Newb Question About Lan Party?

I've always heard about this Lan Party but I've never tried it.
I have 3 or 4 laptops/netbooks and 1 or 2 pc computers and I was trying to figure out
how I can hook them all up together to play multiplayer games, so that we are all in the same
room together but having our own devices to meet in game.

I know that another option (simpler?) is to just each have internet connection and login to some online
game that allows us to play together, but what is a LAN party? Is that basically playing with other people
without using internet? What kind of games are out there for kids/pre-teens where multiplayer function is
possible?

Thanks

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LAN_party

 

My kids used to have overnight LAN parties in their teens so I can throw some advice your way that the article doesn't cover, or covers but perhaps not in enough depth.

Pre-party considerations:

• TIMING!! If you have the party overnight, as they usually did because it was easiest for getting everyone in the same place without part-time jobs/school, etc. getting in the way, then you're going to be wiped out the next day and take a bit of time to recover. Don't expect homework to get done if you LAN on a Friday night and have to be back in school Monday; you may not feel up to it. Mine usually had a LAN during the holidays.
• NO INTERNET CONNECTION - this is something you need to consider. If you gather at someone's house and everyone jumps on their internet connection and wipes out the download allowance for the month, maybe by doing their updates there or someone deciding they want to download some large file or other, parents may get annoyed if they get a big bill that month or a family member who needs a decent working connection might get pretty annoyed if they get 'shaped.' For example, a friend who didn't have an internet connection at the time, knew he was welcome to use ours when he came over but overlooked that updating his new computer might wipe out our allowance and my son got stuck when trying to watch a video for his uni course - the connection simply wasn't fast enough because the updates used up our allowance and we got slowed down as penalty; the video wouldn't play. It is, though, good to have an available connection on one machine that doesn't join the network in case something comes up that you need the internet for, such as error messages. (Little less of an issue in this day of being able to take your own portable internet connection with you.)
  
• UPDATES - it's best if everyone has their updates done before they arrive but sometimes they may not be able to. Waiting until you arrive at a LAN party can mean spending a couple of hours before you can join the games. All updates that can be easily downloaded can be put on a flash drive to share around.
  • Windows operating system - if someone needs to install a game at the party, they may run into trouble if their system isn't up to date.
  • Anti-virus, etc. This is a good thing to insist on, along with a scan done before being allowed to join the network. Last thing you want is to take your computer home in a mess because someone didn't protect their computer and 'shared' their viruses. Since a few of their friends had limited or no internet connection (this was a while back) we used to ask (in the planning phase) what anti-virus, etc. programs people were using and download the latest updates to take along. We also took freeware security programs along for those who didn't have all the appropriate security - bear in mind that some of the players knew gaming but not much about computers; for some of them, it was a good opportunity to find out their computer was infected and get it fixed!
  • Game updates - by having everyone get the most recent game updates, you avoid issues of someone's computer complaining that they need to have a newer version before they can join the game.
• GAMES - it's good to decide ahead of time what games people want to play so everyone knows what they need installed and updated.
• EQUIPMENT AND SPACE - everyone should label their gear - one cable looks much like another. Have permanent markers and a whiteout pen handy. Sticky tape and paper doesn't go astray, either. (Actually, it does... frequently! "Has anyone seen the sticky tape?!")
  • Tables and chairs - you need enough tables and chairs for everyone. Blow-mold tables and card tables can be good and people can bring their own office chair, dropped to the lowest height and put upside down on a car seat is an easy way to transport them.
  • Switches and cables - most people have a LAN cable kicking around or can buy one but you may also need a couple of long ones and an extra switch or two. Any modem/router with LAN ports can be used as an extra switch.
  • Electrical extension cables and power boards - definitely need some of these! And don't let anyone plug a heater into this circuit group - someone once blew up a computer by overloading a circuit - not good!
  • Layout - plan how you're going to fit everyone in during your planning phase!
  • Temperature control - in cooler months, consider how you keep everyone warm. In warmer months, all that equipment and those people are going to need cooling, some parts of the room more than others, such as someone near a window in daylight. (Fans don't usually overload circuits.)
• TRANSPORT - we used to have a 9-seater van and back in the days before any of the kids were drivers, we'd be one of the vehicles that ran around and picked up those that needed it and all their gear. Not a big deal but something to consider in regard to who gets where when, especially since we were a 'key' family to getting things up and running, supplying quite a bit of equipment and tech support. (My oldest two and I were three of the techies for groups that could number up to around twenty.)
• FOOD AND DRINK
  • People usually brought their own junk food and 2-minute noodles and such-like and some fizzy drink but also, everyone chipped in a set amount of money and it was used to buy drinks that anyone could help themselves to and make a pizza run before the pizza shop closed. (Weeknights they closed early; Friday and Saturday, midnight or a little later.) Plan quantity of group food ahead of time so you can work out how much to charge. Some of that money can be given to the host for electricity, whatever.
    
