Keytachi's Guide to Late Night Playing!

[Quafe]

Do your parents limit your computer time? Do you miss raids, just because you can't play at night? Fear no more! Keytachi's Guide to Late Night Playing is here!

I'll tell you what to look for when you are Late Night Playing, and then i'll give you a real example.

1. Location
One of the most important things to be aware, is the location. Location of the computer, location of your room, location of your bed, location of the TV (or the most used if you have several), location of your parent's room.

Why are all these important? Because you need to be able to move fast and silently, and you need to have time to move.
The best setup ever would be:
Computer in the room, near the bed, with a spinning chair. The TV should be on another floor (or on the opposite side of the house). Your parent's room should be far away from yours.


2. Know the habits!
Another thing you need to focus on, it's their habits. Take a few days (1-2 weeks) to learn their schedule at night. What shows they watch, do they watch them every night? What time to they start? How much time do they run? Do your parents make a "round" through the house?

Why do you need to know this? Obviously to know when it's "safe" to be playing. If you know when they will be busy, or focusing on something, make your move!


3. Sound
Sound is very important, it can be your friend, but it can also give you away. You should have a soundset playing (radio is best) low enough for you to hear whats going on around your room, but high enough for the sounds you make (typing/clicking) are ignored.

Always stay on the lookout for cracking sounds and movement sounds, and everytime you hear one, standby to make a run to bed, or prepare yourself for one of the excuses you have stored. If you have a laptop, don't use the mouse, but the trackpad, the sound you make will be reduce by 25%. Also, try placing some books under the computer (best made on a laptop) to hide its sound to lower floors.

4. Hide the evidences!
The easiest way to get busted, is not being caught red-handed, but the evidences that you were at your computer. Putting your screen's brightness to minimal and having a quick hand to completely darken it is very good (since all they would see is a dark screen). Changing your habits works as well, if you start sleeping on top of the sheets and not under them, its easier for you to pretend to be sleeping.
Placing a towel, or any piece of clothing near the door, will prevent the light for coming out. Just throw it casually to the floor and gently tuck it against the door. (thanks TforTyranth)


5. Practice!
Of course you should always practice. Prepare some excuses for being up so late, count the time you take to get yourself in bed, practice everything you can so you don't get caught!


Practical Example (My situation):


Here is my setup:
1. My computer is a laptop (with books under), i have a spinning chair, and my bed is in quick reach. My room is above my parent's (bad thing!) and the floor is all wood, so the sounds are better heard. The TV is near their room, so I'm a floor away (time is of the essence).
2. They both watch the news at 22:00 it lasts 45 minutes, and after that they watch another 45 minute show (1H30Min "safe" time). My mom usually falls asleep during the second show, and goes to bed shortly after it. My dad comes on his "round" at around midnight. He turns a light off at around 1:30 AM. After 2 AM i start playing, but i only turn the lights on until 3AM
3. I have a sound system very near me, so i can control the sounds very easily. I can hear the footsteps very clearly, so i have some time to move.
4. I always have my computer one-click away from darkness, so it easier to pretend i wasn't there. When i hear them, I pretend I'm going to the bathroom, or I pretend I'm moving around in bed (it squeaks alot).

I've discovered that when the light is off, my dad wont come near my room again. So if I'm watching a movie with him (to make the time pass), I'll ask him if he wants me to turn the light off, if he says "yes" I'm good to go, else just wait a few more minutes.

If you have any questions or want help, post it here!

[SeBe]

Great guide. Even tough I have the attic so i don't need it. :P +Rep

[Quafe]

i'm on the attic as well, but i'm right above my parents bedroom the other day i leaned back on my chair, and in no time i had my mom yelling about me being in the computer. Luckily i can talk sleepy xD

[crapshot]

Sebe ur lucky lol my pc is under my bed cus its an bunk bed >.< but gr8 guide mate ty +rep

[crapshot]

if i had my room in the attic then i would make it sound proof lol i really wanna live in the atic cus it got lots of room lol

[jeleopard]

hmmm.... my computer is right under my parents bed and only a 30 sec stealthy dash from my room to it but my room and parents room are very close... i doubt i could make it back up in time hmmm.... maybe if i get my grades up i could ask for my own comp :P

[jman123248]

lol ill never be able to do this...to get to my comp i have to walk right by my parents room...and we have really thin walls...but i don't need this guide cus my mom doesn't care how long i stay on at night but still good guid +rep

[Appelmoes]

Nice guide

+rep

[Big_E]

Nice guide +rep even tho this wouldnt work for me becuase my parents

1. Dont have a door.
2. sleep with a radio on.
3. room is beside me lawl.

[Quafe]

you dont have a door? i'd hate that :S

[WoNtD!]

It's easy for me, I live in the bacement, with bathroom, kitchen and all, and their bedroom is 2 floors up. And no, im not a 30 year old nerd living in my parents bacement, I'm 14. Though, I dont raid that late on normal days, and I can stay up to around 3.00 on weekends.

Great guide though, +rep

[Earelad]

Great Guide.....I hope it work Tonight(Its 8:57 night here) xD going to bed at 1:10 (Afta Mid Night)

+reP

[Unholyshaman]

pfft i pwn all you newbs Check my layout...
Im upstairs, my parents downstairs, we have a house alarm on (I live in south africa, a third world country, what can i say) My parents AS WELL AS ME have an alarm pad to set or deset the alarm.

Basically if we want to go out of our bedrooms we must deset the alarm and when that is done each keypad makes a small BEEP. We have solid stone and concrete floors, no sound and my computer is in my room as well as a bathroom, mini-kitchenette and so on pwnt!

[joedude11]

pfft i pwn all you newbs Check my layout...
Im upstairs, my parents downstairs, we have a house alarm on (I live in south africa, a third world country, what can i say) My parents AS WELL AS ME have an alarm pad to set or deset the alarm.

Basically if we want to go out of our bedrooms we must deset the alarm and when that is done each keypad makes a small BEEP. We have solid stone and concrete floors, no sound and my computer is in my room as well as a bathroom, mini-kitchenette and so on pwnt!

My dream.. you son of a B

[raspberry]

... lol
Any kid should be able do to shit that their parents won't notice, that's like, the basic of being a kid..

Nice summarizing tho, that's kinda what I used to do ^^
(Past tense ftw )