MattRocks wrote on 2026-02-11, 12:40:

aries-mu wrote on 2026-02-11, 09:52:

NeoG_ wrote on 2026-02-01, 12:54:

Completely untrue, the issue with lower bandwidths was serialization delay causing a significant increase in RTT, couple that with games of the time not having delay compensation means higher bandwidth connections had a hugely positive impact on gameplay quality.

😳 don't know what you're talking about but sounds interesting!

I believe NeoG_ is referring to the round-trip or how long it takes packets to go from client to server, then from server to client. It's what ping tests on the command line, and what we see when browsing for servers inside games. For me that used to look something like:

Server JP >500
Server USA ~250
Server EU <100

If I saw <50 that would be great. But, I think where NeoG_ and I diverged is in our personal experiences of RTT. When I played on 56K dial-up, the servers were almost always hosted by ISPs close to the backbone, often installed by the employees of ISPs who also played those games. Those connections would be very different to the connections through Steam subscriptions. My regional UK ISP 56K dial-up was basically unusable on Steam so I have no good memories of the service.

Gotcha, thanks for your explanation!

I live in a quiet part of the UK and although I had a lot of PC Gamer friends around me growing up in the 90s/00s, we virtually never got around to setting up any sort of LAN party, nor were there any hosted around us. As a kid the closest I'd gotten was playing Tib Sun 1v1's at a friends house who had 2 computers in his house. I eventually hosted one in the early 10s to play some CS:GO and enjoyed it a lot, but we were all considering if the logistics of getting everything set up was worth it afterwards.

I did finally manage to travel to Texas last year for Quakecon to scratch that off my bucket list and had an amazing time with a group of 20~ friends; if it wasn't for the price of international fights and hotel rooms I'd absolutely go every year (below is a pic of the setup i squeezed into my hand luggage!). It's a shame that their popularity has fallen off somewhat, but I get why with rising costs of virtually everything these days.

Sustainability. The universe is probably looking at us right now and thinking we're dumber than the dinosaurs were.

Pre-COVID there was a lot of speculation that people didn't need to go to the office, and that working from home could address pollution and cost issues - it seemed like science fiction fantasy despite the technology being real. Then COVID came and working from home proved a miracle for the environment (photos of animals in cities, etc.) and that was a surreal but valuable technology demonstrator - as though the universe was trying to give us a hint. Then, after COVID, there has been the relentless push to get everyone back in the office and push travel costs and pollution levels back up!

So, in a few years time maybe LAN parties will be back, or the Stone Age... 😒

^home office existed in the 1970s/1980s already.
Albeit in more experimental form. Employees with disabilities worked from home, for example.
Sample video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaXbHuOF_wc

dionb wrote on 2026-01-28, 19:52:

Mandrew wrote on 2026-01-27, 12:28:

Cars weren't a thing in my big city neighborhood so transporting huge chunky computers wasn't an option.

Beg to differ. Here I (ab)used an old ladder frame rucksack to transport my system by public transport. The system case went on the bottom, on top of that the CRT monitor with the screen facing my back. Duct tape the lot of it to the rucksack frame, put keyboard, mouse, headset and extension cords into the side pockets and some spare clothes and bedding on top. Oh, and a shopping bag with food & drink supplies.

Just a pain when more rural people organized the LAN party a long way away from the nearest station/bus stop.

I'd always have to ask friends that attended if their parents would take me and my stuff as well. Before that I had a bicycle cart that I would attach to my bicycle that could hold some stuff, and big saddle bags for my bicycle to hold the rest.
Your construction seems very inventive, though I imagine that was quite heavy. I'm glad I didn't have to use public transport back then, that seems quite a chore.

I did organize a couple myself, but I remember it being quite troublesome to actually fill the seats. Either people didn't want to take their computers, or they'd say they would come and then didn't.

Sadly, these days I lose touch with those friends and there's not much LAN-parties being organized locally anymore. Only the bigger ones, which tend to fall outside of my budget. I do have enough computers to host LAN-parties myself but I can't play all the computers by myself.

MattRocks wrote on 2026-02-11, 16:54:

Sustainability. The universe is probably looking at us right now and thinking we're dumber than the dinosaurs were.