  • A microwave and kettle were available for people to 'zap' and/or make tea and coffee. Tea bags and sugar were just donated; coffee and a bottle of milk were purchased from the collected money.
  • By the way, whoever lives where you go, will appreciate some cleaning up afterwards instead of being left with the mess. That could be as simple as getting everyone who's still awake to load (and possibly run) the dishwasher, collect all the rubbish and wipe down benches a couple of hours before your planned finishing time.
  • Remember that loads of fizzy can actually make you function less well than decent food and drink - you want to pwn everyone up to the very end, right?
• KNOWLEDGE AT LEAST ONE PERSON NEEDS:
  • How to network and set IP addresses for each version of Windows or set a computer to obtain one automatically. It's usually best at a LAN if everyone has one manually set and a local area network (LAN) should use some 10 number I've forgotten or 192.168.x.x - the first x is whatever you guys choose but make sure everyone uses the same, and the second x must be different for each person. For the first x, people usually pick 0 or 1. Without going into why, for the second one, stay away from 0, 1, and 255 but use anything between 2 and 254 - that should keep you out of trouble but watch out for using modems as switches - they are often set to hand out addresses. Switches and manually assigned IP addresses are definitely easiest to use. Make sure you have some way of keeping track of who took what address or else tell everyone what they are going to be - two addresses will cause a conflict. A big piece of paper on the wall with each person's name, computer name and IP address can be helpful, especially when trouble-shooting.
  • I used to go for the start of each party, help check computers had their security up to date, help them get on the network, etc. If you can at least one tech-minded person around throughout the entire event, that's good, but if you can have extra help during set-up time, that's really good. When getting everything together at the start of the night, the more people that know what they're doing, the faster you can get started.

Okay, it's party time!! What you need to do now - get everyone on the network and HAVE FUN!

Wow! I hadn't realised how much of the information is based around planning... oh, don't forget to make sure everyone knows how they will be getting home before they get there. If you grab a notebook and pen or use your computer to make your plans, planning isn't that tricky. Sounds like a lot but it really isn't that much.

And just because I've focused on Windows computers, doesn't mean they're the only ones that can be used at a LAN - one of the regulars took great delight and pride in getting his Linux computer to run the games. However, someone who uses a Linux box to run games is less likely to need help and advice than a Windows user or to have a computer that will spread malware, which is why I focused on Windows.

EDIT:
Forgot to comment on games. Don't know what's available today but my kids used to play COD (Call of Duty), Counterstrike, StarCraft, among others I don't remember - best thing I can do is link you to the Wikepedia list of Multiplayer games:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Multiplayer_online_games

 

Wow cool stuff Chookers.

So I'm a little confused on something still. Can ANY multiplayer game be used in this LAN party setup? Or are there only specific games that allow for this sort of multiplayer function?

For example, a lot of multiplayer games used on one computer goes like this: two kids have to share the same keyboard and that's always annoying. One kid has to use the arrow buttons to control their character and the other kid has to use the asdf/w keys to control their character and the screen is split in half so that's annoying too. Could a LAN setup allow each kid to have their own unit and a full screen to play the game while simultaneously playing with each other? I'm guessing this won't work on any multiplayer game but probably only games that allow for this capability?

An example is "Hamsterball"...a very simple and cheap hamster racing game that has two player and even up to 4 player functionality but it's frustrating when they have to share the same keyboard and same screen because of space.

