What you need
- A call everyone can join: Discord, Zoom, Google Meet or WhatsApp.
- A game that runs in a browser, so nobody has to install anything.
- A second screen helps (call on the laptop, game on the phone) but isn't required.
Step by step
- Pick the date and the size of the group. Four to six people is the sweet spot for most games.
- Choose two games. One quick and silly (a drawing or word game), one with more to think about (a board or mystery game).
- Send one invite with the time, the call link and what to open. Ask everyone to create any accounts in advance.
- Start the call ten minutes early to sort out microphones.
- Warm up for 15 minutes with the quick game.
- Play the main game for 45 to 60 minutes. In NoHonor, the host opens a private room and pastes the code in the chat.
Game ideas by group size
| Group | Warm-up | Main game |
|---|---|---|
| 2–3 | A quick round of chess | NoHonor (add a bot for three) |
| 4–6 | skribbl.io | NoHonor or Colonist |
| 7–12 | Gartic Phone | Codenames in two teams |
Tips that make the night work
- Have bots ready. If someone drops out, a bot can take their NoHonor seat and the game goes on.
- Mind time zones. Put the time in each person's zone in the invite.
- One host. One person shares links and keeps the night moving.
- Turn timers on. A 45-second turn timer keeps everyone involved.
Troubleshooting
Someone can't hear. Ask them to rejoin the call before changing settings.
Someone lost their connection mid-game. In NoHonor they can rejoin from the same account and are put back in their seat.
The game won't load. Try another browser or turn off battery saver; most browser games need a recent browser.
Questions
How long should it last? 60–90 minutes is long enough to play two games and short enough that nobody yawns.
What if people are on phones only? Choose games that run in a phone browser; NoHonor plays on phones as well as computers.
