On a typical Thursday or Friday night, if one was asked the question, “What are you going to be up to, tonight?” One would usually expect the reply to be ‘clubbing’ or ‘drinking’ or ‘a night in’ because one is broke. That is the norm at Monash South Africa. But unknown to the average Joe at Monash, there is a deep underground of avid gamers, otherwise known as nerds, who engage in gaming marathons which carry on into the wee hours of the morning.
These marathons can take different forms but the most popular would be the LAN Party. A LAN party is a temporary, sometimes spontaneous, gathering of people with computers, between which they establish a local area network (LAN), primarily for the purpose of playing multiplayer computer games. The size of these networks may vary from the very small (two people) to very large installations. Small parties can form spontaneously, but large ones usually require a fair amount of planning and preparation. As of 2010, the world record for the size of a LAN party is 12,754 connected systems, set at DreamHack, in Jönköping, Sweden.
LAN party events differ significantly from LAN gaming centers and Internet cafes in that they generally require attendants to bring your own computer (BYOC) and are not permanent installations, often taking place in general meeting places or residences.
LAN parties have their own unique culture. Participators often show off computers with flashy aftermarket lighting, LCD screens, enhanced speakers, and many other computer accessories. Highly caffeinated drinks, termed energy drinks, are very popular in these events to improve concentration and stamina as LAN parties often run into the early morning hours. Large parties can last for several days with no scheduled breaks. Often sleep is compromised to play throughout the night and into the next day, although there is often a designated room separated from the LAN party to sleep.
In a Monash South Africa scenario, laptops are the main ingredient needed. These ‘parties’ are carried out in the bigger double rooms on Residence 6. They enjoy alcoholic drinks and loud music as much as any clubber.
According to a source, a regular participator, at first, these LAN parties were spontaneous. The party consists mostly of the Malaysian foreign exchange students, South Koreans and a few other nationalities. It is not a male centric activity as female students have been known to participate actively. At the moment, they play the MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game) World of Warcraft, which is at the moment the most frequently played game at LAN Parties the world over.
They are very open and they are always on the lookout for more students who are interested in their weekly parties. The more, the merrier.
Apart from LAN parties, there is also a huge FIFA Football gaming community at Monash. Students gather in a console owner’s room and challenge each other for ultimate bragging rights. Tournaments are held all the time and gambling sometimes comes into the equation.
According to these ‘nerds’, LAN parties are the equivalent to nights out clubbing. Plus, they argue it is much safer and lighter on their pockets, while having the same amount of fun as a ‘club hopper’.
Monash Students @ a LAN party: video and photo above.
