i try to connect to server and it says connection failed, paid and downloaded Mule and cant play it. computer dumb i guess
Hi. Thanks for the purchase and the inquiry. I'm sorry you've been having difficulties playing MULE Online.
MULE Online is also playable offline by selecting Create Game > Game Location: Offline
Games played this way are similar to how we used to play MULE on our home computers in the 80s.
Although I wish MULE Online had multiple online games being played 24 / 7, it simply just isn't that popular of a game. So it's quite likely you will not find a game waiting for players to join that you didn't already expect, such as if you had scheduled a game to play with friends.
You can host an online game in a couple methods or you can join an online game already being hosted.
Select Create Game > Game Location: Online > Host Location: Remote Host
This method will ask one of the MULE Online servers to host a game which you and others will join.
Select Create Game > Game Location: Online > Host Location: Local Host
This method expects that your local computer is set up to host a game--most importantly, having a specified port number open for others to join.
In either case, these games will be listed as available games to other players online as long as they are in the "lobby" phase of setting up a game. To see these games:
Select Join Game > Join Method: Select > Select game by name from list
Select Join Game > Join Method: Specify > Specify game by entering its Join Code / Game Address
Players that have started hosting a game or have joined a game will see its Join Code listed in the final lobby screen (classically, the screen where all players press their buttons to then fly to planet Irata). Players have the option to share Join Codes with other people. Alternatively, and particularly useful if a player hosted a game on their local computer, host players can share their computer's IP address which players can use to connect to their game. It's worth noting that the Specify Join Method was most useful in the recent past where it was an option to make a game private. Currently, it is not possible to make a game private; this feature will return in a future release.
Once an online game actually starts, it is delisted from available games to play. Neither active offline nor online games are listed or observable by players not associated with such games. There may be value in showing people are playing the game and there may be value in allowing people to join games as spectators, but no work has gone into such.
Everyone is invited to join the World of MULE Discord server:
https://discord.gg/eSMCJ2NGdQ
There exists a group that plays MULE Online every Monday fairly consistently. "MULE Mondays" as it were--sounds pretty catchy!
Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns. Happy MULEing!