Friday, May 17, 2024

The End of the Beginning

 

So after wanting to tell the backstory of WhuddleWorld and creating this site to do so and to share scrapbook-like memories with anyone still interested in the nostalgia of the Whuddles, I'm doing a 360.  Apologies, but due to my health getting worse, some issues with extended family taking up a lot more of my time and already limited energy and some very real and potentially legally sticky issues surrounding _some_ of the content, I won't be doing much here on WYR at all for the foreseeable future.  Things may change at some point if any of the above circumstances change.  I'm sorry for all the rambling posts and slim content - I really did hope to have a sort of "virtual campfire" for WhuddleWorld fans and creators alike.

 To be honest, if anyone is even reading this, I honestly think telling the backstory and history of WhuddleWorld would be a sort of "healing" exercise in a lot of ways.  And I also hoped it would be a way to remember something, that for whatever reasons, felt like a very special web site with an almost "magical" positiveness about it for a time.  Its probably my own personal baggage, but I was pretty shocked when I started to feel all the old anger, hurt and resentment coming back and I realized that I _still_ wasn't over it and now I'm beginning to wonder if I ever will be.

But if ANYTHING is true, it is the fantastic and wonderful comments and reactions I still come across around the web, from fans and members of the WhuddleWorld when it was up.  Our team may have created the code, images and story - but it was all of you - the members and visitors that really gave WhuddleWorld life and that special connection it had for so many.   I consider it a privilege to have been a part of that and my heart goes out to all of you!  Thanks, really, for making WhuddleWorld one of the most special sites on the Internet in its time.

As an aside, you can try searching the Wayback Machine for WW nostalgia - it has quite a few snapshots of the original website available if you have the time to search for 'em. ;P

May the sun warm your face and the wind be at your back as you travel down life's roads...

4 comments:

  1. Oh, Dee. I hope you can come back and share more info and pics one day. WW was unlike any other and I miss it dearly.

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  2. Oh wow, I just found this site!! I adored WW back in the day - my entire group of online besties played it together and it was a great time. The style of it was just so endearing. I even made one of my graphic design / vector projects in college be artwork that was WW-themed! Wonderful times. Thanks for the nostalgia and lovely memories. I hope what you’re going through heals/gets easier. Would love to see more from you here but health and family must come first, always! Take care!

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  3. I have been searching up key words and asking friends if they remember WhuddleWorld. Today I was able to find out and remember the name through Reddit.

    It warms my heart to read through your blog posts and feel the love and passion you have for this project.

    Although I didn’t play WW as often as I’d like - I was honestly
    hoping to see it thrive. It was an adorable game, with detailed graphics, and so much love.

    Dee - I hope you take care of yourself and if you ever want to start posting again, we’ll be here waiting.

    Thank you for everything!

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  4. I was in middle school when I discovered WW. Even though WW was such a simple concept and wasn’t really “animated” like the other site I used to go on (Habbo Hotel) I was always just more drawn to WW. There was just an allure about it. The characters and artwork were just fun and whimsical. I’m 30 now and ever since the site shut down, I think about it and check back in at least annually to see if it’s back up and running. Even til this day I wish I could log in again lol I hope that one day you do tell the full backstory, because I never understood how a site like that wouldn’t be successful. Especially today, in the form of an app?! Oh I’d be addicted lol

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