Skype Game - Mars Attacks!

[OldGuy59]

I dont have any decks at my disposal, but if there is a way for me to get in, I should be available all saturday, but only for the last half of sunday

Andrew,
If we arrange this for a mutually agreeable time, you could meet at my place, and play here? That has been done before, with Shane [Skyguy001].

Alternatively, you could use the MATES cards, and list the card numbers you want as your plan. After all, I will be trialing the MATES cards on the table.

MATES is created and developed on this thread: The Big Thread of Extra Maneuver Decks
MATES put all the arrows from all cards of a maneuver deck an put it on a single card.

[Lt. S.Kafloc]

Saturday Leeds,Royal Armouries all day. Could make Sunday.

[OldGuy59]

OK, once more into the breach.

Sunday, 13 Nov: 5 PM for GMT (Morpeth), 6 PM CET (Talvern, Opole). That's 9 AM PST for Comox,BC and Alameda, California, and 10 AM MST for Calgary Alberta and Surprise, Arizona.

I will post a link, and when the page comes up, say "Yes" to give permission to Appear.In for use of your camera and microphone. Then, we should be chatting. Not sure about the camera angles or field of view, so we will have to learn that Sunday.

[tikkifriend]

Sunday it is then Mike.

[Stumptonian]

I will try to jump in (if I may)

[OldGuy59]

I will try to jump in (if I may)

Please, Pete. Jump in, and push the tech. Supposedly there is room for eight. Let's see if it actually works.

I have a question about images on the screen, and whether viewers can expand one of the party's images to full screen. That would be nice for those playing remotely to see the table better. If we all share the screen, and everyone is the same size, the image for the table might be too small. That wouldn't be preferable. However, there is a facility for "screen sharing", so we need to see how that works, and if I can show my overhead camera as a full screen, that might be the way to do this. Learning curve!

[Tokhuah]

I will log in at 9am to test the system.

Anyone know of a good wireless webcam? I am thinking of attaching one to the ceiling over my game table. For now I have my laptop.

[Lt. S.Kafloc]

Ill jump in at 5pm to test but may have to depart shortly afterwards. Ill be on as long as I can though.

[tikkifriend]

I will try to jump in (if I may)

I will be listening for the splash Pete.

[OldGuy59]

Logging into Appear.In - Sunday AM.

Connect with this Link: https://appear.in/wings-tripods

[Stumptonian]

FYI
We are using Google Hangout because Appear In is not working well enough for Mike.
PM me your gmail address and I will invite if you are trying to connect.

We are done for today.
Mike is going to post an update later.

[tikkifriend]

It was great texting to you all
Hangouts seems to be the best at the moment so lets hope the next meet will be against those Martians.

[Tokhuah]

Yes, Hangouts seems to have less issues. Also, because of this I have noticed some of the resources the WWI fliers have, such as MATES and point system, which makes me envious and wanting to get some of this happening for the WWII version.

[clipper1801]

I use Google+ Video Hangout with my kids around the world, just a tiny lag for the kids in NZ. Is there a limit to watchers on? I could get into this if the tech side is google friendly : ) Just watched the original movie again yesterday thinking about all you brave soldiers saving us from the Martians!

[Lt. S.Kafloc]

Can only get hangout to work on phone. It wont work with Windows 10 plus Firefox.

[clipper1801]

Hmmm . . . seems to work for me, I am on Firefox and WIndows 10 . . . on both my PC and my Laptop . . . might look into that a bit closer, I am running latest editions of both software . . . have been for 4 years in fact . . .

[OldGuy59]

OK, so the Tech Check was a bit more complicated than expected. This may be because we are crossing international borders, oceans, and copper phone lines.

My understanding of "Appear.In" is that in the non-subscription service, it runs a Peer-to-Peer sharing system. A dial-up connection would be a horrendous drag on the sharing. Also, as I am on the lowest tier of my cable provider's cable speed, the speed throttling might be the drag, too. Not sure. Skype was degrading for us the last few session we played, but again, there was a dial-up connection in those games, as well.

Screenshots from Appear.In:

This shot shows my screen expanded to show the playing area, with Pete [Stumptonian] (his video, minus Pete) and Paul [tikkifriend] (without video) at the top. The icon at the bottom right (circled talk balloon with the red circled "1") is the chat icon. Click on it, and it expands the chat window, for text.


This is showing all three screens with equal priority (not expanding mine). You can see a chat entry highlighted in the bottom right corner, with two messages waiting (need to open the Chat Window to read them all).

Appear.In worked with Pete and I, Paul attempted to cut some of the load down by going to audio only. Once we had four or more people my video went, and audio started to get very poor (Scott [Tokhuah] and Neil [Skafloc] were there for a few minutes). I couldn't get my video to work, so that pretty much put paid to Appear.In.

We went to Google Hangout, and that was better for the four (Paul, Pete, Scott and I) that made it there.

The above screenshot is of the playing area, highlighted by clicking on my image at the bottom (lower right, white outline). Paul and Pete had turned off their cameras, and Scott had muted his microphone as he was away for a moment checking on family.


The above screenshot is of Scott's home, highlighted by clicking on his image at the bottom (lower right, white outline)

And this is me changing from my overhead camera to my laptop camera.

This is done by using the Cogwheel icon at the upper right corner. The three icons there are for adding more people, the settings cog, and a menu icon.

Google Hangout worked for the three that made it, and the audio was very good most of the time. The video quality wasn't as good as Skype, but with Skype not supporting the Linux OS, it is out of the running for the foreseeable future.

Next meeting will be on Google Hangout!

PS: I had to install Google Chrome on my machine to get Hangout to work properly. It may be that Firefox was the problem with Appear.In, too, now that I've researched that application a bit more. Initially, Firefox wouldn't let me use my camera for Hangout, which prompted me to try Chrome.

[clipper1801]

Some progress then! On Independence Day it seemed to be faster . . . : ) I am out shopping for a new video camera and microphone for my PC to get a bit better picture, but I think you are onto a solution!

[Tokhuah]

It was great putting faces on the planes we all see on this forum. I would really like to see how a game plays out using this system.

[OldGuy59]

As I have said in past posts, I use an MS Lifecam HD-5000, with built-in microphone. It allows for the wide-angle view of the entire table, from about four feet up. The software for the camera has a facial recognition and auto-focusing feature which I don't use, and the auto-focus does cause some vertigo to remote players, as I reach across the play area, moving planes. I haven't found the setting that will turn off those features, so they persist. Other than that, it was the best camera for cost, by far. And I don't use the Lifecam mic, as when I have it positioned above and away from the laptop, I get feedback from the laptop speakers. This doesn't happen when the camera is co-located with the speakers, BTW.

[clipper1801]

Good info, thanks! Gotta be ready for the invasion! . . .

[OldGuy59]

For those interested, I am starting a new thread for: Google Hangout - West Coast Wrangle

Scott and Pete?

For those still interested in the Tripod game, post available times on this thread, please.

[Lt. S.Kafloc]

OK, thanks to Dave I've now got it working on Google Chrome.

[Boreas]

You Might wanna listen to this next time.
Very Cool!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zzEGD1ESr8