Running down a dimly lit
hall, you're armed with only a chainsaw and a few shots left in your rocket
launcher. You whip around to see nothing, and then fall to the ground
as you realize that you just got blasted from behind by that chick with
the steel tipped boots and camouflage fatigues.
If you think you've played the game of Unreal Tournament
before on your console system, you're close, but as many people who have
been to a LAN party know, there's quite a difference between playing with
four people, and playing with 30 or more.
LAN is the acronym for Local Area Network. Many Flathead
students can't resist the temptation to pack up their computers and head
for the nearest LAN party, where everyone's computer is networked together
using patch cables connected to a central hub or switch.
Each participant brings his own equipment and the host
provides the tables and chairs
.
"To host a LAN party you need caffeine, money for
food, and lots of duct tape," says junior Montana Harkin.
Without the use of duct tape tangled wires become a
hazard.
Most everyone has the opportunity to log on the net
and play their favorite game. Yet the thrilling atmosphere generated at
a LAN party is more intense than what's found on the Internet.
"(LAN parties are) 100 times better than playing
on the Internet," says senior Erik Oehrtman. "When you kill
your friends at a LAN party you can get up in their face and shout 'Boo
yeah,' - it's harder when their 15 miles away."
A variety of equipment ranging from PCs to MACs can
be used. Headphones are a must at most LAN parties
.
The duration of a LAN party could last from a couple
hours to 24 hours. Some people bring their own comfortable chairs and
sleeping bags.
One of the more popular games is Unreal Tournament.
Unreal is a first- person shooting game with tons of action.
"The high you get from running down a corridor
shooting your friend is pretty crazy," says senior Jesse Hafer.
All games that can accommodate multiple players can
be played.
Said senior David Palchak, "They're more fun than
people give them credit for."
