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Toronto LAN Possibilities?
1
#1
0 Frags +

Hi,

I haven't been active here for quite a while, but when I was active, there was talk about a possible TF2 LAN in Toronto.

Knowing the logistics & costs of running a LAN or any kind of event in the first place, I don't expect to make any promises; However, I do work for a university that has amenities that they usually rent to faculty, staff & even the general public. We have access to many facilities including lecture halls, auditoriums, a cafeteria, & event/banquet halls (around 1885 sq ft) that are rented out to various clients. We even have room & boarding in the form of student residences (these are only available when classes are not in session, typically only during the summer term).

We are located in the heart of Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. We have hotels, public transit & parking all accessible within minutes of our facilities. Ontario is right at the border of the US & is surrounded by the Great Lakes.

This is a pipe dream, but this community has been very welcoming to me before, but I'm not one to deal with the logistics of event management. If someone would like to partake in a possible project like this; I'll do my best to pass you on to the right person for the right price. I do expect a modicum of maturity from all parties involved & to the patrons if such an event does take place. I know most of you can behave yourselves, but I'd be terrified if slurs & drama were thrown out at an event like this where I vouched for such an event lol.

Please let me know if this is an impossible dream, or if this could happen. TF2 is an amazing game that deserves a good LAN or more every year.

I know COVID-19 has put everything to a halt, but I'd be happy to see something like this happen in 2021 or 2022!

Thank you for taking the time to read this.

Hi,

I haven't been active here for quite a while, but when I was active, there was talk about a possible TF2 LAN in Toronto.

Knowing the logistics & costs of running a LAN or any kind of event in the first place, I don't expect to make any promises; However, I do work for a university that has amenities that they usually rent to faculty, staff & even the general public. We have access to many facilities including lecture halls, auditoriums, a cafeteria, & event/banquet halls (around 1885 sq ft) that are rented out to various clients. We even have room & boarding in the form of student residences (these are only available when classes are not in session, typically only during the summer term).

We are located in the heart of Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. We have hotels, public transit & parking all accessible within minutes of our facilities. Ontario is right at the border of the US & is surrounded by the Great Lakes.

This is a pipe dream, but this community has been very welcoming to me before, but I'm not one to deal with the logistics of event management. If someone would like to partake in a possible project like this; I'll do my best to pass you on to the right person for the right price. I do expect a modicum of maturity from all parties involved & to the patrons if such an event does take place. I know most of you can behave yourselves, but I'd be terrified if slurs & drama were thrown out at an event like this where I vouched for such an event lol.

Please let me know if this is an impossible dream, or if this could happen. TF2 is an amazing game that deserves a good LAN or more every year.

I know COVID-19 has put everything to a halt, but I'd be happy to see something like this happen in 2021 or 2022!

Thank you for taking the time to read this.
2
#2
0 Frags +

is this a revival of that sidular lan joint or is this being done independently of that

is this a revival of that sidular lan joint or is this being done independently of that
3
#3
0 Frags +
bleghfarecis this a revival of that sidular lan joint or is this being done independently of that

I'm not affiliated with any previous LANs, it's been so long I don't even know what that is oof :(

[quote=bleghfarec]is this a revival of that sidular lan joint or is this being done independently of that[/quote]

I'm not affiliated with any previous LANs, it's been so long I don't even know what that is oof :(
4
#4
12 Frags +

Having visited Toronto a lot I think it is an absolutely beautiful city and would be a great place to LAN in terms of things to do outside of game, nice city/not a ton of crime, places to eat, afterparty spots, etc. as well as the relative closeness to east coast gamers and the decent population of TF2 players in Ontario.

The main issue however is that the majority of TF2's NA playerbase is located in the United States, and I'd wager a guess that the majority of players simply don't have a passport (or enhanced license in the case of my fellow New Yorkers) so logistically speaking that adds another 2 months of waiting and 150 dollars of cost into many player's already tight LAN budgets.

Feel free to reach out to me if you want organizing help, just not sure if it'll have enough of a draw for US players. I know back in the day LAN ETS was a thing in Quebec that had TF2 at some point, so maybe I'm wrong or ignorant, just see that being a large road block.

Having visited Toronto a lot I think it is an absolutely beautiful city and would be a great place to LAN in terms of things to do outside of game, nice city/not a ton of crime, places to eat, afterparty spots, etc. as well as the relative closeness to east coast gamers and the decent population of TF2 players in Ontario.

