Disappointed

[Golurking]

I've been debating whether to express myself or not in this time. Still not sure, as I don't know if it'll do any good. But here goes...

I've been a part of Webkinz since 2007. Got interested after my wife got a plush (Gold & White Cat, no W insignia at the time), and from there made my own account. It seemed, and was fun. Then we discovered RARES (LOL), had to look them up through Elubin. Anyone remember that site? Shortly after that, found another even better site in WebkinzInsider. Was active there for a while, ran into junk, and took a couple years off. Tried it a second time, only to find more issues, and finally quit it completely.

Enter WebkinzTown. A friend finally convinced me to move on. Which is normally what happens. I have to get hit over the head before I move on from something. LOL I tried out WT, and it was cool, friendly. Maybe a little aloof, but that could also be me, given my distrust. I liked it, however. A couple of months into it, strange moderator changes started happening. One person quits, another joins. Then another quits, and other people join. Kinda strange to me...but I can live with it. And then boom. New Years Day, World War Whatever, and WT is gone. We're fighting for survival, etc.

Somewhere between me taking a break from WI back in 2007 and joining WT in 2013, I made a horrifying discovery that Webkinz stuff is largely fake anymore. These dupes have infiltrated the very innocence of the game. First it was that WKN money glitch, where people made millions of KinzCash. I had an account where a goal was to get to KC$500,000 at the time. THAT meant something; spent 3-4 years working on it. And in one moment, my years of effort was trivialized, pointless. Then the dupes. Anyone remember when a Red Lava Lamp was hoarded and valued as uber special? And the TC1 Ultimate Sports Challenge Car was a high priced item?  This horrifying discovery...that anything of great to moderate value suddenly became as common as a W-Shop item. So, money, common as dirt. Priceless, worthless as a white elephant gift. It's a game changer, a paradigm shift, to a relic like me.

And NOW, on top of that, another messageboard declares war, unnecessarily and malevolently, on a bunch of people just trying to enjoy Webkinz. So Webkinz is generally counterfeit, and the means of communal enjoyment marred by selfishness. It's honestly a bit too much for me. I'm a peace lover, not a war maker, and it's affecting numerous friendships online.

All that said, I'm just disappointed. Which is an understatement.

[Rainbowicee]

I left when the duping started and came back hearing about the easy kinzcash glitch. I have been wondering lately if the duping has been fixed. I hate it for Ganz because I think they tried to run everything fair. I am playing now to try to collect things I like regardless of its rareness and value. And because I like the fun members here. I was with you on the hard work though. I remember hitting the daily's everyday and making sure to get as many floaters as I could to trade. I am sticking with it because meeting new players and also chatting with fun fair veteran players is super fun to me. I love the different personalities! I love the nationalities! And best of all I like seeing the good in people here!

[Golurking]

As disappointed as I am, I'm not quitting Webkinz, at the least. The problem with duping hasn't affected that at all. What it has affected is how I view priceless, promos, and all that. My goals now are more mundane, not stuff that was elusive to me in '07, or even the new promos. All that has been permanently soiled, sadly. Guess it makes the allure of auctions more reasonable (if by that, less attractive).

I too like seeing the good in people. It has become increasingly harder recently with everything going on, but it's still there. I like that there are a lot of RRAKs here...shows a giving spirit despite it all.


All I can say is shame on the people who have turned a child's game into profiteering and selfish agenda. Everyone gets their comeuppance, one way or another.

[Guest]

You know, Golurking, you have some very valid points.
WW items aren't the same anymore. But, I say, if you trade for items fairly you did all you can. It makes these goals a little bit more attainable. And there's still items that have yet to be duped such as the Stone Lion PSI and items that can't be duped for trading such as eStore items.

Other Webkinz sites were very disappointing to me. I never felt at home until I joined WT. And what other people want to do...I say who cares. If people want to leave, they can. It's not my place to say it's wrong. To each their own. The important thing is, the people who truly love WT and dedicate their life to it and volunteer are here, and that's all I need to keep me going.
I have so many wonderful friends that made it here, and some who have yet to. Point is, we have a close-knit clan here, and I plan on sticking to it. People can "wage war" on us all they want, we know that we did the right thing and (thanks to KP) still are providing a home for the family. That's all that matters to me.

[Lorib64]

The duping has taken a lot of fun out of the game for me.

[Golurking]

And there's still items that have yet to be duped such as the Stone Lion PSI and items that can't be duped for trading such as eStore items.

Actually, that's a good point I've been pondering. Not sure as to the Stone Lion PSI...that's seems inevitable. But eStore codes are the way to go! I've loved getting the codes here; it is nice to know that some things ARE real in Webkinz.

[Golurking]

The duping has taken a lot of fun out of the game for me.

