Quick tips for making Zoom work for your Virtual Board Game Night
Tip #1: If You're Hosting, Pay for Zoom
No, I don't work for Zoom. Yes, I know we're all broke while in quarantine. But here's the thing... Zoom is "free" not free. If you're talking one-on-one with your buddy, great, use that free Zoom. But if you're trying to get a group together, the free version is only 40 minutes. Also, just recently found out that if a third person joins your one-on-one Zoom call at minute 39, your call ends in 1-minute. So, while that may be a hilarious way to mess with your friends, it's really annoying. So, pay the $14.99/mo and you won't get interrupted, unless your board game night lasts longer than 24-hours and in that case it was time to stop playing Risk anyway.
Tip #2: Download the Desktop Version
This is a tip for not just the host, but for all participants. There are a lot more features in the desktop version than the web version and there is no cost for putting it on your computer. Download it, you deserve it.
Tip #3: Feeling Self-Conscious, You Can Fix That!
Right next to the video icon, click the arrow and select "video settings". From there you can check the box for "Touch up my appearance". It's like digital makeup that hides that fact you haven't showered since TuesMondFriday?
Tip #4: Go Anywhere with Virtual Backgrounds
Just because you can't go to the beach doesn't mean you can't look like you're at the beach... or in San Francisco... or space... To change your virtual background, just go into those same video settings as before and select "Virtual Background". You can even add your own images or just clean your apartment once, take a photo, and always use that.
Tip #5: Use the Whiteboard Feature
If you want to play Pictionary without Pictionary, you can draw using Zoom's built-in Whiteboard feature. All you have to do is select "Share Screen" then "Whiteboard". Your friend that likes to draw dicks on everything will love you forever... that is until they realize they can only draw on a shared screen and not on your face.