iBotModz started as a free forum software. I was a little kid. I had no money, no PayPal and no knowledge. Kudos to all the "hackers" that messed us up. You hacked a kid, hope it felt good. I was into action replay modding, and looking back at those files they all had 1000+ downloads, which is what brought a great deal of the members here. Halo 2 was removed from Action Replay sometime last year. I guess they couldn't hold what was probably 50+ GB of content and the constant stream of downloads anymore. We built a community and capitalized on a period of time that will probably never come again. We will never have the caring people, free tools, cheap modding, exploitable games, and cheap consoles again. I broke at least 10 normal xbox's and could afford to get more. Anyone could buy Action Replay for $15 bucks, and assuming they had the right games could softmod their xbox. It was cheap and easy. We're in a society now where this cheap form of modding is non-existent. You have to drop 100$ + to even begin modding. Point being, the time of the past isn't coming back. It's like Halley's Comet, its a once in a life time ride and we were part of it.
I joined HaloMods, because I was spawned killed during a Halo 2 match and I was determined to find out and become just like that. Modding and online communities were a big chunk of my early childhood, whether I'd like to admit or not. These communities helped me find what I wanted to do with my life. I met some people online that I've known longer than some of my real friends. I still talk with some of you daily, and it was fun knowing you and watching where we all went as we grew up. Who knew that 5 years later I'd be a couple of years from a Computer Science degree, and that TheMasterSnail would be chasing storms in South Africa. Halo 2 and these online forums drove me into my college education. I'd like to think that iBotModz influenced a couple of people on their path of life.
Kudos to everyone that was a part of this forum, and thanks for some great memories (as cheesy as it sounds). Here is a shout out to anyone I remember, who helped build iBotModz or this community.
- blacklabelfosho - Helped a ton with hardware and really always knew things that no one else did.
- fattwam - holy cow. We've been managing forums for a helluva a long time.
- nielsss - Most might remember him as 'nox from H3 modding days, but nielsss was a great admin on the forumer site.
- TheMasterSnail - I remember asking you to redo the permissions in the admin at least 5 times. Thanks for doing all of that, and bringing the constant funny to the site.
- Xx Anarchy xX - Quite the GFX guy back then, then got into H3 (very good player) and then lost contact with him
- AModderGuy - Was the first moderator and staff of iBotModz. We date back to Halo 2 online modding when I was still learning.
- big4wheeler - Always looked at things and kept the community intact. Left to form his own site, and lost contact with him.
- Dark Master - Always re-writing Xbox-Scene articles for our modding section, then lost contact after move to new site.
- evilomen - I think you had a family. You were fixing xboxes all day. You single handily brought members to our site, just for your service.
- IIx SnYpZ xII - You taught me host booting. You led me into security, and botnet research. My "botting" phrase of Halo 3 was caused by you.
- secretdrummer123 - Consistent moderator, who helped out a lot in the GFX sections.
- snowmon333 - Great moderator, always cleaning up those forums while I was away
- laxmonster54 - I think you lived around me. I never was sure, but helped moderate from H2 -> Reach.
- deathgrip_17 - You were our first "Moderator Leader". You looked over the moderators and really pulled them together.
- Halo Modder 2000 - One of the first 5 members to join iBotModz. I was talking to him over Xbox Live when I launched the first iBotModz.
- SmokiestGrunl - Perfection was always your goal. If it wasn't perfect, you wouldn't post it. You taught me how to make posts be neat. Helped administrate all the way to the current iBotModz.
- BlAcK SpArK 271 - died, or "faked" his death on our old iBotModz. Never really knew for sure, but he was a great sig maker.
- Zer0 Grav1ty -helped spark iBotModz weather he liked it or not, (I took content from his site).
- lostmodz - brother of Zer0, remember him learning extremely quickly and soon publishing some really cool stuff.
- JoeyBe11 - Hacked us. Don't really know what the point was. I don't know how we pissed other people off. I think it was because we grew soo fast, and were just a bunch of kids.
- xX Legacy xX - Showed me Gears, and led me to another great video game series. Always making some strange topics (go to Off-Topic back in 08). Helped with moderating a ton.
- melo - Has been every staff member position. Always had ideas for iBotModz, and some of them I didn't implement till years later. Your ideas were great, I was just stubborn.
- SpAnKyX34 - Another great moderator. Never saw him after the move to the ibotmodz.co.nr site.
- dyinghero27 - If my memory serves me, helped moderate the Xbox/Lobby section and was always moderating for nothing in return
- Happy Buddah - Always critiqing sigs. Never stop lol.
- Pyrosquirrell - Knew in real life, never gave up on my ideas.
- Dan - put up with shit, but always would keep the site clean of spam.
- Fatal Error - Joined the moderating team post Halo 2 and helped organize the forum moderating wise
- Korupt Data - Joined post Halo 2 modding as well, and helped moderate.
- Quinn - Never gave up and still helps to this day cleaning up spam and clearing those spam bots.
- Dark Slipstream - You may of removed your content and left, but you brought at least 2000 members to the site and really helped make it what it was.
- Rogue Modder - Holy cow. I watched you on various forums become quite a master at what you do. Your layouts and UIs are just beyond innovative.
- yungbol - Some of your applications led me into C# and started my pathway on learning .NET. I owe you for knowing C#
- gabe_k - Always talked online with you in some crazy xbox live parties.
- EazyB - Created a petition against the staff, but otherwise helped bring truth to some matters brought up on this site.
- mtwomg - Just starting fights with people. no, but really helped in the dev/debug area of Xbox 360
- Slidell - Most posts without being Staff. Never asked nor seem to want it. Kudos for keeping the content up to date on IBM
- Bigstack - You led me into server administration. Now, I manage one. I owe you.
- AzzidReign - We started sites around the same time. Yours is doing amazing. Congrats.
- neodos - You taught me so much about Halo 2. You helped a ton with the Phantom Mappack
- DeToX - Holy crap. You were one of the best H2 program makers I knew.
- xbox7887 - (creator of Yelo). We talked on aim a few times. The knowledge you had amazed me.
- Prey - You had some tutorials that taught me some in-depth knowledge. Your 4 programs blew me away with their UI and usage that I wanted to program as good as you.
- Iron_Forge - The update posts about Serenity gave me the interest to learn how to mod. I was amazed with your explanations of problems and how to solve them
- Tural - You taught me how to solve problems. By constantly bashing me, and showing no interest to allow anyone in your "elite" group of friends. I learned how to solve problems by myself. A key thing in life, and I thank you for that.
- CaptainPoopFace - Your creativity kept me modding through the slow parts of this community
- robert_hehn - Your a windows server guy. Did you ever get that router I sent you? lol.
- darkshallfall - I filmed your terminal mod. Never got a chance to know you.
- matty0 - Always knowing your computer stuff. Added quite a lot of posts to the computer areas. Always helping members out.
- itchy - You don't even speak English. We had some great talks on msn
- Dataanti - You broke the forum layout with a garbage post. I posted it on IPB forums and got lots of credit for finding a bug. It was you though lol.
- gruntmods - You had plenty of ideas to bring members back to iBotModz. I always had an open ear and was interested in them.
- Kornman - Never had a chance to talk to you, but I'm envious of your engineering skills
- Anthony - Sorry for bitching about H2Core a lot. I was a kid. Now I know how difficult that application is.
- grimdoomer - Your applications are amazing and advance. Too bad its a few years late.