Jimmy White's Whirlwind Snooker

Infobox VG |title= Jimmy White's Whirlwind Snooker


developer= Virgin Games
publisher= Virgin Games
designer= Archer MacLean
released= 1991
genre= Sports games (snooker)
modes= Single-player, multi-player
platforms= Amiga, Atari ST, PC, Sega Mega Drive
media= Floppy disk, cartridge, CD-ROM
input= Mouse, gamepad

"Jimmy White's Whirlwind Snooker" was a computer game by veteran programmer Archer MacLean, released by Virgin Games in 1991 for the Commodore Amiga, Atari ST and PC (later for the Sega Mega Drive). "Whirlwind Snooker" is a highly realistic snooker simulator. Although the game was not the first to simulate snooker (or pool) in 3D, it made full use of the processing power and graphics capabilities of 16-bit home computers and was praised for its then ground-breaking realism and easy-to-use interface. Many remarkedWho|date=August 2008 that the game was the closest thing to being on a real snooker table that existed at that time, and that it could be used by a player to refine real-life snooker skills.

Development and technology

The game took MacLean several years to complete; the billiard ball physics alone taking several months of programming.Fact|date=May 2007 One of the reasons why the game runs as quickly as it does is the way in which each Cuegloss|Shot|shot is played. The next shot is effectively pre-played while the Cuegloss|White ball|white ball is being Cuegloss|Cue|cued – the position and movement of each ball being calculated frame-by-frame and kept in a list in memory. Each frame of the next shot is then displayed by rendering each ball from this list, frame-by-frame, instead of rendering it in real-time.Fact|date=August 2008

Features

s provided comic relief should a player take more than a few seconds to take their shot. Balls would sprout eyeballs and arms, making faces at the player or holding up signs that read "Get on with it!" and such.

Also present was an extensive trick shot editor, featuring a number of pre-set table arrangements with instructions on how they should be played. An easter egg enabled the option to watch the computer player complete a maximum break.

The game's title music was similar to (and probably intended to pay homage to) that of snooker TV programme "Pot Black".

Tournament

Following the game's release, Virgin launched a nationwide tournament in the UK. Regional heats were held at Virgin's stores; the eventual winner went on to challenge MacLean himself in the first series of Channel 4's "GamesMaster" with snooker pro Jimmy White commentating.Fact|date=August 2008

equels

The game was followed by "Archer MacLean's Pool" in 1992 and "" in 1999.

References

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