Eight reasons to take part in a LAN party
3.6.2017
Translation: machine translated
Lack of oxygen, red eyes, incessant noise, empty cans and leftover pizzas... LAN parties are really great! Don't believe me? Read on.
LAN parties are making a discreet comeback. Very popular in the 90s, these gatherings of gamers disappeared at the turn of the millennium and were replaced by Internet tournaments. Although it's now much easier to play online, getting together with other gamers is a unique experience. I recommend private LAN parties and their limited number of participants, but huge tournaments have their charm too.
1. The joy of being together
Feeling close to your fellow players is important... especially when handing out pies because you've been unfairly eliminated from the game again. That's what we call instant feedback.
2. Let off steam
Charming us is an integral part of our reunion. It's already a record if the first five minutes go by without insults. I'm sure it's the same with you. Rudeness, like pre-cooked pizzas, is an integral part of every LAN party.
3. Play to exhaustion
Playing all weekend until the wee hours of the morning, not wondering if we couldn't make better use of our time... Besides, what's better than shooting all your mates with a railgun in Quake "3 Arena" before shouting "In your face!"?
4. A thunderous atmosphere
Not everyone at the party always plays the same game, but the atmosphere is clearly better when a lot of them play a few good games of "Counter-Strike", "Battlefield" or "Chivalry". The eardrums are whistling, the adrenalin is pumping and the fun is at its peak. The most competitive games are also the most fun.
5. Eating like pigs
Stuffing yourself with junk food is part of the game. Beer galore, crisps, oily pizzas and sweets of all kinds, there's no stopping us! Indulge yourself without feeling guilty.
6. Let yourself be won over by nostalgia
New games often show us just how old-fashioned LAN parties are: they almost always lack a LAN mode, and it's hard to organise a private online tournament for all the participants without having your own server. That's one of the reasons why we're concentrating on the great classics. Even though Counter-Strike 1.6, Day of Defeat and Unreal Tournament date back to Methuselah, they're still great fun, probably also because they take us back in time. Well, at least the thirty-somethings do...
7. The pleasure of winning
Time spent with friends is still the best thing about LAN parties, especially if you or your team are winning and handing out high fives that are as triumphant as they are painful while taking a barrage of insults. I don't know what gives greater satisfaction, winning or trashing the winners?
8. Minimal effort
Don't feel like lugging your computer around with you? I understand. Nobody's happy about the prospect, but you'll be out and packing up your machine in no time. If you don't have a huge 34-inch screen like I do, it's no big deal. You can also use a laptop. You'll make the organiser's job a bit harder, but as long as you follow the safety advice and everyone brings enough power strips and switches, you should be fine. Well, I say that, but I've never been an organiser...
If the idea appeals to you and you have a computer (or console), organise your own LAN party. If your friends aren't motivated, take part in a public version. Or maybe you're already a regular? What do your LAN parties look like, and what game do you play?
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Header image: Picture: Flickr/Mr Seb
Philipp Rüegg
Senior Editor
Philipp.Rueegg@digitecgalaxus.chAs a child, I wasn't allowed to have any consoles. It was only with the arrival of the family's 486 PC that the magical world of gaming opened up to me. Today, I'm overcompensating accordingly. Only a lack of time and money prevents me from trying out every game there is and decorating my shelf with rare retro consoles.
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