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[The_Flying_Dove]

Of all the diverse ideas that are found in this forums, I have not heard one person mention what he/she could do to create a game that is based around a religion. If games are to expand and mature as a whole, we have to be open to all ideas. That goes for both secular and nonsecular ones.

Whether you are religious or irreligious, what do you see as the future for religion in games? Is it too unlikely, with so much of an emphasis placed solely on violent gameplay? Would the closest, most realistic representation of religion be nothing more but an adventure game or a simulation game (i.e. managing the Church throughout the centuries, etc.). What are the barriers to crafting nonsecular games?

[ஒழுக்கின்மை (Paul Eres)]

you haven't read this forum enough, then. did you ever hear of "the you testament"?

http://forums.tigsource.com/index.php?topic=3841.0

[Dacke]

Managing the catholic church through the ages would obviously be a game with violence.

Secularism is the separation of religion and government and nothing else.

There have been some religious game-making folk here over the years. For example andygeers who makes point-and-click games that are meant to teach teach the old testament. He had a thread about it called Bible-teaching computer games and has an webpage at: http://www.oldtestamentadventures.com

edit: I just found the Christian Game Developers Conference 2011 on Andy's page. Personally I find it morally questionable, but that's a different story.

[s0]

There have been several threads about religious games in general (at least 2 I can remember).

[SplinterOfChaos]

There can be a religious game in the same way there can be a religious movie, but in both cases, actually reading <insert chosen religion's reading materials here> seems like a better exercise. Is it worth it to play a game that simply retells a story in the bible? What about a game that tells an original story with religious overtones?

The only religious movie i can think of that i ever liked is called The Holy Mountain, which told an original story with religious overtones, but it was interesting because it incorporated a vast number of world religions with a seemingly unique philosophy binding them together in a quest for enlightenment. It changed my mind about how religion can be portrayed in media. But how can something like this work in a game? Sure, we could put those themes into the story, cinema, and setting, but in that case you really just have a religious movie with game elements.

I bet it's possible, but not probably doable for half the people who want to make games about religion.

That The You Testament looks pretty interesting, so maybe a well-done religious game already exists for my standards.

[s0]

That The You Testament looks pretty interesting, so maybe a well-done religious game already exists for my standards.

Just FYI The You Testment is completely nuts and will probably offend you no matter what religion you belong to (even if you're an atheist or agnostic).

Here's a review of it: http://www.pcgamer.com/2010/12/04/crap-shoot-the-you-testament/

it’s a game where you can opt to play an integral part in the Gospels as an effeminate disciple called Lucifer. Believe it or not, this doesn’t make the game any sillier at all. How can it? It’s a Bible game that quotes Obi-Wan Kenobi, and has Jesus Christ himself tell you “The force is strong with you!”

[The_Flying_Dove]

There can be a religious game in the same way there can be a religious movie, but in both cases, actually reading <insert chosen religion's reading materials here> seems like a better exercise. Is it worth it to play a game that simply retells a story in the bible? What about a game that tells an original story with religious overtones?

The only religious movie i can think of that i ever liked is called The Holy Mountain, which told an original story with religious overtones, but it was interesting because it incorporated a vast number of world religions with a seemingly unique philosophy binding them together in a quest for enlightenment. It changed my mind about how religion can be portrayed in media. But how can something like this work in a game? Sure, we could put those themes into the story, cinema, and setting, but in that case you really just have a religious movie with game elements.

I bet it's possible, but not probably doable for half the people who want to make games about religion.

That The You Testament looks pretty interesting, so maybe a well-done religious game already exists for my standards.

Sorry, but I don't really like the idea of cutting and paste religious overtones into a game's story that can be interpreted in other ways. A movie/book like The Chronicles of Narnia, in my eyes, is not Christian, no matter how hard C.S. Lewis may claim it to be. Even if it is really difficult to make a game portraying events that went on in the Bible, or even discussing the lives of saints, I still say that game developers should aim towards making such games.


During the Medieval times, we saw almost nothing but mystery plays and miracle ones. These plays either focused on the lives of the saints or the Bible itself. They did not distance themselves any further than that from Christianity. And I think that this is the most proper way to display religion in any medium, be it film, literature, TV, theater, music, art, etc.

It would certainly remain pretty restrictive at first, but eventually, we should be able to find a way to make an interactive experience that doesn't stray from the whole purpose of a game's religious message. This applies not only to Christianity, but to other religions, too.

Perhaps game developers will have to take a similar approach to that of Heavy Rain, before they find alternative means that lead players to do exactly what they want them to do.

