+Dave 2,318 Posted April 20, 2012 It’s been an incredible 10 years with all our Flight Sim fans, and I would like to begin by thanking all of you that have made this website the great place it has been for the last 10 years. Past CombatAce began as a much different site known as BioHazcentral.com in 2002. The site was originally created by MadJeff as a flight sim enthusiast site centered on Lock On: Modern Air Combat (LOMAC). It quickly expanded to include other popular flight Sims of the times, including the Jane’s Combat Series, and the Falcon Series. I came to know MadJeff from the LOMAC forums and we spoke about his creation of Biohaz. Being that is was a new site, and I was a huge fan of the Sims, I became one of Madjeff’s first staffers to help him with its creation. I worked on site graphics and moderations, but I also introduced MadJeff to the Strike Fighters series.nThe Biohaz site lasted for several years, but the cost and time consumption on one person to run everything truly became a burden. The Site was soon sold to our current owner who is one of the world’s biggest flight sim supporters. We had an incredible staff, but have expanded it even more as the site has grown over the years. Present Biohaz became CombatAce in March of 2005. CombatAce was bought by Mk2 and Erik who are huge supporters of the flight simming community. At the time we only had a few hundred members. I was brought on board with Fates to help get the site up and running and to work day to day operations. The site now caters to everything from flight sims to first person shooters. The membership has grown from that few hundred to over 61,000 members from over 150 countries making this a truly international site. Column5 ~ Participate in many Internet gaming forums and one thing becomes clear: communities founded with the intent to bring together like-minded people to enhance the enjoyment of a game are often overrun by those wanting to complain about the injuries--real or imagined, but mostly imagined--they have suffered at the hands of evil developers and blind fanboys. From its beginning as Biohaz Central and continuing into its 10-year run as CombatAce, this site has consistently avoided that trend and now stands out as the best example of what can happen when real fans of a game, simulator, or anything else come together simply to have fun and, indeed, make a good product better through the generous donation of that most valuable commodity: their own free time. I can't think of a better place to come to talk about aviation and flight simming and I have no doubt that the second decade will be as good as the first! CombatAce's biggest draw is the Thirdwire series of flight sims. Most of the posters we have here migrated from SimHq when it was decided that we needed a place of our own that we could regulate ourselves. We opened the download section in 2005 and the first series of Strike Fighters sims alone has generated 5372 files with 3,366,601 downloads! In 2008 the second series of Strike Fighters went live in 2008 and has generated 1560 files with almost 500,000 downloads. We have also hosted files from the LOMAC community, IL-2 community, Naval sim community, you name it, we host it. Bringing our totals to 9201 files in 387 Categories with 798 different authors! Totaling 4,639,475 downloads! That's an impressive number. CombatAce has also over the years hosted orphan sites that were a big part of a flight sim community but for whatever reason or another were not able to continue to operate under their current agreements with the respective site owners. In 2009 we picked up the hugely successful Over Flanders Fields community that had falling out with their previous site owners. Since coming here that has almost doubled the traffic at CA and they are moving along nicely. We also added a few forums for the payware community to keep in touch with their latest mods and developments. Jeff "ST0RM" Stoermer ~ Wow, 10 years? Well, I came over here when things turned south over at SimHQ. Dave and I became friends via the net while I was stationed over in Germany. He asked me to move over and add some additional military perspective. Since then, I've been mostly active in the Strike Fighters series forums and have added some minor mods and skins along the way. Occasionally, I contribute to the Photography/Military Aviation forums where I can. Although I've met only a few people on the boards in person, I consider several as good friends. They've always been very supportive of me during my many deployments. CA has evolved from a small group of gaming enthusiasts, to an all out game mod factory. The amount of high-quality freeware work coming out of here, rivals any purpose-made company. It's that good! I look forward to the next 10 years here and will welcome the 20th anniversary in 2022. The Future What does the future hold for CombatAce? That remains unknown, there are many ideas being tossed about but currently we are running at full steam and we aren't going anywhere anytime soon. The members make that all happen. The posters, the modders, the lurkers even the stalkers make this place truly unique. It's been a blast the last 10 years and it continues to be a blast. I can say this. the future looks bright for CombatAce. Michael "Fates" ~ I would like to personally thank Erik and MK2 for everything they do in supporting this community. I would also like to thank every member for their support in keeping this site a lively and exciting slice of the Simulation world. Cheers~ 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+Heberth 159 Posted April 21, 2012 With huge respect, from Brazil: Heberth Thaylon Big thanks to Erik and MK2 and CA fellas! i'm here only at 2 years IIRC, but i made a lot of good friends and meet some of the best modders around the world! i can't say how much happy i am to help ,in the way that i can, the CA community. THANK YOU! