Teotihuacan - How To Play

In this video we're going to learn how to play Teotihuacan! If you have any comments or questions, please do not hesitate to post them in the KZbin comments below.
NOTE TO VIEWERS (Jan 28, 2021): Since posting this video, some comments from the designer came to light that indicated to me that he has not overly concerned himself with the historical accuracy of the cultures he features in his games. This is something I haven't always paid attention to either, but I'm trying to be more aware of this, and I do think it is important to pay respect when appropriating another culture, especially in our forms of entertainment. This is something I'll be making an effort to do better research on for the games I choose to feature in the future.
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00:00 - Introduction
00:37 - Game Setup
08:25 - Game Play Overview
09:03 - Taking A Normal Turn
09:23 - Locked Workers
10:43 - Action: Collect Cocoa
11:11 - Action: Worship
12:44 - Palace Worship
13:11 - Temple Tracks
14:37 - Discovery Tiles
15:53 - Performing Main Actions
16:58 - Action Boards
18:38 - Alchemy Action Board And Technologies
19:54 - Noble Action Board
20:52 - Avenue Of The Dead
21:24 - Construction Action Board
21:39 - Pyramid Tile Placement Placement Guidelines
24:08 - Decoration Site
24:38 - Decoration Tile Placement Guidelines
26:39 - Advancing The Light Disc
27:03 - Worker Ascension
28:24 - Eclipses
29:16 - Scoring Eclipses
32:03 - End Game Trigger
32:22 - Declaring A Winner
32:35 - Game Variants
33:11 - Conclusion
#watchitplayed #boardgames #tutorial

[@sunlioness1]

You should be proud, this was really one of my top 5 explanation videos of all time! This game is so abstract, if it weren't for you, I would have stayed away. Great stuff!

[@WatchItPlayed]

So glad you found it helpful!

[@icypunk880]

Timestamp for the famous box toss 0:12

[@Sam-vk8xd]

YES!!! I bought this game like a week ago and I kept dreading having to go through the rulebook. You could not have picked a better time to be paid for this tutorial Rodney!!!

[@WatchItPlayed]

Happy to assist - let's learn it together!

[@wilgerken5221]

FWIW: Despite the fact that Teotihuacan looks complicated, it's truly not. Each action is straight forward, as are the choices per turn. In addition, it's a game full of small victories. You build up for something and carry it out. Then build up for something else. My key point being it's not a game where you build up to a single strategy or engine. Lots of small rewards instead. To me, the part that makes it initially seem complicated is that it is fiddly. The game itself though is quite smooth and in my opinion a medium weight game, rather than a heavy game like a Vital Lacerda game would be. If you like the theme and like a meatier game with a lot of small victories in it, I highly recommend it. It also plays great at all player counts, including two.

[@Medsas]

the rewards at the top of the tracks are pretty big and take some effort... I wouldnt call them "small"

[@ValueRobot]

dat setup time tho

[@JonathanA]

Very nice description of one of my favorite new games! Love the idea of "small victories"

[@JevousGaming]

“Today I’m going to show you how to play Teotihuacan...” 35 min later “...and that’s the setup.”

[@WatchItPlayed]

lol, not quite, but close!

[@onofreshoots]

I have been intrigued by this game for a while, but it looked so complex and intimidating. I’m glad Rodney came to the rescue! Definitely going to give this a try now!

[@WatchItPlayed]

You've got this!

[@Airdaman1]

Every time I watch one of these I am seriously impressed how thorough and put together these are....Seriously WOW!

[@WatchItPlayed]

Thanks so much Todd - glad you're enjoying!

[@mikkimcgrath3697]

Thanks for this well timed video Rodney! My husband and I are going through our game collection, doing all the games we haven't played yet. Your videos continue to be, hands down, the best instructions on set up and play. Also, the box top flip at the end is cool. Stay safe!

[@WatchItPlayed]

Very very kind of you to say Mikki. Happy gaming!

