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Comment by swiftcoder

5 hours ago

God, imagine having a big enough friend group as an adult to justify an 18-gaming-PC LAN. These folks are doing something right

We had LAN parties like that once upon a time when we had a space that supported it.

Friends of friends would show up. Not everyone knew everyone else and this was fine. Cold drinks of every sort were available at the carry-out next door, and some would bring things to share. Donations were had for pizza or burgers (sometimes nowhere near enough donations, and sometimes more than plenty; it averaged OK). The social aspects of it really worked OK. Cleanup wasn't bad.

The biggest problem was that the first ~couple of hours were spent getting all of the PCs connected, updated, and working properly-enough.

By providing gaming stations, this dude has the big problem completely solved: All of these machines can be known to be on the same page when things start.

(The second-largest problem -- the smell -- is a different issue entirely. It usually ramped up pretty well by the time the first problem was approaching being solved.)

  • > (The second-largest problem -- the smell -- is a different issue entirely. It usually ramped up pretty well by the time the first problem was approaching being solved.)

    I'm guessing that's where his spending a shit ton on HVAC comes in...

I... jeepers. I dont think i have enough friends for a 4 person LAN party in my adult life.

nerd life seems to get lonelier the older you get.

  • I can't speak to your situation, but I know that in mine the main blocker for a LAN party with adult friends wouldn't be a lack of interest nor lack of friends (though I don't have a giant pool, and can't even count 18 people I'd be able to even suggest such a thing to) it would be lack of time due to other life responsibilities, that tend to increase as we get older.

    My solution has been to play boardgames remote using BoardgameArena[0].

    I usually have 2x turn based games going with two separate groups along with a dedicated chat channel, and then do 1-2 live evening sessions over video call with other groups. But all setup to be flexible and made to fit with the constraints of adult life, so sometimes we play and sometimes we reschedule.

    [0]: https://boardgamearena.com

  • This is why it is perfect to have two brothers and a brother-in-law. We can at least get the four of us together to do something. Pretty sure we could manage 8-12 with friends, but none of our houses would be big enough.

    • > it is perfect to have two brothers and a brother-in-law

      This is difficult to arrange at short notice :)

  • I'm more or less in your boat, but I also know several folks who play D&D or warhammer every weekend in big groups. It's kind of a choices-one-makes and where-one-lives deal, I think

  • > nerd life seems to get lonelier the older you get.

    Nerds always thinks they're special :) This is the same for most people in the world.