Bible games

[Phlegm]

Christian video games market Jesus as an alternative to guts and gore.

From msnbc.com:


BURBANK, Calif. — Transcending the blood and violence found in many popular video games, a small band of believers want to forsake guts and gore for God, trade bloodshed for the Bible.

They are Christian video game developers, like Tom Bean, President and CEO of Digital Praise.

“Some of the games that are out in the mainstream market right now introduce a lot violence, blood, guts and gore,” Bean said. “We found there is a need for an alternative, for families to be able to find fun and entertaining games that reinforce positive images.”

Digital Praise is one of the leaders in developing Christian-themed video games. Bean and other faith-based gamers say many, if not most of the games on the market now tend to focus on “too much evil and not enough good.”

Clean, wholesome video games

Consider Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. The game originally had an “M” rating for mature, meaning it was suitable for players 17 and older. But when a gamer discovered how to uncover hidden sex scenes buried in the game, the rating was changed to adults only. Bean says this is exactly the reason why there is a need for clean, wholesome video games.

“It is difficult to find games that are appropriate,” Bean said. “And even those that are rated E for everyone may not really be appropriate for children.”

Victoria Tolin, for one, wants these kinds of videos. The 11-year-old loves the games, but doesn’t like violence.

“I play a lot of Christian video games,” Tolin said. “They don’t have fights. You just have to follow Jesus and pick up little crosses for points.”

Bean and other Christian game developers are looking for more gamers like Victoria. Right now, the market for Christian titles is small. According to Bean, Christian games represent less than one percent of all games that are out there.

“We are trying to change that and make a positive impact and create some alternative for families,” Bean said.

Creating niche market

Currently Christian video games are mainly sold in Christian bookstores, mixed among the Christian books and music. Game developers want to change that by breaking into the mainstream market, and that was topic number one at this year’s 4th annual Christian Game Developers Conference in Portland, Ore.

Developers from all over the country gathered to share ideas and hand out awards for the best Christian games of the year.

Insiders, like game producer Kathy Bucklin of Crave Entertainment, said the industry is close to breaking into the mainstream market with the release of Christian titles for popular gaming consoles like the Playstation and Xbox.

“Our game is called the Bible Games and it’s coming out on the Game Box advance, Playstation 2 and Xbox,” Bucklin said. “It’s Bible trivia. The Playstation and Xbox game is a game show. So it’s really just understanding Bible trivia and see what you know and hopefully learning a little too.”

Bucklin compares the Christian gaming market to the Christian music market. Christian rock has become a powerhouse in the industry, selling roughly 43 million albums in the U.S. last year.

Bucklin is quick to point out that Christian rock was not an overnight top seller.

“Instead of saying Christian music and people going ugg, now it’s acceptable and people are a lot more accepting,” said Bucklin. “I think Christian video games are going to have the same kind of road to go up."

Fun, not Sunday school

The challenge for Christian game developers is two-fold. First the games must be fun, filled with action and adventure and second the games must be able to visually compete with the popular mainstream games.

“I think for Christian video games to really carve out a piece of the market, the games will have to look like they are truly competitive in terms of quality with the mainstream secular games,” explained gaming expert Adam Sessler, who hosts X-Play on G4 TV.

And Christian Game developers hope it won’t take a miracle to convince consumers Christian games are more than a Sunday school lesson in the living room.

[Captain Insano]

“I play a lot of Christian video games,” Tolin said. “They don’t have fights. You just have to follow Jesus and pick up little crosses for points.”

.

WEEEELLLL I bet you enjoy sucking uncle cock too tolin.

Man that kids sounds like a complete faggot in the making.


I have a much better idea for a christian game than the stupid asspile I just read about, check it:

GTA:JESUS Edition

Instead of picking up crosses for points you get the play the character of jesus and you have been given a fiery avenger ala everquest...

and your job is to run around stealing cars and killing cops and innocent women and children.. EXCEPT they're not so innocent... The cops are heathen jews and the women and children atheists and muslims and you are just unleashing gods wrath on the unbelievers.

If you get to level 4 you can team up with Ben Affleck and Matt Damon and they help you blow up mosques and barmitzva's.

[Harrison]

Video games based on the bible would be fairly entertaining.

[Tadpole]

I have one for the regular nintendo

It is called Bible Adventures, and the case color is aqua

[Gidan]

Wouldn't a game about the bible be a rather violent game?

[Harrison]

Yes

[Aatrex]

I too have that game Tadpole. Being Moses and rounding up all the animals into the ark was own.

But yeah, I know those games are trying to do something good and positive in people's lives...and that's a noble quest, but those games aren't going to get off the ground. It's a hard enough time selling a title with secular themes; let alone a narrowed down theme like that.

Maybe if they had you cast plagues on Egypt and kill Goliath. There could be some cool ideas to come from it maybe, but Bible trivia as a video game is a little boring. That'd be like Trivial Pursuit the video game. bleh.

[Langston]

Being Moses and rounding up all the animals into the ark was own.

*snortlez*

[Captain Insano]

How about a game about the Crusades? That would be fun.

You could go around in your Holy Armor murdering, torturing and raping people in the name of God, Jesus and the Pope.

or maybe a Sims spinoff where you are a family in the Westboro baptist and you go around killing fags and shitting on dead soldier's graves? Man that would really teach the true meaning of christ, let me tell you!

Let's just be honest here. Unless I'm the one designing christian games this shit isn't going anywhere... They are going to be about as successful as christian music, basically not even on the charts.

[Zanchief]

Being Moses and rounding up all the animals into the ark was own.

*snortlez*

I've played it, it's pretty funny.

[Lyion]

Why not worry more about helping people, and less about superfluous stuff like video games or movies?

[brinstar]

I have one for the regular nintendo

It is called Bible Adventures, and the case color is aqua

i had that game too!

the title screen played "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring"

[Zanchief]

Why not worry more about helping people, and less about superfluous stuff like video games or movies?

What does helping have to do with the Bible?

[LostCause]

[Lyion]

The only reason to brand something 'Christian' is because it's substandard and unable to compete via the mainstream, so it's marketed to try and get the Mindia types to buy it.

My point is instead of trying to make Christian vs Secular products, and being an enabler of caste systems of different people, why not reserve the Christian moniker for Christian things, versus using it as a marketing ploy, which in my opinion is as far away from the tenets of religion as possible.

[Minrott]

Cause then they'd have to do it for christmas too?