Learn to Play Terraforming Mars in 13 minutes

How to play the Terraforming Mars base game in just 13 minutes (there's a few minutes of silliness in the front and back)
To support RTFM, consider pledging at / rtfm
Want to buy this game? Get it here amzn.to/2YfcGWF and it'll kick back a few bucks to me (or go to your friendly local game store, that's cool too)
Corrections:
9:27 - Reducing resources (due to a red bordered resource on a card) is optional. Reducing resource production is always mandatory, whether there is a red border or not. (Thanks to Jonathon Fryxelius for pointing this out)
Want to rewatch something?
Basics: 3:05
Set-up: 3:46
Phases of a round: 5:37
Global Parameters: 6:03
Action Phase: 7:38
Cards: 8:04
Resources: 9:34
Shameless Patreon Plug: 9:44
Standard Projects: 10:40
Awards and Milestones: 11:26
Production Phase: 13:05
Endgame: 13:44
Variants: 15:05
Twitter: / rtfmshow
Instagram: / rtfmshow
Personal Twitter: / sheasayswords
#tutorial #boardgames #RTFM #rtfmshow

[@paulhahn8073]

Hearing the words "When I was younger..." and "Wikipedia" in the same sentence made me feel incredibly old.

[@bottombarrelbudgetfilms1854]

I'm only 29 and me too. I remember being a kid finding out about Wikipedia and my brain exploding

[@pattyofurniture694]

Me too man, me too...

[@davidkunakovsky3155]

Cause you are old

[@BuzzKirill3D]

Explanation starts at 3:15

[@lucidchance]

You are a life saver. I was mashing the skip button

[@dave0754]

I didn't want to play Terraforming Mars because it looked complicated, but you made it sound simple. Now I really want to try it!

[@FryxNummer14]

Very entertaining :) Great job! The only flaw I see is that the red border doesn't imply that the effect is optional, it only means that it can target any player. Reducing resources is optional, while reducing production is always mandatory, even with a red border. That means that if your opponents don't have production of that kind, you must reduce your own.

[@RTFM]

Thanks for spotting that. I added a little correction in the description.

[@jangohemmes352]

Just opened the box of my new copy, and I see the designer's name: Jacob Fryxelius Coincidence, I think not!

[@kiwi_22222]

Our version of the rules specifically says at the top of page 10 that they are optional and you don't have to remove your own resources if you don't remove someone else's?

[@FryxNummer14]

@@kiwi_22222 As I said, removing resources from other players is optional, while removing production is never optional. If a card tells you to remove your own resources (=no red border) it is also mandatory.

[@kiwi_22222]

@@FryxNummer14 oh awesome, thank you for clarifying. My nanny kid and I just opened it today so we're still trying to figure it out!

[@danmei_rk]

Excellent guide. Been a while since I've played, so I had to refresh my memory, and your how-to videos are the most clear and concise I've seen yet. Thanks for sharing them!

[@RTFM]

Glad I could help!

[@centauri8820]

One BIG thing that isn't explicitly stated is that players have unlimited actions per generation. They may only take one or two actions on their turn, but as long as they can afford to do actions they can do so one/two at a time.

[@blork74]

came here to ask the same question👋

[@vwilliams9365]

I have seen you on Rahdo”s channel and enjoyed your runthroughs sand reviews. I just got Terraforming Mars and this was an excellent how-to-play video. Thank you. I am now a subscriber.

[@RTFM]

Thank you so much! Glad to have you!

[@brunoromiti7708]

your channel was the only to get me to properly learn above and below and dead of winter, so here I am to learn the one that just arrived today! thanks shae parker from RTFM!

[@RTFM]

Glad to help!

[@jogatinabg]

Excellent! I'm a huge fan of your work. Thx man for making awesome videos! A great hug from Brazil o/

[@Takrit.]

What's this? A non-cringey board game instructional video? How can this even exist? Seriously though, top job mate 👍

[@RTFM]

Thanks!

[@Cpl.Clawhammer]

SMBC T-shirt grants you instant credibility with me.

[@RTFM]

😎

[@kaganmorcom6022]

Great job guys! Us boardgamers are a lucky bunch for having you.

[@RTFM]

That's so nice, thank you!

[@MoneyDrugsMurder]

I love the coward pop up! Looks like you play the same way my friends and I do hahah

[@khristienpennanen1810]

Jeez another episode excellent!

