While video game adaptations are booming, movies based on board games have had a less-than-stellar reputation. For example, 2012’s Battleship and the Jumanji reboots are straddling the edges of watchability. On the bright side, 2023’s Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves slowly opened the possibility of a good movie based on the tabletop experience. Now, Catan and Netflix are taking advantage of the crack opened by Dungeons & Dragons.

In tabletop parlance, Catan is the so-called gateway drug for other board games. It’s the default option for players who want to try something new outside of the boilerplate Monopoly or Cards Against Humanity. The eventual hope is to open the doorway to more complex games in the future.

Today, Netflix announced that it will adapt Catan into a series of films and shows. The platform is partnering with the game’s publisher Asmodee for the projects.

As with all of Netflix’s announcements for future projects, this one doesn’t have a clear storyline yet. To be fair, the world of Catan has its own lore told through expansions and other media. It’s just not a story that’s easily digestible by simply playing the game. And, if someone can make a story — albeit a middling one — out of Battleship, then so can Catan.

Catan, as a media project, will be produced by Asmodee’s Darren Kyman, Catan Studio’s Pete Fenlon, and the creator’s sons, Benjamin and Guido Teuber.

SEE ALSO: KPop Demon Hunters is now Netflix’s most-watched movie

Going to Zhengzhou felt like slipping into the past version of me. The nerdy, excitable kid who used to memorize science books like bedtime stories. Except, I never looked like a nerd. I had no braces or oversized glasses.

I grew up looking like a himbo (still do, if you ask me), yet my brain has always been wired to understand the language of technology better than most.

So when ACMobility, the distributor of BYD cars in the Philippines, invited me to the BYD Di-Space Museum in Zhengzhou, it felt like a homecoming staged on glossy floors and wheels powered by the future.

It’s BYD’s first national new energy vehicle (NEV) science museum, designed to immerse visitors in the world of clean mobility, design, and technology.

For the first time in my life, I got ridiculously excited about a museum. Me? Geeking out? Maybe I’ve been hiding my true self all along.

First encounters

The museum sits in Zhengzhou’s Erqi District, about 30 minutes by bus from the InterContinental Zhengzhou Zhengdong, where I stayed like a king for nearly a week.

It sprawls across 15,000 square meters, with another 8,500 outside for supporting facilities. It’s divided by four floors, each one like a chapter of a novel about energy and innovation.

The first floor welcomed me with a story: the evolution of transportation energy. From fossil-fueled beginnings to the clean energy of electric vehicles, the narrative unfolded like a history lesson I didn’t want to skip.

Then came the rise of BYD Auto itself, tracing its journey from battery maker to global NEV leader.

Of course, no museum would be complete without a brand culture space. There were plenty of  BYD merchandise and accessories to choose from.

And there’s a café where I could buy an Oatmilk Latte with AliPay via my GCash QR code. Though, when I asked Google Translate to decode the Chinese characters, it told me my drink was “poison milk.”

And you know what? Maybe it was right. Oatmilk is my poison, one I’ll gladly sip until my final breath.

The heart of innovation

The second and third floors were the real showstoppers. Here, BYD peeled back the curtain to reveal how design, engineering, and experimentation transform into actual cars.

It’s like watching haute couture get stitched together, except instead of gowns, you get vehicles meant to save the planet.

READ: 4 electric car myths, debunked

Every corner flaunted BYD’s core technologies. First was the Blade Battery. It’s a slim, elongated battery designed not just for power, but for safety. It’s called the Blade because of its shape and also its resilience.

Engineers literally put it through nail penetration tests and crush tests to prove it won’t explode. Although, I already saw this part when I visited the BYD Headquarters in Shenzhen, where the nail penetration test was full-on display.

Then came the E4 Platform. Think of it as BYD’s secret stage for performance. With motors on each wheel, the system allows precise control and hair-raising acceleration, making NEVs not only efficient but exhilarating.

On another side, there was the Yun Nian System. This is where BYD gets poetic. Yun Nian, meaning “cloud chariot,” is a suspension technology that reads the road like it’s fluent in empathy, smoothing out bumps and keeping rides graceful even on unforgiving terrain.

Then, there was the fifth-generation of DM Hybrid Technology. It’s BYD’s latest dual-mode hybrid tech that blends electric power with gasoline efficiency. It’s proof that clean energy doesn’t mean compromise, it just means extending choice and control.

On another wall, you will find the Patent Waterfall, a massive installation housing over 35,000 patents BYD has earned over the years. Yes! Thirty. Five. Thousand. Patents.

More than a museum

The Di-Space Museum isn’t just a shrine to BYD. It’s a stage for the public to fall in love with the future of mobility and to understand clean energy without needing an engineering degree. It’s a way to imagine what a green society could look like.

And here’s the part that got me a little sentimental: I wish we had something like this in Manila. A place where science feels cinematic, and where sustainability is presented not as sacrifice but as lifestyle. I want a place where kids — and grown-up kids like me — can dream.

Because this museum is more than a milestone for China’s NEV industry. It’s a promise. A powerful declaration that the future is electric, and it’s dazzling.

P.S. I filmed a full video tour using my favorite toys: the DJI Osmo Nano, Insta360 X5, and my iPhone 16 Pro. The future is green and it looks even better on screen.

@gadgetmatch We went on a tour at BYD’s Science Museum in Zhengzhou, China! #BYD #Zhengzhou #China ♬ original sound – GadgetMatch

In recent conversations with some close confidantes, I’ve expressed how I stumbled into a life I didn’t necessarily dream of. My work has taken me to places I never even imagined going to. One of those is London in the United Kingdom. Armed with the CANON EOS R50 V, I asked my friend, Jane, who has lived there for around seven to eight years to show me around. 

