You will find the current installation version of the Catan Online World in the Download area. Follow the link and download the file to your computer, then open the file and follow the instructions for installation. If you don’t have Java installed yet, or you have an outdated version of Java, the corresponding updates will be made during the installation process.

After installation, you will find a program folder named Catan GmbH in the Windows start menu. It contains other subfolders for the Card Game and for the Catan Online World. In this latter directory, you will find the shortcut “Start Catan Online World.” Please use this shortcut to enter the Catan Online World.

The COW-Starter (Windows only)

The COW starter is a program for Windows that is always started before the actual main program. In the Linux and Mac system, the next step – the auto-updater – is activated immediately.

In the COW starter, you will find two menu items:

1. Catan Online World
   • Start Catan Online World
2. Catan Card Game
   • Start Deck Editor
     (see Tournament Game)
   • Start tutorial
   • Change options
     (Change settings such as volume and scroll speed for texts)

In the Info window, you will find important links to information about the Catan Online World as well as a synopsis of the most important news of the Catan Online World.

Important: t is advised to regularly check for the latest news in the Catan Online World News area. Important events such as tournaments, updates, and rule changes are announced here.

To continue with the login, click on the big button "Start Catan Online World.”

Auto-Update

This part of the program checks whether a new program version is available on the Catan Online World server. Click on the “Start” button to automatically download and install potential updates. After updating the program, it automatically switches to the Login window.

The 3 buttons on the right side allow you to control the following functions:

Resolution

Choose between the resolutions offered: 800x600, 1024x768, 1024x600, 1280x800, and 1650x1050, each at 16 or 32 bits. This setting refers only to the Metaworld and the board games. For the Card Game, there is a particular configuration file that you can modify via the COW starter.
The available resolutions for the Card Game are 800x600 and 1024x768.

Tip: 1280x800 and 1650x1050 are particularly suitable for modern widescreen monitors. However, these resolutions can also be used for normal monitors; just make sure you don’t choose a resolution bigger than your desktop resolution.

Please note: The resolutions at 32 bits are not available on all computers. If you encounter display problems, or the speed of the Catan Online World is too low, please switch to 16 bits or reduce the resolution.

Status

If the status is not indicating “OK,” a connection to the Catan Online World server could not be established. This may be due to various reasons. Please check if you are connected to the Internet or if programs on your computer are interfering with this connection. A malfunction of the Catan Online World server itself could also be the reason. In either case, you will obtain important information in the Forum or on the www.playcatan.com home page.

The Login Window

Enter your login information in the respective fields. Login requires your PlayCatan nickname and password. Then click on Login and press ENTER to start the procedure.

After logging in, the main program starts with the "message of the Day." Now you can choose if you want to

a) start in the Hostel or in Your Own House

or

b) start directly in the Tavern where the board games are played.

Read more: