Online Scrimmages with Actual Readers!
Online Scrimmages with Actual Readers!
So yesterday on a whim, I decided to try a new idea for quizbowl scrimmages. I got some people (I think it was Dallin, Nikhil, Tanay, Douglas, and Benji), and I used tokbox (an online video conference client) and my handy headset to read questions to them. Everyone except me muted themselves to eliminate possibly auditory distractions, and they typed "buzz" to buzz and typed their answer to answer upon being recognized. It had some problems including Douglas being unable to hear me, me not putting the mic close enough to my face, and me occasionally missing people's buzzes, but overall I think it turned out well.
So anyway, I was wondering if anyone would be up for trying out this new form of quizbowl practice. I wouldn't mind having other people read (I'm not a fantastic reader), and having players from across the country practice in real-life-quizbowl circumstances would be really cool. It's a rather simple set-up unless you're running a really old computer, I guess; but overall, I think it's a very feasible way to practice.
So who's up for it? We can schedule times to meet up while also capping the number of people who can play per conference. Eventually, if we get the hang of it, we can also do bonuses for even better practices. Excitement.
So anyway, I was wondering if anyone would be up for trying out this new form of quizbowl practice. I wouldn't mind having other people read (I'm not a fantastic reader), and having players from across the country practice in real-life-quizbowl circumstances would be really cool. It's a rather simple set-up unless you're running a really old computer, I guess; but overall, I think it's a very feasible way to practice.
So who's up for it? We can schedule times to meet up while also capping the number of people who can play per conference. Eventually, if we get the hang of it, we can also do bonuses for even better practices. Excitement.
Kay, Chicago.
Re: Online Scrimmages with Actual Readers!
This was fantastic. I hope more people join and that this idea catches on.
Tanay
ex-Berkeley, ex-Bellarmine
ex-Berkeley, ex-Bellarmine
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Re: Online Scrimmages with Actual Readers!
I'm up for this. Also, I do have a mic.
Sam Haynes
Jefferson City High 2011
WUSTL 2015
Jefferson City High 2011
WUSTL 2015
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Re: Online Scrimmages with Actual Readers!
This works well on Skype.
Edit for substance: It seems that the only advantage of tokbox that you mentioned is that it has video, which seems to me to be just distracting, and also I at least don't use it while Skype is very widespread. I'm not sure how widely available/free/widely used this is.
Edit for substance: It seems that the only advantage of tokbox that you mentioned is that it has video, which seems to me to be just distracting, and also I at least don't use it while Skype is very widespread. I'm not sure how widely available/free/widely used this is.
Joe Nutter
PACE Emeritus
Michigan State University '14
Walnut Hills High School '11
PACE Emeritus
Michigan State University '14
Walnut Hills High School '11
Re: Online Scrimmages with Actual Readers!
I suppose this would work for skype too. We all stopped our webcams as to not be distracting so yeah the video advantage wasn't used.
Kay, Chicago.
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Re: Online Scrimmages with Actual Readers!
Seems interesting, I'd be up for this...though I think I'd get smoked.
Thomas Hsu
University High School '11
Brown '15
University High School '11
Brown '15
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Re: Online Scrimmages with Actual Readers!
So what exactly are the equipment requirements for this?
Ankit
Cal '16
Bellarmine College Preparatory '12
Cal '16
Bellarmine College Preparatory '12
Re: Online Scrimmages with Actual Readers!
Computer and internet as far as I know.
Also, I'll be reading (oh God) at 8:00 CST for those interested in trying this out.
Also, I'll be reading (oh God) at 8:00 CST for those interested in trying this out.
Last edited by kayli on Sat Dec 11, 2010 5:11 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Kay, Chicago.
Re: Online Scrimmages with Actual Readers!
A computer, unless you wish to read, in which case a computer with a microphone.
EDIT: Also, Joe, the potential problem with Skype is that you'd need to know everyone who wished to attend before hand and give them your Skype username, whereas with tokbox you can just post a public link and those who want to attend can attend.
EDIT: Also, Joe, the potential problem with Skype is that you'd need to know everyone who wished to attend before hand and give them your Skype username, whereas with tokbox you can just post a public link and those who want to attend can attend.
Nikhil Desai
Bellarmine College Prep '12
Stanford '18 (leave of absence 2016-17)
Bellarmine College Prep '12
Stanford '18 (leave of absence 2016-17)
Re: Online Scrimmages with Actual Readers!
Speaking of which, what's the link?nadph wrote:...whereas with tokbox you can just post a public link and those who want to attend can attend.
Charles Hang
Francis Howell Central '09
St. Charles Community College '14
Washington University in St. Louis '19, 2x (President, 2017-19)
Owner, Olympia Academic Competition Questions, LLC
Question Writer, National Academic Quiz Tournaments, LLC and National History Bee and Bowl
Francis Howell Central '09
St. Charles Community College '14
Washington University in St. Louis '19, 2x (President, 2017-19)
Owner, Olympia Academic Competition Questions, LLC
Question Writer, National Academic Quiz Tournaments, LLC and National History Bee and Bowl
Re: Online Scrimmages with Actual Readers!
Here you are: http://me.tokbox.com/conf/bmu5qv2ij2k5iqwg. I'll start at 8:00CST plus/minus facebook.
Kay, Chicago.
- jonpin
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Re: Online Scrimmages with Actual Readers!
That was fun.
Jon Pinyan
Coach, Bergen County Academies (NJ); former player for BCA (2000-03) and WUSTL (2003-07)
HSQB forum mod, PACE member
Stat director for: NSC '13-'15, '17; ACF '14, '17, '19; NHBB '13-'15; NASAT '11
"A [...] wizard who controls the weather" - Jerry Vinokurov
Coach, Bergen County Academies (NJ); former player for BCA (2000-03) and WUSTL (2003-07)
HSQB forum mod, PACE member
Stat director for: NSC '13-'15, '17; ACF '14, '17, '19; NHBB '13-'15; NASAT '11
"A [...] wizard who controls the weather" - Jerry Vinokurov
- AlphaQuizBowler
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Re: Online Scrimmages with Actual Readers!
What questions did you guys use?
William
Alpharetta High School '11
Harvard '15
Alpharetta High School '11
Harvard '15
Re: Online Scrimmages with Actual Readers!
I started off with EFT. Jon used Cardinal Classic. I'm not sure what happened in between.
Kay, Chicago.
- i never see pigeons in wheeling
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Re: Online Scrimmages with Actual Readers!
VCU Open as well.
Ankit
Cal '16
Bellarmine College Preparatory '12
Cal '16
Bellarmine College Preparatory '12
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Re: Online Scrimmages with Actual Readers!
Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I think this idea was used last year by some NASAT team either for practice or for tryouts. In any case, it's a cool thing to do, and I'd love to do this again, so please keep me updated on when you have scrimmages like this, Kay.
Ben Cole, Southside '10, George Mason '14
nothing which we are to perceive in this world equals/ the power of your intense fragility:
"I'll also note the humor in me defending high schoolers from Matt Bollinger." - Mike Cheyne
nothing which we are to perceive in this world equals/ the power of your intense fragility:
"I'll also note the humor in me defending high schoolers from Matt Bollinger." - Mike Cheyne
Re: Online Scrimmages with Actual Readers!
I'm pretty sure people in Ohio have been doing this for a minute.Ben Cole wrote:Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I think this idea was used last year by some NASAT team either for practice or for tryouts. In any case, it's a cool thing to do, and I'd love to do this again, so please keep me updated on when you have scrimmages like this, Kay.
- Steeve Ho You Fat
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Re: Online Scrimmages with Actual Readers!
Yeah that's where I came from. We had NASAT practices on Skype, and then after the NASAT it turned into Ohio people who are competent and care enough to get on the computer in the evening and play college stuff. It hasn't happened since school started though.
Joe Nutter
PACE Emeritus
Michigan State University '14
Walnut Hills High School '11
PACE Emeritus
Michigan State University '14
Walnut Hills High School '11
- Judson Laipply
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Re: Online Scrimmages with Actual Readers!
Consider me signed up to both read and play this a lot... as soon as finals are over.
James L.
Kellenberg '10
UPenn '14
UChicago '20
Kellenberg '10
UPenn '14
UChicago '20
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Re: Online Scrimmages with Actual Readers!
What he said. Also, I'll be willing to read.Glacierguy1 wrote:Consider me signed up to both read and play this a lot... as soon as finals are over.
Ryan Dillon
Detroit Catholic Central Class of 2011
University of Michigan Class of 2015
Detroit Catholic Central Class of 2011
University of Michigan Class of 2015
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Re: Online Scrimmages with Actual Readers!
May I recommend tinychat as an alternate site. It has the advantages of (a) not automatically launching a camera for each new person who comes in, which is distracting; and (b) having a sound effect when people chat, making it less likely the moderator will miss a buzz.
Jon Pinyan
Coach, Bergen County Academies (NJ); former player for BCA (2000-03) and WUSTL (2003-07)
HSQB forum mod, PACE member
Stat director for: NSC '13-'15, '17; ACF '14, '17, '19; NHBB '13-'15; NASAT '11
"A [...] wizard who controls the weather" - Jerry Vinokurov
Coach, Bergen County Academies (NJ); former player for BCA (2000-03) and WUSTL (2003-07)
HSQB forum mod, PACE member
Stat director for: NSC '13-'15, '17; ACF '14, '17, '19; NHBB '13-'15; NASAT '11
"A [...] wizard who controls the weather" - Jerry Vinokurov
Re: Online Scrimmages with Actual Readers!
I will be doing this at 4:00CST on Saturday tentatively. Feel free to set up your own little matches independent of me though. I know there's been some demand.
Kay, Chicago.
- Kwang the Ninja
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Re: Online Scrimmages with Actual Readers!
This is happening. - Kay Li
Dallin Kelson
Chipola '11, UF '13
Chipola '11, UF '13
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Re: Online Scrimmages with Actual Readers!
Per Kay Li, there will be another one of these happening at 3 pm CST tomorrow.
Dallin Kelson
Chipola '11, UF '13
Chipola '11, UF '13
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Re: Online Scrimmages with Actual Readers!
Per Kay Li, this is happening now, but there aren't enough people so please come.
Dallin Kelson
Chipola '11, UF '13
Chipola '11, UF '13
- AlphaQuizBowler
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Re: Online Scrimmages with Actual Readers!
That was really cool.
William
Alpharetta High School '11
Harvard '15
Alpharetta High School '11
Harvard '15
Re: Online Scrimmages with Actual Readers!
Hey, new idea: We have pre-made teams scrimmage each other and we do it like a normal game. For instance, Tanay, Ankit, Nikhil, and Phil want to play a game as a team against a team composed of William, Joe, Ryan, and Tristan. I can read for them, and they can scrimmage as if it were a real match. Now, this would require pre-made teams to notify me if they want to do this and for me to be able to schedule a time when both teams can meet.
Kay, Chicago.
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Re: Online Scrimmages with Actual Readers!
I would be up for something of the like.Ar$oni$t$ Get All the Girl$ wrote:Hey, new idea: We have pre-made teams scrimmage each other and we do it like a normal game. For instance, Tanay, Ankit, Nikhil, and Phil want to play a game as a team against a team composed of William, Joe, Ryan, and Tristan. I can read for them, and they can scrimmage as if it were a real match. Now, this would require pre-made teams to notify me if they want to do this and for me to be able to schedule a time when both teams can meet.
tristan willey
formerly: macomb, uiuc
writer: naqt
he/him or they/them
formerly: macomb, uiuc
writer: naqt
he/him or they/them
- AlphaQuizBowler
- Tidus
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Re: Online Scrimmages with Actual Readers!
This is an interesting idea.
You wouldn't necessarily need to do this. You could post the time in the forum, as you've done for the first few sessions, and then we could form teams when everyone gets into the chat.Ar$oni$t$ Get All the Girl$ wrote:Now, this would require pre-made teams to notify me if they want to do this and for me to be able to schedule a time when both teams can meet.
