Comments on: Settlers of Catan portable edition http://boingboing.net/2011/04/12/settlers-of-catan-po.html Brain candy for Happy Mutants Fri, 24 May 2013 06:59:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: GreenJello http://boingboing.net/2011/04/12/settlers-of-catan-po.html#comment-1081609 GreenJello Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1081609 I've seen very few board games with wooden tiles, it's a cost issue. Frankly I'm not sure it would fix the problem, which is very annoying. Originally there was an expansion that fixed the problem by locking in the tiles...... maybe you could make something? Anyway at leastcthe ipad version is better at something! I’ve seen very few board games with wooden tiles, it’s a cost issue. Frankly I’m not sure it would fix the problem, which is very annoying. Originally there was an expansion that fixed the problem by locking in the tiles…… maybe you could make something? Anyway at leastcthe ipad version is better at something!

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2011/04/12/settlers-of-catan-po.html#comment-1081872 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1081872 CATAN DICE! Nice quick game with easy rules that you still have to think about. The 2-player Catan Card game is also excellent, and a separate game all to itself, though with the expansions it gets difficult to maintain all the cards. Next try the Reinier Knizia Lost Cities. CATAN DICE! Nice quick game with easy rules that you still have to think about.

The 2-player Catan Card game is also excellent, and a separate game all to itself, though with the expansions it gets difficult to maintain all the cards.

Next try the Reinier Knizia Lost Cities.

]]> By: billstewart http://boingboing.net/2011/04/12/settlers-of-catan-po.html#comment-1081618 billstewart Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1081618 First it's Carcassonne, then it's Settlers, then those Trans-America/Europa/etc train games, and pretty soon you're playing Power Grid and going to Board Game Geek conventions. It's all downhill from there, man.... First it’s Carcassonne, then it’s Settlers, then those Trans-America/Europa/etc train games, and pretty soon you’re playing Power Grid and going to Board Game Geek conventions. It’s all downhill from there, man….

]]> By: coffeeswiller http://boingboing.net/2011/04/12/settlers-of-catan-po.html#comment-1137181 coffeeswiller Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1137181 Hello! Our blog offers a great deal of resources for gaming with children. First, there is an article on how to teach games to kids: http://growingupgamers.blogspot.com/2011/01/teaching-games-to-kids.html Second, here is a review of Settlers by my five year old daughter: http://growingupgamers.blogspot.com/2010/12/my-first-review-settlers-of-catan.html So Settlers is playable with a six year old, as long as (s)he has the right temperament. The article on teaching games toi kids has some great tips on nurturing that, too. Hello!

Our blog offers a great deal of resources for gaming with children. First, there is an article on how to teach games to kids:

http://growingupgamers.blogspot.com/2011/01/teaching-games-to-kids.html

Second, here is a review of Settlers by my five year old daughter:

http://growingupgamers.blogspot.com/2010/12/my-first-review-settlers-of-catan.html

So Settlers is playable with a six year old, as long as (s)he has the right temperament. The article on teaching games toi kids has some great tips on nurturing that, too.

]]> By: KaiBeezy http://boingboing.net/2011/04/12/settlers-of-catan-po.html#comment-1081885 KaiBeezy Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1081885 . would some friendly game geeks please offer recommendations for games that work well as: . 2-player & playable with a 6-year-old . thanks! . .
would some friendly game geeks
please offer recommendations
for games that work well as:
.
2-player
&
playable with a 6-year-old
.
thanks!
.

]]> By: coffeeswiller http://boingboing.net/2011/04/12/settlers-of-catan-po.html#comment-1137182 coffeeswiller Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1137182 Anon, I think that this is what you are looking for: http://www.amazon.com/Cities-Knights-Catan-Player-Expansion/dp/B0006HCA7S That's the link to the 5-6 player expansion on Amazon. Anon,

I think that this is what you are looking for:

http://www.amazon.com/Cities-Knights-Catan-Player-Expansion/dp/B0006HCA7S

That’s the link to the 5-6 player expansion on Amazon.

