# The Settlers of Catan **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [September 27, 1999, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-settlers-of-catan/8528 "1999-09-27T14:30:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![TimeWinder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bcef8e/32.png) [@TimeWinder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TimeWinder)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2019, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-settlers-of-catan/8528/42 "2019-10-01T04:46:33Z")
So I read the OP asking if anyone had ever heard of Settlers of Catan and thought it was a joke – I don’t play board games, and even I know it’s one of the most famous games in existence. Kind of a neat historical note that the OP _wasn’t_ making a joke; the thread is from before it’s fame. I assume **kellibelli** has now retired off his/her lottery winnings, given their ability to see the future so well. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2019, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-settlers-of-catan/8528/43 "2019-10-01T05:08:01Z")
> [@Hermitian](#): > > I was just about to say, “Who the heck had never heard of Settlers of Catan? They are about 20 years behind!” Everyone now is all Tapestry and Wingspan. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2019, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-settlers-of-catan/8528/44 "2019-10-01T05:55:17Z")
> [@;230563](#): > > Personally, I didn’t find _Settlers_ to be anywhere near as good as its reputation. But if you are considering buying any Mayfair games, you might want to hurry. They went out of business back in 1997. They restarted the company last April and are still active, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they go under again. The adult gaming industry is notorious for companies failing. > > Their website is [http://www.coolgames.com/](http://www.coolgames.com/) The irony is that Mayfair Games did in fact shut down. **LAST YEAR**. This thread was full of sorcery back in ‘99. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2019, 8:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-settlers-of-catan/8528/45 "2019-10-01T08:50:08Z")
> [@Fugazi](#): > > Wow. A thread from 1999. Was it originally posted in pencil? If you notice, the date is listed via sundial ---
**Author:** ![alfonzos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4bbf92/32.png) [@alfonzos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alfonzos)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2019, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-settlers-of-catan/8528/46 "2019-10-08T22:57:18Z")
Mayfair Games released two versions of the game with two different sets of colors originally but made no effort to distinguish the two versions. The second version contained rules for an eight-player version of the game. I recommend Struggle for Catan, a card game based on the board game. It is pretty much the board game without the abstract feature of blocking. It is a better two-player game than the board game and buy two copies of the game and you can play with eight people! ---
**Author:** ![Airk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9de053/32.png) [@Airk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airk)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2019, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-settlers-of-catan/8528/47 "2019-10-09T13:39:09Z")
I remain somewhat mystified by people’s attraction to this game. To me it feels random and not very fun. Of all the games to be the “breakout” “OMG, boardgames can be good!” game, it seems like an odd one. ---
**Author:** ![ShadowFacts](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shadowfacts/32/2934_2.png) [@ShadowFacts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShadowFacts)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2019, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-settlers-of-catan/8528/48 "2019-10-09T15:20:01Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > Which is kind of funny, because it’s a terrible game. > > “Okay, I rolled a six, which get me… nothing. Anyone want to trade for some wood? Still no? Okay, I guess I do nothing this turn. Again.” According to wikipedia, “more than 22 million copies in 30 languages have been sold.” There are expansion packs, video games, phone apps, etc etc. Not to mention all the awards. And while _popularity_ is not a reliable indicator of _quality_, I think it’s fair to say that your opinion of its quality is in the minority. More succinctly: you are wrong. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2019, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-settlers-of-catan/8528/49 "2019-10-09T16:12:37Z")
no, he’s right settlers of catan sucks. i will eat that damn monopoly card if i ever see it again ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2019, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-settlers-of-catan/8528/50 "2019-10-09T16:22:31Z")
My family loves this game, but we have a bunch of house rules. - No robber, no deserts. - No hiding your cards. - No dice, but a homemade deck of 30 cards, labeled 2-6, 8-12 in the same frequency as two dice. Reshuffle once every card is drawn. - If on your turn, you don’t draw any resources, you get a free development card. - Game ends after specific number of shuffles. - Goal is to see how much of the island gets developed. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2019, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-settlers-of-catan/8528/51 "2019-10-09T16:40:58Z")
