Christian Video Games Without the Boring Morality

[Poodleinacan]

@ImpliedBodyMan Hehe, I'm happy I know that game, so that I can use arguments to persons like the guy made a response to. Though, it's sad the makers of the game went bankrupt... And the asian companie that bought the online mode of the game made it crap (mostly like, pay to have good things), like replacing the zombies by stupid egyptian mummies...

[FadedHum]

This was really quite brilliant, you've got fantastic points here. I hope you're considering entering game development. I definitely believe its possible to create a great story expressing a Christian worldview, either explicitly such as in an epic Old Testament game, or subtly like C.S. Lewis and the Narnia books. The game just needs to be fun. I don't think morality is an inherently boring concept though, it just needs to be handled well.

[Poodleinacan]

@benjkeys ... You're kiding, right? You're telling me that you would hate killing demons and Satan in a video game?, because that's what Hellgate:London is about, and it's a freaking nice 3rd/1st person RPG made by former Diablo devs)... But since you say violence is the devil, you would hate this game, and thus be on the Devil's side by not killing him virtually.

[ImpliedBodyMan]

@Poodleinacan That's gotta be one of the funniest arguments that I've heard in a while "since you say violence is the devil, you would hate this game, and thus be on the Devil's side by not killing him virtually." Rrrright. So "To Kill is a Sin" has a caveat - dont kill (except in cases of virtual representation of the devil. Then Kill.)

Do ya think that God would have had ifs or buts? If you wanna be my friend, then you gotta get out and kill! kill! kill! some virtual devils

[Jshmelo]

They should make a Christian video game that the whole idea of it is to wake the fuck up and stop believing in bull shit.

[Minority119]

well what do you know

a dude making a heavily religious game, and being smart at it

you have my respect, bro

I personally think a religious game would work fantastically as a Day of the Tentacle styled Point and Click

mostly about the fact that while that game was heavily based off the story of the USA, it made you play the events and teaching you about it without shoving them down your throat or expecting you to know it already

so yeah, good luck on your projects man

[andygeers]

@Minority119 Thanks for the encouragement. Totally agree with you about Day of the Tentacle

[OmegaF77]

Here's a suggestion: why not make an allegorical Christian video game? An "Allegory" means that it's a story that symbolizes something else. That's the type of game I want to create, not an explicit one...

[andygeers]

@cr1tterp0wer And Mario failed because plumbing is boring?

[cr1tterp0wer]

christian games fail because the bible is boring.

[Spiritualmindedify]

@cr1tterp0wer

that is the lamest comment EVER! you need to learn a little more in life, like writing the reason whyyyy!!

[andygeers]

@ArmourCody Sounds cool. I think by "morality" I mean that kind of goody goody attitude that doesn't recognise the reality of our hearts and how corrupt they are - so I don't think we're as far apart in our thinking as you think.

[ArmourCody]

i don't think that morality is the issue at all. Its s this goody good atmosphere that the Christian's influencing culture seam to give us. If a good christian video game were to be made I don't believe it would be in bible times at all. I think that before levels and maybe before or after cut scenes a verse should be given dealing with that level, this would help people memorize verses. It should be in present time, a world full of corruption maybe take place somewhere that outlaws Christ.

[lordlacolith]

You could play as God, and be able to inflict unbelievable atrocities on people who love you! There's nothing more fun than that!

[flyingspagetti]

@lordlacolith Then try populous, Black & White 1 and Black & white 2

[BibleIsland]

Interesting. I develop Christian games and I've taken some of this information in, so thanks for that.

[masticina]

Mmm mystery games can be fun. One could make a mystery game where on a character has to find clues using well the bible. Puzzle games based upon written testimonies.

Hope though they don't just deal with the nice parts. The bible has some very nasty stories and that could be a good place to work from. A crime based upon some old passages in the bible RIght?

Could be fitting.. Then again they probably would foul it up and want to keep it "positive" and "friendly". Well that doesn't works!

[juliaheartz]

Evil Days Come!!

[HunterPudgeCat]

Amen brother! Jesus is the only way.Anyhoo,morality can be loads of fun in a game. Have you ever played a bioware game?

[juliaheartz]

@HunterPudgeCat yes i play!!

Example Dragon Orgins!!

[juliaheartz]

@HunterPudgeCat but it is sow boring!! bulshit!! shity!! it make you striss!!!

it is better not to play video games it is only add your strisss!!! and problem!!

and sooner you will be like the character in the game!! A killer!!!

or play video game a Godly Games!!

[JonathanDymond]

Andy, the bible is what teaches us what to do and how to live, Jesus said he came NOT to bring peace, but a sword.

I don't think you're heart is right because morality is not boring, it's God truth, and you hate being told what's right and wrong. Bible says that a fool despises wisdom and instruction. Proverbs 1:7

But I like what you're doing, and I too and making a Christian video game that hopefully lost people will want to play and learn about God in the process.

[andygeers]

@JonathanDymond I guess I mean that as sinners we hate simply being TOLD what's right and wrong. I think the Bible's pretty clear that straight up morality has no power to change us - people love darkness rather than the light because our hearts are desperately crooked. The only hope for us is to be changed from the inside out so that we WANT to do what's right, and preaching rules to people isn't what's going to do that.

[JonathanDymond]

@andygeers Ok so you know what I'm talking about. You are right, in sin, actually pride, we hate correction. But I don't have a problem with this anymore, I think you should try to overcome it.