]]> By: Juan Esperanza http://boingboing.net/2011/04/12/settlers-of-catan-po.html#comment-1081893 Juan Esperanza Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1081893 Wish you could have placed an unsharpened pencil in the photographs to help for scale. It's been so long since I've played Catan, I can't remember how big the game was. Wish you could have placed an unsharpened pencil in the photographs to help for scale. It’s been so long since I’ve played Catan, I can’t remember how big the game was.

]]> By: grikdog http://boingboing.net/2011/04/12/settlers-of-catan-po.html#comment-1081915 grikdog Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1081915 Is there an open source edition? Catan online demands bucks to download and play, but does eliminate the "friends" requirement -- you can play against "strong computer opponents." If the game is that great, it should have an Ubuntu version. Is there an open source edition? Catan online demands bucks to download and play, but does eliminate the “friends” requirement — you can play against “strong computer opponents.” If the game is that great, it should have an Ubuntu version.

]]> By: grikdog http://boingboing.net/2011/04/12/settlers-of-catan-po.html#comment-1081917 grikdog Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1081917 Sorry, to answer my own question, Settler of Catan is in the Synaptic Package Manager under the monicker "pioneers." Sorry, to answer my own question, Settler of Catan is in the Synaptic Package Manager under the monicker “pioneers.”

]]> By: SeamusAndrewMurphy http://boingboing.net/2011/04/12/settlers-of-catan-po.html#comment-1081663 SeamusAndrewMurphy Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1081663 This is tempting, as I am the all-time World Champion Settlers of Catan player...in my household. This is tempting, as I am the all-time World Champion Settlers of Catan player…in my household.

]]> By: HD http://boingboing.net/2011/04/12/settlers-of-catan-po.html#comment-1081670 HD Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1081670 I recently bought this game, well it was back in November, after glowing recommendations from reddit.com users, and sadly our family played but once before dying tragically of boredom and then returning to haunt the internet through our electronic gadgets. I recently bought this game, well it was back in November, after glowing recommendations from reddit.com users, and sadly our family played but once before dying tragically of boredom and then returning to haunt the internet through our electronic gadgets.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2011/04/12/settlers-of-catan-po.html#comment-1099120 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1099120 make a 5-6 expansion with citys and knights then ill be sold make a 5-6 expansion with citys and knights then ill be sold

]]> By: Blunderbutt http://boingboing.net/2011/04/12/settlers-of-catan-po.html#comment-1081717 Blunderbutt Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1081717 Has Frauenfelder made the obligatory toe step into the deep end and tried Magic: The Gathering to review its accessibility to the average mutant? I find the "duel decks" to be a reasonably inexpensive fun activity for any two people with a bit of patience for learning rules, and it's easy to expand from there to any size family. My wife was able to get a kick out of it, and English is her second language. I haven't really played the game in awhile, but I'd be interested in how the core game appeals to families with no interest in collecting piles of cards and entering tournaments. Has Frauenfelder made the obligatory toe step into the deep end and tried Magic: The Gathering to review its accessibility to the average mutant?

I find the “duel decks” to be a reasonably inexpensive fun activity for any two people with a bit of patience for learning rules, and it’s easy to expand from there to any size family. My wife was able to get a kick out of it, and English is her second language.

I haven’t really played the game in awhile, but I’d be interested in how the core game appeals to families with no interest in collecting piles of cards and entering tournaments.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2011/04/12/settlers-of-catan-po.html#comment-1081728 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1081728 There is a variant rule, that imho improves the game a lot. The thief, (or whatever the eglish name for him is, the black playpiece taht is moved with evry rolled "7") is a little bit like Robin Hood also a "Giver". This means when you place him on an field, and after the draw of the stolen card, every small or lagre town at that field pays out, as if his number was rolled. This makes the game more strategic. A scond variant rule is helpful for a game with less aggravation between player. The thief is not allowed to go back to the field he was directly before. There is a variant rule, that imho improves the game a lot.
The thief, (or whatever the eglish name for him is, the black playpiece taht is moved with evry rolled “7″) is a little bit like Robin Hood also a “Giver”.
This means when you place him on an field, and after the draw of the stolen card, every small or lagre town at that field pays out, as if his number was rolled. This makes the game more strategic.

A scond variant rule is helpful for a game with less aggravation between player. The thief is not allowed to go back to the field he was directly before.