[@sandeepkharkar6277]

I've watched instructional videos from many folks and your's are my absolute favorite. If you've done one, I will not watch any other. Thank you for the excellent content.

[@WatchItPlayed]

Thank you for the very kind feedback!

[@VinegarAndSaltedFries]

Thank you Rodney, just watched this with my family and am about to play it. You are the best!

[@WatchItPlayed]

Have a wonderful time playing together :)

[@gamiagames4195]

The best explanation video of this game on the web! It looks much bigger then it actually is and your video explains everything so well. The time stamps are also great to quickly check something that is unclear. Great job!

[@WatchItPlayed]

Thanks so much for the very kind feedback - really glad you enjoyed the show!

[@GeddyLifeson2112]

Hello from New Brunswick Rodney! Another great video as usual!

[@WatchItPlayed]

Greetings back from PEI :)

[@simon5666]

The best explanation for this game in any online tutorial!!!

[@WatchItPlayed]

Ah, thank you kindly! Glad you liked it!

[@FrankMinogue]

Yuppers. This is a definite add. GREAT video. We really like civilization building games. I think this series deserves to make the collection. I have not gotten any of them yet, but watching this video made me look back at the other games. I really think we would enjoy them. You have opened more fun times again for us, Rodney. You are awesome. I cannot say it enough.

[@WatchItPlayed]

I think there's a lot here for you to dig into!

[@FrankMinogue]

@@WatchItPlayed well played!!

[@davidalexander8694]

Great job! Met you like 5 years ago at Gen Con and you were super nice. You are my Go To for all "How To" videos! Huge game and you simplified it in an easy to follow video.

[@WatchItPlayed]

Thank you kindly David - glad the video was helpful (And doesn't Gen Con seem like a long time ago now? Glad we got to meet!)

[@WatchItPlayed]

Thank you kindly David - glad the video was helpful (And doesn't Gen Con seem like a long time ago now? Glad we got to meet!)

Hi Rodney! Your rules explanation videos are totally awesome. Thank you for your good work. This is where I go first when trying to learn a new game and then the rulebook 😊

[@WatchItPlayed]

Very kind of you to say!

[@KrokusMetal]

Another nice box flip :) And thanks for the great review.

[@WatchItPlayed]

Very glad you enjoyed - thanks!

[@docteurslump5517]

One box to flip them all ... thank you for this great video Rodney

[@WatchItPlayed]

You're very welcome Dr. Slump!

[@eebo63]

Wow, that was a monster! It’s one of my favourite games and I thought I had the rules fully learned, only to discover from your video that I haven’t been claiming a +1 cocoa when taking the cocoa actions in all the games I’ve played! So thank you for pointing that out and for all you do for the gaming community. Stay safe 👍🏼

[@WatchItPlayed]

It's very easy to miss rules - I do it all the time, so you're in good company :) I'm glad you've been enjoying this game and that the video was helpful!

[@danvenables4935]

That box spin was slick! I guess you get a lot of practice doing them now as they have become your thing haha. Also a monster to teach, couldn't imagine doing that myself- you are the master game teacher Rodney! Looking forward to trying this on BGA, the pyramid tile laying section looks really cool, hope it's a big part of the game.

[@WatchItPlayed]

Thanks for the kind words - this had a lot going on, to be sure :)

[@emmadaley313]

writing on essay on teotihuacan and didnt even know there was a game until i saw this vid, how fun!

[@WatchItPlayed]

All the best with our essay!

[@JackieFox1976]

Looking forward to playing it, oh, two years from now or whenever I finally get sprung from my self-isolation!!!

[@WatchItPlayed]

Solo rules!

[@EmperorMAD]

I bought this game last year and it's been in my to learn pile up until the day before this video posted when I finally sat down and learned it out of the rule book. Oh well, at least I used this to make sure I got the rules right.

