You wander through the exciting bustle of various tents, shops and stalls, each showing off their wares. Delicious, hot and ready foods; jewelry and toys; performers and more all shouting out their revelry in celebration of Princess Rhoan. But you’re only a digital visitor; such physical goods wouldn’t have much worth to you. Instead, you duck into a cozy little tent where a shopkeeper is polishing a detailed metal sign that reads “DIGITAL DECORATIONS - FREE TO USE!”. The old fairy shopkeeper Seline and her young apprentice Sprig beckon you into the shop in their tent.
"Welcome, welcome! You've come to the right place. We come every year for Rhoan's festival. Think of our wares as little lucky charms to take along with you," Seline explains.
You awkwardly look at the various shelves inside the stall, and then ask if everything is really and truly free. The answer of course is yes: You can save and use any of these graphics with no credit necessary. It is simply because this place exists in response to the very framework of virtual worlds- and the most egregious thing about virtual worlds is their aggressive monetization. But this land is far kinder than the ones of my childhood.
If I had to hazard a guess, about 99% of online virtual worlds have some kind of paid element to them. I get that money is needed to upkeep these digital spaces, but the methods used in those cases are particularly manipulative. Even if this isn’t a real virtual world, I wanted to reject the ways in which they were harmful. I wanted to make things you can take and share and pass on. I remember even as a child, for which monetization systems online were being rapidly normalized, whenever I fantastized about making my own games, I was set on the idea that there would be no memberships, no subscriptions.
Even if my beloved Bella Sara was more playable than most sites without a paid element (at least to my memory- even without any redeemed cards you could care for a default horse named Peter in the stables, as well as a foal assigned to you by the site, and of course play all the games), it was still there. You needed a premium currency known as “Horseshoes” to buy more things for your cottage and other things on the site. You could gain these by purchasing the cards, or, if I recall correctly, buying directly on the site. I remember covetously asking my parents to buy more- this is the emotional manipulation on which these sites thrive. By inciting jealousy, yearning, and systems of class, online games could make more money by praying on the emotions of the players- though, being a single player game, Bella Sara never quite had the digital classism issue. For a current day example, Star Stable is one of the few still-running horse games and it is particularly egregious. Even when paying for the highest tier of membership, the player must have premium currency to purchase new horses- which is the reason I have never played this game, despite it having the level of interactibility and immersion I crave.
This project is about using nostalgia for something constructive, but so is the Web Revival. And throughout my time in this subculture, I’ve been in awe of its sharing culture. Web Revival spaces are filled with sites linking to each other, making things for others to use, sharing resources and graphics, and more. There’s such a strong sense of community and passion when I browse through things like button makers, link pages, or curated sites filled with graphics. It’s beautiful, and a stark contrast to these ideas of “digital commodities” and their arbitrary scarcity. Virtual Worlds were arguably the original ancestor of the failed “metaverse” craze, which would have taken this hypermonetized digital commodity concept to its inevitable, deeply cynical conclusion.
I guess what I’m saying is that this culture of sharing and free knowledge is the antithesis of the hyper-monetized world of online games. We should carry this sharing culture forward in everything we do online! And since sharing among artists is so important, I decided here would be the perfect place to list all my favorite online resources that the web revival community has cultivated. (Do keep in mind that anything that uses an external script may require a Supporter account if your Neocities account was created in 2024.)
https://blinkies.cafe/ - An online creator for blinkies, with oodles of presets and customization.
https://garlic.garden/onionring/ - An easy webring creator.
https://gifcities.org/ - Search the geocities archives for gifs and images. Created by the
Internet Archive!
https://horrorgifs.neocities.org/ - Horror themed gifs. I use this resource a lot!
https://virtualobserver.moe/ayano/comment-widget - A comment box that can be set up easily and customized to your liking.
https://status.cafe/ - Easy status updater
that I love to use!
https://gifypet.neocities.org/ - Customizable interactive virtual pet!
https://kalechips.net/stuff/snippets.php - Code snippets with some helpful CSS and Javascript tutorials. I actually got the code for one of the main functions of Clovenglade from this site.
https://sadgrl.online/webmastery/downloads/tiledbgs - A collection of background tiles.
http://www.mf2fm.com/rv/ - Free HTML effects.
Almost all of these have helped me build my website in some way, and almost all of them are created by fellow hobbyist webmasters. This is the beauty of the unrestrained flow of information and sharing of resources. I figured that this page would be a good place to host any free horse-themed graphics I make... though it’s still a bit sparse right now. In this way, I can put out as much as I take, contributing to this flow of shared online joy.
The Decoration Shop
The old faerie Seline points you towards a box filled with everything pixelated and glimmering, and shows you some hand-made 88x31 buttons. Perhaps they’d be a nice way to commemorate your favorite horse here in Clovenglade.
Click any graphic to open it in a new tab.
Buttons are a perfect example of carrying the torch of nostalgia forward for a constructive present. 88x31 buttons have been a thing since the early days of the ‘net and hold a nostalgic place in the hearts of many, and are a courteous way to link between websites as well as decorating a page. That people have agreed upon this standard and that it has continued to be used decades later goes to show how strong the sense of community is in these spaces. Of course, there are more web-goodies to be found here...
