How to setup and use a chess clock in a Tabletop Simulator Godtear game

Hello Champions!  I recently ranted about why we should be using chess clocks in competitive Godtear.   While implementing this policy in across-the-board in-person play is as simple as having one at the table, it’s a more involved process to get a chess clock setup in TTS.  Thankfully, you have me here to guide you through that process.

A basic digital chess clock can cost as little as twenty US dollars

Tabletop Simulator Module Setup

Firstly, I presume that you’ve learned how to play Godtear online.  In so doing, you went into the Steam Workshop for the Godtear module.  Now we’re gonna go back in and do the same for the chess clock module. 

Go here: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1250409758

You should see this on your browser

If you don’t see the image above, Steam will be asking you to login through your browser.  If you’ve got Steam Guard, just open it with your phone and scan the QR code.  If you don’t have 2FA with Steam Guard, just login to the official Valve Steam site and then click the link above.  This will bring you to the module.  Now Click Subscribe (the green button where the screenshot above shows subscribed) and the next time you boot up TTS you’ll have access to the clock.

Tabletop Simulator In Game Setup

But you’ll need to setup the clock in TTS before you can import it into the Godtear Module.  Again, don’t worry, we’re going through this step by step.  Open TTS, select create single player, and then click Workshop and Portable Chess Clock.

You should now be looking at this on screen.

Enter 3900 into the white space that is labeled “Set time (in seconds)” then right click on the blue bar that has 1H5M0S in both Blue and Red on it.  Now click Save Object.

Like so

This will allow you to save the object in your TTS folder for future use in other modules of TTS.

I called it Simple Chess Clock

Now hit the Esc key and click on Main Menu to return to the Main Menu.

Adding the Chess Clock to the Godtear Table Now create a standard Godtear Game using the same method that you used to open the chess clock module.  (Create, Multiplayer, Workshop, Godtear with 3 round variant).

Back on familiar territory.

Now click on Objects at the top of the screen; Saved Objects on the menu that opens; Simple Chess Clock on the object that opens there. Click on the board where you want to drop the clock.  Right click to unselect the clock so that you don’t drop a second one.  Click the clock and use Q or E to turn it so that the numbers face the board.

Like so.

Lock it in place by hovering your mouse cursor over it and pressing the L key.  Have both players click their respective sides of the clock so that it changes from Blue and Red to Green and Red.  Have the first player click their side of the clock, and then press the Start button to get the game rolling.

If Green is first player

If Red is first player

Playing with the Clock

Once the first player finishes their plot phase by flipping their last card, they press the numbers on their side of the clock.  The clock will change color to indicate it’s the second player’s turn.  Once the second player finishes their plot phase by flipping their last card, they press the numbers on their side of the clock to flip it over to their opponent to start the clash phase. 

Now, during the clash phase, the players flip the clock every time they flip a card until the end phase begins.  The player who lost the turn, who is making decisions during the end phase, is the one whose clock should be running during the end phase.  If that player chooses to go first, keep the clock running on their side; if they choose to go second, then flip the clock over to the player who lost the last turn so that they can begin their plot phase.

Any time a player is making a decision, their clock should be running.  Usually this is during an activation, but exceptions such as Raith'Marid's Rippling Scales ability flip the clock to the inactive player while that player is  deciding which boon to pick.  Usually, once a plot phase is completed or a clash phase card is flipped, the clock should flip over to the other player.

Flagging out

If a player Flags, they finish the activation they are currently conducting and may then make no further activations for the remainder of the game.  The other player may play, unimpeded, until one side wins the game or their own time expires.  They may not flip the clock for any reason, nor activate any of their opponent's models, and they make all decisions for the rest of the game.  If both sides have Flagged and the game has not been decided, score an End phase for the current turn with the board in its current state.  In the event that the game is still tied, the player whose time expired last wins.

A pressure gauge clock

Final thoughts

If you need help with this process, feel free to reach out to me on Discord.  I go by Jeff “Gearbox” Mitchell on the community server, and you can DM me @ gearbox.

I hope we’ll have some fun with these clocks and I hope you’ll join me in using them in future tournaments.

Have Fun!