Thanks a lot for trying out Awkward Pong,
I initially ignored the ball moving straight down... it was just being pulled by gravity, it was the easiest approach to get some basic gameplay working and since at the time i was the only one playing it i kinda forgot it there as i quickly began to work on the games UI and other features which are currently in place and will be updated immediately after the jam.
The current build, though, sadly only existent on my PC is far more engaging to play, all with a few Upgrade features, and polish.
The ball also starts in the center of the circle, launching in a random direction with a fixed speed which increases on the first impact made with either paddles. Thanks for pointing this out.
Adding an AI mode seems pretty solid, i thought of it earlier in development but shrugged it off as i saw it taking a whole lot of my time from my actual project, " Tide-Breaker Overdrive ". However, i will consider adding it in soon. I have also reduced the speed of the ball and since there will be Upgrades, i have decided to make changes to the game through those rather than forcing progression like the classics.
Thanks again for checking Awkward Pong and for such awesome feedback. XD