Me too! Totally relate. I've had to modify what I consider fun.

[Guest]

And there's still items that have yet to be duped such as the Stone Lion PSI and items that can't be duped for trading such as eStore items.

Actually, that's a good point I've been pondering. :)Not sure as to the Stone Lion PSI...that's seems inevitable. But eStore codes are the way to go! I've loved getting the codes here; it is nice to know that some things ARE real in Webkinz.

Eventually, the Stone Lion PSI will be duped, yes. But for now, something to aim for!
I agree! I've been very lucky with the codes here and were able to get quite a few. I am forever in WTs debt for that.

[NewfieWT]

I understand how you feel, you've made some very good points.  I also see some other good points about taking the rotten things and looking more toward the good things.
There will always be those that take advantage of any and everything.  That's life, we can't change that part of it.  However, we can combat it with giving, kindness and just having fun.  
Others only ruin it for us, if we let them. I choose to rise above it, choose other options that do work, and stick by my friends.
We do have so much fun here and our group constantly amazes me by their generosity towards each other and for new members, as well.
So, I won't let the pixels ruin the game for game for me, I enjoy it anyway.  

This forum keeps me in the game and I've met so many wonderul people here!!  

[Rainbowicee]

From the replies here you can see how webkinz stays afloat!

[Golurking]

There will always be those that take advantage of any and everything.  That's life, we can't change that part of it.  However, we can combat it with giving, kindness and just having fun.  
Others only ruin it for us, if we let them. I choose to rise above it, choose other options that do work, and stick by my friends.

I'm somewhere in between the "ruin" or "rising", I guess. ;)WT does give the BEST option I know of, for rising above it all. I appreciate the desire to not give up. And the aforementioned many RRAKs shows just what you're talking about.

And you're right about the other part too, that we can't change dupes or malevolent websites. I'm not going to embrace that, either. Not insinuating that you are saying THAT. I'm just choosing, in those cases, to abstain from them, for the most part.

Ultimately, I have a KISS mentality to life. When things get overly complicated with junk and turmoil, sometimes it's best to trim them down to what works and what doesn't work. e.g. What I said about setting my interests to more mundane things. I still love to decorate rooms. I can do that regardless, and in spite of, dupes. Just trying to simplify my goals.

[NewfieWT]

I'm somewhere in between the "ruin" or "rising", I guess. ;)WT does give the BEST option I know of, for rising above it all. I appreciate the desire to not give up. And the aforementioned many RRAKs shows just what you're talking about.

And you're right about the other part too, that we can't change dupes or malevolent websites. I'm not going to embrace that, either. Not insinuating that you are saying THAT. I'm just choosing, in those cases, to abstain from either, for the most part.

Ultimately, I have a KISS mentality to life. When things get overly complicated with junk and turmoil, sometimes it's best to trim them down to what works and what doesn't work. e.g. What I said about setting my interests to more mundane things. I still love to decorate rooms. I can do that regardless, and in spite of, dupes. Just trying to simplify my goals.

Well, let me throw some rising agent on your "in between" to get you closer to 'rising' above it! :p lol!
I agree, decorating can definately still be done and enjoyed. So can the forum and the people!   

[KellyWT]

Well Golurking, let me tell you a quick story since I didn't know you before. I began in 2008 with my daughter. In 2009 (??) when the duping started, I had spend MANY thousands of dollars, had over 220 pets and had gone through numerous boxes, yes boxes not packs, or trading cards, and I was an avid trader. I would trade my arm and leg to get things I needed. And then came duping. I pretty much quit within a month.

I stuck around WT until March 2010, and then left. I came back to WT in October 2012 and am still here!  I don't play and haven't since 2010 but I love the people here and can't leave. WT used to be a great stress reliever for me. A place to go and get away from stress in my real life. In recent past it had become as huge source of stress, but in the end, it's still home. As has been shown by the love and support of those that have followed the site here.

It warms the heart and reminds me why I am even trying to get our old site back.

So while I can appreciate what you are saying and certainly do not disagree, it's horrible, but we just have to refocus our reasons for playing or being here and enjoy what we do have and can control.

It's people like you that help to make WT what it is today.

[Golurking]

I agree, decorating can definately still be done and enjoyed.  So can the forum and the people!      

Well, to the effect that both you and panda are getting at, one doesn't throw the baby out with the bathwater. There is value on WT, and enough realness and fight to it to stick around.

[Guest]

I agree, decorating can definately still be done and enjoyed.  So can the forum and the people!      

Well, to the effect that both you and panda are getting at, one doesn't throw the baby out with the bathwater. There is value on WT, and enough realness and fight to it to stick around.

OMG Golurking, I am LMBO at the metaphor. But yes, I agree. It's very "real" here. None of this is fake (well, it's virtual, but it's real people with real families that have made real friends here).

