********* Welcome to Project 64! The goal of Project 64 is to preserve Commodore 64 related documents in electronic text format that might otherwise cease to exist with the rapid advancement of computer technology and declining interest in 8- bit computers on the part of the general population. If you would like to help by converting C64 related hardcopy documents to electronic texts please contact the manager of Project 64, Cris Berneburg, at pcgeek@compuserve.com. Extensive efforts were made to preserve the contents of the original document. However, certain portions, such as diagrams, program listings, and indexes may have been either altered or sacrificed due to the limitations of plain vanilla text. Diagrams may have been eliminated where ASCII-art was not feasible. Program listings may be missing display codes where substitutions were not possible. Tables of contents and indexes may have been changed from page number references to section number references. Please accept our apologies for these limitations, alterations, and possible omissions. Document names are limited to the 8.3 file convention of DOS. The first characters of the file name are an abbreviation of the original document name. The version number of the etext follows next. After that a letter may appear to indicate the particular source of the document. Finally, the document is given a .TXT extension. The author(s) of the original document and members of Project 64 make no representations about the accuracy or suitability of this material for any purpose. This etext is provided "as-is". Please refer to the warantee of the original document, if any, that may included in this etext. No other warantees, express or implied, are made to you as to the etext or any medium it may be on. Neither the author(s) nor the members of Project 64 will assume liability for damages either from the direct or indirect use of this etext or from the distribution of or modification to this etext. Therefore if you read this document or use the information herein you do so at your own risk. ********* The Project 64 etext of the M.U.L.E. package, Command Summary card, and Player's Guide. Converted to etext by Cris Berneburg, The Basic Bombardier, . PC64 emulator keyboard commands for M.U.L.E. by Karek . MULE10.TXT, April 1997, etext #198. According to an email the etexter received from Dani Bunten Berry on 7-Dec-1996, "'M.U.L.E.' is copyrighted by Ozark Softscape, all rights are reserved.' ********* The Project 64 etext of the M.U.L.E. package. ********* [ Front Cover ] M. U. L. E. tm A game in which up to four players attempt to settle a distant planet with the so-called help of a mule-like machine they all learn to hate. [ Graphic omitted : Red "moonscape" with Earthrise in the background, with M.U.L.E. in the foreground. The M.U.L.E. looks like a hodge-podge of junk thrown together roughly in the shape of a mule. Among the parts is the front half of an old pickup truck for the hat, various antennas, a telephone, the front grill and headlights from an automobile (Plymouth?), gears, a stove burner, cork bottle opener, a crane with and extendible light for a tail, egg beaters, and shock absorbers with wheels and skiis for legs. The little license plate says XR9. ] DAN BUNTEN BILL BUNTEN JIM RUSHING ALAN WATSON ELECTRONIC ARTS [ Inside Flap ] YOU HATE HIM. YOU NEED HIM. It means something, M.U.L.E. Multiple Use Labor Element. Everyone expected him to be perfect for planet pioneering. Mining, farming, and general hauling capabilities -- he could do it all. It was the unexpected stuff, however, that made a M.U.L.E. a M.U.L.E. He was born -- if you can call it that -- in an underground lab in the Pacific Northwest. A major defense contractor had gone out of its way to get the job and they were stoked. Stoked, that is, until the detailing robots went out on strike. Costs ran over. Senators screamed. And when the dust had cleared, the job was finished by a restaurant supply firm, a maker of pre-school furntiture, and the manufacturers of a popular electric toaster. It shows. No one quite knows how it is that a M.U.L.E. is able to record intergalactic phone messages. Or why he can be used to cook simple dinners. Or how he pulls in any ballgame broadcast, anywhere in the universe. Above all, no one ever dreamed that he would go berzerk and run away if treated carelessly. No one expected any of that, to be sure. But you've got a planet to settle. And for now, he's all you've got. Good luck. You'll need it. [ Graphic omitted : Red moonlike landscape with three parallel tire tracks. ] [ Fine print. ] Game Design and execution: Ozark Softscape -- Dan Bunten, Bill Bunten, Jim Rushing, Alan Watson Package Design: Dennis McVey Liner Notes: Jeffrey Goodby Photography: Allen Say Package Art: Lou Beach Producer: Joe Ybarra M.U.L.E. is an Ozark Softscape game. Software (c) 1983 Ozark Softscape Package design (c) 1983 Electronic Arts. Simultaneously published in USA and Canada. Screen shots represent Atari 800 version only. Other versions may vary. Atari is a registered trademark of Atari, Inc. [ Inmost Flap ] CARP, CUTTHROATS, AND LAST CALL AT SLICK WILLY'S [ Graphic omitted: Black and white photograph of four men sitting on a bench against a light-paneled building, three of which are looking attentively at a newspaper, one of which is holding a small dog. The headline of the Arkansas Gazette reads, "M.U.L.E. Unveiled. Signal of Extraterrestrial Land Boom?" The man on the left (Bill Bunten) might be looking up at a woman to the left leaning against a post. She drinks a Sunkist soda and wears jeans and a striped tank-top. Behind her and the post is a billboard, on which one of the partially hidden flyers announces a game between the Razorbacks and the Texas Longhorns. ] * List the important elements in the portrait below and describe their significance. Be specific. Left to right. Bill Bunten. Jim Rushing. Alan Watson. Dan Bunten. Little Rock. Bill, Jim, Alan, and Dan created the game. Little Rock is the capital of Arkansas. The lady and the dog have requested anonymity. * Little Rock? They live there, yes. * Explain the role of carp in the lives of these men. The role is metaphorical. When they are stuck for an idea, they fish in Broadmoor Lake, across the street from their offices. It is said big carp live there. Often, when these men fish, an idea comes to them. The carp do not. * Are there really carp in the lake? If there are, the are safe. * Trace the development of M.U.L.E. especially as it relates to earlier ideas. First, there was an auction game. Then, an oil exploration game. Then, a real estate game, a commodities game, and a game in which people played the roles of other people and/or things. Bits of these games became M.U.L.E. * Only bits? They died so that M.U.L.E. might live. * This caused some consternation on the part of the four men. What was it? For a while, they feared they had dried the well, burned themselves out. They have since determined that this is not true. * Is there any proof of that? You will buy the proof in a future Electronic Arts publication. * Do these men play M.U.L.E. themselves and, if so, how? Yes. Very well. After all, they made the rules. * Be more specific. Well, Dan for instance was the project leader. When there were changes in the program, only he knew of them all. This gave him a certain advantage which he called the ability to play logically. The others called it cheating. * What about the others? Jim claims he would not condescend to engage in the cutthroat tactics of his cohorts. This meant he usually lost. Besides, as the programmer of