 

a decade or so ago, i helped my brother throw a couple of LAN parties for a particular windows game that we played ( Treadmarks by LDA ) the game allowed any computer to host the server that everyone connected to, so we set up a spare pc as the server, and when people started up their game, there were 2 choices... connect to internet server or LAN server. a server also on your LAN would be ideal since a dozen gamers trying to play the same game over your internet connection would just hammer it and lead to lag issues. also, i would make sure that everyone had a wired connection, not wireless. i don't care what the computer makers say, playing games over a wireless connection just leads to lag issues. now, the one windows issue we ran into when helping people set up their computers at the LAN party dealt with their personal software firewalls. one guy could not see the LAN or the LAN server until we turned off his firewall, then all was good. we also set up one computer for viewing pleasure by non game participants and for posterity... we got a video/TV splitter, ran a cable from the video card to the splitter, one end ran back to the computer monitor, and the other was hooked into a VCR tape recorder which was also connected to a big TV, so the guy at this computer could play the game and have his actions shown on the TV and recorded on the VCR tape. at the time, it was pretty cool. anyway have fun and good luck with it.

 

Each computer must have it's own copy of what ever game you plan on playing.

Some games like Star Wars: The Old Republic will only allow one instance on your computer.You have to figure that factor in as Well.Some games allow multi instance like Star Trek online.

And some games base it off your ISP address.

You have to be care full about what games you play doing that be cause some players might think you are botting the system to collect items.For your self.

And make sure you don't over do it.You can get banned easy from games if you make some one mad.

 

thanks....sounds interesting and I guess I'll only learn more about it once I actually start to try it for myself and see how it works.

 

We used to do this all the time.
We gave up on internet games, even with cable more than three internet players started lagging.
Instead we played the classic LAN games like Unreal Tournament, Starcraft, etc. Some needed a server but none needed internet. Game play was MUCH better because we ran at LAN speed and not our internet speed. Another consideration was wired LAN, the wires are a bit messy with 12 players but our highest ping in games was 38ms. Our wireless bogged down with five or more players.

 

Well Wireless will bog down after so many people log in.

I think a normal wireless connection can handle like 5 people at the most.

Best bet would be to get a Ethernet hub or box that holds up to 10 or 12 ports if you are going to have that many log in.

And you will need lots of cord to.

 

Sorry not to reply sooner (joys of migraines and forgetting about stuff I did) but other people have chipped in with good comments and that's why we have forums, not phone calls!

It would depend on the game, I guess. The documentation for it would say if you can play it on more than one computer at a time.

Someone made a good point about making sure everyone owns the game. Some games can be shared without cost but others, you're only supposed to use on one computer at a time. Another way of getting games to play is to buy multi-license versions. I don't recall the details on those but I think my kids bought a multi-license (which can be cheaper than buying the same number of single copies) which allowed them to have two copies and however many were left (one? three?) were allowed to be used by friends. Not too sure on that.

Sometimes, you can download one copy of a game and buy licenses (single or multiple, depending on what's on offer) off the site with a charge card or Paypal. We did this for five copies of something when the kids and their friends were still too young for the bank to issue charge cards - it had to be one transaction at a time, leading to five identical items on my charge card, and I strongly advise notifying your bank in advance, if you plan to do something like this, or have the person whose card is used expecting the early morning wake-up call:
"Hi, this is so-and-so from such-and-such bank. We noticed some unusual activity on your card, late last night - are you aware of it?" (Gets details, reassures bank it's okay, gets off phone and looks at watch - 8am on a Sunday morning and I only went to bed four hours ago!?!?!? )

Yeah, firewalls - forgot that one. Another thing to watch.

I agree strongly with going wired, not wireless to avoid lagging. One or two people on the wireless seemed to be okay but if I recall, everyone came prepared to go wired and the only ones that didn't went wireless either because of lack of reach or because for some odd reason their computer refused to connect wired that night but would connect wirelessly. (Don't believe what they tell you... computers DO have their own minds and will one day take over the world!! (sinister music.))

 

http://www.giantbomb.com/profile/nikral/lists/top-lan-party-games/44789/
Should get you started.