Video games - perhaps this is what Karl Marx envisioned when he described religion as the "opiate of the masses." Mario is more recognizable than Mickey Mouse in many places of the world, and that's not a bold claim (Do a Lexis-Nexis search.) Indeed, video games are seemingly a religion for millions and millions of youngsters around the world. Key word here: religion.
And that sort of depresses me, even such a video game junkie (at least before Stanford came...) because if only Christ and His Word could spread into the hearts of youngsters worldwide like that! How the world might be different, even if such a thought could only be a fleeting ideal dream, what potential could such awareness hold...!
Then of course ... the put-those-two-things-together feeling that always strikes me at late hours of the night hits me.
So we have Christian books, cartoons, clothing, CDs, radio stations, web sites... But Christian video games?
Actually, it's been tried before. I remember a few of them, back when I was in elementary school. Not licensed by Nintendo, for the old 8-bit NES. They had names like "Joshua's Adventure" and where you had to move around Jericho, avoiding traps and bad guys, like some mindless Bomberman clone. Oooooooooohhhhh... exciting. Not. Now, I don't mean to criticize their intentions. I mean, at least those games weren't heretical or anything. And anything done with Him and His glory in mind is always looked upon by the Lord.
But it's just that whoever designed and programmed them lacked, well - how shall I put this, the proper amagalametion of various talents collectively referred to as game making saavy.
So... how would a group of people, attending one of the world's elite universities, and with FIREY PASSION FOR HIM do?
Here's my bold claim:
The entire Christian community at Stanford should unite, REALLY unite, and form a body to design games, no -- not just mere games, but grand masterpieces fusing art and science -- on the cutting edge of technology - which, like the magnificent cathedrals of days gone by, are permanent testaments to His infinite grandeur and glory. Except, these are cathedrals not of stone and stained glass, but of silicon chips and polycarbonate plastic.
Together, we should start a Christian video game company.
Take a look at where we are. The Leland Stanford Junior University. We aren't cooped up in some old, stuffy ivory-tower institution back East, freezing our behinds off. No, Stanford is a place where we take our education and can and DO make an IMPACT on the world, something everyone can feel. A place whose graduates basically MADE the whole Silicon Valley and the computer industry. I mean, just look at the list. HP. Sun Microsystems. Silicon Graphics. Netscape. Yahoo. Cisco. Trilogy. It reads like a list of Who's who in high tech. To this list, it is time to add a spiritual element.
Is Christianity and the entertainment business compatible?
More than once in my life, I have heard various religious leaders that I have come into contact with say no.
It's time to prove them wrong, folks.
Take a look at Quake. Or Warcraft 2. That's it. A Biblical-themed Warcraft-type like game. Perhaps a spicy scenario would be Joshua's army of 300 takining on the army of 120,000. How much infinitely noble is that that a bunch of orcs and humans relentlessly and repetitvely hacking away at each other without end? Or perhaps a Quake game, where your weapons are not Super Nailguns or Lightning Guns, but the power of the Word, not blowing away the forces of darkness, but converting them and saving them from their sin.
Video games - missionaries for a technological generation.
Our entrepenural savvy, combined with our conviction, rooted in our faith to the Lord.
Let's face it. We, together as a body in Christ, are pretty darn talented. And we are all part of the same body, with our talents given by God to be USED, to give glory unto Him.
So in Christ we who are many form one body and each member belongs to the others. WE have different gifts, according the the grace given us..." - Romans 8:5-6 (NIV)
So, how might we divvy up our gifts and put them to fruitful use?
- OK, let's start from the top. I mean, DChai asserts that Symbolic Systems people are just MADE to design video games. (Whether that claim is bold or not is a subject best left for another Deep Thought. But let's for our present purposes assume that it's true.) So, let them handle all that game design stuff, since they can just do it perfectly. And Danny can fulfill his lifelong passion. Right, Danny?
- Fortunately, we have a faithful group of CS majors standing by to take those ideas and pump out some lean n' mean code.
- Any hardware issues will be taken care of by our contingent of ace EEs.
- The fuzzy English/humanities majors can prove that they indeed can be useful in the corporate world by injecting our products with vitality in plot, storyline, and writing.
- And I'm sure that among the talented musicians who lead us in worship amongst our various fellowships and churches, there are some who will let their musical talent be applied to produce melodies that will make the players SING PRAISE TO THE LORD.
- The IEs can provide the crack, nimble, dynamic management.
- Since video games know no borders, our aspiring group of IR majors will handle the "go and make diciples of all the nations" bit of things.
- And finally, the bio/chem/pre-med people... errr, ummmm... Well, don't worry - we'll find some way to fit you bio people in somehow... =) Maybe we could do a version of SimLife. (Watch out, Maxis...)
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
- Matthew 28:19 (NIV)
Anyways, I hope this idea strikes you, the reader as bold, spicy, saucy, "oh my!", stinkin', interesting, intense, hecka dope, phat, da bomb, Wookie, teehee :9, or whatever adjective may be present in your personal vernacular.
Please feel free to email me your thoughts.
Later.