Your Getting Started Guide to CHI PLAY 2021
In the following, we will briefly introduce this year’s setup and how you can get the most out of your CHI PLAY 2021 experience. We have compiled an exciting and varied program with something for everyone. You can find all the details in our online program.
The conference will happen from Monday, 18th of October to Thursday, 21st of October. The conference is organized around blocks of three sessions each with three hour breaks between them.
CHI PLAY 2021 uses Midspace as a virtual conference platform from which you can access all content, discuss, and mingle with the community. CHI PLAY also maintains a Discord server you can use to get in touch with the community.
Online Program
The online program can be found here. You can convert the conference times to your local time to help you with planning what sessions to attend. The timetable you see is an overview of all the blocks. Further details of a block will be shown when clicking on it.
When you are logged in with your ACM account, you can mark items you are particularly interested in by clicking the clock symbol.

When the symbol is clicked on, the clock turns red, and you find all your marked events in the My Schedule area on the left. The three connected dots icon to the left of the clock allows you to get a link to share sessions with others.
Midspace
Everyone registered to the conference will receive an email with an invitation link, soon before the conference starts. When you click the invitation link to a Midspace conference, you are given the option to either log in to an existing account or to create a new account. If you’re already logged in, the invitation will automatically be used with your existing account. When accessing Midspace for the first time, you are asked to create a profile where you can also upload an image of yourself. We highly encourage attendees to add pronouns (They/them, She/her, He/him, etc.) after their name. Your personal information can always be changed during the conference.

The image above shows the landing page of Midspace. The tags in the middle allow you to sort and filter content based on the different content categories. You can also search for specific content. Please also make sure to review the code of conduct link on the landing page.
On the left side of Midspace, you can access the program. Clicking on a program item will open the details for it from which you can access the Zoom session for it through the Go to Room button. The Socialise button (also in the left side-bar) allows you to either create a public or private room to chat with others. Additionally, you can access an overview of all the attendees by clicking on the People button at the top of the window.
Midspace offers various ways to communicate. There are private one-to-one chats, which you can access when clicking on a person, as well as chats within rooms with others (these may be public or private, depending on the settings). You can also use the chat function to leave messages and discuss individual content items with authors. There are also Welcome Lobby and Helpdesk chats, but keep in mind that all chats are public, apart from private one-to-one chats and private rooms.
Midspace offers several accessibility features such as a dark mode or push notifications, which you can access through the Options button located at the bottom of the right sidebar.
These are only a few points of essential aspects of Midspace for this conference. We encourage everyone to get to know Midspace, and try out the platform before the conference to explore all the different features Midspace offers.
Zoom
Webinars:
Most presentations will be held via Zoom Webinars. The links to join these can be found on Midspace in the respective areas of the sessions. As an attendee in the Zoom session, you can ask questions via the Q&A function and also upvote questions. Most Zoom sessions will be recorded and links to the recordings will be shared within the platform to allow attendees not being able to join live at a later time.

Furthermore, Zoom allows for a live text audio transcription, which can be activated through the Live Transcription button at the bottom of the Zoom Window.
Meetings:
WiP sessions will be held via Zoom Meetings. In these Zoom Meeting rooms, you as an attendee, have the possibility to ask questions verbally, where we would like to encourage you to get into discussions with the authors and the other attendees.
Discord
CHI PLAY has maintained a Discord server since last year to engage with the community. If you are new to Discord, we encourage you to use a clear name and indicate your pronouns (e.g., Jane Doe (she/her)). Please review the code-of-conduct in the respective channel. For personal reasons you may use an alias but please avoid using offensive or inappropriate names.
Contact Information
If you have any questions about one of the tools we use during this conference, do not hesitate to contact us. We have a helpdesk and an Accessibility FAQ which can both be accessed through the landing page of Midspace.
If there are additional questions you can reach us through email:
For technical questions: virtualization@chiplay.acm.org
For accessibility-related questions: inclusion@chiplay.acm.org
We hope you will enjoy our program and support each other in creating a great conference for all of us!
The CHI PLAY 2021 Organizing Team