@Helpdesk

Welcome to BFZ1!

The documents attached are the rules and the list of challenges seen by players with slight modifications specific to helpdesk. The link below contains more challenges only visible to helpdesk as well as a tracking sheet. You will be responsible for ensuring that the verification attempts and queries of players are answered in a timely manner. Things may get very busy, so you may find these reaction emojis useful in verification channels: (Only one of you will need to react) ✅ - Approved

or ✏️ - Attempt seen, busy with another task ❌ - Rejected, reason coming soon Once a station has been claimed, please use #game-announcements to update all players as well as any other general game updates. Challenge Sheet: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1p0w7VyeNempBXjKEnfyJALsOShnT20mmBWByviztfVE/edit?usp=sharing Editable Map: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/13yXPaK0KQNyw7-ldV1nCyrJLJBY3rfA65Jj70ryqp80/edit?usp=sharing Good luck and have fun! (edited)

Battle_for_Zone_1_Stations_-_December_-_Player_Rules.pdf

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Battle_for_Zone_1_Stations_-_Published_Challenges_Summary.pdf

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Battle_for_Zone_1_Stations_-_Published_Challenges.pdf

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Spreadsheet of Challenges

Station Claims Map

Key: Available Team 1 Team 2 Team 3 Battle

I forgot to mention that the Taskmetro challenges involving strangers are still there

03:01

~~Was too busy playing Celeste~~

It's not too late for amendments - especially the Taskmetro ones we can even come up with some midgame. I put them in so we've at least got a challenge or two more on the list.

Opinions as a challenge: Create a sandwich with bread, a spread and a filling. You must acquire each item from a different establishment.

@FormulaOtaku/RacingWeeb can you move this category further up? It’s a bit annoying to have to scroll down so much every time

MediocreLogarithm257

@FormulaOtaku/RacingWeeb can you move this category further up? It’s a bit annoying to have to scroll down so much every time

Yeah, I only just returned to UK but I only had little time as I'm once again away for a few more days. I'll try and remember when I return tonight.

Done.

I have an idea for a challenge to add on the spreadsheet. Need opinions. Binge Watch. Claim this station immediately. Before you initiate the next challenge, you must watch a full episode of JetLag.

I'm not a huge fan of it. The cost of the phone data and access to internet connection can both be potential issues. The shortest episode is 18:39 on Nebula and 19:55 on YouTube. Also, can you just play the video while doing other stuff or play it at 2x speed?

Mimic. Use a random number generator to generate three numbers. The first number between 1 and 11 corresponds to a Jet Lag season. Roll again to pick an episode. Roll again to pick a minute of the video. Complete the next challenge mentioned in the episode. You may restart this challenge at any point with no justification required, and as many times as you like, but you must reroll the numbers from scratch.

What's a "challenge" in this context?

Any written task under the rules of the mode they're playing that teams complete to gain an advantage or progress the game. Curses may or may not count, idk

18:32

Teams may remove reference to a location with approval from helpdesk

Ooh I like that!

MediocreLogarithm257

I'm not a huge fan of it. The cost of the phone data and access to internet connection can both be potential issues. The shortest episode is 18:39 on Nebula and 19:55 on YouTube. Also, can you just play the video while doing other stuff or play it at 2x speed?

I suppose that's true. Any idea on how to adapt the challenge so it shouldn't be a problem?

ratt

Mimic. Use a random number generator to generate three numbers. The first number between 1 and 11 corresponds to a Jet Lag season. Roll again to pick an episode. Roll again to pick a minute of the video. Complete the next challenge mentioned in the episode. You may restart this challenge at any point with no justification required, and as many times as you like, but you must reroll the numbers from scratch.

Adding that to the sheet. Is this suitable for battles or stations only? (edited)

probably stations only, I wouldn't want to have battles come down to a roll of the die

Ok, I'll add a note that it's not valid for battles

@Helpdesk I'll be setting up a briefing chat for Helpdesk for tomorrow, 06 December 2024 17:00:00. In the briefing I'll very quickly go over the rules and processes as well as any concerns you may have. Attendance is not mandatory, but would be beneficial as the briefing won't be recorded. The briefing will take place in https://discord.com/channels/1059625399979606166/1310666144142594058 Any issues please let me know. (edited)

Not sure if I'm available or not since it's at 1am for me, but will see

1

If I'm not mistaken don't we still have a few things to decide prior to the game? Start location, validity of the Elizabeth Line, whether to shuffle the teams now we're a player down?

