Going to be my first time couple questions

Alrighty, i have a couple questions as this will be my first LAN.

So this is 18.5 which holds 360 seats instead of 500 correct? so from my reading, .5's are more spacious and relaxed, so i could bring a personal chair if i wanted due to fewer space requirements?

Im also guessing this means that we probably dont have to worry as much about being within your space limits so long as you dont infringe on your neighbors?

also, how do you find out how much power your computer is taking up. due to the power requirements of 600W i believe is what we have.

another thing is that i only need to book a room for friday to saturday and saturday to sunday, so only two nights, which is $84 per night with the LAN code, putting me at $168 for my room? (making sure im correct about 2 nights not 3) Do i need to book this early like online when i buy my ticket for the LAN, or can i just do this when i arrive? i mean do these rooms fill up or am i pretty safe?

im sure ill have more questions later, and thanks in advance for any replies im pretty excited about this!!!! Woot Woot!

EDIT: My PSU is a 750W PSU, and i read in the rules before registering (havent registered yet....) that you can have a PSU over 550W, does that really mean i have to purchase and install a seperate PSU to attend?

also, im 17 so do i need to bring a separate waiver that i print out because im a minor, or do i have to actually bring my parent to sign it on the spot?

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Kolton Kuhns

Last edited by CyberCrist on Mon Aug 22, 2011 10:19 am; edited 2 times in total

astromech_kuhns wrote:

Alrighty, i have a couple questions as this will be my first LAN.

So this is 18.5 which holds 360 seats instead of 500 correct? so from my reading, .5's are more spacious and relaxed, so i could bring a personal chair if i wanted due to fewer space requirements?

The .5 series LAN's allow you to bring your own office chair. Office chair, not a lazy-boy.

astromech_kuhns wrote:

Im also guessing this means that we probably dont have to worry as much about being within your space limits so long as you dont infringe on your neighbors?

I'm not sure what you mean by "being within your space limits". You have a 3' section, if you creep into your neighbors territory, they might well say something. I know I would.

astromech_kuhns wrote:

also, how do you find out how much power your computer is taking up. due to the power requirements of 600W i believe is what we have.

The rule states a max power supply of 650W. If you have a bigger supply, you are taking a risk. Some LAN peeps do this, some, like myself, buy two seats. If you want to find out how much power you are using get a Kill-O-Watt, plug it in, then run your system at max CPU and max GPU. You will have your number.

astromech_kuhns wrote:

another thing is that i only need to book a room for friday to saturday and saturday to sunday, so only two nights, which is $84 per night with the LAN code, putting me at $168 for my room? (making sure im correct about 2 nights not 3) Do i need to book this early like online when i buy my ticket for the LAN, or can i just do this when i arrive? i mean do these rooms fill up or am i pretty safe?

This is a crap shoot. Some LAN's the rooms are booked months in advance. Some LAN's they are not. It all depends if there are other conventions in town. Last time I think it was some big high school volleyball tournament or something. Place sold out like hotcakes.

astromech_kuhns wrote:

im sure ill have more questions later, and thanks in advance for any replies im pretty excited about this!!!! Woot Woot!

EDIT: My PSU is a 750W PSU, and i read in the rules before registering (havent registered yet....) that you can have a PSU over 550W, does that really mean i have to purchase and install a seperate PSU to attend?

See my comment above. If you max out your system and you are only using 400w, you are good to go. If you are approaching 650W, I would look at getting another seat, not switching to a smaller PSU.

astromech_kuhns wrote:

also, im 17 so do i need to bring a separate waiver that i print out because im a minor, or do i have to actually bring my parent to sign it on the spot?

I'll leave this question to Vector. I know there is a parental waiver, but I don't know if your parents have to show up and sign it.

Vector wrote:

One correction to Cyber: The space is the same as a normal LAN on your table. 3 Feet x 30 Inches. I did do 4 feet once for a few of the group seats, but I can not guarantee that each time.

Opps, that was a typo. I corrected it.

I thought i had read somewhere that i couldnt have any PSU beyond 550W plugged in even. but yeah i will see about buying a cheap one and checking how many watts i am using then. im sure its not much im running a computer with 8 fans and nothing is over clocked.

as far as the space question it just seems if there was less people it wouldnt be so computer to computer and you would have a bit more room between you and your neighbor

Thanks for all the questions! i will continue with registration then!

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Kolton Kuhns

astromech_kuhns wrote:

as far as the space question it just seems if there was less people it wouldnt be so computer to computer and you would have a bit more room between you and your neighbor

ok, and vector, i dont have to bring an adult with me just the signed waiver correct?

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Kolton Kuhns

astromech_kuhns wrote:

I thought i had read somewhere that i couldnt have any PSU beyond 550W plugged in even. but yeah i will see about buying a cheap one and checking how many watts i am using then. im sure its not much im running a computer with 8 fans and nothing is over clocked.

as far as the space question it just seems if there was less people it wouldnt be so computer to computer and you would have a bit more room between you and your neighbor

Thanks for all the questions! i will continue with registration then!

