I love the clean look of this! I personally have stuck to the German version, precisely because it's so much easier on the eye than the overly fancy "art" on the Mayfair version.
And you could simply use little cubes of different colors for the resources, like in Puerto Rico. I guess you would need some sort of screen to tuck them behind, like in Samurai or Fist of DragonStones. And now the simple solution is turning out to me more complex. Never mind...
actually a good idea - you could use something like scrabble chits
Just draw them from a bag and use scrabble tile holders. I like the idea.
I also like the hexes with holes in them for number pegs. Great execution.
You'd think a poker-chip version of the cards would work pretty well, similar to the custom Dominion sets people have built.
Regardless, after seeing this I agree that Catan could work surprisingly well as an abstract. Nice job!
Poker chips could work if they're all the same color, but you can't put them in a bag because people need to see if you have more than 7 resources on a dice roll of 7.
For the special cards I think domino-sized bits in a bag would work very well, and the same size for the ressources. Then make some stands like, maybe, rummikub:
Basically a flat piece of wood with two angled cuts for the tiles.
The cards could also be square, but no smaller than 3x3cm, or else they'll get fiddly. ... Actually square is best, because then you have a set of basic shapes - hexagonal tiles, round numbers, triangular harbors and square ressources. But what shape should longest road and most knights then be? Hmm...
Ressouces should of course just have the same color treatment as the tiles, and a bit more rounding at the edges, so the color dont show from the side. The specials require some kind of symbol, and saddly not one that is cut into them, or else some will be tempted to feel them up ind the bag.
For the special cards I think domino-sized bits in a bag would work very well, and the same size for the ressources. Then make some stands like, maybe, rummikub:
Basically a flat piece of wood with two angled cuts for the tiles.
The cards could also be square, but no smaller than 3x3cm, or else they'll get fiddly. ... Actually square is best, because then you have a set of basic shapes - hexagonal tiles, round numbers, triangular harbors and square ressources. But what shape should longest road and most knights then be? Hmm...
Ressouces should of course just have the same color treatment as the tiles, and a bit more rounding at the edges, so the color dont show from the side. The specials require some kind of symbol, and saddly not one that is cut into them, or else some will be tempted to feel them up ind the bag.
@ David Mihola I cut them. I'm lucky to have a dad with a lot of saws.
Gotta cut up those dead hookers somehow.
Wood chipper.
Actually, I find it better to dispose of them whole. Chipping and sawing leaves such a mess.
As for the card issue, I'm trying to maintain the easy portability of Catan. If I need some trays and such to hold pieces for the game, that makes it difficult to pack around.
But, if I wasn't worried about that, stained wooden cubes for the resources, and small Scrabble size tiles for the development cards would work well. I see the cubes stored in a box in front of you, you can look in easy and see what you have. Shake em up for a random grab, etc.
If you mean making slots for the number chits to sit in, it's like that already.
I meant making it so that the chits sit flush or nearly flush with the surface of the hex.
Ah, I can't do that with the bit I have right now, it has a leading point, so the holes need to be a little shallow. I guess I could drill right through, but I like the backs unmarked.
@ David Mihola I cut them. I'm lucky to have a dad with a lot of saws.
Thanks a lot for the reply! So you cut them from boards (because it looks like the wood grain is running parallel to the table instead of perpendicular to it)? And what kind of saw did you use - a table saw with the sled adjusted to 60°?
Sorry for bothering you, but I've been thinking about how to best cut hexagonal tiles for some time now, and haven't found a satisfying solution yet (unfortunately I currently have access only to an electric jigsaw and a few japanese handsaws).
I don't own Catan because it doesn't scale to two players but damn me if I don't want a copy like this!
There is a two player variant in the files section that works quite well.
It basically just makes the board smaller.
Trading just doesn't work in any 2p game, IMO. Beautiful rendition, by the way. I'd love a custom set like this. I don't have the tools (or patience) for it, so I'd order my hexes from litko aero. Pick your size:
@ David Mihola I cut them. I'm lucky to have a dad with a lot of saws.
Thanks a lot for the reply! So you cut them from boards (because it looks like the wood grain is running parallel to the table instead of perpendicular to it)? And what kind of saw did you use - a table saw with the sled adjusted to 60°?
Sorry for bothering you, but I've been thinking about how to best cut hexagonal tiles for some time now, and haven't found a satisfying solution yet (unfortunately I currently have access only to an electric jigsaw and a few japanese handsaws).
Exactly, a table saw set to 60°.
I cut strips 7.5cm wide. Then cut corners off one end of the strips at 60°, cutting from the middle of the stip. Then I Measured 8.6cm from the new edge and made another cut, I repeated that along the strip till there was not enough left to cut a full tile. Then I measured 4.3cm (the dimension of each side) along the edges I measured previously, and cut those at 60°. I used the corner pieces I cut off as the ports.
You'd have to be pretty steady to make the cuts using hand tools in order for all the tiles to fit together well. You might be able to make some kind of brace or track for the jigsaw.
I cut strips 7.5cm wide. Then cut corners off one end of the strips at 60°, cutting from the middle of the stip. Then I Measured 8.6cm from the new edge and made another cut, I repeated that along the strip till there was not enough left to cut a full tile. Then I measured 4.3cm (the dimension of each side) along the edges I measured previously, and cut those at 60°. I used the corner pieces I cut off as the ports.
Again, thanks a lot for your reply!
Quote:
You'd have to be pretty steady to make the cuts using hand tools in order for all the tiles to fit together well.
That's what I thought, too. However I might try buying (for hexes that are, say, 30 mm from side to side) some 30x4x2000mm strips/boards of wood and just make some kind of jig for the handsaw at 60°
Quote:
You might be able to make some kind of brace or track for the jigsaw.
I thought about that, but I think for such small hexes the jigsaw wouldn't really work (not in my hands, at least).
These remind me of my grandparents toys from when I was a kid. I guess this board is made to be passed on to future generations? It'll certainly stand up to the decades.
What kind of wood did you use? Beautiful. Ordered the hexes from litkoaero.com but not sure that they are going to work because they are plywood. Will chop the extra into the triangles.
after playing catan for the first time today, i must say that if i'd seen this version i'd have played it much sooner. i think i have another project to add to my list.
Posted Sun Jul 12, 2009 3:43 am
