SetupMyGame.com

Official site guide

SetupMyGame User Manual

A complete guide to planning a Twilight Imperium game, generating and sharing maps, running the table with the Turn Tracker, using chat, and publishing results.

Current site edition Web and print friendly No account required for basic game setup
Start with the quick guide Open Pregame Planner Open Turn Tracker
01

Orientation

Welcome to SetupMyGame

SetupMyGame provides a linked set of browser tools for Twilight Imperium Fourth Edition, plus account and administrative services.

Step 1 TI4 Pregame Planner Create a game, invite players, draw factions, generate a balanced map, assign seats, and choose colors. Step 2 TI4 Turn Tracker Coordinate game phases, turns, scoring, voting, timers, music, chat, and victory. Step 3 TI4 Leaderboard Browse game results that organizers elected to publish.
Universal Turn Tracker appears on the home page but is currently marked Coming Soon. It does not yet provide live tracking features.

What you need

  • A modern browser with JavaScript enabled.
  • Cookies and browser storage enabled if you want the site to remember games, player identity, and preferences.
  • A network connection for shared game state, chat, account functions, and map generation.
  • An account only if you want to save maps to your personal Map Library. Pregame and turn-tracking tools can be used without one.
02

Fast path

Quick start: from invitation to victory

This is the shortest complete workflow for a table using all three TI4 tools.

  1. 1
    Create the pregame. Open the Pregame Planner, enter the game and organizer names, select factions and tile sets, then choose Create Game.
  2. 2
    Invite the table. Use Copy Game URL and send the link to every player. Each player opens it on their own device and claims an available slot.
  3. 3
    Draw factions and build a map. Review or reroll the faction draw. Generate a map, adjust it if needed, then select Propose. Players vote on the proposal.
  4. 4
    Finish setup. Players privately choose factions, the organizer assigns positions, and every player selects a unique color.
  5. 5
    Open the Turn Tracker. Choose Start Turn Tracker, confirm the imported setup, identify the Host, and start the game.
  6. 6
    Run each round. Follow Strategy → Action → Status → Agenda. Use Skip Agenda when the table has not unlocked the Agenda phase.
  7. 7
    Declare victory. When a player reaches the target, select Declare Victory. Choose whether to publish the result and whether chat should close immediately.
Recommended device plan: keep the Master display visible to the table, and have players use the player QR link on their phones. Mark one player as the Host so that player can advance phases from the Host console.
03

Optional identity

Accounts, sign-in, and saved maps

The account button appears in the site header. Basic game setup does not require an account; personal cloud map storage does.

Create an account

  1. Open the account menu and choose Create an account.
  2. Enter an optional display name and your email address.
  3. Choose Send Validation Code.
  4. Enter the six-digit code sent by email. The form continues automatically after all six digits are entered.
  5. Choose a password of at least eight characters, then select Create Account.

Log in or reset a password

  1. Open the account menu and enter your email and password to log in.
  2. For a forgotten password, choose Forgot password?.
  3. Request a reset code, enter the six digits, and choose a new password.
  4. When signed in, the account button shows your display name or email. Open it and choose Sign Out when finished on a shared device.

Map Library

When signed in, the Pregame Planner exposes the Map Library drawer. It can save the current map under a name, overwrite a saved entry, load a saved map, or delete one. Loading a map can replace unsaved work, so the interface asks for confirmation when necessary.

Email validation and reset codes expire. If a code is rejected or delayed, use Resend and enter the newest code.
04

TI4 step 1

TI4 Pregame Planner

The Pregame Planner—also labeled TIGS—combines a shared setup checklist with an independent balanced-map generator.

Game sidebarCreate/open a game, checklist, player slots, and chat.
Map toolbarGenerate, map type, tile options, and ⋮ actions.
DrawersConstraints, Statistics, Map Library, and Tile Tray.
Map workspacePan, zoom, swap, lock, inspect, and export systems.

Create, reopen, and join a game

Create a game

  1. Open the TI4 Pregame Planner.
  2. Select the game type. The current new-game form offers Standard 6-Player Map.
  3. Enter a game name, or leave it blank to allow an automatic name.
  4. Enter your name as Game Organizer.
  5. Select faction pools: Base, Prophecy of Kings, Codex/Keleres, Thunder's Edge, and optionally Discordant Stars.
  6. Select map tile pools: Prophecy of Kings, Thunder's Edge, and optionally Uncharted Space.
  7. Select Create Game.