The main issue however is that the majority of TF2's NA playerbase is located in the United States, and I'd wager a guess that the majority of players simply don't have a passport (or enhanced license in the case of my fellow New Yorkers) so logistically speaking that adds another 2 months of waiting and 150 dollars of cost into many player's already tight LAN budgets.

Feel free to reach out to me if you want organizing help, just not sure if it'll have enough of a draw for US players. I know back in the day LAN ETS was a thing in Quebec that had TF2 at some point, so maybe I'm wrong or ignorant, just see that being a large road block.
5
#5
4 Frags +

.

.
6
#6
4 Frags +

A lan I can acc attend to, and we the most recent NBA champs

The future is now old man

Also as mentioned above, Toronto is really nice, lots of sick food joints, stores, sight seeing, and many more side activities to keep u busy

Best of all the kush here better than Cali kush, argue wit your moms not me

A lan I can acc attend to, and we the most recent NBA champs

The future is now old man

Also as mentioned above, Toronto is really nice, lots of sick food joints, stores, sight seeing, and many more side activities to keep u busy

Best of all the kush here better than Cali kush, argue wit your moms not me
7
#7
eXtelevision
1 Frags +

Toronto would be a great place for a LAN and definitely collaborating with a college could provide the community with a great venue.

Like Kevin Garnet said, anything is possible.

Start with something small and manageable, build your way up.

Toronto would be a great place for a LAN and definitely collaborating with a college could provide the community with a great venue.

Like Kevin Garnet said, anything is possible.

Start with something small and manageable, build your way up.
8
#8
0 Frags +

Thanks for the input & feedback. I'm trying to estimate & outline the costs in my head.

If it's a smaller group, get-together rather than a fully-equipped LAN, I could try & secure a smaller hall, but it will only accommodate around 30 people comfortably before we run out of space to comfortably sit & hang around.

I think BYOC would probably make it ultimately more simple if that were the case. I could also ask a friend to bring a Nintendo Switch if anyone would like to play Smash Bros or any other games on a projector in addition to the 6v6 LAN format. I would also need help setting up a dedicated server for the LAN so I need to figure out how I'm going to make that happen.

Ultimately, I'd need to see a show of hands of who's actually committed to making this happen before I actually start playing my cards, but with COVID-19 there's an ample amount of time to kinda see who's interested & who isn't.

I'm happy to see there's a good initial reaction to a future event like this. I'll try & keep you guys posted on this thread for any future updates.

Thanks for the input & feedback. I'm trying to estimate & outline the costs in my head.

If it's a smaller group, get-together rather than a fully-equipped LAN, I could try & secure a smaller hall, but it will only accommodate around 30 people comfortably before we run out of space to comfortably sit & hang around.

I think BYOC would probably make it ultimately more simple if that were the case. I could also ask a friend to bring a Nintendo Switch if anyone would like to play Smash Bros or any other games on a projector in addition to the 6v6 LAN format. I would also need help setting up a dedicated server for the LAN so I need to figure out how I'm going to make that happen.

Ultimately, I'd need to see a show of hands of who's actually committed to making this happen before I actually start playing my cards, but with COVID-19 there's an ample amount of time to kinda see who's interested & who isn't.

I'm happy to see there's a good initial reaction to a future event like this. I'll try & keep you guys posted on this thread for any future updates.
9
#9
8 Frags +

Been waiting for a Toronto LAN for a while now, I’ve never been to a LAN and don’t really have an interest in travelling to the US for one. Who cares if it doesn’t draw many American players. A small LAN with mostly Canadians would be super fun.

I’m in.

Been waiting for a Toronto LAN for a while now, I’ve never been to a LAN and don’t really have an interest in travelling to the US for one. Who cares if it doesn’t draw many American players. A small LAN with mostly Canadians would be super fun.

I’m in.
10
#10
4 Frags +

Id find a way to make it out, and try and convince as many people as I could to. Toronto is a great city, and I'm sure with the right crew running the LAN you could convince some invite teams to arrive.

Id find a way to make it out, and try and convince as many people as I could to. Toronto is a great city, and I'm sure with the right crew running the LAN you could convince some invite teams to arrive.
11
#11
2 Frags +

I'd go.

I'd go.
12
#12
0 Frags +

.