> [@Airk](#): > > I remain somewhat mystified by people’s attraction to this game. To me it feels random and not very fun. Of all the games to be the “breakout” “OMG, boardgames can be good!” game, it seems like an odd one. I tend to agree. I’ll play Catan is that’s what other people are playing but it’s not a game I would play by my choice. I feel the same way about Ticket to Ride and Terra Mystica, two other very popular games which I feel are overrated. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2019, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-settlers-of-catan/8528/52 "2019-10-09T17:23:08Z")
> [@ShadowFacts](#): > > According to wikipedia, “more than 22 million copies in 30 languages have been sold.” There are expansion packs, video games, phone apps, etc etc. Not to mention all the awards. And while _popularity_ is not a reliable indicator of _quality_, I think it’s fair to say that your opinion of its quality is in the minority. > > More succinctly: you are wrong. 😃 They sold 22 million copies. But there’s over six billion people in the world. Clearly, vastly more people would prefer not to play Catan than to play it. Therefore, I’m right. ---
**Author:** ![Airk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9de053/32.png) [@Airk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airk)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2019, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-settlers-of-catan/8528/53 "2019-10-09T18:37:49Z")
> [@Pleonast](#): > > My family loves this game, but we have a bunch of house rules. > > - No robber, no deserts. > - No hiding your cards. > - No dice, but a homemade deck of 30 cards, labeled 2-6, 8-12 in the same frequency as two dice. Reshuffle once every card is drawn. > - If on your turn, you don’t draw any resources, you get a free development card. > - Game ends after specific number of shuffles. > - Goal is to see how much of the island gets developed. That is… functionally an entirely new game. ---
**Author:** ![Lantern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d26b3c/32.png) [@Lantern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lantern)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2019, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-settlers-of-catan/8528/54 "2019-10-09T19:01:32Z")
I played this game in virtual reality on my Oculus Go which was an interesting experience. It doesn’t replicate the real boardgaming experience of course but it takes a step in that direction and feels more real than just playing on a screen. I was playing against AI avatars but you could easily have human opponents and voice chat which would certainly take the experience up a few notches. Like with a lot of current VR the resolution was rather low but that is just a matter of time. In a few years time I think VR boardgaming could be a pretty decent substitute for the real thing. The game itself was OK. I played around a dozen games which was enough for me to understand the basics and beat the AI but I don’t think there was enough depth to make me want to play it regularly. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2019, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-settlers-of-catan/8528/55 "2019-10-09T20:02:05Z")
> [@Airk](#): > > That is… functionally an entirely new game. There was somebody on BGG who said that he plays Shogun (the Queen Games version) without the programmed moves. The players just choose an action when it’s their turn. Several people questioned why he was playing this game if he didn’t want to play the central mechanic of it. ---
**Author:** ![ShadowFacts](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shadowfacts/32/2934_2.png) [@ShadowFacts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShadowFacts)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2019, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-settlers-of-catan/8528/56 "2019-10-09T20:34:10Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > They sold 22 million copies. But there’s over six billion people in the world. Clearly, vastly more people would prefer not to play Catan than to play it. > > Therefore, I’m right. Nope, they sold _more than_ 22 million copies, but we don’t know exactly how many more, so it could be five billion. Therefore, you’re wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2019, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-settlers-of-catan/8528/57 "2019-10-10T14:39:05Z")
> [@Airk](#): > > That is… functionally an entirely new game. Well, yeah, we’ve made it fun to play. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2019, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-settlers-of-catan/8528/58 "2019-10-10T14:54:44Z")
I’ve played Settlers of Catan a couple of times. I don’t get the appeal. It’s not terrible, if I was with some people who loved it and asked me to play I would. There are just so many better games out there. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2019, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-settlers-of-catan/8528/59 "2019-10-12T00:48:12Z")
The best version I played was _Die Siedler von Nürnberg_. Much more complex than Settlers, and more fun. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2019, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-settlers-of-catan/8528/60 "2019-10-12T13:27:42Z")
But you inevitably end up having to put down two road pieces in the same place. ---
**Author:** ![Airk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9de053/32.png) [@Airk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airk)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2019, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-settlers-of-catan/8528/61 "2019-10-12T22:42:14Z")
> [@Pleonast](#): > > Well, yeah, we’ve made it fun to play. 😃 And that’s roughly the scope of the changes I think are required to get there. Did you copy those houserules from somewhere, or were you just that bored that you kept playing and houseruling until the game got good? 😉 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-settlers-of-catan/8528.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-settlers-of-catan/8528.md?page=4)