Virtual Pets

Have you ever remembered the tamagotchi crazed? It was a hipped gadget in 1996 and it was marketed as the original virtual reality pet. It is a tiny hand held LCD video game that comes attached to a key chain. The goal of the game is to simulate the proper care and maintenance of a virtual pet accomplished by doing a certain task, responsibilities including feeding, playing games, scolding, medicating, and cleaning up after the false pet, all via digital commands.

According to the Wikipedia, a digital pet also known as virtual pet or artificial human companion. They are usually kept for companionship or enjoyment.

There were common features of digital pets:

1. used to give a sense of reality to the user
2. enhancing playability

• Most digipets have certain level of autonomy and unpredictability. The user can interact with pet and the process of personalizing can ake the pet more distinctive.
• Interactivity

Classified Interactivity

1. Short Term - direct interaction or action from the pet.
2. Long Term - action that affects pet's growth, behavior or life span.

These two interactivity are often combined .
Example of Common Features:

• responds to caring
• responds to touching
• training the pet
• supplies
• dressing up
• competition
• meeting other pets
• complaining when it needs care