.
13
#13
3 Frags +

might fuck around and dust off the passport

instead of wearing pats gear in eagles country i can wear bruins gear in leafs territory

heres to hoping a french canadian doesnt kill this one

might fuck around and dust off the passport

instead of wearing pats gear in eagles country i can wear bruins gear in leafs territory

heres to hoping a french canadian doesnt kill this one
14
#14
15 Frags +
Gritomaheres to hoping a french canadian doesnt kill this one

alfa is romanian

[quote=Gritoma]heres to hoping a french canadian doesnt kill this one[/quote]

alfa is romanian
15
#15
0 Frags +

bawtyman

bawtyman
16
#16
4 Frags +

About 5-6 years ago a player named Hidi (who Ive forwarded this thread to) hosted 2 small events at the new defunct Hunter and Lucas in North York. I attended the second event and I would say it went fairly well. There were 3 teams that played and everything went pretty smoothly. I definitely think a Toronto LAN could work and have decent attendance given enough time for people to make plans and get passports for the US players.

About 5-6 years ago a player named Hidi (who Ive forwarded this thread to) hosted 2 small events at the new defunct Hunter and Lucas in North York. I attended the second event and I would say it went fairly well. There were 3 teams that played and everything went pretty smoothly. I definitely think a Toronto LAN could work and have decent attendance given enough time for people to make plans and get passports for the US players.
17
#17
9 Frags +

Hi

I set up a thread eons ago on basically the same topic: https://www.teamfortress.tv/34946/future-toronto-lans-discussion

My takeaways from that thread and general feedback and reception of the little LANs at Hunter & Lucas were:

  • Ideally a LAN should be a mixed BYOC-PC rental setup
  • Do we want small LANs that could potentially happen more often, or go big?
  • If we want a BYOC event, we need a venue where we can use the venue's LAN
  • Picking a date in advance, what time of year is most optimal for people?

Personal life bullshit at the time aside, I also didn't want to organize another LAN unless I could resolve some of the suggestions people put forward, the big one being having a BYOC option. During that time, Hunter & Lucas closed, obviously losing that as a venue option.

I inquired at Raiders eSports (Now called Hive) some time ago. Their gaming space offered the best compromise of PC rentals, space for people to hang out, eat, drink, and place computers. However when I had inquired, they had discontinued allowing BYOC events. Now that they have renamed/restructured, there's a vague possibility that may have changed.

I visited Meltdown eSports bar around that time as well. The advantage to that space is that it's modular and they're okay with you moving furniture around to make things happen. I can't remember if the PCs they had were rent-able, but BYOC I assume would be possible. I didn't pursue further because the space would be hard pressed to fit more than 12 PCs comfortably in that space.

There's now Ministry of Game on Wilson near the 400, however I haven't contacted them nor have I visited so I do not know if that would be appropriate for our needs. Anyone been?

I spoke the LAN organizer at OCN about organizing LANs in Toronto. The issue they've run into while organizing LANs is that one can't simply call Rogers or Bell for internet for a weekend without forking out thousands of dollars; not feasible for a local event.

Outside of dedicated event spaces, which are very costly especially in Toronto, the next option would be a church's hall. Now, while one could secure a church accessible via TTC and with decent parking, does anyone know the logistics of hooking up a cluster 20-40 PCs? Would we have to rent a generator, or would a room with enough plugs on different circuits be sufficient?

Gritomainstead of wearing pats gear in eagles country i can wear bruins gear in leafs territory

Nobody in Toronto will bat an eye, we're too nice. :)

bleghfarecis this a revival of that sidular lan joint or is this being done independently of that

Is Sidular still active in TF2?

Hi

I set up a thread eons ago on basically the same topic: https://www.teamfortress.tv/34946/future-toronto-lans-discussion

My takeaways from that thread and general feedback and reception of the little LANs at Hunter & Lucas were:
[list]
[*] Ideally a LAN should be a mixed BYOC-PC rental setup
[*] Do we want small LANs that could potentially happen more often, or go big?
[*] If we want a BYOC event, we need a venue where we can use the venue's LAN
[*]Picking a date in advance, what time of year is most optimal for people?
[/list]

Personal life bullshit at the time aside, I also didn't want to organize another LAN unless I could resolve some of the suggestions people put forward, the big one being having a BYOC option. During that time, Hunter & Lucas closed, obviously losing that as a venue option.

I inquired at Raiders eSports (Now called Hive) some time ago. Their gaming space offered the best compromise of PC rentals, space for people to hang out, eat, drink, and place computers. However when I had inquired, they had discontinued allowing BYOC events. Now that they have renamed/restructured, there's a vague possibility that may have changed.

