Petz (Dogz and Catz) is a series of games dating back to 1995, in which the player can adopt, raise, care for and breed their own virtual pets A digital pet , is a type of artificial human companion. They are usually kept for companionship or enjoyment. People may keep a digital pet in lieu of a real pet. Petz has sold over 3 million copies worldwide.[citation needed]
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Game play
The player starts at the Adoption Center,where they may choose a dog or cat to adopt of a breed and gender of their choosing. Once they have found a pet they like the user can adopt and name the new puppy or kitten. After around three days (real time) the petz become adults. Adult petz can then breed and have kittens or puppies of their own in Petz 3, Petz 4, and Petz 5 (this was not available in the first two lines). Cross-breeding can create different types of petz, called 'Mixed Breeds'.
There are a number of toyz, food/water bowls and treats available. Petz can learn tricks with positive rewards such as petting and treats, or trained not to do something using the punishment (water) spray bottle. Petz must be looked after properly; abused or neglected petz may run away.
Players may share their petz with others who have the game via an E-Mail. Each version allows the importing of petz from all earlier versions. There is also a camera feature, permitting snapshots of petz to be taken and saved as .bmp files.
Other animals include pigz and bunniez. Later versions of the games included a Petz Web Fun Pack, Petz Publisher and a Petz Player web browser plug-in, allowing players to publish their petz online in playable webpages. The Petz Publisher does not work anymore, due to the fact that the website has been remodeled with the newer Petz games by Ubisoft.
Users learned how to reverse-engineer the system, and began producing additional breedz, toys, playscenes, clothes, and developer tools for the games, as permitted by PF Magic PF Magic was a video game developer founded in 1991 and located in San Francisco, California. Though it developed other types of video games, it was best known for its virtual pet games, such as Dogz and Catz. The company was able to make extra revenue by selling plush toys under the Petz trademark. It was bought out in 1998 by Mindscape, Inc., Mindscape Mindscape is an international software publishing company, previously part of The Learning Company. Now affiliated with EA . As of 2004, the group has offices in France, England, Ireland, Germany, Netherlands, Asia, Australia and Latin America. It has an annual turnover of €38 million and employs 150 people. Mindscape publishes and distributes, and Ubisoft Entertainment Ubisoft Entertainment S.A. (pronounced /ˈjuːbisɒft/ EW-bee-soft) is a French computer and video game publisher and developer with headquarters in Montreuil-sous-Bois, France. The company has facilities in over 20 countries, with studios in Toronto, Montreal and Quebec City, Canada; Bucharest, Romania; Barcelona, Spain; Shanghai, Chengdu, China;.
Creature design
Body: (ball style design) The petz are modelled as a set of balls joined by lines with variable parameters. The concept for this was developed in an early PF Magic PF Magic was a video game developer founded in 1991 and located in San Francisco, California. Though it developed other types of video games, it was best known for its virtual pet games, such as Dogz and Catz. The company was able to make extra revenue by selling plush toys under the Petz trademark. It was bought out in 1998 by Mindscape, Inc. title, the fighting game Ballz 3D Ballz is a two player 3D action fighting game for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, the Super NES and the 3DO. It was developed by PF Magic and published by Accolade in 1994. The 3DO version was released as a director's cut in 1995. Ballz offered three difficulty levels over a total of 21 matches. Its distinguishing quality was that each of the for Sega Genesis. This model was scrapped in the 2006 games Dogz and Catz for the PC for a more "realistic" look.
Colors: There are 10 default fur colors that occur naturally in the game. Eye color is not restricted to the 10 default fur colors. In "hexed" breedz/petz the range of colors can be much greater, although all colors must be within the 256-bit selection. Any coat colors other than the default 10 can not be inherited properly and will mutate to inheritable colors in offspring, usually white.[citation needed]
Textures: Textures cover the ballz, imitating fur and stripes.
Paintballz: Some Breedz have splotches of color or texture on their bodies called Paintballz. The spots on the Alley Cat, Calico, and Dalmatian are examples of this.
Breedz
Each Petz breed has its own body shape and color variations.
Petz 2 began with 5 Breedz per game, and new ones were introduced through downloads via the PF Magic website. In addition to what became 10 Breedz, avid Petz fans began using a hex editor to modify the 10 Breedz to form new ones. This hexing continued through Petz 3 as well.
