RACK 'EM

 Now, either you're closing your eyes to a situation you do not wish to
acknowledge, or you are not aware of the calibre of disaster indicated by the
presence of a pool program in your computery. Mothers of River City, heed this
warning before it's too late: We've got Trouble...with a capital T, and that
rhymes with P, and that stands for Pool!

 My apologies to Harold Hill. Indeed, the news for River City's pool players is
good: There isn't a friendlier and more flexible pool simulation than Accolade's
RACK 'EM (reviewed here on the IBM PC). Because of the startlingly large number
of games, permutations, and options, RACK 'EM is more akin to a pool _table_
simulation. It's as if you were given a pool table and all the accoutrements --
a couple of pool tables, in fact, since there's a bumper pool table as well --
and let loose to play whatever you want. Moreover, you can invent your own
games, save your most impressive shots to disk and replay them, and watch and
learn a pocketful of trick shots. About the only thing you can't do is roll your
cue on the table and place quarters along the bumpers.

 The atmosphere of RACK 'EM is high-class, yet there's still that gnawing
undercurrent of seediness...as if the game was being played by only the uppa
crust of sharks and hustlers. As the game opens, a faceless player with a cue
case strides smoothly into the pool parlor. With his every step, we see the
opening credits, the high scores (the five highest scores for each of five
standard games), and other options. Skip through these screens to the opening
menu.

 The first decision you'll have to make is whether you're playing on an amateur
or professional level. A setting of professional will make aiming and shooting
significantly more difficult. According to the manual, the professional level
more closely mirrors an actual game. This is true to a certain extent: In both,
aiming becomes more a matter of spatial relations and ball/bumper dynamics. (The
amateur level of aiming is very easy.) However, the actual mechanics of the cue
stroke are not very comparable to the mechanics of real pool. Interesting, yes;
addictive, very possibly. But no combination of keystrokes, however clever they
may be, can simulate the sensations of a cue stick sliding across skin.

 Having bluffed your way into an amateur or professional standing, it's now time
to decide how you're going to spend your afternoon in the pool hall. Start a new
game, watch and practice trick shots, play back some of your memorable moments,
or just watch the computer play itself. You can also exit the program at this
step, if you wish. Bert, the proprietor of the establishment, waits for your
decision.

 Care to play something? The standard games available are straight Pool,
Snooker, Eight Ball, Bumper Ball (also called Bumper Pool), and Nine Ball.
Complete instructions for each game are included in the manual, and there's a
pretty comprehensive glossary in the back, so let's not hear any complaints
about not being clear on the house rules. You can also create your own games
with the Custom Game option.

 The Custom Game option is not quite as powerful as it could be. For example,
you cannot define how your custom game is scored, nor can you save the startup
parameters for the next time you play. Rather, using the menu, you spot, move
and remove balls all over the table and create any startup table you wish. You
then adjust the scores of the players from shot to shot, depending on how you've
defined your rules. If you use the Bumper Ball set, you can even add and remove
bumpers all over the face of the table.

 Depending on the game you choose, you can select the breaking player, or you
can string for the choice. Throughout the game, the computer referees; however,
you cannot select the computer as an opponent (my only real complaint with the
program). Of course, the computer would probably be a perfect player, and nearly
impossible to beat. But it would have been nice to have that option included,
since I didn't always feel like playing both sides of the game when I couldn't
find a human partner.

 The aiming and shooting components are easy to use and very flexible. They
differ somewhat depending on the game, but the usual routine is this: You first
spot the cue ball, when necessary. You can aim at a ball or at a bumper by
toggling with the TAB key. Then you call or nominate your shot (in straight pool
or snooker) by indicating first the ball and then the pocket. You then select
the ball you're going to hit. Following this, you choose the approximate point
on the ball you're aiming for. You accomplish this with the help of two "ghost
balls," which revolve around the ball you're aiming for. The first ghost ball
represents the cue ball touching the target ball. The second ghost ball shows in
which direction the target ball with roll if hit correctly. You can adjust the
two ghost balls (which move in synchrony) until the second ghost ball indicates
the direction you want the ball to move in. Here's one point where the amateur
level provides a much more accurate indication of where the target ball will
roll. The ghost balls do not account for the presence of other balls that may
influence the direction of the target ball.

