Suggestions on Games for Family LAN

[Major Hazard]

Got a question for you folks out there in the ECGN Community. - What games can you suggest for Family LAN games?
My kids are 10 and 7 and have gotten bored playing Need for Speed Porshe 2000. FPS games are out of the question as they are too young. I have an Athlon 64 3000, and (2) 1GHZ pcs that we will be playing on. I also have athlon XP 2500 that acts as virtual machine and as a file server, but can be used to host a game on a virtual machine if need be. Violence/gore are thing that I am looking to avoid.
Games need to be low cost or freeware.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

Major Hazard

[Chacal]

Connected to internet?

[Major Hazard]

No, just on my internal network, against each other.

[jfmaday]

ummm, I think Battleship you can play over a LAN, but thats only a 2 player game. If 2 players is all you are after then that is 1 option. Still thinkin but thats a tough filter to turn up some decent, fun, cheap, and LAN-able games

[Killer Mike]

Empire Earth!

[Chin_Sack]

Wurms.....

[[ecgn] btt]

Homeworld one or two.
http://homeworld2.sierra.com/homeworld2.jsp

[Chacal]

X-Wing vs Tie-Fighter.
Difficulty: you have to install IPX along with TCP/IP.

[Major Hazard]

[i] Still thinkin but thats a tough filter to turn up some decent, fun, cheap, and LAN-able games [/B]

Hence, why I am turning to a larger community that may have found some solutions. Issue is my 7-year old son will get fustrated with anything too complicated. FPSes are out of the question due to their age unless there is a non-violent vehicle mod. Tried Starfleet command 1 which was a flop-too complicated. Might look up Xwing vs Tie fighter though- IPX? o well.

Thanks for the suggestions so far guys.

Major Hazard.

[jfmaday]

IPX was THE networking standard before TCP/IP became the mainstream format. Most of the old games like the original Command and Conquer, and C&C Red Alert were built on the IPX system. Still uses LAN cables and such. It's just simply a different LAN language that isn't that popular anymore. You can install this service on any computer through the Properties of your Network Cards. If you end up needing a detailed walkthrough then post here again if you need it.

[Major SONAR]

Have you ever considered MAME?

I've been looking into building a MAME system for my boys (9 and 7). MAME will allow you to play all the old arcade games. I think it will take considerably more time on your part to put together, but the games are cheap (free/illegal?) and should run easily on both your systems. A lot of the old games are multiplayer (on the same system).

I have not built the MAME system for my sons yet, so I don't know whether I'm giving good advice or not.

As far as moderm games go... my kids like RTS type games.
Rise of Nations and the old Age of Empires are a couple of their favoirites. RON might be slow on your old system, but AOE should play fairly well and you could probably pick them up for next to nothing.

Here is a link to a great ABANDONWARE Site. Check out the old games.. I'm sure you can find something your kids will love!
http://www.abandonia.com/index2.php

[Major Hazard]

Mame, I hadn't heard that one in a few years, I looked up on my storage server and found I still had it. Good Idea, I may look for updates, I had game bins from way back, early atari,nintendo, etc.
But I was more looking for multiplayer games to play against each other. I was using need for speed porsche but it gets old after a few weeks.

IPX. Yes, I also remember IPX, used to play Duke Nukem and Shadow Warrior on the home LAN using IPX way back in 1998 with a few friends and my stepson. Still "Cough"waiting "Cough"for Duke Nukem Forever. But Vaporware happens...
JFMaday, thanks for the offer of help though, but the IT guy should be able to get it going if I go that route.

Abandonia.com - took a quick look lottsa good old stuff to look at. Could even run some on a Virtual PC without hosing my gaming system.

I think that I may reinstall UT2004 and download the Unwheel mod. Anyone try that?

Thanks for the suggestions so far guys.

[ATAC-JeQuest]

here's a few games your kids might like. Don't confuse these with the old board version (use of dice and game peices that kids would eat). I found these at taget and wally world:
battle ship
stratego
monopoly
Risk
the battleship, stratego and risk are offered in bundle....$7

they even offer single player (in risk the computer cheats, always rolls doubles).

i think there are free version of most on the net, just google it.

hope that offers some help.

Quest....................out