Getting Into the Convention

New Updates:

Zoom links will go live on Saturday, August 15, 2020.
To access the members only Zoom links, please follow the directions BELOW for logging into the Program Schedule.
Discord invitations are sent through our program database. The email sender will be “reconvene” and the sender address will be our sister convention’s address “program@boskone.org.”
If you have not received your Discord code via email, please check your spam since some members have reported that their codes have landed in their spam folders.

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Welcome to our instructions on how to interact and engage with reCONvene 2020. A welcome email will be send to all members on Thursday, August 13, which will include their Discord invitation, the Art Show password, and a link to this page.

Interactions will take place via:

The ReCONvene 2020 website (such as the Art Show)
The Interactive Program Schedule (ReCONvene’s schedule hosted by Grenadine), which is how you access the program items.
Discord social platform (for chatting and hanging out online with new and old friends)
Board Game Arena (for gaming activities)

Listed below are the instructions for getting yourself set up for the virtual convention. Please begin this process early since it will take a little time and if you need assistance, we don’t want you to miss a moment of reCONvene 2020.

Engaging Through Zoom

Zoom Webinars vs Zoom Meeting Rooms:

Most of our program items will be in Zoom Webinars, which means that you won’t see the audience members. Only our speakers are viewable. Attendees will ask their questions using the Q&A feature.
Our kaffeeklatches and filk performances will be in Zoom Meeting Rooms so that you can see the other people in the room. The Room Tech will automatically mute audience microphones. Program Participants will likely welcome people to ask questions by unmuting their mics. In small room discussions and filk circles, it’s nice to encourage people to turn on their cameras to see each other to enhance the small group feel .

Program Slides for Each Room: There will be a set of 3 standard slides for each panel that the Room Tech will control. These slides will include:

A welcome slide with program participant photos along with the item’s title, time, and room name.
A note about the Code of Conduct and how to ask questions.
A closing slide for the end of the panel to let people know where to go in Discord to continue the conversation.

Show PowerPoints and Videos: Some program items will include presentations, videos, and images that our program participants will share with the audience through the screen share option. In most cases, the program participants will announce when this is going to happen.

Zoom Names – Pronouns & Pronunciation: Zoom allows you to use your name. When you are giving it your name, you’re also welcome to add your name’s pronunciation in parenthesis as well as your pronouns. Example: Erin Underwood (air-in underwood)

Logging Into The Program Schedule

You MUST log into the program schedule to see the embedded Zoom links for each program item. Those links will be visible on Saturday morning, but please log in early to get familiar with the system and to set up your profile. You may also want to include your Discord name in your bio.

Log Into Your Program Schedule: You must have a membership to log into the schedule. Please follow these steps to log into your reCONvene account. Again, this will allow you to see the Zoom links (on Saturday) for all of the program items. Members and program participants who are not logged into the schedule will not see the live Zoom links.

Go to ReCONvene website: https://reconvenesff.com
Click on the Schedule link in the top menu of the website
Click on any program item on the schedule
You will be taken away from the reCONvene website to the reCONvene 2020 program schedule that is hosted on the Grenadine Event Planner website.
In the UPPER RIGHT CORNER of the webpage, you will now see a Log In link. Click on the link.
In the pop up window, enter the email address that you used when purchasing your membership. This is the address that identifies you as a member of reCONvene 2020. If you use any other email, you may not find your record.
When you add the email that the database recognizes, the system will say “Welcome” and ask you for your password.
- If you know your password, enter it now.
- If you do not know the password, click on the blue link (below the password field) that says “Forgot your password?”
  - reconvene@nesfa.org will send you an email to “Reset your Password.” Open that email and follow the instructions for resetting your password. Again, you must use the address that this email was sent to for the system to recognize you.
After either entering your password or recovering your password, the system will take you to your profile page.
Look at the left hand menu, and click on “My Schedule.”
If you have favorited any program items, they will appear in your personal schedule.
Click on the title of the program item, and it will display the information about the item and the live Zoom link (which will be added early Saturday morning).
In most cases, your browser will remember your login, but if it doesn’t you will need to follow these steps again to login.
If you have any trouble logging into you member account, please email reconvene@nesfa.org.

Get the Program on your Mobile Device

Grenadine Event Guide is an (IOS or Android) application available on your phones and mobile devices. Grenadine is the database we use to set up the Reconvene 2020 schedule. We have a schedule that can be personalized and can be connected with Grenadine’s mobile app. Once you have installed and launched the application, enter code “reconvene2020” to download the Reconvene 2020 program schedule.

NOTE: If you have used the Grenadine app for a past convention, you may need to go to the Schedule tab, then click on the three dots at the top-right of the window […] and choose the “Refresh” option.

Socializing on Discord and Chatting with Friends

To help provide more interactions, we have set up a social space in Discord that includes a number rooms (called channels) that you can enter to chat with people via text, audio, or video. Social spaces include the Con Suite, the Program Room Foyers to continue program items discussions after the item ends, the Art Show room, and a room just for speakers in case you need to set up a meeting with your co-panelists.

You can either use Discord in your browser or you can download the app for your computer or phone. Your Discord invitation will be emailed to you on Thursday or Friday, and for new members it will be sent to you within an hour of registering (or sooner).

If you have an existing Discord account, you should only have to click on the invitation link that you receive in your email.

If you are new to Discord, follow these steps:

Look for your invitation email, there will be a link in that email for you to click before following these steps:
After clicking on the link in your email, a Discord pop up will appear. Click the purple button “Continue to Discord”
A pop up will ask you to “Accept Invite.
If you need to set up a NEW Discord account, follow the instructions for registering a new account.
At the end of the process a screen will appear that says “Continue to Discord.” Click that button.
Note: Be sure to check your email to verify your email address when prompted. There is a chance that you may need to sign out and log back in with the invite code above. If you have any trouble, please contact reconvene@nesfa.org and put the word “Discord” in the subject line.

Once in Discord:
Discord allows for text, audio, and video chat. The channels (aka rooms) are listed in the left hand menu. You can manage your settings by clicking the gear next to your name in the bottom left hand corner of the screen, and this is also where you can mute your mic or deafen any audio that you don’t want to hear. Below is a handy graphic that explains the various areas in Discord. We also have some handy video tutorials for Discord as well.

Discord Diagram

Additional information:

We are not recording any program items.
We are planning to provide closed captioning.
To view the Main Art Show (via the ReCONvene homepage), the member password will be emailed to you and it will be posted at the top of the Art Show channel in Discord.

Questions?

If you have any questions, please contact us in Discord for immediate assistance or via email at reconvene@nesfa.org (which mean be slightly slower).