I'm writing this as a guide to the Fast Auction option in Terra Mystica. From in-game chats, I gather that many users are a bit confused or baffled by the mechanic. It really should be the default option as it makes play go much faster.
Even though Fast Auction might seem complex and a little spooky, it is very important to recognize that it is constructed so that no one is screwed over---the faction you get will always seem like a "bargain" (or at least no worse than the others.) Most of the time people find they get a really good bargain.
[Note, that you have to be a little careful with Alchemists and Firewalkers (who use victory points early on for growth). It is unwise to ever say "I want Firewalkers no matter what" because it will be very unfun to start a FW game with 0 points!]
I hope this thread promotes better understanding of this mechanic and more adoption of it.
After I get some feedback, I might put this on the Wiki, but I don't think people look at the Wiki much.
Explanation of Traditional Auction
Skip this section if you are familiar with traditional auction.
In a game using traditional auction, players do not select the factions they will play, the just select what factions will be included in the game.
The first player decides what faction will go first in round 1, the second player decides what faction will go second in round 1, etc.
In a traditional auction, players bid one at a time on factions. This is done by players indicating how many points they are willing to start the game with. The most points you can start the game with is 40, and you can "outbid" other players by offering to start with fewer points. Each turn, a player either bids on a faction that has not been bid on or outbids an opponent on a faction that has a bid.
For example:
In the above situation, no one has bid on Conspirators yet. Okometsubu0321 is willing to start the game with just 25 points if get gets to play Prospectors. Thus, he is effectively willing to "spend" 15 points to get this faction (since the max is 40 points.) Alloran has indicated he is willing to start with 36 points with the Atlanteans. FBones is willing to start with 33 points as Treasurers. The 4th player must either choose to take the Conspirators (starting with 40 points), or will have to offer to play one of the other factions for less than the number currently shown. For example, he could offer to start the game with 35 points in order to have the Atlanteans, in which case Alloran would then have to make a bid.
The auction continues over many rounds until all the factions have a bid. Since players typically bid in 1-point increments, it can take many, many rounds to complete an auction. It turn-based games it can take several days or even weeks to complete the auction.
Fast Auction Context
When a game is played with Fast Auction, the initial selection of factions for inclusion in the game is as in traditional auction. But instead of players bidding one at a time, they see a screen asking them to indicate how many points they are willing to spend for each faction. Each player types a number [0 - 40] indicating the number of points he is willing to spend for each faction. This is important: If you enter "20" it does not mean that you will actually end up spending 20 points. (See later section).
Easy Way to Bid Option 1 --- Best to Worst
I am going to give key points later in this post, but if all you want is quick explanation for how to bid. Here is one strategy. It is the one I use.
To use this strategy: if there are any factions you absolutely do not want to play at all, set those factions to 0.
Set the faction you think is best to 40.
For the rest, determine how many points worse those factions are compared to the best faction, and deduct points as necessary.
For example, consider the example in the image above with Auren, Fakirs, Prospectors, and Firewalkers.
Let's say you absolutely did not want to play Auren... either because they are boring, weak in this situation, or you are just wanting something different. Then they would get a 0.
Let's say you think Prospectors are the best faction here. You would enter 40 for them.
Let's say you think Fakirs are 15 points worse than Prospectors , then you would enter 25 (40 - 15) for them.
And if you think Firewalkers are 6 points worse than Prospectors , then you would enter 34 (40 - 6) for them.
Note, it is EXTREMELY unlikely that you would actually have to spend 40 points to play Prospectors or 34 points to play Firewalkers. (See the "Key Points" sections below for details).
Easy Way to Bid Option 2 --- Worst to Best
This is a second option. You can use this if you are ancy about spending too many points.
However, with this version you cannot absolutely forbid a faction like you can with Option 1
To use this auction, order the factions from worse to best.
Set the number for the worst faction to 0 points.
Set each other faction's value based on how much better it is than the next worst one.
Using our example: Auren, Fakirs, Prospectors, and Firewalkers.
Auren are worst (or you don't want to play them), so they get a 0.
Say you consider Fakirs to be only 5 points better than Auren, so enter 5 for them.
You consider Firewalkers to be 9 points better than Fakirs, so enter 14 (5 + 9) for them.
You consider Prospectors to be 6 points better than Firewalkers, so enter 20 (14 + 6) for them.