[@WatchItPlayed]

Never hurts to double check :)

[@keelahrose]

Thanks for the time stamps! Suuuuuper helpful!

[@WatchItPlayed]

Glad you like those!

[@NinjaGeekGames]

As always, great video Rodney!

[@WatchItPlayed]

Thank you kindly!

[@jamescrowder77]

Thank you for the informative video. This game is challenging to learn and without this video I don't know if I would have figured it out. You have a wonderful collection of games behind you but I really like the ASM 129. The first appearance of the Punisher is awesome!

[@WatchItPlayed]

My favorite marvel character :)

[@vannakern9463]

Definitely looks very interesting, the mahjong pyramid mechanic is a pretty nifty idea. This game could easily steal many hours of your life before you knew what had happened.

[@WatchItPlayed]

It's been a popular one to be sure!

[@rossmartens1690]

Excellent explanation for what looks like a monster of a game. Now I really want to play it!

[@WatchItPlayed]

Glad to know it was helpful Ross!

[@MaryPrasadArt]

Always love your rules explanations - very clear and concise.❤

[@WatchItPlayed]

Thanks so much Mary!

[@Tennethums1]

I would consider this game a, “must have” for any board game collection. It may not have all the obtuse miniatures or plastic bits that many new “games” are trying to sell but it does have what counts most; a solid, intriguing board game. It’s easily one of our top 5 in a collection that surpasses 300 games. It’s fantastic.

[@WatchItPlayed]

Glad you had a great time with this one!

[@george_castle]

I'm a little late to the party, but mine just came in today. Excited to start. Thanks for the explanation!

[@WatchItPlayed]

Never too late to enjoy a new-to-you game!

[@BobanSurbek-grifgraf]

Great explanation. First I read rules by myself, and then went to this video to see how it's played for real

[@WatchItPlayed]

Have a great time playing Boban!

[@Djsminisandmodels]

Looks very cool, def have to pick this one up.

[@WatchItPlayed]

Thanks for checking it out!

[@llandar2890]

Perfect timing. Miniature market just shipped my copy.

[@WatchItPlayed]

Fantastic - let's do this!

[@NinjaGeekGames]

Still have sealed on my shelf of shame, but thank you for this, it's sure gonna make learning the game so much easier. Good work.

[@WatchItPlayed]

You're very welcome - enjoy!

[@NinjaGeekGames]

@@WatchItPlayed I feel like a celebrity has commented on on my post!!! Love your work Rodney! #proudmoment

[@gsmithferrier]

A masterpiece of explanation

[@WatchItPlayed]

Very kind of you to say!

[@soenketrzaska]

What a wonderful gane and a perfect tutorial as well! 👏 Great job! 👌

[@WatchItPlayed]

Thank you kindly!

[@americoxx77]

Congratulations, I´m from Mexico and you are the only one reviewer that pronounced the name right! ... Great tutorial by the way, cant wait to play my copy of it!

[@WatchItPlayed]

That is a very kind compliment. I really wanted to do my best to get close - thank you!

[@seanfitzpatrick5307]

This was super helpful! Thanks!!!

[@WatchItPlayed]

You're very welcome Sean!

[@ishaansamag3935]

Question: How do you decide which board game to buy? / Answer: Rodney Smith. / / \ / V

[@henrywarrimor]

Awesome 👏🏼

[@jasonpmathew]

Love this game. Rodney rocks!

[@WatchItPlayed]

Glad this is one you've enjoyed Jason!

[@jasonpmathew]

Watch It Played just played it last night so timing was great!

[@Killer62Joe]

Simply, "clean" explanations.

[@marcellsilveira9938]

Amazing!

[@RulebooksForYou]

Great great game. Glad this got the Royal treatment!

[@WatchItPlayed]

Glad you've enjoyed this title!

[@ricochetjan]

Thanks!

[@WatchItPlayed]

You're welcome Jan!

[@AhJong0]

Great relief when a bigger game like this is on WIP - companies have got the right idea!

