Hey I'm pretty new with M.U.L.E. so I am not going to carry as much authority as some of the vets. But I really enjoyed M.U.L.E. 2 I have a list of pros and cons. As a new player, here are my thoughts:

PROS

-The new PUB setting is really cool. Its got a lot of style, and the round results taking place in the PUB really blends well with the rest of the game.

-the fact that you can toggle the map on and off at the end of the round is great. That was really helpful to me as a new player. It allowed me to take my time in discovering what other players did last round and what I would be doing in the coming round.

-the pictures of events that pop up in the center of the screen bring a lot of personality and charm. Definitely keep those.

-I personally liked the simultaneous play. I can see how some vets disliked it due to the fact that its impossible to pay attention to what other players are doing. However, it dramatically decreases the amount of time the game takes to complete, and it removes a huge barrier to new players, who are going to hate waiting through rounds (I'm new, and generally a patient guy, but waiting and staring at a screen is a little too much for this game.) Thus, I think it should stay, but I think vets should have the option of turning it off at the beginning of the game. Also, waiting for other players to carry out their tasks is the best time to chat with other players (smacktalk, chat, ask questions, ect.) and adding simultaneous play ultimately removes that.

In the end, the pros and cons of simultaneous play are split right down the middle. Whether it is on or off should be left to the individual player at the beginning of a game.

CONS

-The auction screen isn't all bad. The theme is really nice. However the railroad track effect (where it becomes harder to see the further you move up the screen) should be minimized rather than completely removed like some players have suggested. The players view of the screen is already at a somewhat over-head angle, so perhaps just lessen the angle that the player is viewing the chart at...does that make sense? The grid is a beautiful addition. I appreciated looking at it, as it can be easier to compare your positions relative to your competitors.

-In the production screen where it shows how much each plot of land produced, there needs to be a prompt- to move away from the screen. I wanted to study it to see how much my competitors and I produced, but it was always torn away from my sight before I was ready.

-I'm still new, but I'm pretty sure my game had way too much smithore supply in the beginning of the game. There was never a need or desire for more, which is contrary to every other MULE game I have played.

-Toward the end of the game I had a lot of issues getting everything done that I wanted. I literally only had time for 2-3 plots of land. I don't know if that's intended or not (I know one of the species carries movement as a perk) but its something I did notice that also left a sour taste in my mouth. I thought it might bear mentioning.