LAN Center Equipment Discussion

1ddqd

So I have this idea rolling around in my head, and I know the basics are: location, location, location, and cheap gaming.

SO! That being said (and assume I have the location under control), what type of system would draw you away from your house into the geek-fearing world of IRL?

Something dual core, with 8800-ish graphics and 2gb of ram?

And what rate would be reasonable? $4/hour $25/day? I'm thinking that $4 an hour is enough to draw people in from a computer cafe standpoint, but gamers are a different bunch.

Also, a solid internet connection is a must, but for a bunch of gamers, there's really no need for anything too hardcore - perhaps a fiber connection or high-speed cable?

Cynic Jester

As someone who worked at a gaming centre back before people started getting DSL/Cable at home, let me warn you, the market is a lot smaller than it used to be. For myself, there's not much computerwise that'd get me to leave the comfy chair in my comfy house with my custom computer that has all the stuff I want on it. Really, at most expensive rigs would get you an hour or so out of me, simply to see how a game like Crysis or something handled on a badass system. Your best bet is to not aim it at local gamers. The only time I find myself going into a gaming center is when I don't have access to my own computer, usually due to being on vacation.

The only way you'll draw in local gamers is through tournaments, events and things of that kind. Just having badass computers won't do it.

Connection wise, you'll at the very least want lower end fibre, though if we are talking very small scale, you might get away with High Speed cable.

To me, a much bigger issue than specs is game selection. If I can't play games I like, you're getting whatever start up fee you take and that's it. Variety is good. The Steam solution for net cafes where every game is available is awesome, though it really needs a high speed connection unless you feel like having every steam game installed on the machines.

1ddqd

So given that the game selection will have to be vast, and that badass systems aren't necessarily a requirement therein, what is the main deterrent?

From what I've gathered in my experience, most people want an experience they can't get at home (which I understand would mean tournies/events). These I can host, and plan/intend to, as well as classes/instructional sessions in all manners of productivity software.

Basically, I'd rather run a gaming center than an internet cafe - what about including console systems and HDTVs?