the group, he often got nailed while worrying about bugs. Alan seldom won or lost by a large margin. When he did win, he acted like it was an accident. Bill? Well, imagine the game being, played by Vince Lombardi in a bad mood. Relentless self-interest. The others hated him. There are scars. * Locate Slick Willy's and discuss its importance to the development of M.U.L.E. Slick's. A bar. Little Rock. They hung out there whenever they had to make a trip to the post office. Or maybe it was vice vera. Like the lake, another magical retreat. * Will these men soon be rich? Keep your answer short. Maybe. But then, this is Arkansas. There's nothing to spend it on. Anyway, they know there are more important things. * Examples? Crystite. * Your time is up. Slick's. * Thank you. And carp. [ Back Cover ] A TYPICAL FRIENDLY EVENING OF M.U.L.E. We pick up our players during their sixth development. They will play twelve. If their colony isn't successful by then, they face the prospect of a long, cold trip back to Mother Earth. Which is fine for 11-year-old Charlie. But Mom and Dad have to go to work tomorrow. DAD: The Honest Pigeon. [ Graphic omitted : Colorized black and white stereotypical 50's father face smiling. ] Playing the blue, he's about to install a second M.U.L.E. to farm his river land. (That's the M.U.L.E. viewed from the back -- with the long legs, just northwest of the black town grid.) This will give him an overwhelming surplus of food -- if pest attacks don't get to it first. CHARLIE: The stalker. [ Graphic omitted : Colorized facial photo of smiling boy. ] Playing the green, he suspects Dad's got secret intentions of getting into mining. But Charlie's ready for him. Before Dad has a chance to make his move, Charlie's going to cripple him by letting lots of M.U.L.E.s loose, driving up the price of Smithore. Guess who owns all the Smithore. [ Graphic omitted : Screen shot of planetwide plot view. ] MOM: The Stalker of the Stalker. [ Graphic omitted : Colorized facial shot of stereotypical 50's mother smiling, but not really pleasantly. ] Playing the red, she's about to get out of mining and into energy development. She will tell the others she just wants to provide everyone with lots of nice energy to keep the game lively. Silently, she's planning to quadruple the price per kilowatt and bring them all to their knees. THE COMPUTER: Well, he's new to this. [ Graphic omitted : Computer monitor saying "uh-oh." ] Playing the orange, he's making mistakes left and right. He's unfortunately forgotten that food doesn't grow in the mountains. He's obviously a little slow during land auctions. And even with 48K of memory, he isn't smart enough to catch the Wampus. Maybe he's just trying to get his new family to like him. ELECTRONIC ARTS tm About our company: We're an association of electronic artists who share a common goal. We want to fulfill the potential of personal computing. That's a tall order. But with enough imagination and enthusiasm we think there's a good chance for success. Our products, like this game, are evidence of our intent. If you'd like to get involved, please write us at: Electronic Arts, 2755 Campus Drive, San Mateo 94403. Electronic Arts provides a limited ninety day warrantee on the recording media. See limited warranty statement enclosed. The warranty does not apply to the software programs themselves, which are provided AS IS. ********* End of the Project 64 etext of the M.U.L.E. package. ********* The Project 64 etext of the M.U.L.E. Command Summary Card. ********* COMMAND SUMMARY M.U.L.E.-TM COMMODORE 64 Number of Players - One to Four To Load - Turn on the disk drive, turn on the computer, insert the M.U.L.E. disk, then type: LOAD "EA",8,1 followed by a . (See your Disk Drive User's Manual if you need additional instructions.) To Start - Note: Press any joystick button to skip the opening cartoon. - To select Beginner's, Standard, or Tournament version. - To change the number of human players from 0 to 4. (If it is 0 humans, the computer plays a demonstration game). - To start playing. Other Commands - To pause or resume play after the game has started. During the cartoon or "Choosing Your Character" the kev will restart the cartoon from the beginning. Joystick Button - to speed up the computer players. YOUR GAME MANUAL IS LOCATED INSIDE THE FRONT PANEL OF THIS PACKAGE. Special Instructions: - At least one joystick must be used to play M.U.L.E. If two or more players are playing, up to two players may use the keyboard instead of a joystick during the action rounds. The keys are: LEFT Keyboard Player RIGHT Keyboard Player Move "UP": Q key Move "Up": ^ key Move "Down": C= key Move "Down": = key Joystick Button (Either Player): Press Both keys at the same time. During the "Development" round players may use any available joystick. To choose a character using the keyboard press your "MOVE UP" key to rotate clockwise, Press your "MOVE DOWN" key to rotate counter- clockwise. Press both keys to select the character you wish to use. - During the "Player Status" round, each product you store for next turn will be subject to spoilage. Food spoilage is 50% (one-half) of the remainder in storage. Energy spoilage is 25% (one-quarter) of the remainder. Smithore and Crystite will only spoil if there are more than 50 units in storage. Any ore in excess of 50 units will go away due to spoilage. The music in M.U.L.E. was written by Roy Glover. Note: Commodore is a registered trademark of Commodore Business Machines, Inc. Additional Help for Keyboard Players: - During the "Land Grant" phase, you may press either your "Move Up" or "Move Down" key to select a plot of land. - To increase your bid during the "auction" rounds, press and hold your "Move Up" key. To decrease your bid, press and hold your "Move Down" key. Your character will automatically stop moving if no keys are pressed. - To enter "Collusion" in the Tournament game, press and hold both the "Move Up" and the "Move Down" key at the same time. If you are "colluding" with a joystick player, both of your movement keys and the joystick player's joystick button must be pressed at the same time. Timing is very critical in "collusion", so you may want to practice the technique a few times before you get into a "cutthroat" game. - The M.U.L.E. game design was created by Dan Bunten and Bill Bunten. Programming was done by Dan Bunten, Jim Rushing, and Allen Watson. Animation was done by Allen Watson and Jim Rushing. The music in M.U.L.E. was written by Roy Glover. The authors would like to thank the Little Rock Atari Addicts club for help in playtesting M.U.L.E. Limited Warranty Electronic Arts warrants to the original purchaser of this computer software product that the recording medium on which the software programs are recorded will be free from defects in materials and workmanship for ninety days from the date of purchase. Defective media returned by the purchaser during that ninety day period will be replaced without charge, provided that the returned media have not been subjected to misuse, damage or excessive wear. Following the initial ninety day warranty period, defective media will be replaced for a replacement fee of $7.50. Defective media should be returned to: Electronic Arts 390 Swift Avenue South San Francisco, CA 94080 in protective packaging, accompanied by (1) proof of purchase, (2) a brief statement describing the defect,(3) a $7.50 check (if beyond the initial ninety day warranty period), and (4) your return address. WHAT IS NOT COVERED BY THIS WARRANTY THIS WARRANTY DOES NOT APPLY TO THE SOFTWARE PROGRAMS THEMSELVES. THE PROGRAMS ARE PROVIDED 'AS IS." THIS WARRANTY IS IN LIEU OF ALL OTHER WARRANTIES, WHETHER ORAL OR WRITREN, EXPRESSOR IMPLIED. ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, ARE LIMITED IN DURATION TO NINETY DAYS FROM THE-DATE OF PURCHASE. ELECTRONIC ARTS SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES FOR BREACH OF ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTY. Some states do not allow the exclusion or limitation of incidental or consequential damages or limitations on how long an implied warranty lasts, so the above limitation or exclusion may not apply to you. This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may also have other rights which vary from state to stafe. Address all correspondence to: Electronic Arts, 2755 Campus Drive, San Mateo, California 94403. Unless identified otherwise, all programs and documentation are (c) 1983 Electronic Arts. 102303 ********* End of the Project 64 etext of the M.U.L.E. Command Summary Card. ********* The Project 64 etext of the M.U.L.E. Player's Guide. ********* M.U.L.E. Player's Guide [ Cover graphic omitted : black and white version of hodge-podge of parts M.U.L.E., see description at top of this etext for package cover graphic. ] NOTICE ELECTRONIC ARTS RESERVES THE RIGHT TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PRODUCT DESCRIBED IN THIS MANUAL AT ANY TIME AND WITHOUT NOTICE. THIS MANUAL IS COPYRIGHTED, ALL RIGHTS ARE RESERVED. NO PART OF THIS MANUAL MY BE COPIED, REPRODUCED, TRANSLATED OR REDUCED TO ANY ELECTRONIC MEDIUM OR MACHINE READABLE FORM WITHOUT THE PRIOR WRITTEN CONSENT OF ELECTRONIC ARTS. COPYRIGHT C) 1983 ELECTRONIC ARTS, 2755 CAMPUS DRIVE, SAN MATEO, CALIFORNIA 94403. ELECTRONIC ARTS MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, WITH RESPECT TO THIS MANUAL OR WITH RESPECT TO THE SOFTWARE DESCRIBED IN THIS MANUAL, ITS QUALITY PERFORMANCE, MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PARTICULAR PURPOSE. THE PROGRAMS ARE PROVIDED "AS IS." ELECTRONIC ARTS MAKES CERTAIN LIMITED WARRANTIES WITH REGARD TO DEFECTIVE RECORDING MEDIA. PLEASE SEE THE ELECTRONIC ARTS LIMITED WARRANTY ENCLOSED WITH THIS PRODUCT. This manual was designed by ALTA GRAPHIX. Manual writing and design (c) 1983 Electronic Arts. Software (c) 1983 Ozark Softscape. FRONT COVER: Our friend, the M.U.L.E. M.U.L.E. stands for Multiple Use Labor Element. M.U.L.E.s are robots which are designed for exploring alien worlds. The design of the M.U.L.E. allows pioneers to outfit a M.U.L.E. for specific tasks. In this game, M.U.L.E.s are used as mini-production facilities. M.U.L.E. Welcome to M.U.L.E. M.U.L.E. is a game of exploration and resource development on another planet. Four humans can play. If you have less than four humans, the computer will play the others. There are three versions of M.U.L.E.: Beginner's, Standard and Tournament. Each version has slightly different rules. The player who has the most points at the end of the game is the winner. If You Want to Start Playing Right Away The fastest way to learn is to play the Beginner's game. The next pages of this Guide have screen shots and quick-reading captions to teach you the Beginner's game FAST. If you have any questions, read the Questions and Answers section on page 7. The rest of this Guide has rules and strategies for the Standard and Tournament versions. Pausing the Game To pause the game, see your Command Summary for the proper pause key. To start again, hit the space bar a second time. This is especially useful for playing and trying to read this Guide at the same time. Reference Card The Reference Card (in the package behind the disk) has details of how to boot the game disk, and how to select the game version you want and the number of human players. 1. Choosing Your Character [ Graphic omitted : Black and white screen shot of all possible character types. Screen says "BONZOID. Use your joystick or paddle to move your color to the species that you most resemble. Press your button to select." ] MECHTRON GOLLUMER PACKER BONZOID SPHEROID FLAPPER LEGGITE HUMANOID You have just chosen to be a Bonzoid. The computer will cycle through 4 different colors. Whoever pushes his joystick button first uses that color throughout the game. After choosing a color, you select your character. Point the joystick towards a character, and it will appear in the center of the screen. Push your joystick button to choose it. If you don't want this one, move another character into the center of the screen, and push the joystick button. When you are done, the computer will cycle through the remaining colors for the other players. 2. Summary Report [ Graphic omitted : Bonzoid, Mechtron, Leggite, and another Mechtron each with Money 1000, Lands 0, Goods 300, Total 1300, for a Colony total of 5200, "Press all player buttons to go on." ] You and the other players each start with $1000 in money and $300 worth of Food and Energy -- "goods." 3. Land Grant [ Graphic omitted : Mostly empty planetwide plot view. The Store is in the center, mountain and river plots selected near the top, "Press your button to select a plot." ] You select a plot on the river. The Land Grant is your chance to get one free plot each turn. When the moving square is over the plot you want, push your joystick button. The plot will be highlighted in your color. 4. Deciding What to Produce [ Graphic omitted : Labels pointing to "Your Land", Town, River, and Mountains in screen shot of plot view, "Press your stick button to start". ] You decide to produce Food on your river land. Your plot of land will flash when it is your turn. Decide what you want to do with your land. Mountains are best for mining Smithore, river land is best for farming for Food and flat land is best for producing Energy. (See back cover for more details.) 5. Outfitting Your M.U.L.E. EXPLOITATION #1 .----------------------------. | .---. .---. .---. .---. | | | | | S | | E | | F | | | `---' `---' `---' `---' | | | | .---. .---. .---. .-----. | # | | | | | | P | | C | | # | | | | | `---' | | | # | `---' `---' |$100 | | # TIME BAR | `-----' | # | MULES | # `----------------------------' # YOUR MONEY EQUALS $875 $ 2 5 T O O U T F I T M U L E F O R F O O D [ Graphic legend S = Smithore Outfitting E = Energy Outfitting F = Food Outfitting C = Corral ] You outfit a M.U.L.E. to produce Food. When you push your button, the town zooms into view. Go into the corral, get a M.U.L.E., and take him to any outfitting shop. When the time bar runs out, your turn ends regardless of what you are doing. 6. Installing Your M.U.L.E. [ Graphic omitted : Plot view screen shot of player leading M.U.L.E. to plot of land near top of screen. Labels point out "House (On Land)", Player, and Player's M.U.L.E. ] You are about to install your M.U.L.E. To install a M.U.L.E., lead him out of town to your plot of land. Push your joystick button when your character is directly over the house. If you miss, you'll hear a beep. Try again. When installed, your M.U.L.E. turns into a production symbol. Your property is ready to produce Food, Energy, or Smithore. 7. Wampus Hunting [ Graphic omitted : Screen shot of land plots with a tiny dot in one of the mountains with a label pointing to it saying, "The Wampus' Cave Door." ] You still have time left. Can you catch the Wampus? The Wampus lives in caves in the mountains. when he opens his door, his bell rings and a light flashes. If you catch him, he will pay you to let him go. To catch the Wampus you have to be outside of town, without a M.U.L.E. Then, when you see his light, jump on him. Good hunting! 