What you need to Bring to a LAN Party

A quick disclaimer:  

Please be aware that the Carolina Computer Gaming Association (CCGA) is not responsible for damage or loss of data arising from your participation at Carolina ARMAGEDDON!  Please make any appropriate backups BEFORE the event.  Furthermore, the CCGA is not responsible for the damage or loss of any hardware, peripheral, or personal items you may bring to Carolina ARMAGEDDON!  Please ensure that your valuables are secured at all times.

What we're driving home is: We try to maintain a safe, friendly environment for both you and your equipment, but it cannot be guaranteed.  Realize the inherent risk and take appropriate measures.


Your PC:

Due to the constantly rising requirements for games, this is by no means a strict "minimum".  Some games may require more power in order to run, or run smoothly.  This is just so you know if your PC needs a boost.

- Pentium 4/AMD Athlon XP or better

- 256MB RAM or better

- 128MB 3D Video Card

- Windows XP/Vista


Your Peripherals and Accessories:

- Keyboard, Mouse/Trackball, and associated game controllers

- Monitor  (Please recognize that space is limited at LAN Parties.  Do not bring your uber dual-30" setup and expect to pay for only one seat, if you are allowed entry at all.)

- Category 5 Ethernet cable (Jacks will be located under your table, but cables will NOT be provided!)

- Power/Video Cables!  Don't leave home without them!

- Power Strip with enough plug-ins for your PC and associated peripherals.  DO NOT BRING A UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) TO THE EVENT.


Your Software:

- Games should be installed and patched to the latest version.  We try to keep the patches up to date on our server, but it's not a guarantee.

- Antivirus software must be installed, updated, and you should scan your system BEFORE the event. (NOTE: This is ABSOLUTELY REQUIRED.  If you are found to be spreading viruses/worms on the network, regardless of intent, YOU WILL BE ASKED TO LEAVE THE LAN PARTY WITHOUT A REFUND!)

- Turn off File/Printer sharing BEFORE you come to the LAN.  Windows file sharing is bulky and wastes valuable network resources.  It has been known to cause severe lag during gaming, so we ask that it be shut off for the entirety of the event.  If you need to share files, USB Drives are an excellent method to do so.

- Operating System disks.  While we hope it never happens, in case of a catastrophic failure of your system, it would be best if you could get back up and running without having to leave the party.  Also, don't forget your drivers.