This LAn looks liek it is going to be our biggest ever, so I think it would be sensible to get a plan organised well in advance of the LAN as to which games we are playing and when. The extra numbers will be both fantastic and more difficult to manage, so we need ot keep on top of this.
Oldie mentioned sorting a web app to sort teams, can this be done asap so we can have a schedule sorted so people can elect which comps to play in and we can then schedule everything for the weekend.
We really should get the comps projected up onto a big screen if we have this many people coming along. We'll need to plan the PC that does this, maybe even getting the server to do it by adding a cheap gfx card (if it does not already have one). The projector resolution need not be high so it would not need a top end card to handle that duty.
Networking - I'll leave you people to sort this but it might be worth doing another cable purchase run - we still have some left over from last time, but you never know!
Bottom line is that this LAN I think we need to be seriously well prepared and way more prepared than we have been in the past so that we can make this one a massive success.
TL.
Quote from: TeaLeaf;286311... Oldie mentioned sorting a web app to sort teams, can this be done asap so we can have a schedule sorted so people can elect which comps to play in and we can then schedule everything for the weekend.
I've already started work on that. It'll be ready well before the LAN :)
I've invited Sulky and Sn00ks and given them the password as they've signed up to the game committee.
The web-based app will make a big difference to us - as it did the games organisation online last time.
For info, this was the schedule last time:
(working 40 players)
Friday
Freeplay
Saturday
11.00am CS:S Tourney 5 vs 5 random draw - straight knockout. 8 teams > 4 Teams > 2 Teams > winner
Lunch
2.30pm L4D Comp 4vs4 We haven't got enough time for a round robin L4d so it'll have to be one map played once as Infected and once as survivors. Tally points. Straight knockout.
4.00pm Deagle. We can run the concurrently with L4D and jiggle the teams as needed to compensate for ppl playing.
5.00pm COD 15min FFA + 15min best 6 fraggers
5.30pm COD4 1/2 room vs 1/2 room
Sat Night - Freeplay
Sunday
Freeplay
-ends-
We have a lot more L4D'ers this time round and it'd be nice for it to make more of an appearance imo.
We do struggle for time but Sunday is a wipeout and realistically Friday pm is the only other time we could possibly put something together. Perhaps we should use late Friday pm for the mass CoD event or something - get people in the mood etc?
Quote from: TeaLeaf;286311Networking - I'll leave you people to sort this but it might be worth doing another cable purchase run - we still have some left over from last time, but you never know!
I'm copying this to admin as it's more that realm and tobious can join in as he's volunteered to to that again.
hi guys, i posted on the lan thread that i couldnt come due to the half term starting on the friday and having to get my kid from boarding school.
i am though still willing to help with discussions and the like in here and help out any way i can on the tinterweb, because im not goingi might be the ideal candidiate to find a random mp game that nobody has played for the saturday. If you feel that i dont need to be here just pm me and remove the permissions
soz again guys
ok thanks Sulky. I'll remove you from the list of helpers and also from here (although you won't see this).
maybe a cutback on Cod4?
ive had the feeling over the last couple of lans that its not as big as it was initially, anyone else get that feeling? the new cod will be out by then wont it? maybe see what the uptake is like for that?
I think the web-app idea will make things a lot simpler, especially if the time slots allocated for the official games are well defined. It will stop people putting themselves down for more than is possible and us having to wait for them to finish one thing before starting the next.
This is the format I'm proposing:-
Matches are setup on an individual map, aka campaign segment. We play one map per match and we repeat it twice to provide a balance for AI randomness. Teams play survivors/infected in an ABBA format.
Repeat play on one Map as follows:
Matchround 1 is the 1st half of the match played on the map of the week.
- mapround 1: Team A survivor, Team B infected
- mapround 2: Team B survivor, Team A infected
Matchround 2 is the second half of the match, a repeat of the same map, in reverse team order.
- mapround 1: Team B survivor, Team A infected
- mapround 2: Team A survivor, Team B infected
From experience an L4D 'match', four rounds in total can last about 20 minutes, or as few as five.
Additionally I suggest the following rules? Maybe these can be added to the web-app so when people put themselves down for L4D they'll get spammed with them (or they are on visible on the page)
1. Each level will be played twice with teams taking it in turns to start as Survivors.
2. The combined scores of each round will be added for the teams overall score.
3. All-talk will be turned off.
4. Exploitation of any map flaws or unsportsmanlike behaviour will not be tolerated.
6. Each team must nominate one person to act as leader and be responsible for ensuring players turn up. This person must also note of the scores and post them; taking screen shots and keeping them for later verification if required.
7. Bots will not be used to fill vacant slots.
And finally, teams. Do we randomly pick players and assign them to teams or do we let them pick their own teams? I think the former.
