Having fun at work is underrated. We have fun because it keeps our community together. And this November, we arguably had more fun than ever before. In fact, it was a historic month for X-Team, because we organized our first-ever competitive quest game on Slack.
Introducing...
"Tell me, little 'un, are you an Outlaw or a Settler?" the man asks. His cigarette, halfway through, dangles from his lips. His thumbs casually hooked on his belt. Sheriff badge shining.
The final few piano notes drop to the floor and conversations come to a halt. You run your tongue over your teeth. Caught. Gently, you take a few steps backwards and point your thumb over your shoulder. "Sheriff, I'm a need to go," you say.
"He's an Outlaw!" the bartender yells, and he pulls out a double-barreled shotgun. You turn and the batwing doors rattle as you run through them. You're on your horse and ride for your dear life. Behind you, the Settlers of Goldscar town jeer as you ride towards the Outlaws of Sawtooth Mine.
For the first time in our history, X-Team was split in two equal teams. Outlaws would compete against Settlers in a competitive Slack game. The stakes were high. Winners would receive Bounties, swag, and X-Team fame and pride.
Each team had its own hideout (a separate Slack channel) where the story would unfold. Every weekday, the community organizer would create a daily event that would require the effort of each team to progress the story. When completed successfully, each team would be rewarded with horses 🐎, weapons 🔫, medical supplies 💉, rations 🥪, and money 💵.
These resources would be used in weekly crossover events, where Outlaws would meet Settlers and show them who's who in this wild world. The team to win most crossover events would win the final battle for the Wild Frontier.
The daily events required each team to drink a certain amount of water, walk a certain amount of steps, and spend time in the gym. These challenges were not to be laughed at: the Outlaw's first challenge needed them to collect 30,000 steps and 5 hours of gym time, to catch 5 horses on the run. Challenges became progressively harder as the days went by.
And so both teams gathered resources during the weekdays. In the first weekly crossover event, the Outlaws had gathered three rations versus the Settlers' two, which meant they could roll three dice, while the Settlers could roll only two. The team with the highest score would win the challenge. The Outlaws won the first roll-off 🤠.
But the event continued. The Settlers had more horses 🐎, and won the second roll-off as well as the third! They seemed set to win the first weekly crossover event, because they had more medical supplies than the Outlaws, but the dice were in the Outlaws' favor and they won the fourth roll-off. The first weekly crossover event ended in a draw.
Throughout the month of November, Settlers and Outlaws worked hard to gather the necessary resources. They walked, hydrated, and worked out. Every Saturday, they would fight the other team, until it came to a final showdown the first of December...
A tumbleweed blew over the deserted street of Goldscar. There they stood, the lone Settler and the Outlaw. To settle matters once and for all. No sound but the wind. Their hands hovered over their pistols.
Bang!
A single shot pierced the silence. The Outlaw dropped his pistol and fell to the floor, clutching his chest. The Settler holstered his weapon, tipped his hat to the dying body, and returned back to the saloon for a shot of gin.
As a developer, it's all too easy to sit behind your computer the whole day and not move your body. But the best developers are those who understand that their health is as important as their work.
An initiative like November's Fit-Quest encourages developers to move their bodies, while also generating a sense of belonging for a community otherwise spread around the world.
Do you think this is a good way to encourage people to work out? Let us know in the comments 👇!