Creator of Catan, Klaus Teuber, has died
I once read an article somewhere about how he spent huge amounts of time thoroughly playtesting the entire game with his children. This is what made the game balanced and easy to grasp.
My favorite mechanic is the way each dice roll potentially gives everyone at the table some sort of payoff. This keeps everyone at the table engaged and paying attention.
You only come up with mechanics like this if you put in the time playtesting.
[*] RIP
Catan helped show me that board games had evolved beyond the games of my youth.
Went down a huge rabbit hole afterwards and most of my closest friends today I've met through game nights, and I've designed several games since that will eventually get out there (one is signed by a publisher but not yet released, hoping to get two more signed this year).
If not for that I'd probably still exclusively be working on video games in my spare time.
Thanks Klaus, for having such a massive influence on the hobby that the industry has had an incredible period of growth and many cool and interesting games that almost certainly wouldn't exist otherwise. RIP.
RIP. I first played Settlers 20 years ago and now play it with my kids sometimes.
Not sure what is special about "dicebreaker.com" but here's an official announcement from the Catan site https://www.catan.com/catan-fans/news/we-mourn-passing-klaus... as well as a memorial on the Spiel des Jahres site https://www.spiel-des-jahres.de/trauer-um-klaus-teuber/ though that one is in German.
As I've gotten older I've had to pick and choose from time intensive hobbies I've collected over the years, and board games that rank on board game geek and - in the same way folks serious about their movies use 'film' - often get referred to not as board games but 'tabletop' are something I don't spend time with as much anymore (with real humans, digital editions have been nice). But I can still play Catan and get people to play with me.
Catan is game that scratches my game geek itch, but is fun and learnable by most people interested in a board game at a holiday. I am thankful for Catan. Thank you Klaus Teuber for bringing us Catan.
Settlers of Catan: where friendships are shattered by a well-placed robber
Catan is the game that got me into modern board games 20 years ago. Following board game nights made me meet people who are still close friends today and introduced me to the mother of my children.
My life would have been so different without Mr Teuber creations. Thank you and reset in peace.
Years ago, one of my first wood working projects was a custom Catan board. I used a router and carved every hex myself. I used a wood burning tool for all the symbols.
My kids and I just got it out again a few days ago and started playing again. What a great game. RIP.
Settlers of Catan is the perfect "bridge game" - accessible enough to people who are used to playing Monopoly, but complicated and fun enough that it gets people interested in more involved German-style board games.
Most board game aficionados end up not playing Catan very much, but it's hard to think of a game that has introduced more people to the genre successfully.
Pretty epic life if the measuring stick is bringing happiness to people.
Well played
I'll give you two sheep for the stone I need to build his mausoleum.
RIP. Settlers Of Catan and Uwe Rosenberg's Bohnanza were my intro to boardgames beyond Monopoly. I always hated Monopoly, and all board games by extension. Thanks to Catan and Bohnanza I discovered that board games didn't have to be bad/boring.
Very sad news.
Unrelated, the website claims this cookie is "legitimate interest" and so can't be disabled:
Why do they need to identify a logged out visitor?Receive and use automatically-sent device characteristics for identification: Always ActiveCatan was my intro to modern board games. I haven't played it in 15 years or so, but it is the reason I now have nearly 400 boardgames. I prefer many other games over it now, but it will always have a fond place in my heart.
My best friends are those I play catan with regularly. There is no other game so enjoyable, which can inspire such anger towards friends for their transgressions, yet allow such easy forgiveness. Rest in peace, Klaus.
RIP, this man's creation helped me and my friends make many boring evening better. Also lead to arguments but that's okay, was part of the fun. He really left a huge legacy.
Catan, and the many other games made possible after it's success, have brought me a lot of happiness over the years. I'm thankful for the life and work of Mr. Teuber.
The game that marks the starting point of modern boardgaming.
Responsible for millions of divorces and vendettas everywhere.
I stopped playing Catan and switched to cooperative euro games after realizing that the way I play Catan (threatening, holding grudges, taking revenge, creating chaos...) is not how everybody else plays or wants to play. I play to win whatever the cost, but after having strong arguments with my friends and loved ones I decided to just stop playing.
Unfortunately in German only. A superb „OMR“ podcast episode with Klaus and his son as guests talking about past, present and future as well as some insights.
https://podcasts.apple.com/de/podcast/omr-podcast/id10563120...
If anyone wants to play online there’s an unofficial clone at colonist.io that is much better than the official online version.
Rest in Peace.
It's my favorite board game to this day.
RIP. Thanks Klaus!
In the 90s when "Die Siedler" was released, we played it until we literally dropped due to exhaustion. :) It is still so much fun. Settlers is one of the all time classics which I guess will still be played in a 100 years.
If anyone in Tokyo is looking for a board game player, ping me. I live near Ueno. Played Diplomacy and D&D in my youth. Would love to start playing again.
R.I.P
One of the best games, I enjoy playing that l for hours with my kids.
Rest in peace Klaus! Thanks for giving us a hope!
"Catan Settlers" is what I call it.
I don't need to read the "daily dead" on here