Virtual Pool 3 Support

Virtual Pool 3

Virtual Pool 3 runs on Windows 95 and later.

There are 3 versions of VP3. The latest VP3, VP3DL, is published by Celeris and delivered via download link to your PC. The second version, featuring Curly, published by GlobalStar. The original, featuring Jeanette Lee, published by Interplay. The Game Operation part of this applies to all versions unless otherwise noted. The Installation and Registration sections are only for the Celeris download version.

You can find more support information by clicking the Community button on the navigation bar above.

If you have the Jeanette or Curly version you can upgrade to VP3DL.

Quick Key Help

There is a quick key help that can be printed by selecting Print on your browser: VP3DL Keymap

Manual

The complete VP3DL manual is online: VP3DL Manual

FAQs

Installation

I'm having problems running the installation exe. It's crashing or hanging when I run it. What should I do?

Some computers may have problems with the self-extracting installer. Run WinZip and open the VP3 exe file. Extract the contained files to a temporary directory manually, then run setup.

Do I need to be administrator privileges to run the installation?

Yes, you should always install VP3 with an account that has administrative privileges.

I get a file corrupt error when trying to execute the VP3 installation. What should I do?

First try turning off your anti-virus software. It may be detecting something it does not like and removing it from the .exe file therefore causing the corruption message.

If you are still getting a corruption message, re-download the VP3 installation.

]Registration

What should I do if my serial number does not work?

Make sure you have entered your serial number properly. You can copy and paste it by selecting the serial number using the mouse with the left button held down, using CNTL-C to copy the serial number to the clipboard, clicking the left mouse button with the cursor in the VP3 serial number entry, and using CNTL-V to paste the serial number.

Can I transfer my registration to another computer

Yes, we allow one transfer per 6 months automatically otherwise you must contact support@celeris.com. When you do an automatic transfer you will be emailed a new serial number and must re-register VP3 on the new computer.

I transferred my registration to a new computer will VP3 still work on my old computer?

No. It may work for a while but the registration will be deactivated at some point after a transfer.

Game Operation

What should I do if VP3 crashes or has drawing problems?

Install the latest drivers for your video card. You can usually get these from the card manufacturers web site or from the video chip manufacturers web site. It is usually best to use the version from the card manufacturer. Some older cards may not run VP3 correctly because the video drivers were never fully DirectX 7 compatible.

If the latest driver from the card manufacturer does not fix the problem, go the chip manufacturers web site, download and install the latest driver. You can usually find out the chip manufacturer by looking at the first information shown after a power on or reset. If this does not work you can try examining the video card. Look at the largest chip on the board. Some boards have heat sinks on the graphic chips that may prevent this.

I get stuck on call shot or illegal break screens. What's wrong?

You need to turn off auto-hide for you task bar. Right click on your task bar where no minimized tasks are or on the clock readout. Select Properties then uncheck "Auto-hide the taskbar".

I'm using Windows XP and see flashing desktop objects while running in full screen mode. How can I prevent flashing?

Go to the Start Menu and select Settings, then click on Control Panel and Open Add/Remove Programs. Find the Windows update KB824141 and uninstall it. It will ask you if you are sure you want to remove it as some programs may not run, select Yes. Restart your computer and VP3 should work without any flashing.

What version of DirectX do I need to run Virtual Pool 3?

VP3 requires DirectX 8 or later. You can get DirectX here.

My system will only run in software mode. Why can't I use my 3D hardware acceleration?

Now try setting the "Hardware Acceleration" in the Settings/Graphics menu. If you still can't get hardware acceleration, your 3D video card is probably not DirectX 7 compatible.

My frame rate is slow with 3D hardware acceleration. How can I speed it up?

Some cards don't support lightmaps or run very slowly with them enabled. Lightmaps can be disabled by unselecting the "Lightmaps" check in the "Graphics Menu" found via "Settings" on the main menu.

You can also try lowering the texture resolution. To do this, click the settings menu, then click graphics, then deselect "high resolution textures". You will be prompted to quit and restart VP3.

Why are my pool balls drawn incorrectly?

The most common problem found on older video cards is the pool ball textures cutting up or flashing the wrong texture on the ball. This can be corrected if the manufacturer has released a fully functional DirectX 7 driver. Because manufacturers and chip vendors do not support products past a certain age, you may not be able to get a driver that works. In this case you need a new video card to run with hardware acceleration turned on.

VP3 will not start. What should I try?

If Virtual Pool 3 will not start there are some command line arguments to force it into different graphics modes. If your card is not DX7 compatible or has driver problems it may not start or may crash in D3D hardware accelerated mode (the default mode). All the settings specified by the command line arguments can be set in VP3 in the "Graphics" menu. The arguments should only be specified if you can't get VP3 to start. If you are successful in getting VP3 running with these arguments then later correct your D3D problem (most likely by getting a driver update), you will need to remove the command line arguments as they override the Graphics menu settings on startup. The command line arguments are placed at the end of the Target line. You can access the Target line by: bring up the Start Menu, go to Virtual Pool 3, highlight it, click the right mouse button, and select properties. The target line may be in double quotes. The command line arguments should go outside the quotes. All arguments start with a dash (-). The arguments are:

Argument Description
-soft Force VP3 to start in software mode
-vlight Use vertex lighting
-lowrestex Use low resolution textures

Why does GameSpy Arcade not find VP3?

The download version of VP3 or has a different executable name (vp3dl.exe instead of vp3.exe). GameSpy Arcade need to be explicitly told where the exe file is located. This VP3DL forum post has details on how to tell GameSpy Arcade the exe file location.

How do I play online through a firewall or proxy server?

Playing online may require configuration of your firewall or proxy server. Firewalls may be software/and or hardware such as a router. VP3 requires DirectPlay and GameSpy Arcade ports to be open.

To play VP3 online on Gamespy the following ports have to be enabled:
Port range from 60876 to 60976,
Single ports: 13139, 27900, 28900, 29900 to 29901.

For more information on firewall setup:

Visit the VP3 Online forum firewall setup post.
If you have a router. Check your documentation and the help or knowledge base from your manufacturers web site. The DirectPlay and GameSpy Arcade port configurations are common and the are probably documented.
You can look at the GameSpy Arcade FAQ on firewalls.