Version 1.2 Main Features Announced

[Big Head Zach]

Just for reference purposes, here's a comparison to original MULE's assays, 1.1 assays, and the projected 1.2 assays:

ORIGINAL

• Assays cost nothing
• Everyone sees results, but no lasting marker for assaying player
• Go to assay office, walk out to plot, mark with button press, walk back to office to get result

1.1

• Assays cost $50
• Everyone sees results, but lasting marker is visible to assaying player
• Go to assay office, walk out to plot, mark with button press, result happens after 3 seconds

1.2

• Assays cost nothing
• Everyone sees results, but lasting marker is visible to assaying player
• Go to assay office, walk out to plot, mark with button press, result happens after 3 seconds

I guess what we might ask ourselves is whether the removal of the return trip to the assay office is properly compensated by the 3-second delay while the assay drone spins around...and that we don't have to go back to town for the result means we might save time (or spend extra time).

[cyounghusband]

I think these improvements rock!

The one other improvement I hoped for -- and maybe it won't matter without smithore abuse-- was overdriving land auctions such that no other player could affordably buy them; since you could now pull the price down once the overdriving player withdrew.

The crystite spoilage may be a bit harsh in combination with pirates, but we'll see.   Without the smithore abuse, colony scores will be much more realistic...

The deserts I might have left in but whatever.

Thanks for the awesome recreation.

[Bertoid]

Public assays for free, private for $50.  I love that idea.

[Intergalactic Mole]

Same I do as well, but if the goal is to reproduce the original game, it should work exactly the same.

In the original game the store starts with 8 units of all goods except crystite, and 14 mules.  The maximum # of mules in the store at any time is 25.

The store can hold 255 units.  However, it is rare to happen in the original game.  I might have only ever seen it that much one or two times in my entire life (out of hundreds of games).

[Bertoid]

The goal is not necessarily to copy the original in every exact way.  If that were the case, there would be no new additions whatsoever.  This is a chance to stay in the world of MULE, but make some changes that are improvements, not simply changes for the sake of changes.
I've said it before and I'll say it again: The new assay and deserts are great additions.

[Intergalactic Mole]

Bertoid, the developers have already established that the goal is to have 2 games: 1 that is as close to the original as possible (the one we are playing now), and to create a separate game which is updated with enhancements and modifications.

[Bertoid]

Yes, I know there will be two games.  But obviously the new version has differences from the Atari version, like internet play, chat capability, new music, new graphics, new way of doing assay.  So I'm simply saying the "same" version will still not be EXACTLY the same as the original.

[Jaradakar]

Hello everyone,

these are the main features we will include in the next release 1.2:

- smithore and crystite spoilage to 50
- shop can hold more than 99 units
- assay is free again
- no more deserts
- make first round ranking random

We also have many minor things like Lobby improvement and fixing bugs,
which we will try to included either in this one or a 1.2.1 shortly after.

Yay!  very excited about these changes!  Keep up the great work!

[Jaradakar]

Yes, I know there will be two games.  But obviously the new version has differences from the Atari version, like internet play, chat capability, new music, new graphics, new way of doing assay.  So I'm simply saying the "same" version will still not be EXACTLY the same as the original.

It's true, but doing an assay already costs *Time* and everyone knows the results.  Why should it also cost money?

(Granted, for the internet version, I'd love for it to tell all players a yes/no for crystite found and only tell the player who did the assaying the exact value (low, medium or high)).

Deserts really did not add much to the game, especially with games having only 1 location being as such.  Of course if you added more locations you risk changing the game even more which does not seem to be in the vision/purpose of this build.  So it makes totally sense to me, just remove it.

[Jaradakar]

Just for reference purposes, here's a comparison to original MULE's assays, 1.1 assays, and the projected 1.2 assays:

ORIGINAL

• Assays cost nothing
• Everyone sees results, but no lasting marker for assaying player
• Go to assay office, walk out to plot, mark with button press, walk back to office to get result

1.1

• Assays cost $50
• Everyone sees results, but lasting marker is visible to assaying player
• Go to assay office, walk out to plot, mark with button press, result happens after 3 seconds

1.2

• Assays cost nothing
• Everyone sees results, but lasting marker is visible to assaying player
• Go to assay office, walk out to plot, mark with button press, result happens after 3 seconds

I guess what we might ask ourselves is whether the removal of the return trip to the assay office is properly compensated by the 3-second delay while the assay drone spins around...and that we don't have to go back to town for the result means we might save time (or spend extra time).

That's an interesting point, you no longer have to bring the result back so does the saved time warrant the additional cost.  The new improved assaying I suspect is more user friendly as it's not very intuitive that you need to bring it back.  Then again for older players having the up front cost of $50 was not intuitive to why I was now having to pay for something that was previously free.

Overall it'll be interesting to try this hybrid version.

[Blitzen]

I would gladly take no graphic updates and exactly the "original" c64 game over any other version first and foremost, beyond that anyone who makes a sequel I will be glad to play that too, but I know I will play a clone of the first a thousand times I cannot say the same for the other.  And I can't quite toss my C64's out yet...

I think Collusion should be able to be turned off by host, and apparently some c64 bug allowing fixing Crystite price on the last turn, also the bug where you hold up on auctions to get land even though you don't have the max money, all dirty rotten tricks IMHO. Oh yea and uncatchable wampus at the top of the screen...

Sorry to revive an old post.

PS They talk of a dedicated host, which is required for "fairer" play by the sounds of things... fair play is huge within the bounds of the games rules anything goes but hosts shouldn't have any potential advantage for competitive play obviously.  Rejoinable games might go a long way to fixing that problem without such complex measures IDK...

[veridia]

Bertoid, the developers have already established that the goal is to have 2 games: 1 that is as close to the original as possible (the one we are playing now), and to create a separate game which is updated with enhancements and modifications.

Nice! I like this idea. Someone should compile a list of changes from the original gameplay to the current version.

[goblin]

One thing they managed to copy that is not really needed.  On round 12 it does not matter if you sell or keep yet it still makes you wait for the auction.  Could put an option in to skip the timer on round 12 and just show the prices since selling makes no difference.

I like the new graphics but something needs to be changed with the icons for smithore and crystite.  It seemed easier to glance at the screen and see who has what in the original.  I don't know if its the color or shape.

Anyone notice a bug with random low crystites with no med or high near them?

Sometime I'll have to run the original Atari 8 bit (best version)  and get..

1.  Exact timings for a turn
2.  How high you can crank the money in a auction before time runs out
3.  How much lower the next plot auctioned is vs the previous selling pt.
4.  Price of wampus in each round

The AI right now needs some tweaking.  Even if the computer has 10,000 he will not pay more the 45.00 for energy even if he is down 10 units.   

Food and energy are non factors with the computers.  In the original the computer would pay big if he was down just as real humans will.