Being in a new place always feels a little overwhelming. Thankfully, I had a local show me around. I only had two requirements: I wanted to see spots shown on the film Spider-Man: Far From Home (yes, I’m a webhead), and the Big Ben. That’s it. Everything else would be gravy. 

And so, our little city trek began. 

Didn’t realize there was someone looking at the camera when I shot this. Sun was pretty high up that day.

The first thing we spotted from afar is the City Mayor’s office. It’s this oval-looking thing. Definitely not your typical City Hall design. 

After walking a few spaces, we spot these food trucks with the Tower Bridge in the background. If I remember correctly, Jane told me these food trucks aren’t a permanent fixture here – usually a summer thing.

Spider-Man: Far From Home spots

“Monji alji” iykyk

I usually go solo on these foreign city walkabouts. But having a companion meant I could take these touristy photos. 

And yes, this is also the bridge in Spidey Far From Home. I was clearly giddy. 

Quite close to it – but still not as close as the Far From Home film made it seem – is The Shard. 

This was where Fury and Maria Hill (who turned out to be Skrulls) were stationed during the final act of the movie.

I might be mistaken but it was also along this path where we saw the Traitor’s Gate. There were several people taking photos at this area so it’s most certainly a tourist attraction. 

It served as the entryway for many Tudor-era prisoners brought to the Tower of London. Originally constructed by Edward I, it functioned as a water gate within St. Thomas’ Tower — a section of the fortress built to offer extra living quarters for the royal family.

Yes, I got that off of Wikipedia. Sue me.

Along the walk we spotted these City Cruises. They looked nice from afar. But I’ve been on something like this before and I was terrified – I’m not exactly fond of being in big-ish bodies of water.

I can’t remember if we crossed or just went by it – but we were on the Tower Bridge. It was filled with people and those double deck buses that I didn’t get a chance to ride. 

You also get a nice view of The Shard from the Tower Bridge.

At this point we were already looking for a spot to get some grub. We stopped by a pub but they didn’t have what we wanted to order so we walked some more. 

Fish, chips, and more

Along the way, we spotted this residential back alley. I thought the view made for a nice little corner-of-the-city shot.

Along the way hunting for a pub that served fish and chips, I shot the photo above. I’m a sucker about the concept of parallel universes and this shot kind of had that vibe. Sorry. Nerd. 

 

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A post shared by Rodneil Quiteles (@rodneil)

We eventually settled here at The Raven. 

I finally had my first authentic British fish and chips. 

We stayed here for a while before continuing the trek. 

On the way to Big Ben/ Elizabeth Tower, we passed by Borough Market. Although, we didn’t linger too much nor buy anything. But hey, at least I could say I was there. 

Around the area is the Clink Prison Museum. A quick Google search says it’s one of the oldest prisons. It’s been around since 1144. Old indeed. There were plenty of these gibbet-type things. That’s how they executed people back then. 

Around the bend, there’s this nice view of the Southwark Cathedral. I didn’t want to spontaneously combust so we didn’t go in. 

Along the way, we also spotted this wall with heart graffiti. I was lucky enough that a couple seemed to be walking beside it when I took a shot. 

Plenty of paces away we came across the Millenium Bridge with St. Paul’s Cathedral in the background. This is easily one of my favorite shots from this walkaround. 

A little further down and we spotted these two red pillars that don’t really connect anywhere. A quick Gemini search told us that these are the remains of the original Blackfriars Railway Bridge. 

Right next to it is the current Blackfriars Bridge which has been around since 1869. 

Approaching Big Ben

Moving along, we ended up at Regent’s Park where the National Theater is located. Jane tells me this is one of her favorite spots in the city.

Not too far off is the BFI IMAX Cinema in London. The facade of the place is also known for hosting major ads. At the time we walked by, it had Adidas Superstar ads splattered all over. 

When the game God of War: Ragnarok came out, this place also had ads for it. 

At this point, we were quickly pacing through the spots as we were supposed to meet another friend. We passed through London’s Eye rather quickly. The area had a festive vibe with people gathered around stages.

[Big Ben facade] 

At long last, we finally made it to Big Ben. This was a nice photo spot right across the Elizabeth Tower which hosts the Big Ben. It’s part of the larger Palace of Westminster. 

Naturally, we had to take some touristy photos. While making our way across the bridge, “Golden” from KPop Demon Hunters was blasting through the speakers of one of the vendors there. Truly a global phenomenon. 

Had a closer look at Big Ben after making our way across. It looked absolutely majestic. 

Wrapping up the trek

We started making our way to Buckingham Palace after. Before that, I snapped this real quick without realizing that it’s a closer look at St. Paul’s Cathedral. 

Buckingham Palace is surrounded by a large area of different parks. I believe this particular spot is already the Buckingham Palace Garden. But there are several parks around it where people run or just spend some quiet time in. 

As expected, the Buckingham Palace was filled with people. I couldn’t really get shots I was totally satisfied with so I leave you with this one of the Palace gates.

I went back a few days later to take more photos but this time with the HONOR Magic V5. 

Beeda Beeda even in London

We capped off the trek by meeting with our friend at this familiar place.

There were plenty more shots, spots, and musings that I couldn’t share here. Overall, the CANON EOS R50 V was a very nice companion for travel treks like this.