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+ojcar 157 Posted April 21, 2012 10 years now? Wov, I'm getting old! Congratulations to all. I visit a number of flight sim sites, but the one I visit several times a day is this site. Thirdwire simmers are the best gaming community ever, period. Thank you to Erik and MK2 (and, of course all wonderful people here). Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Do335 382 Posted April 21, 2012 New here but not at all in flight simming. Anything that lasts longer than 10 years in e-world especially in flight sims is truly unique I'd say. Congrats CA:) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SFP1Ace 33 Posted April 21, 2012 And may it last many many more! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+Coupi 4,279 Posted April 21, 2012 ... Many many thanks!!! Coupi. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FalconC45 157 Posted April 21, 2012 10 Years?! Wow. Feels like more to me :). Ever since C5 & Dave invited me to go here after the SIMHQ Downfall I've made new friends :). I hope CA will continue on many many years into the future. Erik "Falcon" Glascoe Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+Dave 2,318 Posted April 21, 2012 I would like to thank Mk2 and Erik for making this happen. Also to my terrific staff. All you guys are the best. Finally to all the friends I have made over the years through this site. Can't put a price tag on that. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+Brain32 265 Posted April 21, 2012 Wow it seems we don't read the News section too often, just saw this in SF2 GD forums... I was a member of Biohazcentral, really that much time passed? Wow... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+NeverEnough 78 Posted April 21, 2012 Thanks for being here. You have been an oasis through good times and bad; a welcome timeout from the pressures of RL. I've never met any of you face to face, and yet I feel I've known many of you for the longest time. This site is a virtual community which has transended the virtual aspect! Thank you Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+DoctorQuest 107 Posted April 22, 2012 I can't believe I've been here since late 2004. Wow. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+SkateZilla 49 Posted April 22, 2012 hrmm was here when it was BioHazCentral, dont remember any falling out at SimHQ though, but TBH i wasnt on their forums that much back then (school, job, etc) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CNAF 5 Posted April 22, 2012 congratulations! hoping the site run well and long lasting ... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Derk 265 Posted April 22, 2012 Very impressive, thanks to all of you !!!!!!!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MigHound 0 Posted April 23, 2012 Truly a vibrant and passionate community of gamers, modders, and quite simply good friends. Through this marvellous technology, brought together to appreciate a common passion. I am humbled and honoured to be amongst you all. Happy 10th!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Slartibartfast 153 Posted April 23, 2012 And here's to the future may it burn as bright as it does now... been here that long even I have forgotten I remember BioHazard from way back was never a member but joined here in 05 and its been a joy ever since... may the site continue to grow as it should... My thanks to MK2 and Erik and to everyone who makes this site run as smooth as it does. Also my thanks to all the modders out there who do their work for free to make this game as awesome as it is. Here's to the next 10 years Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ruggbutt 45 Posted April 23, 2012 I've been here since it was Biohaz! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+HomeFries 29 Posted April 24, 2012 Congrats and thanks! I remember Biohaz as well. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+SidDogg 130 Posted April 24, 2012 :drinks: SidDogg Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ShinKazama88 9 Posted April 25, 2012 If not for CA and all the wonderful mods and their creator, where would the TW Series be today? This site brings it all together. Many thanks from the Philippines, another 10 years! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
czingerx 1 Posted April 26, 2012 Awesome. One of my favorite sites. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+paulopanz 2,853 Posted April 26, 2012 I think that what makes CA great aren't the tonns of mods, skins, missions, sounds, pics etc. You can grab here, but the people around. This is a warm, friendly place to stand crowed by a real band of brothers made of true authentic aviation enthusiasts. So thank you Dave, Eric, Mk2, Wrench ...... and so on for made this possible. God bless CA. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+Soulfreak 6,350 Posted April 26, 2012 Congrats and many thanks to everybody of the Comcatace staff! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Abhi 3 Posted April 26, 2012 this site shaped my life. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