Invite and claim players

  1. On the active game checklist, select Copy Game URL.
  2. Send that link to the other players. Treat game and player links as access links; share them only with the intended table.
  3. Each person opens the link, chooses an available player slot, and enters a name.
  4. The browser remembers joined games and player identity locally. Opening the same link in a different browser or cleared browser profile may require claiming or identifying the player again.

The new-game panel also lists remembered past games. Open one to resume it. Use Close on the active game card to return to the game list; this does not mean “delete the server game.”

Generate, inspect, and edit maps

Generate a map

  1. Choose a map shape from the selector when it is available. During a linked game, the map type may be locked to that game's configuration.
  2. Use the 🧩 tile-options button to include Base, Prophecy of Kings, Thunder's Edge, or Uncharted Space tile pools. Base tiles remain enabled.
  3. Open Constraints to use the default balance rules or customize them.
  4. Select Generate. The progress indicator includes Cancel if you want to stop the request.
Constraint checkboxTurns a rule on or off.
Minimum / maximumDefines the allowed range for the selected metric.
Yes / No / Don't careControls rules that are categorical rather than numeric.
Constraint profileA reusable set of rules. Privileged controls can publish common or expansion-specific defaults.

Constraint groups correspond to colored regions or relationships on the map. Common metrics include resources, influence, effective resources/influence, value, wormholes, technology specialties, legendary planets, anomalies, and empty systems. The Statistics drawer reports the same kinds of measurements for the displayed map. Effective resources count planets that favor resources; effective influence counts planets that favor influence.

A solver cannot always produce a map. Mutually incompatible or extremely tight limits can result in “no solution” or a timeout. Relax one or more constraints and generate again.

Edit the generated map

  • Pan and zoom: drag the map background to move it and use the supported wheel/pinch gesture to zoom. Choose Recenter Map from the ⋮ menu to reset the view.
  • Swap systems: drag or select systems according to the current pointer interface to exchange positions.
  • Lock systems: use a tile's lock control or long-press/right-click behavior. Locked systems stay fixed during later map generation. The ⋮ menu also provides Lock All Systems and Unlock All Systems.
  • Tile Tray: expand the tray to work with spare systems.
  • Tile numbers: enable Show tile numbers in the ⋮ menu.

Import, share, and export

Load Map from StringAccepts a SetupMyGame URL, a TTS map string, or a Keegan map URL.
Copy TTS Map StringCopies the current layout in a Tabletop Simulator-compatible string form.
Copy Map URLCreates a shareable URL that restores the map.
Download Map PNGRenders the current map to an image download.
Map LibraryWhen signed in, saves named maps to your account and lets you load, overwrite, or delete them.

Complete the shared pregame checklist

  1. Assign Players Share the game URL. Players claim the available slots and enter their names. The organizer is identified separately.
  2. Review the faction draw The table receives random faction choices. Use Reroll if the table agrees to replace the draw, then Approve it. Players may inspect choices before final selection.
  3. Approve Map Generate and edit a map, then choose Propose. The proposed map becomes locked for voting. Players use 👍 or 👎. Vote counts and details appear with the controls. A rejected proposal can be withdrawn, revised, and proposed again.
  4. Choose Factions Each player makes a private choice and locks it in. Choices are revealed after all required selections are complete.
  5. Assign Player Positions The organizer chooses Assign Player Positions to finalize seating around the map.
  6. Choose Colors Players select from the remaining TI4 colors. Every player needs a unique color before setup can finish.
  7. Start Turn Tracker When setup is complete, use the checklist button to carry the game into the live Turn Tracker.

Pregame chat

The Pregame Planner includes a Chat tab for the active game. The public channel is for the whole table; player channels are direct conversations when available. System events may appear alongside messages so the table can see important setup activity.

05

TI4 step 2

TI4 Turn Tracker

The Turn Tracker synchronizes the active table across a Master display and player devices. It tracks whose turn it is, elapsed time, phase progress, votes, scores, chat, music, and victory.