17:56

Also I was thinking of dropping some strategy considerations in #game-announcements prior to the game just to maybe get teams planning a bit prior to the game. Last time 2/3 teams made loose plans and the team that didn't came last

17:57

It'd be good to have everyone in the same ballpark

Is it correct that you cannot battle for Battersea and Vauxhall as there are no 2 adjacent stations? (Battersea: End of line station; Vauxhall: One adjacent station - Stockwell - is in Zone 2) Also, would it count to initiate a battle for Aldgate east if you claimed Liverpool Street and Tower Hill even if they are not on the same line (So there is no one train which goes to both adjacent stations) and Earls Court (Adjacent stations Glouocester Road and High Street Kensington while being both on the District Line do not connect with the same train) (edited)

Max (v3rtico)

Is it correct that you cannot battle for Battersea and Vauxhall as there are no 2 adjacent stations? (Battersea: End of line station; Vauxhall: One adjacent station - Stockwell - is in Zone 2) Also, would it count to initiate a battle for Aldgate east if you claimed Liverpool Street and Tower Hill even if they are not on the same line (So there is no one train which goes to both adjacent stations) and Earls Court (Adjacent stations Glouocester Road and High Street Kensington while being both on the District Line do not connect with the same train) (edited)

That is correct yes, but station battling is only likely to take place in the centre anyway. If you follow along a straight line of stations with no interchanges like the Circle line you can effectively deny battles on the stations you claim.

19:01

Battersea and Vauxhall are likely to be claimed late if at all because the distances are geographically quite a bit further. It's more efficient to claim the central stations first because they're really close together and there's less travel time. The tube map is very much not reflective of geography

19:03

Yes you could challenge for Aldgate East if you had Liverpool Street and Tower Hill

19:07

The adjacent stations don't need to be on the same line as each other, just connected to the target station by one stop

1

There was also in the development phase to include Elizabeth, Overground and NR lines for battles only but there were disagreemtnes with that

Technically there are two overground stations in Z1

There are 3 Overground stations in Z1, and 1 in Z1/2, although only 2 are claimable with the current rules

Btw, I have exams tomorrow, so I can’t check much until the night

Fahmi Sack

@Helpdesk I'll be setting up a briefing chat for Helpdesk for tomorrow, 06 December 2024 17:00:00. In the briefing I'll very quickly go over the rules and processes as well as any concerns you may have. Attendance is not mandatory, but would be beneficial as the briefing won't be recorded. The briefing will take place in https://discord.com/channels/1059625399979606166/1310666144142594058 Any issues please let me know. (edited)

I will unfortunately not be able to join, I have a meeting at the same time

1

By the way, do we have like an overview tube map where we can mark which team claimed which station and which stations have active battles and so on?

23:41

I am thinking of something like this:

23:42

This is just a Google Drive Presentation with a base map and some shapes thrown on top but like this it could be edited by multiple people

We'll have to do that manually. At the bottom of the rules document is a tube map, we'll just have to edit on paint accordingly.

06:24

If you look through the archived games you'll see how it was done last time

Fahmi Sack

We'll have to do that manually. At the bottom of the rules document is a tube map, we'll just have to edit on paint accordingly.

If we put the map in a presentation and share the edit link here we would not have to use paint, we could just move the markers around and everyone works with the same map

12:03

Here, try this: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1HHEdREDdd-G6NrOPF0zzNqFrrO8DS4zx4UZHXQElcfk/edit?usp=drivesdk

Jetlag UK Dec24

Team 1 Team 2 Team 3 Battle

Max (v3rtico)

Here, try this: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1HHEdREDdd-G6NrOPF0zzNqFrrO8DS4zx4UZHXQElcfk/edit?usp=drivesdk

Yep, that's an option. I'll make one that's a bit more clean and add the link onto the first message of this channel.

1

Something like this? https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/13yXPaK0KQNyw7-ldV1nCyrJLJBY3rfA65Jj70ryqp80/edit?usp=sharing

Station Claims Map

Key: Available Team 1 Team 2 Team 3 Battle

Fahmi Sack pinned a message to this channel. 06/12/2024 13:24

I don't know if it helps, but I've added the same image into the spreadsheet and it can be edited in the same was as the one in the slideshows?

13:34

I'll go over it in a briefing, just ping me whenever

So I was considering how to assign challenges, and I considered some forms of pregeneration

16:41

I was thinking of assigning an order to all the Taskmetro challenges just before the game starts and then giving the top one when needed. As for challenges that can't be assigned because of certain restrictions, they would get reshuffled into a random position in the remaining deck

Will teams have an opportunity to pre generate station challenges before they go to them?

ratt

Will teams have an opportunity to pre generate station challenges before they go to them?