William
Alpharetta High School '11
Harvard '15
Alpharetta High School '11
Harvard '15
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- Wakka
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Re: Online Scrimmages with Actual Readers!
He was going to try this today before you showed up, but he decided not to because of the (at that time fairly constant) changes to the number of people in the channel; however, I don't see that really being a fatal problem, and it as you propose it could work quite well.AlphaQuizBowler wrote:You wouldn't necessarily need to do this. You could post the time in the forum, as you've done for the first few sessions, and then we could form teams when everyone gets into the chat.Ar$oni$t$ Get All the Girl$ wrote:Now, this would require pre-made teams to notify me if they want to do this and for me to be able to schedule a time when both teams can meet.
tristan willey
formerly: macomb, uiuc
writer: naqt
he/him or they/them
formerly: macomb, uiuc
writer: naqt
he/him or they/them
- Sima Guang Hater
- Auron
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Re: Online Scrimmages with Actual Readers!
Screw finals, start training! Obscure Albanian authors aren't going to memorize themselves!Glacierguy1 wrote:Consider me signed up to both read and play this a lot... as soon as finals are over.
Eric Mukherjee, MD PhD
Brown 2009, Penn Med 2018
Instructor/Attending Physician/Postdoctoral Fellow, Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Coach, University School of Nashville
“The next generation will always surpass the previous one. It’s one of the never-ending cycles in life.”
Support the Stevens-Johnson Syndrome Foundation
Brown 2009, Penn Med 2018
Instructor/Attending Physician/Postdoctoral Fellow, Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Coach, University School of Nashville
“The next generation will always surpass the previous one. It’s one of the never-ending cycles in life.”
Support the Stevens-Johnson Syndrome Foundation
Re: Online Scrimmages with Actual Readers!
Are there plans for this to continue during the Christmas break? I haven't heard anything.
Nikhil Desai
Bellarmine College Prep '12
Stanford '18 (leave of absence 2016-17)
Bellarmine College Prep '12
Stanford '18 (leave of absence 2016-17)
Re: Online Scrimmages with Actual Readers!
Yeah, I've been doing college apps and stuff with the famiglia lately so let's shoot for say... 4:00CST on January 26th?
Last edited by kayli on Fri Dec 24, 2010 3:31 pm, edited 4 times in total.
Kay, Chicago.
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Re: Online Scrimmages with Actual Readers!
You have a long winter break.Ar$oni$t$ Get All the Girl$ wrote:Yeah, I've been doing college apps and stuff with the famiglia lately so let's shoot for say... 4:00CST on January 26th?
Max
formerly of Ladue, Chicago
formerly of Ladue, Chicago
Re: Online Scrimmages with Actual Readers!
Well, it's only two weeks, and the last time I did this was 5 days ago which I think is reasonable. Right now, I'm trying to finish up my college applications while balancing it out with time with the family which I think is a reasonable excuse given that it's Christmas and most of my applications are due January 1st.
As I've said before, if you guys want to host a scrimmage yourselves, then feel free to do it. The only thing you need it one microphone for the reader. That's really the only thing stopping you besides maybe a little impetus to start a scrimmage yourself. I do this myself to be nice (as in I'm not obligated to hold these), but let's have it at 4:00 CST today then.
As I've said before, if you guys want to host a scrimmage yourselves, then feel free to do it. The only thing you need it one microphone for the reader. That's really the only thing stopping you besides maybe a little impetus to start a scrimmage yourself. I do this myself to be nice (as in I'm not obligated to hold these), but let's have it at 4:00 CST today then.
Kay, Chicago.
- Mewto55555
- Tidus
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Re: Online Scrimmages with Actual Readers!
Mewto55555 wrote:You have a long winter break.Ar$oni$t$ Get All the Girl$ wrote:Yeah, I've been doing college apps and stuff with the famiglia lately so let's shoot for say... 4:00CST on January 26th?