[@chris.dillon]

"Support my patreon" popped up when you said negative money production + millenials. Wow. Bravo. :)

[@RTFM]

:D

[@cryogeneric]

The only issue I have with this game is that we always wind up with lots of excess heat and not much use for it. To my knowledge, there is one card that can be purchased that allows you to use an action to convert heat into a TR point and there is some incentive to fund the Thermalist, but it still seems vastly underutilized. I'm not sure if any of the expansions expand on this.

[@AdibIzuddin]

I haven't yet play this game, and thanks to your video. I will try to dive in onee. XD

[@Sagartkothari]

Excellent video! Subscribed!

[@RTFM]

Thanks!

[@andraslibal]

I definitely want to rework the pieces into hexagonal miniature forests and cities and oceans with the help of a 3D printer at some point. I already have the acrylic boards but I think one can do actually better than those ... sound like an exciting future project in the making :)

[@RTFM]

That sounds awesome! I've seen a few examples of people doing things like this and it always looks great.

[@VisionThing]

There’s an expansion for that now.

[@elesvazul]

it is also a very good game to play solo. I love to play with it :) It's worth the hype!

[@jamesedward3619]

How come so many Americans pronounce "temperature" as "tempicher"? Good instructional video by the way. Always appreciate your work RTFM.

[@RTFM]

Thanks! And as for temperature, I chalk it up to a combination of the difference in American/European phonetics and general laziness.

[@jamesedward3619]

@@RTFM It's funny because Americans usually pronounce everything better and more accurately. This is the only example I can think of where y'all don't quite nail it, haha.

[@RTFM]

@@jamesedward3619 Oh there are plenty of words we mess around with, especially based on the regional dialect. Don't get people started about how to pronounce caramel.

[@jamesedward3619]

@@RTFM True. It does come down to regional accents a lot of the time. I just find, in general, Americans pronounce words more like how they're actually written than the rest of us.

[@spencerme3486]

You should hear how Brit’s say “aluminum”

[@mirjanadugonjic8962]

Great video! 😀

[@RTFM]

Thanks!

[@katieatwell7909]

Support my Patreon on cue w the debt comment was chefs kiss.

[@RTFM]

:D

[@thomasromanelli2561]

Munch, munch... That's the sound of me chewing my own shoe, the result of an agreement I made with my gaming group who finally convinced me to try TM. I wavered a lot regarding this game, because I was simultaneously drawn by the hard science-inspired mechanics and great theme but repulsed by the absence of production values that would have made this title a must-back/buy for me (cheap metallic coated cubes that chip easily, inconsistent clip art card illustrations, thin player boards that send your pieces into their own orbit whenever someone bumps the table, etc.). I resisted for as long as I could, then gave in... OMG is this game engaging, even though I didn't win my first couple of games (my friends forgot a couple of rules). And now, through the wonder of 3D printing and Etsy or Shapeways, I can bling out my copy to my heart's content. I'll explore the many expansions later on, as I'm still discovering the various engines one can build to become the most effective corporation exploiting, er, I mean exploring the Red Planet. Thanks for your enthusiastic video which encouraged me to go all-in on this wonderful game. And now, back to my shoe. I wonder if it tastes better with some BBQ sauce? 😉

[@RTFM]

It's definitely more than it seems at first glance. Glad I could help!

[@trueleox]

I just bought the Big Box expansion with the metal cubes and the notched boards and they are great, regarding the images I think is more of a personal taste, I do like them even if some look slightly tacky.

[@SaschaKleiber]

Can't click on the thumbnail at 15:15, whats the name of his channel?

[@RTFM]

Their channel is called The Brothers Murph. Definitely recommend it and their Twitch streams.

[@pombricks]

I am now ONE step closer to playing this game. BUT after watching a couple of explanatory videos I still haven’t gotten an answer the question that got me and my wife in to our furst argument about the rules: When choosing 1 or to actions, can you choose to do a certain action twice? Let’s say playing a card from your hand two times or any of the other actions?

[@RTFM]

Yes, you can do the same action twice in a turn.

[@LiiChinHo]

Rebellion is one of my favorites and I can't way to hear someone talk about it enthusiastically. Can you include the expansion as well m

[@RTFM]

I will be including the expansion. Patreon backers will get early access, but it'll be released to everyone a month after the base game video goes up.