Perhaps this little section of the shop has something you might like to spice up your page. These dividers might look pretty on your site, and make for a nice souvenir to display!
And with these custom cursors, you can take your favorite horse home to keep you company on your website or computer, no credit necessary.
There is also a great trunk of decorations and funiture, crafted with love and passed along. Perhaps you can find a use for these cozy chairs, knicknacks and more... (The original Bazaar page where you could buy goods did have a large focus on furniture for your Cottage if I recall correctly, after all!)
Click to view the Furniture Trunk
I am also sure a lot of us have fond memories of downloading desktop backgrounds off of our favorite websites. I’m happy to carry on the tradition with these little scenes from Clovenglade.
And, of course, one can't forget page adopts! Similar to buttons, they’re also part of this linking and sharing culture, though with a unique spin, a sort of "personified digital". I'm sort of obsessed with them and coming up with my own personalities and "headcanons" for what amounts to sharable gifs adds a sort of immersion and coziness to my online space that I really enjoy. It kind of inadvertently taps into the same feelings I got from these old online games, in a way.
In a small enclosure, six mysterious and magical beasts look up at you. Perhaps one might find a home on your site?
(These adopts and accompanying backgrounds are compatible with Gifypet)
DANDELION BUNNY
Habitat:
Dandelion Bunnies are a rare sight that pop up throughout grassy fields in particularly lovely springtimes in places with potent magic. Even when they’re in their active period, they’re very hard to spot or find. No one knows where they disappear after the spring, but they’re known to make lovely pets, and will stick around if they have something worth staying for. Their dandelion-fluff can be blown off but will regrow within a day or so, often speculated to be a method of self-preservation, like a lizard dropping its tail, as well as doubling as a reproductive method, spreading their seeds around. They get along well with laid-back personalities.
PYRE-MOUSE
Habitat:
Ill-tempered rodents with fiery tails, the Pyre-Mouse collects bits of metal and glass beads, which it melts and then shapes into nests and dens to fortify its burrow of choice. They’re often considered destructive nuisances or pests when they emerge from where they live underground. However, they’re known to bond for life with those they’ve decided to protect- often those with similarly fiery personalities- and will leave gifts outside their windows, so their reputation is starting to improve a little. The more beads and trinkets they’ve collected, the hotter their tails burn.
CANYON HAWK
Habitat:
These birds can fly for miles and stay awake for days. They have sharp eyesight and extremely precise aim when they swoop and dive. They roost in canyons, ravines and caves, environments as hardy as they are, and they often collect sharp crystals to sharpen their claws. They’re a common sight far across the sea from Clovenglade, but extremely rare here. They build elaborate, fortress-like nests for their chicks.
BLACKWOLF PUP
Habitat:
Blackwolves are a unique canine species that tend to live in woods near human settlements in magical places. They have black fur, slightly hunched, curvy backs, unusually small stature, and larger, expressive eyes. They’re intelligent enough to understand human speech and other animal body languages, and often guard woods that have no specific Unicorn to protect them, which in turn covers the woods in deep, dark shadows. They value bravery and protect the fearful. They often strongly pack-bond with other species, and their packs encompass many kinds of creatures in their woods.
SPICEBEAR
Habitat:
This intelligent and relaxed bear has some limited magical skills, as well as the ability to speak with other creatures. Its senses are very attuned to the world around it. They smell like cinnamon and their claws can till through soil, making it more fertile as a result of their burrowing behaviour. They used to be hunted for their soft and fragrant coats; they’re seldom seen nowadays apart from under the protection of a Unicorn’s forest.
CELESTIAL FISH
Habitat:
Pegasi often are spotted flying around with these rainbow-colored winged fish, which populate clear skies that expand above seas and coastal regions. They’re most active during the night and the dawn, and roost in seaweed clumps during the rest of the day. Seeing Celestial Fish flying in and out of the waves as the sun rises is one of the most beautiful sights in the magical part of the world.
Outside of the tent, there is a small herd of horses grazing outside; one snorts a friendly whicker as you look up. Perhaps some of the horses that trot through the fields of Clovenglade may be open to greeting visitors on your webpage...? Maybe you've seen them out and about while riding. It seems they may have taken a liking to you...
I don't think Bella Sara was a cynical creation. It definitely played into the monetized model that similar games had, but I remember it more fondly than those. Based on what I read about the original creator she seemed like she was genuinely passionate about creating a positive thing for young girls. But I suppose that no matter what your intentions are, creating a franchise for profit is always at least a little bit inherently kowtowing to the whims of that profit, which is frustrating thing to think about- if something exists for its bottom line, then it can die for it too, which is why so many virtual worlds were so short-lived. Servers just aren’t worth the cost when profit is on the line, no matter how fun or creative your game is.
Carrying on the spirit of these online spaces out of love, with our own ideals and hopes, is a reclaimation. Sharing is a reclaimation. Creating an online space of your own, motivated by compassion, freedom and creativity rather than profit is, too, a reclaimation.