8. The Pub Going into the Pub is an automatic way to win money. But it also ends your turn. The more time remaining, the more you will win. 9. Random Events [ Graphic omitted : Plot view screen shot depicting "Acid Rain Storm", a one-plot sized cloud with a lightning bolt, "Food Output Up, Energy Reduced." ] You can't really plan for "random events" like Planetquakes, Acid rain and Pest Attacks, but they happen. 10. Production [ Graphic omitted : Planetwide land plot view showing production amounts in each developed plot. Labels point out "This Turn's Production" as dots on the left side of each plot, "Food Production Symbol" as pitchfork and sickle, and "Base Production" as little dots on the lower right of each plot. ] Your river land produced 5 units of Food. Production happens automatically; you just watch your land produce. Each little box that appears on the left side of your land represents one unit. 11. The Store There is a Store in the game, played by the computer. During the Auction, the Store buys and sells Food, Energy and Smithore. It starts out with 16 units of Food, 16 units of Energy and no Smithore. After that, the number of units it has to sell depends on what the players buy and sell. 12. Player Status .-------------------------------------. | F S T A T U S # 1 F | | F O O D | | 50 store | selling price | S | | | | # | store symbol # # | | . # # | | . - - - - critical line | S # # # # | | 15 M M L B | store buy price 0 8 0 5 units surplus | money 946 1042 1089 933 money | | units 3 11 3 8 units | | | | S T O R E H A S 1 6 U N I T S | `-------------------------------------' [ Graphic legend F = food symbol pitchfork and sickle S = store symbol, like a house M = Mechtron L = Leggite B = Bonzoid ] You have a surplus of Food. There are three Auctions each round, one each for Smithore, Food and Energy. Each auction starts by showing your "Status" in that good. A line grows and shrinks to show how much you started with, how much you used, how much spoiled, and how much you produced during your last turn. A "critical line tells you if you have a shortage or a surplus for your next turn. (Except for Smithore, which is not "critical" for survival.) Finally, there is a message telling how much of that product the Store has. 13. Declaring .-------------------------------------. | F S T A T U S # 1 F | | F O O D | | 50 | | SELL SELL | SELLER . . . . . . . . . M B S | | | | P U S H S T I C K | | T O D E C L A R E A S | | B U Y E R O R S E L L E R | | | | # | | # DECLARE TIMER | S # | BUYER . . . 15. . .M L | | BUY BUY | | money 946 1042 1089 933 money | | | | UNITS IN STORE | S T O R E H A S 1 6 U N I T S | `-------------------------------------' [ Graphic legend F = food symbol pitchfork and sickle S = store symbol, like a house M = Mechtron L = Leggite B = Bonzoid ] You declare yourself to be a Seller in the Food auction. Push your joystick up or down to declare whether you are a Seller or a Buyer. You can change back and forth as often as you wish until the Declare Timer runs out. Hint: If you have a surplus, you should sell it (your character will automatically jump to the SELL position). If you have a shortage, BUY! 14. The Auction Begins .-------------------------------------. | F S T A T U S # 1 F | | F O O D | | 50 | | SELL 40 | | M S | | | | | | B | | - - - - - - - - - - # | | # | | # | | # AUCTION TIMER | S - - - - - - - - - - # | | 15 M L | | BUY BUY | | money 946 1162 1089 933 money | | units 0 0 0 0 traded | | | | UNITS TRADED | `-------------------------------------' [ Graphic legend F = food symbol pitchfork and sickle S = store symbol, like a house M = Mechtron L = Leggite B = Bonzoid ] You are a Seller, and you lower your price to $40 per unit. The auction starts with the sellers on the top of the screen and the buyers on the bottom. Now the units row shows the number of units traded during the auction, instead of the number of units owned by each player. Sellers move down to lower their prices. Buyers move up to raise their bids. Dashed lines indicate the highest bid and the lowest price among all four players. All characters can move at the same time, racing to buy and sell before the auction timer runs out. 15. Trading .-------------------------------------. | F S T A T U S # 1 F | | F O O D | | 50 | | SELL 25 | | M S | | | | | | | | # | | _____________L____B_ # | | # | | S # | | 15 M | | BUY 25 | | money 946 1162 1064 958 money | | units 0 0 1 1 traded | | | | U N I T S T R A D E D 1 | `-------------------------------------' [ Graphic legend F = food symbol pitchfork and sickle S = store symbol, like a house M = Mechtron L = Leggite B = Bonzoid ] When the Buy Line and the Sell Line meet, the Buyer and the Seller start flashing. Trading begins, one unit at a time. As trades are made, the Buyer's money decreases, the Seller's money increases, and both player's Units Traded increase. Either player can stop trading at any time, simply by moving away from the line. Otherwise trading continues until the Seller runs out of extra product, or the Buyer runs out of money. 16. Summary Report (Again) .-----------------------------------. | S T A T U S S U M M A R Y # 1 | | M O N E Y 1 1 6 2 | | (M) L A N D S 5 2 5 | | G O O D S 1 6 4 | | T O T A L 1 8 5 1 | | | | M O N E Y 9 6 4 | | (L) L A N D S 5 7 5 | | G O O D S 2 5 4 | | T O T A L 1 7 9 3 | | | | M O N E Y 1 0 5 8 | | (B) L A N D S 5 2 5 | | G O O D S 1 6 4 | | T O T A L 1 7 4 7 | | | | M O N E Y 9 4 6 | | (M) L A N D S 5 7 5 | | G O O D S 1 6 4 | | T O T A L 1 6 8 5 | | C O L O N Y 7 0 7 6 | | | | Press all player buttons to go on.| `-----------------------------------' [ Graphic legend (M) = Mechtron (L) = Leggite (B) = Bonzoid ] After the first turn, you are losing, but not by much. The Summary Report shows your points, or "Net Worth" after each round. Don't feel bad if you're in last place now. The losing player gets some advantages. For instance, if you and another player both try to get the same piece of land during the Land Grant, you will get the land. And if you and another player both try to Buy or Sell at the same price, you will get to make the trade, even if he or she is also on the trading line. 17. Transferring M.U.L.E.s Later in the game, you can move M.U.L.E.s that you hove installed. You can even take them back into town and re-outfit them for a different type of production. To transfer a M.U.L.E., go to your plot (with or without a M.U.L.E. in tow). When you press your button, the M.U.L.E. you are leading (if any) will be installed and the one previously installed will be following you. You can take the new M.U.L.E. to another plot or you can re-outfit him for a different type of production (by taking him back to town). If you have no other use for the M.U.L.E., return it to the corral for $100. You are now ready to play the Beginner's game of M.U.L.E. The game will last 6 rounds. Whoever has the highest value, or "Net Worth" at the end will be the winner, the "First Founder." Good luck! Some Questions and Their Answers Q: Why don't I always get the plot of land I want in the Land Grant? A: It must be because you and another player are both pushing your joystick buttons at the same time, and he or she is getting the land. That happens because the computer figures out who has the least amount of money, land and goods and gives that player the land. Or else it is because your "trigger finger" is just a little too slow. Q: Why can't I watch the computer player installing a M.U.L.E.? Is it cheating on me? A: Since computers never make mistakes, they are boring to watch. But since they don't have any imagination, they can't catch a Wampus either. Q: Sometimes I go into the Corral and can't get a