Petz 3 and 4 contain 10 Breedz per game, referred to as the Original PF Magic Breedz. Petz 5 saw the addition of 5 new Breedz per game, referred to as the UbiSoft Breedz.
"Hexies"
Hexed breedz and petz, called "hexies", are petz that have been modified to appear or act a certain way. Color, size, behaviour, sound, shape, texture, paintballz and other variables can be changed this way. This is often used to create new breedz. The term comes from hexadecimal In mathematics and computer science, hexadecimal is a positional numeral system with a radix, or base, of 16. It uses sixteen distinct symbols, most often the symbols 0–9 to represent values zero to nine, and A, B, C, D, E, F (or alternatively a through f) to represent values ten to fifteen. For example, the hexadecimal number 2AF3 is equal, in representation, which is modified with a hex editor A hex editor is a type of computer program that allows a user to manipulate the fundamental binary (0 / 1, zero / one) data that makes up computer files. Note that computer files can be very small (just a name, with no content) to very large (content spanning multiple hard disks). A typical computer file occupies multiple areas on the platter(s) to create a hexie.
Breeding and Petz genetics
Mixed breedz often clearly show traits of their base breeds, but also have mutations (eg. the ruddy fur and black eyes/eyelids in this case).Petz in the game can become attracted to one another and breed to produce offspring. This feature was introduced in Petz 3 and has also appeared in Petz 4 and Petz 5. In Petz 3 and Petz 4, a petz couple could only produce one kitten/puppy per breeding, but in Petz 5 a mother can bear up to four offspring per litter.
The user can encourage petz to fall in love by squirting them with love potions and perfumes and giving them food with aphrodisiac An aphrodisiac is a substance that increases sexual desire. The name comes from Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of sexuality and love. Throughout history, many foods, drinks, and behaviors have had a reputation for making sex more attainable and/or pleasurable. However, from a historical and scientific standpoint, the alleged results may have been-like qualities, as well as using other means. When petz have mated, a heart will appear on the screen informing the user of the female's pregnancy (which generally lasts 3 – 5 days). In that time, females will become noticeably rounder and will require extra food and attention.
Petz's genes carry through to their offspring but can mutate, resulting in different fur and eye colors to that of the parents. The shape and size of body parts is also inherited in "sections;" eg. the legs, head, and ears could be inherited from one parent and the feet, tail, and body could be inherited from another.
When two different breeds of Petz are bred together, the offspring will have the base personality of one parent (or ancestor). The base personality can be determined by the pet's voice, their personality and behavior and how they pose if they are a cat.
Petz life cycle
The difference between a high-generation calico (left) and one from the adoption center (right) can be easily seen, despite being the same breed.When petz have babies, the player is asked to name the offspring. During the first few days of a pet's life, it is blind, small and cannot walk. The mother feeds her infant and the user can do so with the milk bottle.
In Petz 5, when the puppies/kittens are young, they remain in the nursery room with their mother until they are weaned. Only the mother and offspring can access this room and the mother and offspring cannot be taken out separately. When the babies have grown up, the nursery becomes inaccessible. In Petz 3 and 4, the mother and her single puppy/kitten have free access to all areas.
The newborn An infant or baby is the very young offspring of humans. A newborn is an infant who is within hours, days, or up to a few weeks from birth. In medical contexts, newborn or neonate refers to an infant in the first 28 days of life (less than a month old). The term "newborn" includes premature infants, postmature infants and full term will later open its eyes and it is able to walk around, jump onto ledges and stop suckling. They can eat from food bowls and drink from the milk bottle, but cannot swallow treats.
Eventually, the offspring will separate from their mothers as they grow to kittens and puppies.
Petz since 2006
The 2006 and onwards Petz games bear little resemblance to the original Petz games. Instead of ball-and-line modelled catz and dogz that could grow, breed, and interact with each other, the 2006 Petz features 3D graphics that can be retextured, but not remodelled by players due to the software used to create them (the resulting model files being saved in a format incompatible with other 3D programs).
