So, what's the current status of Christian games?

[Myoti]

And there in lies the problem. It's gonna take soooo loooong.

I'll probably be in the industry in what, maybe six years? And I've already got a few good Christian game ideas (though most of my plans aren't).

[Azier the Swordsman]

Captain Bible was a classic. It was my all time favorite Christian game a long time ago.

Another Christian game I remember that was decent: I can't remember the title of this game, but it was a text based adventure game set in Jerusalem during the last week when Jesus is crucified. You are a roman agent accomplishing various missions, but at the same time you also end up crossing the path of and witnessing key moments of Jesus' last days through the crucifixions and ressurection. It was one of my faves.

Another classic I'm wondering if anyone remembers was Onesimus. As the escaped slave of Philemon, you begin a perilous quest across Rome. It was a very good platformer as I remember it. I'm curious if anyone remembers this one?

Dang, I'm nostalgic now.

[uc pseudonym]

Hm, I guess I'll put the general note here, though it applies to both this thread and "The Rebel Planet." Keep in mind these are not in the Goof Off forum, so try to keep down on the spammish posts (if it is less than two sentences, you should definitely consider carefully before posting).

[Fsiphskilm]

[quote="Lond

[Tommy]

^ What the heck are you talking about?

Try: 7th Heaven

Bart Simpson was about as Spiritually Moral as the backseat of my mom`s minivan.

[Ky Kiske]

lol anybody remember Noah's Ark 3-d it was this FPS starring Moses armed with a cross bow trying to get animals back on the ark. It was pretty funny

[Tommy]

lol anybody remember Noah's Ark 3-d it was this FPS starring Moses armed with a cross bow trying to get animals back on the ark. It was pretty funny

Wait, I`m lost. Moses tried to get animals on ark....? You mean Noah.

At least he didn`t use an M16.XD

I found an arcade game on the internet titled "David & Goliath" and the tagline was: "Save the world from Goliath and his robot minions."

[Godly Paladin]

Noah's Ark 3D was a modified Wolfenstein 3D, except the Nazis and guns were replaced with goats and bananas. (You can find that in the article I wrote.)

You play as Noah, so I don't know where Kiske is getting Moses... O_o

And you like Captain Bible, Azier?!! That's great! You have no idea how happy that makes me... It had, without a doubt, more of an impact on my life than any other game I've played. (Probably because I played it so much when I was little, but who cares? I loved it.)

[Fsiphskilm]

Lots of peop

[Psycho Ann]

Dropping back in:

1. On the long wait for Christian games to make it big (well, bigger): Good news, it might not take a decade. But realistically, it's still going to take a few years with a couple of painful bumps.

2. The Rebel Planet: Looking great, but let's just say they need some prayer support. It's definitely one of the best looking ones in development now, but they still got a lot of kinks to work out so those with time to spare throw a prayer their way.

3. The Bible Game: Crave Entertainment is a secular company (which my cynical side thinks why it was possible for the game to be released on console) with a wide range of games. To be honest, it seems TBG has been really well-done and if any Christian game company wants to do something similiar it has to at least be of that quality.

4. Violence in Christian anything: Hey, I'm all for kung fu action and some blood splatter but unfortunately we're the minority. (Christian ninja-pirates! That would be so sweet! The shuriken can be cross shaped! And after pillaging villages they would share the gospel! But of course, if the villagers refuse the gospel then the Christian ninja would cut off their heads because that's what they do ALL the time. They are, after all, mammals, and are totally sweet and the REAL ULTIMATE POWER.)

[Godly Paladin]

The last thing we need in Christian gaming is gore (in really any amount). What sort of example will we be giving to the secular community if we have blood splattering around in a supposedly Christian game? To the casual secular observer, our games will be just like the rest of the world's games.

And besides, gore won't exactly get the Christian community at large (Focus on the Family, for instance) behind it, which is what small upstart companies need. It would be horrible if FoF and other such organizations 'went on a crusade' against Christian gaming. You could kiss the CG industry goodbye if that happened.

[Fsiphskilm]

out of the 7

[uc pseudonym]

Personally I would like the Christian industry to stay away from gratuitous violence (more because I think it stupid than any moral values), but at the same time I think if it makes the violence less than real it does harm to our witness as a whole.

4. Violence in Christian anything: Hey, I'm all for kung fu action and some blood splatter but unfortunately we're the minority. (Christian ninja-pirates! That would be so sweet! The shuriken can be cross shaped! And after pillaging villages they would share the gospel! But of course, if the villagers refuse the gospel then the Christian ninja would cut off their heads because that's what they do ALL the time. They are, after all, mammals, and are totally sweet and the REAL ULTIMATE POWER.)

That is three different kinds of funny.

[Ky Kiske]

Well what about a Christian RPG done in the animation way of say Star Ocean 2?
2D sprites aren't too hard to do and Lunar, and Star Ocean were some of my favorite games and it would be awesome if it was christian. Alot of people are into 2-D (Phantom Brave/ Guilty Gear) and even though there would be battles their wouldn't be blood flying around.
And there could be voice acting and really cool looking towns and... I dunno me and alot of my friends would buy that. I think with 3-D that's big budget, but with 2-D and a good story you can be as good as 3-D.

