Planet M.U.L.E.

Well not sure what can be done about it but wow, collusion really screws up this game.  Played in a game today where last place player bought third place players crystite for 204 when 1-2-3 were extremely close. 

Kinda ruins the game when things like that happen. 

Something like that does certainly ruin the game.  Fortunately, such happenings are rare... I've yet to witness blatantly obvious collusion like you've described in my playtime here.  I suppose calling out the players who tend to do such things is a decent deterrent.

i've seen this happen before and i was pretty ticked about it... but then when i pointed it out to the person, he got all upset about it... anyway, you have to keep in mind that's part of the game so just try to win anyway! :)

is there an option to turn this off?  when did they slip collusion back in?  :o

Collusion in a online game is a license to cheat with nothing u can do about it.

This will be bad news!

The only time I have seen collusion type activity is either a cheeter with 2 nics (easy to spot) and a newbie not realizing how much they may be affecting the game.  Buying too high, selling too low, selling plots, etc.
Explaining to new player how important reputation is, that to ruin a game for others will damage rep., leaving early is strongly advised against doing.
Most hosts will help out new players, making sure they read the forum, not using wireless and tried training game and to help in a game in a new players early career at PM.

We must be a fun supportive site, encourage new players and not use them just for easy wins.
So may newbies have come and gone after 1-2 games with cheating hosts or very aggressive players.

I ask all regulars to help the new players get up to speed for better games and encouraging them to be regular players here.

Hello Blitzen,

Thanks for your feedback, its very much appreciated no matter how harsh you make it sound, which is good, because it makes us truly think about how we really going to correct certain elements so that they come close to the strategic value of the original.

As for collusion, we have not put it back in for various reasons discussed with internet play.

So the collusion mentioned here is 2 players willingly or unkowingly favoring one player, so its some kind of kingmaker problem, which many games face.

If you have any ideas for bringing back real collusion to the game, we love to hear them!

Sorry no.  We ban collusion from our games.  I personally hate collusion with a passion.

As for the kingmaker problem, you have to charge people for accounts/playtime, ban people from using proxies, and you might even need to track the statistics to weed out the deeply disturbed people.  I think someone who abuses the same thing over and over will be a statistical anomaly in some detectable way over many games.  If they have enough money for multiple accounts then you can at least rec. therapy.

Since I am harsh let me just say your version has a tonne of good qualities, but there is a thread for that kinda blithering...

I am here trying to raise the alarm on real issues before its too late to get anything changed.  I sincerely believe you are overstepping your goal in trying to improve the original game right out of the gates like this.  I admire your goals, even sympathize.  I've sat around for hours talking with my buds about what they would change and what they don't like... even amongst just the four of us the only real agreements were collusion sucks, and the lose a plot /free plot breaks in the first few turns ruin a game... we restart those games btw.

There is also room for one speed ups:

- why let anyone trade at all on the 12th turn?

There is a good arguement for one more speed up:

- the late game auctions CAN be really annoying watching people run it way up just to drop off and block everyone else

But there are actually better arguements against changing this one... for one thing its extremely satisfying to deny someone a property, thrice so against 3 other guys.  For another it is absolutely hilarious when the blocker screws up and gets stuck with it, something that was far more likely with the original rates of change on money and time in auctions.

I too would love to someday see a truly better game... the stars... the apocalypse.  But until then can't we just have plain old multi-player online Mule pretty please with sugar on top?

Collusion in mule is a good thing in exactly one situation: Trading plots of land between two people. I give you plot A that you want, and you give me plot B that I want.

Since the complete mechanic is abusable, why not just add in something for that ONE thing? Why not add in a "land trade" option in the land sale office?