LAN Party Preperating

By hurricanemasta | Fri, 2003-06-20 18:34

So there you are, battle hardened LAN warrior, armed with master-forged mouse and stout keyboard, your ATI Raedeon 9700 Pro strapped across your back as you cross the Rubicon of your friend's threshold and into the Local Access Network Arena. You've got your gear. . . but are you really ready? It's not enough to only whet the edge of your own processor, a LAN party is a team game, and everyone needs to pull together to make it run smoothly.

Part 1: The day before

Firstly, and don't laugh, because I've seen it, make sure the computer you're planning to use at the LAN party is all in one piece and ready to use. LAN parties are for playing games, not building computers. That is, unless you prefer to spend 8 hours mounting the motherboard, setting the jumpers, connecting the drives, installing the OS - then hoping it all works when you're done. Ok, maybe that's a bit extreme, but troubleshooting a network is enough work without having to troubleshoot individual machines during setup. People come to a LAN party to hang out and play some games, not figure out why your CD drive won't run.

Second, once your machine is all in one piece, patch your OS, and make sure you have current drivers for at least audio and video. It can mean the difference between participating, and not playing at all. I think the number of problems that can be solved with a driver update would surprise and delight you. Most recently, I couldn't even run WarCraft 3 at our last party - black screen. I updated my drivers. . . and got to slaying some undead. Take it from me though, avoid the problem altogether, and update your drivers.

If you can, talk to the people who will be there and try to come up with a basic list of games you'll probably play. Then, get them installed and patched before you step out of the door. My LAN parties generally take about 2-3 hours to get off the ground (because none of us follow any of these rules - including me), but I have a friend of mine who's parties are 30 minutes - doorstep to frag. He has everyone install games the day before, and it makes a huge difference. Also, it's not a half-bad idea to burn an extra CD or two of games you know people own, or even download a no-CD crack, in case someone forgets a play disk. Careful with the piracy, though, bucko - even Blackbeard was caught, and you're not that good.

Part 2: The day of - or, what do I bring?

Don't just grab your box; jump into the General Lee and baja your way through Hazard County to Boss Hog's place for the party, be prepared for contingencies.

Power. Power. Power. Once more? Power. Bring your power strip! All those guys you know have a lot of plugs for those monitors, speakers and external hard drives, so you're going to need a lot of outlets. LAN parties generally turn into huge code violations with one surge protector daisy-chained off of three others, and that's fine (erm. . . right, Officer?). But don't put yourself through the agony of finding a CompUSA or Office Max on a Friday night. If everyone brings the one power strip they use for their own machine, you're more than covered. Better to have too many outlets, than too few.

Now, if you're smart, and/or wealthy, bring an extra card or two. Murphy's Law applies equally everywhere, and if your sound card is due to go, grenade explosions through your cranked speakers will definitely deliver the finishing blow. When I've got my druthers, I bring sound and network. Sound mostly because I'm once bitten twice shy, they're cheap, and it can be a pain to enable on-board sound after your PCI card dies. For me, though, the money is always in bringing an extra 10/100 network card to LAN parties. Friends of mine who have dialup access never use their network cards outside of LAN parties, and there's always someone who's card has gone bad, and we're off in the General Lee to CompUSA or Office Max. Why bother? Remember, the most essential thing at a LAN party is, well, the LAN. Otherwise you could have stayed home. Getting and keeping people on the network is paramount!

If you are the proud owner of a 10/100 hub or switch, unless you've been expressly told not to bring it, bring it. Again, the network is paramount - no switch, no network. Need I say more?

Part 3: The party

The best LAN partier have some cash for pizza, beer, snacks, soda, what have you. Or, hell, they just bring some - what are friends for, after all.

Yes, I realize I sound like a LAN party Nazi, so what I'm about to say may shock you. Have fun; don't take it too seriously. You're there as much to hang out with your friends and have a few beers as you are to avenge your ignominious defeat at capture the flag at the last party. If your pupils dilate too much, or you're sick of that camping bastard, sit one out, have a smoke, grab a slice of pizza. It's cool man -- "party", not "fistfight", not "shouting match", not "hypnosis practice" - party.

And finally, help clean up, will you? What, you live in a freaking barn?!

Specs:

Updates and patches for your system

Before you arrive at the LAN party you should always prepare your system for a nonstop gaming extravaganza...

What Games to you want to play?

List of Popular Games:

This in in no way a limited to the only games out there just a List of the ones we offer on our gaming rigs. Most small LAN parties will have Internet access though our Events are in hotels and usually we do not offer online gaming but here is a list of some of the better online games out there:

There are others but these are the most populer in my bood but please feel free to email me your list on online games

So the event is around the corner or in most cases TODAY. Well here is check list to use when gathering up your equipment to Game.

Be sure to gather up all of your equipment and label it for future retrieval after the event is over.

· Label your cables at home so when you return with your Rig it will be easy to reconnect accessories and get up and running.

· Grab a power Strip and or Serge Suppressor, Pack an Extension cord just incase.