[MasterDias]

Lengthy RPGs would still take a while to do, whether they are 3d or 2d...

[Ky Kiske]

yeah but that's something I could help with.
I mean the dialogue. And that stuff isn't as expensive.
I would rather a lengthy game done with sprites that takes a long time to make
than a quick burst of 3-D that is hard on the designers.

[Godly Paladin]

Everybody says "make a Christian RPG", and although that does have merit (and we need to get away from these freakin' FPS games), why is that the only thing people want? What about adventure/platforming games in the mold of Jak and Dexter? Why is everyone so focused on RPGs?

I'm not trying to criticize your opinion, Kiske, or anyone else on this board. It's just, why is everyone so focused on RPGs to the exclusion of all other genres?

As to the violence issue, I want to restate something. The Christian world is already all over video games for their violence and overall nature. The hammer is already starting to come down on Christian games for violence, as you'll find out if you read publications like WORLD, etc. It'll only come down harder if we amp up the violence.

[Fsiphskilm]

[quote="Godly

[Azier the Swordsman]

No game should be watered down... but that doesn't automatically grant a liscense just to shove extra loads of violence in.

[Ky Kiske]

"I'm not trying to criticize your opinion, Kiske, or anyone else on this board. It's just, why is everyone so focused on RPGs to the exclusion of all other genres?"

well I think because anime in itself tends to go either the fighting route or the RPG route. yeah sure they're are exceptionsbut that's the trend.

I don't think a fighting Christian game would ever get published.
and as for RPG the reason alot of people want it is because it is something that has never (to my knowledge but if it has extremely rarely) done before.
I mean there are at least 2 FPS's out there one starring Moses of all people.
There is an RTS in the works,
an adventure,
and there have been platformers for the SNES
it was like Bible Adventures or something.

Also I think even you Volt would play an RPG if it had a really good christian message.

[Godly Paladin]

I'm not saying Add insane amounts of violence, i'm just saying add REAL-WORLD violence, make it real, enough with the fake kid stuff.

No game should be watered down... but that doesn't automatically grant a liscense just to shove extra loads of violence in.

I agree wholeheartedly with both of those statements. Ditch the kiddy stuff, but don't go overboard.

[Azier the Swordsman]

Christian games are definately going to have to undergo a drastic change somewhere...

Taken from EGM's 'The Rest of the Crap' E3 article.

Crappiest Game: This was open to each team's standards and interpretations, and as it turned out, both teams ended up torn between two games: 'The Dozens' and 'The Bible Game' (PS2/GBA). 'The Dozens' is a card game released by the Wayans brothers, in which players read off jokes about one anothers mother. And when I say 'jokes', I mean that only by the most technical of standards. "Your mother is so fat she has serious health problems!" for example. Shawn, Marlon, and Keenen Ivory were there to promote it, allowing Marlon to set the new world record for Celebrity Disinterest in a Celebrity Appearance. 'The Bible Game' had no star power backing it, unless you count Jesus, who was there... inside each of us. Now I know God lets things slide now and then, but it fortells a dark age ahead if He's allowing a game based on his autobiography to be THIS bad. How did Mary Kate and Ashley get more creative merchandise control than our Lord and Savior?

[uc pseudonym]

Actually, that "your mother" joke is humorous in an entirely different way.

Everybody says "make a Christian RPG", and although that does have merit (and we need to get away from these freakin' FPS games), why is that the only thing people want? What about adventure/platforming games in the mold of Jak and Dexter? Why is everyone so focused on RPGs?

I'm not trying to criticize your opinion, Kiske, or anyone else on this board. It's just, why is everyone so focused on RPGs to the exclusion of all other genres?

As I stated earlier, I'm rather skeptical as to the application of Christianity in most genres. I suppose that there are platforming games that actually have plots now, and I wouldn't oppose that, but I would still feel that the game itself merely contains Christian elements instead of being inherently Christian. The RPG genre is highly based in story, and story is something that can easily be made Christian.

[Aside, I personally like RPGs in part because they take so much time. If I intend to actually spend money on a game, I want it to last for a long time, not just a few evenings before I have to restart (though replay value is good as well).]

[Azier the Swordsman]

==My Opinion on RPG's In General==
[indent]Yeah, RPGs is what everyone want's now-a-days. Personally i hate them. I have a life, i have an education to pursue and playing a 50+ hour game, with the same battle BGmusic for the entirety of the game is just Ridiculous and Annoying. I'm not 14 anymore. I can't sit through hours of Idiotic plot twists and boring character development just so i can capture the "Ring of Oden" or what-not, then spend 80 Hours leveling up so I can beat the final boss.

My favorite Game was "The Bouncer", and the Resident Evil games, because they require at most 3-6 hours. I loved Tomb Raider, because the levels were always different, always changing, going from one place to the next, NEVER really going back-wards, only advancing. Tekken, and RE4 were awesome. RE4 was 18+ hours, but it was ALWAYS on the GO, there was always something happening, no back-tracking.
[/indent]

No offense, but can't you make through ONE thread without bashing something?

