Social Gaming: 5 Tips to Help You Throw an Amazing LAN Party

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What gamer doesn’t love to throw an amazing LAN party for their friends? Hours and hours of high-octane gaming, screaming at the top of your lungs and chowing down on pizza and fast food snacks is how many people spent their childhood and teenage years—so why not revisit those moments and throw a LAN party?

One of the most incredible and memorable experiences a gamer can have is relaxing with a group of their friends while playing through some of their favorite games together. It could be online team-based games like League of Legends, old competitive gems like Starcraft or even modern party games like Rocket League. Whatever your choice, you’re bound to have a great deal of fun by inviting your friends over and setting up some space for them to use their computers.

LAN parties have been somewhat forgotten over the past couple of years due to the increase in distance between friends who move away for work or family related reasons, the rise of accessible internet gaming due to fast internet speeds and the lack of LAN support for many newly released games. But it’s still a nerdy gaming ritual that many people still indulge in when given the opportunity. So get a pen and paper out and start planning your glorious LAN party with your friends and family members with these five helpful tips.

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1. Spacious Seating Arrangements

The more space you can clear the better. LAN parties usually involve people bringing over their own computers, so make sure you can provide them with desk, tables and chairs. You can check out this site for some excellent gaming chairs to fit your budget. The best thing about gaming chairs is that they’re as comfortable and durable as premium office chairs but come with unique design flairs, racing-inspired shapes and many LAN party creature comforts such as being able to recline the seat all the way down to create a makeshift “bed” to sleep in.

If you also plan to use a big-screen television to play console games or if you have a PC setup that uses controllers, you might also want to invest in some large beanbag seats or ensure that your sofa has been cleaned up and all the cookie crumbs have been hoovered up to create a clean and comfortable seat. LAN parties usually involve people sleeping over as well, so ensure that you have enough space for guests to stay over such as spare beds, guest rooms or sleeping bags.

 

2. Extra Hardware or Computers

One of the worst things that can happen during a LAN party is a piece of crucial hardware breaking or someone forgetting to bring a cable after driving halfway across town to get to your home. It halts the fun, someone will get left out and it won’t be the nostalgic experience that you had hoped for. Things like power cables, network cables, wireless adapters and even monitor cables are extremely important, and there’s always someone that manages to forget a vital piece of equipment for their computer.

If you’re the host of a LAN party then it’s common to always carry some spares or extras so that your guests can game away without worrying too much about hardware failures. You don’t need to have an extra computer or laptop (though that would be handy for anyone that couldn’t bring their computer) but some extra cables, controllers, keyboards and mice will go a long way if you host regular LAN parties in your home.

 

3. Ensure You Have a Fast Internet Connection

Since most online games require you to have a stable and decently fast internet connection, it’s going to slow down your gaming experience if you have multiple computers connected to a puny router that can’t handle all of the load. To remedy this, check if your internet service provider can upgrade your internet speeds before the LAN party starts. This way you can ensure that everyone in your home gets the optimal internet speeds to make downloading, updating and playing games smooth and fast.

If your router is old and can’t handle multiple wired internet connections, then consider using wireless. Using wireless isn’t recommended for serious gaming, so if you prefer a wired connection it’s a good idea to invest in a simple budget network switch so that everyone can connect to your home network.

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4. Plan What Games You Want to Play

This is the second worst thing that can happen at a LAN party. If you aren’t playing games then you’re probably sitting around doing nothing. Make sure you make a list of games that you want to play together. You don’t need to conform to a schedule, but making sure that you and your friends share common interests is key to hosting a successful LAN party.

Don’t just pick from the latest releases because you’ve probably played those games to death. How about revisiting some old classics? Heroes of Might and Magic 3 was a popular staple for video game enthusiast and it can still hold its own against modern strategy RPG games of today. Old FPS games like Quake 3 Arena are still a blast to play as well. Though they aren’t as popular as newer team-based FPS games such as Overwatch, you can definitely squeeze an hour or two of nostalgic fun out of older titles. And best of all? Old games support LAN play which means that you’ll get buttery smooth lag-free connections to your friends.

 

5. Don’t Forget the Food!

How else are you going to fuel your all-night gaming sessions if you don’t eat? Gather up some oven pizza, microwaveable snacks and lots of sugary drinks to keep you and your guests playing all night long. You could also contact a takeaway or catering service if you have a lot of guests or if you want to ensure they have quality food instead of fast food.

