"Spiritual" Games

**Avicenna** · 06-04-2006, 11:39

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programme...ne/5040340.stm

So, what does everyone think?

I personally don't see much wrong with the games at the moment. Sure, they're all bloody, but it doesn't actually make this whole generation gun-toting individuals killing whoever they want.

Also, no cursing while being allowed to blow up evil demons?

**econ21** · 06-04-2006, 12:43

Sounds like it will embody everything that is wrong with modern religion:

There's no blood and a no cursing rule - curse and your energy level drops.

Focussing on swearing (or depictions of blood) is obsessing over form rather than content. And in gameplay terms, what on earth can it mean - that the programmers install a "curse" button that gamers can press in order to lose energy? Just too dumb for words.

I must admit I like some morality in computer games, but it has to be based around genuine moral dilemmas. The Fallout games had some nice moral elements in that your actions in each community you visited had consequences that were revealed to you in the game ending. Planescape Torment had a lot of spirituality in its plot and dialogue. KOTOR and some DnD games have followed PST in having shifting alignments, whereby your choices influenced your character's alignment. This was especially nice when the moral dilemmas became shades of grey rather than black and white, as in KOTOR2 where Kreia would comment on the unintended consequences of your choosing the apparently "good" option. However, this kind of stuff - real roleplaying - sounds a million miles from the inane "kill demons" stuff proposed here.

**Avicenna** · 06-04-2006, 13:47

It's hard to actually do something in a game because it's 'moral' though, you just don't particularly care since you know they're just game characters. IN KotOR I just ended up doing all the 'good' choices or 'bad' choices depending on which alignment I chose to take, not really because I thought that was the 'correct' thing to do.

It all sounds like a whole load of ideas that won't really get anywhere.

**doc_bean** · 06-04-2006, 15:51

Well, 99% of the games released today are the equivalent of an action movie. there's certainly a lot of room for videogames to diversify and appeal to different markets. In time this will probably mean we will see the 'Touched by an Angel' equivalent in videogames (*shudder* just keep it away from me !).

These guys are going about it all the wrong way though. It's still a killing game, regardless of the blood and swearing. If they wanted to make more 'christian games' they could have focused on more historic events (become Moses and successfully lead your people through the desert, be sure to keep their faith up or God will abandon you and you will all die !) or perhaps even, make a more christian message game (something about helping people in time) or they should just go for it and make Church Tycoon !

**English assassin** · 06-05-2006, 14:10

Better be careful this doesn't turn into a backroom thread...

I can't see this either making worthwhile games, or achieving the games designers ends, if it focuses on mere ritual. If I have to click on a "pray" icon to get some bonus or other how does that differ in any way from casting a buffing spell, or what have you, in a normal game. I can't see how its going to get anyone interested in religion. I suppose it may please those who are already interested, and no great harm in that, although for every one that likes it I would have thought someone else would feel it trivialised their beliefs.

I think this is an example of a common fault of one sort of media wishing it could do the things that other sorts of media are good at. Cinema is never going to replace the novel for character development. Conceptual art is never going to engage the emotions in the way that music does. And computer games designers have to accept that they are making something that is fun, not a path to spiritual fulfilment.

But I don't have to buy the games anymore than I have to buy Zombie-chainsaw-death so if they want to give it a spin, fair play to them.

**Big King Sanctaphrax** · 06-05-2006, 17:03

IN KotOR I just ended up doing all the 'good' choices or 'bad' choices depending on which alignment I chose to take, not really because I thought that was the 'correct' thing to do.

If the game is well done, this doesn't have to be the case. I always found myself unable to play through a dark side game on KotOR, I was loading the game and redoing the evil conversation choices. I've thought that the fact I got that involved in the character and world was a strong point in the game's favour.

**Alexander the Pretty Good** · 06-06-2006, 02:00

I think there are better ways to make a spiritually valuable game than to make a game where you shoot demons. What does that teach, anyway?

Quite frankly, as a Christian, I am embarassed with some attempts to make a "Christian" game. Not only are they often extremely low quality (not just low budget) but they also don't really reach the audience. If the game can be distilled to point and click, all the biblical frills in the world won't save it.

A smart RPG, on the other hand, perhaps one without obviously overt Christian imagery or themes could be an effect witnessing tool. Just don't try to beat gamers over the head with the message.

**Leet Eriksson** · 06-06-2006, 02:13

Jack Thompson criticised the game a while ago, saying you can play as the christians or the anti-christ. I'm not sure whats itching him though.

**Navaros** · 06-06-2006, 05:07

I think there should be some extremely violent Christian games about shooting demons. Shooting demons is cool. Why else would games about shooting demons be some of the best selling games ever (Ie: Doom 1 - 3).

The guy in the article says there is warfare in the Bible so it's ok for Christian games to have warfare on that basis. Well, there is also blood in the Bible so that's ok to put in those games too.

Vampire: The Masquerade - Redemption started you out as a hardcore Christian crusader and that was really fun, but it kind of copped out and cowered away from that towards the end of the game. Having a game that retains that theme from start to end could be totally awesome.

**IrishArmenian** · 06-12-2006, 05:54

I think that it is almost if not completley impossible to make any peaceful religeons game, especially Christianity, because the world thinks mostly of us as pompus and self-righteous. I say, scrap the idea. I play very few games, and as long as they aren't incredibly hardcore, I'm fine with it. But, then again, I only play Total War games, and Battlefield games.