Man of Honour
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They're just additional advertising tools for the LAN. Not that hard to understand.
It's the kind of thing sponsors will be asking about.
The Official "Unofficial" OcUK Forum, Annual LAN Party
- Thread starter Gimpymoo
- Start date
They're just additional advertising tools for the LAN. Not that hard to understand.
It's the kind of thing sponsors will be asking about.
Firstly it was hardly a rage quit.
I was under the impression that the idea behind the LAN was as an OcUK community event so we could get all of us together for a fun filled fragging weekend. Not sure why additional advertising tools are needed tbh
As I said the LAN seems all over the place in the sense that as I understand it there is still no venue or date. Yet there are now extra "advertising tools" being used. What are you advertising?
I am also well aware that a LAN will take more than 5 weeks to organise, that really wasn't my point.
I was under the impression that the idea behind the LAN was as an OcUK community event so we could get all of us together for a fun filled fragging weekend. Not sure why additional advertising tools are needed tbh
As I said the LAN seems all over the place in the sense that as I understand it there is still no venue or date. Yet there are now extra "advertising tools" being used. What are you advertising?
I am also well aware that a LAN will take more than 5 weeks to organise, that really wasn't my point.
Man of Honour
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My response was to Andyh's question.
Anyhow. Sponsors (which will provide prizes and cash/equipment assistance) will ask for things like a decent facebook presence and/or the use other social networking tools to promote the LAN and therefore their products.
Sponsors are needed as the majority of people WILL want some kind of prize for tournaments and if the sponsors don't provide them gimpy will have to pay for them himself. Ticket fees rarely cover enough cash to buy decent prizes.
Maybe a daft question, but why cant OCUK sponsor? Some gaming mice, speakers and keyboards and headsets. Sounds easy to me.
Man of Honour
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I believe there were/are talks regarding that but OcUK would have to put up quite a lot to be the only sponsor involved. In my experience sponsors have quite an unrealistic idea of what constitutes 'decent sponsorship'. Who knows though, OcUK may pull through and surprise us
ZOMG! You haven't organised a LAN within 5 weeks. You suck!!11!
I know you wished "them" (i.e. GimpyMoo) best of luck, but rage-quitting so quickly shows a lack of understanding of what's involved.
We managed to organise a Console/PC LAN quickly over in the Console forums, in a hotel which did food and had accommodation. Was organised within 1.5 months from memory so it can be done.
I am also starting to wonder what is happening and as I had mentioned earlier I had agreed a deal with the website whose forum I administrate to put up some prizes (PC and Console gear) and they have been asking when it will be happening.
So we HAVE gone from an OcUK community event to a proper bells and whistle LAN? Fine, but I think you'll find the majority of people interested are/were interested because it was going to be a fun ,not to serious get together with people from these forums.
Man of Honour
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Not at all. Even a community event requires prizes
Even a closed community event requires money to run. Running an all-PC lan is far more complex and difficult to organise than a console lan.
Not at all. Even a community event requires prizes
Even a closed community event requires money to run. Running an all-PC lan is far more complex and difficult to organise than a console lan.
It doesn't require prizes at all, people would still come without prizes. Most people would be attending for the community and banter and to play games.
Actually they are very similar to organise, a console lan still requires suitable networking/switching etc along with internet access. The only thing which is removed is servers for dedicated hosts etc.
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And the power requirements..and the space requirements..and the furniture requirements....etc.
Which are the same for console LANs
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not really, pc's use a lot more power than consoles and even a modest size pc will be much bigger than a console
Soldato
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Sounds good. Though I do wonder why you think OCUK would sponser a lan party of OCUK forum users. That saying, they already know what OCUK is so sponsoring won't really help. You won't get any sponsors for a venue of under 300 people I wouldn't have thought tbh. Except for maybe if you go through friends of friends of small time companies. But the companies must know they arn't going to get the return that they put into it likely.
I only read the first 200 or so posts but to me the uni was the best shot you're going to get. They have all the equipment and you just need to turn up with your pc's. You are wasting your time with advertising and there will be food on campus at the uni. Possibly you could arrange something with the uni for cheap catering from their own staff. It's the best you are going to get.
Failing that if you rent out a hall don't forget you need tables and chairs and a lot of them! They arn't going to be easy to find I wouldn't have thought.
Also if you don't have some bean bags with a console and a projector in the corner surrounded by lots of beer cans then it's a fail no matter if you have 1000 people
.
:EDIT:
Although I think if ocUK did show up it would really have a possitive effect on their current customer base and that is always a good thing.
I only read the first 200 or so posts but to me the uni was the best shot you're going to get. They have all the equipment and you just need to turn up with your pc's. You are wasting your time with advertising and there will be food on campus at the uni. Possibly you could arrange something with the uni for cheap catering from their own staff. It's the best you are going to get.
Failing that if you rent out a hall don't forget you need tables and chairs and a lot of them! They arn't going to be easy to find I wouldn't have thought.
Also if you don't have some bean bags with a console and a projector in the corner surrounded by lots of beer cans then it's a fail no matter if you have 1000 people
.:EDIT:
Although I think if ocUK did show up it would really have a possitive effect on their current customer base and that is always a good thing.
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Man of Honour
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...no. For a console you can have 4+ people served by one console and a tv of some kind. Sure, you also need space to stand/sit around but that's nothing like trying to deal with space, power and networking issues of 1 PC per person at the LAN.
