Teens + SVS = Game on a Stick
By Mike Goulding
Posted: 23 Mar 2006Introduction
Seldom does a technology emerge that shifts the paradigm of conventional computer gaming practices. Altiris' Software Virtualization Solution (SVS) will greatly ease the time-consuming responsibility of the host of any LAN party. The host, by definition, makes sure that all participating computers have the required games installed. The virtualization functionality of SVS allows for a complex mix of software environments to play well together on the same computer. Application virtualization is a huge advantage for the computer gaming industry. Gamers can have game layers installed on their machines at home and export them to their Flash drives and carry them around.
Game consoles have been allowing users to transport their settings from one console to another, but now gamers can carry the game, the settings and the character development with them. Installing the games in a layer provides mobility and flexibility for the gamer. Place the game or games on a flash drive (usually a key chain), and now the gamer can take the game anywhere and just plug it into a compatible computer with SVS installed. Take a couple of minutes to import the game, and you are playing. Now we have game on a stick.
Request
Late one December evening in 2005, a request was made to host a LAN party for five individuals. A LAN party is a local area network party where multiple computers are used to play computer games in a multiple-player format. However, there was little time to prepare the computers and get them ready for the invited guests. The purpose for a LAN party is to play the games, not to install the games.
At the time of the request, only one computer was somewhat ready to play the games – all the other computers required the games to be installed on them. Anyone who has had a LAN party knows of the time-consuming preparation. This group of teenagers was anxious to play and did not want to spend a considerable amount of time installing the games on the other machines, and we felt the pressure of making a quick, innovative decision to accommodate the LAN party. We decided to try SVS, a new program that was being developed by Altiris. SVS was still in beta, but what better way to test software than to have five teenagers pound away, to see if they break the program in the process.
Initial Install
We removed the games from the one machine that had a few games already installed, and installed SVS.
Figure 1: The build of SVS we used for the LAN party
We then installed and began building game layers on the other four machines that were to be used for the LAN party. After the install, we followed the next steps to create a layer.
Figure 2: First, we wanted to create a new layer with the install of the application.
Figure 3: In this screen you name the layer.
Figure 4: Use the Single program capture to keep everything in a separate layer.
Figure 5: Use the Browse button to find the program executable to begin the installation.
Figure 6: Select Finish to start the layer capture process.
During the install you will see the lightning bolt in the system tray, which indicates that a layer is being captured.
Figure 7
Figure 8: Application is installed.
Importing a new layer is a very simple process. Select file import layer from the Admin console. Browse to the directory, select the layer, and Open. The layer will import and appear in the admin console.
Figure 9
After the layers are imported, activate the layers and you are ready to go.
Figure 10
During the creation of the layers we installed SVS on the additional computers. The layers were created and moved from the network drive. From there each of the other computers imported layers from the network drive. During the importing time, we took the time (10 seconds) to teach each of the members of the LAN party how to use SVS. Once the layers where imported and activated (about 25 minutes), the party began.
During the importing, I sat down and discussed how SVS works, and the minds of the teenagers started generating the many applicable uses of this product. They could see how the application could benefit the gaming industry and work in a school environment. Since they did not have any business experience, they did not suggest applications to the business world—however, experience tells me that when they do enter the business world they will find additional uses for SVS.