Proverbs 12:1

He that loveth correction, loveth knowledge: but he that hateth reproof is foolish.

[InsanePickle007]

@JonathanDymond video games arent about morality.They are about doign what you wouldnt do in real life.

[JonathanDymond]

@InsanePickle007 I never said they were, but it's not necessarilly about doing something you wouldn't in real life. I play skating games and yet I still skate. Games are about doing something for recreation. Whatever that may be for someone.

[InsanePickle007]

@JonathanDymond well i play games like GTA, cuz their fun. Not to make life decisions because they wont affect me in real life :)

[LkGibbs20]

Just put the link up, just replace where it says (dot) with an actual dot. Copy and past the link and put the dot where it says dot.

[andygeers]

@LkGibbs20 Thanks for the link. Do you have any specific thoughts on how a Christian game would work? I think it's all too easy to simply use the Bible as a *setting* for a game that ultimately has very little to do with Christianity, rather than genuinely making a *Christian* game.

[LkGibbs20]

Hey, I wrote an article on Christian Video Games myself that addresses things similar to this, I've tried to post the link but haven't been able to. I would love for you as well as anyone else on here who would like to, read my article. Let me know if you want to and I can send you a message with the link in it!

[LkGibbs20]

@LkGibbs20 Matter fact, I know how to do it: .dasouth(dot) com/features/columns/1911-chri­stian-video-games-what-is-it-a­ll-worth

[yahisabeingoffire]

Sorry my friend, didn't mean to go on and on, but it makes me sad that many Christian developers (like those that made the game left behind) can't see that. But, as far as what you said, I couldn't agree with you more, amen to that!

[yahisabeingoffire]

I'm waiting for the day when we can play a game based on the life of king David like fighting in a battle or killing Goliath and cutting of his head. Or playing the role of Samson and fighting 1,000 Philistiens. The same way we play the role of fighting warriors and fighting and action games why can't we follw the bible and play these charectors based on what they did? I gues that day will never come.

[yahisabeingoffire]

The Tanakh (Bible) is filled with positive violance. Good vs bad. A believer is told not to murder innocent people, but it permits to kill in time of war or self defence. Yahshua (Jesus) said turn the other face, but the scriptures also tells us that there is a time and a place for everything. When kids read the bible and they are told about David killing Goliath and cutting of his head it paints a picture in that childs mind.

[hamster700]

Andy a lot of people fail to realize that games like Mafia the ending was a christian message even fallout three had a passage from the bible even in GTA you get rewarded for good deeds and punished for pad things the player does I think that reflects life that if you steal a car the cops will arrest you the same would happen in mafia 2 I am not just a dump gamer ok I am not religious byt morality and values define us as human biengs

[1986Lonelyguy]

i have to say i dont consider playing violent video games sinful, sorry, but i do accept jesus as my lord and savior and repented of sin, but i dont condsider playing violent games sinful, why? it is FAKE!! not real you are not commiting murder by playing a video game to commit murder you would have to do it in real life or hate somone in real life cause hating somone is murder in your heart but you cant commit it in a video game

[donbear1983]

[Part 2] So, in other words, I just play games that don't conflict with my concious. If i feel i shouldnt play a game with violence then i will stop. But yet, another christian can play it and not feel that conviction. Is God divided though? Absolutely not! It's just that some of us have skeletons in our closets that are triggered by certain topics. But as long as you feel it's okay, while still having an active prayer life with Christ than you'll be okay. IF he wants you to stop, You WILL know.

[donbear1983]

[part 1] Good topic. I've thought about this for years and my opinion came to be that God is such a personal entity (read: real) that it makes little sense to make a form of fiction about him. No one knows exactly what he will do in a given situation or why he will. There are certain concretes like the 10 commandments and the Gospel, but when stepping outside of that it really does nothing to activate faith--thus it's more the imagination of who the designer thinks God is....

[Christiangamr]

Live life like a christian kill noobs on video games. :D

[dtpheif]

you can make a great bible video game, theres tons of violence, i could make a list using every character and only crack the surface

[HavokLurch]

Divine Intervention is kinda Christian....

KINDA

[foxdragon84]

dantes inferno is pretty fun and christian(ish).....how about you play through the bible in an open world 3rd person or 1st person and you play as major charcters in the bible and go through the events...(i.e. battleing gloith, or trying to escape from sodom and gomora before it is destroyed)

[Sugardaddy501]

@foxdragon84 Dantes inferno was really creepy and would do nothing but make me want to break the cd. I want a game for fun not to be preached at and judged.

[JeTSpice]

@chrispollock If you were God, what would you do?

[foxdragon84]

@JeTSpice create a kick butt video game to help christians become moraly right and make it fun... :)

[JeTSpice]

@foxdragon84 excellent thought!  we've got some in the works.

[chrispollock]

a love letter? you mean the part where god says you can go to hell if you don't believe in him. sounds more like a break up letter from an angry ex gf

[cloudwalkerty]

nice

[cryptopur]

Andy - very well spoken.

This is great.

[andygeers]

Thanks a lot!

[JeTSpice]

Andy, you've struck gold with your words again! How many times have we seen it: the Message reduced to "do's" and "don'ts". Can we all take a lesson from the modern Christian music scene, which is, as you say, "All about the character of God... a love letter." May the Lord bless your endeavors.

[chrispollock]

@JeTSpice it's true. god is very loving. he killed all those people in haiti with his natural disaster. makes me want to get close to him!