M.U.L.E. Why not? A: You have to go all the way into the Corral. When you do, you will see the M.U.L.E. following obediently behind you. The same goes for the outfitting shops. You have to go all the way in and come all the way out. Q: My M.U.L.E. keeps running away. What can I do? A: M.U.L.E.s don't really like working. If they get a chance, they will run off. If your time runs out before you get your M.U.L.E. properly installed, it will scoot. If you realize you don't have enough time to lead your M.U.L.E. all the way to your land, you can return it to the corral and get your money back. Q: Why can't I catch the Wampus? A: Three reasons: you may be pushing your joystick button, which keeps him away; you may be standing on his mountain, which keeps him from opening his door; or maybe you aren't really cut out to be a Wampus hunter, Q: I get to the Buy lane just as fast as another Seller and I don't get to sell anything; what's going on? A: Remember, the player with the least amount of money, land and goods always gets the advantage. If you are richer than the other Seller, he or she will win all the "ties." The same goes when you and another player are both trying to buy something. Q: Yes, but can't I sell just one unit? A: Once a trade begins, no other players can break into it. Your only hope is to get one of the players to stop trading, Q: The Store was out of Food and I still wanted to buy some. But I couldn't quite reach the Seller. Is something wrong? A: Nope. If the Seller doesn't want to sell you anything, he or she can just stay on the top of the screen and you can't reach. Q: How come I can't always go as high as I want to in the Auction? A: You can't bid if you don't have enough money. Q: Why do I have to stop selling just because I reach my "critical level?" I could have sold Food when I didn't need it for my next turn. A: It sounds like you're ready for the Standard Game. Turn to page 10 and check it out. Tips on the Beginner's Game * Always get land during the Land Grant, even if you can't get the one you want -it is worth $500 in figuring your Net Worth. * Avoid moving through mountains and the river whenever possible. They will slow you down. The fastest way to move is diagonally. * Learn how to transfer and re-outfit M.U.L.E.s to take advantage of shortages and surpluses that develop. * If you have time remaining after placing your M.U.L.E.s, look for the Wampus. If the Wampus is too far away, ignore him and go to the Pub. * Take advantage of the terrain by producing the right products in the right place. Make food in the River, energy in the Flatlands, and mine Smithore in the Mountains (particularly plots with 3 mountain symbols), * Always get the other players to pay the highest price when you are selling, and to take the lowest price when you are buying. Learn to "tease" them into taking your price by wiggling your character up and down on the Auction screen. * The amount you produce each turn depends on 3 things: "Base Production," Energy, and economic bonuses. Base Production is the number of units your plot will produce if nothing else affects it. This number is shown by the number of little boxes that appear in the lower right corner of your land during Production. * A M.U.L.E. will produce ZERO units during a turn if it doesn't have enough Energy. Food and Smithore M.U.L.E.s need one unit of Energy each turn, left over from the previous turn. (Energy M.U.L.E.s just use Energy as they make it.) * If you have 3 plots producing the same product, regardless of where the plots are located on the map, you get an extra unit of production in each plot. This reflects what is called "the learning curve theory of production," explained in the section "Economics of M.U.L.E." * Whenever two or more plots producing the same product are side by side, you will also get one extra unit of production in each plot. This bonus reflects the theory of "economies of scale" also explained in "Economics of M.U.L.E." No more than 1 extra unit is given for "economy of scale" regardless of how many plots are touching. * The price of goods is based on supply and demand, also explained in "Economics." In the Status Summary, the computer values your goods according to the most recent Auction in that product. * Cooperate with another player. To take advantage of "economies of scale" and "the learning curve" you will have to specialize your production. For example, if you produce all the food for you and another player, while he produces all the energy, you both will increase your production and profits. * The last place player will move first if there are less than 7 M.U.L.E.s in the corral. If there are more than 7, the last place player moves last to give him the benefit of seeing what everyone else does. * Don't lose M.U.L.E.s. If you outfit a M.U.L.E. but then realize that you don't have time to lead it to your land and install it, just take it back into the corral. You will get back the money you paid for the M.U.L.E. even though you will lose the cost of outfitting. * Use the "handicapping" system built into M.U.L.E. to even out the players. The Flapper character is for beginners; it gets extra money and more time. The Humanoid character is for advanced players; it gets less money and less time. The Economics of M.U.L.E. Pricing Prices are set by supply and demand. Prices go up when the supply is small and the demand is high; they go down when there is a large supply and little demand. For example, if there are 25 units of Smithore in the store and all the players are producing it, the store will offer a very low price to buy it. In M.U.L.E., the store sets prices using a formula based on principles of supply and demand, and also on the latest prices paid for the product. No store price can go over $265. Food, Energy and Smithore have minimum prices of $15, $10 and $14. Economies of Scale The "law" of Economies of Scale says that the bigger you are, the better you get. If you double the size of your operation, you more than double your effectiveness. This is because of things like mass production, and volume discounts on buying raw materials and building tools. In M.U.L.E., if you have two or more plots of land side by side, doing the same kind of production your M.U.L.E.s become more efficient, and overage one extra unit of production on each plot. Learning Curve Theory of Production In many industries, as you build more and more of a product you learn how to do it more efficiently. The "Learning Curve Theory" says that every time you double the total number of units you have ever built, you "learn' to build that product for 20% less. This is the reason that calculators and computers keep costing less and less every year. In M.U.L.E., you get an extra unit (on each plot) for every 3 plots of land you have that are all producing the same kind of product, regardless of where they are located. This is in addition to the bonus you get from economies of scale you get from adjacent plots. For example, if you had 3 Smithore mines, and 2 were side by side, each mine would produce one extra unit for the Learning Curve effect, and the 2 adjacent plots would each produce a second extra unit for the Economies of Scale effect. Diminishing Returns Just when you thought you had it wired, economics comes through with the "law" of diminishing returns. This law says that economies of scale and learning curve effects reach a point where they get less and less important. In M.U.L.E., you can see how this works if you try to develop a Smithore monopoly. At first you get high levels of production by locating mines in the mountains (where there are rich Smithore deposits), and getting the economics bonuses as well. Eventually you have to start mining for Smithore in the flat land to increase your economies of scale and learning curve effects. Sooner or later you reach a point where you get more value from giving up the economic bonuses and producing Food or Energy instead. The Prisoner's Dilemma Normally, in a free enterprise system, things work out best if everyone looks out for himself. However, there are some cases in economics, such as "The Prisoner's Dilemma" where everyone loses if each per-son spends too much time worrying about himself. In M.U.L.E., if the colony doesn't survive, everyone loses. If one player is really doing poorly, he can't afford to pay high prices to buy all the Energy or Food that you are producing. If you want a real challenge, try playing the Humanoid character against three computer players and see If you can get a total colony score of more than 100,000. If you can, we'd like to hear about it. Good luck! Standard Game There are several new rules in the Standard game that give you almost unlimited strategies. First, the Standard game lasts 12 turns. Second, the entire colony must have a total worth of at least $60,000, or you will all get sent home to work in a M.U.L.E. factory. Here are the other changes: Land Auction In the Standard game, the store auctions land immediately after each Land Grant. The number of plots auctioned each turn averages 1, but can vary from 0 to 6. The plot to be auctioned will be displayed by a black flashing square. After all the players press their joystick buttons, the auction begins. To bid, simply move your character up the screen above the minimum price shown. Your bid will change as you move just as it does in other auctions. When the timer runs out, the player with the highest bid (above the minimum) receives the plot. If no player moves above the minimum bid, the plot doesn't sell. The plot will be valued at $500 in figuring your net worth during the Summary no matter how much you pay in the Auction. Selling Land In the Standard game you can sell your land. If it sells, you receive all the money paid for it. If the plot doesn't sell, it will not be auctioned again unless you offer it again. To mark your land "For Sale," enter the land office without a M.U.L.E., and then go to the plot you wish to sell. When you are in the center of the plot, push your joystick button and return to the land office. To help you, the timer is turned off when you enter the land office to mark a plot. Land marked "For Sale" will be offered in the Land Auction the next turn. Selling land works differently than selling goods. When the Seller moves his joystick up and down to raise or lower the asking price, the price changes but the Seller doesn't move on the screen. The Seller can change his asking price at any time. If he does this, if he moves the asking price either up or down, the Buyer's bid is automatically rejected, and he has to move above the asking price again. When time runs out the Buyer who is highest, and above the asking price, gets to buy the land. There is no maximum price. Development In the Standard game the price of M.U.L.E.s varies from turn to turn depending on the number of M.U.L.E.s available and the number of undeveloped plots owned by players. Each game starts with 16 M.U.L.E.s in the corral. When these are gone, they can only be replaced in one way: by building more from Smithore. It takes two units of Smithore to build a M.U.L.E., and only the store knows how. Because of the difficulty, it takes the Store an entire turn to build a M.U.L.E. from the Smithore it buys. Needless to say the prices of M.U.L.E.s and Smithore skyrocket when the colony begins to run short of M.U.L.E.s. Another change in the Standard game: the M.U.L.E. will run away when you try to install him on your land, unless your character is directly over the house when you push your joystick button. Pushing the joystick button anyplace other than your plot will also cause the M.U.L.E. to run away. Auction Two changes have been made to the Auction phase. First, you can use your own judgement and sell products below your "Critical Level" if you think it is wise. Second, when the store has no units, the selling price for a unit of any product may go as high as Buyers are willing to bid. In other words, if one player really wants something, you can make him pay for it. Because the screen is only so big, it may look as if the buyer isn't moving, when his bid price is actually rising fast; so watch the bid price. So long as the seller does not move down from the top of the screen, no transactions are made, no matter how high the bid goes. This allows shrewd players to take advantage of their friends. One odd visual effect occurs if one player is bidding very high while other players stop raising their bids: the bidder doesn't seem to move anywhere and the non-bidder-s seem to be going backwards. The reason: it's all relative. The non-bidders last bid doesn't change, only their relative positions on the screen. Tips on the Standard Game * Conserve cash for the Land Auction. Land is very valuable. You should be greedy for land. Make the other players pay dearly for it. * During each player's turn there is a 25% chance of a random event, and there are 21 different events. The losing player will never receive a bad luck event, and the winning player never gets lucky. * In the Standard game, the production on each plot varies from turn to turn. Base Production is only the average production, and it varies from 0 to 8 units even if the M.U.L.E. has enough Energy. You might want to save a little extra Food and Energy as "safety stock" just in case you hit a streak of bad luck. * Random events may also come up just before the Production phase. There are 8 different types. Most affect all players, but a few only affect individuals. Watch out for the Pirate; he plunders everyone's Smithore. (In the Tournament game, he plunders Crystite, explained later). * The Standard game invites player interaction. Diplomatic and persuasive skills are often more important than knowledge. This is like life in the rest of the galaxy. * Don't be afraid of losing a M.U.L.E. or two -- especially if you have been hoarding Smithore. Remember: your opponents can't develop their land without M.U.L.E.s. And after all, it only hurts them if they're ahead of you (and their turn comes after yours). All you have to do is get a M.U.L.E. from the corral, outfit him for Food, leave the town, and push your button. That M.U.L.E. will disappear faster than you can say "Which way did he go?" * Speaking of "cutthroat" play, an occasional cutthroat maneuver may put you well out of reach of the other players. For example, if you have food and the others don't, try buying out the store instead of selling the surplus. This may keep a close challenger from catching you, and next turn you may have a monopoly! The Tournament Game adds two new concepts to M.U.L.E.