Six other games were released along with Catz and Dogz. These were Bunnyz A stuffed toy, stuffie, or plush toy is a toy sewn from cloth, plush, or other textiles, and stuffed with straw, beans, plastic pellets, cotton, synthetic fibres, or other similar materials. Stuffed toys are also known as plush toys from plush, the outer material used, and soft toys or cuddly toys (British English). They are made in many different, Horsez Horsez is a videogame released by Ubisoft on October 26, 2006 for the Nintendo DS, PlayStation 2, PC and Game Boy Advance. This PC game is the sequel to Champion Dreams: First to Ride and is also part of the second series of Petz. In Horsez, you play as Flora , a new member of the Sycamore Academy. Players can select a horse from one of 5 breeds,Tigerz Tigerz is a videogame in the Petz series, released by Ubisoft in February 2008 for the Nintendo DS. It was released after Petz 5, and is therefore part of the second Petz series. Players take on the roles of Enzo and Ana, two young animal trainers who travel the world, training animals to earn money for their family company, Dolphinz Petz is a series of games dating back to 1995, in which the player can adopt, raise, care for and breed their own virtual pets. Petz has sold over 3 million copies worldwide.[citation needed], Monkeyz Petz is a series of games dating back to 1995, in which the player can adopt, raise, care for and breed their own virtual pets. Petz has sold over 3 million copies worldwide.[citation needed], and Hamsterz Hamsterz Life is a hamster simulation video game released by Ubisoft for the Nintendo DS. Hamsterz Life is also known as Love ♥ Hamster or Love Love Hamster in Japan. The new Petz games were produced for a range of consoles, including Playstation 2, Nintendo Wii, Nintendo DS, Game Boy Advance and PC. On the DS and GBA, the player can care for up to three catz or dogz, which are unable to breed, whilst on the Wii and PS2, the player controls a cat or dog on an adventure quest to save the planet from Ivlet, an evil wolf. In this version the player may customize his/her cat or dog to their style, respectively. In the PC version, the player cares for a single pet.
See also
- Petz: Dogz 2 and Catz 2 Petz: Dogz 2 and Petz: Catz 2 are video games for the PS2 and Wii, and are similar to The Dog Island. Players can choose from 40 breeds of dogs or cats, and customise them with clothing. In the UK these games are titled Dogz and Catz
- Hamsterz Life Hamsterz Life is a hamster simulation video game released by Ubisoft for the Nintendo DS. Hamsterz Life is also known as Love ♥ Hamster or Love Love Hamster in Japan
- Oddballz Oddballz is a virtual pet game created by PF Magic in 1996 as an alternative to their Dogz and Catz titles. It comes with a free Starter Kit demo for the players' friends, that includes a screensaver, the Oddballz Web Fun Pack of clipart, and seven of the thirteen available official breedz
- Horsez Horsez is a videogame released by Ubisoft on October 26, 2006 for the Nintendo DS, PlayStation 2, PC and Game Boy Advance. This PC game is the sequel to Champion Dreams: First to Ride and is also part of the second series of Petz. In Horsez, you play as Flora , a new member of the Sycamore Academy. Players can select a horse from one of 5 breeds
- Tigerz Tigerz is a videogame in the Petz series, released by Ubisoft in February 2008 for the Nintendo DS. It was released after Petz 5, and is therefore part of the second Petz series. Players take on the roles of Enzo and Ana, two young animal trainers who travel the world, training animals to earn money for their family company
References
- ^ GameFaqs search results for Petz games
- ^ Dogz (1995) for PC - GameFAQs
- ^ Catz (1995) for PC - GameFAQs
External links
Academic papers
- Socially Intelligent Virtual Petz
- Creating Emotional Relationships with Virtual Characters
- Virtual Babyz: Believable Agents with Narrative Intelligence
Categories: Mac OS games Categories: Games on Apple Inc. platforms | Mac OS software | PC games | Video games by platform | N-Gage service games Categories: Handheld video games | Mobile phone games | Games on seventh-generation consoles | Nokia | Video games by platform | PF Magic games | Ubisoft Entertainment games | Video game franchises | Virtual pets Categories: Life simulation games | Pets | Artificial life | Electronic toys | Windows games Computer games that run on some version of the Microsoft Windows operating system
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 16:14:56 GMT+00:00
Berliner Kurier Meister Petz auf dem Teller was heute eine aussergewoehnliche Spezialitaet ist, war frueher ein ganz normaler Leckerbissen, unsere Vorfahren luden sich mit ...
