What is a Lan Party?

A LAN Party is a gathering of gamers accompanied by their gaming machines (PC or Console) in which they network together and participate in fun or competitive gaming over a LAN (Local Area Network).

What do I need to bring to a LAN Party?

When attending a LAN party you will need to make sure you have:

• PC or games console
• Monitor/TV - Anything bigger then a 32" Monitor/TV may limit the space for other gamers so check with the LAN administrators as to what the limit is for their event.
• Games - a games list is usually provided by the LAN Party administration team. You can also bring games not on the list as you'll most likely meet someone at the event who has that game with them. You should also make sure all your games are running with the latest updates.
• Headphones - Speakers are generally frowned upon due to noise levels.
• Power Strip - a 3-6 port power strip will ensure that you can power your gaming machines and displays as well as any peripherals that need power. Surge protected power strips are preferable.
• Anti-Virus - (PC Only) LAN administrators will want to make sure your PC is virus free. They will most likely ask you to run a virus scan before giving you access to their event network. You can download AVG anti-virus for free from here.

Optional:

• Microphone - generally needed for team based games where you will need to communicate over Ventrilo/Teamspeak/Mumble or via built in voip services on Xbox 360/Playstation 3.
• Sleeping Bag & pillow - some LAN events will allow you to sleep at the event, either under your desk or in an assigned sleeping area.
• Food & drink - while there will most likely be a shop/fast food unit near by, you can guarantee they won't be open around the clock like the LAN you're attending.
• Backup Disks - Just when you don't want it to happen, your system can become unusable. It's a good idea to bring your operating system installation disk as well as the required hardware drivers to get your system working correctly.
• Servers - LAN Parties will have their own servers but if you have your own, administrators will be more then happy to host it for you for the duration of your stay.

I'm not a member of a clan/team, will I still be able to play in the team based competitions?

There are always clans/teams looking for extra players or people who need to form a team for the LAN. Keep a close eye on the LAN's forums as people will usually post requests for team mates there.