The Role of Christians in Computer Game Development

This is a very interesting topic, and being a Game Programmer, and a Christian, I feel this issue needs to be addressed.

We're going to look through a few of the most popular game titles ever, "Duke Nukem 3D", and "Doom", and how I feel they would have been better had Christians been a bigger part of the development team.

To start things off, let's look at "Doom" (By id Software). When I first got this game, I was stunned, the surreal graphics, ultimate sounds, and of course, the action. When I got to some of the later levels in the game, I noticed a few things.

Black candles; these are used in a lot of witchcraft things, spells and what not. If a kid sees these in a really good game, and goes to the store, and sees them, he'll most likely buy them. And that kids not going to ask his parents what they're for, in fear of getting in trouble, so he'll ask another "Kid", whose possibly, into, or knows about witchcraft, will tell him/her what there for, hence leading that kid into studies about witchcraft. The development team probably over looked this, saying "it's just a game." Wrong, games and computer are second nature to "teens" and us "kids". If I were part of the development team, I wouldn't have included these black candles in the game.

OK, I know the Doom story line and all, but, if the development team would of thought about it, once your in Hell you can't get out. You're dead. Gone. Never coming back. Instead they're saying, "If you fight hard enough, with big guns you can get out".

OK, made it all the way to the end of the first chapter have you? Fought the big bad guys, defeated them, and now you';re on your way to those stairs to see what's up there? Take a look, yep that's right, a pantograph, with a picture of a demon right in the middle of it. That sends chills down my neck just thinking of a kid seeing that.

"And that's all I gotta say about that"

Next on my list is "Duke Nukem 3D" (By, 3d Realms). Wow, there's a lot to cover here.

Wow, what's the first thing Duke says when you start a game? "#*¿^ Those alien !@#^%¿$ stole my ride." Yep, you heard me right. I don't think so Duke. Any kid that hears that is going to repeat it, Lord knows where, church, or school, Duke swears just about every other time he kills an alien.

Adult content. Yeah there's a block you can put on it, but what moms going to sit down after her kid gets a new game and play it first (hehe)? The fact you can walk up to a dancer (in one of the first levels I might add) and hand her $20 bucks, and her take her top off is senseless. Get real. I don't even have to go into why this is a bad idea.

This is truly one of the worse things I have personally seen in a game, in the level "Death Row", you're in a jail, you walk into this church inside the jail, there's a cross, you think, "well that's nice." Wait, there's a button atop the cross, you get up there, and push it. What happens? The lights deem, turn red, and the cross changes into an "upside down cross", another demonic symbol. After you get over the initial shock of this, you walk behind the cross and a huge demon attacks you. And oh yeah, it looks like a girl was sacrificed back there too. I stopped playing the game as soon as I saw that, never played it again, never will.

Some alternate choices to these games are "Tomb Raider" (1 or 2) (By Edios). This is truly my favorite game of all time.

The graphics are great, so-so sound; the story is awesome pulls you right in. The action, where not as heavy as some other games, is there too, and better than ever. The thing I like most about this game is the puzzles, challenging and downright frustrating at times, but it makes the game more fun to play.

Next on my list of games I recommend is "Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II" (By LucasArts). Its got it all, the best sound of any game ever, the storm troopers actually talk to each other and make a really cool thud when they hit the ground. Superb graphics, with a 3d-accelerator card, the game cruises…. And looks quit convincing. The story, is well, Star Wars which speaks for itself, awesome is the only word. One of the coolest things about this game is you train to be a "Jedi", and you can choose to be a Dark Jedi, or Light Jedi. You have a great arsenal of weapons, including my favorite, the ever-devastating Light Saber. And, unlike Tomb Raider, it has Multi Player! You’ll never get a better online experience than to have a light saber battle with one of your friends.

OK, that's all I really wanted to cover right now, if you want my opinion on some other game (any game really) email me.

BY Trey Dear

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