If you're thinking about purchasing an eSports system for your school, you've come to the right place. This guide aims to explain everything you need to consider in order to get the best setup for esports in your school or district. So, from purchasing a single machine to equipping an entire district, there are plenty of things to consider below that will help you out.
From thinking about how to run an esports program and what the The Best Gaming Systems for School Esports ProgramsThere’s a lot to know before you buy. A good place to start is to think of this not just as an esports program, but as an investment in STEM learning. So it’s important to ask yourself what you’re looking to accomplish with this program before you get started.
For example, are you focused solely on gaming, or are you looking to teach more about areas like coding, streaming, video production, animation, and more? Knowing this can help you make the right setup decisions from the start so that you can change and expand as needed in the future, without it costing you too much.
Read on to consider some important areas before starting your school esports system.
Power and cooling
Before you start thinking about machines, you need to make sure that the space you have is suitable for your esports hardware. The two main concerns here are power and cooling.
Make sure you have enough outlets available not only for computers, but also for monitors and possibly projectors, speakers and modems. And that the electrical wiring is set up to handle that load when everything is running at once.
Cooling is very important, as the machines themselves may have measures in place to prevent overheating, but if the room is too hot, even that won't be enough. A cool machine is one that is running optimally, which is a must in fast-reacting online games. Therefore, having a central air conditioner that can work to keep the room at a temperature, even when it's full of machines and hard-working bodies, is a must.
Hardware Options
Once you get to the stage of purchasing the machines, you will need to consider a few main aspects: the computer itself, the monitor, a comfortable and well-supported seat, and the headphones/microphones. Also, the keyboard and mouse combination or game controller, which can also play an important role.
For the computer, you will need to ensure that there is a powerful graphics card along with a fast CPU and plenty of RAM for optimal performance speeds. For a PC, you will need to go for an Intel i7 with at least 16GB of RAM. For the graphics card, consider an Nvidia or AMD option.
If you also want to use the machines for animation and design, then an Intel i9 with at least 32GB of RAM is recommended. In both cases, at least 1TB of SSD storage is also recommended.
Monitors should have a high resolution of at least 1920 x 1080, but also, ideally, a fast refresh rate and a wide color gamut. This will allow for high-speed gaming, but also the option to work on animation and image editing with the necessary clarity.
Peripherals
While these are called peripherals, the keyboard and mouse are integral parts of the esports setup as they are the key point through which the player and the machine exchange information, at very high speeds.
For this reason, you'll want to opt for a mechanical keyboard where the keys are not only responsive to the touch but also have the resistance to offer longevity even with prolonged use.
A gaming mouse also helps, as it can offer more sensitivity, responsiveness, comfort, and buttons than a standard option. They are also built to a standard to last longer, meaning the higher initial cost ends up working out better in the long run than a cheaper option.
A good headset with a microphone is also a good investment, as it allows for clear and comfortable communication over longer periods. Again, spending more should also mean they last longer, even when used by people of different sizes who fit regularly.
Software
Software is almost as important as the hardware that runs it. For a PC setup, you'll need to have the latest Windows operating system running for maximum efficiency and gaming compatibility.
Pre-install all the launchers you need for the games you'll be using. This could be Minecraft Launcher, Epic Games Installer, OBS, or all of these and more. You can also consider offering courses in animation and CADD, Adobe Cloud, Maya, and the like.
Once you've completed the setup, it's a good idea to create a disk image so you can always return to that ready-made, pristine state if you need to. You can then create images of all the machines manually or send them over the network so you're ready to go and updates are easily installed.
Continuous support
In the long run, you'll need to manage issues like storage and course content. If you plan on recording gameplay, for example, you might want to invest in setting up some external storage, perhaps cloud-based, to ensure you can record without bogging down or slowing down local machines. Google Drive or a NAS setup can be a big help here.
Using an LMS can also be useful as a way to deliver course content as students progress. Using a system like Gameplan allows you to select esports instructions and content for training before assigning it to students. This can be customised before assigning and can be reused, perhaps after editing, for future lessons and students too. A great way to save time in the long run by setting it up in advance.
