Instructions for making remote events

As it is currently not possible to organise physical events for more than a few people, AYY recommends its members to organise various remote events to maintain the communal spirit and entertain one another. We collected practical tips on our website for groups of friends and associations. If you are not yet familiar with these methods, don’t worry, below you will find good tips and instructions for organising different remote activities.

TOOLS FOR REMOTE CONNECTION

People create the core of all remote activities, but the right tools are also very important. When choosing the tools, you should ensure that all participants have access to them, they know how to use them, and the tools include all necessary features (e.g. screen sharing, video conference, no sign in or app required). Headphones are recommended as voice echoing can sometimes be a problem in a large group. Below are some of the most common options:

• Zoom, free for Aalto students, read more here.
• Microsoft Teams, free for Aalto students, read more here.
• Google Hangouts
• Discord (no video connection)

WHAT SHOULD WE DO IN REMOTE PARTIES?

In all remote activities, you should remember to send invitation links to participants in time and to consider what you will actually do. Below are some tips for organising different activities:

Casual get-together

• Video connection recommended
• Dress code? It is not recommended to wear pajamas, unless it is a pajama party
• Arrange drinks and snacks in advance
• Chat, enjoy the refreshments and each other’s company

Remote Dinner

• Video connection required
• Everyone cooks the same dish according to the same recipe, agree on a starting time together.
• You can also include a so-called master chef section where you have open video connections already during cooking. However, please remember fire safety, don’t leave your laptop on a hot stove in a hurry!
• Candles create a pleasant atmosphere at dinner, but please remember that a video connection also requires some light

Remote Mega parties (+50 people) with virtual rooms

• Learn about the advanced functions of Zoom
• Divide the participants into several groups, i.e. virtual rooms, through the break room feature.
• Make new rooms so that participants end up in new groups with different people, as usually in parties.
• Repeat until you get bored
• Arrange drinks and snacks in advance, tactic of several rooms

Board and card games games over the internet

• Audio or video connection required
• Board games can be played over the internet via several different channels, for example Board Game Arena
• Do several people own Trivial Pursuit? One person can also share a game board with a video connection and take care of moving the pawns. You can ask questions from your own cards or even come up with your own questions if you do not have the cards!
• You can also play Pictionary over the internet, open Paint with screen sharing and play! The same can also be done through the Skribbl browser game.

Jackbox party games

• Requires screen sharing
• Jackbox games include dozens of different games that can be played by 4-8 players at the same time. You can also attend some of the games as the audience, when you can vote on who was the best player in the round.
• Each participant plays from their own smart device or computer browser, does not require separate programmes.
• Drawing games Drawful and Tee KO, for example, are easy and entertaining. Quiplash is similar to the card game Card Against Humanity. There are dozens of different games.
• You can purchase games from Steam shop, for example.

Remote Quiz

• Requires a person to do the quiz and some quiz teams to attend
• You can share quiz questions on your computer screen on Powerpoint or chat through a microphone.
• With screen sharing, you can also make audio, picture and video questions.
• For video questions, however, there is a risk that the video does not work very well, you can also share it as links or files to participants.
• When collecting the quiz answers, you can use Google Forms, for example.
• A good quiz includes small prizes, you can think about the prizes in advance.

Living room gig

• Requires a person who dares to play/perform via video connection
• If you are not that picky about the sound quality, you can use the laptop or phone mic, but a high-quality mic improves the experience
• The audience can make requests to the artist through the chat!

Streaming event

• A wide range of events can be organised with a stream, where the audience participates mainly through text comments and only sees the video as a live stream
• Streaming is supported by many sites, such as Facebook live, Youtube live, Twitch
• You may need additional tools for more complex streaming, which can combine multiple video and audio sources. One example is the free OBS, through which you can also stream to the above-mentioned sites.

Any other remote ways to spend time together?

• http://www.habbo.com, classic Habbo hotel
• https://digibaari.com/, meet your friends in the digital bar environment

Other tips for remote hangouts:

• https://blog.venuu.fi/nain-jarjestat-etajuhlat-8-parasta-vinkkia/