Show HN: I built a(nother) house optimized for LAN parties

This is so cool. But the keyboard disturbed me, wouldn’t you at least want a mechanical keyboard?

> Keyboard: Logitech K120 Wired — The world's cheapest keyboard at $13 a pop. Works perfectly fine for all gaming needs.

I can’t imagine playing stuff like overwatch on a membrane office keyboard for $13 when having spent more than 100k on the setup. Especially when cheap mechanical keyboards are not that much more expensive either.

Honestly I've never felt it made any difference to me when gaming. I would never code on such a keyboard but for the old WASD it seems fine.

That said, guests are welcome to bring any peripherals they want. There's a USB hub at each station to plug stuff in.

For starters, it's a generic choice that's likely similar to what many used in school computer labs. No bikeshedding over which type of switches to get; that can be a very taste-specific choice. I might have missed it but wonder if there are any house rules against bringing your own mouse/keyboard.

Edit: kentonv replied answered before I hit submit. BYOK/M if you want, nice.

The noise of a room full of mechanical keyboards, dear god.

Me, I bought a mechanical keyboard but I despise it. Switched to a Logitech Keys.

Not all mechanical keyboards are noisy.

I use TTC Silent Bluish White switches which produce a muted "thock" sound, rather than the loud "clickety-clack" that you're probably thinking of. They're only slightly louder than a typical membrane keyboard.

I guess it depends on what sort of games you're playing, but isn't it possible for the lack of n-key rollover to be a problem? My understanding is that many of these keyboards fail to register inputs if too many keys are pressed at the same time.

he said they don't play competitive games.

Hmm, I've never had an issue with this.

We generally don't play competitively but we do play fast-paced FPS and such and I just don't recall this ever having come up. (We had the same keyboards in the last house FWIW.)

True. Only 98% of mechanical keyboards are noisy.

Edit: I was wrong.

> I recall reading something like 13 keys, and wondering what kind of lunatic tries to press 13 buttons at the same time.

My recollection was wrong though, and most keyboards support at least two keys held down at the same time (plus shift/alt/ctrl).

Generally it's fine - in the 1990s barely anyone had a mechanical keyboard. Instead, game developers learned to test their products on the most common keyboard models. That's why so many games use WASD+Shift+Ctrl+Alt+Space and a handful of other keys in that area.

It doesn't look like they're hoping to play split-screen fighting games with both players using the same keyboard :)

Nope, not even close. Mainly just the ones with clicky (e.g. mx-blue, less so mx-brown) switches. It's an option but not a requirement, and honestly not that common for gaming-oriented ones, which typically have linear non-clicky switches, which can be quieter than membrane buttons, even. I like the semi-clicky brown ones for typing but haven't used them for years for noise reasons. My mechanical KBs have generally always had rubber o-rings that dampen the sound from bottoming out, too, a fairly common feature.

Apparently, based on your earlier post, you bought the noisy kind. That's on you.

Yes, without an n-key rollover keyboard you run into situations where perhaps running diagonally, plus reloading or throwing a grenade won't register the last button press. (E.g. Shift + W + D + R/G) It's kind of infuriating to run into that problem on cheapo keyboards that have it.

Mechanical keyboards aren't automatically great or durable. I've had various die on me. One from sitting in a drawer, probably corrosion. And it's not even always the keys/switches, electronics can degrade too and firmware can be horrendously buggy.

I wouldn’t get a mechanical keyboard for durability but for the feeling of the keys when pressing them.

The noise of a room full of soundbars ;)

I've got two keyboards with red switches, some basic foam and o-rings. It's still noisy, especially in a small home office.

Why spend money on something so subjective? If you care about peripherals at all, a $13 basic keyboard is just as bad as a randomly chosen mechanical keyboard. Neither is likely to your taste :)

Don't you run into issues with n-key rollover with those old membrane keyboards?

Nope, I've never experienced that issue, in a decade of using these keyboards for gaming.

I've gamed on old keyboards, membrane keyboards, mechanical gaming keyboards (for a long time), and now... I purchased a Logitech MX keys mini wireless keyboard (no numpad) and MX Master 3S mouse and game with those.

Using the 2.4GHz logi bolt usb receiver when I'm on PCs or server (way easier than bringing cables to the garage), and bluetooth for my phone or Steam Deck. I was initially repelled by the half-size arrow keys, for use in terminal or certain games that don't use WASD, but I made up my mind, and I'm really fine like this. Hope it lasts, but generally Logitech peripherals do.

I also have to switch peripherals from gaming PC to work laptop every day, so wireless really helps put less cables on my desk. And I can bring it with me should I need to keyboard away from home, but usually I'm AFK when not at home.

Noisy may be a relative term.