Some Christingles had windows and animals inside!
Our protoype attempt at meeting started with making Christingles! We had created three worlds before the event. The Lobby, Christingle world (which was a flat endless plain that would focus attention on what we could build) and Scavenger hunt world.
We met in the Lobby. There were a few technical hitches but all being on Zoom was helpful. Parents were there to keep an eye on things and participate from a distance! Once we were online the players zoomed about in the lobby. My kids had set up a scavenger hunt game and everyone set of into the world for it. However, they couldn't pass through portals! So some teleporting later we all got in.
After the game we then went to the Christingle world. There was a grid set up. I told everyone what a christingle was and what it symbolised. They then set off making their own! When the building had come to an end I went around and got each one to explain the key features and why they had done it.
We then retreated to a model of Santa's sleigh and let off a huge number of fireworks. This was amazing and a fitting finishing point to the session. Even if it did grind the server to a halt!
Reflections
- It was clear that that was going to be able to work but it would require thinking about! We had 7 people and even then with a small number I really needed an assistant to help with herding people around.
- Get people to log into the server for the first time before the meeting so you don't have too many technical problems at the start. It is complex enough without troubleshooting!
- Fireworks are a natural way to celebrate the end of things. Like a final Amen!
- It is important to have some activities in survival mode and some in game mode. /gamemode creative|survival @a can quickly swap modes for all. Also /tp @a @s (teleport all players to self) is really handy.
- There was a real buzz about what we did. We took screenshots (F2) of the building as we went. Posting these on Facebook was a good way of generating interest and telling the story.