Greets.
i see a lot of peeps "exploit" in this game. I'm new, but lets see if i'm close, shall we?
1. not being #1 in first rounds: They do this by not puttin up a lot of mules on the plots they own(they do this to avoid the pests and such that hit #1's, they also do this so they can have priority when coming to land grants) Example: last game i played ole dude had 4 plots(2 were bare and other had grain/energy) he then went out and found the crystal via assay and guess who got them plots.(he didn't get em all, but the majority)
Partly true, but I've never observed anyone not developing unless they just had no money related to buying land usually. It is a goal not to be in 1st until at least round 8 normally though.
2. Peeps losing mules on purpose: Do i need to say anymore?
Yes, very common practice in 4 player M.U.L.E. You'll accept it and even do it yourself in time. It's a time honored tradition dating back to the beginning of M.U.L.E. in circles where 4 human players was commonly played clear back in 1983. I never played 4 player, always had AI when I played the classic version, so it took getting used to when I started playing Planet M.U.L.E. The most I ever played on the c64 was a 2 player with my sister and 2 AI. It's practically boring after playing 4 player and getting used to the cut throat play style now.
3. Peeps waitin for Ever to push the button after the summary: Now i admit, i did this once, but i told em beforehand that i had to go poo. i guess i took to long as they kicked me.
I'd have to read the game log to determine if that was purposeful, but most host will allow you to take such a break. I'm surprized to hear this.
4. Peeps going up and down on auctions and price negotians: Jackholes do this to try to raise plots they have no interest in, they also wait till last second then try to bumrush the highest bidder. if ya can't go down, then peeps would go to he price they be willin to pay, but no more
Actually, this is a false assumption. There is a goal in Planet M.U.L.E. to get 12 NON river plots, at nearly any price (I'll pay upto 3000 all the way until round 8 normally, if I can afford to spend 3000). The idea is, convert 12 plots to crystite by round 12, and get SUPER PRODUCTION on round 12. Combined with successful Smithore Exploits, it's a sure win. All the seasoned players aim for this. It's stiff cut throat competition true, but it's generally accepted and most of us have no hard feelings about it because that's just what M.U.L.E. is all about. (It's like a kids games version of Wall Street Trading, you don't even want to think about how that world runs, stock brokers are A.H.'s)
Solutions:Ok first off,
lets take out the individual random events. I've seen those make or break peeps.
Yes, true, they do, and they need work, the formula's aren't quite right currently, but this version of M.U.L.E. is supposed to try to imitate the original, and that was very much part of the original, removing them would completely change the game play, and those of us who have played M.U.L.E. since the 80s would find the change intolerable.
Second how about a blind land grand. everyone has 15 seconds to pick a plot of land in secret, if anybody grabs the same plot, auction(between all those that picked plot) ensues.
Great idea for M.U.L.E. 2 but as stated above, this version is to imitate the original, and since the original was 4 players on one screen, collusion, and blind land grabs and the like were impossible, so steps have been taken to try to make this environment act as much like that original 4 people on one computer feel. Doesn't mean people don't work around this (private chats via an instant messaging app or internet relay chat or something) but it isn't integrated into the game.
You cannot let go of mules, only way u lose a mule is via time up(and that can only be done once a round).
Again, would not be like the original game, plus, that feature can be a negative, although it is really hard to make a mistake installing a M.U.L.E. in this version. In the c64 version you had to be very careful on Mule Placement, you couldn't just walk into your plot, there was a spot in the plot you had to be to successfully install the Mule without loosing it, so being able to loose mules is intended.
Why can't we have it you can only move one way, u can only go higher if your a buyer, and you can only go lower if your a seller. But there be a button/option for you to stop selling/buying when u want to stop.
That would take a lot out of the game, this game really is about strategy, and it's much like wall street trading, and that is not a one way process either. Dow goes up and down throughout the day nearly everyday, it's not constantly up or constantly down, it's supply, demand, and greed, and that was the original idea behind Mule in 83.
there's prolly more but i'm new.
any others you can think of?
I personally would like to see this game get even closer to the original version and all your ideas do the opposite of that.
