I still have the original MOO on my HD; got a bargain bin copy a few years ago as a Christmas gift. I still play it occaisionally when I'm in the right mood. I like the research allocation bars and completion time uncertainty in it, and the personality in diplomacy.
You remember the Mrrshan correctly.
SE4 is absorbing the biggest share of my free time, though. I've only barely begun to explore it. I'll take gameplay over flashy animation if I have to choose between them. And the static art in SE4 is still gorgeous.
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Cap'n Q