Pool simulation with Go and Fyne
Programming Snapshot – Go Pool Simulation
To improve his skill at the pool table, Mike Schilli sets out to program a simulation in Go using the Fyne framework.
If you just aim by the seat of your pants at the pool table in the pub, the results will vary between brilliant and downright embarrassing. That's why I decided to finally learn the angle at which you have to hit a ball so that it heads off in the right direction, straight for the pocket. To do this, I studied Poolology [1], which explains the strategy in detail. I don't have a pool table at home to practice on, so I wondered: How difficult would it be to write a graphical simulation of the pool balls in Go? That way I could try out the technology onscreen before challenging the biggest pool hustlers in the wickedest pool halls of San Francisco.
In the simplest of cases, pool players shoot the cue ball straight into the ball to be played, and the cue ball hits the colored ball right in the middle (you hope). The colored ball absorbs the energy of the cue ball and moves in the same direction, while the cue ball remains stationary – unless you used a trick such as spin. Things become more complicated if you hit a colored ball at an angle. In that case, it will shoot off to the side while the cue ball keeps moving along a deflected path. The angles here depend on the amount of overlap with which the colored ball was hit. In more concrete terms: If a pool player does not aim at the center of a ball but exactly at its edge (called a half-ball), the colored ball drifts away at an angle of about 30 degrees.
[...]
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
The Bullet-Proof KDE Software Initiative Is Coming
KDE, Techpaladin, and Kubuntu Focus have announced a new initiative that will provide at least three years of support for KDE Plasma 6.6 LTS and related software.
-
Linux Mint Shares a Possible Kernel Cleanup Solution
For those on Linux Mint who like to keep multiple kernels around but don't want them to take up too much space, you might be getting a new automated tool.
-
CachyOS Gets an Update
CachyOS August 2026 release is now available with the latest version of KDE, some new features, and plenty of improvements.
-
The Linux Kernel Dev Staging Area Now Rejects AI-Generated Patches
Unless a kernel patch is a valid security fix, it will be rejected if it was created using AI.
-
Linux Surpasses Double-Digit Market Share
According to two sources, the Linux operating system has hit a major milestone in market share that naysayers thought would never happen.
-
AI Helped Develop a Linux Exploit
A use-after-free race exploit was discovered and exploited on CentOS Stream 9.
-
Yet Another Linux Kernel Vulnerability Discovered
Affecting millions of systems, a kernel flaw discovered by Qualys could allow users to gain root privileges.
-
Ubuntu 26.10 to Include Ubuntu Certified Hardware Check
If you've ever wondered if your laptop or PC is officially certified to run Ubuntu, that curiosity will soon be met.
-
Substantial Update to IPFire Now Available
The lastest version of IPFire features a fundamental change to how the system handles DNS.
-
Gnome Working on Test Center App to Make Testing Easier
It's now possible to test experimental features on the Gnome desktop without worrying that you'll break things.