Dixiecon 2020 going virtual
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Dixiecon 2020 going virtual
From David Hood, via FB:
Unfortunately this year's Dixiecon will have to be cancelled. The restrictions in North Carolina and surrounding states will not be lifted in time for the event to be held as scheduled.
HOWEVER, I am here to announce that we will have VIRTUAL DIXIECON on May 23, 2020. The details are being worked out, but here's what I know so far:
We will have a Dip tournament that Saturday morning, starting with a video meeting for everyone (probably using Webex Teams) in which I will get the ball rolling as usual with announcements and so forth, and then the preliminary games will be set up and played using Backstabbr.
Backstabbr allows for draw votes, of course, but only for DIAS (Draw Includes All Survivors). This is not set in stone, but I believe what will happen is that the top seven finishers (using the Dixiecon scoring system or some variant) will advance to a Top Board for Saturday evening to crown the Virtual Dixiecon Champ.
The Top Board will likely be run differently, with more active GMing, and in a way that will allow folk to keep up with the action if they wish.
What about Iron Man gaming, you asked? Dixiecon usually has as many gamers to play non-dip games as to play Diplomacy. Virtual Dixiecon will be no exception. Again, details being worked on, but we know that we will be playing and scoring tournaments in both Terraforming Mars and in Nations, using the app and free website play, respectively, and other tournaments are also likely. Not sure we will do full-bore Iron Man scoring per se, too complicated to deal with given what I suspect will be a large crowd of online gamers.
We will be regularly updating on Facebook and the Cisco Webex Teams platform we already use, and I'm sure folk will be twittering, etc. The idea is to have one big, fun, awesome day where our community can celebrate playing games together in a virtual fashion.
Last, but not least, we will all take a break at 5pm Eastern time so that everyone can eat together whatever passes as BBQ in your local area. No way we will miss our Dixiecon BBQ time just because we can't do it in the normal way. We'll have a BBQ Webex meeting during that time so that I can update on how the tournament is going and so forth, and so we can watch each other eat (like we usually do) and make judgmental comments about the volume and method of food consumption."
Get updates on FB or at dixiecon.com
To help folks who may not have used backstabbr.com before, I put together a short-ish video that goes over the basics of the interface. Diplomacy Academy 8 (CoronaVirus edition): Using Backstabbr.com on youtube https://youtu.be/XVrSKXN6r40,
Unfortunately this year's Dixiecon will have to be cancelled. The restrictions in North Carolina and surrounding states will not be lifted in time for the event to be held as scheduled.
HOWEVER, I am here to announce that we will have VIRTUAL DIXIECON on May 23, 2020. The details are being worked out, but here's what I know so far:
We will have a Dip tournament that Saturday morning, starting with a video meeting for everyone (probably using Webex Teams) in which I will get the ball rolling as usual with announcements and so forth, and then the preliminary games will be set up and played using Backstabbr.
Backstabbr allows for draw votes, of course, but only for DIAS (Draw Includes All Survivors). This is not set in stone, but I believe what will happen is that the top seven finishers (using the Dixiecon scoring system or some variant) will advance to a Top Board for Saturday evening to crown the Virtual Dixiecon Champ.
The Top Board will likely be run differently, with more active GMing, and in a way that will allow folk to keep up with the action if they wish.
What about Iron Man gaming, you asked? Dixiecon usually has as many gamers to play non-dip games as to play Diplomacy. Virtual Dixiecon will be no exception. Again, details being worked on, but we know that we will be playing and scoring tournaments in both Terraforming Mars and in Nations, using the app and free website play, respectively, and other tournaments are also likely. Not sure we will do full-bore Iron Man scoring per se, too complicated to deal with given what I suspect will be a large crowd of online gamers.
We will be regularly updating on Facebook and the Cisco Webex Teams platform we already use, and I'm sure folk will be twittering, etc. The idea is to have one big, fun, awesome day where our community can celebrate playing games together in a virtual fashion.
Last, but not least, we will all take a break at 5pm Eastern time so that everyone can eat together whatever passes as BBQ in your local area. No way we will miss our Dixiecon BBQ time just because we can't do it in the normal way. We'll have a BBQ Webex meeting during that time so that I can update on how the tournament is going and so forth, and so we can watch each other eat (like we usually do) and make judgmental comments about the volume and method of food consumption."
Get updates on FB or at dixiecon.com
To help folks who may not have used backstabbr.com before, I put together a short-ish video that goes over the basics of the interface. Diplomacy Academy 8 (CoronaVirus edition): Using Backstabbr.com on youtube https://youtu.be/XVrSKXN6r40,
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Re: Dixiecon 2020 going virtual
First, if you are registered for the event already, you should have received an email from me this afternoon with some updated details and invite to a test run video conference on Webex this week. If you did not receive it, then you either are NOT registered (even if you think you are) or there is a problem with the email address you gave me. Either way, please message me to resolve. www.dixiecon.com to register for the May 23rd event!
