Connect with CEG members on:
Signup for CEG's Email Mailing List
Meet your CEG Admins:
MoparManiac
Information Technology Services / Enterprise & Application Services (EAS) & Ferris Alumni
BouvToTheMax
Information Technology Services / Enterprise & Application Services (EAS) & Ferris Alumni
Mr_Kola
Ferris Alumni
Philadelphia Collins
Ferris Alumni
Tripc897
Ferris Alumni
Skipperdo
Ferris Alumni
CEG's Past, Present, & Future
The Computer Enthusiasts Group (CEG) was formed back in 2005 by a group of student computer techs who worked out of the ASC building for the ITS-TAC-Second Level Support department. We were attending LAN parties across Western Michigan and wanted to host our own events at the University. Back in the day almost every other weekend there was a LAN event being hosted across Michigan. CEG wasn't the largest LAN group for the time as we could only hold 40 attendees but we always prided ourselves on being the low cost/free event for everyone to enjoy. We wanted to give that basement LAN feeling where it was a tight knit group of friends who all played the same games together vs some of the larger events where everyone was kinda doing their own thing. We coined the phrase "LAN Communism" (The ability to get all attendees to play the same game together to help build a community.) Also we were the only LAN event where you didn't need to bring power cords or an ethernet cable as the venue was a computer LAB environment. We also had a focus on providing donated swag to those who could utilize it the most. We always looked for ways to give it to attendees who were less fortunate and who might not have the latest and greatest hardware. We still continue that mindset even today.
When the original RSO founders all graduated CEG was passed on to other Ferris Students. During this time LANs were at a low period because everyone was getting fast internet at home and LANs really didn't fit the need anymore. CEG went into hiatus as there were no students willing to keep the RSO status going. Around 2014 the College of Business' AITP RSO started to try and get a few LANs under their belt to get some engagement with their RSO. At this point past CEG founders, members, and alumni were working at the University and helped assist ATIP in hosting a few LAN events in the BUS building but the venue lacked in power and layout. After those AITP LAN events MrKola, BouvToThemax, MoparManiac, Tripc897, Philadelphia Collins, and Skipperdo all decided to take up the mantle again and pull the CEG organization back out but this time being supported by the University vs a RSO.
CEG has looked at many other different venues around the University and off-campus to host LAN events. Back in the day ASC1008 was utilized because the CEG admins worked in the building and had a great working relationships with the ASC leadership. We held a LAN in ASC1017 which while a success was a major headache for setup/teardown. CEG spent a fair amount of time working with Physical Plant's drawing department to find another location to hold a larger event such as in Wink Arena or the Rec Center but both these locations lacked the default power setup. These locations would have required Physical Plant employees to setup 220v power drops and spider box configurations to even think about hosting an even there. This step alone makes it out of the budget for CEG. The old Rankin center before it was updated to the University Center never quite had a suitable spot to hold any events as most of the rooms were set up like rec rooms and did not allow for easable table setups. So CEG stuck with ASC1008 and capped attendance to 40 attendees. it wasn't until the UCB building was finished and we had the brave idea to host a larger event upwards of 80 attendees. For the first CEGCON we partnered with Big Rapids Board Gaming group's founder and past CEG founder UnafraidSage to host a LAN / Board Gaming event for Ferris students and community. Hosting an event in UCB was much more difficult because of the need for power runs and network configurations along with working with the University staff on setting up a table configuration. CEGCON has been successful in the past two years and if possible we still continue to host these yearly larger events along with our semester smaller events in ASC.
So all in all CEG has been around in some capacity since 2004/2005 when LAN parties were at their peak. We know that in today's terms LANs are kinda a niche thing and most people have fast internet in their dorm or at their home. But there is just something nostalgic about packing your rig up, going into a room with other computer enthusiasts to show off your rig, your gaming skills, or just to hang out. This mindset is from a time where a lot of people didn't have fast internet so LANs were a necessity to be able to game together. CEG has always wanted to include all Ferris students and the Michigan LAN/gaming community because these partnerships/friendships have created a wonderful Michigan Gaming Community.