You are the universe, sir. You're a collection of atoms assembled in such a complex way that you now look at yourself and ponder where you came from.

bartonxp wrote on 2026-02-12, 01:24:

MattRocks wrote on 2026-02-11, 16:54:

Sustainability. The universe is probably looking at us right now and thinking we're dumber than the dinosaurs were.

You are the universe, sir. You're a collection of atoms assembled in such a complex way that you now look at yourself and ponder where you came from.

There’s a good book titled The World in Your Head. It’s about perceptual psychology.

It highlights a number of facts: Nothing you perceive is real because your neurons cannot interact with anything that is outside your head. Everything you perceive is a simulation projected inside your head.

It takes a while getting used to and I can’t do the book justice. I can only try to not mess it up: Your neurons only receive and transmit electricity - not light. The light was converted into electrical signals at your eye, and those electrical signals are reused many times after the light is gone so you can’t possibly be seeing light.

Hence, what you know as the whole universe is a fiction produced in a simulation. With all that going on, who needs video games?

Ovenchips wrote on 2026-02-11, 15:29:

I live in a quiet part of the UK and although I had a lot of PC Gamer friends around me growing up in the 90s/00s, we virtually never got around to setting up any sort of LAN party, nor were there any hosted around us. As a kid the closest I'd gotten was playing Tib Sun 1v1's at a friends house who had 2 computers in his house. I eventually hosted one in the early 10s to play some CS:GO and enjoyed it a lot, but we were all considering if the logistics of getting everything set up was worth it afterwards.

I did finally manage to travel to Texas last year for Quakecon to scratch that off my bucket list and had an amazing time with a group of 20~ friends; if it wasn't for the price of international fights and hotel rooms I'd absolutely go every year (below is a pic of the setup i squeezed into my hand luggage!). It's a shame that their popularity has fallen off somewhat, but I get why with rising costs of virtually everything these days.

Wow all that in a hand luggage!!!
I can totally understand the financial struggle of al that

MattRocks wrote on 2026-02-11, 16:54:

Sustainability. The universe is probably looking at us right now and thinking we're dumber than the dinosaurs were.

Pre-COVID there was a lot of speculation that people didn't need to go to the office, and that working from home could address pollution and cost issues - it seemed like science fiction fantasy despite the technology being real. Then COVID came and working from home proved a miracle for the environment (photos of animals in cities, etc.) and that was a surreal but valuable technology demonstrator - as though the universe was trying to give us a hint. Then, after COVID, there has been the relentless push to get everyone back in the office and push travel costs and pollution levels back up!

So, in a few years time maybe LAN parties will be back, or the Stone Age... 😒

Good point

Jo22 wrote on 2026-02-11, 18:07:

^home office existed in the 1970s/1980s already.
Albeit in more experimental form. Employees with disabilities worked from home, for example.
Sample video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaXbHuOF_wc

Wow! Back then, insane! thx

NaoPb wrote on 2026-02-11, 18:50:

dionb wrote on 2026-01-28, 19:52:

Mandrew wrote on 2026-01-27, 12:28:

Cars weren't a thing in my big city neighborhood so transporting huge chunky computers wasn't an option.

Beg to differ. Here I (ab)used an old ladder frame rucksack to transport my system by public transport. The system case went on the bottom, on top of that the CRT monitor with the screen facing my back. Duct tape the lot of it to the rucksack frame, put keyboard, mouse, headset and extension cords into the side pockets and some spare clothes and bedding on top. Oh, and a shopping bag with food & drink supplies.

Just a pain when more rural people organized the LAN party a long way away from the nearest station/bus stop.

I'd always have to ask friends that attended if their parents would take me and my stuff as well. Before that I had a bicycle cart that I would attach to my bicycle that could hold some stuff, and big saddle bags for my bicycle to hold the rest.
Your construction seems very inventive, though I imagine that was quite heavy. I'm glad I didn't have to use public transport back then, that seems quite a chore.

I did organize a couple myself, but I remember it being quite troublesome to actually fill the seats. Either people didn't want to take their computers, or they'd say they would come and then didn't.

