Less than a week ago, a new Catan PC program, "Catan Creator's Edition" has been released in Germany. It's a completely new developement. And you know what? As a boardgame conversion, it really is pretty mighty hefty damn good.
No Java, this one comes as a C++ game. Graphic is fully zoomable and can be turned and moved as you like. Rulesets include Knights&Cities, and Seefahrer again. There are options for and scenarios with foggy hexes, treasure chests and one or two more. The game owes to its predecessor in name-giving and visual desiogn of the AI characters, it includes the same scenarios, plus a few more, but to make this one clear: it is a massive improvement over the earlier Catan in all regards. Some rare rule options that most people do not use in table games, also are included as optional choices. It mjst not be said that the original playing rules apply, and all action and event cards are there, too.
There is a nice editor that allows easy creation of your own maps and scenarios, complete with randomization of fields and chips and all avalable rule options as you want to have it. Works wonderful, I tried it.
The AI can be set to low, normal and difficult. On difficult, I have lost most matches. The AI really plays nice, I have to admit it shows me my limits on not rare occasions. Ten AI characters, that have 1-5 star ratings in 3 categories: aggressiveness, expansionism, talent. The various characters really practice different playing styles. the apparently tame ones - are easy to underestimate. That they play differently does not mean they play weak. You've been warned.
I like Catan, it's one of the best boardgame designs I ever learned, I use to play it with the kids and parents where the mothers is an old girlfriend of mine whenever I visit them over extended weekends: then every evening is a Catan-evening. It is a very good boardgame, and the conversion I learned to appreciate the more the longer I have tested it now. With 18 Euros, it also is not expensive.
Only the documentations leaves to be desired, it would be good if you already know the rules of the boardgame, and then you can learn the functionality of the - well-designed - interface by trial and error in one or two test matches. However, there are some tutorials and an in-menu-almanach included. But no separate manual in printed or pdf format.
The game has a histogram display to keep track of the dice results, and allows dice throws basing on the Mersienne Twister algorithm or by using 1x or 5x dice-card staples. Criticism by some people that the game AI cheats or uses cheating randomization, I already found invalid and wrong with the predecessor. I refuse to take this criticism as valid with this new incarnation, too. By all my observations, the Ai plays fair and clean, the dice do not help it in any unfair manner. Of course, fortune sometimes plays in your favour - and sometimes against you as well. That's why they call it luck.
I definitely recommend this game for lovers of the original who occasionally want to play it but lack the people to fill a table round. The price is not only fair - it is extraordinarily cheap for what is delivered. I found no serious bugs or erratic functions. Some cosmetic things, but none of them that should worry the potentially interested - promised.
At German Amazon, some people really gave rants about the game, plowing it under. But I find most of their points unfair and for the most even rightout wrong. However, the game offers an alternative graphics mode, more like cartoon in 3D, and yes, that one looks terrible and is almost unplayable. Well. Leave it switched off then. Problem solved.
If you are a Catan player and would like to have a good PC adaptation, do not hesitate and try this one. It is very good, really. A fair-priced, welldone, good-looking, nicely designed and complete and round package with really good AI. A brilliant conversion, I would say. I love it.