Load or enter a game

Launching from a completed pregame carries the game name, players, factions, colors, and source game identity into the tracker. If you open the tracker directly, the Setup page can be completed manually.

  1. Enter a game name.
  2. Select expansion pools, the 10- or 14-point target, Standard or Twilight's Fall game type, and optional Hidden Agenda mode.
  3. Add player rows. Enter each name and choose a unique color and faction.
  4. Use the gavel column to choose the Speaker.
  5. Use the notepad/Host column to identify the player who will have Host controls on a player device.
  6. Select Start Game.

The setup page includes a 3D scene on supported desktop displays. Hide Setup temporarily gives the scene the full page; Show Setup restores the form. These controls are visual only and do not change game data.

Game Start checklist

  • Choose the Speaker manually or select Spin For Speaker.
  • Deal two secret objectives to each player; each player discards one and the discarded cards return to the deck.
  • The Speaker reveals the first two public objectives.
  • Select Continue to Strategy Phase.

Share player interfaces

After the tracker session exists, the Master view displays a player-interface QR panel. Players scan it or open the copied link, choose their seat, and remain locked to that player when the link is locked. Use Switch Player where available if the interface is not locked.

Send a game to a display

  1. On the display, open Turn Tracker pairing. It shows a QR code and short pairing code while waiting.
  2. On the Host phone, choose Send Game to Display.
  3. Scan the display's QR code or paste its code/link.
  4. Wait for Game sent to display successfully.

If camera access is blocked or unsupported, paste the pairing code. Pairing codes are temporary; request a new one if an old code is rejected.

Phase-by-phase guide

1

Strategy

The tracker builds the pick order from the Speaker and highlights the player who is up.

  • The current player selects an available strategy card.
  • Games with four or fewer players assign two cards per player; larger games assign one.
  • Unpicked cards accumulate trade goods between rounds. Picking a card consumes the goods shown on it.
  • The Master/Host can use Undo and Redo.
  • After all picks, select Next: Action Phase.
2

Action

Turn order follows strategy-card initiative, with the Naalu Zero Token holder treated as initiative 0.

  • Select End Turn after a tactical, strategic, or component action.
  • Select Pass only when the player is finished for the round; confirm the prompt.
  • Passed players are skipped. When all players have passed, the phase is complete.
  • The tile menu can unpass a player if the table corrects a mistake.
  • Use Undo/Redo to reverse cursor and pass-state changes.
  • Select Next: Status Phase after everyone passes.
3

Status

Players are prompted in initiative order to record objective scoring.

  • Use -1 VP or +1 VP to record the current player's net scoring.
  • Select Done to commit that player's adjustment and advance.
  • Undo/Redo restore complete status scoring snapshots.
  • After all players, complete the reference steps: reveal a public objective, draw action cards, remove and redistribute command tokens, ready cards, repair units, and return strategy cards.
  • Select Next: Agenda Phase, or Skip Agenda and begin the next round.
4

Agenda

The tracker handles For/Against and five “Elect” target types.

  • Select the Agenda Type: For/Against, Elect Player, Planet, Law, Strategy Card, or Secret Objective.
  • Select Start Voting after reveal, “When,” “After,” and discussion are complete.
  • The current player chooses an outcome or abstains, enters votes, and selects Submit Vote.
  • Hidden Agenda mode conceals most submitted totals during voting. Argent Flight is handled first and must cast its required minimum when not abstaining.
  • Use Undo/Redo to correct voting history.
  • Select Next Agenda for the second item, then Start Next Round.
V

Victory

Victory becomes available when a player reaches the selected score target during Action, Status, or Agenda.

  • Select Declare Victory and confirm the winner.
  • Leave Publish game results checked to add the game to the public leaderboard.
  • Choose Close chat immediately if no more postgame messages should be accepted.
  • The Master or Host can use Undeclare Victory in Options to return to the prior phase if victory was declared by mistake.

Shared player-tile controls

On views with permission, open a player tile's action menu to set the Speaker, assign or clear the Naalu Zero Token, unpass a player during Action, or swap selected strategy cards after the Strategy draft. The exact choices depend on the current phase and game state.

