tutorial that helps you learn how to play.

Campaign menu

Arrange Friendly Match

Here you can initiate a friendly match with one of the teams that are currently available for a friendly.
Friendly matches can make you earn a lot of money if you play with a stronger team, specially if you win.

If you are engaged in a league there is a chance that no teams are available for a friendly.

Manage team

In this view you can see the summary of your team, and access all the functionalities you need to personalize it.

In particular, you can see here the amount of money you have. With money you can buy improvements and subscribe to leagues.

You can also see here your team rating. The team rating express the level of a team: a team with higher rating has better disks, more drag moves, more formations. Remember this value because playing with teams which have an higher team rating is more difficult but can make your team improve faster.
On the other side, if you face a team which has a lower team rating could make your disks worse (specially if you lose).

Change name

Here you can change the name of your team, by typing or clicking on the letters.
Name can be up to 25 charecters long.

Change color

Here you can change the colors of your team.
You can define two flags: the home flag and the away flag.
You will always use the home colors during games, unless they are too similar to the home colors of the opposing team. In this case, the away team will use its away colors. If still they are too similar, the away team will use a full black or full white color (in the latter case, the target disk will be black or red).

For each flag you can choose the pattern and the two colors, by pulling the red, green and blue slider to compose the color you prefer.

You can also personalize here the color of your score and control areas.

Formation

In this screen you can:

• modify formations
• buy new formations - you start the game with one formation and can have up to eight
• buy a new drag move - drag moves are per match - you start the game with no drag moves and can have up to eight

When you modify your formation you can drag your disks around the field.
You have to keep in mind that up to three disk can be placed in the opponent's field and they must be placed in one of the spots marked on the field.

Manage disks

In this screen you can see your set of disks. You have seven disks, and each one has three characteristics:

• mass: the mass influences how disks interact during collisions with other disks
• speed: speed is the measure of how fast a disk can be pushed during a move; a disk with high speed value can be launched faster and further
• size: size is (as the name suggests) the size of the disk: bigger disk are easier to use, since they have more chance to hit the target, however, in some (rare) case size can be a problem; size is a little cheaper than mass and speed.

You can improve these characteristics by selecting a disk and choosing an improvement.
Also, after each match there is a chance that theese values will change: the team rating of your opponent and the final result of the match will influence theese changes.
Remember: playing with better teams helps, winning helps too... and winning with a high score difference helps more :)
On the other side, playing with worse teams and losing the game increase the chance of lower your disks' characteristics.

Subscribe to league

Here you can initiate a league.
League are played between a number of team. Each team plays two matches with every other team. For every win a team get three points, and for every draw one point.
At the end of the league, depending on the final standings, your team can get prizes. To be specific:

• Minor league:

  1st	5000 money prize and access to major league
  2nd	2000 money prize and access to major league
  3rd	1000 money prize and access to major league
  4th	access to major league
  last two	team got disbanded (basically you start the campaign over, keeping just the team name and the colors)

• Major league:

  1st	10000 money prize
  2nd	4000 money prize
  3rd	2000 money prize
  last four	denied access to major league (must play minor league)

In case of two teams with same points the following criteria is used:

1. score difference (goals for minus goals against)
2. goals for
3. team rating
4. random

League

In the league menu (available if you have started a league) you can check league results, standings and play league games.

Standings

Here you can check the league standigs. The final result of the league will be determined by the standings, so keep an eye on them.
In this view also the winning and losing positions will be marked as green and red, respectively.

For each team you can see the following values:

Rating	The team rating
MP	Number of match played
W	Number of match won
D	Number of match drawn
L	Number of match lost
GF	Goals for
GA	Goals against
Pts	Points

Results

Here you can check league results.
Results are listed day by day (each team plays once each day) and you can also check the next games scheduled.

Team results

Here you can see the results of just your team, and also your match schedule.

Play next match

With this menu item you can go and play the next match scheduled for your team. After the match, you will be given a view with all the results of the day.


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