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Hints for Planning a Network Gaming Marathon?

Posted by Cliff on from the huge-weekend-long-lan-parties dept.

Malfaetor asks: "Some friends and I are tentatively planning a public Network Gaming Marathon (LAN Party, except for an entire weekend) later this year, starting on a Friday night and ending the following Sunday afternoon. We've already acquired a file server and game servers, as well as did some testing on bandwidth usage of various games. We've also queried local hotels for available conference rooms, and thought about power consumption requirements, and so forth. I ask this of my fellow Slashdot readers: If you have ever hosted or attended a LAN party before, even if it was not of this scale, would you have any input (or horror stories!) that could help to ensure we have not overlooked anything? Any information you could provide would be greatly appreciated!"

"We have prior experience with private weekend-long gaming parties (with 20-30 people) a handful of times per year at the homes of attendees, and usually they conclude with few problems. However, we are planning on this session being bigger and more public, hopefully upwards of 120 seats. Although we have experience with smaller gatherings, we generally know all attendees, and have little experience with larger, public gaming marathons.

What did you do for advertising? Is it more effective to reach the intended audience by advertising on the radio, TV, internet, or billboard? What can you do about the rare, unmanageable, lunatic gamer? How have you handled cheaters (aimbots, wall-hackers, etc.)? Have you brought in sponsors to help offset the cost? Has there been technical support for the non-tech savvy? If so, was it free, or included in the admission cost? There are other questions, but I'll stop there.".

5 of 439 comments (clear)

  1. Make sure you have by shibbydude · · Score: 5, Funny

    bathrooms...

    --
    We're only gonna die from our own arrogance, that's why we might as well take our time...
  2. Name by qslack · · Score: 5, Funny

    First, don't name it a Network Gaming Marathon. Some gamers might see the "marathon" and avoid your event.

    Call it "extravaLANza." I dunno. I just made that up. Just name it anything that doesn't invoke images of sweat and toil.

    --
    qslack.com
  3. 128??? by Thinkit3 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Is this a computer thing, or do you just give rough estimates in powers of 2? Like, "There must have been 128 people at the wedding, maybe 256!" Oh by the way, decimal is evil and causes cancer.

    --
    -Libertarian secular transhumanist
    1. Re:128??? by G27+Radio · · Score: 5, Funny

      Ah, that must be why he chose 16 as the age limit. 8 would be too low, and 32 too high...

  4. Re:STOP AIM by invultor · · Score: 5, Funny
    It sounds like your problem is having the wrong kind of people at your gatherings.
    One kid had his semi-girlfriend dump him on AIM at a lan and he spent the rest of the night being a whining pussy.
    I'd set an agelimit next time, above junior high, and you should be fine.