It took nearly a year, but we finally welcome the first Staffer into the Member of the Week madhouse. Welcome a member of the RatPack (no, really, you'll see), WRP001!
Yes, let the claims that I favor my fellow cohorts begin to flow in waves of ten.
1. First and foremost, you're officially the Member of the Week so what were your thoughts going into this and how does it feel to be recognized amidst the hundreds of thousands of other members here?
Surprised. So many cool and interesting people on the forum I'm honored.
2. What brought you to GTPlanet and what keeps you coming back?
Google. I remember typing 'gran turismo racing series' into the search field a few days after installing GT5, a GTP weekly racing series thread came up near the top and I was hooked. The WRS weekly competitions kept me coming back for more and a few friendly rivalries developed and eventually led to real world friendships.
3. There's a lot to do around the forums so I have to ask: what sub-forums/threads do you frequent most often and why?
The online racing series forum and in particular the Weekly Racing Series sub-forums. I spend a lot of time working with other stewards organizing events there. I quite often use the "recent posts" function to expand my browsing to all areas of the forum and to see what's trending.
4. What was it that sparked your interest in Gran Turismo?
I actually start playing the series with GT5, but my interest in racing games goes back way before Gran Turismo to Pole Position in the 80s. I played quite a few racing games between the Atari console and NES at that time, but obviously of the very low quality arcade variety, but nonetheless very entertaining. I took a very long hiatus from gaming in general and stayed away (can you say easily addicted) until my education, career and family life could afford the spare time I knew it would consume. I actually got hooked back into gaming via my iPhone on a business trip running time trial laps in real racing. Once the hook was back in it didn't take me long to find Gran Turismo as GT5 was recently released.
5. How did you come up with the name "WRP001"?
Some friends and I had a fairly fanatical windsurfing group in the San Francisco bay area called WindRatPack (WRP). I was the founder so got the handle WRP001.
6. Controversial question time: Gran Turismo, Forza Motorsport or both?
Gran Turismo. I've never even given Forza a go outside of a session standing in a department store with a controller that was barely functional so never gave it an even shake.
7. Because it's finally occurred to me that the question above doesn't allow enough freedom, do you play any other racing games that you perhaps enjoy more than GT or FM?
Nope. I have thought about iRacing for a while, but the GTP_WRS has me hooked in pretty well and at the moment it's strictly on the GT platform. GT7 better be good or I'll reconsider.
8. GTP 12 is up and about, what are your thoughts?
I love the new forum platform on my PC and especially on an iPad where it looks stunning and is very functional. On my phone, I miss the iOS app which had it's quirks but was incredibly efficient.
9. Gran Turismo 6 is finally here, what are you thoughts so far?
Enjoying the new content and particularly the new tracks. Brands Hatch is amazing. The day/night cycles offered at the tracks are stunning. Outside of the new content most of the rest is window dressing IMO. Some features I valued in GT5 have been taken away like proper splits in replays, the data analyzer, but hopefully they'll be back in an update. There wasn't much new introduced to support online racing, but I'm hoping the promised community update will address that. My biggest want/need for future versions would be to support more than 16 racers in a lounge. That's the thing that eventually will pull me to another platform if it's not offered by GT. Overall, I still think all the new content is well worth the $$ and there is a lot of potential for growth in GT6.
10. If aliens landed in front of you and, in exchange for anything you desire, offered you any position on their planet what would you want?
I'd be director of sports broadcasting for a major network. That network would have the rights to F1 and NFL broadcasts on the alien world which would give me track/field access.
11. If you could live in any video game which game would it be and why?
Maybe a puppet boy in Little Big Planet. All those cool and weird adventures and so many lives.
12. If you could create your own motorsport series what would it entail?
A rally series in the US. Talk about a sure fire commercial failure.
13. Tell us something interesting about your hometown.
That's a tough one. Small quiet town in a rural state (Maine) with not a lot going on which is why I moved, but it's 245 years old... that's very old on this side of the pond. I still love to visit, just not when it's 20 below zero.
14. One mod to another, how have you not gone insane yet?
Deep breaths.
15. Do you have any hobbies we should be made aware of?
Windsurfing, snowboarding, surfing and mountain biking. Living on California's Central Coast you just can't help but get outside.