You might also want to consider the dietary needs of people. For example, if you have guests that are vegetarian or vegan then you want to have some options ready for them too, and consider allergies as well.

 

Now go forth and have an awesome party!

Thanks for stopping by!

Want To Kill Some Time? Check Out These Awesome Online Gaming Ideas

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We’ve all been in situations where we’re seriously bored for periods of time. Luckily, technology makes it hard for us to stay bored for long these days. There’s been a huge growth in the gaming industry which allows us to do so many fun things whenever we have time to kill. Bearing that in mind, here are some great online gaming ideas for when you’re bored:

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Run Down The Minutes With An FPS

First person shooters have long been a popular online game for this current generation. Games like Call of Duty, Battlefield, and Counterstrike are played by millions. What makes these games great is that they’re set up so perfectly for killing time. You can hop on a console or PC and jump straight into a Free For All or Team Deathmatch in seconds. The games only last a few minutes, and you can quit them whenever you like too. So, if you have some time to spare before you leave for work, an FPS game is a perfect choice. You can run around, shoot the enemy team, and then leave when it’s time to go to work. These games are quick to set up, and you really don’t have to think too much when playing them.

 

Pass The Time With Some Online Bingo

Bingo has become such a popular online game for people to play when they’re bored or just looking for some fun. Many people associate bingo with huge halls filled with middle aged women that are looking for ways to kill time with their friends. It’s often been seen as quite a boring game to play, but, times are changing. Nowadays, everyone is at it, thanks to online gaming. You can play bingo on sites like Ladbrokes Bingo and experience the game like never before. You’ll play against people all over the country, and it becomes very fun and competitive. Plus, online bingo often includes cool features that regular bingo can’t boast, like multipliers to increase the winning pot. The best thing is, you stand a chance of earning some cash when you play bingo too, making it an ideal game to play in your spare time.

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Melt Away The Hours With A Simulation Game

Simulation games are very popular amongst people that want to play something they can return to whenever they please. These games revolve around you simulating something that happens in the real world. A good example of this is a game like Planet Coaster where you build and manage your own theme park. It’s something that you can do whenever you like, and there’s no real way to end the game. You just keep playing and expanding your park and introducing new things, etc. There are other examples out there too like popular franchise The Sims, which was a game that essentially simulated real life. These games are perfect if you’re often left bored for hours each day and want to plug away at something.

 

These three ideas are all different and offer varying experiences for you. But, they’ll all kill time and help combat your boredom. 

Ultimate Updates to Give Your Gaming Setup a Boost

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You've created a great gaming setup in your home, and it's your refuge at the end of a long day. But you can't help feeling that it could be better than it is. Just one or two changes could make it perfect and even good enough to share with someone else. You might already have all of the essentials, but you can always go one step further to make it even better. If you're looking to pimp your gaming setup, there are a few impressive things you can do to make a big difference. Try one of these moves to improve your experience and maybe wow your friends.

 

Supersize Your Screen

You haven't enjoyed gaming properly until you've done it with a huge screen. There's something about getting a cinematic experience when you're playing that nothing can beat. If you want a larger screen, you don't even need to have that much space available. There are a few options you can choose from to get your wish. The first is having a large TV or computer screen, which you could put on a stand or mount on a wall. Another option is to use a projector. One advantage of this is that you can easily put it away so that it doesn't take up too much space.

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Add Accessories to Your Console

Getting accessories for your console is often an ongoing task. You start with the essentials like controllers and headsets. Then you begin to consider other must have accessories, such as remote controls or even just different cables. Some accessories can improve your gaming by speeding things up or giving you better control. You can keep your console healthier using cooling fans or just store more games on a handy external hard drive.

 

Make It More Comfortable

Creating a more comfortable setup is another way to improve your gaming experience. However, it involves more than just getting a comfy gaming chair. You can also consider the other things that keep you comfortable when you're playing. For example, you might like to have a drink and some snacks within easy reach. You can have some supplies close by, perhaps in a mini fridge or just wherever you have space to put them. The level of lighting in the room might also have an effect on how comfortable you feel. You might want to get some lamps so you can be in control of how much light there is.

 

Add New Consoles

Of course, the ultimate way to improve your gaming setup might be to add more consoles. Everyone has their favorite, but sometimes there's a game that's not available on your preferred console. They all offer different experiences, so some days you might prefer to use one over the others. Having two or more consoles gives you options if you sometimes feel in a different mood. Of course, you'll need all the latest accessories to go with each of them.

 

Your gaming setup can always be better. Once you have the basics sorted out, you can continue to add to it to have more fun and keep improving!

