Abstract

Virtual pets offer an abstracted version of animal ownership. Currently, most simulated creatures tend to be sequestered from the real world and so have little or no knowledge as to their whereabouts. This limits the scope of the possible interactions between the player and their simulated pet. Gophers are artificial pets designed to be carried by users on their mobile phone. They are socially promiscuous (like cats) and enjoy visiting the phones of other players without the permission of their 'owner'. During their lives, these artificial animals collect topological information regarding their movements, and semantic data related to their location via interactions with the humans they encounter. Future versions of the game will utilise this information to create a more contextually aware experience.