A simple extension to existing Ping Pong tables that consists of two angled tables complete with nets attached to either side. [illustration]-- nuclear hobo, Jun 18 2007 Rules http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Table_tennis [nuclear hobo, Jun 19 2007] Half-pipe http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Half_pipeExplanation. [BJS, Jun 19 2007] BJS' Version http://i211.photobu...d3.png?t=1182293674about 6 feet wide. [BJS, Jun 19 2007, last modified Jun 20 2007] I'm disappointed. I was expecting a 4 dimensional game of pong.-- xaviergisz, Jun 18 2007 Changed.-- nuclear hobo, Jun 19 2007 I like this idea, [nuclear hobo]. Have a fresh and bouncy bun. (One question, would a shot that bounces close to an edge, and then on the side 'wall', be a winning shot since it's bounced twice already, or would you modify the rules so that points are lost if the ball bounces three times instead of two?)
You could take this idea even further by putting one of these tables upside-down on top of the other, to create a hexagonal 'tube' with a net on the 'roof' as well as the 'floor'. Admittedly this fully-enclosed version wouldn't be any good as a spectator sport unless the tables were transparent, but I think it'd be pretty playable.-- imaginality, Jun 19 2007 Hmm... would that not make it relatively easy for the server to win the point by aiming his or her serve so it bounces close to the edge of the middle surface of the receiver's court, hitting the side surface a split second after? It would be extremely hard for the receiver to play a good return between the first and second bounce. (If someone serves to the side edge of your court in normal table tennis, you wouldn't normally try to return the serve the very moment it bounces, would you?)
I think it would be better to allow two bounces (but only if the second bounce is on a different section of the court). That way, the receiver has a chance to return side serves when the ball bounces to its peak height, but will still lose a point if he or she allows the ball to bounce twice on any one surface.-- imaginality, Jun 19 2007 Or maybe, any number of bounces (well, up to six) so long as no more than one on is the same surface?-- pertinax, Jun 19 2007 The problem, that [imaginality] raises, could be solved by using a half-pipe.-- Ling, Jun 19 2007 I like it ok, but I think I'd like it better if it was curved instead.
I think this is what Ling meant, but I don't know if Ling meant an actual half of a pipe shape, or if he meant the shape of those structures used currently for those "gravity extreme sports".-- BJS, Jun 19 2007 The 2 bounce thing is similar to the probem you get in squash when the ball hits the corner between wall and floor. You could add lines near the side of the table that the serve has to land within. I agree that the slopes should be curved rather than have corners.-- marklar, Jun 19 2007 The one bounce rule could be maintained on the serve if service was made to either wing insead of the middle. This would help equalize the game as well by making the serve easier to return. For play, the one bounce rule would have to be changed to two, with one bounce per surface.-- nuclear hobo, Jun 19 2007 [BJS], I meant that to which you linked, only smaller.-- Ling, Jun 19 2007 // I'm disappointed. I was expecting a 4 dimensional game of pong.
Which do you usually make do without, [xaviergisz]: Time, or one of the physical 3? I can see that the addition of time, for example, would make the game substantially more exciting.-- TheLightsAreOnBut, Jun 19 2007 I think I would like an evenly curved surface of approximately 90 degrees.-- BJS, Jun 19 2007 //I was expecting a 4 dimensional game of pong.// - Ping pong already is a four dimensional version of pong.-- wagster, Jun 19 2007 I just realized that this idea is to 'add' onto an existing table. A curved table would have to be completely new.-- BJS, Jun 19 2007 random, halfbakery