2011-01-07: WipEoutZone is 10

[infoxicated]

Ten years after uploading the finished version of the site and writing "WipeoutZone is Go!" as the first news article, it all seems a bit of a blur in the rear view monitor.

We've seen some barren times between WipEout game launches that caused community activity to dry up. Yet we've also enjoyed the heights of WipEout Pure coming to us on a new platform, and WipEout HD's arrival on the PS3 taking the forum traffic to over 2000 page views each day when it launched.

That increased traffic caused some friction in the community, due to an influx of new members who did not always share the same values as the old guard. For a while I mistakenly assumed that this was just the way communities evolved, and it took me some time to arrest that trend and get things back on the right path.

It has to be said that at several points I was considering closing the site down after it hit the ten year mark. However, I think the core values of the community have risen to the fore and I'm proud to say it's once again a fine example of what an online community should be - welcoming, friendly, respectful, passionate, and fun.

When WipEoutZone launched in January 2001 there were 123 names and around a thousand records in a system that covered just WipEout 3 and its 8 tracks. As of today, there are 2477 participants and 36949 records in the database, covering 14 games and 113 tracks.

That's a whole lot of fast laps in the space of a decade, no matter how you look at it!

I'd like to thank everyone who has taken part in this site, be it on the record tables or on the forums, these past ten years. It's been a fantastic journey.

I'd especially like to thank those who have been moderators on this forum over the years. I simply could not have done it without you.

Now I think I'll stick WipEout 3 Special Edition in the PlayStation and raise a glass to toast the game that spurred me to create this place. If you can, do join in with whichever version of the game is your favourite.

And let's be friends for the next ten years as well.

[SaturnReturn]

Wooooooooooooooo! Clap clap clap. A whole decade is a big achievement, especially in a time when attention spans are so short, shiny new things come along daily, and the internet provides a portal to anything anyone could want. It's great to see such commitment from people.

[stinkleroy]

Wow ten years old today, and still looking as youthful as ever!

Congratulations Rob ten years is such an achievement and I'm more than happy you decided to dedicate this past decade of your life, and hopefully more, to it. You've been through a rough year in 2010 and at times I really felt you were (understandably) done with this place. I'm so pleased that the community has managed to endear you once more

I hope you know how much you have given to us and how much we appreciate it. So instead of raising a glass to Wipeout, I'm going to raise mine to you instead

Here's to the next ten

[xEik]

Congratulations! Both to Rob and the community.

I still remember contacting him as a newly registered user asking if he could delete a record I had mistakenly input in wip3out while confusing one track for another. This had granted me a totally undeserved first place ahead of Al Startwell.
One simply had to resubmit it as 9:59.99

[TwitchySpitfire]

What a fantastic accomplishment.

If it wasn't for this website, I may not have met some great people who are also daring pilots.

I must say, this is the best community to be with, since it the game and the community revolve around each other without friction.

[Frailavi]

Congratulations WZ! I feel like I've missed out on a lot of the fun, but at least I can say that I'm now officially a part of the greatest community ever.

[KGB]

Wow, ten years old, happy birthday .

What was I doing 10 years ago, looking forward to my 30s and impending fatherhood for the first time. 10 years later - looking to my 40s and 3 of the bleeders.

Congratulations Rob and all the members that have been a part of Wipeoutzone from the beginning.

[Kappeskopp!]

Happy birthday and thank you for Wipeout Zone.

[stin]

Ten years!!!!, that`s an amazing feat and possibly rare too

Without WipEoutZone, I would have never meet to these amazing guys and gals and I became close friends to Arnaud, Thomas, Stephen and Pavel.


I will toast to WipEoutZonE tonight and long may it continue to the future.

stevie

[Nutcase:259]

a decade of wipeoutzone, incredibly impressive and achievement to keep an active and strong comunity like this going for such a long time

[mdhay]

Wel, aside from meaning the same thing, I'm hoping to be around for the next ten years as well as being here for almost four.

Congrats to you, Rob. You deserve it.

[Colonel]

Happy 10th birthday WipeoutZone! Huge thanks to Rob for creating and looking after such a great online community, it's a special place. And to the moderators and contributors as well. Cheers

[Sausehuhn]

WipEout has surely paved the way for graphic design becoming a strong part of my life. I’m pretty sure that wouldn’t have happend if I didn’t stumbled upon your site, Rob, as this community really bound me to the game and it still does.
Maybe I’m not one of the most active members around here anymore, but nevertheless I regulary visit this place and enjoy reading and writing a comment from time to time.

Thanks for almost seven years of many memorable moments including that legendary first WipEout Convention in 2007 (still having that WipEout Pure T-Shirt you gave me!).

Seriously, guys, I’m enjoying this place.

[XpanDrome2097]

And let's be friends for the next ten years as well.

Seriously, I don't like videogames, generally...but I love WipEout.
For me is more than a "simple" game, is an artistic concept of competition and friendship all over the World: the futuristic iconography of these games looks absolutely realistic and feels as a work inspired by a fantasy projected into a very credible future.
The first time I've played WipEout 2097 (1998, if I'm not wrong), I've completely lost my mind into this very realistic universe: the iconography, the atmosphere, the music.
...and when I've tried Wip3out I've dedicated a part of my mind to this game serie.
WipEout is more than a game, is an alternative way of imagination.

I'm honored to be a part of this community.
Thanks to you Rob!

[Mad-Ice]

Happy birthday to Wipeoutzone and a huge thank you to you Rob! This community brought so many good things! Meeting new people all over the world and friendships in real life!

I was afraid that Wipeoutzone was going to be shut down, but luckely things changed around here and it's again a superb place to be.

Now we only have to wait for a new Wipeout that has no Barrel rolls and goes back to the original way of the futuristic, super fast, floathy feel of the Holy Trinity!

The future will tell, greetz Mad-Ice

[F.E.I.S.A.R]

So it's been a decade since the creation of WoZ? I think I joined into the 7th year(200.
And the rumors are dispelled. To the success of the next half-decade and decade!
Thanks Rob!

[Medusa]

Yay, happy anniversary to the zone and another big thank you to Mr. Infoxicated, without whom this site would neither exist, nor look and function as cooly as it does.
Really, this is the best place in the internet, hands down. Or should I say thumbs up?
It's been great to "meet" all of you in this virtual way, and even greater to able to race some of you. Yeah, I'll go pop in W3O. For surE. And dream of the next wipeout being the way Mad-Ice already said.
What's life without a dream or two?

[Tomahawk]

Now 10 years up and running with me joining somewhere right in the middle of it... I remember my first PM to Arnaud in 2005 asking him about some shortcut on Sagarmatha. It somehow seems like it's been just yesterday...

Congratulations to you Rob and all the moderators, content contributors and dedicated members of this site for making it such a cool and friendly place! Cheers to the next 100 years of WZ!

[Rapier Racer]

Congrations and many thanks to Rob and Happy birthday to the Zone! Admittedly I've reclined back into the shadows as far as posting here and playing Wipeout go these days, nevertheless I still lurk around...

Funny how you should mention first PMs to Arnaid I remember mine was about some music he used in one of his videos, the rest is history

And without this place, I never would have found and beaten on track so badly fellow Scotsman Stevie lol...

Played HD yesterday a trance song I heard brought thoughts of Wipeout flooding back, I think its time for some 3 and 2097 since it was Arnauds 2097 video the song reminded me of.

[Feisar31]

Rob, great post and thank you so much for creating and maintaining this site! For years I visited here from time to time, before I finally joined due to HD. Thanks to all the moderators and contributors here as well. This community does seem to be unusual, in the best way.