Max
formerly of Ladue, Chicago
formerly of Ladue, Chicago
Re: Online Scrimmages with Actual Readers!
Oh, sorry. That was a type. I meant December 26.
EDIT: Er... let's still have it at December 24th at 4:00CST.
EDIT: Er... let's still have it at December 24th at 4:00CST.
Kay, Chicago.
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Re: Online Scrimmages with Actual Readers!
So, is it today or the 26th that you're having one?Ar$oni$t$ Get All the Girl$ wrote:Oh, sorry. That was a type. I meant December 26.
EDIT: Er... let's still have it at December 24th at 4:00CST.
tristan willey
formerly: macomb, uiuc
writer: naqt
he/him or they/them
formerly: macomb, uiuc
writer: naqt
he/him or they/them
Re: Online Scrimmages with Actual Readers!
Actually (sorry for posting so much), something came up; and I have to push this back to December 26th at 4:00 again.
Kay, Chicago.
- Duncan Idaho
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Re: Online Scrimmages with Actual Readers!
No problem. If people want, I could try and set one of these up at some regular, weekly time.Ar$oni$t$ Get All the Girl$ wrote:Actually (sorry for posting so much), something came up; and I have to push this back to December 26th at 4:00 again.
Ben Cole, Southside '10, George Mason '14
nothing which we are to perceive in this world equals/ the power of your intense fragility:
"I'll also note the humor in me defending high schoolers from Matt Bollinger." - Mike Cheyne
nothing which we are to perceive in this world equals/ the power of your intense fragility:
"I'll also note the humor in me defending high schoolers from Matt Bollinger." - Mike Cheyne
-
- Wakka
- Posts: 198
- Joined: Wed May 20, 2009 10:09 pm
- Location: West-Central Illinois
Re: Online Scrimmages with Actual Readers!
Assuming people are interested, I will host one of these at 3:30 p.m. CST tomorrow (Dec. 28).
tristan willey
formerly: macomb, uiuc
writer: naqt
he/him or they/them
formerly: macomb, uiuc
writer: naqt
he/him or they/them
-
- Wakka
- Posts: 198
- Joined: Wed May 20, 2009 10:09 pm
- Location: West-Central Illinois
Re: Online Scrimmages with Actual Readers!
We need people to show up to this.
tristan willey
formerly: macomb, uiuc
writer: naqt
he/him or they/them
formerly: macomb, uiuc
writer: naqt
he/him or they/them
-
- Wakka
- Posts: 198
- Joined: Wed May 20, 2009 10:09 pm
- Location: West-Central Illinois
Re: Online Scrimmages with Actual Readers!
We need people to show up to this.
EDIT: Sorry about the double post; internet failed.
EDIT: Sorry about the double post; internet failed.
tristan willey
formerly: macomb, uiuc
writer: naqt
he/him or they/them
formerly: macomb, uiuc
writer: naqt
he/him or they/them
Re: Online Scrimmages with Actual Readers!
What's the link?
Drayer the Slayer
currently unaffiliated
currently unaffiliated
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Re: Online Scrimmages with Actual Readers!
That was, as before, very fun. Playing with teams certainly made it more exciting.
William
Alpharetta High School '11
Harvard '15
Alpharetta High School '11
Harvard '15
- Judson Laipply
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Re: Online Scrimmages with Actual Readers!
How would we find one of these when they start.
Would it just be this link every time?Ar$oni$t$ Get All the Girl$ wrote:Here you are: http://me.tokbox.com/conf/bmu5qv2ij2k5iqwg. I'll start at 8:00CST plus/minus facebook.
James L.
Kellenberg '10
UPenn '14
UChicago '20
Kellenberg '10
UPenn '14
UChicago '20
Re: Online Scrimmages with Actual Readers!
Yeah, most of the time.Glacierguy1 wrote:How would we find one of these when they start.
Would it just be this link every time?Ar$oni$t$ Get All the Girl$ wrote:Here you are: http://me.tokbox.com/conf/bmu5qv2ij2k5iqwg. I'll start at 8:00CST plus/minus facebook.
Kay, Chicago.