v1.0

Arduino Pool Game - Version 1.0 Release

We are excited to announce the first stable release of the Arduino Pool Game for MCUFRIEND TFT Shields! This version includes the core physics-based gameplay, responsive touch controls, and critical performance optimizations for a smooth experience.

New Features

• Core Pool Gameplay: Implementation of a 7-ball pool game with basic rack setup, including one cue ball and six object balls.

• Touch Control System: Intuitive aiming and shooting using the resistive touchscreen overlay. Dragging away from the cue ball determines shot angle and power.

Performance and Stability Improvements

• Lag Reduction: The constant redrawing of the table borders and pockets has been optimized. These elements are now only redrawn once when the ball movement stops and the game returns to the aiming state, drastically reducing lag during the physics calculation loop.

• Refined Ball Clearing: Improved logic for clearing (erasing) balls from the screen during movement and potting to ensure no visual artifacts or pixel trail debris remain.

Gameplay and Difficulty Adjustments

• Forgiving Pockets (Catch Radius): Introduced a separate, larger CATCH_RADIUS (18 pixels) for ball-potting detection, while keeping the visually smaller POCKET_RADIUS (12 pixels). This makes potting the balls easier without altering the visual appearance of the game.

• Enhanced Shot Power: The maximum shooting power (MAX_POWER) has been increased, allowing for stronger, more realistic break shots and powerful long-table pots.

Technical Details

Constant	Change Summary
POCKET_RADIUS	Set to 12 (Visual size)
CATCH_RADIUS	Set to 18 (Detection size)
MAX_POWER	Increased to 14
Wall Collision	Bounce physics slightly increased for less energy loss

For hardware and software setup instructions, please refer to the README.md file.

Full Changelog: https://github.com/QuantumCosmoCoder/poolgamecodeard/commits/V1