I visited Meltdown eSports bar around that time as well. The advantage to that space is that it's modular and they're okay with you moving furniture around to make things happen. I can't remember if the PCs they had were rent-able, but BYOC I assume would be possible. I didn't pursue further because the space would be hard pressed to fit more than 12 PCs comfortably in that space.

There's now Ministry of Game on Wilson near the 400, however I haven't contacted them nor have I visited so I do not know if that would be appropriate for our needs. Anyone been?

I spoke the LAN organizer at OCN about organizing LANs in Toronto. The issue they've run into while organizing LANs is that one can't simply call Rogers or Bell for internet for a weekend without forking out thousands of dollars; not feasible for a local event.

Outside of dedicated event spaces, which are very costly especially in Toronto, the next option would be a church's hall. Now, while one could secure a church accessible via TTC and with decent parking, does anyone know the logistics of hooking up a cluster 20-40 PCs? Would we have to rent a generator, or would a room with enough plugs on different circuits be sufficient?

[quote=Gritoma]
instead of wearing pats gear in eagles country i can wear bruins gear in leafs territory
[/quote]

Nobody in Toronto will bat an eye, we're too nice. :)

[quote=bleghfarec]is this a revival of that sidular lan joint or is this being done independently of that[/quote]

Is Sidular still active in TF2?
18
#18
9 Frags +

If you’re looking for people to help you run the event I am not playing anymore but located in Toronto and more than willing to help you manage a tournament or whatever you have planned if this comes to fruition

If you’re looking for people to help you run the event I am not playing anymore but located in Toronto and more than willing to help you manage a tournament or whatever you have planned if this comes to fruition
19
#19
10 Frags +

dude I would love a canada lan. also I think you would be surprised at how many US gamers would be willing to make the trip but maybe I'm being too optimistic.

I definitely think you would need rentals of some sort. I'm from NS and I'd probably want to fly + flying with a computer is a mess.

dude I would love a canada lan. also I think you would be surprised at how many US gamers would be willing to make the trip but maybe I'm being too optimistic.

I definitely think you would need rentals of some sort. I'm from NS and I'd probably want to fly + flying with a computer is a mess.
20
#20
2 Frags +
HidiThere's now Ministry of Game on Wilson near the 400, however I haven't contacted them nor have I visited so I do not know if that would be appropriate for our needs. Anyone been?

one of my friends has been there/talked to them before. he said they're pretty cool. might be worth looking into

[quote=Hidi]There's now Ministry of Game on Wilson near the 400, however I haven't contacted them nor have I visited so I do not know if that would be appropriate for our needs. Anyone been?[/quote]
one of my friends has been there/talked to them before. he said they're pretty cool. might be worth looking into
21
#21
7 Frags +
zandaHidiThere's now Ministry of Game on Wilson near the 400, however I haven't contacted them nor have I visited so I do not know if that would be appropriate for our needs. Anyone been?one of my friends has been there/talked to them before. he said they're pretty cool. might be worth looking into

Mentioned this to Hidi but Waves Gaming is another pretty good venue, worked a CS event there in the past and their staff are pretty great, have space and PCs for plenty of players, and have a really good scalable broadcast setup if we want to have games casted (there's a nice spectator area in front of the stage with a projection screen just above the stage).

Bonus points for it being accessible via public transport

[quote=zanda][quote=Hidi]There's now Ministry of Game on Wilson near the 400, however I haven't contacted them nor have I visited so I do not know if that would be appropriate for our needs. Anyone been?[/quote]
one of my friends has been there/talked to them before. he said they're pretty cool. might be worth looking into[/quote]
Mentioned this to Hidi but Waves Gaming is another pretty good venue, worked a CS event there in the past and their staff are pretty great, have space and PCs for plenty of players, and have a really good scalable broadcast setup if we want to have games casted (there's a nice spectator area in front of the stage with a projection screen just above the stage).

Bonus points for it being accessible via public transport
22
#22
9 Frags +

So, someone actually messaged me about this a month back; thought it was only fair to give an update for all those who still are interested.

In a Post-Covid Odyssey, I'd still want to see this through. I'd probably go out & get people fancy stickers for attending lol.

The option of renting out a conference hall is still there; but I'd have to probably figure out the receptacle load & find out if I need to bring in some trip hazards &/or plug into other outlets from other receptacles outside the conference room. Then I would have to figure out the networking & setup the LAN Server; which is absolutely not my forte.

The best easy option would to rent out a gaming lounge or internet cafe. I'd have to figure out who survived the great small business depression. Most places I've been to have around 20-30 PCs? TF2 isn't as hard to run (unless it really dropped in optimization since I've played).