· Grab your Head Phones (Please don’t bring speakers, a room full of computer speakers blasting is very distracting)

· Gather up any software you may wish to have with you. A driver, Games, Blanks disks what ever you may wish to have available once you arrive at the event.

· If you have a Flat screen it is recommended to pack it in a box or at minimum wrap the screen with a thick towel for protection during the trip to and from the event.

So you think your ready to Frag with the best?

LAN Party Flyer

Our Company. We host LAN Rooms at SciFi. Anime, and Comics conventions in the State of Florida

A great site to research hosting your own LAN party some day as well as for Listing LAN parties all over the world

Another site worth checking out as they have a pretty good list of articles and links to many LAN parties as well

SEADS can custom build you a gaming system but orders must be placed before Octoberl 1, 2007 and full payment made in advance. SEADS Specials minimal spare parts available on site but please try to supply your own.

Purchase your own:

Super Gaming System**

Asus Socket 775 w/ Intel Chipset, P4 CORE2-DUO E4300 BOX 1.8GHX 2M, 1Gb Memory DDR2 800, MSI PCX 8600GT 256MB DUAL DVI-I, 250Gb SATA Hard Drive, DVDRW, 1.44 Floppy, Speakers, 10/100 Nic, Sound, Keyboard, Optical Mouse
$800.00*&

System can be shipped to your location in advance or you may pick up the fully built custom system at the con and avoided the shipping fees. Sales tax at 6% cons in Broward county 7% in Tampa and Orlando. Full Warrantee on system of 1 year from date of delivery or pick up at the com. Pleas allow up to 10 days for delivery. Orders must be paid in full 1 week prior to Convention. (Shipping would be UPS Ground added to the purchase Price of new system, Pick up at The Con is free)

*1 year warrantee on all items listed above.
**System does not include an operating system
& Full PAYMENT IN ADVANCE REQUIRED ON THIS SYSTEM (non Refundable)

Privet LAN Party with friends

Pricing:

$175.00 advance setup fee.

(includes up to 20 network ports and up to 6 workstations, switches, routers, and cabling.

*Weekend and Convention rate may include additional fees.
*Tables and Chairs available at additional costs.

We Supply, Gigabyte connections, Wireless access, Internet Access Available, Two Gaming Servers or one application/Web Server. (*Projector and DJ or PA system available upon request)

*Food Services as well as full service or self service Bars can be contracted for additional fees via SEADS or 3rd party Caterers

So you want to Join a LAN Party?

LAN Parties: The Basics

Specs:

Updates and patches for your system

What Games to you want to play?

List of Popular Games:

So you think your ready to Frag with the best?

LAN Party Flyer

Purchase your own:

Super Gaming System**

Asus Socket 775 w/ Intel Chipset, P4 CORE2-DUO E4300 BOX 1.8GHX 2M, 1Gb Memory DDR2 800, MSI PCX 8600GT 256MB DUAL DVI-I, 250Gb SATA Hard Drive, DVDRW, 1.44 Floppy, Speakers, 10/100 Nic, Sound, Keyboard, Optical Mouse
$800.00*&

Privet LAN Party with friends

Pricing:

$175.00 advance setup fee.

(includes up to 20 network ports and up to 6 workstations, switches, routers, and cabling.

Above 20 Ports Billed $15.00 per Port. (Wireless $5 additional fee)

Above 30 ports billed at $10.00 per port (Including wireless)

AIRPGA Yahoo group

So you want to Join a LAN Party?

LAN Parties: The Basics

Specs:

Updates and patches for your system

What Games to you want to play?

List of Popular Games:

So you think your ready to Frag with the best?

LAN Party Flyer

Purchase your own:

Super Gaming System**

Asus Socket 775 w/ Intel Chipset, P4 CORE2-DUO E4300 BOX 1.8GHX 2M, 1Gb Memory DDR2 800, MSI PCX 8600GT 256MB DUAL DVI-I, 250Gb SATA Hard Drive, DVDRW, 1.44 Floppy, Speakers, 10/100 Nic, Sound, Keyboard, Optical Mouse $800.00*&

Privet LAN Party with friends

Pricing:

$175.00 advance setup fee. (includes up to 20 network ports and up to 6 workstations, switches, routers, and cabling.

Above 20 Ports Billed $15.00 per Port. (Wireless $5 additional fee)

Above 30 ports billed at $10.00 per port (Including wireless)

AIRPGA Yahoo group

Asus Socket 775 w/ Intel Chipset, P4 CORE2-DUO E4300 BOX 1.8GHX 2M, 1Gb Memory DDR2 800, MSI PCX 8600GT 256MB DUAL DVI-I, 250Gb SATA Hard Drive, DVDRW, 1.44 Floppy, Speakers, 10/100 Nic, Sound, Keyboard, Optical Mouse
$800.00*&

$175.00 advance setup fee.

(includes up to 20 network ports and up to 6 workstations, switches, routers, and cabling.