[@thomasjefferson5227]

Have you thought about making one for Aeons End?

[@RTFM]

I have, though my Patreon backers get to decide which games I actually end up teaching.

[@timosaruh9232]

Nice vid. Clear and to the point. Still have a couple of qs though: 1: the round continue until every player has passed. In a three players game, can the third player do as many action he wants if the other two has passed? 2: there are some other tiles than ocean, town and forest. How do they play? 3. On some cards there are mentions of Animals and planktons? Whats the deal here?

[@RTFM]

Thanks! To answer your questions 1: yes 2: unique tiles are added by specific cards, which will tell you what their requirements and abilities are. 3: microbes and animals are special resources that are collected on cards that produce them. They have no function on their own, but some cards will grant points for them or use them to fuel other abilities.

[@christophercerone927]

thank you for teaching me🐧

[@AmongUsAcademy]

09:16 are red borders optional? I thought someone had to be affected - and if no opponents chosen, it would be you

[@RTFM]

When individual resources have a red border, that's optional and can affect anyone. When resource production has a red border, that's not optional and must affect whoever plays it.

[@andreliddicoat3836]

Could you guys do Mage Knight? Please. Love your video's

[@RTFM]

Thanks! As of right now my Patreon backers get to choose which games I teach. If that's something you really want to see, join the Rules Lawyers and put it in the suggestion post.

[@doomguy5216]

I wish I could play with you only to not pay attention as you explain how to play and continuously ask questions you’ve already answered until a drive you to the brink of insanity

[@RTFM]

Well you already sound like my friends...

[@gqsnowman]

Hmmmmm.... a name for that kind of turn. PoP turns for Play or Pass?

[@RTFM]

I can get behind that.

[@TheSemlerk]

@@RTFM how about the "nitty gritty"? haha

[@abdurahmanpelletier8134]

11:15 wtf are money dollars????

[@colonelpopcorn1947]

It's called 'action phase'

[@jayelliott7847]

"Russian roulette style action" is what I call them you go round and round then players say pass and that counts as them losing Russian roulette

[@treythelegendarygamer]

3:02 is what you came for

[@bottombarrelbudgetfilms1854]

as JonTron once said "I get it! .... I don't get it"

[@dddrock1420]

slam an as-teroid

[@VisionThing]

Thanks for the video, but you speak so fast I have to constantly rewind. Also the highlights are subtle so when something is shown I have to rewind there too. A slower tempo would make it a better tutorial. Please keep in mind that all of the concepts are new to users who haven’t played the game before. The fast talking also makes it hard to hear what you are saying, I can’t for example hear what is said at 6:08. Edit: Oh it says "raising the heat…". But I have to rewind to have time to catch how you do that…

[@Vicioussama]

Wouldn't slamming an asteroid spew up dust in the atmosphere and LOWER the temperature? lol

[@RTFM]

I can't say I completely understand the science behind it, but diverting asteroids is a method that scientists are recommending when it comes to actual terraforming ideas. It often has to do with bringing in gases to help create an atmosphere, as well as releasing gases and water that are trapped on the surface of Mars. Interesting stuff, but again, the details are a little beyond me.

[@chow_land]

Sarah SilverMAN

[@ayisch]

You know its real because it looks so fake

[@SaschaKleiber]

This game looks so ridiculously complicated.... Think I am watching the video for the third time now. Way too much to remember and observe... :-(

[@RTFM]

It is complicated to be sure, though I definitely found that after playing it once I had a much better understanding of the rules and the basic flow of everything.

[@trueleox]

I suck at reading rules or even understanding game rule explanations, however by playing the game a couple of times you will definitely get the handle of it, I don't recommend waiting too long between playthroughs tho.

[@katherinethomas8721]

I agree. My husband is desperate to get this but I've watched two different videos now and it just looks too much for me to enjoy playing. I also don't like the theme and artwork much. I prefer pretty games. I really want to like it because I've heard great things but there's just too much going on/to remember 😕

[@sammypsycho8273]

I was watching until your "climate change" agenda.

[@topherflynn3762]

Climate change is reeaaaalll my guy

[@buschiew300zx]

I'm glad someone else said it. Nothing of what the Climate Change Disciples have said would happen has. Please move on. Al Gore's movie has been completely debunked.