No downloads are necessary, as Gather Town does have a desktop version. Gather Town does recommend that you download their desktop app, which you may do by clicking here for Windows or clicking here for Mac. They do also have a mobile app, however this application may limit features of the platform. The mobile app can be downloaded here for iOS and here for Android. 

Yes, the venue will be open just before the start of the conference. Additionally, we will be hosting training sessions in late July.

The schedule for those trainings is:

• Workshop Presenters: July 24 at 9:00 am and 5:00 pm EDT
• Plenary Presenters: July 24 at 9:30 am and 5:30 pm EDT
• Oral and Panel Presenters: July 25 at 9:00 am and 5:00 pm EDT
• Posters: July 25 at 9:30 am and 5:30 pm EDT
• Attendees: July 29 at 9:00 am and 5:00 pm EDT

Trainings are expected to be 15 minutes for presenters and 10 minutes for attendees. These sessions will be recorded. More information, such as how to join these training sessions, will be sent to presenters by Friday, July 19.

Our partners at Virtual Chair have provided this guide for our attendees. We encourage all presenters to go through it prior to the conference. 

Additionally, we will have two training sessions one day prior to the conference. These sessions will be approximately 10 minutes long and will be recorded. The sessions will be on July 29 at 9:00 am and 5:00 pm EDT. More information regarding these sessions will be available by Friday, July 19.

Our partners at Virtual Chair have provided this guide for our presenters and facilitators. We encourage all presenters to go through it prior to the conference. 

Additionally, we will have a series of training sessions one week prior to the conference. These sessions will be approximately 15 minutes long and will be recorded. The schedule for those trainings is:

• Workshop Presenters: July 24 at 9:00 am and 5:00 pm EDT
• Plenary Presenters: July 24 at 9:30 am and 5:30 pm EDT
• Oral and Panel Presenters: July 25 at 9:00 am and 5:00 pm EDT
• Posters: July 25 at 9:30 am and 5:30 pm EDT

More information, such as how to join these training sessions, will be sent to presenters by Friday, July 19.

Each presentation room will have Spotlight Tiles that allow the presenter to broadcast their voice and video to everyone in the room. 

• The spotlight broadcasts to everyone in the Room (not to the entire Space), even if they are in private areas. 
• Spotlight tiles are often indicated by an orange megaphone.  
• You know who's in the spotlight (including yourself) by the orange megaphone label on the speaker's video or screen share.
• When you're in the spotlight, you will only be able to hear people within 5 tiles of you (but you can see everyone's video).
• Only one person can be in each spotlight tile at a time, but there may be more than one spotlight tile in one area. 

Yes, there will be multiple Private Areas throughout the SciTS Conference space. Everyone in the Private Area will be able to see and hear each other, and anyone outside of the Private Area will not. When you enter a Private Area, the map surrounding it darkens. This will help you know who's in the Private Area with you (and can see and hear you) and who's not. In the Participants Panel on the right, you'll also see a list of everyone in the Private Area with you.

You can easily move through Gather on a keyboard using the arrow keys or the WASD keys. You can also navigate using your mouse by double clicking on a spot on the Map to walk to it. We also have a video guide for navigating through and using Gather Town.

Select Chat (speech bubble icon) in the navigation bar to view any messages you've received while in the space, as well as to send messages to others. While there are some basic features, chat works a little differently based on what type of space you're in.

Tip: You can quickly tell what type of space you're in by looking at the navigation bar. Events spaces show a push pin icon for the Info Board, and Remote Work spaces don't have this icon. The SciTS Conference is an Event space. 

You can also search for and select a person's name in the Participants panel, and from their info card, send a private message them. (You can also open this info card by clicking on a person's name in their video preview.)

Yes there are several keyboard shortcuts that can make navigating Gather easier and more fun! You can also customize up to 5 emojis. Just select Emotes (smiley face icon) in the Navigation Bar at the bottom of your screen. A bar with 6 emojis displays, with a Clear and Edit button. You can select the emote you wish to send, or use the 1-6 keys to quickly send an emote at any time. 

Are you stuck and cannot move? Lost in the Map and don't know where you are? Just select your name in the toolbar and choose Respawn. You'll reload into the space at the default Spawn location. 

To learn more about Gather, you may click here!

Gather Town is the name of the virtual platform that will host the SciTS 2024 Conference. Virtual Chair is the team that the SciTS Program Committee is working with to bring attendees to Gather Town.