-Crystite and Collusion. These two small changes turn it into a game that's almost entirely new. Crystite Crystite, which is found underground, is the fourth product available for discovery and development. Crystite varies with underground contours, rather than terrain type like other products. In each game, there are always 3 plots which each have base production of 3 units. These centers are surrounded by plots with base production of 2 and 1. Crystite cannot be mined in the river valley, because the boggy land makes mining impossible. There are two ways to discover Crystite. You can install a Crystite M.U.L.E. on your plot, and hope you have made a good guess, or you can take an "assay" first. To do this, enter the assay office in town, then visit the plot you wish to check. When you are in the center of the plot, push your joystick button to obtain a soil sample. When you take the sample back to the assay office, it will report Low (1), Medium (2), High (3), or No (0) Crystite deposits on the plot. You may take soil samples on any plot on the map, even those that no one owns yet. However, it might be tough to find the center of a plot that isn't owned, because you won't be able to see the shape of the plot. Keep trying. You'll get it sooner or later. Collusion .-------------------------------------. | F A U C T I O N # 1 F | | F O O D | | 50 | | SELL 29 | | M S | | | | | | | | # | | _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _B_ # | | _ _ _ _ _ _ _L_ _ _ _ # | | S # | | 15 M | | BUY 25 | | money 1276 372 1229 373 money | | units 0 0 1 1 traded | | | | C O L L U S I O N | `-------------------------------------' [ Graphic legend F = food symbol pitchfork and sickle S = store symbol, like a house M = Mechtron L = Leggite B = Bonzoid ] You agree to Collude in a private trade so the leading player can't buy your Food. Collusion is a powerful technique that allows players to make private deals, when collusion is in effect in an Auction, only the players involved can trade and the others are shut out. Although the basic approach is the same, Collusion works differently in Product Auctions than in Land Auctions. To start a Collusion during a Product Auction, two or more players push their joystick buttons at exactly the same time. (To make sure that the timing is perfect, you may even hove one person push BOTH the joystick buttons.) This starts a special Collusion timer, changes the color of the screen to pink, and causes the other players and the Store to fade into the background. Until time runs out, the players involved can concentrate on working out a deal between themselves. The game returns to the regular auction after collusion is over. .-------------------------------------. | L A N D A U C T I O N # 2 | | H I G H B I D I S $ 5 8 0 | | | | SELL | | B | | | | | | | | # | | # | | _ _ _ _ _ _ _L_ _ _ _ # | | S # | | M M | | BUY BUY 580 | | money 1231 372 1052 235 money | | | | C O L L U S I O N | `-------------------------------------' [ Graphic legend S = store symbol, like a house M = Mechtron L = Leggite B = Bonzoid ] Collusion works differently in the Land Auction. The Seller gets to set the price and select the Buyer. No prearranged signal or special timing is necessary. Here's how it's done: First, the Seller pushes his or her joystick button to begin the Collusion timer. The Buyer on the left will be highlighted and the others will fade into the background. That Buyer is the only one who can make a bid on your land. To select another Buyer, simply push your joystick button to select the next one on the right. Whoever you select can move his bid up or down, while you, at the same time, raise or lower your price. (Notice that the house does not move on the screen, but the price changes nevertheless.) As soon as the Buyer meets your price, he or she gets the land. If Collusion timer runs out before anyone meets your asking price, the game returns to the normal Auction. don't forget: if the Buyer you select isn't going to meet your price, you can always shut him off and "activate" another Buyer. Tips on the Tournament Game * The Tournament game starts with just enough resources to keep the Colony alive for one turn. You also get less time during the Development phase to place M.U.L.E.s on your plots. A good way to offset these changes is to be self-sufficient during the beginning of the game. Try to get one of the River plots for Food, and occasionally take an Energy plot next to the Food plot you have made, These two plots will probably keep you going through the first 3-5 turns of the game. * Crystite prices vary from $50 to $150 per unit, but are not affected by supply and demand on the planet. The way to make a killing on Crystite is to buy it cheap and sell it when it gets to its highest peak. * In the early stages of the game, look for Crystite by assaying plots if you have extra time. You should look for Crystite in preference over hunting Wampuses. The best way to earn enough cash to stay flexible is by speculating on Crystite. If you can find and obtain the richest Crystite plots you will be well ahead toward winning the game. * Speaking of Crystite, it is better to group plots together around a low or medium producing plot than to go for the plots with high concentration. By taking advantage of "the learning curve" and "economies of scale" you can produce much more Crystite than by going for the high concentrations and scattering your land holdings. * Don't be shy about transferring and re-outfitting M.U.L.E.s, particularly toward the end of the game. Victory can often be pulled out during the last 1-3 turns by swiftly converting all of your plots to the product selling at the highest price (usually Crystite). Build up a surplus of Food and Energy (particularly Energy) for the last turns, then go for it! * Trade Land by using Collusion! If you can talk one of the other players into trading a plot you need, work a private deal through Collusion. If you are skilled at negotiation, you should be able to make deals that are good for both of you. For example, you can greatly enhance your standing just by getting a key plot (particularly a plot which connects several other plots you already own). * The Pirate Ship is very dangerous in the Tournament game. No more than 2 Pirate Ships ever arrive during a game. If, for example, no Pirate ship has arrived, it is turn 9, and you have 50 units of Crystite in storage, SELL! * Watch for the "Fire in Store" special event. When it happens, the price of products will increase, particularly Smithore if M.U.L.E.s are scarce. * The computer player(s) in the Tournament game receive an extra $200 to offset your superior play. Try playing the Humanoid (advanced) character against the computer. You will be hard pressed to beat him! About the Authors The authors of M.U.L.E. have spent over 3500 hours writing and playing this game. Here are some of their secrets. DAN BUNTEN. I like to win by analyzing my options. When I am bidding in a land auction I use a little "rule of thumb" to determine how much a plot is worth. Multiply the number of turns left by 100 and add 500. This will give you the maximum bid you should make on any piece of property. In other words, bid high for land early in the game, even though you don't have much cash; but don't get sucked into a bidding battle later in the game just because you have lots of money. If you want to get really sophisticated, figure out what product you will develop on the land, then figure out how many units you'll average, and how much it will sell for. Multiply that by the number of turns left and add it to 500. This is how the computer player figures the value of each plot of land. But if you're like me, you won't be able to complete the full calculation before the auction is over. ALAN WATSON. Despite my experience with M.U.L.E., I have more ideas about how to play than about how to win. The way I play is conservative, and so I seldom win by a wide margin. It seems I need more than my share of property (11 plots) to win. So I try to get as much land as I can. Even so, I try to get adjacent plots to take advantage of economies of scale. Unless food prices are high (over $100), I try to convert all my Food