No. We will generate the challenge for them when they get to the target station - by them sending a team selfie of the roundel/station

I can chat now

@Helpdesk Sorry about that! I accidentally assigned a restriction to yall

1

Fahmi Sack

@Helpdesk Sorry about that! I accidentally assigned a restriction to yall

It was meant for a spectator role, but accidentally applied it to everyone

1

Yeah one kind of question I had - this will be the first game I helpdesk, are there any unintuitive tips I should know to best be of assistance?

16:49

in terms of managing the chats and stuff

It'll probably put your multitasking skills to test, but other than that its more of flow management and it'll pick up with experience

1

https://discord.com/channels/1059625399979606166/1198286873882267669/1198753929534656564

18:01

@Fahmi Sack ^

Fahmi Sack pinned a message to this channel. 06/12/2024 18:35

Do we want to delegate roles throughout the day? Potential Roles: Team 1 Team 2 Team 3 Game Status/Admin ... (edited)

I'm not sure it's going to be that much work. Probably better to let the same people judge different teams so we don't get any unintentional different treatment with more strict interpretations on the rules

So we could for example have 3 people focus specifically across all three teams you say?

I'm just saying it's probably better to have helpdeskers able to weigh in on cases from across teams

19:06

as opposed to one helpdesker per team which I assume is what you were suggesting?

ratt

as opposed to one helpdesker per team which I assume is what you were suggesting?

Initially I was suggesting a team to have an exclusive helpdesker, but then took into account your statement. We could have a team of three to collectively focus across all three teams. By focus I mean prioritise anything that comes in between all teams. Of course we all have a say in something anyways.

Spreadsheet of Challenges (from the pinned message) = Taskmetro tasks?

Max (v3rtico)

Spreadsheet of Challenges (from the pinned message) = Taskmetro tasks?

Yes. Also includes usage tracking

1

For T52 and T53 the teams should find a street name. Should they go to that street or should they only show it on a map?

They go to that street.

ANd for T68 (First to spend less than 50p on a thing) we might want to specify that a free "Thing" does not count? Otherwise they could just pick up any object, for example the free newspapers you get at any station - and win.

Max (v3rtico)

ANd for T68 (First to spend less than 50p on a thing) we might want to specify that a free "Thing" does not count? Otherwise they could just pick up any object, for example the free newspapers you get at any station - and win.

Included in the notes.

Doing a bit or prep... Does anyone know if its possible to have multiple peoples location at once on Google Maps? It'll be extremely useful if we could. Anyone know of other platforms that would do that for future?

WIth friends we usually use Whatsapp with live location sharing. All locations shared with you are then shown on a single map

23:44

But I think if multiple friends share their location with your google account you should be able to see them on the same map

23:46

Not sure what this menu option is called in english google maps but the description tells me that I can see all my friends who share their location with me on this map:

Yeah, the issue is that every player would have to add every helpdesk google account - undesirable.

How about we create a new Google account and share the password with all Helpdeskers?

23:48

Then everyone could just login to that account on Google Maps and the players would just have to add one account

Max (v3rtico)

Then everyone could just login to that account on Google Maps and the players would just have to add one account

Potentially for a future game, could work

Also, for a future game we could just use trackers (Airtags with a helpdesk apple account or the android version of airtags).

Max (v3rtico)

Also, for a future game we could just use trackers (Airtags with a helpdesk apple account or the android version of airtags).

Well, Google Maps is our default for tracking since we can create tracking links. But the only issue at the moment is we'd have to open them on separate tabs/windows

I only have one tracking link from my own phone right now but I think if you open multiple tracking links with the same Google Account and then go to the menu I showed in the screenshot above it should show all the tracks on the same map

00:06

Or rather all the positions

Max (v3rtico)

Also, for a future game we could just use trackers (Airtags with a helpdesk apple account or the android version of airtags).

expensive

00:44

if we could all get physical trackers that'd be ideal

00:44

but it's expensive (edited)

I wonder if I'd accidentally send the wrong time again because of time zones

Use this https://r.3v.fi/discord-timestamps/ It'll send a timestamp which will automatically convert to correct time to each person

Thanks

E.g., the game's intended start time is 09:00

Just didn't have a good tool to do that automatically for me

For the Westminster challenge, the things that Sam said: 1. It's a statue of people best known for being in the statue. 2. It's a French city commemorating their own surrender. (to the English) 3. That guy is about to grab that guy's butt. 4. It's a good statue. 5. It's about to win Sam 750 coins.

