Add special build phase for 5-6 player

556 votes

The 5-6 player extension for Catan has a "special build phase" where all players can build at the end of anyone's turn (only using cards in hand, no trades to other players or to the bank). This typically leads to a more balanced game because players have a means for keeping their card count low when there are many turns that pass before it comes back to them and it keeps the game interesting even when it isn't your turn, which is more important with a larger group.

If you could add this as an option during game setup, it would be much appreciated.

Update: Live in v89
JUAN

Done enhance feature game Suggested by: Sean (23 Mar, '20) • Upvoted: 07 Feb • Comments: 36

Comments: 36

24 Mar, '20
Pedsy
I agree it would be helpful!

Until it's implemented, I've found you can speed things up and protect players by increasing the card limit. We've used it as a group and everyone seems to enjoy the extra freedom. Also leads to more/bigger trades in between your turns.
28 Mar, '20
Esqarrouth Admin
"Special Building Phase" (suggested by Tim on 2020-03-28), including upvotes (1) and comments (0), was merged into this suggestion.
29 Mar, '20
AlexInAuburn
This feature is being worked on, as is the addition of more resources in the card deck and more development cards per the original game rules. These changes will take some time to implement. Please be patient.
30 Mar, '20
DrDr
@Alex Bruski: Awesome, having the original 5-6 player rules will make colonist superior to all other Catan online platforms!
05 Apr, '20
Bitcoin Man
This is a must! An essential part of 5-6 player games.
05 Apr, '20
Jonny
I agree this is a critical feature. Even with a 5 player game it would be much quicker!
12 Apr, '20
JT
I totally agree with this addition. Without, the robber is much more devastating for whoever goes last in the first round which can really messed up an entire game. It's kind of disappointing to have to pay for an incomplete version of the game!
12 Apr, '20
S-Trader
I have a friend (Let's call him Lerser) who constantly cheats and is very untalented. It was discovered that because there is no special build phase, his cheating became unchecked and ruined the game for everybody playing. We have since asked Lerser to return the cash prize but he won't budge. He says he needs to money for a series of online subscription services (??).

Game Devs please fix ! This problem cannot be allowed to continue ! Fuck Lerser !
13 Apr, '20
Albers#4569
Hi all, thanks for reading my comment about the above issue. I play with messypots and he only roles sevens cause he's got a small penis. Please allow a special build so I don't have to suffer from his small penis.

Kind regards and much love

Albers
15 Apr, '20
Oliver Merged
The official rules for the 5-6 player version of catan allows for every player to buy at the end of each turn (no trades just buying). This prevents massive build up of cards which are more likely to happen before it is your turn again. There should be a toggle to allow for this feature when playing a bigger game.
15 Apr, '20
AlexInAuburn Merged
If you would search for an existing post with the same idea before posting another request for the same thing, it would be appreciated. I will also prevent the upvotes from being split between multiple request which keeps any of them from getting done because they never get enough votes to get to the top of the list...
20 Apr, '20
Panda | Kero
As mentioned in Discord - It would be preferable if this is an optional choice.

It's easy to imagine a hypothetical scenario where games become super long due to SBP unless players are capable of placing down their pieces in advance similar to what is found in online chess blitz.

This is potentially even more problematic in 7-8 player games, where you'd be waiting an additional 10-15 seconds for everyone to build at the end of each turn.
26 Apr, '20
timi
SBP could take less time if it is simultaneous i.e. everyone has SBP during the same time period, instead of waiting one person at a time
if two players both try to build in the same spot during a SBP then the software would have to track who was there first
26 Apr, '20
Timmy Tom
Have an upboat
28 Apr, '20
timi
+1 to Panda suggestion of placing pieces in advance. then there is no extra time for SBP, if you have placed in advance you get it, if not, not
01 May, '20
TigerEye09
Love to see a special build phase (SBP) for games with 5+ players. Reading the other comments, maybe having a "I have a SBP build to do" toggle on each player's screen so that the game can stop on them with appropriate. Adding in that turn order matters during the SBP in case of the scenarios of last development card or placing the road/settlement to block others first.
05 May, '20
Nick
This is very much a part of the game. It should be implemented. Make sure you can't trade during the SBP because that isn't a part of the game. Maybe have a button to let people who want to build press to not overload or have to wait for every single person and then go in turn order with the people who want to use the SBP.
13 May, '20
Sasha Wilde Admin
"Building Phase for 6P" (suggested by Kevin on 2020-03-27), including upvotes (7) and comments (0), was merged into this suggestion.
13 May, '20
Ced Yarish
Please add this!
16 May, '20
Grace Chan
If I knew this feature wasnt availble, I wouldnt have purchased the upgrade.
02 Jun, '20
Ozz Merged
Add special build fase for 5-6 player
11 Jun, '20
Austin Admin
"Special build" (suggested by Ozz on 2020-06-02), including upvotes (1) and comments (0), was merged into this suggestion.
05 Jul, '20
Blanket Man
Special build phase for 6 person expansion, dev cards are overpowered without build phase.
16 Jul, '20
Esqarrouth Admin
S-Trader what do you mean by cheats?
23 Jul, '20
Wesuhley
I think it is necessary to implement an adjustable setting that chooses after how many player turns the special build happens. It slows down the game too much having a special build time for every round. I feel like for a five to six player game, having a special build duration every four turns (meaning four people take a turn, no matter on who’s turn that happens to land on) is more than fair. It would be the same as playing a four person game without it. Adjustable settings are nice.
02 Aug, '20
Hisham
please add this asap
08 Aug, '20
a.r.donut
The 5/6 player option has been great for my play group but without the build phase these games are taking too long. Please implement this functionality, thank you!
18 Aug, '20
Satoshi Admin
"Off-turn building for 5-6 man standard game or larger" (suggested by Oliver on 2020-04-15), including upvotes (1) and comments (1), was merged into this suggestion.
17 Sep, '20
CatanJawad
Please make this option available instead of the special build phase: card limit increase to 2x number of players. In practice this results in a much faster 5-6 player game and players do not get stung with the robber between turns.
17 Sep, '20
CatanJawad
Just to clarify: "and players do not get stung with the robber between turns" means that if the 7 is rolled players have more of a chance to hold onto all their cards in between their turns if the card limit is increased proportionally to the number of players. I know that an increased card limit is already an option but perhaps colonist.io players are not already aware of this alternative rule to the special build phase (which is a long winded way of keeping your hand under the 7 card limit).
02 Oct, '20
DirtyBubble
Can we please make this feature toggle-able?
27 Nov, '20
Kevin
How do we enable special build phase from the menu?
06 Jan, '21
Guenette
This feature is already working in 7-8 player games, I haven't checked the 5-6 yet, but since it's already coded it should be trivial to include anywhere.
My 5-6 Settlers expansion rule book includes a special build round after every turn.
06 Jan, '21
Guenette
Sorry - I'm new here and I just noticed the "Done" tag on this feature request. Would be nice to have a big green comment included to help communicate that it is "Done", when that was completed, and perhaps an ETA of when it'll go live.
19 Jan, '21
Steeton
Make it an optional game setting too, please?
26 Dec, '21
Oliver
I play tons of 8 player games and it is a common bug that sometimes you click build off turn button (flag) and it doesn’t register. So it skips you. There is a situation where the toggle goes opposite (on is off and off is on).

Myself as well as the people I play with commonly encounter this somewhat often. Is there a way to make it more reliable and also make the change between clicked and unlocked more visable?