Welcome to the not-so-newly renovated ZBO. If you are looking for the Zoids RPG that raised the bar, that shattered the activity records, that left a mark on all sites that followed..youve found it.

     It has been a long time indeed since the website looked like this. ("This" being all pages excluding the page you are viewing now). However, as many things do, this site has come full circle. We are back to where we started 5 years ago. I have returned one final time for a formal sign off. Leaving such a wonderful site that has had such an effect on myself, as it has many others, was not the right thing to do. I was considering leaving it just as a simple farewell, however it still didnt feel right. So I decided to rebuild it to its former glory. Wheather or not its very glorious, it is nonetheless where it all began: A simple concept website. It has gone on, and seen many things in its day. However, nothing good can last forever. I, along with the other staff, do not have the time to devote to this website, nor do we wish to see it under new management. I visited a few other sites today, the "new" popular sites, and am shocked at what I see. The community has changed so much, standards have become so low. It is good that we fell when we did. This is not to be offensive to those who manage these sites. They have my full respect for continuing on when there is no hope. Afterall, that is how this site began. This site has had over 5 years of service, which is more than many can say they've had, and we are all proud of it.

      But it doesnt have to end here, and it certainly will not. ZBO will live on for as long as MSN groups exists. It was here almost since it started, and it will be here when it ends. Our work will continue until this site is fully restored to how it looked in the past. We plan to use web archives to fully restore the site to the earliest date we can (November 5th, 2002), and then, only then, will our work be complete. The worst thing is that, while we have fully archived the site, all of our past graphics have been completely deleted, so we will have to remake them. They will be remade not as modern flashy graphics, but as simple images done in paint, in order to keep the original feel. We are also working on a "Hall of Fame", to give those whom have played an important role in this website the recognition they deserve. We will continually post on the "New Updates" page you can find a link to at the bottom of this one whenever we restore or complete somthing. You can also find our site records there aswell, if you are interested in seeing just how successful we were.

     The truth about this site, if you do not know it, is a dark one. The curent staff stole the website off its past owner, in order to provide it with a bright future. We soon discovered that it was easier said than done to run this website, and began to feel the pressure. We withstood it, but it was not easy. We refused to accept the fact that ZBO was dieing. We tried to bring it back to life many times, but none were able to hold up to what Aurora Borealis had created. Even though the ZBO we now ruled was superior in every way, the gilded age of Zoids was comming to a swift close. To this day, many still reguard Zoids as being alive, but that is simply not true. If Zoids were ever to become popular again, then perhaps we will rise again. Sadly, I say this knowing there is not even a faint glimmer of hope that Zoids will ever rise again. And deep in my heart, I do not want to see it rise again. I fear that if it does, it will be nothing like the one we are familiar with.

     We want it all back. Every last member ive talked to wants the old ZBO to live again. We tracked down old members, joked and laughed and talked like old times, and it was fabulous. The goodbye we always wanted but could never have. I am trying to find Aurora Borealis, and would like her to make a formal message detailing what happened. If she does, I will post it. Until then, I will leave on these notes:

     Thank you for 5 years. Everyone who have dedicated themselves to the advancement of this site and zoids as a whole will not be forgotten, and will have my thanks for their efforts. Thanks for the good times. I will surely not forget all we've done together, including the attempted purchuse of 300 dancing elmos with Aurora's Amazon account. Thanks for the knowlegde. I wouldnt be half of what I am today if not for this site. This is where I learned graphics design. This is where I learned of the games I play today. This is where I met my friends who I talk to every day. And last, but certainly not least: Thanks for the memories.

~King Ambient (Endless)

September 22, 2006