HOSTING GUIDE

HOSTING & MANAGING CUSTOM ROOMS

Published: July 2026 · 4 Min Read

As a room host in AuctionX, you control the drafting experience. You determine the parameters of the game—including the budget size, player pools, timer limits, and invite visibility. This guide covers how to set up your room, invite players, and manage the live auction panel like a pro.

1. Creating Your Custom Room

To start a new room, log in, navigate to the Dashboard Lobby, and click Create Room. You will be prompted to customize several options:

Event Type: Select the tournament pool (e.g., IPL Cricket 2026 or FIFA World Cup 2026).
Room Privacy:
- Private: The room is hidden from the public list. Only players who have the 6-digit room code can join.
- Public: The room appears on the Dashboard's "Public Rooms" bulletin. Anyone can join if slots are available.
Starting Budget: Customize budgets (₹50 Cr - ₹200 Cr for Cricket, €200M - €1000M for Football) based on how select/deep you want the drafts to be.
Bidding Timer: Set the bidding countdown window. We recommend 30 seconds for casual groups, or 15 seconds for fast-paced, high-intensity formats.

2. Inviting Players & Lobby Management

Once created, your screen switches to the Lobby. Here is how to manage the pre-draft stage:

Share the Room Code: At the top of the lobby, you'll see a 6-character room code (e.g., AX9F3K). Click the code to copy the direct link and send it to your friends.
Voice Channel Activation: Encourage players to join the built-in real-time voice channel by clicking the microphone button. Real-time banter and negotiation are key parts of the drafting experience!
Host Control: As host, you'll see a list of connected players. You can click Start Auction once the minimum player requirement (at least 2 players) is met.

3. Managing the Live Draft (Host Controls)

During the live draft, players are presented automatically on the bidding block one at a time. The host possesses exclusive admin tools to keep the auction moving:

Draft Control Tools

Skip Player: If a player is up on the block and nobody wants to bid (or a manager is away), the host can trigger the Skip Player action by mutual agreement. This removes the current player and immediately brings up the next candidate.
Pause Draft: If a manager disconnects or needs a quick break, the host can pause the countdown timer to keep budgets and slots organized.
Bid History Log: Inspect the bid feed on the left to verify bidding order and ensure that increments rose correctly.

Pro Tip: As host, keep an eye on active player connections. If a player disconnects, their name will show a red offline indicator. Use the pause button to give them time to re-establish connection.

4. Concluding the Session

Once all managers have filled their roster requirements or there are no players left in the draft pool, the auction finishes. The host has the option to finalise the session. This triggers the client-side AI squad rating scoring, sorts the final leaderboard, and saves draft profiles to history archives.