Alright I know it's been a month and I haven't seen any activity on the site. So I am posting this due to the announcement Drupi sent. I want to know what problems we are facing in the future and how to keep this running. Granted I don't have the greatest machine for running games but it's a tradition now in my oppinion and like many other lan parties and even gaming events that have folded due to stress and lack of management/attendance and I would hate to see it happen to Wichita Lan Party.

So, The question I ask is this: What problems are we facing and how can I/WE help?

Hello Desolate,

To you and the rest of the WLP community, the issues at hand are these,

Some of the staff myself included are leaving for college, that being said, we need new people to step up and help with administrative roles. Drupi doesn't mind being the adult and keeping things looking legit, but he doesn't have the time to work the whole show.

Now all that being said, here is the largest issue. We have been having lowering attendance numbers. I know a large portion of this has to do with the economy of gaming, PCs are fading into the background right now, as they have in the past, when a console comes out that comes close to providing a similar level of performance. The other issue comes with our price point. I do not mean to jab, but other systems for funding LANS involves the admins to pay for the expense as well as give their time. This is very stressful for the administration. We have long established that we do not support such a system.

As I talk to gamers, which seem to be fewer all the time, the issue comes up that they don't have the money or the interest in LAN unless there is a hefty pot for the winners.

It has hurt WLP immensely that MindScapes changed roles to a non-profit because that changed the playing field concerning our ability to host events.

In summary we need the following three things,

-New Staff
-Increased Attendance
-A location that fulfills the requirements

Personally I have long seen this struggle as the the computer gaming industry has struggled in Wichita for years, with many gaming centers having closed and gone.

We are working very hard to replenish WLP and set our system in motion. I hope everyone keeps coming to the website, and for those wanting something to do, find and recruit people to come out and play. Pull out that copy of UT2000 and play with your friends, and have a party of it.

I wish you all well, and hope to see you all at the next Lan Party!

-SciManAl
-WLP Event Coordinator

I wish you all the best in finding someone to lead your group. Gaming in general is taking a step back as many face some hard times with the economy. Our games have been far and few in quality so much so that we can't find any to add to the lineup. Thus people get tired of playing the same old games.

Several of the discussions I get into are getting the same response from other LAN groups across the country. This makes it seem not so bad after you hear someone else talking about low attendance at events, less chatter on forums, and sponsors not supporting events like before. Our LAN group is even taking a beating the last few and we struggle with keeping things going.

Finding someone to take the lead is hard and its not an easy thing for anyone to take on. Drupi stepped in around the time we started talking and I know he has struggled with keeping things going. Family life is compromised when you have things coming up on a daily basis. So whoever you find has to be well grounded. Good luck and I hope things work out!

So many of you are wondering about the future of WLP still... here is my thoughts on the whole thing. like dd said we are facing a nasty downturn in LAN gaming due to many factors including the economy, the Proliferation of extremely fast internet, the notion that all LAN's should have big cash prizes, and more and more sponsors walking away from sponsoring events. Not to mention the cost of Venue space continuing to rise in price.

I think WLP is going to go one of 3 routes and it all depends on peoples feedback here...

1. WLP is finished as a LAN and we move to more of an online type tournament event. (We still have our Server in KC!)

2. we move the event to a Once a year type of event and spread it over 3 days (Kinda like Mid-West LAN War but on a larger scale). Make it more worth our time and Sponsors Time.

3. We just end WLP and everyone walks away knowing we tried our damnedest to make a successful event for almost a decade.

Now with the fact the I need to step down as leader of WLP; My time over the last year has become extremely limited and I can only be pulled so many ways. While I would like to continue to run this event I can't afford to run myself this thin, my family and my education are far more important then any LAN party or any other type of event. My Gaming over the last 3 or 4 months has even taken a toll, when you look at my machine I have all my steam apps loaded but that's it. I've been more worried about my software for school and Vista 64bit Support then gaming and LAN Parties.

Heck my few friends haven't even really seen me due to my work/school schedule, and only recently I have paid nimda a visit at his home to just hang out and BS.

3tek has offered to take over the event for me and I am going to be discussing it with Nimda next weekend when I have some free time. if nimda and I both come to agreement on this then I will announce it on the site and then step away as the Leader of WLP...

Yeah expect some news everyone this weekend about the whole situation. Staff will be getting together to make some decisions on these things.

Ok everybody,


This is somewhat informal, I will make something concrete and post it on the front page, but here is a summary.


WLP will Try to maintain its 4 times a year and lower the costs to $10 or less, provided that we can find a steady location that will not change for any foreseeable reason. We will be forced to lower the event count if a location cannot be found.

We want to establish a presence somewhere, and our top staffers are calling and banging down doors looking. If you feel like helping, feel free to call around, just leave the banging down doors to WLP Staff, email This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it with any findings!

Info to find out
Legal Capacity
Power Available
Network?
Cost

We are searching for a location with low cost, and capacity for a minimum of 60 people with the ability to handle 120 being more preferable.

Staff de_script_ions are going to be posted on the new site so everyone knows clearly who is who and does what, but At This Moment, Drupi will step down from being sole head of the group, and will Share this responsibility in a very Justice League _style_ management with Nimda, and 3Tek.

There are more particulars than that, but it will come soon.

Sciman, will be working on things remotely, and will be contributing to the online presence for WLP. Everyone can come to expect to find everything from Game Reviews, to other important news on the site. Site Maintenance will also be upheld by Sciman, and possibly upkeep of GameServers(perhaps just online ones, still talking this out)


WLP will remain Active, we are not going away, we will be however working closer with our fellow Lan Groups to help stimulate the gaming community at large in Wichita and the surrounding area.

We are also selling Network Switches, because well, we want Gigabit Switches! If I need to get that personal backup DVD disc I gave to Nimda back, what better way than transfer it but over Gigabit Speed!

More news on this soon, but if anyone knows anyone in need of High Grade Cisco 100_base_ Networking Gear (Very Fair Prices) Email This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it


There is a ton more we talked about, but feel free to Post in regards to this any comments suggestions etc...

I will follow this up with allot more detail, but at the moment know that WLP will not die this time around!