How to create, set up and import a Categories Gameshow template

Problem

When you want to start playing your own Categories game (not the sample one pre-loaded with EZ-VOTE Connect), you need to create a PowerPoint (PPTX) file that's correctly configured and formatted, and import it to Categories game show app, so that it becomes what we call a Template - a reusable set of slides/questions you can play as a simple team-based game over, and over.

Solution

All you need is basic PowerPoint skills, fresh ideas for questions and answers and about 10 minutes of time to set it all up in the EZ-VOTE Connect Categories app.

PLEASE NOTE: you do not need to use the EZ-VOTE-specific question slides for this process. Use the simple PowerPoint slides without any charts, or other elements, so that when we take a picture of each slide, only the question and answer text remain.

Let's start by launching the Categories app and selecting the Create Questions tab. Here, you're going to choose the grid size and click Create Questions, which will open PowerPoint with the sample Template you'll edit and format to your liking:

Next, we'll use PowerPoint as our editor. It's powerful, yet intuitive, so you'll have no trouble using it to create your game show content.

Just remember that depending on the grid size, your slides must be formatted as: Category slide + X number of questions. For example, if your grid size is 3x3, you'll have one Category slide and three (3) Question slides. Don't forget that it's best if the answer choices in either a number, or letter bullet list:

When you're done editing your PowerPoint file, save it. Remember it must be a .PPTX (PowerPoint 2007 and up) file format.

PLEASE NOTE: at this time, the Trivia, Categories and Scholar game show apps do NOT support "bullet builds, animations, or slide transitions". All effects will be ignored and only the 'last' state of the animation will be shown as a static image after the import to the game show app.

Future versions of the Gameshow apps (part of EZ-VOTE Connect Suite) will be able to recognize 'bullet builds."

Next, open the Categories app again and head over to the Load Questions tab. Name your game, so you can distinguish it from others you may create later and click the Load Questions button:

Locate your .PPTX file and click Open:

Sit back and wait until import is complete. This will take a while, depending on the speed of your computer, as well as the length and overall size of the presentation file:

After the import is complete, the app will give you a chance to do a Slide Review. Here, you'll need to tell us how many answers are on the slide and which answer is correct.

PLEASE NOTE: In Categories game show, the points per correct answer are assigned automatically depending on the order of the question. For example, first question is worth 100 points, while the second question is worth 200 points, and so on...

PLEASE NOTE: the scoring model used in all of our game show apps is based on % of points scored by the team, not each individual.

For example, if the correct answer is worth 100 points, and 50% of the TEAM answers is correctly, the TEAM will receive 50 points.

Once you're finished with the Slide Review, you will see your new game show Template in the list on the Play Game tab.

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