[@WatchItPlayed]

Glad you liked seeing this here!

[@markpapenfuss1111]

Nice

[@bryanpowell7945]

Teo/tihua/can with the em-phasis on the last syll-able.

[@unboxingboardgames3083]

Hi Rodney, I hope you consider to make tutorials for Vinhos 2016 and Caverna too, as rulebooks are a bit obscure. Consider to make?

[@WatchItPlayed]

Thanks for the interest Nima. I talk a bit about that here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/e5XXdaisfrqUbKM&t=342

[@hamizannaruto]

This looks like a very complicated game. Definitely not for me and my family. Still gonna watch because i love your instruction damn much. 1 question: Whats the thickest board game box you have and can you do a flip with it?

[@WatchItPlayed]

Maybe Mechs vs. Minions?

[@hamizannaruto]

@@WatchItPlayed Is it possible to flip it? XD

[@toweypat]

I love how they use cocoa as currency. It's a game after my own heart!

[@a-blivvy-yus]

With everyone panicking about coronavirus being the apocalypse, I'm expecting that chocolate will become a new (temporary) currency *SOMEWHERE*

[@xiuhtecuhtli]

That was the actual currency in Tenochtítlan and therefore in Teotihuācan

[@felipelavoura]

I have never played this game and I will do it soon with some friends on BGA. Seeing the video (and checking the rules), there's just one thing that I couldn't understand... when scoring masks during an eclipse, do they get "thrown away"? Or should I keep them so I can score them again on the next eclipse?

[@WatchItPlayed]

You keep them and they are scored every eclipse.

[@seanh5671]

Praise the Gods. This just showed up on BGA and I would have been too scared to play without your exceptional teaching skills. Off to lose my first game!

[@WatchItPlayed]

Have fun losing!

[@seanh5671]

@@WatchItPlayed Two wins in a row! I told them I had a good teacher.

[@JakubDowgird]

Hey! Thanks for this, veeeeeery helpful. There is one thing however, which I do not understand (not in the video, in the rules themself) - what does printed temples bonuses mean? 1/2/3/ 1 cocoa or 3/4/5/ 2 points or 2/3/4/ 1 resource? The rulebook says you can claim this reward, but I do not know what it is :/

[@wandiwillie4437]

1/2/3 refers to the number of discovery tiles you put during setup for 2/3/4 player game. The cocoa, points, or resources next to it are the bonuses you get when you land on/pass that spot on the temple track and choose not to take any of the discovery tiles.

[@JakubDowgird]

@@wandiwillie4437 Thank you :)

[@TheLuminousCleric]

It is actually mentioned in the video!

[@ThanatoselNyx]

Having the light disc cover the dark disc represent the eclipse seems weird! Surely it should be the other way around?

[@WatchItPlayed]

When they cross, do feel free to put the black disc on top.

[@moonpost]

the sun is higher up in the sky and the moon is closer to the ground?

[@irvinrules]

Great game. I find interesting your decision on the "players setup" (initial resources and dice placements) of the game. I feel like you should have teached the normal setup, instead of the "first time" setup. I find the latter more difficult to understand, and, making the first section of the video (well, the player's setup) not worth watching again.

[@WatchItPlayed]

I tend to focus on the "first play" experience. My theory is that if you've never played, then throwing all those extra rules at you is more of a burden then a help, AND once you know how to play and get through your first game, going back and learning those extra details on your own becomes much easier.

[@ryanbutcher8357]

I'm curious - how many takes, on average, does it take you to get that intro box-toss right?

[@Sam-vk8xd]

Rodney is a master box flipper, he gets it right on the first take. Most of the time, at least.

[@WatchItPlayed]

Let me show you: kzbin.info/www/bejne/b4i7hYGeaMumg5I

[@jonathonfreeman9233]

@@WatchItPlayed HA, thanks for sharing

[@user-mj6uh2df3n]

Video subtitle is wrong. It is related to another game. Is it possible to fix the subtitles?