[Zaphos]

There was a game about managing the catholic church already -- http://www.molleindustria.org/en/operation-pedopriest

See also:
http://forums.tigsource.com/index.php?topic=13963.msg408296#msg408296
http://forums.tigsource.com/index.php?topic=2943.msg77789#msg77789
http://forums.tigsource.com/index.php?topic=3556.0
ZOO RACE

[The_Flying_Dove]

There was a game about managing the catholic church already -- http://www.molleindustria.org/en/operation-pedopriest

Well, I was thinking more along the lines of a game similar to that of a grand strategy game like Europa Universalis, where you try to spread the religion throughout your country and/or the whole world, while trying to influence everyone through the culture, media, politics, economy, etc. and doing this across a long period of time. It could be from the time that the Great Schism occurred, through the present, or even before it. And while pacifism/nonviolence is greatly encouraged, you can be as cruel or as nice to your people as possible, with some hard decisions to make as more time goes by.

[SirNiko]

Can't you pretty much do that in Civilization? I thought there was at least an expansion for that.

[The_Flying_Dove]

I don't think that any Civilization game or expansion pack was every really detailed with its religions, at least not to the same extent as the idea that I mentioned. For instance, you can't manage the pope or other clergy, like cardinals, bishops, nuns, or monks. There would probably need to be some level of micromanagement involved to make the game very accurately portray the Catholic Church, or Christianity as a whole, with each individual denomination and schism that occurred. And somehow, presenting ways to update the teachings of the churches would probably need to be another huge element of the game.

Here are some more ideas that I envision:

- spreading Christianity through each form of medium (books, newspapers, poetry, art, music, and later on, TV, radio, games, etc.). You would also see many historically accurate events or ones that are very close occur, along with great artists, musicians, and others being born, with the need to convince them to work for the church and create Christian works by means of paying them well and other forms of persuasion.

- trying to keep the Orthodox Churches alive in communist Russia: many people would need to be recruited to help hide believers and the clergy, as being one example. A similar concept could be applied to other countries where Christians were/are being persecuted.

- getting the masses to choose a Christian politic over that of a secular one or one of another religion

- finding ways to influence economics in such a way that promotes as much fairness as possible, while striving to not gravitate too much towards communism

[Ego_Shiner]

only a matter of time before someone brings up El Shaddai soo....
yeah

El Shaddai

[The_Flying_Dove]

El Shaddai looks too much like Dante's Inferno, at least in the sense that it's just another action game, with religious overtones. I'd like to see game developers try much harder than this by focusing less on being allegorical, instead being literal, or at least more nonviolent, especially with existent religions.

[Zaphos]

It sounds like you have a very specific game idea in mind here, Dove.  If you want that game to exist, you should just make it!

[jwk5]

How about an RPG?

[Uykered]

I'd like to see game developers try much harder than this by focusing less on being allegorical, instead being literal, or at least more nonviolent, especially with existent religions.

Then action is not a good genre for you, puzzle games are probably going to be a better choice for a religous game. Or Zelda type game, where there is exploration + easy mini games.

[Destral]

I'd like to see game developers try much harder than this by focusing less on being allegorical, instead being literal, or at least more nonviolent, especially with existent religions.

Then action is not a good genre for you, puzzle games are probably going to be a better choice for a religous game. Or Zelda type game, where there is exploration + easy mini games.

Or an old-schoold adventure game, since those relied more on thinking and puzzle-solving than any kind of action element.

[Dacke]

focusing less on being allegorical, instead being literal

or at least more nonviolent

Being literal would mean having violence, especially if you are trying to make a game based on the Old Testament.

[adam_smasher]

Religion and faith are huge aspects of the human experience, both individually and in terms of history/society. Even though I'm a pretty intense atheist, I'd love to see more games tackling religion in a mature fashion.

Some things to consider:

-Are you going to be saying anything new about religion with your game?

-Is your game just an excuse to evangelize? Is it just a circle-jerk for the already-converted?

-Is your game going to have aesthetic value, even to non-believers?

-Is it going to demonstrate serious, personal reflection on your faith? Or is it just going to be a fascile regurgitation of biblical clichés?

-Is it going to be conscious of the challenges of faith? The socio-political context of religion?

I mean, make the game that you want to make - that's the TIG motto. I just personally don't think the world needs another "Bible Adventures". In pop music terms, I'd hope for more of

(that's a devout Morman singing, btw) and less Christian rock, you know? More "The Last Temptation of Christ", less "The Passion of the Christ". And so on.

[SplinterOfChaos]

How about a game where you have to lead a Sunni, Shiite, Palestinian, and an Israeli across a river?