Gifts That Will Make Any Gamer's Christmas

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Like countless parents, girlfriends, and students out there, you might have a gamer who means a lot to you, and naturally you’ll want to get them a thoughtful gift for Christmas. However, if you don’t know the difference between a Necromorph and a Koopa Troopa, buying for the gamer in your life can be an extremely hard thing to do. Being the nerd that I am, I figured I’d do my duty, and give you all some ideas that will make your gamer’s Christmas one to remember!

 

New Graphics Card

Ask a cross-section of people what the most important part of a computer is, and you’ll get a wide range of answers. For gamers though, the answer is obvious: the graphics card. This is the part of a PC that has the biggest impact on the gamer’s overall experience, dictating how detailed the maps are, how smooth and responsive their commands are, and generally how great the game looks. There are a wide range of gaming-standard graphics cards out there, which start at around $200. Just make sure you do a little recon before going out and buying one. Your gamer probably has a pretty competent graphics card as it is, and you’re only going to waste money if you get them anything lower than what they’re using!

 

New Headset

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Just like the mouse, graphics card and CPU, the gaming headset your gamer uses is going to be an important part of their setup. The quality of the earphones will dictate how crisp and sharp every monster’s roar, every swoosh of a sword, and every gunshot sounds. It will also ensure they hear other gamer’s groans and insults clearly, and come up with the best response! By the same token, the quality of the mic will ensure everyone in your gamer’s lobby hears exactly what they’ll do if another player keeps spawn-camping. If your gamer’s headset is a little worse for wear, then this could be the gift that makes their whole year. Try to find out about the one they’re already using, then source some detailed reviews any headset that’s a little better.

 

Steam Voucher

So, what if your gamer doesn’t need any new gear this Christmas? Usually, I’d never recommend getting vouchers for anyone as a gift. Why would you take currency, which you can spend anywhere, and convert it into credit which is tied to a single store? When it comes to us gamers though, it’s a different story. For hardcore PC gamers, money exists for two reasons and only two: upgrading their setup, and buying things on Steam! If you weren’t already aware, Steam is the largest online gaming market in the world. If you’ve known the gamer in your life long enough, you probably would have seen the iconic logo a few times. Here, your gamer can buy and review new blockbusters, along with niche indie games and DLC for pretty much any title. It may feel a bit impersonal, but believe me your gamer won’t be disappointed!

High Rollers: The Biggest Prize Pools in Gaming

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People might still be debating if gaming can be considered a sport yet, but one thing’s for sure: the cash prizes are insane! Almost every big gaming organization, be it Poker or Dota 2, hosts massive tournaments with freakishly large cash prizes that could convince more than a few people to play the games.

Although it’s tempting to start playing a game because of the immense cash prizes, do keep in mind it’s not just a case of trying to win. There are plenty of sponsorships and deals involved, contracts to read and sign, and of course, a lot of practice involved to get good at the game.

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Poker - $82,512,162

Perhaps the most ridiculous prize pool in anything gaming-related is the World Series of Poker in 2006, where the prize pool exceeded $80 million. This record has yet to be broken and still remains the largest prize pool in the history of both Poker and gaming. The grand prize for the winner was Jamie Gold, taking home a delicious lump sum of $12,000,000.

However, that isn’t the largest 1st prize amount in the history of Poker. That award goes to Antonio Esfandiari, winner of the 2012 WSOP Event 55. The prize pool was a total of $42,666,672, and Esfandiari took home a whopping $18,346,673. Talk about incredible money!

Very few professional Poker players have taken home multiple titles, but they do regularly attend even if they’ve won a huge cash prize in the past. They play for the love of the game, and of course, they need to invest money into the game to bet with!

While you may be wondering if you want to get into Poker, you can always try your hand online and play with the help of NetEnt Online Casinos. While the cash prizes aren’t as high as these amazing events, there’s still a lot of competition online and you’re bound to have fun.

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Dota 2 - $20,770,640

The next award goes to Valve’s Dota 2 MOBA game, an online multiplayer game where two teams of five compete on a virtual battlefield with different heroes. The goal of the game is to destroy the enemy’s base, and you do this by utilizing the abilities and items that each hero has access to. Team play is critical in Dota 2 because each character specializes in a different role—a bit like traditional sports. There’s a lot of skill involved to play, but the game is free so you can try it out whenever you want.

