I am thinking about moving into the professional gaming circuit. Most of my experience is gaming on the consoles; however, there is major money to be made at lan parties. Can anyone provide some advice/experience on how things actually go at one of these function? I don't want to go to my first one and look like a total idiot.
 
Also, please give me a heads-up on some of the more popular games that are played at these functions.
 
I am thinking about investing heavily in next generation equipment (plus I like Nvidia slogan "Nvidia: The way it's meant to be played" ). I've pretty much decided on the killer Core2 EE, some super-tight Corsair DDR2, the unprecidented performance of SLI and a ultimate Asus mobo. I figure intimidation is just as important as actually having great skills. I could come flash a little high quality hardware and probably win a few games.
 
The only problem I'm having is breaking away from my XBOX 360. Microsoft did a great job on this console. The games look absolutely great and the game play is awesome. Personally, I can't see why "basement gamers" spend thousands of dollars to just play games in their family rooms and/or bedrooms. It seems easier and less expensive to just by a simple device like the 360 than to invest a ton of money and not hit the professional game circuit. This is the reason I want to know about lan parties. If all lan parties are about is network gaming, then I don't think I'm missing anything. XBOX has XBOX Live and I can play online all I want.
 
Please someone provide me some info on lan parties. Thanks.

Well... I'm sure just about every modern FPS you can imagine is in a profressional circuit.  
 
When it comes to "intimidation" I don't know... it mostly all comes down to can you play your gear? A lot of times at a LAN party I'm not really scared of the people who have big flashy crap, I'm more afraid of the guys who are silent but you know game a lot with their steel case full of you-can-only-guess.

you konw, with xbox 360, its LANable... im pretty sure theres LAN parties on the couple of FPS games thats already out.
 
but yeah, computer LANparties are pretty much simple stuff, u brg ur own system... to show it off and to play it. BUT there are some lan parties that have all the same systems so that no one gets advantage of each other, and then you just bring your own mouse and keyboard, but then thats rare.
 
and pretty much, u said it, lan parties are all about network gaming, but you game with a bunch of people in elimination rounds... and who ever at the top gets the prize.  
 
thing is, im pretty sure the next gen consoles would play a pretty big factor in LAN parties, I mean, they already have xbox live / online network system, so if you wanna stick to your xbox360, it might be a good thing. LAN party with a computer is actually pretty expensive.

Perhaps it has to do with them having more than $400 and wanting to get the best possible gaming experience out there?

Whatever game you'll choose, start playing it online the day it come out and do it many hours a day. This way you'll get better learning of the game than when everybody uses you has "practice target" when you get to a game everybody is already good at.  
 
If you wanna choose a game already available, start playing it alone against bot if available to get to know it.  
 
I wouldn't have the dedication to do it. I prefer playing my game slowly at my own pace and not super hard. I prefer it a bit challanging actually so I can enjoy while still feeling good (not that I'm bad, mind you ). But that's what you should if you want to try pro-gaming.
 
Good luck. 8)

When I want to become better than my friends at a certain game (particularly FPS) I try to throw myself in with the hardest people and learn from the best *shrugs* that may or may not be the best way for you to learn but it works for me

You out to make me the LAN Party Idiot, aren't?

So you're dropping the whole "Cell is god" act?  

You need to have money to travel and crap.  It's not just "take a console and play".  Plus, you have to enter (most) LAN Parties by paying like $500, and then at the end you can win like $15,000.
 
Both "basement gaming" and "lanparty gaming" should provide similar gaming experience.  In a basement, you have lots of space, and have comfort of own home.  At lanparties, you (usually) are in a small space, with lots of people, but you have a chance to win some money.

 
True, playing against better than you players is the best way to learn. But to start early help just has much.  
 
With friends, to get your ass kicked might even be funny. But online when they are looking for you to improve their stats isn't funny at all. So my point is that by starting early it will help you be good at any games. If you meet better than you, all the better, it will always be time to improve your gaming anyway.

 
True, playing against better than you players is the best way to learn. But to start early help just has much.  
 
With friends, to get your ass kicked might even be funny. But online when they are looking for you to improve their stats isn't funny at all. So my point is that by starting early it will help you be good at any games. If you meet better than you, all the better, it will always be time to improve your gaming anyway.
 
That's true. Best way to start is just playing with friends... once you get to a point where it gets almost boring? I would say look for harder people, it will take patience I bet to get any money making out of entering LAN parties.

LAN parties are much fun. You meet new people, share info on one another on the new stuff, your own rigs, what your scores are, who sponsores you(if you're that good) etc. Ive been to many, some to play, some to watch, some to cheer on people i know in the matches. I host many at my own home, and frankly its a lot of fun, just dont run out of energy drinks or beer, or your f**kd.  

LAN parties in my opinion are fun for two reasons
 
1) non-stop gaming
 
2) file sharing
 
I always manage to find someone at a LAN party far more resourceful than myself, always willing to share a few nifty programs, music options and such.

 
I like to stay sharp by finding the highest ping server that will not kick me out.
Staying alive and still getting a 1:1 @ 400+ ping is a learning event!
 
No I don't compeat.

 
 
I don't know about other places, but every lanparty i've ever been to it hasn't been that much. I just got home from Digital Storm, which is a big LAN going for the WCG in BC and it was 40 bucks to go in, and LANcouver is only 30. Mind you, those LANs dont payout 15 grand but you can still get some good prizes, both of them this year you could go to the WCG finals in Ottawa and then the World finals in Italy, but you'd have to be REAAAAL good for that. Still, if you want to be good, you should go to some of the smaller LAN parties so that you can get more experience with other people.
 
Also, you do not neccesarily have to have a sweet computer to be good. At Digital Storm, there were people who had all sorts of computers. One of them had an Alienware Aurora, and some of them had beige boxes with stock coolers and stuff. Mind you most of those people were playing CS 1.6 (btw they were freakin' crazy when they were playing. I swear just one of those guys could take out me and all my friends in a game of cs) but some of them played other games as well on their old machines. In the end, it only matters that you have a computer that's good enough to get you the fps you need to play that game. The rest is just for show. Also, people who have the flashy cases aren't the ones you should be scared about, since you'd think they spend a lot of time working on their cases instead of their game, it's the people who have just a black case, like a Sonata II or something, that make me worry the most, although the beige boxes make them look like they don't play games very much. Black is just so... sexy.... and mysterious... mmmmmmm.... sonata II *drool*

I was talking about like a "Nation-wide" super hardcore Lanparty.  But if there's a price to win, you have to pay to get in.

I think there is also a difference between just going to a large lan to play and entering the tournaments.
 
The ones with the really big prizes are also the ones that make you play on their computers, not your own.

Its people like this who make me think how pathetic it is that video games can now be used as a way to make money.   People want them to be in the Olympics for gods sake.  What, pray tell, makes you a world champion because you're a loser who sits on his ass all day and plays Counter Strike.  Yeah thats someone I'll want my kids to emulate.
 
 
What ever happened to playing games for fun.  If you're good at them, great, but still go out and get a real f*ing job.  That crap is only going to last so long.