MLN Mail

My LEGO Network Mail (MLN Mail) is the system used in My LEGO Network to send and receive messages to and from other users and Networkers to your Mailbox.

The Messaging System
The Mail system incorporates a series of pre-programmed messages under various sections such as:
 * "General", which contains messages such as "Hey", ":)" and "Yes/No"
 * "Trading", such as "Can you help me", "Got the goods?" and "Terrific Trade!"
 * A "For Networkers" section which has "Could you please give me a Hint?", "Give me a Sticker! Please?", and "I wanna rock! Send me a Loop please."

There are also various other sections useful in communicating within MLN.

To see full list of messages click here.

Trading
The MLN Mail is also an alternate way to trade Items instead of the Trade Module. One can send mailable Items through the Mail as an attachment. Then the recipient can send an Item back, or click on requested Modules, whichever was decided. Unfortunately this way of trading is risky, as the second person is not required to return the favor, and many scam artists operate in this way.

However, sending Items to Networkers through the mail is fine, since any Networkers is a pre-programmed robot, and will always respond to the Item you send them. For example if a user sends MacRacer a Tire, he will send the user a Nitro back.

If the Networker has not been programmed to respond to the Item, i.e. they don't know what to do with it, they will send the Item(s) back to the user, along with an "I don't get it" message.

There is a downside to sending Items to Networkers, however. It is very inefficient if, for example, if the user has plenty of Tires and would like to obtain an equal amount of Nitro. If the user sends all of his/her Tires, then he/she will only receive one Nitro, and any extra Tires sent will be lost. In order to make large exchanges, the user must send the Items one by one.

Rewards
Sometimes the MLN Mail can be more than a message system. As the user progresses through My LEGO Network, they are sometimes mailed messages by Networkers, with an enclosed reward or offer. For example, after the LEGO Beta Period, users who Beta Tested the game got a letter from Echo which had an Echo's Letter of Thanks, 50 Red LEGO Bricks and the Beta Tester Badge. Another Beta letter has come through recently from Pedalman Wheelie who asked MLN users to help Beta test a new LEGO Racers game, with the reward of a LEGO Racers Challenge Beta Tester Badge; though the Badge has not yet been publicly released.

Similarly, the Mail system is frequently used during Mini-Rank campaigns such as the BIONICLE campaign, whereby Raanu will send messages of what the user must do next. At the end, after mailing Raanu the Glatorian Contract, the user receives the Agori Honor Badge, Rank 5 Blueprint via the MLN Mail.

Befriending Networkers
After a user befriends a Networker, the Networker will send either a message along the lines of "Sorry, you're not ready... I'll befriend you when you've build a certain Masterpiece"; or they will befriend the user and will write a short description about themselves. Often the player can gain vital information within the description about what they must do to progress through the MLN Ranks, or if the user is smart, any secret Mini-Ranks. For example Jen Juniper and Flora hint at "liking flowers", whereby if the user sends a Potted Plant, they enter the P.O.S. Mini-Rank.

Formatting Features
The Mail system has a special formatting system that allows Networker messages to contain text with checklists and links. The first feature, the checklist, was introduced by Old Capt Joe. It appears as a pale blue box at the bottom of the message with a check mark at the top left. This feature is currently in use in several recent campaigns.

The second, the link, also first appeared in a message from Old Capt Joe. Like hyperlinks in Web pages, the link, when clicked, takes the user to a different Web page. Links appear as underlined black text.

Criticism
The MLN Mail system has received minor criticism for the lack of being able to communicate through user-written messages. This feature has been intentionally omitted to comply with COPPA law.