What to Bring to a (personal) LAN Party

LAN parties are a great way for gamers to get together and indulge in a bit of “friendly” competition. Whether it’s with a gigantic crowd or a close group of friends, it’s important to come fully prepared for a full day of gaming. It’s easy to overlook a small detail, so here’s a guide for what you absolutely need for your very own LAN.

Now, twice a year, my dad and I go over to friends’ houses for our own small LAN (about 16 people) and we play Halo 3 for about ten hours (we call this “Geek Day”). But with men, twenty to forty years old, who all have big screen TVs, it takes a couple hours to set up. And unfortunately, more often than not, one of them tends to forget something. If only we had such a guide like this.

The first, and arguably the most important thing you should bring to your LAN is a console of some kind; and make sure it’s the right one. Traditionally, most LAN parties use computers, though I like hooking up four Xboxs (and having several more connected in another room) and kicking ass with controller in hand. But along with this, you need the proper hardware. I’m talking networking cables if you aren’t using wireless, HDMI and audio-video cables, controllers, mouses, extension cords, some sort of networking hub, and of course, the game. Also, make sure the location you’re gaming at is equipped to deal with the amount of electricity you’re going to be using. Side Note: If you are using consoles and wireless controllers, BRING BATTERIES! Hours of gaming will kill your controllers and nothing is worse than having to search through a friend’s house for those two AA batteries you need.

Also, I like to bring some sort of “score card.” Basically, at the end of the day, someone is entitled to bragging rights.  If you’re not playing in a specific tournament style setting, it can get confusing about who is top dog, so keep it civilized, and bring something along to make sure there is no mistaking that you’re the best.

Also, if you don’t like sitting on the floor or on a dining room chair, you might want to bring your own “gaming” chair. Although getting a head count is usually important for a LAN (and the host should arrange space for seating), there’s no guarantee that your friends won’t bring other friends or that you won’t find yourself with a comfy couch spot when it’s time to start. So it’s better to be prepared than not.

Now of course, there is the ever-so-important, and often forgotten, refreshments. Face it, you’re going to be gaming for a LONG time., and unless you expect to order a hundred bucks worth of pizza for everyone, I’d bring your own snacks. When we get together, we each bring a dish (like salsa, cookies, donuts, appetizers, etc.) and then we pitch in to buy four or five pizzas for a late lunch. But keep a bag of chips by you with some dip, and your stomach will thank you.

Of course, your mouth will need refreshments as well, so I  recommend coffee for the early hours, soda before noon, beer if it’s after noon (don’t do hard alcohol, it’ll get you drunk faster and you want to win), and energy drinks if it gets really late. Side Note: Hosts, make sure you have enough toilet paper. With how much caffeine you and your friends are likely to go through, everyone will be making a few trips to the bathroom throughout the day.

So there you have it, your basic guide of what to bring to a LAN. Of course, everyone has different needs, so adjust accordingly. It may also help to get a list of your own going, to know specifically what YOU need in order to kick ass at the latest LAN.