Monday, September 01, 2003

CSS for Christians Well, not exactly CSS for Christians.  But it is an introduction to Cascading Style Sheets from Internet for Christians. 12:51:35 PM    Comment ()  trackback []

God in Video Games Last week's Internet for Christians newsletter included an article about spirituality in video games.  It referenced an article on MSNBC that included some good points and some that, well, let's just say the people were really stretching to try and make a point. The article talks about games written from a Christian perspective.  There apparantely is a conference for Christian game developers. While some Christian games remain focused on edutainment or tacking on a Bible-related story to a popular arcade classic, Ponech and a small number of other developers are at the forefront of a new trend in Christian game development: sophisticated game play, bigger budgets and a less overt message.  At the Christian Game Developers Conference last month, one classroom handout illustrated the evangelical challenge: “The game is a smart vehicle. It satisfies a game player’s technological expectations, while subtly (and effectively) delivering God’s message.” And in the really stretching department, there is this comment from David Thomas, who writes game reviews for the Denver Post. “There’s actually a pretty positive message in games,” said Thomas. “You find it in “Grand Theft Auto,” “Doom,” “The Sims,” all those games. And that’s the idea that there’s somebody out there with a plan for me.” This seems to me to be way too much of a stretch.  I rather doubt there is any positive message in Grand Theft Auto.  But it seems that Thomas can find religion just about anywhere. “The structure of games themselves have, what seems to me, a fundamentally theological message.” Take, for example, the existential challenge of a game. The player is dropped in a universe created by someone — the programmer — with a master plan. “I think if you believe there is theological structure with rules, purpose and an ethical system, you’re telling people there is a purpose.” Thomas said. “Part of the game experience is dealing with a strange set of rules and you’re learning by just fiddling with the rule set,” Thomas told MSNBC.com. “What’s that like. Well it could be interpreted as a person’s experience with God.” Okay, then.  <g> 12:48:21 PM    Comment ()  trackback []

© Copyright 2004 Gary N. Petersen.

Scripture quotations taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. www.lockman.org