Note: This is a long post, but it's an important update. Check out our new info page for background and history and to learn what WWO, OWW and WWR stand for if you're not familiar.
Recently, four of the five original WhuddleWorld (2004–2007) team members managed to come together again after almost two decades. (That story is for another time!) After setting up a "working" channel and a few chats getting caught up with what each of us has been up to, we turned our discussions to WhuddleWorld and what, if anything, we might do.
We are seriously exploring whether it's doable to create a nostalgic version of WhuddleWorld—both for veteran fans and as a way to introduce new potential Whuddles to the fold. But we are facing many hurdles, and the first one is a biggie!
The Missing Piece: Our Artist, Katie
Out of the five original members, Elder Kaitler (Katie) remains missing. Katie created about 95% of the original art for WhuddleWorld (over 1,000 pieces!), and she seems to have disappeared off the net.
Note: We don't want people trying to chase her down, even with good intentions. We’ve put some gentle feelers out, and we simply hope that she is healthy, happy, and busy living her life in other directions. Whatever happens, we will ALWAYS credit her in anything we do using her artwork.
Years ago, Katie gave me permission to use her WhuddleWorld art for related projects, and I know she'd be thrilled to see it revisited. However, we don't even have access to half of her original art anymore. Even if the coders successfully rewrite WhuddleWorld, we need someone who can match Katie’s specific skill and style.
That's where all of you come in - we need your help! First we need to get the word out about WW and this blog. Well, that is if you'd like WhuddleWorld to come back in one form or another! And we also need to hear from you.
What do You Think: 4 Possible Options
Since this is being done voluntarily right now, funding and asset creation are our biggest roadblocks. Which of these paths do you think we should take?
- Use AI based on Katie’s original style: We could use AI tools trained on Katie’s original bases and art to create new items like clothing and accessories. (Note: We know AI can be controversial, but we'd be strictly using her original work as the foundation.)
- Hire pixel artists: Pay professional artists who can meticulously match the original WWO look (though we would need to figure out funding).
- Crowdfunding or Merch: Use existing art to sell collectibles or launch a crowdfunding campaign to raise funds. (The catch: Hard to get people excited about something that doesn't exist yet, and merch production costs money upfront.)
- Mini-game level content: Release lightweight mini-game content using only the existing WWO assets we currently have on hand, requiring very little funding outside of server space.
What Do You Think?
Please leave your comments and thoughts below! (or use the contact form to email if you prefer) Also, please let anyone and everyone you think would enjoy learning more about WWR and/or this blog know we're here! The more people we can introduce to the Whuddles, the more likely we'll find a path to move forward!
We’re also working on a brief video to demonstrate what WhuddleWorld was all about for newcomers—stay tuned for that.
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