16. Are you driving anything special at the moment?
1990 Volkswagan Vanagon. Wanna race?
17. What's your favourite video game, currently?
Gran Turismo is the only game I play on a PS3. I do enjoy playing games with my kids on their DS systems. The mario games are still a ton of fun to be honest, I prefer them over any of the shooter type games on the PS3.
18. What songs have been on repeat for the past few days?
I actually like trance mixes when I exercise, which is normally when I listen to music. I have been pretty inactive over the holiday season and thus reverted to old Bryan Adams songs or Ottmar Liebert.
19. Why did you choose that avatar, and why is it not a monkey? (Don't ask me, I had nothing to do with this.
)
It's the WindRatPack logo. WindMonkeyPack doesn't sound right.
20. Games, how do you like them?
a) Pre-Order, I want them on day one.
b) Sealed at first price drop.
c) Used.
The only game I've ever pre-ordered was GT6, so generally "Sealed at first price drop".
21. With the next generation of all things video gaming upon us, have you made any plans to pick up a PS4, Xbox One or Wii U?
I will pick up a PS4 the minute GT7 comes out.
22. Mechanical or Membrane keyboard?
I don't care as long as it is ergonomic.
23. You've just been sentenced to death. What is your last meal?
Turkey with all the trimmings plus pecan pie for dessert. Can I watch an NFL game after I've stuffed myself?
24. On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being likely to go to the nut house, how crazy would you rate yourself?
2 [or 10 if this reality is all in my imagination]
25. Who is your favorite race driver and why?
Mark Webber. He speaks his mind, is not obnoxious, has an ample amount of talent and generally seems like a good guy.
26. Where and when was your very first post here and how does it differ from your posting style used today?
May 2011 or there about... It wasn't that long ago for over 10K posts. My style has not changed much:
- I
- still
- love
- bullet
- points
27. How many of your controllers have died because of heavy physical abuse whilst playing a PS3 game?
Rarely use a DS3 so still have my original, but I'm on my third wheel in three years. Heavy handed I guess.
28. Have you ever accessed the website during an unusual time and/or place?
Every hour of the day/night and every place I go, but that's not out of the ordinary... right? Maybe re code me to 5 on the sanity scale to account for a GTP addiction disorder.
29. What's the longest you've gone without logging onto GTPlanet since joining: Years, months, weeks, days, hours?
At most about a week, but for the most part I log in several times every day. I usually check GTP before my email.
30. Who (in your own opinion) is the most inspiring person / people here on GTPlanet?
From a career/professional angle obviously Jordan for building this site from the ground up and living out his dream. From an event organizer perspective EDK for his many years of dedication to the WRS. From a driving/game play perspective Aderrrm for an unbelievable amount of driving talent without a gigantic ego attached.
No. I want my 25 year old body back.
32. Now it's time for the "Daniel Special": If you could cross a hippo with any other animal - what will the animal be, what will it be called, and why? (Bonus points for creativity! And it can't be another hippo because that's incest)
Platypus. Hippoplatypus sounds good and just imagine a venomous animal that big!
33. What's the funniest thing you can remember from all of your time being a member here?
We have a rule in WRS time trials that you have to keep two tires on track at all times or the lap is considered dirty. A regular time trialer who was new to online racing joined us for an online race a couple years ago. About half way through a 20 lap race he pulls over, stops his car and says over the mic with an uncertain tone, "Sorry, I put 3 tires on the grass, I am going to quit now." After we figured out what he was going on about we had a pretty good laugh and told him to carry on.
34. Have you ever participated in any of the racing series' found here?
Many. Besides 3D3 Racing and the WRS, my favorite series was Gamesta's Super GT series back in the fall of 2011. There have been attempts to organize a reunion race and we still need to get that together for old times sake.
35. Have you ever considered developing your own racing series, and if you have where can we find it?
Indeed, that's what I do. I started 3D3 Racing with Gravitron and Hydro in 2011 and that series evolved into WRS-Online. You can find us in our own sub-forum under online racing series. We've hosted at least one or two races a week ever since September 2011. Drivers of all skills are welcome so check it out.
36. Anything else you'd like to say?
Well, thanks to the reader if they've made it this far. I love the GTP community and the passion here. A special thanks to all the stewards and admins that make the WRS run like a well oiled machine (that needs an oil change every 500 km). I'd have put GT on the shelf long ago if it weren't for GTPLanet so I guess I have you all to thank for my continued addiction.