Abstract: A virtual creature character fostering apparatus, which allows a user to understand by experience that passage of time and physical contact are important for fostering a virtual creature character, is provided. The virtual creature character fostering apparatus includes a temperature sensor 13 disposed inside a casing 1 to detect a temperature of the casing 1, character-to-be-fostered selecting means 21, display control means 23, timer means 29, and temperature-condition determination means 27. The timer means 29 counts a predetermined timer period and determines that the predetermined timer period has passed after the display control means 23 displays a previous growing image of the virtual creature character on an image display portion 4. The temperature-condition determination means 27 determines whether or not the casing has been warmed over a given time period after the timer means 29 completes counting of the timer period.

Abstract: A game apparatus is provided, in which a player may not lose interest in a game when new character data are provided from a different player. Appearance parameter setting means (27) sets appearance parameters for the new character data which have been received from a different player via communication, based on a subjective impression held by a player using the game apparatus about the different player. The player answers a question generated by question generation means (23). Appearance parameter determination means (25) determines the appearance parameter, by considering the player's answer to the question as the subjective impression and checking the answer with predetermined appearance parameter criteria. A frequency of appearance and a scene of appearance for a character appearing in an event are determined based on the appearance parameters.

Abstract: A virtual creature character fostering apparatus, which allows a user to feel that the user is really involved in birth of a virtual creature character, is provided. The virtual creature character fostering apparatus includes a temperature sensor 13 disposed inside a casing 1 to detect a temperature of the casing 1, character-to-be-fostered selecting means 21, and display control means 23. The character-to-be-fostered selecting means 21 calculates an accumulated time length during which the temperature of the casing 1 detected by the temperature sensor 13 is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature above ordinary temperature. Then, one or more virtual creature characters to be selected are determined among a plurality of kinds of virtual creature characters in accordance with the accumulated time length. The display control means 23 reads out an initial image of the selected virtual creature character from image storing means 25, and displays the image on an image display portion 4.