Main differences between C64 and Atari 800 M.U.L.E.

[Delmoko]

Greetings M.U.L.E fans!

 

Having just played our first game of M.U.L.E for the C64 yesterday (I played it once on this system 3 or 4 years ago, but don't remember that), here is my observation of pros and cons between the two systems for M.U.L.E.:

 

1. Sound -- the sound is just plain "off" in the C64 version. Not a huge deal, but some of the sound effects actually

sound more like glitches to me. Some of the sounds are cooler tho, like outfitting a MULE or when a MULE goes

crazy from Radiation. It's very nice to have something different though.

2. Planetquakes -- in the Atari version mountains will usually move with a planetquake, therefore getting rid of any MULEs stationed

on that land (and causing a lot of cursing and thrown joysticks). In the C64 version the whole board moves (nice graphic),

but moutains do not. We had 3 planetquakes in this game, which I think is enough to verify this.

3. Speed of Avatars -- no, I'm not talking about Ultima IV or Iolo here. It seemed that our players (Gollumer and Spheroid) were equally

fast (or slow). In the Atari version the Spheroid is MUCH quicker than the Gollumer, and in my opinion rarely has a problem

getting 3 things done. Quite an advantage. I like how this is evened out on the C64 (mainly because I play the Gollumer!).

4. Beginning of round bonuses/take aways: -- there appeared to be a lot more of these in the C64 version. For example, the computer

player actually LOST a plot of land! I don't think I've seen that in the Atari version. Also, I got a $200 bonus in the first round.

More often than not there was a bonus or take away at the beginning of my play. I really like this about the C64 version... it just

seems to make it more fun.

5. Graphic Animations -- the C64 has neat little touches on these. The METEOR SHOWER looks great, as it falls in perspective onto the

play field. They also make FIRST FOUNDER larger at the end of the game, as he should be... because he's the WINNER!

6. The Wampus -- While the Wampus is easier to see for the most part, I think he jumps around a little more in the C64 version. Also,

even if he doesn't move, the sound effects will change. This can be disorienting. Also, as soon as you hit the button you're

back on the play field. There is a few second delay with the Atari version. For some reason I thought you could catch the

Wampus more than once, but catching him EVEN once was hard enough so I don't think that's the case (perhaps I was

thinking about the horrible NES version).

7. Automatic Pause Screen -- If you don't touch anything for 5 minutes (I think) the game automatically goes into a PAUSE SCREEN.

That's a pretty cool function! I will post a pic of the pause screen for everybody to enjoy!

 

*** SIDENOTE: To pause the game in the C64 version, hit F1 not spacebar ***

 

All in all, I'll certainly keep the C64 version in my back pocket. My biggest gripe is the 2 joystick limitation. We recently started playing

2 vs. 2 on the Atari 800 (where we each play 2 players). It's hard to go back to playing just 1 player. If we ever want to play just 1 on 1 though and have 2 computer players, I would for sure take the C64 version.

 

** Does anybody know how to get 4 joystick play on a C64? Exact instructions would be awesome! **

 

In the meantime, I will leave my C64 set up right next to my Atari 800 in my living room. They compliment each other nicely.

If it were 1983, I'd have to be RICH to be able to live such a luxurious life! (like scoring over 100,000 as a colony in M.U.L.E.)

 

I will leave you with some pictures from our first C64 game.

I beat The Zonz again (duh). This is the 9th out of the last 10 games I've won. (90% for those of you keeping track at home).

The crazy thing is, if you look at the land set up The Zonz (green) had AMAZING land! (super high, 1 high, 3 medium Crystites).

I only had 2 mediums and 4 lows! Somehow I outproduced him in Crystite every round except the last.

I did have 1 more property than him, but for many rounds some of my plots produced NOTHING.

 

Your thoughts and opinions about either version are very welcome here!

Please keep sharing your M.U.L.E stories!

-- Orange Gollumer

[HuckleCat]

I recently started messing about with the A8 through Altierra, and do plan on getting one in the future.

 

MULE is the first game I have come across where I totally believe that the A8 version is superior to the C64. It's more colorful, the music is better, it plays smoother.

 

I even like the A8 version better than the NES version, which basically had 7 years to do a better job.

[Delmoko]

@Hucklecat: Do you like the NES version? I never was able to get into it. As you stated, it did have 7 years to get it's act together and make vast improvements,

but that obviously didn't happen. I wish they just faithfully ported the original to the NES... no need to make any "improvements."

 

There was supposed to be a MULE version for the Sega Genesis but it never came about because the good people at Sega wanted to change the commodities

to things like guns and such. Dan Bunten was against this.

