The truth about Nullpomino

[SecretSalamander]

I've been suggesting that TOJ and TF players move to Nullpomino, but I gotta be honest; Nullpomino doesn't really play anything like TF, because Nullpomino doesn't make you misdrop because of Flash's crappy responsiveness (or lack thereof), it doesn't make you wait 22 seconds between games whether you want to or not, it doesn't make you sit through an ad whenever you want to start playing unless you "subscribe" to get rid of them, and it DEFINITELY doesn't make you watch a second ad after the game failed to load after you sat through the first one.

And it really doesn't play like TOJ either, because it doesn't force you to start the game from Internet Explorer, it runs in Mac and Linux unlike TOJ, you can have actual 1v1 rooms where it's just you and another person and you don't have to worry about someone coming in and messing it all up, you can NAME ROOMS WITHOUT NEEDING PREMIUM, you can set DAS to whatever you want instead of being restricted to only 5 options, all of which are terrible, and although the game has its own standalone client like TOJ, you don't need to be connected to TOJ's servers to play, meaning you can play 40 lines whenever you want (as opposed to never w/o premium).

But most importantly, the biggest difference between Nullpomino and the other games is that you don't need to grind for silly tokens or TP or pay for rubies or do stupid surveys to unlock things, because everything is given to you at the start. You can just jump right in and start playing, you're not at a disadvantage just because you're new (or cheap), no options are restricted to you.

No, Nullpomino can't be compared to TOJ or TF, it's in a class of its own. But one of the most important differences between the other games and Nullpomino is that there is NEVER ANYONE ON NULLPOMINO. WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE?????

[bach_of_tetris]

I think the main reason that people don't go on much is because they know no-one will be on.

[Blink]

possible solution:  We can make it a point to idle the Nullpo lobby whenever our PCs are on.  Who's in?

[EnFuego]

GIVE ME NULLPO OR GIVE ME DEATH!!!

[meow]

I would idle if there was some sort of lobby-only client.

[Noogy]

But one of the most important differences between the other games and Nullpomino is that there is NEVER ANYONE ON NULLPOMINO. WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE?????

it's because we're afraid of you

[Magnanimous]

IRC?

[kdbar]

Here are my 2 cents on nullpo and why I choose TF over it...

I don't really know the exact reason I prefer TF over nullpo, it may be that I'm just so used to TF that playing on nullpo seems awkward to me. In terms of playability though, I have a big issue with the fact that the preview pieces are on the top. I know there's an option to move them to the side, which I have tried, but I still can't get over it. I suppose the biggest issue for me is the small pieces. I'm so used to TF's bigger pieces where I don't have to move my eyes all over the place to see which pieces are coming and then look back down at my stack to see where to stack them.

[Wojtek]

possible solution:  We can make it a point to idle the Nullpo lobby whenever our PCs are on.  Who's in?

Just idling is not good enough, you need also check if somebody else is online from time to time and if there is somebody there play him. Idling for just idling is pointless.

I would idle if there was some sort of lobby-only client.

There is:

Code Select Expand

javaw -cp NullpoMino.jar;lib\log4j-1.2.15.jar org.game_host.hebo.nullpomino.gui.net.NetLobbyFrame

[crzy242]

Here are my 2 cents on nullpo and why I choose TF over it...

I don't really know the exact reason I prefer TF over nullpo, it may be that I'm just so used to TF that playing on nullpo seems awkward to me. In terms of playability though, I have a big issue with the fact that the preview pieces are on the top. I know there's an option to move them to the side, which I have tried, but I still can't get over it. I suppose the biggest issue for me is the small pieces. I'm so used to TF's bigger pieces where I don't have to move my eyes all over the place to see which pieces are coming and then look back down at my stack to see where to stack them.

NOOOOO HOW COULD YOU.
just grind nullpom, and youll get used to it, and YOULL LURVE IT. (coz its the best game ever )

[bach_of_tetris]

NOOOOO HOW COULD YOU.
just grind nullpom, and youll get used to it, and YOULL LURVE IT. (coz its the best game ever )

bb is the auridganul teartrysee. Nuhn orve dat tea spynne starf. Tetruhsing en doughnstaquing.

[DrPete]

i think a couple of features that might draw more players (or at least tempt current players to hang around on the lobby more) are:

• option for the lobby window to beep on a new message when the window isn't focused, for more convenient idling
• idle time indicators after peoples' IP hash or such
• option to be in the lobby while playing single-player modes - take blockbox for example, most of the games that take place there are 40L etc but there's some good discussion and people can jump into a vs game in a matter of seconds

i haven't looked at the nullpo source in too much depth so I don't know how feasible these would be

[virulent]

i like dr pete's suggestions except the idle time indicator..i don't like when ppl know how long i've been there but i can see how it could be useful

also. i have TRIED to idle previously but i always got d/c. that is why i don't now. or else i would.

[Paul676]

I'll give my 2 cents about nullpo as a player who's tried the big 4 games and is used to the previews both top and side- in terms of playability, it's up there because there are no lag MDs and it's totally customisable. But to me it feels "metallic" or "mechanical," certainly not "natural" like somewhere such as bb or tf. Secondly the interface really is unpleasurable to look at, and none of the piece styles seem to be the same as how I would like them (tf or bb please!). Also, ruleset editing might be better done as a part of the main play_slick.bat screen rather than a whole new interface- maybe if you go to the choose rule screen and then select a rule, there should also be a button to change that rule. Otherwise to new players this takes time to get used to, whilst the best and most lasting games tend to be simple to use and start using. Thirdly there should be an option to increase the size of the screen- when I played bb straight after nullpo, I was bowled over by how massive the bb playing screen is (and it's not THAT big!). But fourthly and most importantly is the fact that there aren't a steady stream of good players like there are on tf, toj and even on bb at certain times in the day, and most certainly no community feel like there is on tf or HD. I think this comes from the fact that the chat interface is separate from the actual playing screen, and seems to be just white, no continuity with the background of the actual screen. Also, it should have the option of 0 ar.

p.s. can you set the colour of your garbage? the odd orange/green stuff is quite putting off- how can you change it to grey?

In the end, although to many people who may lag like mad on the other 3 games but not on nullpo, or just prefer the nullpo feel, the effort in setting it up and then running it is worth it, for me the gameplay and feel still isn't fluid/natural/professional  enough to play it as my main game yet.

But I do understand its upsides, which are many over the main other games of course. And this is only a personal choice/preference.

[crzy242]

bb is the auridganul teartrysee. Nuhn orve dat tea spynne starf. Tetruhsing en doughnstaquing.

yers bruh eye ahgree
ders allsou nuhn orve dat comb-bow-eeng sturf lyke for waiduh.