Timers

The header shows total game time. Player tiles and “Now Up” displays show credited time. The active player's timer advances while the game is running and stops during a valid pause. Undoing a turn changes game state but does not erase elapsed wall-clock history already accumulated.

Options, pause, music, and display controls

Select the gear button when it is visible. Available controls vary by role, device, phase, and screen size.

Pause / Unpause GameFreezes credited game and player time during Strategy, Action, Status, or Agenda and shows the presentation screen on desktop.
Load GameLoads a tracker session or source game. On a Host phone the same position may read Send Game to Display.
Share GameOpens the player-interface sharing panel and QR code.
Undeclare VictoryReturns a mistaken victory declaration to its saved prior phase.
Reset GameDanger-zone action that clears the current tracker flow after confirmation.
Exit AppLeaves the tracker on supported local/mobile app contexts.

Music modes

OffNo automatic tracker music.
Fade OutPlays the cue and fades it out after its configured active period.
Fade to LowFades to a quieter loop rather than stopping.
LoopContinues the selected music loop.

Additional choices include Enable Mobile Music, Cross-fade track changes, and Use Faction Ballads. Browsers often block audio until the user interacts with the page; tap the play control if a track is displayed but silent. Setup and Pause playlist selectors can choose among configured playlists.

Show space debug overlays is a display-diagnostics option, not a game rule. Leave it off during normal use unless diagnosing the 3D scene.
06

Who can do what

Roles, views, and device layouts

The tracker adapts controls to the selected player and device. “Host” is a player with additional table-management privileges; it is not merely a read-only observer.

Master

Master display

Full-table view with player tiles, phase controls, options, QR sharing, pause, music, and game-flow management. It can act for the table when needed.

Player

Player interface

Locked or selected to one seat. A player can pick when up in Strategy, end or pass their own Action turn, adjust their own Status turn, cast their Agenda vote, use chat, and declare victory when eligible.

Host

Host player / supervisor console

The player marked Host receives privileged controls. On mobile, swipe or use the page dots to reach the Host console page before using shared phase controls.

Setup

Setup Manager

A temporary setup-authorized view can edit players and send the prepared game to a display before normal play begins.

Mobile page navigation

On phone-sized screens, each phase is divided into horizontal pages such as Chat, Player Cards, Main Controls, and the Host Console. Swipe sideways or tap the dots at the bottom. If a Host control appears disabled, first make sure the Host console page is active.

07

Table communication

Chat, direct messages, and reactions

Pregame and Turn Tracker use the shared game-room chat system.

  1. Open the Chat tab or swipe to the Chat page.
  2. Select the table/public channel for messages everyone can read, or choose a player channel for a direct message when available.
  3. Type a message and press the send-arrow button. The emoji button inserts common emoji into the message.
  4. Use the reaction control on an existing message to add an emoji reaction.

The unread badge reports new activity while another page is active. The client reconnects automatically after brief network interruptions; a Reconnecting… status means the latest messages may be delayed.

A person needs an active player identity to send chat. After victory, chat may be locked immediately by the organizer or later by the server's postgame policy. A locked room remains readable but no longer accepts messages or reactions.
08

TI4 step 3

Leaderboard and published results

The TI4 Leaderboard lists games whose victory declaration included Publish game results.

The summary shows the number of published games, total players represented, and most recent result. Each result includes date, linked game name, winner, faction, score, player count, ending round, and duration.

  • Select a column heading to sort. Select it again to reverse direction.
  • On mobile, use the horizontal row of sort chips above the result cards.
  • Select the linked game name to open its associated game.
  • Only privileged administrators see deletion controls.

Leaderboard publication is optional. Undeclaring victory or administrative removal can change what appears.

09

Privileged users

Administration

The Admin card is hidden unless the signed-in account is privileged. Direct access without privilege displays an error.

The user table shows email/display name, verification and privilege status, saved-map count, active sessions, account creation, and last login. Delete removes the selected account, its sessions, and saved maps after confirmation. The current administrator cannot delete their own account from this table.

Privileged administrators can also remove published games from the Leaderboard and may see constraint-profile publishing controls in the map generator.

