Pool Night is a multiplayer 3D pool game I worked on in 2013-2014 — and it still holds a special place in my heart. It never made it past the prototype stage, but it was once on Steam Greenlight, back when that was the only way to get your game in front of players on Steam and it received a lot of positive feedback.
This one was a labor of love. I'd always wanted a pool game that felt right — responsive, smooth, and networked without lag. So I went deep on physics and multiplayer, and the result was something I was genuinely proud of.
What Made It Special
- ✨ Deterministic Physics Engine: I wrote my own custom deterministic solver to make sure the physics felt great and synced perfectly across clients. Every collision, spin, and nudge is simulated exactly the same for everyone — no rubber-banding.
- 🌐 Flawless Network Sync: The network model I built is lightweight and robust. It handled prediction and rollback smoothly, and it made multiplayer feel like you were sitting next to each other, even if you were across the world.
- 🎱 It Looks Good Too: I poured a lot into the visuals — lighting, materials, polish. For the time, it really looked sharp. The table felt tactile, and the whole vibe is cozy and clean.
- 🎮 It's cross-platform pool experience worked on PC and mobile.
Why I Still Think About It
I grew up loving billiards, and this was my way of combining that with game dev. I still think there's something special about a well-made pool game — especially one that explores new game modes and twists on the traditional format.
Pool Night never got released, but I'd love to bring it back someday — maybe with some weird alt modes, arcade rules, or physics-defying chaos. Who knows.