Krylar Administrator Posts: 502 From: MD, USA Registered: 03-05-2001 |
Hiya, Just wanted to let you all know that if you've got some article ideas that you feel you can write on, we could certainly use them! Looking for anything in *any* development language and any Christian-related articles as well. I've found that writing articles has greatly increased my skills. Thanks! -Krylar ------------------ |
Revelator Member Posts: 226 From: Sydney, NSW, Australia Registered: 03-22-2001 |
I am working on an article regarding "The Philosophy of Creating Christian Computer Games." It still is a work in progress. If you wish to view its uncompleted status - click the link: http://www4.tpgi.com.au/makunz/Guild/Game_Creating/game_creating.html When I am finished, I will let you know. Revelator! ------------------ |
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Phillip Martin Member Posts: 56 From: Yeppoon, QLD, Australia Registered: 01-31-2001 |
Also, if anyone has any articles they would like to see, put them here too! Some people (like me  are keen to do some tutorials or articles, but lack the drive, so lay some requests down here!Phil |
Mack Administrator Posts: 2779 From: Registered: 01-20-2001 |
quote:
I started doing this too, but I gave up because TGS has been going rank work wise. Use what you want from it! ----------------------- Creating a Christian game, on the net, with no funds, a prayer and a dream...problems and answers
I've gotten a lot of e-mails since TGS (Two Guys Software) launched that I decided that I should write an article about the real life struggles of making a Christian game in today's world. I believe that the entire Christian gaming community and companies should get together to support themselves. We're a seedling that needs to grow, and it's hard to do it on our own. Support, sharing of information (not your game information, web page's with helpful information), etc. to help each other out. I think our goals should be different than "money money money" I think it should be the massive outreach to unsaved people on this earth, we're all "cyber-missionaries". I don't see missionaries running around fighting over how many people they've saved, or whatever, I see them helping each other, and we should all do the same thing. This is my first outreach to you Christian development people who want to make a difference, but don't know how, it will also help you who are already started up and going. Section A: The right choice... So you believe your calling is to make Christian games, but are you sure? This is a question I get a lot from different people. They want to make a Christian game, but they don't know if God wants them to make a Christian game. My view is: Jesus said "Go out into the world and teach the Word of God" my way of teaching the Word is through the game TGS is currently developing, I also get the chance to reach out to the un-saved employee's that are working for us. So if you think that you should build Christian games, go for it, however, are you prepared? + Do you have a good relationship with God? If you answered yes to all these questions (after your done reading this) then your ready to rock.
I want to make it clear, if you don't give your life, your company, and this game all up to God. It's going to sink like a brick in a couple of weeks/months. I'll be the first to admit that more than once I've gotten to contortive of TGS, tried to take the drivers seat, make the development faster or whatever. Each time I've failed, every single time, after I don't know how many times I clued in (about time) and I pray every day for God to lead the company in the direction He wants it to go. Believe me, it's A LOT less stressful, and things go faster. Do you have a good relationship with God? This question really gets in the face of us Christians, when those thoughts of guiltiness floods in because you haven't been taking the crooked and narrow. I've been there, done that, it's not worth it, start talking to God like you would your ultimate best friend on earth. You know, the type you tell everything to, you still have to treat "The Big Guy" with respect, thank Him, ask for forgiveness, etc. If you treat Him more like that, I find you get more attached to Him and you become closer. Give a shot for a while and see if it works for you. If you don't have a good relationship with God, put the project on hold and get one. A good relationship is key. Also, don't just shoot for "good" shoot for "awesome".
It takes a lot of time to create a game from ground up (average time is 2 years), you need time to manage your team, direct your team, plan your game, etc. I consider building a game like a combination of chess and a puzzle board, your putting the pieces together, but you have to plan your next move to get the process working better/faster, wrong move and you could be screwed. You need to be in contact with your team constantly, e-mail, a messaging program (ICQ is a good one, http://www.icq.com ), anything. Manage your time well, use it very constructively.
