In the category of Created Lifeforms, we have robots (steamwork color, Cadogre, Endeavor) and living toys (Nostalgic), but you know what we don't have and I really want? Digital/A.I. pets, with all the cheesy Neo-Cyberpunk visual tropes that would entail. Visually, maybe they'd be to the tune of Porygon-Z or PS2-era Aura:

There are a number of other aesthetics that could fit the letter of a Digital Digital Pet, here are some that we've already discussed:

Modern machines with glowing lines and circuits in in the style of the Lower Ziara gear and my girl Sombra

or more in the direction of sleek chrome with pixel faces:

It was also discussed that they be hologram, with pieces missing and wire frame or raw code underneath

+ or

Or maybe a tribute to the good ol' days of Mid-90's Cartridge Failure with enough melting, warping, and dissolving for everyone!

and nostalgic game art in general

I'd also suggest a poke through Bulbapedia's extensive archive on ways your Pokemon game can explode colorfully for more inspiration in the ways of glitchy goodness. Even more neat ideas than just that have been discussed further down, and I'm excited to see what comes up next!

It's a nice idea, but I think we would need a NPC character who is responsible for creating such pets, like the Yun family is responsible for steamwork pets and Vanya is responsible for nostalgic pets.

Maybe it could the Atebus Shop guy. Perhaps he's been dabbling in Artificial Intelligence or something.

If you wanted them to be more AI themed, I could imagine them having coloured wireframe phasing into solid parts. I'd absolutely die if they were like 80's glowing neon cyan & magenta and chrome! But also, the pets phasing in in chunks/blocks like a visual representation of packet switching would be cool.

Either way, all of the above is right up my street c:

LOVE IT! Done Matrix like maybe? As in Digimatrix color? And maybe the Computer Geek should be responsible for this, since he's not doing quests anymore ;)

That's basically what I was thinking. There's about a two-year gap between computer quests shutting down and the NPC being reintroduced as the Atebus shop owner. If he were the one responsible for making these pets, we could get some insight as to what he's been up to all this time and Subeta wouldn't have to create a new NPC. Sounds like a win-win to me

Yep, totally! ❤

I have been waiting so long for a digital/A.I./cyberpunk-y type colour so you have all my support.

I also really like the idea of the Computer Geek being responsible for this.

I am SO into this idea! I love the old 80s games glitch aesthetic and I think that'd be awesome for a pet (see world/palette-loading glitches in Megaman and practically every SNES game and even in Pokemon). That combined with a Matrix-style palette could make the perfect digital age/retro combo aesthetic!

Was just coming over here to suggest the same thing! Could be more of a tech pet with circuit boards and such, or even a modernized version of Steamwork where it's more chrome and steel. Though I really like the pixel art idea, as well.

this is an awesome idea, i would love a pet like this!

Wasn't aware of this thread (thanks, [userid=305129]! ❤️) and posted in a similar thread, so I'm re-posting over here. (Mentioning it because some of my post may sound weird without the context!)

I like the idea of it having a broad range of types of digitization. (Like Nostalgic but not quite that broad haha)

Either way this has my support! [/spoiler]

also psst, , the undertale example in the first post doesn't show for me-- it's just a big, blank spoiler section. Not sure if it's just me but I figured I'd mention it!

yes hello I've been summoned by the power of SOMBRA

I can't fix the images now bc I'm on my phone but I'll look at it as soon as I get a chance. But I remember this moderately popular Pokemon fan art that depicted glitches corrupting the game as the scenery melting into missingno fuzz. The style of the third GIF with the skull could be implemented as a static image that way and maybe combined with the missing body segments of the .hack examples of the image wouldn't be too cacophonic

UPDATE: turns out what the problem is is that the image I originally posted is mostly transparent and looks RATHER ODD on low-contrast backgrounds. The image can be viewed properly on Gaster's page on the Undertale wiki, try it there. I also added some new imaged that fit the theme going and I want to put it some more glitch pokemon as well, because it turns out that I have SO MUCH NOSTALGIA for mid-90's video game hiccups

Welp, that makes sense aha. The new examples for Undertale also remind me of OFF (another great game), so here are some screencaps in case they'd fit the theme and warrant adding to the first post.