[Fsiphskilm]

[quote="Azier the

[Azier the Swordsman]

I'm curious if you could point out some of the things you feel need to be corrected in RPG's. (For personal research; as a future aspiring game designer)

[Nate]

For the record, the only problem I see with current RPGs is poor voice acting. Though it has gotten a bit better in recent years, every once in a while a Tynave slips in (and anyone who's played Star Ocean 3 knows what I'm talking about).

Yes, the "save the world" storyline is cliched. But come on. ALL anime is cliched, to a degree. In fact, everything is. There are very few, if any, original ideas nowadays. The best you can do is take a cliched idea and put a new spin on it.

Other than that, I don't see any problems with RPGs. I think Volt just doesn't like RPGs, just like I don't like for sports games. ^^

To echo what uc said a bit, I feel a platformer would reduce Christianity to a silly plot device...collect the crosses to advance to the next level! or something ridiculous like that. RPGs, with their involved storytelling and character development and (usually) cataclysmic storylines lend themselves well to the type of game trying to be made.

A game in which Christianity is a fundamental element, rather than a cheap plot device...or worse.

[Fsiphskilm]

[quote="Azier th

[Myoti]

#1 - Enough with the same BGmusic over and over and over. Through-out the game make it habbit to just change the Music here and there. No one wants to play a game for 90 hours and listen to the same Battle Music.

I've seen games that will change the BGM when entering certain areas, other worlds, continents, or possibly even changing the BGM for the dungeons and overworld. I plan to do that with many of my games.

#2 - Enough Button mashing, the majority of RPGs play themselves, the same ice, fire, wind, water, /or/ magic attacks/physical attacks which in essense don't require much thought. Make us THINK. every min, It's the same idea. Kill the enemy, kill the enemy. You could pretty much use the same move on all the enemies in that area and get through, only problem is they keep poping up.

I'd make each enemy more unique, put in more strategy, and make better battel engines. Also, turn-based or fine, but I (or probably many others) do tend to have more fun with the "action encounter" style, though unique touches to it.

#3 - since leveling up is so important, make it something special, and streamline the processes. If every battle took 5 min. That's just.... *barf* FFX-2's battles lasted seconds at times. Which was nice.

Yes, I also despise battles that take far too long, especially if the game uses "random encounters". -_- Only important battles, like enemies who guard something or "mini-bosses" should take that long.

#4 - Stop saving the world! I wish RPG's would be a bit more creative, instead of just "Save the World" epic adventure. Try something different.

Resurrect the world, perhaps?
Or how about a sinister villain who wants only to destroy a certain race of people, who he blames for causing the death of his grandfather, and plans to use the protangnists brother to cause this?
How about "saving" a world that doesn't exist, only to find the one who made this fake world was doing it because they were, shall we say, "lonely"?

And "saving the world" can still be done, but in more unique ways.
Perhaps have someone trying to kill the protagonist because the hero is actually the one who will lead to the world's destruction?
Have the final boss be someone who was actually a hero in the past and is causing destruction so his love won't be killed by the true villains?
Or how about being a "here" who wants to destroy a kingdom for causing the deaths of thousands of his own people in a war, the "spirits" of which are contained inside him and help him to achieve this goal?

Would any of those work? (all "copyrighted" by me, nya! XP )

#5 - If you want people to spend 90 hours leveling up. Make it special. Make it interesting. Is it chore like? If so, you're a bad game designer.

Nuff' said there, I suppose. I'll avoid being a bad game designer.

Oh, another plan I have. Changing the dungeons each time you play, or even changing each individual floor of the dungeon through each play. Would probably add some serious replay value.

[Nate]

Resurrect the world, perhaps?

The Wild ARMs games are about Filgaia, a planet that is dying and all life is starting to end. The main goal in each game is to try and stop Filgaia from dying and to resurrect the planet.

How about "saving" a world that doesn't exist, only to find the one who made this fake world was doing it because they were, shall we say, "lonely"?

Actually, I could tell you what game this plot is from, but it would be a spoiler to anyone still on the first disc of that game.

Perhaps have someone trying to kill the protagonist because the hero is actually the one who will lead to the world's destruction?

Scrapped Princess, anyone?

Have the final boss be someone who was actually a hero in the past and is causing destruction so his love won't be killed by the true villains?

Hmm...sounds like Ghaleon to me...but what do I know?

See what I mean about there not being any original ideas?

Not any offense to you, Myoti. You probably haven't played any of these games, and had no idea that they existed, hence why you presented them as original. I'm just proving my point you can't really come up with original plots anymore, just new twists on old ones.

That's why I hold no ill will against current RPG storylines.

Oh, another plan I have. Changing the dungeons each time you play, or even changing each individual floor of the dungeon through each play. Would probably add some serious replay value.

This was done in Chocobo's Dungeon 2, which many people hold to be one of the worst RPGs of all time. Random dungeons are really lame, because they all tend to look the same...plus it makes it near impossible to write strategy guides for. I'm one of those people that plays through a game once on my own, THEN goes back with a guide to do everything...and with a random dungeon generator, it's going to make it so a guide can't be written. And then I'd have no reason to replay it.

That's just my opinion, though. ^^;;