The Desktop Pet arrives!

A fun diversion for your family and friends!

https://www.stardock.com/products/desktoppet/
from WinCustomize Forums

Just in time for Christmas, Stardock has released the Desktop Pet.  The Desktop Pet lives on your Windows XP desktop. He will interact with various included desktop objects. A sophisticated artificial intelligence engine helps bring him to life by giving him needs such as hunger, sleep, boredom, and even (ahem) the need to take a potty break. 

Users can set the various included desktop objects to be automated or take care of the feeding and cleaning up on their own.  It also includes options for muting sound, pausing, and unloading. The pet is saved to disk regularly so that if you close it or reboot he will be back to where he left off when you bring him back up again.

Stardock hopes to keep updating the pet after release to keep adding new behaviors, additional objects, and new habits to help keep the experience fresh and to respond to customer input.  The Desktop Pet is a fun $10 diversion and makes a great stocking stuffer for the computer user in your family. 

The home page for the Desktop Pet is https://www.stardock.com/products/desktoppet

39,457 views 65 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top
It looks better than expected. *awaits reviews before diving in for xmas presents.
Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top
What happends if I feed him after midnight? o_O
Galactic Civilizations III
Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top
What happends if I feed him after midnight?


Of course, I won't ask what happens if you get him wet...you'll fry your PC.
Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Thanks for the Early Christmas Present!!!
Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top
It comes in a crate, when opened an egg hatches with your new baby pet ?, well pet someting.
Pretty cool...
We'll see how it goes in the coming days....
Reply #7 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Ok this is awesome stuff.. Purchased it right away and am loving it.. can't wait to see the extra items that will be added later.. There's tons of things that can be added to make this an over the top product... Worth every Penny.. great job!!
Reply #8 from WinCustomize Forums Top
O.k. so I think I may know a few people who would like this.
Are any external programs required to "give it life". Or is it a stand alone product?
Also any chance of other characters that are less furry?
Reply #11 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I'd like to see more characters as well.. Sooner or later they'll be some more stuff.. I was thinking also what other gadgets the characters could use.. There's already food, but we need water to wash down that cheese. How about a Fridge that he can pillage through.. Just some ideas..

Still loving it..
Reply #12 from WinCustomize Forums Top
This Looks cool damn i have to buy it can not help it....
Reply #13 from WinCustomize Forums Top
...
Reply #14 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Like to see a video of it running before I make up my mind.
Reply #15 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I picked it up and it's very entertaining . . . that's for sure.
Reply #16 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I named him Chiba.

Great work guys. I was turned off by the whole Gremlin thing at first but after seeing it in action. WAY TO GO!
Gotta type softer he just layed down for a nap. sssssssssssshhhhhhhhh.
Reply #17 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Not bad. I do see a bit of video refresh lag though. Whenever I minimize or rollup, there is considerable lag and afterimage left on the desktop. Not sure if its because of the pet running or not. However it is more noticable since the final product release of WB5.
Reply #19 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I also picked it up and it's really cute. Of course I can't wait for more elements.... just got it and looking for more. Thanks for the development!
Reply #20 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I just bought my pet. He is now snoring in his little bed. I haven't named him yet I thought I would watch him for a while and let him develop his personality before giving him a name.He is so cute and having fun on my desktop
Reply #21 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Stardock got permission to use a Gremlin...

LOL. I wonder if Furby got permission. I wonder if Creatures got permission. I wonder if the trillion other similar things got permission. Little harry critter with big ears is pretty generic these days.

Reply #22 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Hey everyone i want to play but everytime i go over the items it dissapears?? Any idea!! Thanks
Reply #23 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Mr Edivion: That's an odd one. Are you using Winkey+D or Show Desktop to go to the desktop? That can interfere with it because of how DesktopX (and explorer's Show Desktop) works. If that's the problem, try Winkey+M instead.
Reply #24 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Mr Edivion: I am having the same problem...
Don't quite know what Winkey+D is GreenReaper...
I have sent a report of this to [email protected]

I will report any solutions...

The Pet is still really cool..
Reply #25 from WinCustomize Forums Top
It's when you press the windows key and D at the same time to show the desktop. The trouble is, the way Explorer does this is just to put the desktop background window on top of everything else . . . including DesktopX's destkop.