Have you ever seen that guy rock up to a LAN? The one who arrives and proceeds to unpack 4 bags of items out the boot of his car? He has come prepared, and if you took a quick shuffle through that mountain of gear you might find the following…
Seating: More commonly found at home/garage LANs rather the public ones. Some gamers arrive with their own foldable chair and table just in case. A great idea that would take the pressure off the LAN host, and cheap as chips to go out and buy; something to consider investing in.
Networking sack: In here you’ll find spare network cables, the tools required to repair broken network cables, and if they are really prepared, a small network switch, preferably gigabit speed and at least 8 ports.
Power sack: Opening the power sack would reveal a multi-plug with two and three port terminals, a small extension cord, and a two prong to three prong adapter that can take unique two prong plugs. A surge protector is thrown in for good measure.
Bedding: Bedding is normally lose and used to protect the screen and case during transit. It typically consists of a pillow, small fold up blanket and a roll-up foam mattress. Not ideal, but a damn sight more comfy than sleeping face-on-keyboard in front of your PC.
The LAN Bag: Most important – a place to keep all your LANing equipment. Ideally you would want a dedicated bag that keeps all of the LANing equipment packed away and ready to go at a moment’s notice. Make sure it’s long enough to fit in keyboards and multi-plugs; the last thing you want is to leave the bag slightly open because it isn’t long enough, and end up with LAN items all over the boot. A small pocket to keep items such as a wallet, cellphone, cigarettes, lighter, keys and other odd bits and pieces is helpful too.
Misc: There are many miscellaneous items that you should consider throwing in to your LAN bag. Headache tablets are a good idea; so is some spare change if for whatever reason your wallet goes for a walk. Spare lighters are a good idea if you’re a smoker or if you arrive with a hookah, and eye drops or face cream are welcome additions if you end up needing them.
Rocking up with clothes and your PC can sometimes end well. There is a chance that seating and tables will be provided, someone will have a spare plug point or three for you to use, bedding will be provided by the host, your network cable will work properly and the host’s hub is reliable. You will of course bum food off the host or your friends, and in the event that you suffer from dry eyes and skin or headaches, relief will be provided by other LANners. But are you willing to risk all of this?
LANning is just as much a hobby as hiking, track day racing, hunting or weekend clubbing, and in most cases the costs are substantially lower. Isn’t it worth paying a bit extra for the above items? At the end of the day you’re at a LAN to enjoy yourself, why settle for doing it in any less than comfort and style?
A modern LAN gaming checklist << Comments and views
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