The
Object and the Essence
Although
the object of Unipong is to score as many points as possible,
the real essence of the sport is to keep the ball
aloft. As a result of this inherent duality, the true challenge
for the Uniponger lies in maintaining a balanced synthesis
between the game's essence and its object. Simply put, a
player must defy gravity so that they are able to score
effectively.
Keeping
the Ball Aloft
During
play, the ball is kept aloft by continually hitting it with
the paddle (note: only paddles approved for tournament play
by the I.U.A. may be used in I.U.A. affiliated tournaments).
The player may hit the ball upwards or downwards, but play
is considered "dead" if the ball comes to rest
on the floor. The player is also permitted to "catch"
the ball on the surface of the paddle during play and hold
it there as long as they are able (by performing a stall,
detailed below). The ball is permitted to come into contact
with all manner of obstacles, including ceilings and walls,
during play.
Scoring
Points
are awarded for maneuvers and are accumulated as long as
the ball is in play. Point values for different maneuvers,
or tricks, vary depending upon the degree of difficulty
of the trick being attempted. For some tricks, such as those
that involve tossing the paddle, points are accumulated
continuously as long as the paddle is in the air. For all
tricks, points are only awarded upon successful completion
of the trick, which requires the player to "close"
the trick with two successive bounces of the ball on the
paddle.
Maneuvers
The
following maneuvers can be performed without extraneous
paddle manipulation:
| Basic
Scoring |
Points
Awarded |
Description
|
| Simple
Bounce |
1 |
Hitting
the ball with the paddle. |
| Floor
Bounce |
2 |
Hitting
the ball towards the floor from above. |
| Wall
Bounce |
2 |
Bouncing
the ball off of the wall. |
| Ceiling
Bounce |
2 |
Bouncing
the ball off of the ceiling. |
| Obstacle
Bounce |
2 |
Bouncing
the ball off of an obstacle. |
The
following maneuvers require basic paddle manipulation:
| Primary
Tricks |
Points
Awarded |
Description
|
| Toss |
50
per second |
Tossing
the paddle into the air and catching it again. |
| Edgy |
10 |
Holding
the paddle vertically and hitting the ball with its
top edge. |
| Spinner |
5 |
Rotating
the paddle about its y-axis (like roll in an airplane). |
| Saucer |
5 |
Rotating
the paddle about its z-axis (like yaw in an airplane). |
| Stall |
25
per second |
"Catching"
and holding the ball on the face of the paddle. |
The
following maneuvers are performed by executing primary tricks
in different combinations:
| Special
Tricks |
Points
Awarded |
Description
|
| Slicer |
125
per second |
Tossing
the paddle while holding it vertically. |
| Flip |
125
per second |
Tossing
the paddle while shifting its orientation so that it
flips end-over-end. |
| Propeller |
125
per second |
Tossing
the paddle while performing a Spinner. |
| Flying
Saucer |
125
per second |
Tossing
the paddle while performing a Saucer. |
| Rocket |
250
per second |
Tossing
the paddle while executing a vertical Spinner. |
| Iron
Chef |
250
per second |
Tossing
the paddle while executing a vertical Saucer. |
| Steve
Austin |
200
per second |
Executing
a flipping Rocket. |
| Mad
House |
200
per second |
Executing
a flipping Iron Chef. |
Additional
maneuvers:
| Other
Tricks |
Points
Awarded |
Description
|
| Wall
Banger |
100 |
Bouncing
the paddle off of the wall. |
| Floor
It |
100 |
Bouncing
the paddle off of the floor. |
| Head
Banger |
150 |
Bouncing
the paddle off of the ceiling. |
| Tap |
50 |
Contacting
the ball with the paddle during any tossing maneuver. |
Trick
Combos and Trick Chains
Points
are awarded for a Combo when two or more tricks are performed
in-between successive bounces of the ball. In other words,
a sequence of Simple Bounce>Spinner>Saucer>Simple
Bounce would be recognized as a Spinner>Saucer Combo.
Both
primary and special tricks may be "chained" by
executing them one after another, separated by one Simple
Bounce. A Trick Chain is deemed "closed" when
two Simple Bounces are performed in succession. Points for
a Trick Chain are awarded only once the chain has been closed
and according to the following formula: (sum total of point
values for all of the tricks performed) X (the number
of "links" in the Trick Chain) *note: Simple
Bounces are not counted as part of the sum total of trick
points or as "links". So for example, a trick
sequence of Edgy>Simple Bounce>Spinner>Simple Bounce>Saucer>Simple
Bounce>Simple Bounce would be scored as follows: tricks
(10 + 5 + 5) X links (3) = 60 points.
Repeating
Tricks
Performing
the same trick for multiple links in a Trick Chain will
earn the player fewer points than performing a variety of
tricks. However, this rule does not apply to Combos, where
a trick may be repeated without a scoring penalty.
Paddle
Selection
As a
result of their heightened aerodynamics and surface friction,
intermediate, advanced, and expert Unipong paddles are more
difficult to use than standard paddles. Therefore, a point
multiplier will be awarded to any player using an intermediate,
advanced, or expert paddle during play. Point multipliers
will be awarded as follows:
| Paddle
Level |
Multiplier |
| Standard |
None |
| Intermediate |
Points
X 1.25 |
| Advanced |
Points
X 1.50 |
| Expert |
Points
X 1.75 |
*note:
only I.U.A. approved paddles are eligible for use during
tournament play.
The
Flow
The
Flow can be understood as the ultimate expression of Unipong
Skill; it is a oneness between the player, the paddle, and the ball.
When a player enters The Flow, the world around them seems to slow. The
player's reflexes operate at a heightened level, and they
are able to perform what seemed previously to be impossibly
complex Combos and superhumanly long Trick Chains. Disciplined
acquisition and use of The Flow is what sets world class
Unipongers apart from mere hobbyists.
