Good "Religion in Video Games" article from IGN

http://www.gamespy.com/articles/105/1059455p1.html


Theres the article. It gives the views of different video game creators about religion in video games, where its heading, and why or why not it should be added.

I am going to have to agree with Ken Levine on this one. When I am playing a video game I am mostly just trying to kill monsters or whatever it is I am doing. I dont think most gamers are capable of deeper thought in that respect and I dont think it should be touched on too much by video games. Video games are for enjoyment and we should be having fun. I dont want to feel that someone is trying to force religion on me through Master Chief.

Me and my family never really were the religious type and ive never liked games trying to push religions onto me so I agree I would not call myself a atheist but I don't particulary believe in most religions. Religion+ games no go in my book.

Here's what I think. I believe that it is OK to put religion in video games to a certain point.

Take Assassin's Creed 2 for example. If you took the time to read and learn about the locations and biographies the game really included a lot about the Roman Catholic religion. A believe something like that is fine as long as it doesn't force or pull you toward the certain religion.

However, I wonder how people would take a video game that introduced an Islamic or Jewish religion. I really don't think it would be viewed the same.

Meatshield718 wrote:
Take Assassin's Creed 2 for example. If you took the time to read and learn about the locations and biographies the game really included a lot about the Roman Catholic religion. A believe something like that is fine as long as it doesn't force or pull you toward the certain religion.

Did you even play Assassins Creed 2? Its definitely not forcing anyone into the Catholic religion. The entire vatican is made up of templars.

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The POPE is evil and you fist fight him!

DeadApe wrote:

Meatshield718 wrote:
Take Assassin's Creed 2 for example. If you took the time to read and learn about the locations and biographies the game really included a lot about the Roman Catholic religion. A believe something like that is fine as long as it doesn't force or pull you toward the certain religion.

Did you even play Assassins Creed 2? Its definitely not forcing anyone into the Catholic religion. The entire vatican is made up of templars.

Hold on. I never said that AC2 pushed the Roman Catholic religion, I stated that it mentioned a lot about it. I understand that it is about templars and you end up fighting a certain religious figure I'm just saying it's somewhat "factual" OK? I didn't mean to start up a fight or anything.

I say it's ok as long as it helps progress the storyline. If it's just being thrown out there for no good reason then it is most likely the designer throwing their beliefs in to the mix. If one really finds themselves that offended by another religion to the point where they wont buy a game, then forget about them because their people skills probably suck anyway. I am basically an athiest so I could care less what religious beliefs people present, seeing as it's all unimportant to me anyway

True dat mbodzz true dat.

*sigh*
Why do people have to look at these things with such thought. I know there ethnic issues with these types of thing when it happens. Just look how many people hate GTA. Basically it will happen the same way just like GTA.
Might look happen like this is simplest form:

Religion in game is strong
People get mad
Developers most likely don't care (unless in a country that is a major consumer)
It gets banned from the whole country/city/state
They still make money

We people these days over think things and try to be "politically correct."
Ummm, that what I have to say

BLACK SNOW 13 wrote:*sigh*
Why do people have to look at these things with such thought. I know there ethnic issues with these types of thing when it happens. Just look how many people hate GTA. Basically it will happen the same way just like GTA.
Might look happen like this is simplest form:

Religion in game is strong
People get mad
Developers most likely don't care (unless in a country that is a major consumer)
It gets banned from the whole country/city/state
They still make money

We people these days over think things and try to be "politically correct."
Ummm, that what I have to say

I dont get what you are trying to communicate. What does this have to do with the article?

DeadApe wrote:

BLACK SNOW 13 wrote:*sigh*
Why do people have to look at these things with such thought. I know there ethnic issues with these types of thing when it happens. Just look how many people hate GTA. Basically it will happen the same way just like GTA.
Might look happen like this is simplest form:

Religion in game is strong
People get mad
Developers most likely don't care (unless in a country that is a major consumer)
It gets banned from the whole country/city/state
They still make money

We people these days over think things and try to be "politically correct."
Ummm, that what I have to say

I dont get what you are trying to communicate. What does this have to do with the article?

Okay even more simpler then I tried to put it.

PEOPLE THINK EITHER TOO HARD OR OVER THINK THE SMALL THINGS!
I see the world like that all the time.

depends who you talk to. Religion is a huge issue for some people

mboddz751 wrote:depends who you talk to. Religion is a huge issue for some people

Not to start anything but i thought we were talking about religion in games?

BLACK SNOW 13 wrote:

mboddz751 wrote:depends who you talk to. Religion is a huge issue for some people

Not to start anything but i thought we were talking about religion in games?

ya, thats what i was talking about. As in religion is such a big issue for some that it will make or break their decision on purchasing a game

Ummmmmm, I'm gonna stop cause this is going to lead into some big debate which I don't want to do right now over religion in games.
So I leave you with this:
People need to stop sweating over the small stuff.

DeadApe wrote: I dont want to feel that someone is trying to force religion on me through Master Chief

Well, out of most games, Halo is SORT OF religious. It's pretty epic and biblical, and look at the name. It's a little symbloic.

I'm a big Christian so I don't really care if they do.

JBPURCELL wrote:

DeadApe wrote: I dont want to feel that someone is trying to force religion on me through Master Chief

Well, out of most games, Halo is SORT OF religious. It's pretty epic and biblical, and look at the name. It's a little symbloic.

I find this to be a good example.

Religion is a great thing and can really bring in a storyline or add feeling for your character, however, I don't want to be playing "Bible Math Storm."

The difficult part about all of this is deciding to what degree do we want to introduce religion into video games. What I find to be kind of ironic though, is the people who want video games "banned" or censored are usually devoted church, temple, ect. goers.

Video games are for experiences for us to play through with out ramifications or regret. We don't pay $60 for a god to appease our decision in our virtual fantasy world. We do what we are too afraid or unable to do in our everyday lives.

i dont really care if they put religion in a game. If a game was made and the characters had a fake religion i think that would be pretty interesting e.g. the covenant with their religion that is actually interesting for me so it made me want to buy the game a little bit more because i wanted to know why their religion told them to do that.
Thats just my thoughts on this.

I'm an atheist but religion in games is not an issue for me providing that it is not overtly proselytyizing to me.

don't bring back old threads

Ok, sorry, I did not notice nor did I know, and I will pay attention to this in the future, but may I ask why? What's the difference if I did this or posted a new topic?

mboddz751 wrote:I say it's ok as long as it helps progress the storyline. If it's just being thrown out there for no good reason then it is most likely the designer throwing their beliefs in to the mix. If one really finds themselves that offended by another religion to the point where they wont buy a game, then forget about them because their people skills probably suck anyway. I am basically an athiest so I could care less what religious beliefs people present, seeing as it's all unimportant to me anyway

Agreed.

Cazio78 wrote:

mboddz751 wrote:I say it's ok as long as it helps progress the storyline. If it's just being thrown out there for no good reason then it is most likely the designer throwing their beliefs in to the mix. If one really finds themselves that offended by another religion to the point where they wont buy a game, then forget about them because their people skills probably suck anyway. I am basically an athiest so I could care less what religious beliefs people present, seeing as it's all unimportant to me anyway

Agreed.

I mostly agree as well, save for the 'unimportant' bit. I happen to find people's religious beliefs very important as beliefs influence actions, and actios influence all of us. Especially when those actions are based on dogmatic belief.