12 year-old birthday party LAN game ideas

akedm · 10-14-2008, 03:51 PM

Hi,

Any good ideas for multiplayer LAN gaming for around this age? He big into Star Wars Battlefront 2, Battle for Middle Earth 2, and Unreal Tournament 2004 (Onslaught Maps) now, and likes Tribes2 and Worms4. He generally likes games where he's roleplaying on a team - medic, sniper, driver, infantry, guard, point - Any other ideas?

My son's birthday is this weekend (10/18), and as it turns out I have 5 computers available to me. The best system runs an AMD 5400+ dual-core with an HD4850, and the lowest-end system runs an AMD Athlon with an MX440. Four run XP or Vista, and one runs ME. I also have the means to network everything together.

He's having more than 5 kids over and between all the other stuff we got planned I figured it would be special if everyone got to play together like this maybe in a round-robin style. It's going to be an overnight thing too, so it'll be big.

I got Tribes on all systems already and UT2004 since they dont require the CDs to play or play together (LAN for Tribes, LAN and online for UT2004). Worms4 is multiplayer on a single system. I have four BFME2 CDs, and so all I need to buy so far for this party is 2 extra Battlefront copies (about $20-$30 total).

Because of the ME limitation only Tribes 2 (maybe UT2004 too now I think of it) will work for all 5 computers. Any other ideas for good LAN games for this age, especially ones for ME operating systems? Oh and games that are not too bloody and so on (like UT2004 where you can turn down everything so it basically looks like Tribes game).

We've never tried counter-strike, or Team Fortress, and I'm not full of money either, but if you think you know a game or two that might fall into place let me know.

Thanks everyone.

joe_90 · 10-15-2008, 06:02 AM

team fortress 2 would be brilliant for lan. also if you don't mind playing rts (real time stratergy) i reckon they would enjoy either age of empires 2 or warcraft 3 which can be picked up cheaply now.

akedm · 10-30-2008, 01:36 AM

Afterthought : The party's over. The kids had a great time and ended up playing Age of Mythology (an Age of Empires 2-type game) the entire time they were on the computers. This really, really old $10 game and they loved it yelling back and forth on what to do and watch out for next and laughing.

All the new stuff, and...it's like giving the kid a present and he ends up playing with the box instead. Kids. :)

**emosun** · 10-30-2008, 04:36 AM

I still play age of empires 2 on lan. Its so much fun , and i rule at it. And any old computer will run it

~~johnpoll~~ · 11-25-2008, 06:48 AM

Hi,
This is the nice idea for kids ,they are always if they find any games.

---------------------------------------------------
Birthday party games
" Life ends...when you stop dreaming about success."

Navster · 11-25-2008, 04:16 PM

Red Alert 2 , by far my favorite RTS game. Played this game on and off for like 6 years lol. They just bought out red alert 3 too. but i'm not sure if i like it because it's so much more complex and i'd rather stick with RA2 where i know the ins and outs and pretty much all the maps like the back of my hand... you can't teach an old dog new tricks right? lol

akedm · 11-25-2008, 05:12 PM

I hear that!

VicoChoi · 11-26-2008, 12:24 AM

Serious Sam Series, its old but one amazing FPS adventure in COOP

Valdeam · 11-26-2008, 08:33 PM

Man I wish I had LAN parties at 12 years old!! That would've been awesome. I just remember eating cake and playing some football with family.

Valdeam

akedm · 11-26-2008, 09:55 PM

Serious Sam is awesome still. The final levels in the castle courtyard and the outdoor plains afterward are crazy fun! My son and I still break that out from time to time.

chaplainDMK · 11-29-2008, 01:51 PM

Op. Flashpoint? Make a gahugeic battle with each of the kids driving a different type of vehicle?
Abrams, Cobras, A-10s, APCs, Blackhawks anything...
Also you can command up to 12 soldiers (or 4 tanks, 6 helis, 12 A-10s, 6 APCs)

akedm · 11-29-2008, 02:11 PM

Never heard of it. I'll check it out. Thanks, Chaplain.

VicoChoi · 11-30-2008, 12:28 AM

Or buy Half Life on Steam, its only $0.89!

akedm · 12-04-2008, 06:31 PM

Wow!!
I'll check that out.
Thanks Vico!

10-14-2008, 03:51 PM	#1 (permalink)
akedm Registered User Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Anchorage, Alaska, USA Posts: 336 OS: Win XP Media Center SP2	12 year-old birthday party LAN game ideas Hi, Any good ideas for multiplayer LAN gaming for around this age? He big into Star Wars Battlefront 2, Battle for Middle Earth 2, and Unreal Tournament 2004 (Onslaught Maps) now, and likes Tribes2 and Worms4. He generally likes games where he's roleplaying on a team - medic, sniper, driver, infantry, guard, point - Any other ideas? My son's birthday is this weekend (10/18), and as it turns out I have 5 computers available to me. The best system runs an AMD 5400+ dual-core with an HD4850, and the lowest-end system runs an AMD Athlon with an MX440. Four run XP or Vista, and one runs ME. I also have the means to network everything together. He's having more than 5 kids over and between all the other stuff we got planned I figured it would be special if everyone got to play together like this maybe in a round-robin style. It's going to be an overnight thing too, so it'll be big. I got Tribes on all systems already and UT2004 since they dont require the CDs to play or play together (LAN for Tribes, LAN and online for UT2004). Worms4 is multiplayer on a single system. I have four BFME2 CDs, and so all I need to buy so far for this party is 2 extra Battlefront copies (about $20-$30 total). Because of the ME limitation only Tribes 2 (maybe UT2004 too now I think of it) will work for all 5 computers. Any other ideas for good LAN games for this age, especially ones for ME operating systems? Oh and games that are not too bloody and so on (like UT2004 where you can turn down everything so it basically looks like Tribes game). We've never tried counter-strike, or Team Fortress, and I'm not full of money either, but if you think you know a game or two that might fall into place let me know. Thanks everyone. Last edited by akedm; 10-14-2008 at 04:03 PM.

