Review: M.U.L.E. Tools

[Chuckie Chuck]

Well, it seems are selection of "M.U.L.E. Tools" is growing, so I thought I'd make a compiled topic.
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Plot Trackers.
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So far we have two options for Crystite and Resource Tracking.  Both very nice, and there are features in both that if combined together would make one that is perfect.

1.  Rogue Cat's Crystite Tracker v. 1.2

Rogue Cat's Tracker by SLINC78, on Flickr

Download: Roque Cat's Crystite Tracker v. 1.2 (Screen shot is from v 1.1, the change is minor, I didn't see any point in doing a new screen shot.)

This is a very clean manual tracker.  It will allow you to track plot ownership, crystite levels, and global events.  My favorite feature is the re-sizable graphical interface.  Want to display the events and the map screen at the same time, simple, just run it twice.

Key Features

• Re-sizable Interface
• Manual Ownership Tracking
• Simple Icon Based Crystite Tracking
• Global Event List
• Visual Appeal

What's Missing?

• Automatic Tracking
• Development Tracking
• I'd like the option to turn off the titlebar

Rating 4 out of 5 Mules.


2.  Ciscoheat's Crystyter with Source Code

Ciscoheat's Tracker by SLINC78, on Flickr

Download: Ciscoheat's Crystyter with Source Code

A neat new tracker was just posted by Ciscoheat.  He wanted some things that Rogue Cat's tracker didn't include.  Have to admit, it would be awesome if those features existed in Rogue Cat's.

Key Features.

• Automatic Ownership and Development Tracking
• Crystite Tracking From Within the Game
• Autofills the Grid around Crystite Plots Flagged as High.
  
• Global Event List
• If you put the executable in your mule program folder, it will autostart M.U.L.E. when you run it.

What's missing?

• Re-sizable Interface
• Visual Appeal
  

Rating 4 out of 5 Mules.


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Joystick Emulation
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Download: Joystick Cursor Tool.

This tool allows you to map keys on the keyboard to the joystick.  Tada, you have a joystick on P.M.  Just run this goodie, map space bar to the joystick button and directional keys to the directional movements of the joystick and play mule.

I haven't been able to try this out yet, I don't have a USB joystick, but I've heard this works well for the most part (although, not perfect, no diagonal controls, guess the joystick doesn't know about hitting two keys at once.)

For those of you that use it and like it, great, hoping something better will come along.

Rating 2 out of 5 Mules. (Revised after DeathMules Review.)

[Death_Mule17]

  ERROR: joystick emulator 5/5

 Hey chucky, id have to say the joy emulator is not as good as a keyboard(and i NEVER use keyboard for anything but pm). The first and biggest reason is that you cannot assign diagonal keys, making it impossible to cut corners. Ya sure if you want to look like a bot while you play, its the bomb.

I give joy emulation a 1/5 tops.

[lordpete]

Seems like an exploit to me.

[AlexFili]

If you want to play MULE with a Gamecube controller or a 360 controller, you can. Just download "JoyToKey"!

[Chuckie Chuck]

Seems like an exploit to me.

If it's an exploit so it using pen and paper to chart crystite, think of it as saving the enviroment, E-Mule or Green Mule

I don't always use it, in fact, I'd say my most recent wins have been just using my memory of what's going on, but they're fun to use sometimes.

[Aufklarer]

LoL it isnt an exploit...... It is an aid

An exploit for example, is using the game mechanics to disguise your assay result by catching the wumpus instantly after completing an assay!

Aid - Exploit 2 different things

[doktorbuzzo]

Pen and paper, old skool. I print double sided & recycle my used up pages. It's not surprising how similar my system is to those shown in the posting, great minds think ... how does that go?

Seriously: charting the game is part of the fun. It's like keeping score when you go bowling. Actual bowling, like Jeffrey Lebowski. Not the other kind.

[heartbone]

Thanks for the thread Chuckie Chuck, but you might want to re-revise your rating of this tool (and get a $3 USB joypad).

  ERROR: joystick emulator 5/5

 Hey chucky, id have to say the joy emulator is not as good as a keyboard(and i NEVER use keyboard for anything but pm). The first and biggest reason is that you cannot assign diagonal keys, making it impossible to cut corners. Ya sure if you want to look like a bot while you play, its the bomb.

I give joy emulation a 1/5 tops.

* ERROR *

As there are no diagonal keys on any of my keyboards,
this really could not be a problem Death_Mule17.

On my systems this li'l gem gets a 9 out of 10
due to it's somewhat obscure documentation and poorly explained interface.

Just like the Planet M.U.L.E., it works great, including diagonal movements! 

[heartbone]

For M.U.L.E. I certainly prefer a nice joystick.

With a common USB joystick such as this one



one can assign all main game inputs: SPACE, J, U, A, ESC, ENTER

to joystick buttons.

And you still have about a dozen more buttons free to assign to other keystroke combinations,
which could be used in conjunction with a keyboard macro generator for bot commands for example. 

[Chuckie Chuck]

My understanding, and I have not personally tested it, but the joystick/keyboard emulator does not support two keypresses at once.  Since you can use to keys to go diagonally on the keyboard, this seems a ligit limitation to the joystick/keyboard emulator.

It actually is possible to reassign keys in mule itself to use the numeric keypad for diagonal single key use too I think.  So it is possible that what I've heard is incorrect, but that is what the complaint about it has been by people who have tried it.

[heartbone]

My experience from use is if one pushes the joystick towards the NW
the Joystick Cursor Tool program sends out the correct signals just
as if the up and left keys are being simultaneously depressed.

[heartbone]

After trying out the dual analog in the game I have to announce that the (cheaper generic)
digital joypads are a better, more natural input device for this game than the analog ones. 



Get a USB one that has the digital joypad and enough buttons like the one shown.

There are four "shoulder" buttons not shown.

[Leggitte]

Enough buttons you say? Try the X-Arcade Tankstick!

[Chuckie Chuck]

LOL, nice, seems a bit overkill for mule, but whatever works

[Death_Mule17]

* ERROR *

As there are no diagonal keys on any of my keyboards,
this really could not be a problem Death_Mule17.

If your gonna call me out with an error msg, then at least tell everyone what program you use that lets you move diagonal. I was rating the joycur.exe program, and I stand by my decision 1/5, and as drillian says  "nothing more"