08:15

The team doing the challenge has to come up with something that isn't in this list (edited)

MediocreLogarithm257

For the Westminster challenge, the things that Sam said: 1. It's a statue of people best known for being in the statue. 2. It's a French city commemorating their own surrender. (to the English) 3. That guy is about to grab that guy's butt. 4. It's a good statue. 5. It's about to win Sam 750 coins.

What's this for?

The Westminster challenge (on the list) says the team has to list 5 things Sam didn't say about The Burghers of Calais

Ah, right

Seems like the players have to check it themselves though. Just putting it here so we don't have to check again

Team 3 have no experienced players by the time the game begins. Mit is potentially 30 minutes delayed. Out of fairness, would it be worth to delay the game for 30 minutes? Revised game times: 09:00 - 13:30, 14:30 - 18:00?

I think that sounds fair. Are all players ok with it?

I'm fine with it

Are we delegating general tasks/focus?

By the way do we have a "defined" random number generator (Coin Toss, selecting a challenge) or do we use whatever we want?

We don't have a particular one. It's fine with any as long as it's uniform distribution

Whatever works as long as it's reasonably fair

Decision time. Delay or go ahead?

How's Mithent right now?

MediocreLogarithm257

How's Mithent right now?

Unknown at this time

MediocreLogarithm257

How's Mithent right now?

Approx 15 minutes delayed.

You said 9:30 right? If mith is on track for that I'd say that's still fine.

Ok we'll push the delay

Sure if Mithent is fine

You already said 9:30.

I just threw a quick random challenge generator in the Taskmetro Sheet. It updates every time any cell in the sheet gets updated

Verumlgnis clearly isn't going to make the 9:30 start

ratt

Verumlgnis clearly isn't going to make the 9:30 start

Yep, but the point of the delay is so that Team 3 can still start with an experienced player

It takes an hour 10m even on the train, let alone bus replacement

Are we doing heads for published station challenge or tails for that?

1

Max (v3rtico)

I just threw a quick random challenge generator in the Taskmetro Sheet. It updates every time any cell in the sheet gets updated

How would that work?

I mean if we're starting without him, better to break it to him early

MediocreLogarithm257

Are we doing heads for published station challenge or tails for that?

That would be a good idea

I mean are we assigning heads to station challenge, tails for Taskmetro or the other way round (edited)

ratt

I mean if we're starting without him, better to break it to him early

He already knows that he'll join the game late when the first train got cancelled

Actually, just change "heads" to "station"

MediocreLogarithm257

I mean are we assigning heads to station challenge, tails for Taskmetro or the other way round (edited)

Heads - Published Station Tails - Taskmetro

Fahmi Sack

How would that work?

It uses the function randbetween to generate a random number between 1 and the amount of challenges left and then uses the index function to find the x challenge in the Remaining Challenges List

Added a checkbox next to it. That also counts as updating

1

That randomiser will make things FAR easier (edited)

09:01

Thank you!

MediocreLogarithm257

Added a checkbox next to it. That also counts as updating

So whenever we want to generate a new flip/random challenge we would hit that checkmark and it would generate?

Yes. Checking and unchecking both count. It's just a convenient way to tell the spreadsheet to update

1

Yeah the check box updates to a new random challenge and updates to a random coin flip

1

Does the randomiser also take into account only the available challenges?

If I read the formula correctly it reads from the G list which should filter out used stations based on the E input... so yes?

09:05

@Max (v3rtico) would need to confirm though

I would say aquiring a pack of M&M's from the surrounding area is suitable

4

It should

avgeek7

@Max (v3rtico) would need to confirm though

Correct it uses the filtered List so only remaining challenges are selected and the random number is between 1 and the amount of remaining Challenges

1

I'll brb

09:09

I'm back

Team 1 Tracker: https://maps.app.goo.gl/EKwhqyMn7ZFEDXm36 Team 2 Tracker: https://maps.app.goo.gl/fAtpFUHLj2fWa3G77 Team 3 Tracker: https://maps.app.goo.gl/EA97kArTF4rGzrax8

See my real-time location on Google Maps!

Visit Google Maps to check out my real-time location. With the Google Maps App you can share your location with friends and family too.

See my real-time location on Google Maps!

Visit Google Maps to check out my real-time location. With the Google Maps App you can share your location with friends and family too.

See my real-time location on Google Maps!

Visit Google Maps to check out my real-time location. With the Google Maps App you can share your location with friends and family too.

Fahmi Sack pinned a message to this channel. 07/12/2024 09:17

@Helpdesk feel free to join our dedicated voice chat

I shall be there in about 5 minutes

1

(can we make the unclaimed stations white, just for ease of parsing the map when it's half full?)

