LAN parties are the perfect way to spend a rainy
weekend with friends -- all it takes is a little planning to make sure
that things go smoothly.
Whether you are planning a PC or
console oriented LAN party, getting the right mix of gear together is
the first and most crucial step. Console players have it a little
easier, since the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 are much more portable
than their full-sized PC counterparts. However, don't forget that
you'll need extra monitors, game titles, LAN cables, and a hub/switch
big enough to handle as many consoles that you need to connect
everyone. Having a buddy with a 16- or 24-port switch is always handy;
but an older 10/100 switch is all you need. Spending hundreds on a
Gigabit-grade switch is overkill.
When you tell your
buddies what to bring to a console LAN party, don't forget to tell them
to haul along their monitor, correct video cables, game titles, wired controller,
and networking cable. The A40 Audio System is the ideal solution for a
console LAN, so don't forget your audio gear, even if your friends
don't have ASTRO equipment yet. If your buddies have an extra network
cable and wired controller, have them bring those too (after they've
marked them with initials). Someone is bound to forget theirs. Remember
that a wired controller is required -- more than four wireless
controllers are going to interfere with one other unless you are a fair
distance away, which takes away from the fun.
The same
advice for a PC LAN applies, with the addition of needing a place to
put computers, monitors, and mouse pads -- in addition to a spot for
everyone's butt. Beg and borrow every card table, picnic table and
folding chair that you can scrounge from relatives, neighbors and
friends.
Lastly, whether you go the PC or console route,
don't forget to sort out the power situation well beforehand -- using
industrial grade extension cords to draw power from multiple circuits
in your house is a smart way to go. Nothing is a bigger drag than
blowing a fuse or tripping a circuit breaker mid-match. Having your
buddies bring their own power strips with surge protectors is also a
smart idea.
What to play? This is the all-important
question, and one that will make or break your party. Start with your
friends: what games do you usually play? This game -- whatever it may
be -- will be the game that gets the most mileage during your party.
Being all together will certainly open up new strategies and new
wrinkles to whatever you are playing (if only the 'in yer face!' factor
of in-person versus play), in addition to the tactical advantages of
having a 'Lag-free' connection that is only possible when you are on a
LAN.
If you have another game that people might enjoy,
but haven't necessarily played yet (or perhaps not for a long time),
this can be a welcome break from the main attraction. Mix and match
your genres as well: If everyone got together to play an intense
first-person PC shooter like Counter-strike or Battlefield, be sure to take it down a notch by starting a friendly pickup game of an RTS classic like WarCraft III or Dawn of War. If you've got newer gear and newer game collections, Dawn of War II and Supreme Commander
are incredibly fun. Most RTS titles have 2v2 (or even 3v3!) modes that
enable you to put noobies with more experienced players, and advanced
controls that enable you to balance things to a fine degree --
guaranteeing that everyone is enjoying fun and challenging games.
If you are gearing your LAN toward PC play, take a break by firing up a fun, tried-and-true console game. Sure, everybody knows Halo can
be a great way to blow off some steam, but after playing PC shooters, a
console FPS will seem like it is in "slow motion". It's better to fire
up Mario Kart, Bomberman, or Boom Blox (try it,
seriously!) if you have a GameCube or Wii. If you have an Xbox 360
handy, the Xbox Live Arcade selection should have something for
everyone: old school multiplayer titles like Gauntlet and Joust are a riot, while new school faves like Geometry Wars are extremely entertaining just to watch. And of course, fighting games like Super Smash Brothers, Street Fighter, and Soul Caliber are perfect for a quick player-versus-player fix.
For
console centric LAN parties, taking a break from the controller is the
way to go. Try loading up the universal LAN party standard: Unreal Tournament 2004. 2k4
is a stellar run-and-gun action title that is 10lbs of fun in a 5lb bag
-- even if you are playing for the very first time. It's also an older
title that even low-spec laptops will be able to handle nicely, and
available dirt cheap in most stores' bargain bins, or downloadable from
Steam.
Once you've attended or held a few LAN parties,
you'll start noticing games in the bargain bin that will be ideally
suited to a LAN, especially those "forgotten" shooters. S.T.A.L.K.E.R.
has an amazing deathmatch mode that is wildly popular in places like
Russia, but if you live in the West, you'll need to create a local
server -- and a LAN party is the perfect opportunity. Likewise, Prey is
an ideal PC LAN game if your group is on the small side -- this
console-centric shooter fared poorly since it was too claustrophobic
for 16-32 player servers, but is ideal for 4-8 friends at a LAN.
One last thing: unless you are getting your Guild together for some in-person raid action, it would be wise to ban World of Warcraft during the weekend. WoW has a tendency to divide your group into ever-smaller chunks, and really takes away from the mano-a-mano spirit of a LAN.
Good luck
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