Edit: The server move is under way. You are currently viewing the new server

Alright, so here is my dilemma. I want to do this CAD get together, right? But I’m stuck down the middle.

On the one hand, the easiest thing for me to do would be to host it at a venue that already has the computers all set up, such as LANferno. This would mean no one would have to haul their computers, everyone would have the same games, everything would run fairly smoothly, by default. We could also depart any time we wanted, and say, catch a movie. The drawbacks, however, are as follows: They only have 48 computers, which means only 48 people can partake in gaming (at once at least, assuming people rotated out to give others a chance to play). And also we’d be stuck with the games they offer, which doesn’t look to include games like Savage or Splinter Cell. It’s also someone’s business, and I don’t know how many people they’d allow to be just hanging around beyond those playing on the computers.

On the other hand, I could try to find a place that can support a full fledged, BYOC LAN party, rent it out, and turn this into the real deal. This would require infinitely more work, but it would also be entirely our own production. We could have consoles and movies running, as well as the PC LAN, we hang there pretty much all day, order out for pizza and such, etc. And the biggest benefit would be that we could accomodate more people. Because I’ve had people email me saying they’d be willing to drive from as far as Michigan and New England for a CAD event.

The last option is more than a little daunting. I’ve attended LAN parties, and I can network my own computers with little to no problem, but I have never been involved with running a LAN before. The second option will require a lot of help from the attendees, as far as technical setup, and simply providing equipment, such as TV’s, extra computers, consoles, etc.

Either way, there would be an attendance fee, that would cover the cost of renting the venue, any food that was offered, etc. I really have no idea what that would be, and won’t until I decide exactly how we’re going to run this.

I’ll let you know what’s going to happen, as soon as I decide.