OFF

And while looking for something completely different I came across this post on the Subeta tumblr, which is a great example of glitchy effects.

here`s the image if you don't feel like clicking the link

omg, Broken!Quentin may be my spirit animal, I wonder what caused this

Ah looks like I'll have to appear here in the end anyways ahah! Hello again! C:

I'll repost what I got so we can keep this all together. This was from a thread I made as I felt these two were separate ideas. But as I read it over they are not!

Here's the very in depth idea I have for this color! Lets make this dream happen yo!

[B]Also before those say hey this is already a virtual petsite if anyone is reading this thread and humming to themselves.[/b] That's cool and all but this place is set in a world that doesn't know it's virtual. It would not be weird for cyber pets to appear from machines or be seen floating around as half holograms or peiced of data walking around. As to them it would be completely acceptable as they already are not cyber. Every pet here is flesh or robotics. Always think of how something fits into the world. Not what world you see from the screen! Think DIGIMON. Or old game boy pixel games or polygonogal ps1 games or even holograms. Preferably a mixture of ALL. NOT LIKE THE NOSTALGIC KEETO.

OK SO HERE WE GO.

Ok so I've been thinking about this a lot. And it would be killer to have a digital styled pet like this but with load sod possibilities. Something cyberconnetic, and like a video game feel, or like digimon evolutions. Both! To those not familiar with the concept:

Imagine a Kumos leaping out of your computer. Built by 0s and 1s. As it's getting it's body together bits of it's cyber fur are flying onto it, while some of it is exposed, glowing code on top of black void, in the shape of it's limbs until it's covered and formed. Some of it's data is floating around it. It's eyes have a glow to them perhaps. It's not the usual Kumos in subeta though. You own a Kumos yourself! You think about the steamwork pets, this must be a new creation from them? Either way.

You touch it and it's soft. It's feels warm and alive... It is alive! It's a digital creature that has just formed in front of you. You touch some of the exposed polygon/hex code. Your hand touches a lightly warm smoothe haze as your hand goes through that part. It's crazy!

Ok so as far as what they would look like. 1.Some can be with exposed code or virtual glowing squares. Their own texture dancing around them or their feet. Flying off. 2.Some can be like polygons with low texture. Like old ps1 games or Nintendo 64. 3. Some can be very high graphics, but with a haze over them. Pixel like in some areas as it forms. Or a computer monitor or tv static feel to them. 4. Most would be in knowing poses like an old friend about to leave. Some can be a returning friend. Forming from their world to see you. THIS COLOR WOULD BE ALL OF THESE IDEAS IN A DIGITAL THEME.

AND LASTLY. HERE ARE SOME IMAGES TO GIVE THOSE OF YOU WHO STILL CAN'T SEE WHAT I MEAN, the right vibe and feel. Digimon [Img]https://media2.giphy.com/media/KSxlgZ6x1exoI/giphy.gif[/img] Legend of zelda

ALSO! Would you be able to make a master list at the top of all the examples listed? It would probably help a lot of people understand what types were asking for and give more ideas! I'll keep finding more stuff too to make this topic grow and get a really in depth and flushed out idea! C: Maybe all the way down to a rift in cyberspace or a digital world on the planet or alternate reality we cant see where we can go and find these guys!

I HAVE SOME REALLY GOOD EXAMPLES COMING EVEN MORE THAT WECAN GO OFFA! You may love this anime after too if you don't already know it!

So! what I did was I revamped the original post to group reference images by aesthetics discussed, removed pics that didn't seem relevant anymore, and shamelessly yoinked ref pics from you commenters bc HOLY SHIT YES Y'ALL'S IS GENIUSES

and. AND. While I was looking at bulbapedia for references I got the best terrible idea for how these pets could be acquired: going through a bunch of inane steps like what you'd do to deliberately trigger a pokemon rgby era glitch encounter. Think Mew Glitch or Old Man Glitch levels of "wtf am I doing and why." AND THEN: "What is WRONG with my Dragarth?!" I mean obviously they wouldn't actually permanently alter your pet without a heads-up, but if they do make a canon pet color themed around Eldritch Nightmares From Beyond The SNES, might as well go whole-hog with it

Love this concept. Also dig the idea of having to do a series of inane actions in order to trigger the effect, we have some precedent of that already with the Sphinx items from the Millionaire center.

Dang. Didn't realize how old this forum was. Please delete my post.