With the L4d set up - it would be better if we dont play the 2nd half of what you are suggesting there, simply down to time constraints. it will be random as to who is where anyway so if you are at a slight disadvantage then so be it.
Quote from: sheepy;286485With the L4d set up - it would be better if we dont play the 2nd half of what you are suggesting there, simply down to time constraints. it will be random as to who is where anyway so if you are at a slight disadvantage then so be it.
Given the server is a bag 'o' shite, and given everyone will be drunk I reckon you play the last 3 maps of a campaign, on wins, not points. If it's all square a decider on no-mercy-3 - points. You can't beat a finale for a bit of banter.
If Sn00ks et all believe it is easy enough to run with the full official fair routine then that's fine here too. It depends on the admin involved and how easy it will be to control the server when sat next to it - Oldie?
Oldie will not be there on Saturday as he's got a better offer elsewhere. So you'll need someone else to step up and run the L4D server.
Who's got the necessaries to do that?
Can I just say mass cod4 is no fun what so ever. Last time I was at the lan it worked better to have a semi and the a match for the winner and the wodden spoon.
Quote from: Penfold;286499Oldie will not be there on Saturday as he's got a better offer elsewhere. So you'll need someone else to step up and run the L4D server.
Who's got the necessaries to do that?
We have L4D on the LAN server from the last LAN. We have a number of admins going to the LAN who can admin a L4D server. What else do we need? :D
The rcon piece is easy, it's when the L$D code breaks the server or need a kick that we'll need the help.
Quote from: Benny;286504The rcon piece is easy, it's when the L$D code breaks the server or need a kick that we'll need the help.
That stuffs easy (as long as I'm not too drunk). :flirty:
We need to ensure the L4D servers all have the latest versions plus the Death Aboard map plus the mods to fix the team swapping issue.
We can use HLSW to manage the servers and as long as each team knows which side they should be before they start we should be ble to kick things off easily enough.
If we are just going to have the last three maps of a campaign, as Mr B suggested, then once they are off we can leave them to their own devices.
It'll also make things a hell of a lot easier for us to manage.
The only problem is that playing the last three will heighten the chances of a draw, forcing a decider. Might be better to have say the first three maps?
Quote from: Benny;286497...and how easy it will be to control the server when sat next to it - Oldie?
Remember - I'm not around Saturday. RCON will do the job, surely?
Quote from: Sn00ks;286511We need to ensure the L4D servers all have the latest versions plus the Death Aboard map plus the mods to fix the team swapping issue.
We can use HLSW to manage the servers and as long as each team knows which side they should be before they start we should be ble to kick things off easily enough.
If we are just going to have the last three maps of a campaign, as Mr B suggested, then once they are off we can leave them to their own devices.
It'll also make things a hell of a lot easier for us to manage.
The only problem is that playing the last three will heighten the chances of a draw, forcing a decider. Might be better to have say the first three maps?
sounds good, unless we can sort a maplist that works.
Quote from: Benny;286538sounds good, unless we can sort a maplist that works.
That'll be the mapcycle and maplist files. If we comment out the extra maps for the campaign in the maplist it'll stop them playing on after the three maps and forgetting the results. But that might be complicating things too much.
Quote from: Armitage;286502Can I just say mass cod4 is no fun what so ever. Last time I was at the lan it worked better to have a semi and the a match for the winner and the wodden spoon.
Then let's kill it.
If no one thinks it matters not having a mass 1/2 room vs 1/2 room then we can drop that format totally. It frees us up for some more smaller group comp's which are more fun and more intense tbh. Perhaps replace it with a smaller CoD4 team-based event?
Quote from: Penfold;286573Then let's kill it.
If no one thinks it matters not having a mass 1/2 room vs 1/2 room then we can drop that format totally. It frees us up for some more smaller group comp's which are more fun and more intense tbh. Perhaps replace it with a smaller CoD4 team-based event?
I agree with Penfold agreeing with Armitage. The CoD mass game was not very enjoyable and felt like a chore.
Agreed with all the agreeing. Drop the mass and move it to a smaller team based event which people can opt into.
I concur with the concurrence.
Can we dig up BF:Vietnam and rock it old school style? I like a game with vehicles, especially great big troop transporting choppers that you can fly into buildings.
I wonder how many people still have it?
If we concurring with the general concurrence to drop mass games, aren't we taking a step backward with this?
Is it too similar to CoD4?
a small knock out comp seems the best way to play COD4.
Quote from: Penfold;288209I wonder how many people still have it?
If we concurring with the general concurrence to drop mass games, aren't we taking a step backward with this?
Is it too similar to CoD4?
I was tongue avec cheek.
I agree with Arm's statement above. I like small CoD games. The only really big game we could manage is either CS or BF. (or 16 player L4D)
So does someone fancy coming up with a timetable of games and comps and list of who's taking responsibility for what? :).
ill start a new topic for it and discussion