]]> By: pfooti http://boingboing.net/2011/04/12/settlers-of-catan-po.html#comment-1082012 pfooti Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1082012 The interesting thing about settlers is that once you place a piece, it never moves. Only the robber moves (this is not the case in seafarers with slightly movable boats, and in cities and knights with barbarians downgrading cities to settlements). With that in mind, it is possible to just play settlers on a printed-out paper board with markers. That's how I play travel catan; I wrote a little java application a long time ago that generates an appropriate board (3/4, 5/6, seafarers setups), print out a bunch of them, and bring markers, cards and dice. Makes for a very nice way to play settlers whilst backpacking or the like. The interesting thing about settlers is that once you place a piece, it never moves. Only the robber moves (this is not the case in seafarers with slightly movable boats, and in cities and knights with barbarians downgrading cities to settlements). With that in mind, it is possible to just play settlers on a printed-out paper board with markers.

That’s how I play travel catan; I wrote a little java application a long time ago that generates an appropriate board (3/4, 5/6, seafarers setups), print out a bunch of them, and bring markers, cards and dice. Makes for a very nice way to play settlers whilst backpacking or the like.

]]> By: crushallhumans http://boingboing.net/2011/04/12/settlers-of-catan-po.html#comment-1081767 crushallhumans Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1081767 I use this edition every week at my board/card games club in Prague - we often get two simultaneous games going, one for four on the portable and one for six on the expanded regular set. Catan geeks are we. Since I have to get myself and the games from my house to the cafe in a backpack, keeping the pieces and boxes in order is important - nothing will shake up those plastic pieces like madly running for a tram. For this box, you can do the following - take the cardboard sheet included in the box and use big rubber bands to fix it over the bins for the pieces in the plastic 'bank'. Then use little rubber bands to fix the resource decks together. Finally, use big rubber bands to fix the instructions booklet over the board itself - this will keep the resource/harbor tiles from flying all over. Rubber bands are your friends. I use this edition every week at my board/card games club in Prague – we often get two simultaneous games going, one for four on the portable and one for six on the expanded regular set. Catan geeks are we.
Since I have to get myself and the games from my house to the cafe in a backpack, keeping the pieces and boxes in order is important – nothing will shake up those plastic pieces like madly running for a tram.
For this box, you can do the following – take the cardboard sheet included in the box and use big rubber bands to fix it over the bins for the pieces in the plastic ‘bank’. Then use little rubber bands to fix the resource decks together. Finally, use big rubber bands to fix the instructions booklet over the board itself – this will keep the resource/harbor tiles from flying all over. Rubber bands are your friends.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2011/04/12/settlers-of-catan-po.html#comment-1081532 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1081532 Let's go to Hawaii and play board games! Let’s go to Hawaii and play board games!

]]> By: Stefan Jones http://boingboing.net/2011/04/12/settlers-of-catan-po.html#comment-1081534 Stefan Jones Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1081534 How cute! The Island of Catanette, full of dwarf sheep and little pieces of timber. Mark: Hopefully by now you've seen some of the beautiful home-brewed Catan game components that players have made for themselves. Worth a MAKE article, maybe? I look forward to your reviews of the expansion sets. I bought the original game for my sister's family and would like to know which of the expansions are worth going for. How cute! The Island of Catanette, full of dwarf sheep and little pieces of timber.

Mark: Hopefully by now you’ve seen some of the beautiful home-brewed Catan game components that players have made for themselves. Worth a MAKE article, maybe?

I look forward to your reviews of the expansion sets. I bought the original game for my sister’s family and would like to know which of the expansions are worth going for.

]]> By: Alvis http://boingboing.net/2011/04/12/settlers-of-catan-po.html#comment-1081537 Alvis Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1081537 HOLY CRAP HOW BIG ARE THOSE FLOORBOARDS?!? HOLY CRAP HOW BIG ARE THOSE FLOORBOARDS?!?

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2011/04/12/settlers-of-catan-po.html#comment-1081544 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1081544 I recently bought this game and I've been playing with my fellow grad student friends. We've enjoyed it so much that last week we played it for 6 hours straight until 2am, and no alcohol was involved! I recently bought this game and I’ve been playing with my fellow grad student friends. We’ve enjoyed it so much that last week we played it for 6 hours straight until 2am, and no alcohol was involved!

