UBB.Developers Forums Announcements Announcements U-Zine Interviews June 2002: Content Rulez Winner: Smash World Forums

The "Content Rulez" contest, allows UBB'ers to show some substance over style. Each entrant must supply a background on their forum along with four example threads that they feel best represent their forum.

The Staff at UBBDev reviews each entry and votes to decide which site, in our opinion best serves the needs of their community.

This month we are pleased to recognize Smash World Forums as our Content Rulez winner, we caught of with Smash Worlds' Admin Gideon , to see what it takes to have a smashing good community.

Smash World Forums can be found at: http://www.smashboards.com , also make sure to check out the main site at http://www.smashworld.org and the http://www.smashbrosmelee.com section of the site.

Interview by: tackaberry
Interviewee: Gideon



UBBDev:
Tell me about the history of Smashboards and when you got started.

Gideon:
When I was 12 years old I developed a unique interest for making websites. At age twelve, my natural attraction was video games. Although I used Tripod's page builder for most of my web sites, I eventually learned HTML and on June 21, 1999 I started a web site on Super Smash Bros. called Smash World.

UBBDev:
For those of us not familiar with Smash Brothers, can you briefly describe the game.

Gideon:
Super Smash Brothers is a very unique and original fighting game that originally came out of the N64. Those who have played it can verify with me just how addicting it is. It was the first-ever tournament fighter boasting an all-star cast of Nintendo heroes and heroines. This way, kids (and adults) can see which Nintendo character really is the best. Having Mario fight Link was never a possibility in the past. Anyway, it was a HUGE hit for the N64, and likewise the sequel, which came out for the GameCube this past November, was voted the best GameCube Multiplayer game in the 2001 awards.



UBBDev:
When did you start using UBB on your site?

Gideon:
A year after the site launch I decided we should have message boards. Our host allowed us to have a room on their UBB. This got me hooked on the UBB. We went through rough times with server changes, but the forums were always the main attraction of the site. I never in my life expected them to get as big as they are now.

UBBDev:
How many members are on your forum/site?

Gideon:
Our forum currently has approximately 7,500 registered members and grows daily. We receive anywhere from 5-20 new members daily. A little over a year ago (March 2001), we had approximately 200 members. That in itself shows you our growth over the past year. We also have another section of our site that requires membership called the "Members Section". That section currently has over 3,000 registered users.

UBBDev:
What is the most popular forum on your board?

Gideon:
By post count, the 'Smash Melee' room is by far the most popular with over 100,000 posts. This is attributed to the new release of the sequel. In about a year the most popular room will go back to being our General Discussion forum called the 'Pool Room'.

UBBDev:
In discussing Smash Brothers, what are some of the typically threads?

Gideon:
Typical threads at our Smash Bros. room include a mix of strategic questions and simple "how do you do this" type of questions. A lot of people enjoy discussing strategies with one another. There are also a lot of Tournament topics in which people discuss how they did at a local tournament.

UBBDev:
Do users ever post spoilers that upset others, or are game codes and cheats always welcome?

Gideon:
This isn't too big of a problem for us as this type of game doesn't really have much that can be spoiled. If someone does post a spoiler such as a secret character they usually surround it with an asterix.

UBBDev:
What are the other main interests of the members on your site?

Gideon:
Besides Super Smash Bros, the common thread of our members is the interest in gaming and computers. We have many people who excel in Graphics, Macromedia Flash, and Computer Programming.

UBBDev:
Since you have a lot of younger participants what do you do to ensure that content on the board remains appropriate?

Gideon:
Many posters from other boards claim our rules too strict, but it is the way we keep the youngsters under control. As you said, we have many young kids who can get really out of control. Our users know that we are not afraid to ban IPs. we have censoring on, but we still urge users not to cuss. So far this hasn't been too much of a problem, although we have had some severe cases.

UBBDev:
What is your background and how did you get into gaming?

Gideon:
I am a 16 year old Sophomore and I enjoy sports, video gaming, the piano, and computers. My friends in elementary got me into video games. I owned a GameBoy since I was young, but I did not get my first console - the Nintendo 64, until I was in middle school. The game Super Smash Bros. for the N64 is what started it all. Now I also have a GameCube and plan on getting a GameBoy Advance soon.

UBBDev:
What are your favorite games?

Gideon:
My Favorite games are Super Smash Bros., Super Smash Bros. Melee, the entire Legend of Zelda series, Mario Kart, and Final Fantasy.

UBBDev:
Who is your favorite Smash character?

Gideon:
In Super Smash Bros. for the N64 my favorite character is Fox, and for Super Smash Bros. Melee for the GameCube my favorite character is also Fox.



UBBDev:
What are some of your future plans for Smashworld and Smashboard?

Gideon:
I really can't see into the future. When I first made the site, I had no clue we would turn into this network. When I first made the message boards, I had no clue we would have over 7,000 members a year later. A lot of our success depends on Nintendo - if Nintendo makes another sequel to the game we could be around a lot longer. There are too many variables to look into the future. We take things one step at a time

UBBDev:
Well keep up the great work. You've developed a great site structured around Smash Bros., and your UBB™ is tightly integrated with the rest of your site. It looks like a great resource for anyone interested in Smash Brothers, and you've got a great community to going there. Below are a few links to the sample threads submitted for the contest:

• Neverending Story 2
• Guns don\'t kill people, people kill people.
  
• Secret Information
  
• The Dolphin Topic

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