The rest of this post discusses key points underpinning the methods described above.
First Key Point: Give Higher Numbers to Better Factions
The biggest mistake a player can make is get this interface confused with the traditional auction interface. In the traditional auction, all factions start at 40 and players enter lower and lower numbers, the lower the number, the more you want the faction and the more points you are willing to spend to get it.
With Fast Auction, the situation is reversed. The more you wan a faction, the higher the number you must enter because you are entering the number of points you are willing to spend, not the number of points you start the game with.
Second Key Point: Algorithm Works by Bargain Hunting
To understand the way the Fast Auction works, it simulates an auction in the background where each player looks for the best bargain based on the current bids and the numbers each player entered. It does this by looking at how big the difference is between the current bids and the most the player is willing to spend for each faction.
By way of an example, let's say that in this (virtual, hidden) auction, the situation is as shown in the first image:
Prospectors: 13
Atlanteans: 9
Conspirators: 0
Treasurers: 10
So the player things Prospectors are best, then Treasurers, then Atlanteans. The player considers Conspirators the worst faction here.
To determine which faction is the best bargain, the program compares how much the player is willing to spend to how much would be required given the current auction to give a sense of how good a deal the player might get with each:
Key Point 3: Only Relative Values Matter
The next key point to understand is that the absolute numbers you provide do not matter. Only the relative values (how big each is compared to the others) matter.
Take the example described in the last section:
Prospectors: 13
Atlanteans: 9
Conspirators: 0
Treasurers: 10
The actual numbers don't matter. All the matters is that Prospectors are 3 points better than Treasurers, Treasurers are 1 point better than Atlanteans, and Atlanteans are 9 points better than Conspirators.
If the 4th player instead had these numbers the result would have been exactly the same.
Prospectors: 33
Atlanteans: 29
Conspirators: 20
Treasurers: 30
I just added 20 to each one. From a bargain-hunting perspective, you get the same results.
Even though Fast Auction might seem complex and a little spooky, it is very important to recognize that it is constructed so that no one is screwed over---the faction you get will always seem like a "bargain" (or at least no worse than the others.) Most of the time people find they get a really good bargain.
[Note, that you have to be a little careful with Alchemists and Firewalkers (who use victory points early on for growth). It is unwise to ever say "I want Firewalkers no matter what" because it will be very unfun to start a FW game with 0 points!]
I hope this thread promotes better understanding of this mechanic and more adoption of it.
After I get some feedback, I might put this on the Wiki, but I don't think people look at the Wiki much.
Explanation of Traditional Auction
Skip this section if you are familiar with traditional auction.
In a game using traditional auction, players do not select the factions they will play, the just select what factions will be included in the game.
The first player decides what faction will go first in round 1, the second player decides what faction will go second in round 1, etc.
In a traditional auction, players bid one at a time on factions. This is done by players indicating how many points they are willing to start the game with. The most points you can start the game with is 40, and you can "outbid" other players by offering to start with fewer points. Each turn, a player either bids on a faction that has not been bid on or outbids an opponent on a faction that has a bid.
For example:
In the above situation, no one has bid on Conspirators yet. Okometsubu0321 is willing to start the game with just 25 points if get gets to play Prospectors. Thus, he is effectively willing to "spend" 15 points to get this faction (since the max is 40 points.) Alloran has indicated he is willing to start with 36 points with the Atlanteans. FBones is willing to start with 33 points as Treasurers. The 4th player must either choose to take the Conspirators (starting with 40 points), or will have to offer to play one of the other factions for less than the number currently shown. For example, he could offer to start the game with 35 points in order to have the Atlanteans, in which case Alloran would then have to make a bid.
The auction continues over many rounds until all the factions have a bid. Since players typically bid in 1-point increments, it can take many, many rounds to complete an auction. It turn-based games it can take several days or even weeks to complete the auction.
Fast Auction Context
When a game is played with Fast Auction, the initial selection of factions for inclusion in the game is as in traditional auction. But instead of players bidding one at a time, they see a screen asking them to indicate how many points they are willing to spend for each faction. Each player types a number [0 - 40] indicating the number of points he is willing to spend for each faction. This is important: If you enter "20" it does not mean that you will actually end up spending 20 points. (See later section).