Since the last update the numbers now stand at 72 total, including a few non-Dippers. Still on track to have at least 10 boards per round, and probably much more than than given that we are still nearly 3 weeks away from the event.
If you are playing Diplomacy and can ONLY play one round or the other, please let me know that as soon as you can.
If you are not following Chris Martin's new series of Diplomacy Academy videos, get with it. Good stuff.
For my Iron Man gaming folks, here is the way that event will work this year. We will be organizing the games using the chat function in Teams. In order to count, the games must be played from a list we will finalize before vDixie begins, and every player in it must be a vDixie registrant. Here is a partial list of the websites on which you can play your games: ACTS (Titan), Boiteajeux.net (Agricola, Concordia), MabiWeb (Nations, Boardgamearena (7 Wonders, Can't Stop, Sushi Go, Six Nimmt, TTA, PR, Terra Mystica, many others). There will be other sites added and you can propose one to me by private message. And yes, you Dippers out there who get elimed or finish your games early can certainly participate in this, just like at a regular Dixiecon.
Next update I will likely to an attendee list so you can see who's coming to stab you, along with additional updates on process, procedure, awards, etc. In the meantime, practice using Backstabbr, practice using the Iron Man sites listed above, and generally practice being reasonable and sensible folk instead of how you usually act, so you can win this bloody thing.
Since the last update the numbers now stand at 72 total, including a few non-Dippers. Still on track to have at least 10 boards per round, and probably much more than than given that we are still nearly 3 weeks away from the event.
If you are playing Diplomacy and can ONLY play one round or the other, please let me know that as soon as you can.
If you are not following Chris Martin's new series of Diplomacy Academy videos, get with it. Good stuff.
For my Iron Man gaming folks, here is the way that event will work this year. We will be organizing the games using the chat function in Teams. In order to count, the games must be played from a list we will finalize before vDixie begins, and every player in it must be a vDixie registrant. Here is a partial list of the websites on which you can play your games: ACTS (Titan), Boiteajeux.net (Agricola, Concordia), MabiWeb (Nations, Boardgamearena (7 Wonders, Can't Stop, Sushi Go, Six Nimmt, TTA, PR, Terra Mystica, many others). There will be other sites added and you can propose one to me by private message. And yes, you Dippers out there who get elimed or finish your games early can certainly participate in this, just like at a regular Dixiecon.
Next update I will likely to an attendee list so you can see who's coming to stab you, along with additional updates on process, procedure, awards, etc. In the meantime, practice using Backstabbr, practice using the Iron Man sites listed above, and generally practice being reasonable and sensible folk instead of how you usually act, so you can win this bloody thing.
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Re: Dixiecon 2020 going virtual
Nice. I saw your name pop up on the Webex. I saw Edi Birsan's name too, which is exciting, I think.
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Re: Dixiecon 2020 going virtual
So, tonight I was involved in a practice game put on by David Hood on Backstabbr to try things out for Dixiecon. We used Webex teams simultaneously with the Backstabbr press function. 15 minute turns. Chris Martin and Michael Binder (North American Champions) were playing as well. I was a disaster. I've gotten so used to musing over my turn for 48 hours and crafting my press, letting my ideas percolate that I completely panicked. I was Austria, and I don't think I've ever played so bad. With the confusion of trying to use all the different methods of communication, and video conferencing? That really threw me off. I completely forgot to lie or scheme, I just blurted out whatever I was thinking to all the other players. Utter shame, but....it was a blast! I loved it! And I'm glad I got to play with such big names in the FtF hobby, even if it was just a practice game to the end of 1902.
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Re: Dixiecon 2020 going virtual
Update! vDixie will have 10-11 boards on Saturday morning May 23, beginning at 10 am GMT-4. If you want to participate (you need a backstabbr account, and a webex Teams account), sign up at www.dixiecon.com before Friday!
The second rounds begins at 6pm, and you can play in one or both rounds.
Siobhan, Brandon, and I will be live-streaming the event in two sessions, the first starting at 1pm and the second at 8pm. I'll post the link here, we're planning on using YouTube Live this time, so no one needs a facebook account.
If this event goes well, several others are talking about adopting some aspect of this methodology, so there may be more fast paced online tournaments coming soon!
The second rounds begins at 6pm, and you can play in one or both rounds.
Siobhan, Brandon, and I will be live-streaming the event in two sessions, the first starting at 1pm and the second at 8pm. I'll post the link here, we're planning on using YouTube Live this time, so no one needs a facebook account.
If this event goes well, several others are talking about adopting some aspect of this methodology, so there may be more fast paced online tournaments coming soon!
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