Show first player before selecting destination tickets

[Ceaseless]

There's a hosting option for that on BGA already, though it doesn't make much of a difference.

In many games it doesn't make difference because most set of tickets have just one reasonable choice, but in some games (5-10%? idk) it makes quite a difference to know if the opponent is gonna have one turn more than you or not

For ticket selection? What sort of ticket groups did you have in mind, that you'd pick differently for this?

[ExaltedAngel]

For ticket selection? What sort of ticket groups did you have in mind, that you'd pick differently for this?

Let's say I'm dealt a set like this against a 400 Elo player:


If I'm second I probably want to take 13+11 because I'm hardly gonna catch him off-guard by closing fast, since even if I close in 9 (9 tracks placements in addition to the regular 20 draws), he has an extra move for free. On the contrary, if I'm first there is a pretty high chance that I can win by closing in 9 with the 13 and I pick the 6 to ditch it because it's less points.
Maybe it's not the best example but I think it gets the idea

[Synthetase]

There's a hosting option for that on BGA already, though it doesn't make much of a difference.

In many games it doesn't make difference because most set of tickets have just one reasonable choice, but in some games (5-10%? idk) it makes quite a difference to know if the opponent is gonna have one turn more than you or not

For ticket selection? What sort of ticket groups did you have in mind, that you'd pick differently for this?

Not the one being asked, but I also agree that who goes first sometimes makes a difference. Not to start with a 2 ofc, lol. But the main point is that whether I go first tells me whether I'll get an "extra move". (i.e. If I go first and my opponent triggers endgame in 10 moves, I get 11 moves, whereas if I'm second, I get only 10.) This extra move can make a lot of difference sometimes, particularly in tournaments where both players play very efficiently and endgame is normally triggered in 9 or 10.

For example, let's say I'm dealt a bad set where my options are either take a pair intending to complete both with decent points, but might require 11 moves to complete, OR take a pair involving a negative tix, with very bad points, but which allows me to end faster. If I'm first, I MIGHT consider the former, because I still get 11 moves if my opponent ends in 10. If I'm second, under no circumstances will I choose the former, because then I'd only get to finish my route if my opponent also ends in 11 for whatever reason, which is very unlikely.

There are also some unusual strategies that only have a chance of working when you're first. For example, if you get very small tickets, there is the possibility of failing BOTH tickets AND losing longest in exchange for ending in 8. If you're first, that means the other player also only gets 8, which likely makes them also fail at least one if not both. If you're second, other player still gets 9, which... is usually enough for a decent route, so that probably won't work. Or for example, taking a combo planning to overdraw and complete a perfect 45-long route (same idea as the previous paragraph; if you're second your opp probably won't give you enough turns to).

Tbf, these are edge cases. Most of the time it doesn't matter. But I do strongly prefer playing with the setting on due to the cases where it does.

[speedypuzzlement]

I prefer the option where the turn order is known, as it reduces RNG.

For example, if you get very small tickets, there is the possibility of failing BOTH tickets AND losing longest in exchange for ending in 8. If you're first, that means the other player also only gets 8, which likely makes them also fail at least one if not both. If you're second, other player still gets 9, which... is usually enough for a decent route, so that probably won't work.

Funnily enough, I did get a game exactly like this. And I certainly wouldn't have done what I did if I was going second ...

https://boardgamearena.com/gamereview?table=846629908