Administrative deletion is destructive. Confirm the email and intended record before proceeding.
10

Problem solving

Troubleshooting and FAQ

Start with the message shown by the interface, then use the matching guidance below.

Map generation reports no solution or takes too long

The selected constraints and tile pool may be incompatible. Cancel if needed, widen numeric ranges, disable a less important rule, unlock systems, or enable additional compatible tile sets. Then generate again.

The wrong map tiles are being used

Check the 🧩 tile-options menu and the expansion choices attached to the active game. During a linked game, some map options are intentionally locked. Also check whether systems were locked from an earlier generation.

A player cannot claim a pregame slot or chat

Make sure the player opened the current game URL and selected an unclaimed slot. Chat requires a valid player identity. If local browser data was cleared, reopen the invitation and identify the player again.

The proposed map cannot be edited

Proposing intentionally locks the voting map. If it needs changes, use Withdraw, edit or regenerate the map, and propose the new version.

The Turn Tracker does not show the expected game

Use Load Game, relaunch it with Start Turn Tracker from the pregame checklist, or send it again through pairing. Verify that the game name and players match before continuing.

A pairing QR code or code fails

Pairing codes expire. Create a fresh code on the display. If scanning fails, allow camera access in browser settings or paste the short code/link manually.

A player cannot use a phase control

Controls are role- and turn-aware. Confirm the device is assigned to the correct player. On a Host phone, swipe to the Host console page. A normal player can act only when the tracker identifies that player as current.

Turn order or the Naalu Zero Token is wrong

Open a player tile menu from a privileged view and set or clear the Zero Token holder. Verify that a Naalu faction is present and that each player's strategy cards are correct. Action and Status order rebuild from these values.

Music is visible but silent

Browsers commonly require a user gesture before audio. Tap the track's play control. Check Options → Music, Enable Mobile Music on phones, device volume, and whether music is intentionally set to Off.

Chat says Reconnecting or Chat locked after victory

Reconnecting indicates a temporary network interruption; leave the page open while it retries. A victory lock is intentional and cannot be bypassed by refreshing. Ask the organizer whether chat was closed immediately.

An email validation code is rejected

Use Resend and enter the newest six-digit code. Verify the email address and check spam folders. Codes expire and a superseded code may no longer work.

The interface looks stale after an update

Reload the page. If it remains stale, perform a hard refresh or close and reopen the tab. Avoid clearing site data unless necessary, because browser storage remembers joined games and player identity.

11

Data and access

Privacy, safety, and shared devices

The current public policy is available on the Privacy Policy page.

  • Browser cookies and storage keep game setup information and preferences on the device.
  • Game configurations and shared session data are stored on the server to provide site functionality.
  • The published policy states that collected data is not used for marketing or analytics and is not sold or distributed to third parties.
  • Accounts add an email address, optional display name, credentials, sessions, and saved maps to the service.
  • Game, player, map, and pairing URLs can grant access to a view or identity. Do not post private table links publicly.
  • On a shared device, sign out after using an account and close player-specific tracker tabs.
  • Disabling cookies or clearing site storage can prevent the site from remembering games, player identity, and preferences.

Privacy questions can be sent to the contact address shown on the Privacy Policy page.

12

Reference

Glossary

Effective influence
Influence counted from planets that favor influence under the map statistics rules.
Effective resources
Resources counted from planets that favor resources under the map statistics rules.
Game URL
A shareable link that opens a specific pregame or associated game.
Host
The player marked with the Host/notepad role. That player's interface receives privileged table controls.
Locked system
A map system held in place while other systems are regenerated or edited.
Master
The full-table Turn Tracker view, normally used on the shared display or organizer device.
Pairing code
A temporary code or QR link used to send a game from a Host device to a display.
Player interface
A tracker view associated with one seat and limited to that player's available actions.
Proposed map
The frozen map version currently awaiting player approval.
SMT solver
The satisfiability-modulo-theories engine that searches for a map satisfying all enabled constraints.
Strategy-card trade goods
Trade goods accumulated on unpicked strategy cards and claimed when a player later picks the card.
TTS map string
A text representation of a map layout for Tabletop Simulator interoperability.
Zero Token
The Naalu faction token that gives its holder effective initiative 0 in relevant ordering.

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