Computer LAN suggestions

Freakinchair

Hey guys, I need some valuable input with regards to fun, engaging and entertaining games for PC during a LAN.

I haven't been to many LANs and the ones I did go to only played UT2K4 and starcraft/warcraft mostly - however I was hoping there were some gems that me and my friends could purchase and have a blast playing. There are 5 of us looking to LAN.

So basically I'm asking what games are really fun to play at a LAN (open to FPS, RTS, anything).

nefty

My friends and I play basic LAN staples like Counterstrike: Source (and 1.6) and Unreal Tournament 2004 at our parties. We also usually play Total Annihilation, which is a kickass RTS. Highly reccomended, it's a real blast. Although I recommend everyone has familiarized themselves with the game before the party, as the learning curve is pretty steep. I've been trying to get my friends to play Starsiege: Tribes, but we haven't yet. It's a great FPS, and it's free, too. We also play Quake 3 occasionally.

Rook

Alien Swarm is a definite. It's a shame there's five of you as R6:Vegas is excellent 4 player co-op. I think GRAW or GRAW 2 probably offer a similar co-op experience but don't quote me on it. You could also try some sort of RPG/Action click fest such as Titan Quest.

For an RTS I'd really recommend Company of Heroes. It definitely feels a lot better to play than the faster paced RTS games such as C&C3 where people can come back from what looks like a losing situation, and it's fairly easy to mix up the teams of noobs and pros and slow enough that people can go help each other out.

Imperfect

Aliens vs. Predator 2.

There should be NO OTHER GAMES at this LAN party. None.

Monaro

I'm organising one at the moment too. Hope to have between 12 - 16 people.

So far I have:

Aliens vs. Predator 2
Counter Strike 1.6
Quake 3 Arena (But it only has 12 players. Boo!)

Intended to have Medal of Honor: Allied Assault (great team objective game), but after 2 hours of screwing around, it just can't run on modern video cards/driver sets without major tweaking, so that's out.


Anyone able to add to this list?

Wolfenstein ET?
UT 2004?
BF2 (though that's a bit crap without at least 10 a side)

Anything else that's pick up & play, not too resource-hungry for the smaller computers that'll show?

piL

Wolf ET was the game we always went back to at LANs when something else didn't pan out, or everyone decided that the game ran too shitty/only had 4 players (lol doom3)

slacktron

Monaro wrote: »

Wolfenstein ET?

I used to organize a weekly LAN party in my garage with anywhere from 3-8 participants. I used to plan to have a different game every week, new mods, new maps. After two months, WolfET was the only game anyone wanted to play. They'd put up with the rest to humor me, but would start bitching if I didn't call in the Wolf soon enough.

The caveat is that it helps to have a WAN connection. The best of times was when we would raid servers, all getting on the same team, then sweeping a campaign.

Your mileage may vary, but highly recommended.

Viendin

Myself and a few friends of mine used to put on a nearly monthly LAN at our school. We did Starcraft a lot for RTSs, but we didn't do RTSs that often. We tried Tribes, WolfET, UT2k4 Demo, Battlefield 1942, and the Halo Trial. - We were, I must note, limited to legality, as per the strict conditions of our overseer, the teacher who was letting us use his lab.

Though we shifted more toward UT2k4 in the past year, the first two years almost always fell back to two concurrent games of about 10-12 people in the Halo Trial. We had a mix of experts and newbies that just worked with the game, it's free, it runs well on LANs, and we had a hell of a time. Best part was the 6:00 break for Pizza - a stream of nerds leaving the school and just flooding Pizza Pizza across the road. Damn good times.

So I'm nominating the Halo Trial.

Rohan

VietCong, and it's expansion pack, Fist Alpha. I know reviewers didn't like it, but there's a reason that there's that the online community remains very large - many people are playing this game online. Buy the game (Purple Haze, the deluxe pack that combines the game, Fist Alpha and another expansion pack, Red Dawn - get that) and play co-op with your friends. The enemy are damn good shots, and you have to work tactically to kill them off. Try playing in the Radio Hill map - you have to defend this tiny base on top of a hill from the VC, who are surrounding you completely, coming out of the forest and lobbing grenades up at you... it's very intense. And absolutely hilarious, as you see your character go flying into the air and land somewhere nearby, completely limbless.

Damn, more people need to know how good this game is.. no matter what new games come out, no matter what attractions there are, we always have at least one game of VietCong with several maps... in fact, it's often the game we start the night off with, because it's so fun and it sets the tone of the evening.

Monaro

Wow, VietCong. Blast from the past. Might have to look in to that one!

Hmm what about Rainbow Six 3: Raven Shield? Any good on LAN?

Rohan

Monaro wrote: »

Wow, VietCong. Blast from the past. Might have to look in to that one!

Make it so ^_^