Tabletop Episode #2 Settlers of Catan - 5 Fun things I learned

 by Savage Duck
(returning to Savage Worlds and MapTool soon)

Geek and Sundry and Tabletop YouTube Channel

Host: Wil Wheaton - Dr. Isaac Parrish on Eureka

Neil Grayston - Douglas Fargo from Eureka

James Kyson - Ando from Heroes

Jane Espenson - writer/producer Buffy, Caprica, Game of Thrones

Game Blurb: The Settlers of Catan from Mayfair Games is an award-winning strategy game where players collect resources and use them to build roads, settlements, and cities on their way to victory. The board itself is variable, making each game a little different from the next. Each round of The Settlers of Catan is intended to keep three or four players ages 10 and above engaged for up to 90 minutes.

5 Fun things I learned:

• Each player's dice roll can end up giving others new resources. Nice!
• Roll a 7 and the robber comes out. "The robber is a d*ck," sayeth the Wheaton. There were ALOT of 7's rolled in this game which moves the robber around. If it sits on your property, you can't get any resources from it. Ouch. 20 minutes into the show a 7 was rolled 29% of the time instead of the 18% that statistics say should happen.
• Goals: Build: Settlements, upgrade to Cities, build the longest road, build the largest army, and buy Development cards. Get 10 victory points and you win.
• Coolest trivia discovery - in the Neil Grayston bonus interview: He just finished making a Syfy Movie called "End of the World" with Greg Grunburg (the telepathic cop Matt Parkman in Heroes) where they play two video store clerks trying to avert the end of the world with their disaster movie knowledge. Tongue in cheek fun coming soon.
• Grayston credits his playing DnD in High school for prompting him to become a professional actor. His group loved drama and it was a natural fit.

Blog Bonus: I've seen Jane Espenson on several writers panels at Comic-con San Diego. Here's a writers panel at a Creation Entertainment convention Serenity 2009 in Burbank one with her and  Tim Minear.

Jane came out strong and appeared to really know what she was doing. Then Neil pulled a series of Eureka moves.....just watch and enjoy!

Stay Savage!