Sounds good

Good suggestion - I will get on that here shortly

We could probably step up the formatting for the station claims something like: # @.Players <Station> has been claimed by <Team>

2

10:11

nicking this idea from the last game

10:12

formatted as # @.Players <Station> has been claimed by <Team>, you put a # and a space before the message (edited)

Thinking of dropping this in #game-announcements

Just wanted to drop this as a note: Teams are allowed to cancel their claim of a station and move onto another station if they choose, including "claim immediately" challenges. Challenges may not be rerolled if vetoed, and a selfie must be retaken at the station if the team wishes to resume it.

4

some

11:57

does he say "good place" for the second one?

My dinner arrived

2

I'm rejoin later

Taking a 5 minute break

1

Just for clarification after the break: Leading team can only do Taskmetro Challenges Second place have no changes Losing team can choose which challenge to complete, after we generated a random one for them. If tied, the more restrictive one counts, so if there's a tie for 1st, both teams are restricted to Taskmetro only, moving third place to second. (edited)

what happens if the Monument is closed due to the weather? (edited)

The selfie must still be taken outside the station, but the challenge can be done as near as possible

The challenge given requires climbing the monument

Or is it the actual monument tower?

Yeah

Ah, in that case we give a taskmetro challenge

ratt

Taking a 5 minute break

back

At restart - Team 2 and 3 will be restricted to Taskmetro only Team 1 will play pre-break rules When a team takes a lead, the leading team will be Taskmetro only, the second place team is pre-break rules, third place team will have a pick between the Taskmetro and Station challenges

we cheesed the hell out of the Blackfriars challenge in the last B4Z1

14:10

14:11

there's meant to be a complex series of steps to avoid walking on that little road between the bridge and the station

14:11

we just dropped our jacket on it and leapfrogged across

I don't think that's particularly desireable in this weather

14:18

I don't know if they're just sarcastic or seriously not restarting in 10 minutes...

I'm going to stay muted for a little longer because I'm still finishing my lunch, but I'm back

I'm also back

ratt

I'm going to stay muted for a little longer because I'm still finishing my lunch, but I'm back

Same

Had push to talk on. That's why I'm not muted

Seems everyone hates the District Line...

someone took you up on the naming convention @ratt ...

I think 2 teams are on that line though

avgeek7

someone took you up on the naming convention @ratt ...

?

City of London: Population 10.847 (edited)

City of Westminster: 211,365 (edited)

Westminster? 205,087 https://www.westminster.gov.uk/about-council/data/facts-and-figures-about-westminster

Facts and figures about Westminster | Westminster City Council

More information about Westminster's population, the council, education, economy, and more.

14:59

Calais 67,380

14:59

vs Westminster 211,365

14:59

^team 2

15:02

Team 3 - 10.847 vs 22,256

Team 2 overshot by 200%, Team 3 undershot by 300%

Plate should be 2004.

Jemma

Plate should be 2004.

should be 2009

15:49

15 years old

The plate is old enough. Just concerned the plate can be placed on a new car

Bird Snap - The team that picture the greatest number of living birds in 5 minutes wins. Any photos submitted at 16:23 or later are invalid. (edited)

36 my my count for team 3

I counted 38 for team 3

back in 5

Get your entire team as high as you can above ground level. Post a photo before 17:44.

The results are in: 2nd Place is a tie: Team 1 and Team 2 with 18 points each And the Winner is... # Team 3 with 22 points!

The results are in: 2nd Place is a tie: @Team 1 and @Team 2 with 18 points each And the Winner is... # @Team 3 with 22 points!

I think any future challenge with "take the next train" should specify "staying in London" because there's a possibility of that not being the case

19:09

Someone rolling it in Paddington can have the next train be non-stop to Reading (edited)

2

I think probably that would come under the rule we have of staying within the London fare system

19:13

That exists for scavenger hunt at least

It looks like the train we gave to Team 3 left Tottenham Hale before it gets to 15 minutes, and the next stop would be Bishops Stortford

19:17

It looks like the next one to depart is the 17:13 to Southend Victoria, stopping at Romford at 17:28

19:22

It was never specified in this game because we never considered the possibility of a challenge that could get you really far away from Central London

19:24

I definitely thought going into Zone 2 would be the furthest a challenge can do too

Sorry to miss the end of the game but it looked really fun. Been great help desking with you all today :).

2

Thanks for the great help!

MediocreLogarithm257

I think any future challenge with "take the next train" should specify "staying in London" because there's a possibility of that not being the case

If it was limited to tube and DLR this would solve the issue of sending people unreasonably far while still being a "curse" that can make you change your strategy since you will end up at least a few stations down whatever line it is