Hints for Planning a Network Gaming Marathon?

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.".

Comments

Re:FP????

[shibbydude]

nope. Fucking Prick, yes.

Here's an idea..

[Ryan Amos]

Instead of spending all weekend holed up in a room playing computer games, find something better to do with your time. No, I'm being totally serious. This is not a troll. There is much more to life than computer games, and regardless of what you say, I don't see sitting in front of a computer in a dark room for 48 hours as being healthy. Get out, live a little.

I knew some guys in high school who were really in to things like this. They hit college, promptly failed out (because they made straight As in high school without trying, they saw no need to go to class) and are now working at various shit jobs. One works at a gas station, one works at a grocery store, etc. "LAN Gamer" is not a skill that will serve you any good in the near or distant future.

I'm not saying computer games are bad, or even that LAN parties are bad. But there is such a thing called moderation. A LAN party once in a while is a fun thing, a LAN party every weekend or even once a month is probably too much. Likewise, 6 hours of gaming a day is also too much. Get out, live a little, you'll be a much happier person than sitting on a computer half your day.

Re:DHCP and BOFH

[perljon]

What in the hell does DHCP have to do with various operating systems talking to each other? The machine either gets an IP address or it doesn't. It's apparent from these kinds of statements that you have no $#@!'ing clue, and the rest of your book isn't worth reading.