TheHavenNet LAN 2010

[Ronin Storm]

Not even quite finished with i37 and I'm musing on what I think about it as an experience and, in particular, how I'd do it differently and, arguably, better. At least better as regards THNers.

I think we could do a THN LAN. Not this year, but sometime in mid 2010 could be realistic. Clearly it wouldn't be on anything like the scale of the i-series LAN but, for me, that's actually a good thing.

Without prejudice, I'd consider looking at serious facilities such as LAN Action (advertised on leaflets at i37) and then comparing that to what it'd cost to do it independently.

I'd be looking for a minimum turn-out of around 10 but hoping for double that. Less than 10 and we'd almost be better just going round to someone's house ad-hoc.

Of course, it'd need to be worth actually turning up in person, especially for those travelling from further afield. So stuff that can only be done face-to-face would need to be included, such as a meal out and board/card games (e.g. Munchkin, which went down very well at i37).

Purpose of this, though, is to get the idea out there and see who'd really be interested in a THN-focused LAN. Much smaller, a bit more organised, certainly more group oriented, cleaner and easier to provision for.

Thoughts? Interest? Serious interest?

 

[Haven]

Mmm not sure what I think about this - I still think there's a lot of legroom to be had with Virutal LAN's or rather organised online events that can fill much of the usefulness without the travel. Having seen how much face in screen action went on at i37 (guilty as charged also) I'd split this into two separate things and not try to combine them.

1) THN Meet - no computers. Purely face to face silliness and non computer based events, and munchkin etc.

2) Heavily organised virtual LAN. Use of webcam's, teamspeak, organised event servers and possibly even VPN. Allows full gaming without travel as a requirement. Pre-arranged competitions or playing of specific games at specific times as well as pre-patching and use of online file server (prom) for patch distribution means no excuses for not being ready to rumble.

I think the second we have everything we need for, the first can be an annual (or every two years) event.

Those are my first very raw thoughts anyway.

 

[BiG D]

As simple as two sounds, it could possible prove much more difficult for some folks. I know that when I lived with my parents, it was a much easier sell to lug my computer off for a few days than it was to sit around playing videogames for a few days -- even though the end result was essentially the same.

Besides, it's not a vacation if you're sitting at home

 

[Dr Drae]

I would love to come along to something like this. Even if it is just a bunch of us meeting up and causing havoc/playing cards. xD

However, being only 16, there are probably many people with qualms about me meeting up with (a supposed) bunch of 'strangers'.

Still, not to say I wouldn't try.

I think any meeting with the bunch of f--knuts that I spend my time gaming with and talking to would be well worth the hassle.

^_^

Cheers,
Dr Drae

 

[Haven]

Aye Children, there's a generic rule that we don't allow anyone under 18 along to THN run events unfortunately. We're not prepared to take responsibility for minors so over 18's only

 

[Haven]

Guess I was thinking more along the lines of 4-6 hour stint events rather than a full on several day marathon for 2 but several days for 1. Just for clarification.

As simple as two sounds, it could possible prove much more difficult for some folks. I know that when I lived with my parents, it was a much easier sell to lug my computer off for a few days than it was to sit around playing videogames for a few days -- even though the end result was essentially the same.

Besides, it's not a vacation if you're sitting at home

 

[Nanor]

Ronin and I were mulling this over on the way to B'ham airport. Previous i-series events have been exclusively gaming apart from breakfasts around a BBQ. They were still great fun and I didn't see the need to get away from the computer. However, this LAN we went out for a meal, played Munchkin (I WON!) as well as Haven, Fuy, Bob, Trax, Tets, IF and I having a few drinks outside while having a chat.

Basically a THN LAN could quite easily accommodate both of these things. Wide open spaces for Munchkin etc. as well as nearby pubs and restaurants for some socialisation. Then on the flipside when someone suggests a random thing we can all jump to the PCs and play some games.

The amount of games we wouldn't have played if we weren't at LAN; UT, TF2 (server full for the first time in a while) and Section 8 (I suppose we played it 'cause we got into the beta as being participants, but it just goes to show how a new game can be great for jumping on). All it really takes is a THNer beside your PC to say "How about some..." and before you know it we're all on.

It's also worth noting that a smaller group of about 20 people in a room would be somewhat quiet so we could quite easily all chat to eachother. Not to mention the fact we can completely stop the amount of bellends coming. "Sit down, ye fuckin' dick'ead" guy at the row in front of ours anyone?

 

[Birdy]

My thoughts on this... (hi by the way. missed you all this weekend. after planning with ting to come I then remeberd I was on the weekend shift!!!)

Ive been to a THN meet and that rocked my socks off so hard I cried when we had to leave.

We all play game together in one form or another all the time so I think meets are the way to go even though they are expensive anfd time consuming. I37 should be used as a marker for just how many people we can pull to one place at one time though.

Its just one of thoes things thogh were not everyone will be able to but maybe hold a Lan for thoes who cant.