 

All in all, I like the Atari 800 version over the C64 version, but because of the reasons stated above, I still enjoy the C64 version.

 

I wonder if using the 4 player multi tap (or two of them) for the Sega Genesis would help with making the C64 four joystick playable??

 

-- Orange Gollumer

[Delmoko]

Oh, and btw... love the RIVER CITY RANSOM avatar!

[HuckleCat]

The NES version was "ok". I really couldn't get into it either.

 

I did not know that about the Genesis version though. Too bad they wanted to change it so much. It would have been interesting just to see the original with a 16-bit "facelift".

[Delmoko]

Yeah, I have a feeling though it would have sucked like the NES version. Still, would have been interesting for sure.

 

I find it rare that a computer game makes a successful port to home consoles. Some I do like are:

 

Wizardry 1 and 2 (nes)

Wizardy 5 (snes)

Ultima 3 and 4 (nes and sega master)

Pool of Radiance (EXCELLENT for nes)... rumor is they were supposed to make CURSE OF THE AZURE BONDS too but never happened :/

Bards Tale (nes - hard to get into now, but loved it and beat it for my Tandy 1000 and the NES back in the day)

Might and Magic 1 (nes -one of the toughest CRPGs in my opinion)

Might and Magic 2 (genesis)

Buck Rodgers (genesis)

 

Really wish more "gold box" games made it to consoles.

 

Do you have any favorites?

 

--Orange Gollumer

[HuckleCat]

+1 for Ultima 4 for the Sega Master System. It was easily the best console port of any Ultima.

 

If you're into finding translated stuff for console emulators, there is a fully translated Wizardry Trilogy for the SNES. It's a really good remake. For some reason Japan really got into Wizardry.

 

I also agree totally with you on the Buck Rogers game for the Genesis. Too bad the 2nd one only stayed on the PC. Those games were to the gold box SSI games as 2400 AD was to the Ultima series.

[Delmoko]

Yeah, SMS version of Ultima IV blew NES version away.

 

I was trying to get that Wizardry trilogy to play on my SNES emulator for Dreamcast, but never could. The Japanese LOVE Wizardry... I think they made

at least 25 different Wizardry games for Japanese ports.

 

What is 2400 AD??

I really wish more Gold Box games came to consoles. I was just playing Curse of the Azure Bonds on my 386, VERY difficult.

The Dragonlance series of Gold Box games were AMAZING!

[HuckleCat]

2400 AD was a game by Origin Systems. It played like the early Ultima games, but had a sci-fi setting. It was actually pretty good.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2400_AD

[Delmoko]

http://crpgaddict.blogspot.com/2010/10/game-28-2400-ad-1987.html

 

Not sure if you happened upon this site.

The CRPG addict in my hero!

 

These few postings are about 2400 AD... I knew I remembered reading about it.

Enjoy his page!

[HuckleCat]

I actually have read his page before, it's pretty ineresting.

 

If you're ever interested in the SNES Wizardry Trilogy:

 

http://agtp.romhack.net/project.php?id=wizardry -- Translation patch for the rom.

 

http://byuu.org/ -- Best SNES emu.

[thorfdbg]

4.  Beginning of round bonuses/take aways: -- there appeared to be a lot more of these in the C64 version.  For example, the computer</p>

 

                   player actually LOST a plot of land!  I don't think I've seen that in the Atari version.  Also, I got a $200 bonus in the first round.

I seem to remember that a computer can also loose land in the Atari version. At least, this doesn't sound unusual for me.

7.  Automatic Pause Screen</strong> -- If you don't touch anything for 5 minutes (I think) the game automatically goes into a PAUSE SCREEN.

The Atari version has this, too. This is not a new feature.The Atari version also renders the winnder bigger - but only wider and not taller. C64 could also extend sprites vertically, the Atari couldn't do that this easily.Greetings,Thomas

[Delmoko]

Thanks for the clarifications, Thomas! Do you have any dicey M.U.L.E stories to share?

 

And Thanks for the link, Hucklecat!

[Rybags]

First Founder is only declared if the colony is judged well, IIRC the lowest 2 or 3 overall ratings won't give the award.

 

Unsure about C64 version but a small Easter Egg, "You Found it, Dabijial" appears if you pause then press Option and Start at the same time (I think that's the sequence).

 

Story: Long before LAN parties were conceived, while I was still at school a few mates and myself had the occasional all-nighter where we'd gather at one house with all our machines (usually a mix of mostly Atari with 1 or 2 C64s).

 

We had a 4-player game of MULE going probably ~ 4:30AM and it was my turn and everyone wondered why I just wandered aimlessly into the landscape, turned out I'd fallen asleep halfway through my turn.