issue 30// vol 46 life & style // no. 13

How to keep entertained online
with your friends and family

» Exciting things to do on the internet

Sonam Kaloti
Arts Editor

 

n the wake of staying isolated in our
homes for possibly months on end we
need something to do to stay connected
with our friends and family online. To
be fair, some of these are going to be less
family-friendly fun than others, so choose
wisely.

Cards Against Humanity

This game can be extremely inappropriate.
If you've heard anything about it, you'd
know that. Pretend You're Xyzzy is the best
online form of this game and it’s free!

Virtual worlds
There are countless virtual worlds out
there. To be fair, many of the best ones
closed down years ago. There are worlds for
adults and for children, but the kid ones
may be fun to play for a bit of nostalgia.

Second Life is only fun if you really
want to invest in it as if it is truly your
second life. | wasn’t able to get into it since
I just wanted a bit of quick fun with my
friends, but it might be a perfect fit for you.
VRChat is probably the most universally
popular virtual world right now and doesn’t
necessarily require a VR headset (though
it is much more immersive if you have
one). For nostalgic purposes: Toontown
Rewritten is a reboot of the old Toontown
virtual world that was originally created
by Disney. It features a bunch of Disney
characters, as well as mafia-boss evil
robots.

Club Penguin Online is another
reboot—and it is a revival of one of the
most popular virtual world games ever. If

Before there was Zoom

you don't know what Club Penguin is, you
must have been living under a rock (or
perhaps on an iceberg).

BuzzFeed quizzes

BuzzFeed quizzes are typically far from the
mark of being scientific, but that’s what
makes them fun! These goofy and pointless
quizzes are a hit to do with friends. Take
turns picking the quiz and comparing what
princess or snack food you are.

Personality quizzes

If you, like me, enjoy a quiz with a little
more substance and scientific backup
(although there are claims that the science
isn't actually valid, so be warned) —

take personality tests such as the 16

» Comparing alternative video chat services

Jerrison Oracion
Senior Columnist

 

Vee chat has evolved greatly in the
past two decades—changing the way
we connect through conversations and
conference calls. The idea of calling with
video was first made in the 1870s along
with the idea of audio devices, but the
first prototypes did not culminate until
the late 1920s when AT&T first started
developing it (but it would not come into
use until the ‘7os). Webcams may have
been semi-popular on university campuses
in the ‘gos, but around a year after Skype
was introduced to the market in 2003 with
its high-quality video chat, businesses
began to practice video conferencing more
seriously. Skype’s group video chat was
available as a premium feature.

When Google+ was launched, the
Hangouts feature was relatively popular
because it allowed more people to be in
a group. They have also recently changed
Hangouts to Google Meet. Because social
distancing is still in effect due to the
pandemic, everyone should engage with
friends and relatives outside of their home

through these video chat services. The
pandemic has led to the frequent use of a
video chat service called Zoom; it is used
not only for private conversations but
also in TV shows and live streams. Many
university classes use it as well.

T usually use the service when I do
surveys and while you can have a lot
of people in a group chat and a lot of
interesting features—like having a virtual
background behind you—I find the quality
to not be comparable to a video chat in
Skype. The video chat services that were
made before Zoom pioneered video chat
and can be great alternatives to the now
very popular Zoom.

Skype has a higher quality image and
an easy to use interface that is clear and
immersive. The audio quality feels like the
same crystal-clear quality of a landline
phone and depending on the device that
you use and your internet speed, you can
have up to 50 people in a group video chat.
Zoom does advertise 100 people in a chat
for free though.

Google Hangouts is the first time I
saw the video chat feature where, when
someone talks, the chat prioritizes the

  
  

Illustration by Sonam Kaloti

ee

Personalities test. The answers are often “a
‘freakishly accurate’ description of who you
are and why you do things the way you do,”
according to their website.

If you want to play something a little
spicier, you can try the Rice Purity Test,
which is a checklist that calculates how
“pure” you are. I do not believe in the
existence of “purity,” but the quiz is fun
regardless.

Even spicier and definitely rated R, you
could try the BDSM Test which is explained
on the test’s website to have been created
“to help beginning kinksters determine
which labels are or aren't suitable for them,
and to be a fun experience for everyone
taking it, beginners and experts alike.”

person that is
talking. Another
feature I saw on
Hangouts first
was where one
can control which
person they
would like to see
by editing the
hangout manually.
If you do not have
a fast internet
connection, the
image could drop
frames, or the
hangout would
drop during the middle of a conversation.
Ina hangout, you can have 10 people video
call for free which makes it more fun.

A lot of gamers use Discord to interac
with other players and talk about anything
in chat rooms, where up to 10 people can
be in a group video chat. The quality of
the group digital conference is seamless at
times, though it can drop at certain points
too. Unlike most video call services you
can move the people that are in the chat,
share your screen, and put a personalized

Mobile games

The GamePigeon app on the iPhone has
tons of iMessage games to play such as
Crazy 8(essentially UNO), 8-Ball, and

Cup Pong. There are also countless mobile
game apps to download and play with
friends such as Clash Royale (real-time card
battles), QuizUp (social trivia), and even
Fortnite (a battle royale game).

Videogames

I will never stop recommending Stardew
Valley for single and multiplayer gameplay
(up to four players). On the surface, it
seems like merely a farming simulator—
however it runs far deeper. It’s calming,
addicting, and an overall beautiful game
with a great story. Read this previous Other
Press review if youre interested in learning
more.

BattleBlock Theater is best played
as a co-op, though it can be played single
player as well. BattleBlock is truly hilarious,
fun, and challenging; it will definitely test
your friendships. Jackbox Party game packs
are exhilarating games for you and your
friends. There are many different games
in each pack, and you can read about the
differences of each game pack in another
previous Other Press article. Only one
person needs to buy a pack for the crew to
enjoy—simply screen share the game, and
everyone connects via room code on your
phone for free.

Aren't we all bored of the endless
binge-watching by now? I know I am.
Here’s hoping this list will help your social
circles breathe a bit of fresh air with a
change-up in the itinerary.

Illustration by Sonam Kaloti

background—which is optimal if you are
doing a gaming stream or a podcast.

For iPhone and iPad users, FaceTime’s
group video chat can have 32 people ina
conversation. If your camera is off, you can
show yourself as an Animoji. Because of
the high-quality cameras in these devices,
the quality of the image in the chat has
potential to be very sharp. You could use
Zoom if you like to have a lot of people in
a group video chat. But if you would like
to have a high-quality group video chat,
give these other video chat services a try.