How would you rate a pet expansion to PG?
Basically, pets will be a new concept that will be useful both in the game as it is now and how we expect it to become in the future. As the game evolves, new types of pets will be added to make them useful to newly introduced features.
At first, we had the Parrot feature idea who would meant to act as an informer to you, broadcasting critical messages about your security for example. We intended to make the parrot an award of a chained missions, like title awards. This never flourished though (not even to its own forums topic).
We could review the possibility though. There are many ways to implement and use a pet after all. We could either go for a simulation pet feature (where pets will need proper attention in order to grow up and be useful) or a more strategic pet feature (where pets do not need basic care, rather some strategic options from the player in order to get the needed diversification).
Pets such as parrots, monkeys, cats and dogs where famous picks back then. Cats were perhaps the most useful as they were used in weather prediction and mice extermination. Dogs were also used as mice-hunters (terriers were mostly popular). Monkeys were hard to train and had irritating behavior which made them a nuisance; they were often blown away or thrown to the sea. Parrots were an expensive pet to have; they were a mark of status and prosperity. Parrots and Monkeys also used to have trading value.
Pets in PG could have some of these traits, plus more. Ideas are welcomed and feedback on personal preferences is also good.