Mindwave Games has launched its online service for players of Battle Ball, the head-to-head paddle ball game which will instantly remind players of the classic game of Pong. 3D graphics, smooth game play over the Internet, 6 different courts and 432 possible play modes are among the modern enhancements to the simple classic. The online service provides player matching, persistent stats, character levels, cash rebates and prize tournaments.
Key features have been refined during beta testing. Kirby Zhang, the designer and programmer, explained, “During a Battle Ball match, the Internet’s delay is hidden inside the ball’s flight time. This virtually eliminates server lag, even when people are playing from different continents.” To further eliminate lag, Battle Ball uses direct player-to-player connections, which now have greatly enhanced ability to work through firewalls.
A common problem to small budget multiplayer games is the lack of enough players online at the same time, discouraging new players from trying the game. To solve this problem, Battle Ball schedules daily “bonus hours” during which time players receive extra game coins for playing. “We have several hours spread over the day so players from every time zone can play. This has made it much easier to find a match and it has brought in more players for us,” said Kirby Zhang.
Responding to beta testers’ feedback, Battle Ball has added the ability to bet game coins on other players’ games, and to follow their progress directly from the lobby. Robert Colton, a long time beta tester, commented, “It definitely adds a fun element to just staying in the lobby where you can just chat or you can bet on who’s going to win the next game.”
Battle Ball offers unlimited free play. It is available for download at http://www.battleballgame.net
About Battle Ball
Battle Ball is a multiplayer, 3D version of Pong providing 432 play modes, persistent accounts, betting with game coins, cash rebates, and prize tournaments. It has been praised for its physics, networking, website integration and player matching features. Battle Ball has gained a strong player community during beta testing with over 12,000 games played. The free version of Battle Ball provides unlimited play, while the full version offers extra features and extra game coins.