Any thoughts or tips just post & I'll try to get an answer for you or somebody smarter than me can chime in!

So, someone actually messaged me about this a month back; thought it was only fair to give an update for all those who still are interested.

In a Post-Covid Odyssey, I'd still want to see this through. I'd probably go out & get people fancy stickers for attending lol.

The option of renting out a conference hall is still there; but I'd have to probably figure out the receptacle load & find out if I need to bring in some trip hazards &/or plug into other outlets from other receptacles outside the conference room. Then I would have to figure out the networking & setup the LAN Server; which is absolutely not my forte.

The best easy option would to rent out a gaming lounge or internet cafe. I'd have to figure out who survived the great small business depression. Most places I've been to have around 20-30 PCs? TF2 isn't as hard to run (unless it really dropped in optimization since I've played).

Any thoughts or tips just post & I'll try to get an answer for you or somebody smarter than me can chime in!
23
#23
7 Frags +
StanislavHi,

I haven't been active here for quite a while, but when I was active, there was talk about a possible TF2 LAN in Toronto.

Knowing the logistics & costs of running a LAN or any kind of event in the first place, I don't expect to make any promises; However, I do work for a university that has amenities that they usually rent to faculty, staff & even the general public. We have access to many facilities including lecture halls, auditoriums, a cafeteria, & event/banquet halls (around 1885 sq ft) that are rented out to various clients. We even have room & boarding in the form of student residences (these are only available when classes are not in session, typically only during the summer term).

We are located in the heart of Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. We have hotels, public transit & parking all accessible within minutes of our facilities. Ontario is right at the border of the US & is surrounded by the Great Lakes.

This is a pipe dream, but this community has been very welcoming to me before, but I'm not one to deal with the logistics of event management. If someone would like to partake in a possible project like this; I'll do my best to pass you on to the right person for the right price. I do expect a modicum of maturity from all parties involved & to the patrons if such an event does take place. I know most of you can behave yourselves, but I'd be terrified if slurs & drama were thrown out at an event like this where I vouched for such an event lol.

Please let me know if this is an impossible dream, or if this could happen. TF2 is an amazing game that deserves a good LAN or more every year.

I know COVID-19 has put everything to a halt, but I'd be happy to see something like this happen in 2021 or 2022!

Thank you for taking the time to read this.

please toronto lan so i can drive there in 20 minutes

[quote=Stanislav]Hi,

I haven't been active here for quite a while, but when I was active, there was talk about a possible TF2 LAN in Toronto.

Knowing the logistics & costs of running a LAN or any kind of event in the first place, I don't expect to make any promises; However, I do work for a university that has amenities that they usually rent to faculty, staff & even the general public. We have access to many facilities including lecture halls, auditoriums, a cafeteria, & event/banquet halls (around 1885 sq ft) that are rented out to various clients. We even have room & boarding in the form of student residences (these are only available when classes are not in session, typically only during the summer term).

We are located in the heart of Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. We have hotels, public transit & parking all accessible within minutes of our facilities. Ontario is right at the border of the US & is surrounded by the Great Lakes.

This is a pipe dream, but this community has been very welcoming to me before, but I'm not one to deal with the logistics of event management. If someone would like to partake in a possible project like this; I'll do my best to pass you on to the right person for the right price. I do expect a modicum of maturity from all parties involved & to the patrons if such an event does take place. I know most of you can behave yourselves, but I'd be terrified if slurs & drama were thrown out at an event like this where I vouched for such an event lol.

Please let me know if this is an impossible dream, or if this could happen. TF2 is an amazing game that deserves a good LAN or more every year.

I know COVID-19 has put everything to a halt, but I'd be happy to see something like this happen in 2021 or 2022!

Thank you for taking the time to read this.[/quote]
please toronto lan so i can drive there in 20 minutes
24
#24
-1 Frags +

I am 100% in support of this event taking place, Toronto is just a good spot to do it and I'd finally get to meet my tf2 friends in person lol. I've never run an event like this before so I have no qualifications but I would definitely be willing to give up some of my time to do any grunt work necessary to get this thing out of the planning stage.

I am 100% in support of this event taking place, Toronto is just a good spot to do it and I'd finally get to meet my tf2 friends in person lol. I've never run an event like this before so I have no qualifications but I would definitely be willing to give up some of my time to do any grunt work necessary to get this thing out of the planning stage.
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