10-15-2008, 06:02 AM	#2 (permalink)
joe_90 Registered User Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 7 OS: VISTA SP1 linux ubuntu hardy heron 8.04	Re: 12 year-old birthday party LAN game ideas team fortress 2 would be brilliant for lan. also if you don't mind playing rts (real time stratergy) i reckon they would enjoy either age of empires 2 or warcraft 3 which can be picked up cheaply now.

10-30-2008, 01:36 AM	#3 (permalink)
akedm Registered User Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Anchorage, Alaska, USA Posts: 336 OS: Win XP Media Center SP2	Re: 12 year-old birthday party LAN game ideas Afterthought : The party's over. The kids had a great time and ended up playing Age of Mythology (an Age of Empires 2-type game) the entire time they were on the computers. This really, really old $10 game and they loved it yelling back and forth on what to do and watch out for next and laughing. All the new stuff, and...it's like giving the kid a present and he ends up playing with the box instead. Kids. :)

10-30-2008, 04:36 AM	#4 (permalink)
emosun Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: usa Posts: 6,988 OS: xp pro sp2 My System	Re: 12 year-old birthday party LAN game ideas I still play age of empires 2 on lan. Its so much fun , and i rule at it. And any old computer will run it __________________ Gpu Benchmarks Cpu-Z Power supply information and selection Gpu-Z Video card quick list

11-25-2008, 06:48 AM	#5 (permalink)
~~johnpoll~~ Troubled Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 7 OS: XP2	Re: 12 year-old birthday party LAN game ideas Hi, This is the nice idea for kids ,they are always if they find any games. --------------------------------------------------- Birthday party games " Life ends...when you stop dreaming about success."

11-25-2008, 04:16 PM	#6 (permalink)
Navster Registered User Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 8 OS: Windows XP	Re: 12 year-old birthday party LAN game ideas Red Alert 2 , by far my favorite RTS game. Played this game on and off for like 6 years lol. They just bought out red alert 3 too. but i'm not sure if i like it because it's so much more complex and i'd rather stick with RA2 where i know the ins and outs and pretty much all the maps like the back of my hand... you can't teach an old dog new tricks right? lol

11-25-2008, 05:12 PM	#7 (permalink)
akedm Registered User Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Anchorage, Alaska, USA Posts: 336 OS: Win XP Media Center SP2	Re: 12 year-old birthday party LAN game ideas I hear that!

11-26-2008, 12:24 AM	#8 (permalink)
VicoChoi Registered User Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Vancouver, B.C. Posts: 44 OS: Windows XP My System	Re: 12 year-old birthday party LAN game ideas Serious Sam Series, its old but one amazing FPS adventure in COOP

11-26-2008, 08:33 PM	#9 (permalink)
Valdeam Registered User Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 60 OS: Vista Ultimate	Re: 12 year-old birthday party LAN game ideas Man I wish I had LAN parties at 12 years old!! That would've been awesome. I just remember eating cake and playing some football with family. Valdeam

11-26-2008, 09:55 PM	#10 (permalink)
akedm Registered User Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Anchorage, Alaska, USA Posts: 336 OS: Win XP Media Center SP2	Re: 12 year-old birthday party LAN game ideas Serious Sam is awesome still. The final levels in the castle courtyard and the outdoor plains afterward are crazy fun! My son and I still break that out from time to time.

11-29-2008, 01:51 PM	#11 (permalink)
chaplainDMK Registered User Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 7 OS: XP	Re: 12 year-old birthday party LAN game ideas Op. Flashpoint? Make a gahugeic battle with each of the kids driving a different type of vehicle? Abrams, Cobras, A-10s, APCs, Blackhawks anything... Also you can command up to 12 soldiers (or 4 tanks, 6 helis, 12 A-10s, 6 APCs)

11-29-2008, 02:11 PM	#12 (permalink)
akedm Registered User Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Anchorage, Alaska, USA Posts: 336 OS: Win XP Media Center SP2	Re: 12 year-old birthday party LAN game ideas Never heard of it. I'll check it out. Thanks, Chaplain.

11-30-2008, 12:28 AM	#13 (permalink)
VicoChoi Registered User Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Vancouver, B.C. Posts: 44 OS: Windows XP My System	Re: 12 year-old birthday party LAN game ideas Or buy Half Life on Steam, its only $0.89!

12-04-2008, 06:31 PM	#14 (permalink)
akedm Registered User Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Anchorage, Alaska, USA Posts: 336 OS: Win XP Media Center SP2	Re: 12 year-old birthday party LAN game ideas Wow!! I'll check that out. Thanks Vico!