The biggest prize pool in Dota 2 goes to Valve’s very own international event: The International 2016. There were a total of 80 players which made up 16 teams, all who battled through regional qualifiers to reach the world stage. First place went to Wings Gaming, a new Chinese team that dominated most of the tournament. They took home a total of $9,139,002 to share among themselves, and that’s not including any sponsorships or other deals they may have been offered afterwards.

Dota 2 currently holds the largest prize pool of any competitive video game. In addition to holding the Number 1 spot, it also holds the Number 2 and 3 spots with The International 2015 and The International 2014. Valve has increased the prize pool each year, and much of the money came from fans who purchased special items and virtual tickets to support their favourite team. The prize pool has been steadily increasing throughout the years. The biggest jump was from 2014 to 2015, where the prize pool jumped to a staggering $8 million.

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League of Legends - $5,070,000

Developed by Riot Games, League of Legends is another MOBA game with similar rules to Dota 2. There are some big differences, but it’s the same style of 5v5 combat with a large selection of champions to pick and many items to help power them up.

Riot Games hosts their own league which is unique to each region that plays the game. The top performers of each league are given an invitation to the world tournament where they compete against other regions for dominance. In 2016, the 1st place prize went to the team SK Telecom T1, and they took home a total of $2 million to split between them out of the $5 million prize pool. SK Telecom T1 won the championship in 2015, making this their second win on the global stage.

Players that compete in Riot’s leagues are also offered a salary because there aren’t many tournaments with cash prizes. This enables the players to focus purely on improving themselves and playing the game instead of worrying about a stable income.

Gaming tournaments can reach ridiculous prize pools, but don’t let that trick you into quitting your job. It takes hard work, dedication, and a lot of skill to become a champion!

Here is Why Gaming is Great for Socializing

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A lot of gamers would describe themselves as introverted. Some people think that being introverted means that you don’t enjoy company or that you don’t want to have any friends because you prefer to spend time on your own, but that isn’t necessarily the case. The difference between introverts and extroverts is actually just that introverts also need their alone time to relax and to recharge, while extroverts relax better in the company of others. When socializing is exhausting, it’s sometimes hard to force yourself to get out and meet people – but luckily, gaming is a hobby that’s much more sociable than a lot of people think. Here’s why…

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Gaming can encourage socializing. Researchers have found that players of multiplayer online games were encouraged to socialize with each other thanks to their gaming hobby – gaming didn’t take away from socializing but rather it was something that was done simultaneously as people chatted online at the same time. If you’re a gamer, chances are you’re pretty clued in about what conventions are coming up, about anything from Star Wars to anime. Not only are conventions fun and informative but they’re also an opportunity for people to socialize, to be creative – generally, to be their best selves and to share that with other people who understand.

 

You can find romance online. Meeting potential partners through apps and on dating sites is how many people do dating these days. Going up to people in bars and clubs isn’t really the done thing as much, meaning that people relying on old methods to meet boyfriends and girlfriends may be missing out. But if you’re used to communicating via screen, you’re much more likely to be able to strike up a good conversation on Tinder or through another app, meaning that you’re more likely to form a solid, long-lasting relationship. It’s also been discovered that a number of people have found love through MMORGs – what you choose to do with your character is often indicative of what you’re like in ‘real life’, meaning that the people you’re playing with are seeing the ‘real you’ even if you’re hidden behind an avatar.

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There are plenty of games that are designed to bring people closer together. This summer, Pokémon Go encouraged people to leave their computers behind and take their phones outside, and friendships were formed as people hunted for Pikachu and shared Pokémon Go tricks in their local parks. Minecraft is also a common hobby and has captured a generation of children. It’s something that a lot of elementary school boys in particular enjoy that builds friendships between them, and it’s also a game that greatly benefits kids with autism as it’s something that they find a lot easier to understand than other forms of social interaction.

 

Sharing common interests brings people closer together. A lot of friendships are built through online communities. Some might argue that it’s easy to misrepresent yourself online or to build yourself up as someone you aren’t, and although that’s true, you can also build sincere and long-lasting friendships and relationships after you meet online because you game together or you’re a fan of the same band or TV show. Gaming isn’t just a way to socialize – it’s a way to build relationships with like-minded people who you might not otherwise have met.

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Gaming Championships: Everything That New Gamers Should Know

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Back in the early 2000’s, when gaming first became a big thing, it was simply seen as being a hobby. Because, surely, playing video games couldn’t be anything more than time-wasting, right? Actually, that’s wrong. Just like any other hobby gaming requires a specialist skillset and knowledge. Plus, it actually is good for you - gaming can relieve stress and, believe it or not, increase concentration.