Sadly, these days I lose touch with those friends and there's not much LAN-parties being organized locally anymore. Only the bigger ones, which tend to fall outside of my budget. I do have enough computers to host LAN-parties myself but I can't play all the computers by myself.

the bicycle cart is actually a great idea!!!! (y)
Well, right now, if you have already everything and LAN party people wouldn't need to bring stuff, you might even get luckier in 2026 in organizing LAN parties and getting people to actually attend, than back then! I suggest you setup everything nicely and try, maybe even on Facebook or something...

bartonxp wrote on 2026-02-12, 01:24:

MattRocks wrote on 2026-02-11, 16:54:

Sustainability. The universe is probably looking at us right now and thinking we're dumber than the dinosaurs were.

You are the universe, sir. You're a collection of atoms assembled in such a complex way that you now look at yourself and ponder where you came from.

Recommended reading: Genetic Entropy, by Sanford.

MattRocks wrote on 2026-02-12, 06:16:

There’s a good book titled The World in Your Head. It’s about perceptual psychology. […]
Show full quote

bartonxp wrote on 2026-02-12, 01:24:

MattRocks wrote on 2026-02-11, 16:54:

Sustainability. The universe is probably looking at us right now and thinking we're dumber than the dinosaurs were.

You are the universe, sir. You're a collection of atoms assembled in such a complex way that you now look at yourself and ponder where you came from.

There’s a good book titled The World in Your Head. It’s about perceptual psychology.

It highlights a number of facts: Nothing you perceive is real because your neurons cannot interact with anything that is outside your head. Everything you perceive is a simulation projected inside your head.

It takes a while getting used to and I can’t do the book justice. I can only try to not mess it up: Your neurons only receive and transmit electricity - not light. The light was converted into electrical signals at your eye, and those electrical signals are reused many times after the light is gone so you can’t possibly be seeing light.

Hence, what you know as the whole universe is a fiction produced in a simulation. With all that going on, who needs video games?

Intriguing meditation. Thx.
Still, this simulation many times sucks, hence the need for a simulation within the simulation, and enjoying a good gameplay (if the main simulation allows us to find some free simulated time)

aries-mu wrote on 2026-02-11, 09:52:

What does "Hackers playing on the TV on repeat" mean??

The movie: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113243/

wiretap wrote on 2026-02-12, 20:42:

aries-mu wrote on 2026-02-11, 09:52:

What does "Hackers playing on the TV on repeat" mean??

The movie: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113243/

oh wow never heard of it, thanks!
Should I watch it?

aries-mu wrote on 2026-02-12, 22:27:

wiretap wrote on 2026-02-12, 20:42:

aries-mu wrote on 2026-02-11, 09:52:

What does "Hackers playing on the TV on repeat" mean??

The movie: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113243/

oh wow never heard of it, thanks!
Should I watch it?

If you want to watch it, watch it.
Also watch this while you're at it. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0105435/

weedeewee wrote on 2026-02-12, 22:33:

aries-mu wrote on 2026-02-12, 22:27:

wiretap wrote on 2026-02-12, 20:42:

The movie: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113243/

oh wow never heard of it, thanks!
Should I watch it?

If you want to watch it, watch it.
Also watch this while you're at it. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0105435/

oh thanks again!!!

aries-mu wrote on 2026-02-12, 22:39:

weedeewee wrote on 2026-02-12, 22:33:

aries-mu wrote on 2026-02-12, 22:27:

oh wow never heard of it, thanks!
Should I watch it?

If you want to watch it, watch it.
Also watch this while you're at it. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0105435/

oh thanks again!!!

Maybe check out Antitrust, which is another hacker film loosely based on Micro$oft: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0218817/

zuldan wrote on 2026-01-27, 10:12:

I went to LAN parties from 1994 to 2005. We LAN’ed from Friday night till Sunday afternoon. Usually it was at a different house each weekend. So many good memories. Being with a bunch of people with the exact same interest, enjoying each other’s company and eating tons of junk food. It was awesome. We played everything from Doom to C&C…Warcraft…Starcraft…Counter-Strike. Really wish I could go to another LAN party and relive the experience. Sadly all my LANing mates have moved on in life and I don’t know anyone who’s into retro computing. My whole retro experience is lived through Vogons and YouTube 🤣.

Let me guess, wife and kids? It's how it begins, they get a girlfriend and then it's all over.

