When the game first started and there were so many bugs, people quit games all the time.  I have abandonments on my record from the first few weeks, but never since then.  Wish I could get those scrubbed.

We (Ozark Softscape and myself) are working on a new T shirt design based on the original 8 bit characters but it's too impractical to make one for each species at this point, so which one should we start with?

If the shirts do well, we'll expand the line to include other species.

Another World
Flashback
The Institute

I got my M.U.L.E. T shirt!  If only we didn't just have a huge snowstorm, maybe I'd have a chance to wear it!  It's not as satisfying to wear it around the house where only my wife and kids can ooh and aah over it!

You mean like a host quitting the game when he's losing?  You know who you are. 

I'd love to start a thread listing hosts who quit because they're losing.  It's probably not a good idea, but I can name 2 right off the bat.  I'll announce who to stay away from in the Lobby.

Same here

Actually, not a bad idea!  Get corporate sponsorship via the store!  Starbucks pays PlanetMULE $XX,XXX to have an ad in the store.  The players get to buy coffee and they get a quick burst of speed for their turn!

I think ending early would really piss people off.  THe other events are disappointing and throw a wrench in the works, but ending early would be a big "screw you" to the players I feel.

The Wampus is blueish, but he's made a yellowish decoy.  If you try to capture the yellow one you get a "You've been outwitted by the Mountain Wampus" screen and we see a poorly constructed Wampus in the cave with no treasure.  You still have a chance to catch the real one if you have time.

I agree with just about everything everyone has said.  Purposeful slowing of the game down just for fun is crap.  Gloating is crap.  Berating other players is crap.  Questioning other players' decisions is crap.  Forecasting the game with an air of certainty ("In two rounds, I'll be in first place and you lost because of the Smithore...") is crap.

I think that in any game of competition, the goal is to win.  That is, unless it's agreed upon beforehand that it isn't.  Otherwise, it should be assumed that the goal is winning.  Obviously this does not include cheating.  I would like to win a basketball game I'm playing in, but I won't break the rules to do it.  But if I am winning by 12 baskets, I'm not going to purposefully let the opponent get the ball, just to even things up.  In MULE there is no actual way of cheating.  The computer will only allow what is allowed.  So I don't personally see any problem with denying other users the ability to buy energy if you have the option to do so, for example.  I don't see any reason why you shouldn't monopolize a good if you have the ability to do so.  Dumping MULEs to raise the price of Smithore is brutal, but it's allowed.  The list goes on and on.

All that said, I don't think it's appropriate to use the chat window as a forum to gloat and tease and taunt.  That's just bad sportsmanship.  There's no way to regulate that, but you can always ignore the chat window.

At the end of production on month 12:
"Due to an unforseen meteor shower, the colony ship was unable to land on Irata in time.  You will be planeteers for one more month!"

Only to be used very, very rarely!

I am loving these ideas.

I think the idea of buying an alien is a little off-putting, but that can be made more palatable by "hiring" instead of buying.  But also, are you then buying a MULE and then a worker to use it?  Or do you mean hire an alien INSTEAD of a MULE.  If so, I don't see much difference.  Maybe I'm just not understanding.

I like the idea of Leggites having the advantage in getting land, Flappers start with a little more money, Packers having the advantage in growing food, etc.  It adds another level of strategy.  Or maybe each species gets ONE CHANCE to use the ability.  For example, the Packer can activate his "skill" at the beginning of one particular turn, guaranteeing a bumper crop that month, in which he thinks it'll do the most good for him.  The Flapper can basically use his skill like a one-time ATM when he feels like he needs the cash, etc.