To the powers that be

[Shular]

It is obvious you love this game, and you're putting noticable effort into the the 2nd edition.  However, if you truly want this game to be widely popular, you'll need to consider how to deal with inappropriate behaviour.

While "freedom" is a very important concept on the internet, it is still important to realize that many people are quickly turned off by the behaviour and language of other players.  I recommend two things to make the game a more positive experience:

1) an abuse report option.  Since logs are kept of every game, it would be easy enough to confirm inappropriate behavior, and ban the culprit.

2) a lobby moderator.  Not only would there be to option for an immediate response, but if there are any technical problems, like the current one with Bot04, he or she would be able to quickly address it.

I love this game, even if I'm not very good at it, and don't want to be driven away just because a few jerks can't control themselves.

[Rhodan]

1) an abuse report option.  Since logs are kept of every game, it would be easy enough to confirm inappropriate behavior, and ban the culprit.

2) a lobby moderator.  Not only would there be to option for an immediate response, but if there are any technical problems, like the current one with Bot04, he or she would be able to quickly address it.

I love this game, even if I'm not very good at it, and don't want to be driven away just because a few jerks can't control themselves.

The bot software was made by a former player and is not supported by planetmule.

The jerks have already driven away quite a few players.

[Shular]

There's a second part to that as well.  Jerks will drive people off, but friendly will make them stay.  I've played with a few people who are happy to chat, and that makes the game much more fun.  Even Mulesballs is growing on me lol.  But when you play an entire game with fewer than 3 words between you, you may as well be playing against AI.  Say hi, ask where you're from.  Discuss events in game, etc.  It really makes a difference.  People will stay if the positive outweighs the negative.

[jagov808]

I completely disagree. Exchanging banal pleasantries won't add traffic. The problem with the game is that its not fun when there is a gross mismatch of experience between players. Yet when skills are perfectly matched the game becomes one of chance.

Players are never perfectly matched or sober. This is the draw that keeps people coming back. Essentially though this game has neither the staying power of a classic strategy game like chess nor the glitz of a GTA V. It is a nostalgic backwater on the internet. Its only defining character comes from the peculiar egos which inhabit this subculture. If it is a 'game' you are after this is the wrong place.

Hopefully, someone will come along and berate you for suggesting a live moderator in the lobby. A game that runs 24/7 and often has only a handful of people in the lobby and you expect a full-time unpaid moderator in case someone hurts your feelings?

Go buy some shark teeth, support the Nordel Fan Club, and sign the petition for the 2014 Atari400 Invitational tournament.

P.S. Please ensure you have a spare keyboard handy if you wish to become a part of this community as it is generally frowned upon to cyber beg for peripheral equipment. If you have some spare time, it has become custom to post a shirtless pic of yourself as your avatar.

[john256]

Hopefully, someone will come along and berate you for suggesting a live moderator in the lobby. A game that runs 24/7 and often has only a handful of people in the lobby and you expect a full-time unpaid moderator in case someone hurts your feelings?

Or you could do what the majority of games do, and allow a few long-term, respected players to be player-moderators.

[Death_Mule17]

But when you play an entire game with fewer than 3 words between you, you may as well be playing against AI.

Yes there are quite a bit of mule zombies on planet mule, and I'm told to "SHUT UP" all the time. this antisocial behavior is what drives noobs away I say. Answering questions to keep players interested is the way to go, not answering players questions is rude(planet/pappy). If people want me to zip it during game they better start chatting, I mean I'm just picking up the slack so the chat log isn't completely blank. Great point shular!

Maybe its just a canadian thing to be friendly and helpful...
Dm17- aka msm, aka mb
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=857404614286754&set=a.546631245364094.144728.109657199061503&type=1&theater

[jagov808]

I'm in the lobby right now and sadly I can confirm, that the delicate Shular appears to have been scared off.

If only we could have said 'Hello' to the chap while he was here or commented on how well his gender transformation was going, then perhaps he would have felt more welcome.

With those megadoses of estrogen he must have been taking we should have known he could be easily dispirited. I hope some of you are happy now. We have lost our little flower.

All Shular wanted was to be watered with kindness. 

[Chuckie Chuck]

Reading all this, and while I tire of the homo crap and the bud laced chatter, can't help but laugh at this, sad though it may be, it does seem that maybe he was just a bit to sensitive.