Before you begin the game, there are two settings that you must select:
- The number of human players, one through four, and
- The challenge level of the game, beginner, standard, or tournament.
The number of players is an obvious setting, but the challenge level of the game affects some of the rules.
Challenge levels[edit]
Beginner[edit]
- The game only lasts 6 turns.
- Land is only obtained through land grants, never through land auctions.
- You can't sell your plots.
- The price of M.U.L.E.s is fixed.
- M.U.L.E.s will not run away, no matter where you install them on your plot.
- You cannot sell your own goods below a critical level (the full amount that you require for the next turn.)
- The selling price on goods is restricted.
Standard[edit]
- The game lasts a full 12 turns.
- Besides land grants, land can also be obtained through land auctions.
- You can put any of your plots up for sale
- The price of a M.U.L.E. fluctuates in accordance with the market value of smithore.
- M.U.L.E.s run away if you do not install them directly on the house icon in your plot.
- You may choose to sell your own goods below a critical level (the full amount that you require for the next turn.)
- The selling price on goods is not restricted, and can go as high as time allows.
Tournament[edit]
Everything from Standard rules, plus...
- You can outfit a M.U.L.E. to mine for Crystite.
- You can assay a plot to determine the amount of Crystite buried underneath.
- Trades on goods or land can be conducted privately between two players through collusion.
- Players only begin the game with enough goods to last just one turn.
Choosing your race[edit]
After you choose your color (the first player who presses his or her button when a particular color is on the screen gets that color), each player must select a race to play as. The computer players are always represented by Mechtrons, but there's nothing stopping human players from being Mechtrons as well. Despite the descriptions provided by the game, individual species do not appear to have any unique behavior or abilities.
There are two known areas where species are different. The first is the amount of money Humanoids ($600) and Flappers ($1600) start with. All other species start with $1000, this includes Mechtrons played by human players; computer players start with $1200. The other difference is the amount of time Humanoids (~35 seconds) and Flappers (~60 seconds) get to play their turns, assuming adequate food. All other species get ~45 seconds in which to play their turn, including human played Mechtrons.
Packer: From the Silicon System. They love food, and make excellent farmers when they don't gobble their crop.
Spheroid: From the Rolldoe System. Spheroids are well rounded pioneers that hate square corners and straight lines.
Humanoid: From the Earth Systems. Humanoids start with $400 less because they are too smart! Expert Species
Leggite: From the Afcany Plains. Leggites have their feet on the ground, heads in the clouds, and legs everywhere.
Flapper: From the Boird-Drop Galaxy. All Flappers receive an extra $600 in their nest egg! Beginner Species
Bonzoid: From the Armpull Galaxy. Bonzoids love climbing and are often found hanging around in the mountains.
Mechtron: Evolved from a robotic Mutation. Mechtrons are quick deciders & efficient doers. Computer Species
Gollumer: From the Nekite Galaxy. Gollumers love land. To get it they are willing to stick their necks out!
Once all human players have selected their races, the transport ship will land on the surface of planet Irata, and the game will begin...