What does "Auto-Select: Better" do?

[JMarmot]

What does "Auto-Select: Better" do? "Better" could mean different things depending on the phase of a game, a better result could mean more credits, instead of points, or the other way around. So how does the preference determine the "better" effect?

[Meeplelowda]

What does "Auto-Select: Better" do? "Better" could mean different things depending on the phase of a game, a better result could mean more credits, instead of points, or the other way around. So how does the preference determine the "better" effect?

It only selects it if the choice is clear, for example, one credit only vs. 2 credits only with no other options available such as a red power. If it is a choice of one credit and +1 income vs. 2 credits, or 1 rocket vs. 4 credits, it won't auto-select either one.

[NinePointOh]

Right, from what I can tell it only decides that an option is "better" if the units are exactly the same -- e.g., more gold versus less gold, or more points versus fewer points.

I've noticed it will not even make the choice for you if that choice is between "1 gold + place a cube on an action card" and "just 1 gold" even though I would personally consider the former to be strictly better than the latter. Any difference whatsoever in the type of reward rather than just quantity, and the player makes the choice (unless someone else has noticed a counterexample I haven't).

I am good with the way it functions, as it seems to speed up gameplay without making decisions anybody would conceivably dislike.

[pjt33]

To clarify "if the units are exactly the same": it only compares income, money, and VP. If either option involves anything else, it makes you choose. If those are the only things in play and all three are at least as good with one choice, it takes that choice. If you have cubes on an ability which lets you increase the sum and anything at all on the sum, it makes you choose, even if using the cube would have negative value. I would prefer it to be less conservative, but I understand that they've kept it simple.

[JMarmot]

Thanks everyone for the clarification.