Christian games can't fall into the same way secular games have, boring, lame, medicore, (and for Christian games) Bible thumping, for secular games it just turns the gamer off. For Christian games to fall into this, it turns the gamer off from the game AND the message. Do you think running up to people screaming "YOU PAGAN PIG! GET ON YOUR KNEES AND PRAY FOR REPENTANCE FROM THE LORD JESUS CHRIST OR YOU'LL BURN IN HELL!" and then start hitting them with the Bible will help? (Ok, over exaggerating there, but you get my point) It's a long process, you plant the seed, water it, bask it in sunlight, nurture it, until it grows and then produces it's own fruit. You can't grow a tree in a day, you can't turn an non-Christian (who's never heard of Jesus) over to Jesus in a day either. It's a process that has to be taken slow, and thanks to today's society, carefully. You need a solid plan, a plan to have the message there, but not shoving it down the persons throat. A lot of people get turned off by Christianity and a lot of people blame us for a lot of things, mostly because in the past there's been mistakes made that drags the name in the mud. So take it easy, but not to easy, it's hard to find a good medium, but look, and you'll find it. A original game plan is the way to go, I know a couple of games are being based off the end times. An example is Revelation and Final Hour, both based off the book of Revelation, but are both very different. I think Christian action and role playing games are the way to go, RTS and Adventure games would be a good idea, but probably harder to do. All other games don't really fit in mostly because they're ok to play even though they are secular (that is unless you want to make Holy Racers, a clone of Mario Kart 64 with your favourite Bible characters! Knock off Paul as Moses, j/k). You should have this stuff covered for your game: setting, enemies, weapons/items, story (important), etc. Now, you have all you need, now you just want to build the game, well, you need the team, but first you need...
(Coming soon) ------------------ |
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graceworks Member Posts: 455 From: Corvallis, Oregon, USA Registered: 03-03-2001 |
Slightly off-topic, but not too far off. I've been tempted to attend the computer games developers conference (CGDC) for the past two years. I know that I would get a lot out of it, but a lot of secular "junk" too. So, I've been tempted to help host a game developers conference for Christian Games! It would start out small but that is actually preferred. If there is enough interest, I could start a new thread (or someone gracious enough to move this post could do so). I've been attending a small conference for the past couple of years hosted by the man that started the CGDC, Chris Crawford. It is on his new interactive storytelling software. They have been small but a rewarding experience. What do ya'll say? CCGDC? (Christian Computer Games Developers Conference) Tim ------------------ |
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Krylar Administrator Posts: 502 From: MD, USA Registered: 03-05-2001 |
This has been the goal of the CCN from the inception, Tim First build up a userbase and get a host of ideas and discussions going, then start working on building a community that would get together once a year (or so) to have face-to-face discussions. So by all means, YES! How about starting that new thread up? That would be really cool. -Krylar ------------------ [This message has been edited by Krylar (edited April 02, 2001).] |
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Revelator Member Posts: 226 From: Sydney, NSW, Australia Registered: 03-22-2001 |
Thanks Mack You have a lot of material that should be in an article dealing with Christian Computer Games. Thanks for posting it, now I know where it is for reference when I need it. (I will acknowledge your input if I use it A christian computer game's developement conference would be great - but I wonder how many of you are based in the US? Send me a plane ticket and I will come from Australia What Kryler has done with this website to bring us Christian Programmers together is fantastic. I also am trying to bring Christian Programmer's Websites together through a webring - Xian Game Creator's Guild. If you want to join it, just click on its icon on the homepage of this site (you can't miss it) or link to http://www4.tpgi.com.au/makunz/Guild/guild.html Any effort to get Christian Programmers to work together is important - we cannot conquer the world on our own for Christ! Revelator! ------------------ |
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Mack Administrator Posts: 2779 From: Registered: 01-20-2001 |
CCN rockz! ------------------ |
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Krylar Administrator Posts: 502 From: MD, USA Registered: 03-05-2001 |
Awe shucks...quit it, will ya? ------------------ |
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Revelator Member Posts: 226 From: Sydney, NSW, Australia Registered: 03-22-2001 |
I agree with Mack!!! Krylar, this is a fantastic professional site that offers so much. CCN DOES ROCK! ------------------ |
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Krylar Administrator Posts: 502 From: MD, USA Registered: 03-05-2001 |
I do appreciate the compliments, gang! Makes all this *even more* worthwhile Thanks! -Krylar ------------------ |
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Phillip Martin Member Posts: 56 From: Yeppoon, QLD, Australia Registered: 01-31-2001 |
I'll chip in too, it is an excellent job you've done krylar. So many people (myself included ) talk about doing this or doing that, and you've actually done the work and acheived it. It really is a top notch site, and it is one of the few pages that have made it onto my links too bar You're right after my Java SDK doco button. :P Big thumbs up. If I had three thumbs, they would all be up Phil |