M.U.L.E.s to Smithore or Crystite by the tenth turn. I also try to stockpile energy by then so I can convert my Energy M.U.L.E.s too. If I am behind, I always ask for advice. The suggestions don't always help, but they are usually good for a few chuckles that keep me interested. Finally, a few short tips: * The best way out of an outfitting shop is a downward-diagonal pull of the stick and then slide sideways. * The fastest way to get to the center of town is to enter from the top or the bottom. * If you play with someone who wins all the time (or the computer), try to figure out what they're doing. JIM RUSHING. I always try to make prudent and logical decisions throughout the game, especially in the early turns. You may never recover from an early mistake like missing a land grant, not becoming self-sufficient in Food and Energy, or not leveraging every penny of excess cash. Unless I capture a decisive advantage early in the game, I usually find myself in a dangerously vulnerable position. Then I have to use all my wits and cunning just to survive. I can often appeal to Alan's sympathetic nature and convince him to sell me one or two units of a needed commodity, but all I ever hear from Dan or Bill is something like, "You want it, let's see that price up to $300." Totally ruthless. One bit of advice: if you just happen to find yourself in a winning position, and in possession of the only surplus Energy in the colony, pause for just a moment to remember all those times when the other players have helped you out; reflect on all those times that they showed pity on you and kept you alive, think about the good of the entire colony ... and then, DON'T SELL. BILL BUNTEN. My advice is: play to win. As the game begins, get into Smithore. Grab a mountain plot next to the river. Immediately yell that you missed the river, and mumble about the need for Food production. Usually that will convince at least two of the others to buy river land and develop Food. Then don't sell Smithore to the store. You want demand to go up and the store's supply to go down. When the others start to notice, coast another turn by cursing your joystick for "inadvertently" flopping you to a Buyer when you were trying to be a Seller. By the next turn, they'll be getting suspicious, and they'll start selling all their Smithore to keep the price down. Play possum. Wait until they're almost to the store and then step a dollar above the store price and buy all the Smithore that you can. The cat's out now, and everyone's on to you. So next turn -- don't develop at all -- let M.U.L.E.s free. Grab one, outfit it for food, step out of the town and push your button. If you're quick you can set at least four free. Smithore's price should jump to over $200. You just acquired leverage. Sell all your Smithore at the next auction. And remember, there are drawbacks to being the winning player-you always lose ties in the auction. So, if you and another player both need Food or Energy, and you're winning, you must be conniving. Right before the auction starts, turn to him and make a chuckle like you just made a mistake. Make strong eye-contact and start explaining. By the time he realizes that the auction has started, you'll have that little jump. So buy all the product you need, and, for good measure, buy up any that he needed, too. [ Graphic omitted : Perpendicular pitchfork and sickle. ] (Food Symbol) Food determines the amount of time you have during Development. Average production for food in the River Valley is 4, in the Flatlands 2, and in Mountains 1. Food prices range from $15 to $250. The outfitting cost for a food producing M.U.L.E. is $25. [ Graphic omitted : Dish antenna. ] (Energy Symbol): Energy is used in the production of all products except Energy itself. The amount you need is based on the number of non-energy plots with M.U.L.E.s plus 1. Average production of Energy in Flatlands is 3, in the River Valley is 2, and in Mountains 1. Energy prices range from $10 to $250. The outfitting cost for an energy producing M.U.L.E. is $50. [ Graphic omitted : Perpendicular pick and shovel. ] (Smithore Symbol): Smithore is used in the production of M.U.L.E.s in the Standard and Tournament games. The store will produce 1 M.U.L.E. for every 2 Smithore units it buys from players. Average production of Smithore in the Flatlands is 1, in the River Valley is 0 (you may not mine Crystite or Smithore in the River Valley), and in the Mountains 1 plus the number of mountain symbols in your plot (1 to 3 mountain symbols). In the Beginner's game Smithore has a fixed price of $50. In other games Smithore prices range from $25 to $250. The outfitting cost for a Smithore producing M.U.L.E. is $75. [ Graphic omitted : Two horizontal shovels. ] (Crystite Symbol): Crystite can only be found when playing the Tournament game. All Crystite found is shipped off planet. Please refer to the Tournament game instructions for the locations of Crystite. Crystite prices range from $50 to $150. The outfitting cost for a Crystite producing M.U.L.E. is $100. ELECTRONIC ARTS 2755 Campus DRIVE SAN MATEO, CA 94403 (415) 571-7171 ********* End of the Project 64 etext of the M.U.L.E. Player's Guide. ********* The Project 64 etext of Jarek's PC64 emulator M.U.L.E. keyboard commands. ********* Newsgroups: comp.emulators.cbm Subject: Keyboard commands for M.U.L.E. (for my PC-64 emulator) From: v335ry46@ubvms.cc.buffalo.edu (JAREK) Date: 22 Mar 1997 19:00:17 GMT I recently picked up a shareware version of PC-64 mainly so that I could play this classic game again. When I was browsing through Dejanews to see what emulators worked with M.U.L.E. and any other useful information, I saw some questions about which keys were used to control keyboard players, and didn't see any complete answers for that question. Well, after some experimentation, I can tell you which keys serve this purpose on the PC-64 emulator and hopefully this will help anyone who may still be having trouble with this. For the left keyboard player, Q and Alt (possibly Left-Alt only?) move the player up and down, respectively. For the right keyboard player, the Delete key and backslash ("\") move the player up and down, respectively. When a keyboard player is picking which race he/she wants to play, the up and down keys will cycle through the choices for race, and pressing the up key simultaneously with the down key will select the race he/she wants. When taking their turn walking around the surface of the planet, keyboard players need to press a joystick button (whether it's an actual joystick or an emulation of a joystick on the keyboard) and then borrow the joystick controls until they are finished on the surface. I don't know yet how well the keyboard controls work for entering a collusion in Tournament mode. I assume that a keyboard player would need to press both their up and down keys simultaneously at the same time that either a joystick player presses his/her button or another keyboard player presses his/her up and down keys simultaneously. If I remember the help screens from PC-64 correctly (not having documentation in a printable file is kind of a pain sometimes....), the Delete key emulates Commodore's Cursor Up/Down key in that program. So if the Delete key serves a different purpose in someone else's emulator, this may help them find the key that works on their particular emulator. Hope this helps! ********* End of the Project 64 etext of Jarek's PC64 emulator M.U.L.E. keyboard commands. ********* End of the Project 64 etext of the M.U.L.E. package, Command Summary card, Player's Guide, and emulator keyboard commands. *********