I'D LIKE TO CLARIFY ONE THING, this thread is NOT about what will be in heaven or me suggesting that there will be video games in heaven. Any post related to these said topics are responses to questions I have been asked. Please if you do not understand that this is an evangelistic topic then leave this thread please. I am fully aware of the uncertainty of the thing that will be, but we must be aware of the things of the now. I am talking of the mission of the commission being express through the entertainment of video games like it has been expressed through music, dance, movies, and etc. Now is the time to produce good fruit, heaven will come in God's time but right now, lets see what we can do for him.
I believe people are getting the idea that you think video-games will be in Heaven because of your first, original post starting this thread:
I believe in the new world that Jesus will create, there will be entertainment that is still extremely entertaining and faithful.
While you actually said "the new
world Jesus will create", regardless of whether we're talking about the new world order set up during the millennium, or the eternity spent in Heaven with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, or if we're simply talking about the here-and-now present-day Earth, our focus should be on serving and worshiping God.
Now, I will say that I like your enthusiasm about offering gamers a Christian alternative to the worldly video-games out there on the market. I myself enjoy coming up with ways to turn not-so-Godly tools/games/activities into tools of witnessing and spreading the Gospel of Christ. And I myself also enjoy a good video-game on occasion.
However, let me state here as a moderately intense (is that an oxymoron?) gamer myself (meaning, video-games don't consume ALL my time, but when I do sit down with one on occasion, I'm a VERY INTENSE gamer, often completing games within days or weeks):
When I sit down with a Mario game on the DS, my mind isn't focused on an Italian Plumber smashing turtles and mushrooms while collecting coins. My mind, instead, is focused on completing the level I'm currently playing. If it takes an Italian Plumber smashing turtles and mushrooms while collecting coins to complete the level, then that's what I'll do. But when I'm playing a game, my focus is more on completing the level.
Same way with all the LEGO based games I have, which are LEGO minifigures bashing LEGO plants and barrels for coins, and the smashing of enemy minifigures (not killing, and no gore).
I and my family do not believe in, support, or buy games that are gory, full of killing, or have suggestive themes, especially those contrary to Biblical principles. But I have borrowed a few games from my cousins that would possibly borderline those types of games that I myself would not buy. Avatar is one, as is Spores. Not that there is anything "sinful" or "wrong" with those games, they just aren't the types I buy. But when I play games that extend beyond the LEGO and Mario worlds, again I find that my mind is focused on completing the levels and challenges.
I said all that to say the biggest problem I find with your ideas of creating Bible-based video-games is this: gamers such as myself don't play with the focus being on the theme or storyline nearly as much as the focus being on the completing of levels (although, please understand that the themes and storylines DO greatly affect the mind, whether for positive or negative depending on what they are, and they ARE an important aspect of what the game is built around).
I hope I'm making sense, but my point is this: if you create a game based on the Bible, where players take on the role of Biblical or non-Biblical fiction characters to defeat the enemy and complete the level, while incorporating Scripture and Biblical history into the game is a great improvement over those games totally lacking anything relating to the Bible, gamers will most likely not be affected much by the Biblical theme. The point and focus will still be to complete the level to advance to the next level, and so on.
As someone has mentioned, Bible Trivia games are much different. The reason being because the purpose is learning about the Bible facts and principles in order to advance to the next level. While a lot of gamers most likely will still have a mindset of "complete the level" (depending on who they are, and what kind of gamer they are), it's a little more difficult to NOT be affect by Scripture when playing a Bible Trivia game.
Games based on Biblical history, however, are not much more than another game with another storyline and another character destroying another enemy to advance to another level.
Don't take me wrong, I really do like your ideas of Bible games, and if created would offer a nice selection to gamers like me who are extremely picky about the content of games. I just honestly don't think it will become the effective witnessing tool you think it could be.
But, then again, I could be wrong.
(please note: any time I refer to how I think a gamer would respond, it is NOT based on facts or statistics, but upon personal experience...and while I very well could be wrong, it's still something to think about)
Also, I would like to say, that even if a video game is based on Bible history and events, is rping the Old Testament history REALLY putting our focus and attention on God in a manner that worships, serves, and glorifies Him?
I really do hate the thought of giving up my video-games (especially seeing as I just bought a brand new 3DS last month), but this is something I've asked myself a LOT.
