Introduction

What would bring 122 gamers to Chelmsford, Massachusetts, four days into the start of a New England summer? It could be the opportunity to play Battlefield 2 for the first time on a large LAN, trying out the 64-player game, which had just been released earlier in the week. Or, it might be the guarantee of food, friends and gaming for 12 solid hours. LanChelms has assembled two or three times a year since it began in 2002, and with the prospects of a new game to check out, excitement was high.

Signs on the road led gamers right to the parking lot of the venue about an hour northwest of Boston, where the LanChelms staff aided in directing the efficient unloading of cars. There was a short check-in process, and gamers were quickly set up online. Utilizing open seating, those waiting on friends saved seats nearby, creating their own sections; most folks, however, just sat down at the nearest open seat and made friends with their neighbors for the day.

LanChelms is held in an air-conditioned venue that generally makes for a more moderate experience, but sometimes Mother Nature lets off a little heat during a New England summer. Gamers and administrators at LanChelms 10 this year compared this day to LanChelms 8, about a year ago to the date. As early as check-in, gamers were taking bets as to when computers would start to encounter heat related issues.

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