Planetarion is most likely no longer a game at all.
The servers have gone offline. Recently it was announced that the game was to close on December 23rd. There was an auction of sorts to sell on the game and allow it to continue under the stewardship of someone else. This is now not looking likely at all as the investors have decided to take control and stop paying for the servers and internet connection.
Ask any planetarion player and they will tell you just how addictive this game was. For some it changed their lives; it was not unheard of for lifelong friends (and even the odd marriage) to emerge from the community (irc mainly).
I wish the game, and especially its community, the best and I hope that it finds a home somewhere. I, and thousands of others, would hate to see it die.
edit: Planetarion has been purchased by jolt.co.uk.. A flame war between the merged communities ensues.