The Games Afoot!
by Gary Woods

For a lot of people a cool thing to do is invite some friends over and play cards or other games. The newer version of that is to invite a bunch of friends over bringing their laptop or desktop computers and have a LAN (Local Area Network) based gaming session.

Ideally you should try to get about six machines, for some three-on-three or four-on-four actions, and to let the players rotate. Even four machines with two-on-two playing can make for a challenging experience. No matter how many you set up, provide enough gaming for everyone, but keep it manageable. Be sure to have enough space for each computer and a chair for each player and keep the gaming area uncluttered.

A few thoughts for making your LAN-party a success would be to get a few extra power strips at your neighborhood hardware store and it would probably be best to go with headphones instead of desktop speakers. The headphones will not only reduce the noise in the room, but it'll reduce the amount of power needed for your party.

If it's okay with your boss or IT person you could even set up an after hour "shooter fest" to blow off some steam after work. Or, another possibility is that some PC cafes have rooms for birthday parties and other private events. The best part of this is that any technical problems that arise won't be yours. Alright everybody, start shooting!!!!

If you have any suggestions or questions for me please drop me a note at garyandlaury@santabarbaraproperties.com or see my column on the Internet at http://www.santabarbaraproperties.com or call me at (805) 729-0910