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Sounds good. Though I do wonder why you think OCUK would sponser a lan party of OCUK forum users. That saying, they already know what OCUK is so sponsoring won't really help. You won't get any sponsors for a venue of under 300 people I wouldn't have thought tbh. Except for maybe if you go through friends of friends of small time companies. But the companies must know they arn't going to get the return that they put into it likely.
I only read the first 200 or so posts but to me the uni was the best shot you're going to get. They have all the equipment and you just need to turn up with your pc's. You are wasting your time with advertising and there will be food on campus at the uni. Possibly you could arrange something with the uni for cheap catering from their own staff. It's the best you are going to get.
Failing that if you rent out a hall don't forget you need tables and chairs and a lot of them! They arn't going to be easy to find I wouldn't have thought.
Also if you don't have some bean bags with a console and a projector in the corner surrounded by lots of beer cans then it's a fail no matter if you have 1000 people
Pretty much agree. The uni had some other issues though. I'm not sure if a solution to those were ever found.
Soldato
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What issues were these? Teside uni might be another to check out. They used to be big into gaming I believe.
I am sorry to read this.
I have to ask though, why do you appear to be soo angry about the use of two of the most popular social networking tools of the last decade? You obviously do not like them, we get that much, but why should I not allow those who do, the chance to use them? It does not harm yourself in any way at all.
Personally, I dont like them or use them a great deal, HOWEVER, I am intelligent enough to realise that a VERY LARGE number of people do use them and there are MANY MANY ways these tools can be used to help make the event the huge success it deserves to be ALONGSIDE the forum.
Some people dont have access to the forum during the day, closer to the event, it will be easier to communicate with "everyone" as these people may have access to Facebook/Twitter on their phone etc.
It is much the same as me saying "No Consoles, I dont like them". Sure, it would make things easier for me and the rest of the team, but again, you have to be smart and realise that even though you may not like something yourself, you have to realise that others may do so and it is unfair to disregard things just because you personally do not like them, you have to realise you are planning an event for many, not just yourself. You have to do whatever it takes to make the event successful.
I see social networking apps as tools which when used correctly for an event like this, can help in a VERY positive way for those who do use them.
In this paticular circumstance, I see numerous uses which with little work, I believe will enhance the overall experience, after all, the main goal is for everyone to enjoy themselves.
If anyone feels they cannot enjoy themselves because Facebook/Twitter was involved in a small part of its organisation then I am speechless.
I do not believe I have ever placed a timescale on the event, if I have then I appologise for misleading anyone. Sure, it will be as soon as is practically possible but an EXCELLENT LAN takes much preperation and I am not going to compromise for the few who wish to sulk simply because it is not being done "Their way".
Also, just because things are not posted on the forum on a daily bases does not mean the event has been forgotten about.
It is downright insulting some of the comments in here especially as I am thinking about this event EVERY day thinking of different ways things can be done, calling potential venues, calling/emailing different people, then someone else, trying to find the cheapest bulk order of Gaffa tape
Also, the other members who are helping to organise this event who receive nothing for their time yet do an equal amount of work for the event.I will be honest and admit I underestimated the amount of time and effort this would take, so, what do I do?
Do I give up? NO CHANCE.
Do I cut corners and go for the easiest/quickest option - HELL NO
Do I do whatever it takes to get the job done properly... DAMN RIGHT.
I do also have a life and family and a job outside of this forum, unsurprisingly, all of these take up time and these have been taking up even more time than I could have foreseen over the last few weeks which has been unexpected and unavoidable.
Regarding Sponsors, this is not the right place to be discussing any such arrangements. What I will say, is that to ensure all costs can be met and nobody involved with the organising of the event is out of pocket, Sponsorship of some form is essential as were we to rely on the ticket cost alone to cover "EVERYTHING", I dont think most would attend.
No company would want to associate themselves with a poorly planned event as it would look bad on themselves. If you can goto them and say we are doing this, this and this, would you be interested, can we do anything to make it more appealing for you, they might then be interested. Make it even better, and they might just come to you
More sponsorship for a well managed event will only make it better.It is a LAN party, it is not a matter of life and death. What does matter is that it is AWESOME and full of WIN.
If this means it takes longer to organise, so be it.
And yes, there will be a YouTube channel
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Im not angry at all, as long as the updates that are put on facebook and twitter are here also im happy.
My Initial question on it was because i thought it was going to be a smallish community lan, to have a laugh, drink some beer and play some games. Im not bothered about winning prizes (im crap anyway
). But if its going to be something bigger, well thats also cool.
I quite like the idea of hosting it in a hotel actually, accom sorted and probably a bar
My Initial question on it was because i thought it was going to be a smallish community lan, to have a laugh, drink some beer and play some games. Im not bothered about winning prizes (im crap anyway
). But if its going to be something bigger, well thats also cool.I quite like the idea of hosting it in a hotel actually, accom sorted and probably a bar
Again you clearly don't understand the concept of a console LAN, everyone has their own console along with 24" inch monitors so it's nearly identical. Everyone has their own setup and everything it networked with an Internet connection. Sure some games work better in local multiplayer so you get a few clusters around consoles but the majority of people game on theirnown setup.
Having said that, this conversation isn't really relevant to the thread. I was merely pointing out that LANs can be arranged reasonably quickly based on experience. Gimpymoo has already pointed out that he has other commitments that do take up his time and that's fine. I would say however that some approximate date should be set so that when looking for sponsorship you can give an idea of when it will be held.
As I mentioned, I can secure sponsorship in the form of prizes through a company I can't mention here due to the rules. this is likely to be in the form of console gear and pc/console games.