Talk:The Settlers of Catan/TempRulesProposal

Gameplay

The players in the game represent settlers establishing colonies on the island of Catan. Players build settlements, cities, and roads to connect them as they settle the island. The game board, representing the island is comprised of hexagonal tiles ("hexes") of different land types which are laid out randomly at the beginning of each game.

Players build by spending resources (clay, lumber, wool, grain, and ore), represented by resource cards; each land type produces a specific resource. Each on each player's turn, they roll the two dice, determining which hexes produce resources. Any players with settlements or cities adjacent to hexes marked with the number rolled receive resource cards of the appropriate type. There is also a "robber" token on the board; if a player rolls 7, they move the robber to a different hex, which will no longer produce resources until the robber is moved again, and "steal" a resource card from another player.

A game of giant Settlers of Catan being played Gen Con Indy 2003. This is one of many Settlers of Catan custom extra-large boards seen during demonstrations and tournaments at Gen Con.

Players are allowed to trade resource cards among each other if they choose to; players may also trade "off-island" at ratio of four of one resource for one of any other. By building settlements in certain spots on the board, players may obtain better ratios.

The goal of the game is to possess ten victory points on one's turn. Players possess one point for each settlement built, and a second for each settlement upgraded to a city. Various other achievements, such as establishing the longest road, grant a player additional victory points.

Resource cards can also be spent for a development card. Three types of development card include: a card worth one victory point; a knight card, which, when played, allows the player to move the robber; and a third set of cards which allow the player one of several abilitys when played. Having the most knights played also earns the player victory points.

Teuber's original design was for a large game of exploration and development in a new land. Between 1993 and 1995 Teuber and Kosmos refined and simplified the game into its current form. Unused mechanics from that design went on to be used in Teuber's following games, Entdecker and Löwenherz. The game's first expansion, Seafarers of Catan, adds the concept of exploration, and the combined game (sometimes known as "New Shores") is probably the closest game to Teuber's original intentions.