Chapter 7: Creating a Network of Your Own
Fragging your friends has never been easier
Do you have an old PC taking up closet space? Why not use it to create a home LAN, so you can play games against your friends. And here is your opportunity to learn how to do it.
Getting Personal
These days, when we think of multiplayer games, we mostly think about the Internet. As anyone knows who's actually tried playing over the Internet, it's far from perfect. Issues like lag time and server overload often make gameplay frustrating. Now, the Internet is the only place for truly huge games like Warbirds, EverQuest, or Ultima Online. But on the Internet, all things are not created equal: Most games that support multiplayer typically max out at four, six, or eight users.
Then, there's the whole problem of anonymity. I personally like to play with people I know - but even when with a group of relative strangers, I like it much better when it's up close and personal. Even high-speed video and audio conferencing capabilities won't replace the banter and sneaky cooperation that goes on in a small network game session.
Next: LAN Gaming
|