The FAQ says 600W, and is here: http://www.pdxlan.net/portland/content/view/78/45/ but like it says, most typical users will not draw over 650W. Keep in mind this is your "typical" user, not Darth Beavis's monster computers, nor a Danger Den quad SLI setup.

Another thing you can do, is "buddy up". You and a buddy pay for three seats, then share the middle space and the split wattage. I've done that before and it's nice to have the extra room and not worry about tripping any breakers.

The "extra" space you refer to is typically between tables, not at the table itself. Just because we have less people, doesn't mean the tables get longer. ...and yes, sometimes Vector will make this work, don't ask me how. "Vector" - a quantity possessing both magnitude and direction, represented by an arrow the direction of which indicates the direction of the quantity and the length of which is proportional to the magnitude. Somehow that equals table space.

This is will be your first PDXLAN so Welcome!

Have fun and frag hard! (That's our motto, ain't it? I'm getting old so it's hard to remember.)

I will have fun and frag hard!!!!

One last question....... Are the tables closest to the stage and staff area better, or are the ones in the back better? Very Happy

like tables 7 and 14 or tables 1 and 8? i would assume 7 and 14.

EDIT: Nevermind, i found out how the system works and found which seats were the better ones :p

I will be in seat 10 M

Thanks guys for all your help and answers! See you all at PDXLAN 18.5! Have fun, Frag hard!

_________________
MTFBWY
MTGBWY

Kolton Kuhns

Don't forget your copy of bf3 Very Happy

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Jeromy L.
LAN 16.5, 17, 18.5, 19 & soon 20.5

I7-2600k, 16gb 1600mh g.skill ripjaw blue, asus sabertooth p67, 2x 120gb Mushkin ssds in raid 0, 500gb Seagate, 1tb Seagate, 1.5 tb Seagate, evga gtx 480, Corsair H80 in a Azza hurrican 2000

I will go buy a copy of it....... i dont have many games yet.

_________________
MTFBWY
MTGBWY

Kolton Kuhns

It comes out oct 25th

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Jeromy L.
LAN 16.5, 17, 18.5, 19 & soon 20.5

I7-2600k, 16gb 1600mh g.skill ripjaw blue, asus sabertooth p67, 2x 120gb Mushkin ssds in raid 0, 500gb Seagate, 1tb Seagate, 1.5 tb Seagate, evga gtx 480, Corsair H80 in a Azza hurrican 2000

CyberCrist wrote:

Keep in mind this is your "typical" user, not Darth Beavis's monster computers, nor a Danger Den quad SLI setup.

lmao

astromech_kuhns wrote:

IAre the tables closest to the stage and staff area better

We tend to leak awesome, so as long as you're prepared with your poncho (Coming in contact with too much of said awesome has been known to cause localized awesplosions) and have good headphones (Some of us get very enthusiastic about our gaming) mean you will have a much better time...

Unless you frag one of us, which means you are closer to get stuff thrown, flown or shot at you.

astromech_kuhns wrote:

ok, and vector, i dont have to bring an adult with me just the signed waiver correct?

teh0mega wrote:

astromech_kuhns wrote:

IAre the tables closest to the stage and staff area better

We tend to leak awesome, so as long as you're prepared with your poncho (Coming in contact with too much of said awesome has been known to cause localized awesplosions) and have good headphones (Some of us get very enthusiastic about our gaming) mean you will have a much better time...

Unless you frag one of us, which means you are closer to get stuff thrown, flown or shot at you.

What ever you "leak" ... please don't get any on me. Ewww.

for the killawatt thing depending on where you are hailing from some libraries have them. if you are in the metro area you can also use mine

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CyberCrist wrote:

teh0mega wrote:

astromech_kuhns wrote:

IAre the tables closest to the stage and staff area better

We tend to leak awesome, so as long as you're prepared with your poncho (Coming in contact with too much of said awesome has been known to cause localized awesplosions) and have good headphones (Some of us get very enthusiastic about our gaming) mean you will have a much better time...

Unless you frag one of us, which means you are closer to get stuff thrown, flown or shot at you.

What ever you "leak" ... please don't get any on me. Ewww.

Exude? Better word? Hmm... Depending on the food given to volunteers, we definitely could most possibly even vent awesome.

It's "probably" a safe bet that if you are unsure if you're rig draws more than 650 watts then it probably doesn't. I've got a decent high-ish end rig (I think, at least it was!) and at load I'm pulling maybe 450-500 watts. You really need to have an EE proc, SLI, and/or multiple HDDs to get those higher numbers... once you add a second GPU, or multiple HDDs it jumps up very quick.

You're probably OK - but it's better safe than sorry. Keep in mind that unless I'm mistaken your monitor is going to be pulling from your 650watt allowance, too so if you're cutting it close than you might consider your options.

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Intel i7-950 | 6GB Crucial Smart Tracer | nVidia/eVGA GTX-570 SOC | Asus Rampage III Gene | Crucial RealSSD C300 128GB SSD | OCZ 700watt ModXtreme | DangerDen Custom Tower 16

The staff will beat you with red vines if you make us get out of our chairs by causing power problems.

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DOTA!!!!!!!