]]> By: sam1148 http://boingboing.net/2011/04/12/settlers-of-catan-po.html#comment-1081547 sam1148 Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1081547 I just put mine in a big ziplock bag. Which fits nicely flat in the outer pocket of my luggage. I just put mine in a big ziplock bag. Which fits nicely flat in the outer pocket of my luggage.

]]> By: emilydickinsonridesabmx http://boingboing.net/2011/04/12/settlers-of-catan-po.html#comment-1081548 emilydickinsonridesabmx Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1081548 This looks great, definitely going on my "To Buy" list. I've found that travel edition games are really hit or miss. Some are extremely well thought out, and actually work great during actual travel. Others, just seem like shrunken down versions of the full size games. My two favorite travel edition games are Scrabble and Connect Four. Scrabble is very well designed. The pieces lock into the board, the tile racks hold tiles well and the whole game zips up into itself, forming a package about the size of a hardcover novel. This looks great, definitely going on my “To Buy” list. I’ve found that travel edition games are really hit or miss. Some are extremely well thought out, and actually work great during actual travel. Others, just seem like shrunken down versions of the full size games.

My two favorite travel edition games are Scrabble and Connect Four. Scrabble is very well designed. The pieces lock into the board, the tile racks hold tiles well and the whole game zips up into itself, forming a package about the size of a hardcover novel.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2011/04/12/settlers-of-catan-po.html#comment-1081550 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1081550 Check out thingiverse... There are a bunch of 3d-printable and laser-cutable Catan sets. Check out thingiverse… There are a bunch of 3d-printable and laser-cutable Catan sets.

]]> By: AlanJCastonguay http://boingboing.net/2011/04/12/settlers-of-catan-po.html#comment-1082071 AlanJCastonguay Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1082071 This requires magnetic pieces to hold them in place. This requires magnetic pieces to hold them in place.

]]> By: Stefan Jones http://boingboing.net/2011/04/12/settlers-of-catan-po.html#comment-1081566 Stefan Jones Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1081566 Also cool is the Full Size edition, which consists of floating hexagonal islands with realistic terrain, and container loads of timber, sheep, ore and wheat rather than cards. Also cool is the Full Size edition, which consists of floating hexagonal islands with realistic terrain, and container loads of timber, sheep, ore and wheat rather than cards.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2011/04/12/settlers-of-catan-po.html#comment-1081827 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1081827 Mark--you can just put the game pieces and cards into little zip lock baggies. That's how most people who play board games organize the pieces, and keep them from getting mixed up when moving them around. I don't recommend using rubber bands. They will eventually dry out and gunk up whatever it is you are securing them with. I suppose if you don't have hundreds of games, like some of us nerds, you can swap them out more regularly for fresh rubber bands. But after accumulating a few hundred games, that becomes pretty impractical. Mark–you can just put the game pieces and cards into little zip lock baggies. That’s how most people who play board games organize the pieces, and keep them from getting mixed up when moving them around. I don’t recommend using rubber bands. They will eventually dry out and gunk up whatever it is you are securing them with. I suppose if you don’t have hundreds of games, like some of us nerds, you can swap them out more regularly for fresh rubber bands. But after accumulating a few hundred games, that becomes pretty impractical.

]]> By: Anakha23 http://boingboing.net/2011/04/12/settlers-of-catan-po.html#comment-1081572 Anakha23 Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1081572 The 15th anniversary edition of Catan has some really nice wooden tiles, but its pretty spendy but very nice! The 15th anniversary edition of Catan has some really nice wooden tiles, but its pretty spendy but very nice!

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2011/04/12/settlers-of-catan-po.html#comment-1081586 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1081586 I recently bought the portable version and used this guide at Instructables to create a board with moveable/placeable numbers! It was cheap and didnt take too long either :) http://www.instructables.com/id/Modifying-Settlers-of-Catan-Travel-Edition-to-Incl/ I recently bought the portable version and used this guide at Instructables to create a board with moveable/placeable numbers! It was cheap and didnt take too long either :)

http://www.instructables.com/id/Modifying-Settlers-of-Catan-Travel-Edition-to-Incl/

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