Today, some of the world’s best gamers not only make money off of gaming but also compete in gaming championships. As there are now hundreds of competitive gaming events held across the world each year, has gaming become a sport? Well, because it doesn’t involve physical exertion, technically it’s not a sport. Instead, it’s been dubbed an e-sport - aka, an electronic sport.

For gaming newbies, the world of competitive gaming can be confusing. Getting your head around the fact that gaming isn’t just a hobby for geeks, but an e-sport that there are competitions held for, can be hard. To give you a better insight into what pro gaming is, below is a list of the things that you should know about this modern sport.

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Almost every game has a championship

The first thing to know is that almost every game has some sort of championship held each year. Some are national, and some are international, it depends on how big games are in certain places. All successful pro gamers tend to stick to just one game, such as World of Warcraft, and specialize in that. Think of pro gamers like athletes. Most athletes only focus on one sport to give them the best chance of being successful at it, and it’s the same with gaming.

So, if you have aspirations to become a pro gamer, it’s important to focus on just one game. Take League of Legends, for instance. If that’s your favorite game, spend as much time as you can improving your play, and learning all there is to know about the game. Use a LoL boost or rent a skilled duo queue partner and watch how they play, so that you’re able to improve your gaming.

 

There are big payouts for the winners

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Just like sports competitions come with big payouts for the winners, so do gaming competitions. Each gaming competition has a different prize amount, ranging from hundreds to tens of thousands of pounds. So pro-gamers have the potential to earn a good amount just from gaming. As long as they’re successful and win, that is.

 

There are fans

Just like regular sports have fans, so do e-sports. For this reason, the majority of e-sports events and competitions are held in arenas, and tickets to watch them live are sold. Just like some footballers are sporty kid’s heroes, some gamers, like the members of the LoL KTA team, are idolized by fans.

Gaming championships are becoming so popular that they’ve even starting to be streamed online. There are many sites online that stream live gaming events for fans to access and watch. In some countries, gaming events are even shown live on TV, like sports events are.

 

Today, gaming is an incredibly popular e-sport, making it a great hobby to take up.

Can You Make Money From Your Love of Gaming?

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Do you ever look at professional gamers with a hint of envy? I know I do. Imagine, being able to earn money from your love of video games - it’s an impossible dream, right? Well, that isn’t quite the truth. While the vast majority of us will never rake in a full-time income from playing video games, there are opportunities out there. I thought I would take a look at some of those with you today. Who knows, perhaps that extra little money you earn will enable you to fund your habit in the future?

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Blogging

Are you good with a pen? If so, why not write about your love of games and start a blog? If you gain enough traction you can start making a few bucks here and there through advertising or affiliate marketing. And it’s never been easier to set up a simple blog and website than it is today. The great thing about blogging about games is that you only need the love of the art, not the skillset!

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Game Testing

Ask any young gamer what their dream job would be and video game testing would be up there with the most popular. The truth of games testing is that it is kinda dull. You will only get games you like every once in awhile, and there are a lot of bugs and issues you have to contend with that ruin the experience. But, looking at http://www.indeed.com/, it does pay. And that makes all the difference! Games testing jobs come up regularly,so take a look around and see what you can find.

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Gambling

I know a lot of gamers that also enjoy a flutter, either online or with apps. It’s no surprise, really, as the two pursuits offer similar rewards to our brains. The gambling rules here in the States are getting less restrictive, although we still have a way to go before we get to the stage some countries are at. Take Australia, for example. According to http://www.legalgamblingaustralia.com/, 80% of Aussies have an occasional gamble. Please make sure you aren’t spending too much though, as gambling can become problematic. And the consequences can lead to financial - and life - ruin.

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"Let’s play…"

If you are a gifted gamer, why not record your experiences and post them online? Take a look around on YouTube and you can see videos of gamers playing everywhere. You could provide help guides for people. Or, just provide an entertaining commentary about your experiences. Some of those videos have hundreds of thousands of views - and that all makes for a healthy payout from YouTube advertising.

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Enter Tournaments

Finally, we enter the realm of the ‘pro player’. Real time gaming competitions have picked up a lot of interest in recent years. Some have even been screened live on TV. The competition is pretty fierce, of course. But the prize money is substantial - DOTA 2’s prizes came to a total of $6 million in 2014. Expect to see that figure increase, too.

 

OK, so there you have it - how to turn your love of gaming into a source of income. Let me know your thoughts in the comments!