Terraforming Mars Karma Level | What Is It?

Terraforming Mars is one of the most classic strategy games around. Of course it would come out with its own video game! This adaptation of Terraforming Mars has its own issues, but can be a more welcoming introduction to the game for people interested in the board game. One mechanic that is unique to the video game is the concept of Karma. This is earned at the end of the game, but doesn’t have any clear explanation. If this is confusing you, we can teach you how Terraforming Mars Karma works, so you can make good use of that system.

How Does Karma Level Work in Terraforming Mars?

Karma Level is essentially a “good behavior” check for Terraforming Mars. Every game you complete without rage quitting, crashing, or dropping out will increase your Karma by 1. Every game that you leave before the game concludes will reduce your Karma by 5. There are 5 levels of Karma, by groups of 20, and you can sort matchmaking preferences based on how much Karma someone has. By default, players have 50 Karma (3 Stars). You cannot ask for Karma matchups that are higher than your own current Karma level.

See Also: The Best Terraforming Mars Organizer

Karma may be a good behavior system, but it does have its flaws. Players who go AFK will not be punished until the timer runs out, meaning you may have to wait a long time if you wish to avoid losing Karma. We suggest playing games with a reasonable timer to avoid this situation. You also lose Karma if your game crashes and you are unable to instantly rejoin your game. Thankfully, with the semi-consistent updates to the game, it crashes much less than it used to.

Your Karma Level is the stars, which is an approximation of how much Karma you have. You’ll start with 50, which is 3 stars. 100 is 5 stars, which will allow you to “match up” with anyone if you wish. Be warned; putting your preferences to 5 stars may delay matchmaking potential, as it is impossible to make it to 100 Karma without playing 50 games beforehand.