Getty Images / ur Rick L. Son Sun.
As we settle into the United States Labor Day weekend, we hope you’ll find ways to celebrate, at the very least, a celebration of something that feels like a “vacation” when travel and vacation options have become more limited. With that in mind, I gave a pole to my Ars colleagues in view of the vacation: how To do Have you put “happy” into “happy times” in a socially spaced universe?
Surprisingly, a lot of the answers capture on technology, though not all of them. If you are struggling to socialize or break the 2020 route, we hope our suggestions inspire you, however we would also like to see your own suggestions in the comments section below.
Life updates between bets
In earlier times, I was part of a semi-weekly poker night with friends from graduate school. Once the epidemic hit, we moved Poker Night to Naline. We used Zoom for video chat, but we had a really hard time finding good online online poker software.
We need a service that can make us in a private room and play fake-money games with the right user interface. After trying many options and getting the carding done, we found Poker.club. It’s free, web-based and has a nice user interface.
I have found that online poker is a good choice to connect with friends. People of all skill levels can play. Poker does not involve constant action, so people give plenty of time to update each other on the life between bets.
While zoom poker isn’t as fun as real-life poker, it has one thing in common: we’ve been able to invite friends from mutual grade schools who have moved to other cities.
–Timothy Lee, Senior Tech Policy Reporter
Don’t tot your horns here
I have two large social outlets. First, a local wind that I combine, unfortunately left at intervals until people get an epidemic in the room biting their horns. The second, though, is my tablet RPG group, and it still runs like gangbusters.
We are doing very well because playing online is our first habit: since we started our game in 2015 we have always been in five states and three time zones. We meet every two or three weeks on Roll 20 to tell the story and roll. Virtual dice in small hours at night. (At least, for me. Our California accidentally plays at reasonable hours, haha.) Without the awkward awkwardness of hanging out with friends, which can be executed just for the sake of screens zooming in or hanging out happy hours.
Another thing I just found out: even for someone like me, a true and true introvert working from home and mostly used to socializing socially online, you need to go out sometimes. Grab a blanket and a cup of coffee and chat outside with friends (some feet away) is a mood booster several times a month.
–Kate Cox, Tech Policy Reporter
Sliders vs. Switches
My family is with three kids, so in many ways “Happy Hour” was already a kind of legend, or was properly socially removed depending on how you want to see it. I spend more time with friends on the internet and less personally – but this change is more like changing the slider than switching it off.
Probably the biggest impact has been on my mom, who moved to a nearby town with me and the kids a year ago – we still visit very regularly, but the visits are just outside. Thankfully, she’s got an acre-yard space, it’s not bad as long as the weather is good.
–Jim Sterler, Technology Reporter
Cusogrande rabbit hole
I’ve always played games online, but during epidemics, sports have become my main connection to the outside world, so it’s more important than ever. My wife and I have started a controversy group with some fellow friends and family members – her brother, some of my game developer friends, an old friend of mine who has worked many times over the years, and his friend my wife from the swing dancing scene.
We’ve all played Minecraft From April 29 every Friday night until hours. The world of our existence is now a jungle city, a cascading water skyscraper, a military fort, a series of Pacific modern houses in terracotta, a nightclub on the balcony, an interdimensional transportation system, an underwater luxury penthouse, and a picnic mansion. Kart Race Race Super Mario 64. We’re busy!
Also, I’ve got a huge penetration into the Cusogrande community, a twitch-based scene where people spidrain, showcase, and race in bad or weird video games – one of a kind. Mystery Science Theater 3000 For video games.
Last but certainly not least, I am jamming the game on itch.io and Discord. Dozens or even hundreds of people form teams and spend a week or a week developing small-space games that riff on a single theme, then share their work and vote for the best games. Surprisingly, thanks to these things, I feel like I’ve actually been more socially active and connected during the epidemic than ever before!
–Samuel Axon, Senior Reviews Editor
Yes, our Infosec Pro uses Zoom (sometimes)
I’ve had a video-based happy hour since the downdown started. This meetup was with a crowd of security people in my neighborhood. It was nice to see and catch everyone’s faces. One of the fun things is that a lot of kids, including myself, joined the conversation and got to hear and discuss hacking and security. It’s something that never happened when our group had a happy time at the bar. Now that I’m thinking about this, I’m ready to rally the group together for another video.
If you’re wondering: we haven’t spent any time thinking about which platform is the most secure. Zoom provides encryption in transit, the same protection provided by Gmail and many other online services. If we were discussing sensitive topics, we would have chosen FaceTime or another service that uses end-to-end encryption.
–Dan Goodin, security editor
Feel broken? Try Rack room
My social groups in Seattle are pretty nice analogs, and my local board gaming crew have never agreed on a digital facemail for any of our favorite games. We bought a few standalone game customers on Steam, but everything we chose was bad luck. Tablet op simulatorDespite its potential for goalless entertainment and easy add-ons in DLC packages, the given game has a difficult proposition for basic tasks such as taking pieces and cards. Blood rageSteam version of the launch-week has been launched with a sad night dream list, while CharterstoneThe server-side management of ongoing games has crashed long enough to kill its “legacy” appeal.
For locked-down socializing, I’ve found that the most exciting option is to immerse yourself in virtual reality, especially Rack room, A free-to-play social-space application that includes a range of structured and free-form multiplayer games and activities. Since the game launched in 2017, its entertainment feature has become quite diverse, and it works on the imagination of every VR headset from the PlayStation VR to the Valve Index. (If you don’t have VR access, you can join any session in “2D” format.) Start easy with accessible rentals like bowling and table tennis. Join and fight strangers in paintball ball gun fight. Join the army in cooperative ventures, where you’ll either wield a sword and ield like a medieval warrior or wield a laser gun in a ’80s robo-war.
Of course, the best quality of the app is how it allows the “leader” to guide a group of friends seamlessly from one activity to another, so that friends do not have to worry about being constantly disconnected or split up. The games are fun, sure, but it’s VR. There is only window dressing for natural socialization provided by. Everyone can hear and see each other, as if stuck in real life, and the static audio dio sells in the sense that you’re all really wandering the streets of bowling. How many feet of space are maintained between friends, and moving hands and head makes it seem as if people are actually there.
–Sam Mackovich, Tech Culture Editor
“OMG Crouch Knowledge”
Many of my family and friends include cocktails in the back yard, socially far away. We make a pretty smooth syrup with pomegranate juice or cherry juice and then add a little fresh lime and whatever wine feels good, shake it by adding a little ice.
While camping alone this summer, I managed a simuchwatch John Wick 2 With my husband, who held the castle back home. Sometimes we f-synchronized the event and spoiled the next event, but our texting stream during the movie is very summed up. (Colby is my dog.)
I: Now they are shooting again
ugh
Dude brain
Not true
OMG Crouch Knowledge
There is no way
So wrong
Husband: True!
I: He needs treatment
And of course that guy is taller than everyone else on the stupid train
Husband: H.M.
I: Why are they dragging this person’s death so long
Lol and every runner leaves the train
I need to let Colby go potty
About half an hour mark
Morpheus !!
hahaha
OK
Wait now
Husband: That, I wait
I: OK
Husband: OK
I: Started
Husband: I don’t want your money
I: H.M.
Not sure I remember them saying tha
That
It was a lot of headshots
Wow
Broke the rule
Husband: Now what ?!
I: Why did you get it?
That’s crazy.
Husband: There you have it
–KS, Associate Copiditor
