V.1.3.0 Land Auction Change

[C64 nostalgia]

The more I play, the more people are complaining about the timer... in general, it's become erratic -- way more than lag can account for.

In the original: Everyone moved much more slowly in auctions. Land auctions ended after a no sale. Land auctions could start in round one. The highest bidder blinks during the whole auction.

All of these, save the first, are a good idea. The first could be a good idea (I'm not sure.).

I have seen almost universal support for a way to make it hard to back out of an auction, but the current implementation is horrible. The elegant auction depiction has become mostly meaningless. The player not moving up and down in a consistent manner breaks the auction model that the rest of the auctions use (Plus, we can still out price goods and back out, which I still think is a great tool.). The "fix" has become counterintuitive, which makes the land auction much harder to understand especially for new players.

So again, speed up the timer, slow down the players, and/or increase the number range between the top price and the low price. These choices would ensure the graphical depiction is meaningful.

[Also, for auctions where no one has enough money to bid, skip them -- show something like "no money, no sale." This would be a logical way to save time.]

[Mt-Wampus]

Out pricing goods and backing out has nothing to do with the same actions during auctions. You have a seller during energy/food auctions that always has the choice of moving down to sell or not. I love the new auction system for land and wish guys would just be happy with it. Sure it's not perfect but then again nothing in life is!

[Blitzen]

@Peter

Ok I guess I wasn't clear, make the game exactly as it was originally, allowing only for changes when absolutely required.

You guys just don't get it... in the original you could hike it and back out and we often did, why are you fixing what wasn't broken?  The difference is how hard it was to hike it and back out successfully.

Read around your own forums and you will find ample "suggestions" to make the game exactly as it was originally.

Maybe once you have done that you will actually understand the game well enough to make intelligent improvements... I mean are you trying to make a game that everyone who never wanted to play Mule will play?  Because if you succeed I can just about guarantee none of the original Mule fans will want to play it... f@@k it, why not put a flame thrower in so all those GTA players will come over too!?!

Honestly, the graphics improvements you've made were a complete waste of time since they are still about 2 decades behind the times ffs!  Just remake the original and change what NEEDS changing.  Then I will shut up and be happy despite the fact that you guys are floundering around for years trying in vain to beat the original.

Honestly, I put you guys in the same category as EA, I trust nothing you say and sincerely believe one of you is actually Uschin.  Why? Because your forum is littered with people asking for the original Mule and you just flat out ignore them except when it suites your purpose.

Case in point? We made a tonne of points on why Collusion shouldn't be in the game and what did you do? Well it was in the original... and so, according to a recent thread you have put it in!!!  And get this, you couldn't even take the tiny steps to make it an option as we all asked so nicely.  I know enough about programming to know it isn't hard to add a boolean check and allow a feature to be turned off.  You might as well of slapped me.

I haven't played in a while, don't know that I ever will, at the current rate I know the game will never be more than a pale shadow of the original.  So please forgive me if I have been misinformed about Collusion being back in the game.

But please do listen when we say remake the original, we mean that literally.

[Mt-Wampus]

   

@Peter

Ok I guess I wasn't clear, make the game exactly as it was originally, allowing only for changes when absolutely required.

You guys just don't get it... in the original you could hike it and back out and we often did, why are you fixing what wasn't broken?  The difference is how hard it was to hike it and back out successfully.

Read around your own forums and you will find ample "suggestions" to make the game exactly as it was originally.

Maybe once you have done that you will actually understand the game well enough to make intelligent improvements... I mean are you trying to make a game that everyone who never wanted to play Mule will play?  Because if you succeed I can just about guarantee none of the original Mule fans will want to play it... f@@k it, why not put a flame thrower in so all those GTA players will come over too!?!

Honestly, the graphics improvements you've made were a complete waste of time since they are still about 2 decades behind the times ffs!  Just remake the original and change what NEEDS changing.  Then I will shut up and be happy despite the fact that you guys are floundering around for years trying in vain to beat the original.

Honestly, I put you guys in the same category as EA, I trust nothing you say and sincerely believe one of you is actually Uschin.  Why? Because your forum is littered with people asking for the original Mule and you just flat out ignore them except when it suites your purpose.

Case in point? We made a tonne of points on why Collusion shouldn't be in the game and what did you do? Well it was in the original... and so, according to a recent thread you have put it in!!!  And get this, you couldn't even take the tiny steps to make it an option as we all asked so nicely.  I know enough about programming to know it isn't hard to add a boolean check and allow a feature to be turned off.  You might as well of slapped me.

I haven't played in a while, don't know that I ever will, at the current rate I know the game will never be more than a pale shadow of the original.  So please forgive me if I have been misinformed about Collusion being back in the game.