[Golurking]

So while I can appreciate what you are saying and certainly do not disagree, it's horrible, but we just have to refocus our reasons for playing or being here and enjoy what we do have and can control.

It's people like you that help to make WT what it is today.

Wow. I really parallel your story. Thanks for that heartfelt post. It has a lot of meaning to me.

[LolaAnabelle]

I agree with you. I'm a newer Webkinz player and I don't know about the "good old times", but as I am starting to know more and more about Webkinz I also start to have a lot of doubts about the fairness of some WW players, those who have rooms and rooms filled with priceless items (I'm not saying there are not collectors that have a lot of amazing stuff obtained in a fair way). This race for value has diminished the fun part and made WW feel almost as unfair and full of inequalities as the real world...

[CandyWT]

I'm sure most of us agree with you Gokurking, and I do too. It's just disappointing to see the site that people spent years building up over a simple and common interest being attacked like this. I only wish that the people behind this would understand. But, as Newfie said, that is life, and we have to deal with it. But, we as the WT community are just so determined not to be brought down by this, that we came here. This is what really matters, though. Honestly, I'm now at a point where I wouldn't care if Webkinz was gone, all that matters is that WT and all these amazing members would still be here.

[Koto]

I understand where your coming from with this and I really think that you have many valid points! I've been on WW almost from the beginning and I've seen a lot of changes some good and some not so good. I think unfortunately many of the high valued items are dupes, the only way I guess you know for sure that there not is if they were yours right from the start ie you adopted a cheeky dog and kept the psi since or you got the red lava back when it was a current exclusive.

When a lot of the duping started it was a turnoff for me, I continued to play on WW but not as much and I avoided the TR but I ended going back to WW. All I can say is you have to try and be positive and have a positive outlook. I know it's not always easy but you if you really enjoyed it before you have to try. Many of the people on here for example are a good reason to stick around!

[Rainbowicee]

All these post are really sad yet refreshing to hear. Its the friendships that bind in the end not really the items. =)

[Rainbowicee]

Love this newfie!

(Ultimately, I have a KISS mentality to life. When things get overly complicated with junk and turmoil, sometimes it's best to trim them down to what works and what doesn't work. e.g. What I said about setting my interests to more mundane things. I still love to decorate rooms. I can do that regardless, and in spite of, dupes. Just trying to simplify my goals.)

[Golurking]

I understand where your coming from with this and I really think that you have many valid points! I've been on WW almost from the beginning and I've seen a lot of changes some good and some not so good. I think unfortunately many of the high valued items are dupes, the only way I guess you know for sure that there not is if they were yours right from the start ie you adopted a cheeky dog and kept the psi since or you got the red lava back when it was a current exclusive.

When a lot of the duping started it was a turnoff for me, I continued to play on WW but not as much and I avoided the TR but I ended going back to WW. All I can say is you have to try and be positive and have a positive outlook. I know it's not always easy but you if you really enjoyed it before you have to try. Many of the people on here for example are a good reason to stick around!

I'm starting to get this impression from several "old timers". Dupes turned off a lot of people, long before I found out. I guess a silver lining in all this is I get to see how it's affected others, and how they've handled it. No doubt, I think several have quit. I don't intend to.

The part where you mentioned the only way to know for sure...I totally related to that. I didn't have many then-special items. One is the Tea Cart. It's nice to know they weren't faked then, and that I have something rare AND real. IMO, on the scale of common to priceless, there should be a new category: REAL Priceless. LOL Of course, that could never be substantiated, but one could hope.

[Golurking]

(Ultimately, I have a KISS mentality to life. When things get overly complicated with junk and turmoil, sometimes it's best to trim them down to what works and what doesn't work. e.g. What I said about setting my interests to more mundane things. I still love to decorate rooms. I can do that regardless, and in spite of, dupes. Just trying to simplify my goals.)

The KISS principle has guided me often in life. Keeps me from growing bitter or jaded.

[NewfieWT]

Love this newfie!

(Ultimately, I have a KISS mentality to life. When things get overly complicated with junk and turmoil, sometimes it's best to trim them down to what works and what doesn't work. e.g. What I said about setting my interests to more mundane things. I still love to decorate rooms. I can do that regardless, and in spite of, dupes. Just trying to simplify my goals.)

That was Golurkings. I was simply quoting him.

[NewfieWT]

I'm starting to get this impression from several "old timers". Dupes turned off a lot of people, long before I found out. I guess a silver lining in all this is I get to see how it's affected others, and how they've handled it. No doubt, I think several have quit. I don't intend to.

Its always great to have the perspective of others, especially those who've "been there, done that and got the T-shirt".      
And its good to hear that you don't intend to quit.  

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