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Christian video game

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Christian video games were first marketed successfully in the late 1980s for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) by Wisdom Tree and on several different microcomputer platforms by BibleBytes[1]. Now they are made by many different developers.[2] Most of these new developers meet yearly at the "Christian Games Developers Conference"[3] and build support through the Christian Game Developers Foundation[4].

Definition

Christian video games are any game with Christian themes. Although this is sometimes mistakenly called a game genre, Christian games can follow the gameplay of many different genres. This ranges from Guitar Praise, a Christian-themed rhythm game, to the shooter game Catechumen. Some Christian-games with an evangelical purpose can be thought of as serious games, but most Christian games are simply entertainment for players who are already Christians.[5]

History

One of the first Christian Video Games was the “Bible Computer Games” series written and published by John and Philip Conrod for the TRS-80 Color Computer in 1982.[6] The “Bible Computer Games” were then released on the Timex Sinclair and Texas Instruments TI-99/4A computer platforms in 1983. The Bible Computer Games Series was then released on the Apple IIe, Commodore 64, Commodore VIC-20, and the Kaypro CP/M computer platforms in 1984. An MS-DOS version of the Bible Computer Games was released in 1986 by PC Enterprises.

Several Christian themed computer programming books, based on the original "Bible Computer Games" source code, were also written by the Conrods. The first BASIC programming book, "Computer Bible Games", included the BASIC source code for the Timex/Sinclair, Radio Shack TRS-80 Color Computer, and Texas Instruments Tl-99 computer systems. The first programming book was written in the Fall of 1983 and published by Ac'cent Books on January 1, 1984.[1]. These beginner computer programming books were designed to teach students how to write BASIC Bible Computer Games on their own personal computer. Randall Warren reviewed the first "Computer Bible Games" book in the July 1984 issue of Christian Bookseller Magazine and stated, "Computer Bible Games is one of the first of what will no doubt will be a long line of programs and ideas for using a home computer for Christian education and recreation."[7]

The second BASIC programming book, "Computer Bible Games - Book 2", included the Bible Computer Games source code for Applesoft, Commodore, and CP/M MBasic. The second programming book was published July 1, 1984 by Ac'cent Books. The second book received two reviews on its back cover by leaders in the Christian Education and Christian computer industry. Don Dengerink, a Christian Education and Media Consultant, stated "In this age of technology we are seeing an explosion of knowledge in the area of computer science. The possibilities of growth and development with the use of computers in Christian Education are staggering and Conrod's book is a step in the right direction. Conrod's use of games to introduce and reinforce Biblical truth makes learning fun for both children and adults." [8]. Douglas Vos, President, Christian Computer Users Association, stated that Computer Bible Games Book 2 was "A useful supplementary text for Christian school computer classes. Great for beginning programmers. This book is a wonderful start in an area much neglected by thinking Christians. It is hoped that this book is only the pioneer in what will become an earth-shaking Christian software industry."[8] The third BASIC programming book, "Computer Bible Games - Book 3" was published on the Internet and included the Microsoft GW-BASIC and QBASIC source code for the original Bible Computer games plus a dozen new Computer Bible Games. Since then BibleByte Books has published several "Computer Bible Games" programming books for Microsoft Small Basic, Visual Basic, Visual C# annd Java. All of these Christian themed programming books were designed for Christian Middle-School and High-School students in addition to Homeschool Computer Science students. The computer programming tutorials can be used by children ages 12+ and by beginning adults[9] at home. No prior programming experience is necessary to start using these self-study tutorials. BibleByte Books also produces a Christian College computer science curriculum using Microsoft Visual Basic and Microsoft Visual C#[10].

Another Christian video game pioneer was Bernard K. Bangley, who wrote "Bible BASIC : Bible Games for Personal Computers" with his son, David Bangley. Bible BASIC was published by Harper & Row in December, 1983. His book included type-in BASIC programs to create Bible games. The programs were intended to work in any version of BASIC, but the book included tips for adapting the programs for the Apple II, Atari 400/800, Commodore VIC-20/64, and TRS-80, as well as extending and customising the programs to make them more interesting.[11]

Music Machine by Sparrow Records, for the Atari 2600, was the first Atari 2600 Christian videogame. However, it does not appear to have been a market success.

Starting in the late 1980s the unlicensed game developer Color Dreams using the name of Wisdom Tree, developed the first Christian video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System, called Bible Adventures.[12] It featured Bible accounts such as Noah's Ark, Baby Moses, and David and Goliath. It was released in 1991 to Christian bookstores.

Many Christian game developers have come together to form the Association Of Christian Entertainment

Games

See also: List of Christian video games by release and List of Christian video games by genre

Children's Bible - For the XBox360 available for download 12/2011

References

  1. ^ a b http://www.biblebytebooks.com/BibleGamesHistory.aspx
  2. ^ Rausch, Allen Left Behind: Eternal Forces (PC) Gamespy, April 7, 2006, Retrieved on Feb 25 2008
  3. ^ Coleman, Stephen, New Horizons, New Technology at '03 Christian GDC, IGN, July 14, 2003, Retrieved on Feb 25 2008
  4. ^ Davis, Matthew, Christians purge video game demons, BBC News, 24 May 2005, Retrieved on 25 Feb 2008
  5. ^ Ernest Adams (2009-07-09). "Sorting Out the Genre Muddle". Gamasutra. Retrieved 2009-05-23.
  6. ^ http://www.computerscienceforkids.com/BibleGamesHistory.aspx
  7. ^ Warren, Randall R. Christian Bookseller Magazine, July 1984
  8. ^ a b http://www.biblecomputergames.com/Book2Preview.aspx
  9. ^ http://www.computerscienceforkids.com
  10. ^ http://computerscienceforkids.com/LearnVisualStudioforCollegeStudentsAdultComputerScienceCurriculum.aspx
  11. ^ http://freegroups.net/groups/cu/www/ccb/ccb-bop.html
  12. ^ Thompson, Justin, Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse: First Look IGN, March 14, 2003, Retrieved on Feb 25 2008
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