Multiplayer Apps

Overview

Multiplayer apps allow students, regardless of their location, to work together to play a game, take a tour, solve a problem and experience a mutual learning experience. Always learn to use the app on your own before using the multiplayer option.

Two Types of Multiplayer Apps

There are at least two types of multiplayer apps and app rooms.

- 1. Apps which require someone you have “friended” in Facebook who has a different Facebook account. We do not recommend friending other users, unless it’s a colleague from another school or ISD, because it opens the door for unmanaged connections. Engage is a collaboration space which requires an account to be created using an email account and has an education focus. Engage supports collaboration and works not only from an Oculus Quest, but can be used on a computer or phone. Learn more about Engage on the Beyond Oculus page. With the exception of Engage, we don’t recommend collaborative chat apps such as: Rec Room, VR Chat, Altspace VR or similar rooms. The articles below highlight the potential dangers of these chat rooms.
    - Dangers of Chat Rooms
  2. Apps which can be used with the same account - this means you can create a room - sometimes with a password, or a private name. A user on a device with the same login can join that room. We recommend you test new apps to see if you can access the room and collaborate if you're on same account. Many apps are restricted to allowing you to only connect to others you have friended (that's what Meta/Facebook is all about - friending others). Engage works when everyone is using the same Facebook account, as you use an unique email to create an account and log in.

Public vs Private Rooms

- Often you can create a public or a private room.
  1. Public - anyone can join the room and is generally not recommended as people you don’t know can join the room. The microphones are enabled for converstation within the app and you have no control over what they might say. We recommend students do not create or join public rooms. If you have the audio turned up and students are not using headphones/ear buds, you will hear the converstation if a student is in a multiplayer room.
  2. Private - we recommend you create or join privately created room. These rooms may have a password or you must know the room name in order to join. If you are using separate accounts, you may be able to invite the other user to the room.

Recommended Multiplayer Apps

- Wander - view locations similar to Google Street View Getting into Wander VR for Quest 2 (10:15)
  - Click Social and under your user name select "Create Room" to create a room. Select if it's public or private.
    - The room is created with your user name and cannot be renamed. A room can be set to Invite Only (private) and you can invite anyone you have that you have friended. However, you can't invite yourself.
  - A Public Room and can be seen be anyone. Anyone can join the room (up to 6 per room.) A public room will have a blue button with the word "Join" and will show how many are in the room (4/6). Unless you select by Invite only, anyone can join. How to create and join a tour group (9:24 into video)
    - Possible solution to having only your students in your room...created a public room and have 5 students immediately join your room so there is no space for anyone else to join. You potentially could have a public room which is filled to capacity - with you and your 5 students.
- Walkabout Mini Golf - up to 5 users in a game - create a room with a unique room name, others create a room with the same name and you're joined (easy). Setting up a private room (6:26 into video)
- Eleven Table Tennis - helps to have a table in front of you - sets all the adjustments before finding a friend to play against. How to start a room for multiplayer play (2:02)
- Puzzing Places - create a room and invite a friend to join your room. Puzzling Places: Multiplayer (Walkthrough) (5:48)
- Real VR Fishing - this can take a little time to load (large program) - create a private room with a password (up to 4 can fish together). See some of the settings on the right.

Other Multiplayer Apps

- Beat Saber - How to play Beat Saber in multiplayer mode
- Arkio (App Lab) - a multiuser design app. Up to 4 users can collaborate (20 minute limit for free account)
- Hand Brush "with your friend" - really an app for painting without the use of the controller (i.e. finger painting)
- Gorilla Tag - multiplayer mode - however, it’s open to anyone from anywhere and you see them and hear them talking
- Chess Club - warning, this is not your ordinary chess, there is some violence as players are eliminated
- Catan VR - the popular board game goes online, play with friends, random strangers, or virtual opponents
- Engage - mentioned above on the Beyond Oculus page
- Driftspace - collaborate in both creation and tours. Learn more about Driftspace in Create Tours in VR

Learn More

My Favorite Multiplayer Apps

Wander - Historical Places to Visit

Meta Quest Wander App - History Location to Visit - Andy Haak

Adding Friends in Facebook

Search for their user name or their email. Note - a user must have their Facebook account privacy settings configured to allow them to be discovered.
1. Set Facebook on the computer, to allow others to find you. 1) Click on image in lower left corner 2) Settings & privacy 3) Settings 4) Privacy (menu on the left) 5) How people find and contact you 6) "Who can send you friend requests?"=> Everyone... and "Who can look you up using the email address you provided?" => Everyone
Select and send a friend request - if you are sure you're using the correct email or user name, and still don't see them, it likely means that don't have their settings configured properly.

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