More Meets I say!!

 

[Angelic]

Seeing as I live on the continental side of the Channel, it's virtually impossible for me to attend anything in person. For this reason Haven's 2) suits me the best, despite its inherent flaws and drawbacks compared to in-person meeting.

 

[Ronin Storm]

I had to smile when I read Haven's reply. When I was talking it through with Nanor, I said that Haven likes...

1) THN Meet - no computers. Purely face to face silliness and non computer based events, and munchkin etc.

And, lo and behold, so you do.

I think such things are great ideas. And they're not really for me. I get socialised out inside 3-6 hours. I need activities to hold my attention and to stop me feeling awkward, at least when there's more than one or two people involved (which would be the point, of course).

So, for me, it's all about the activities, about which I'm painfully single-minded... and perhaps a little bit about the event, which brings me to...

2) Heavily organised virtual LAN.

Yep. I agree this is a thing we can and should arrange more of. But I don't feel it's the same as a face-to-face thing.

I enjoyed meeting THNers around the common ground of computer-based activities. Perverse that I could do something similar online... but the online part lacks the sense of occasion, the "event" part. It interests me that, aside from WoW, our online gaming events are usually 4-6 people when they get off the ground but that i37 managed to pull 16 THNers despite the insane travel times and somewhat poor accommodation. While one big pull might just be a freak statistic, I think it really implies that occasion/event is a factor not to be forgotten.

Hence face-to-face. Hence LAN more than VLAN.

That said, one does not exclude the other and each could reinforce the other. And neither excludes a straight THN meet, though I acknowledge that gathering THNers twice in one year, once for a LAN and once for a Meet, may be a tall order given costs and time requirements.

 

[Xarlaxas]

I would be rather interested in a THN meet/LAN thing as well. Personally I'm with Ronin in that I get tired of just chatting quickly and feel awkward unless there's some kind of activity going on (I'm gutted that I missed the Munchkin!) and I enjoyed the meal out with you guys a lot.

A smaller event would be neat too especially if we can be packed a little closer to each other as I never really got to speak to the people past Tets on my row very much. I would feel a bit less opposed to leaving my computer too as that was the main reason I stayed every night in the hall, I trust all y'all not to pilfer my possessions at a Clan LAN.

Though that also brings the question of accommodation: would we be tenting, would we be able to sleep at the venue if we brought a pillow and sleeping bag, will we have to book hotels etc?

Where we would host the event would be important too as it would have to be close enough for myself, Iro, and Tets to make it (if Iro comes to an event I will too pretty much).

Having some more concentrated online events would be neat too, tournaments and the like especially if there's enough warning so I can put it in my diary.

Hopefully my ramblings make sense, now, I should probably sleep considering how long I've been awake, though I did nap in the car on the way home my body wants to shut down. >.>

 

[waterproofbob]

My feeling on this is that it shouldn't be a choice between a THN meet (in the old sans PC sense) and having a THN LAN. I personally would still go to the i-series, this one was very dissapointing that there was so little LAN wise happening both in the hall and exhibitor wise. Which was a shame especially as a show case of what the LANs are like.

However my feeling is that a smaller THN LAN/meet would be awesome. To clarify what I think about that. I understand Haven's concerns that a meet should be without the PCs and tbh I agree. However my thought on this would be to possibly combine both or run one after the other.

Call it a 4/5 day event, say we book a LAN centre/hall for 2 days. We can do the LAN bits organise some competitions and 1v1 style tournies as tend to work best at smaller LANs. So make it UT 1v1 or somet like that. Have 2 days of LAN which would give us the freedom to take xboxs as well to play some of those better smaller coop games.

Once we are gamed out we can then do a more traditional meet. So possibly hit the beach and avoid the sea or sit around BBQing Havens beard while singing indian tribal songs. Or whatever it is we fancy tbh away from the computers.

My feeling is that no one has to stay for all of it. The issue is always where to hold such an event so that it isn't horrid to get to for anyone.


What do people think?

 

[DeZmond]

I agree with bob that a mix of activities is most likely to work well, a few days of gaming followed by some random tomfoolery does indeed sound good! If it was to be over 4 or 5 days it also gives more of an incentive for those from further afield to travel... with enough notice I'd definitely be up for coming if it was more than a few days

 

[Ronin Storm]

Strikes me that the i-series pattern of 3 full days with travel padding either side is probably a good pattern. 3 days feels, to me, to be a worthwhile block of time when not chopped up with all the arsing around of getting set up.

Also strikes me that for a blended approach where there's some LAN stuff and some other stuff going on that after a structure is agreed (say 2 days of LAN, 1 day of something else) then the programme after the meet splits is then organised collaboratively but by separate people. What I mean by that is that I'd probably organise day 3 of a LAN because that's the side that I'd be interested in but then someone else could arrange the alternative third day event in such a way that we're clear on what's happening and there's a clear person who's involved in that non-computers thing that for asking questions / kicking butts.

