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Customize chat sound settings + a new board game Social!

Bond with your team over some of the most beloved board games, and learn about updates to chat sounds, Do Not Disturb Mode, and map templates.

This guide will cover:

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Customize chat sound settings + a new board game Social!

Photograph of Philip Wang
Morgan Smith

One of our goals here at Gather is to help your team build a strong remote culture, no matter where in the world your employees are physically located. To help you do that, this week we’re releasing new social activities and Spaces to explore, along with a few productivity improvements (to make sure work still gets done 😉).

Board Game Night: A new way to bond with your team!

Our latest team Social was designed to be fun and easy for every Gather user, including the newest members of your team still learning to use the Space. That’s why you’ll find familiar games like Tetris, Codenames, and Poker that you can play embedded right into your office

When you start a Board Game Night, you’ll choose how many members of your team will be joining. In your Space, you’ll then find groups of tables and chairs so small groups can play at the same time. 

To get started, walk over the Socials Bridge if it’s in your Space. (Look around the edges of your office if you’re not sure!) If your Space was created before we built these magical bridges into our templates, you can add a Socials Door through the Object Picker

Happy team building!

Customize when chat sounds play

We removed chat sounds for all new messages a little while ago (in favor of only playing sounds when you get a DM). However, we heard the feedback from our community that they appreciated getting a ping whenever anybody messaged in the space. So – we’re bringing this option back! 

Now you can choose whether you receive chat sounds for all new messages, only direct messages, or never. Your choice! 

You’ll find these options in the top right corner of the Chat window or through the Audio / Video  Settings menu. 

Small updates to Do Not Disturb mode

When you need some focus time, Do Not Disturb Mode will turn off your mic and camera, and you won’t hear any noise in the office around you. Think of it like virtual noise canceling headphones!

We’ve also updated the message that shows on your screen, so you’ll always remember when you’re in this Mode and can easily “take your headphones off” to rejoin the activity of the office. 

New map templates

Looking to upgrade your Space or create your first office? We’ve updated our maps to feature a daytime roof, a courtyard for team socials, and new layouts that make it easier (and more fun!) for your team to collaborate on Gather. The team also revamped some of the art in these new templates. If you’re looking to implement a virtual office redesign, check ‘em out!

If you have any questions about these updates, you can always visit our Help Center.

Making things better, bit by bit.

-The Gather Team

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