 The actual stroke is a three-part process, slightly reminiscent of Accolade's
MEAN 18, MINI-PUTT, and JACK NICKLAUS golf games. You're first offered a closeup
of the cue ball; a flashing crosshair indicates where the cue will strike the
ball (thus controlling english). That decided, you switch to a window of the cue
stick being primed, drawn back and forth by your onscreen arm. A small meter
below the arm lets you choose how far back to draw your arm; in other words,
lets you select the maximum force of your stroke. And then comes the only part
of the game requiring exact timing: You attempt to press the space bar at the
precise moment that the sliding cue stick touches the cue ball. The accuracy of
the shot decreases proportionately to the inaccuracy of this keystroke.

 If you'd care to try your hand at Bert's trick shots, there are ten of 'em
available to view and practice. They range from fairly easy to maddening; get
'em down and you feel a real sense of accomplishment...and you have something
wild to show your friends (who will then be reticent about playing you in a
regular game).

 The graphics are quite good: a little cartoonish at times, but in other ways
impressive. The balls actually appear to roll quite effectively. I've seen
better pool graphics on a color Macintosh, but while Accolade's aren't nearly as
sophisticated, they're still enjoyable. During the aiming procedure, a 2-D
overhead shot is employed; at other times, you're given a choice between the
overhead display and a nifty 3-D view that I've never seen featured in any other
pool program. On the IBM, you're given five possible graphic options: EGA
(16-color), CGA (4-color), CGA w/monochrome monitor, Tandy (16-color), and
Hercules monochrome.

 The sounds are spartan but effective. Just about the only sound you'll hear is
the clacking of the balls against each other. It's a simple, peaceful sound and
was not irritating in any way (as is so often the case with IBM games). I
couldn't find a sound toggle.

 One interesting "cheat" key will let you return the balls to their original
positions in the middle of a shot, while the balls are still rolling on the
table. Once they stop, though, you can't take back a shot. You can also view
scores at any time, save a shot to disk after it's been made, and cycle through
the balls in case you have trouble telling which ball's a solid or stripe, which
number a ball is, and so on.

 The IBM version comes on a single, protected 5-1/4" diskette. Although no
mention is made of this, you can transfer the files to a working disk or a hard
disk and just use the master to boot the game. (If you transfer the files -- all
two of them -- to a hard drive, the game will look for the master in drive A:.
If the master is present, the game will load and you can remove the master. If
the master isn't present, the system will reboot.) A 3-1/2" version is available
for an additional $5.00 if you send in your 5-1/4". Backups are also available
from Accolade for a ridiculous $10.00 a piece.

 For MS-DOS players, 256K is required. The game will run on an IBM PC/XT/AT, PS2
30/50/60, or Tandy 1000 Series 3000/4000. As noted, an EGA, CGA, MGA, or Tandy
1000 graphics card is required as well. Joystick and mouse are not supported. A
version-specific manual is included, which is a definite plus, as you don't have
to wade through directions for other computers or refer back-and-forth to a
reference card.

 Except for the lack of a computer opponent, I was delighted with RACK 'EM. The
vast number of features and options ensure that you'll be able to play any sort
of game you can imagine by any rules you choose. The manual is a wonderful guide
to all the variations of the game of pool. Given current technology, this is the
only pool simulation you need. Naturally, something a touch more realistic is
always just around the corner. But for now, Harold Hill would be duly horrified.

 RACK 'EM is published and distributed by Accolade, Inc.

*****DOWNLOADED FROM P-80 SYSTEMS (304) 744-2253