 

[Shadow]

Well, here's my tuppence worth.

I've been to both the previous THN Meets, and would definitely go to any future ones, but I would probably not be interested in an event that was just a LAN.

I think that it’s looking as though a more 'mix and match' approach would suit most people, and for me a 3 day event is a good length of event, given that when travelling is included it makes it a 5 day break.

If a more mix and match approach was taken, then I’d probably be looking at spending more of my time away from the computer that at it, so the main thing that I’d be looking at would be the location, and the availability of other things to do (be that body-boarding, going for walks, or exploring new places).

All in all, it's a great idea, and I’m sure that you can count on Haven and I turning up!

 

[Ronin Storm]

We're a diverse bunch, aren't we?

If a more mix and match approach was taken, then I’d probably be looking at spending more of my time away from the computer that at it, so the main thing that I’d be looking at would be the location, and the availability of other things to do (be that body-boarding, going for walks, or exploring new places).

Understood. I can see us falling into three rough groups, so far:

1. Those who primarily want to LAN.
2. Those who primarily want to meet.
3. Those who would be happy with a mix of the two.

(I use "primarily" because I figure that even the most hardcore LANer would probably still like a meal out with THNers, and perhaps the most hardcore socialiser could still be convinced to play a bit of TF2 or UT2004, especially if they didn't have to bring a computer.)

An obvious concern is that those who are in camp 1 or 2 aren't "left out" when those in camp 3 choose the other thing. I think that's where Haven was suggesting that we don't blend the events such that it's clear what the focus of the event is, and I have sympathy for that.

However, I believe this "being left out" could be avoided by being clear up front what's going on. Rather than a wait-and-see approach, we plan to do stuff on each day, with some entirely flexible time built in as well, but so that those who want mostly LAN or mostly meet can feel confident that they're turning up and will have people to do their chosen activity with.

I'm a 1. Haven is probably a 3. Shadow is a 2...? Xarlaxas is probably a 1. Bob might be a 3. Just guessing here but I suspect there are more 2's than I can easily count because (I posit) they'll tend to be quieter on the forums. But there's certainly a mix. That said, a forum is likely to attact type 1's as much as anything... complex stuff.

So maybe it is clearest to break things into two parts and do them at separate times but, conversely, I think that getting a schedule up front with stuff going on in both sides, more on some days, less on others, and time to just sit about and play random stuff or just walk-and-talk or whatever could be feasible. I'd be up for the challenge of organising that, though I'd want to focus on the LAN side so I'd need a co-pilot (or three) to look at the meet side.

 

[Shadow]

1. Those who primarily want to LAN.
2. Those who primarily want to meet.
3. Those who would be happy with a mix of the two.

Going by this scale, I’d be a 2, but would be more than happy with 3, as I’m happy enough wondering off when others are playing (it’s what I do at home after all ). My main concern would also be the being ‘left out’ (on either side), and agree that setting up a flexible schedule in advance would be the best way to go.

I don’t see the need to set up two different meets, mainly because I think that being able to meet as many different people at one event would be the better bet, and I don't think most people would be able to make it to two events in one year. I would envisage that there would be some games that everyone would want to play, and that an evening meal for everyone would also take place, thereby combining the ‘Meet’ and the ‘LAN’ ideas anyway!

I think that getting a schedule up front with stuff going on in both sides, more on some days, less on others, and time to just sit about and play random stuff or just walk-and-talk or whatever could be feasible.

This would very much be my preferred course of action, and I’d be more than happy to help with the organisation from the Meet side of things if that would be helpful.

 

[Ronin Storm]

I’d be more than happy to help with the organisation from the Meet side of things if that would be helpful.

That would be awesome.

I'm content to let this kick around in public for a bit to gather some more thoughts but after it's had its initial exposure I'll probably draw conversation into a Social Group with Social Forum attached to allow for more coherent/coordianted discussion. Anyone who wants to be involved in the planning can then keep an eye on it there without it being too free-for-all. Yes, it's true, I think of systems and service in parallel.

 

[decky101]

I would definitely consider myself a 3, but that being said, I would also definitely not want to miss out on a big LAN event by being at a smaller meet event, or vice versa, which made me think that if you were organising it perhaps you could organise it in such a way that there was a "big" LAN event (eg. big online tournament at the same time as a "small" meet event (eg. going for a dander) followed by a "small" LAN event at the same time as a "big" meet event and by doing so people who would consider themselves a 3 would be getting the best of both things. I would definitely be in for something like this next year, as by then I will certainly have a car and driving across wouldn't be a problem, and it would also serve as emergency accomodation if needs be .

 

[Xarlaxas]

I'd say I'm a 3 leaning a bit more on the LAN aspect (60-40 or so). Three days seems a good length and as long as it happens when I don't have classes or exams I'd be happy to come.

I think two days of LAN followed by a day of socialising sounds like it could work out quite well.