GameCon
The GameCon - the network camp (from English "game" for game and " convention " for meeting) was a LAN party in the broader sense that took place regularly two or four times a year from 1996 to 2007, and sporadically thereafter, sometimes lasting several weeks In addition to competitions in or joint participation in computer games , the participants also held workshops and formed a temporary community in Heide . All GameCons were held during the holidays and organized and carried out by volunteer volunteers. GameCon was a long-time guest at the Heider Werner-Heisenberg-Gymnasium .
history
Between 1990 and 1996 Martin Frahm organized private LAN parties, where mainly Midimaze was played on Atari STs - and then moved to the old pastorate during the 1996 summer vacation . At this first GameCon about 60 people took part, with the now established personal computers were u. a. played the first Warcraft . Due to the large number of participants, the Friedrichstadt secondary school was switched to in autumn , and the first event took place in the Werner-Heisenberg-Gymnasium (WHG) between December 25 and 31, 1996 . A local area network was set up there using a BNC network and n @ work was used to connect to the Internet for the school and GameCon.
Up to 1999 there were four GameCons per year, corresponding to the holidays in spring, summer, autumn and winter, from summer 1999 onwards the autumn and after 2000 also the spring GameCons were dispensed with due to the increased administrative and organizational effort. For the first time, more than 400 participants were present at the last Spring GameCon.
GameCon eV founded
On March 31, 2002, the non-profit registered association "GameCon eV" was founded. The purpose of the association is:
“Promotion and education of young people and [...] interested parties in the field of new media and information technologies.
To train members and non-members in the planning and implementation of events in the field of local computer networking [...].
Creation of a forum for like-minded, computer enthusiastic people. The purpose is to promote communication and especially cooperation among young people in this area. "
Technical development
BNC network technology was used until 1997 , from then on 10 megabits per second (Mb / s) and later 100 Mb / s Ethernet was used. After a simple ISDN line offered connection to the Internet in 1996 , thirty double lines were connected for the subscribers in 2000, followed in winter 2002 by 2.3 Mb / s, then 4.6 Mb / s ADSL , later SDSL , each with a modern Internet bandwidth -Connection.
Expansion of the Werner-Heisenberg-Gymnasium
Since the number of participants was regularly between three and four hundred people, who often came with several computers and servers , as well as camping equipment, the capacity of the school's electricity network was exceeded several times . In addition, networking the computers required a lot of cables which, due to the structure of the building , had to be laid across the hallways in classrooms . During the Easter holidays 2001, the outbuilding of the Werner-Heisenberg-Gymnasium was equipped with sufficient technical infrastructure by volunteers . In addition to high-voltage current and appropriate fuses, a server cabinet and patch panel were installed.
Failure in 2002
After the rampage in Erfurt in 2002, the public led a heated and controversial debate about the role of first- person shooters and their effects on adolescents and young people , the term killer game was coined. In order to avoid damage to the reputation or other negative effects of the host school, the school director Harri Heise withdrew the permit once and had the event assessed by the Schleswig-Holstein Ministry of Education . An alternative venue was not considered, as the short period of time did not allow for rescheduling and the necessary infrastructure outside was not available.
Tournaments and workshops, supporting program
- Tournaments
- In addition to the entire range of multi - player and single-player computer games, a 24- hour Live for Speed race with teams, which often corresponded to the individual classrooms, was held or blobby volley was played. The connection to the Electronic Sports League was rejected.
- Workshops
- In addition to workshops and courses on information technology topics , such as geometric modeling , video editing or fli4l and PHP , there were also offers on karate and live role-playing or case modding .
- Supporting program
- The committed community organized excursions, for example to Cebit or karting , organized football and volleyball tournaments or barbecues . By Beamer has been Gymnasium school regularly for digital cinema .
Protection of minors
Due to the young participants, who were under 16, sometimes 12 years old, youth leaders monitored their sleep hygiene , there was a reporting system about sleeping times and separate relaxation rooms. Interested parties who were not of legal age could only participate through an educational assignment.
Financing and sponsorship
GameCon was non-profit and not for profit . The school sponsor provided the premises free of charge, purchases were financed on a pay-as-you-go basis or borne by private individuals ; after the registered association was founded, it was entrusted with the administration of the funds and material resources.
The company Acer provided hardware , and in some cases material prizes or services were provided by third parties.
According to the WHG
Since 2008, the GameCon has taken place in various places in Schleswig-Holstein with a reduced duration, irregularly and with fewer participants.
See also
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b TV report: All schools are in deep sleep? One not - Halligalli in the Werner-Heisenberg-Gymnasium , Sat.1 , summer 2000.
- ^ Nicolas Gemsjäger: Lan-Party versus Netzwerkcamp , Norddeutscher Rundfunk - Website, May 9, 2005.
- ↑ gamecon.de/satzung , gamecon.de - official website. Retrieved August 14, 2014.
- ↑ GameCon - History , gamecon.de. Retrieved August 12, 2014.
- ↑ a b Jörg Jacobsen: Fear for the good reputation - “GameCon” in the WHG canceled - 500 young people are disappointed , Dithmarscher Landeszeitung , July 2002.
- ↑ a b TV report: The WLAN party on Werner-Heisenberg-Ring , n-tv , June 11, 2003.
- ↑ gamecon.de/gc-2004 gamecon.de - entry for the summer 2004 event .
- ↑ a b avb : Big tournament of screen strategists , Dithmarscher Landeszeitung , May 2, 2005.