Easy Way to Bid Option 1 --- Best to Worst
I am going to give key points later in this post, but if all you want is quick explanation for how to bid. Here is one strategy. It is the one I use.
To use this strategy: if there are any factions you absolutely do not want to play at all, set those factions to 0.
Set the faction you think is best to 40.
For the rest, determine how many points worse those factions are compared to the best faction, and deduct points as necessary.
For example, consider the example in the image above with Auren, Fakirs, Prospectors, and Firewalkers.
Let's say you absolutely did not want to play Auren... either because they are boring, weak in this situation, or you are just wanting something different. Then they would get a 0.
Let's say you think Prospectors are the best faction here. You would enter 40 for them.
Let's say you think Fakirs are 15 points worse than Prospectors , then you would enter 25 (40 - 15) for them.
And if you think Firewalkers are 6 points worse than Prospectors , then you would enter 34 (40 - 6) for them.
Note, it is EXTREMELY unlikely that you would actually have to spend 40 points to play Prospectors or 34 points to play Firewalkers. (See the "Key Points" sections below for details).
Easy Way to Bid Option 2 --- Worst to Best
This is a second option. You can use this if you are ancy about spending too many points.
However, with this version you cannot absolutely forbid a faction like you can with Option 1
To use this auction, order the factions from worse to best.
Set the number for the worst faction to 0 points.
Set each other faction's value based on how much better it is than the next worst one.
Using our example: Auren, Fakirs, Prospectors, and Firewalkers.
Auren are worst (or you don't want to play them), so they get a 0.
Say you consider Fakirs to be only 5 points better than Auren, so enter 5 for them.
You consider Firewalkers to be 9 points better than Fakirs, so enter 14 (5 + 9) for them.
You consider Prospectors to be 6 points better than Firewalkers, so enter 20 (14 + 6) for them.
The rest of this post discusses key points underpinning the methods described above.
First Key Point: Give Higher Numbers to Better Factions
The biggest mistake a player can make is get this interface confused with the traditional auction interface. In the traditional auction, all factions start at 40 and players enter lower and lower numbers, the lower the number, the more you want the faction and the more points you are willing to spend to get it.
With Fast Auction, the situation is reversed. The more you wan a faction, the higher the number you must enter because you are entering the number of points you are willing to spend, not the number of points you start the game with.
Second Key Point: Algorithm Works by Bargain Hunting
To understand the way the Fast Auction works, it simulates an auction in the background where each player looks for the best bargain based on the current bids and the numbers each player entered. It does this by looking at how big the difference is between the current bids and the most the player is willing to spend for each faction.
By way of an example, let's say that in this (virtual, hidden) auction, the situation is as shown in the first image:
- Okometsubu0321 is willing to spend 15 for Prospectors (requires offering to spend 16 points to outbid)
- Alloran is willing to spend 4 points to play Atlanteans (requires offering to spend 5 points to outbid)
- FBones is willing to spend 7 points to play Treasurers (requires offering to spend 8 points to outbid)
Prospectors: 13
Atlanteans: 9
Conspirators: 0
Treasurers: 10
So the player things Prospectors are best, then Treasurers, then Atlanteans. The player considers Conspirators the worst faction here.
To determine which faction is the best bargain, the program compares how much the player is willing to spend to how much would be required given the current auction to give a sense of how good a deal the player might get with each:
- Prospectors: 13 vs 16 -> already requires more than willing to spend
- Atlanteans: 9 vs 5 -> A bargain of 4 points
- Conspirators: 0 vs 0 -> A bargain of 0 points
- Treasurers: 10 vs 8 -> A bargain of 2 points
Key Point 3: Only Relative Values Matter
The next key point to understand is that the absolute numbers you provide do not matter. Only the relative values (how big each is compared to the others) matter.
Take the example described in the last section:
Prospectors: 13
Atlanteans: 9
Conspirators: 0
Treasurers: 10
The actual numbers don't matter. All the matters is that Prospectors are 3 points better than Treasurers, Treasurers are 1 point better than Atlanteans, and Atlanteans are 9 points better than Conspirators.
If the 4th player instead had these numbers the result would have been exactly the same.
Prospectors: 33
Atlanteans: 29
Conspirators: 20
Treasurers: 30
I just added 20 to each one. From a bargain-hunting perspective, you get the same results.