But please do listen when we say remake the original, we mean that literally.

If you want the original go get a emulator and have a blast! I DONT want the original!  The original was flawed and far from perfect. Planetmule has taken the original and spruced up the grafics and gameplay to make it much better than the original in my humble opinion! I have the C64 and Atari versions of M.U.L.E.  and cant even go back and play them after playing on Planetmule! You should be happy that there is a MULE remake PERIOD!

[Rhodan]

Peter,
How can you be in favor of a change that destroys the concept of the original is beyond me.

 You have done a wonderful job recreating a great classic with the exact same game play and adding internet play. Something that no one else was able to do until you. And you have given it to us free of charge for which and I am eternally grateful. Please! Don't ruin it now! . Maybe your desire to create a new version with new game play options has overlap to this classic. I don't know. But I beg you to remove this change and lets make it like the original first and foremost.

Let the players who don't like the original land auction enjoy this change and other new features in your new version.

[Rhodan]

I have a question for the few who like this most recent change to the land auction.

Why is it okay to raise the price of food or energy up to a price no one can afford then back out but its not okay to do the same with land?

If you are going to change the land auction lets be consistent and change food, energy, ore and stite too.

[Mt-Wampus]

I have a question for the few who like this most recent change to the land auction.

Why is it okay to raise the price of food or energy up to a price no one can afford then back out but its not okay to do the same with land?

If you are going to change the land auction lets be consistent and change food, energy, ore and stite too.

With Smithore/Crystite/Food/Energy you have a player with product standing at the top of the mountain controlling the price! He can choose to sell or let the price go. No such person standing over the land auctions.

[Mt-Wampus]

P.S. It's not a FEW that like the changes to the auction system! It's pretty much everybody but you! I couldnt stand the old system and would hate to ever see it again!

[Blitzen]

The original with Internet play is all I wanted.  I would gladly pay for it... monthly fees? abso-f@0king-lutely.

You guys are failing to see Rhodan's point or anyone elses.  But you have proved my point that you wouldn't play the original anymore anyway.

All the power to ya, I hope you always feel that way...

But I'm still stuck in a reality where I do want to play the original.... I just can't get 4 players together in the same building to play Mule more than once or twice a year.

I'll live with the shit music and graphics, the moronic "improvements" like crystite signs for example... by the way isn't having to use your memory one of those varied aspects of gameplay that the creator talked about being so important to appeal to different people???  How about the logic itself even: so my guy can plant a sign on any lot but no one else can read it?  Ok.  So maybe he has some device to do it then like an ipooh?  Oh but then why wouldn't he record all the plots instead of just the ones he assayed???  It can't be anything to do with ownership since long after someone else owns a plot my sign will still be there too.  WTF?!?

So in short, the original game mechanics are golden.  Quit turning the game play into shit, like another guy said call it "MtWampus" but don't call it Mule.  And, so long as I'm bothering, please quit saying that the goal is to make it as close to the original as possible because you are no where near it and not heading anywhere closer.  Don't act like politicians and say one thing and do another.  Ring any aggravation bells?

IMO its really disappointing to witness what you have done with a masterpiece so far.  I know at least 3 other players who feel the same but can't be bothered to try and tell ya, cause they know it won't make it any difference.

I care about Mule.  I can't just shut up and watch this crap.

Why are you struggling with finishing version 1 of a remake anyway?

Because you are trying to fix the game before you even understand it.  You could take 10 years to finish version 2, and no one would give a crap.  But you have a model of excellence here, all you need to do is emulate it, can you understand how frustrating it is to see you drop the ball on this?  Its like the simplest task in the world, all you really had to do is figure out Internet play and tack it onto an existing product.

[leahcim99]

MULE is evolving...seems to happen in life, happening in the internet, happening all over.

Emulators are available for those who REALLY, REALLY want the original, e-bay could probably net u an original system if you do not already have one.

Point is, let's enjoy what we have - let's watch and participate in the evolution of the game, let's not worry too much about being true to the classic -(see above).

Change will happen - some of us will see it is good...some bad (and vise/versa), if we want to play (and as I have stated many times - this is a Great way to pass an evening) we will have to play with the changes.

Good Luck All and HAVE FUN

[Blitzen]

#1 Atari online Mule has major problems.  I have multiple c64s just to play this game, as do the 3 other guys I play with.  Our joystick supply is getting a little thin but we can probably go for another 20 years without a problem...

#2 Not all change is progress, and not all "evolution" is going to be successful...

#3 You can have a great game guaranteed, just remake the original Mule...

#4 You have the rest of eternity to "evolve" a better game, in fact it might take that long at your current rate, so why waste the time while we wait playing a pos?