Back in high school, it was possible to play PC games during certain subjects, depending on the teacher. Over LAN, we played TrackMania Nations ESWC, Counter-Strike and Call of Duty 2. Some played Age of Empires (don't know which one).

bartonxp wrote on 2026-02-12, 22:52:

Maybe check out Antitrust, which is another hacker film loosely based on Micro$oft: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0218817/

Oh wow thanks!!

UCyborg wrote on 2026-02-12, 23:13:

zuldan wrote on 2026-01-27, 10:12:

I went to LAN parties from 1994 to 2005. We LAN’ed from Friday night till Sunday afternoon. Usually it was at a different house each weekend. So many good memories. Being with a bunch of people with the exact same interest, enjoying each other’s company and eating tons of junk food. It was awesome. We played everything from Doom to C&C…Warcraft…Starcraft…Counter-Strike. Really wish I could go to another LAN party and relive the experience. Sadly all my LANing mates have moved on in life and I don’t know anyone who’s into retro computing. My whole retro experience is lived through Vogons and YouTube 🤣.

Let me guess, wife and kids? It's how it begins, they get a girlfriend and then it's all over.

Back in high school, it was possible to play PC games during certain subjects, depending on the teacher. Over LAN, we played TrackMania Nations ESWC, Counter-Strike and Call of Duty 2. Some played Age of Empires (don't know which one).

Precisely!
During subjecs?? With the teacher in the class??? did you have computers on your desks????

Not so much at school, but after-hours at work.

Pulled many 'all nighters' where I slept on a stock shelf in the stock room, after staying with my colleagues to netplay in the techroom.

A great deal if warcraft II, AoE, Total Annihilation, Starfleet Academy, and Diablo II was had.

Fun times.

wierd_w wrote on 2026-02-13, 19:48:

Not so much at school, but after-hours at work. […]
Show full quote

Not so much at school, but after-hours at work.

Pulled many 'all nighters' where I slept on a stock shelf in the stock room, after staying with my colleagues to netplay in the techroom.

A great deal if warcraft II, AoE, Total Annihilation, Starfleet Academy, and Diablo II was had.

Fun times.

Wow sounds FANTASTIC brother!!!!
I can feel the vibes of those adventures!

aries-mu wrote on 2026-02-13, 19:42:

During subjecs?? With the teacher in the class??? did you have computers on your desks????

Computing subjects taking place in classroom with computers, of course. There was one teacher that just never cared to monitor what students are up to, just explained few things then left us to do the exercises while sitting behind his computer being in his own world I guess.

On the other extreme, there was another that sent you out of the classroom as soon as he noticed you didn't have Visual Studio on the screen. The first programming teacher...probably only 2 classmates knew what he was talking about.

That was tech high school where computing teachers happened to be male.

In elementary school I attended, there was much less computing subjects, well, really just one optional that you could attend. While no LAN parties there specifically, the teacher was female and she had DOS version of DOOM on a network share. We were allowed to play it after finishing the exercises.

UCyborg wrote on 2026-02-14, 00:33:

Computing subjects taking place in classroom with computers, of course. There was one teacher that just never cared to monitor what students are up to, just explained few things then left us to do the exercises while sitting behind his computer being in his own world I guess.

On the other extreme, there was another that sent you out of the classroom as soon as he noticed you didn't have Visual Studio on the screen. The first programming teacher...probably only 2 classmates knew what he was talking about.

Ahahahahaha 🤣!!! Gotcha.

UCyborg wrote on 2026-02-14, 00:33:

In elementary school I attended, there was much less computing subjects, well, really just one optional that you could attend. While no LAN parties there specifically, the teacher was female and she had DOS version of DOOM on a network share. We were allowed to play it after finishing the exercises.

Wonderful!!!
And imagine if she let you also play Duke 3D on speakers... when you land on the lunar colony and can hear his voice saying: "Nobody steals our chicks and lives!"

guys, speaking of which... I was just browsing Amazon (Italy) and tried my luck by searching:
486 computer

And look at what came up:
Re: Resurrect retro hardware - let's do it VS right to ownership takeover

A book of a grit dude! One of whose sentences:

"LAN parties were battlegrounds for glory, not sensitivity workshops"

Speaking of which!

And this has just become one of my signatures:

"physical media trumps cloud-simp servitude"