[@WatchItPlayed]

There was a time when KZbin would auto translate videos, and sometimes get the language wrong. This was a carry over from that time. So I can't fix them, but I can remove them. Thanks for the head's up!

[@MartinLetendre]

Rodney is the Mr Rogers of boardgaming. You feel at home.

[@WatchItPlayed]

Very kind of you to say.

[@marcoferri4374]

Is it me or in the video is not mentioned the starting tile setup, where each player has to draw 4 starting tiles and then keeps only 2 of them? In any case what I don't understand in the setup is what's the point in placing your workers on the designed action board main area if then you have to move them once you have picked your 2 starting tiles. I am reading my comment twice and I hope it makes sense to you. thanks!

[@WatchItPlayed]

Hey Marco, the video explains that there are 2 different ways to setup, depending on whether or not this is your first game. We are setting up as if this is your first game, and the video tells people where to go if they want to play with the more advanced setup in later games.

[@marcoferri4374]

Watch It Played Rodney thank you very much for explaining that. I didn’t get that starting tiles were and advance set up. Just bought the game and I was going trough the rules with your video playing along. Thanks for the high quality content, as always.

[@WatchItPlayed]

@@marcoferri4374 Happy to assist - have fun playing!

[@marcoferri4374]

@@WatchItPlayed Rodney one more question just to clarify. How do I set up from the second game on? Do I just have to skip "first game set up chapter 6"?

[@WatchItPlayed]

@@marcoferri4374 Yes, you skip that part.

[@freya002YT]

That’s a tough game. Wow. Interesting game though

[@trolololoolable]

Im amazed this isnt a Vital Lacerda game

[@WatchItPlayed]

Thanks for checking out the video!

[@nicolascarter7083]

Can I have the link to the game trays?

[@WatchItPlayed]

watchitplayed.tv/bgg-store/v=rSYZJ8P_jlM

[@nicolascarter7083]

@@WatchItPlayed thanks.

[@dregarironfaith3603]

How many takes did you need to pronounce the name of that game? :P

[@WatchItPlayed]

It took a little practice, to be sure :)

[@anrosandjaja81]

can u add subtitle?

[@WatchItPlayed]

Only if someone can make them. I am not able to do that, but the community can submit subtitles if they have the time.

[@jameswoodard4304]

So, is that the Canadian pronunciation of Teotihuacan?

[@WatchItPlayed]

Apparently.

[@thomashaire8863]

It is so laughable that people down vote a how to play video.

[@WatchItPlayed]

I like to think that they are just sad the video is over when they finish watching :)

[@john-lenin]

If you can pronounce it correctly on your first try you win

[@a-blivvy-yus]

Hint: T. O. to walk in

[@wilgerken5221]

@@a-blivvy-yus Actually it's "Tay-o + tee wah kahn". Note it's not "walk in" like in "oaxaca", it's wah kin, like in Christopher Walken. My point being Rodney who is super awesome didn't pronounce it quite right.

[@a-blivvy-yus]

@@wilgerken5221 Thanks for the correction! I didn't expect someone to take my comment seriously enough to help out like that.

[@rainerahlfors]

Wil Gerken It also depends on whether you are aiming for the older Nahuatl pronunciation or a more modern one. Add to this the fact that no one knows the original name of the city, since it was named by the Nahuatl-speaking Aztecs a millennia after falling into ruin.

[@WatchItPlayed]

I find this reassuring as we all attempt it :)

[@TawanWorapol]

Expansion ?

[@mejhdhhicbfshihids652]

Trivago

[@WatchItPlayed]

Not sure what the question is :)

[@freya002YT]

Is there a expansion ?

[@WatchItPlayed]

@@freya002YT Yep, it's mentioned in the video.

[@malixcorvin777]

There is two of them

[@a-blivvy-yus]

36th! (at least based on the like count at time of clicking)