Dreidel On Deck
I create Dreidel On Deck as a way for my daughter to play Dreidel with friends and family during the COVID-19 pandemic. It leverages Google Slides and Google Apps Script.
Google Slides is used so that all players, despite their physical location, get a chance to interact with the game (i.e. "spin" the dreidel, or ante-up). This leverages the ability of Google Slides to have multiple people editing the slide at the same time.
I hope you enjoy it! Please review the instructions below carefully before hosting a game. And remember: This is Google Slides after all, not a true gaming platform! I did the best I could, so thanks for your understanding if it doesn't always work perfectly.
Watch this short video demonstrating Dreidel On Deck game play.
Installing (one time only)
This is a one-time step that needs to be completed by the person hosting the game.
Refer to the images on the right as you follow the instructions below.
Log into your personal Google/Gmail account.
I don't recommend hosting from your work or school account as your I.T. admin may have turned off certain functionality that Dreidel On Deck needs to work properly.Click the "Click to Copy Dreidel On Deck" button to the right. When prompted, and choose to make a copy of the Google Slide deck.
Open the slide deck and look for the "Dreidel-on-Deck" menu. It make take a minute to show up. If it doesn't show, then try reloading the slide deck and waiting another minute.
Click the only option in the menu (it will say either "Click to Install" or "Host Game")
Follow the prompt to "Choose an account", and select your Google/Gmail account.
You'll see a message that says "This app isn't verified". It's OK. This message only appears because the app hasn't been formally reviewed by Google. Nothing about this app does anything harmful and it does not have access to any of your data. Also, you can always just delete the Google Slide later.
Click the small, gray "Advanced" link in the bottom left.
Scroll further down and click the link "Go to Dreidel On Deck (unsafe)".
On the next screen "Dreidel On Deck wants to access your Google Account", scroll down and click the blue "Allow" button.
Go back to the slide deck and select "Host Game" from the "Dreidel-on-Deck" menu.
Hosting the Game
If you haven't yet done so, install the game (see above).
Open your copy of the slide deck.
Open the slide deck and look for the "Dreidel-on-Deck" menu. It make take a minute to show up. If it doesn't show, then try reloading the slide deck and waiting another minute.
Select "Host Game" from the "Dreidel-on-Deck" menu. You should see a side-panel open that looks like the one shown to the right. Keep this side-panel open for the duration of the game. If you close it, game play will stop until you re-open it.
Share the game with the players using one of these methods:
If players have a Google/Gmail account, use the yellow "Share" button (top-right) to invite your friends and family (see screenshot below). Be sure to grant them "Editor" access, which will allow them to move the dreidel and ante-up. They will get an email with a link to the slide deck, but you also just copy/paste the link directly into a chat.
If you want players to have access even without a Google/Gmail account, click the yellow "Share" button and configure the "Get Link" section so that "Anyone on the internet with this link can edit" (see screenshot below).
Everyone should join the same video meeting (Zoom, Google Meet, etc) so they can see & hear one another.
In a different window they should also open the slide deck. This is so they can interact with the game (spin the dreidel, ante-up, etc).
All players should enter their names in the scoreboard table (one player per row).
Once all names are in, the host should click the blue "Start Game Play" button in the side bar menu.
Ready for a new game? Click "Reset Slide" to put things back and start fresh.
Troubleshooting:
Did you accidentally delete the dreidel image? Try using Edit → Undo a few times until you get it back. Then keep playing as normal.
Did things get into a funky state? Try refreshing your browser. Or if that doesn't help, have the host click "Reset Slide" to put things back and start fresh. Or if things are really bad, you can always make a new copy and start all over!
For players with Google/Gmail accounts, be sure everyone added has "Editor" access. They will receive an email, but you can also just copy/paste to everyone (i.e. via the Zoom chat).
To avoid the need for players to have a Google/Gmail account, change the link settings (via the "Share" button) so that "Anyone on the internet with the link" is an "Editor". Make sure to copy/paste to everyone (i.e. via the Zoom chat).
Playing the Game
Game play works the same for the host and all the other players. But make sure the host has first started the game by clicking the "Start Game Play" button.
Once everyone has joined and opened the slide deck, they should enter their names in the scoreboard table (one player per row). Google Slides allows everyone to type at the same time, so this should go quickly. Once all names are in, the host should click the blue "Start Game Play" button (see Hosting the Game above).
Each player starts with 10 Gelt.
Every turn all players with coins remaining must ante-up by typing their ante into the "Ante-up!" column for their row in the scoreboard.
The ante can be either a $ sign (worth 1 gelt coin), or a whole number of gelt (greater than 0).
You can't ante more coins than you current have.
The dreidel won't spin if all players with gelt remaining haven't put in their ante.
The arrow (➤) in the "This Turn" column indicates whose turn it currently is. Players with no gelt coins left will be skipped (they are out of the game).
On their turn, the player should drag the purple dreidel over to the table (as shown). Then wait a few seconds for the magic!
Dreidel-on-Deck will take care of collecting the antes and calculating the new scores and total pot each round.
Game play continues until there is only one player left with Gelt!
Ready for a new game? Have the host click "Reset Slide" to put things back and start fresh.
Troubleshooting:
Did you accidentally delete the dreidel image? Try using Edit → Undo a few times until you get it back. Then keep playing as normal.
Did things get into a funky state? Try refreshing your browser. Or if that doesn't help, have the host click "Reset Slide" to put things back and start fresh. Or if things are really bad, you can always make a new copy and start all over!
Other Stuff
Avoid moving or editing items like the table, text boxes or images. Doing so can break game play. Accidentally delete something? Try using Edit → Undo a few times until you get it back. Then keep playing as normal.
If things ever get into an unrecoverable state, you can always make a new copy and start all over!
If you want to peek at the code that runs the game, open a copy of the game slide and select "Script Editor" from the "Tools" menu of Google Slides.
This is Google Slides after all, not a true gaming platform! I did the best I could, so thanks for your understanding if it doesn't always work perfectly.