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Game with God
Andrew writes "GamerDad has an article up about how religion is handled in computer gaming, titled 'Game With God'. The article features quotes from Sid Meier, Jane Jensen, Will Wright, Peter Molyneaux, Phil Steinmeyer, and Richard Garriott. Here's a snippet: 'While religion and spirituality add a lot to a game world, they often aren't used effectively. 'I don't think there are any games that treat religion at anything more than a superficial level,'; says Firaxis founder and Civilization creator Sid Meier. PopTop Software's Phil Steinmeyer agrees, noting that 'Religion is ignored in gaming, or if it is portrayed, it's wildly caricatured.'"
Run through the tech tree, then go for Fundamentalisim. There repercussions for that form of government were far outclassed by the *amazing* ability to build wealth and power for your fight against the infidels.
Yup. Not portrayed realistically at all.
As long as the gods in nethack are pleased, I'm fine with it.
Chess has bishops
Paying taxes to buy civilization is like paying a hooker to buy love.
I like games where I am god. And if the villagers didn't like it, they got a thrown in the ocean!
Or I'd feed them to my creature.
If reality was like Slashdot, most people would be (-1) Redundant.
You obviously didn't order the Anti-Semitic Expansion Pack!
I would love to see Alien -vs- Predator -vs- GOD
> Who'se AI programming could be considered good enough to simulate God?
Easy solution: just let one of the players be God, and give him arbitrary power to change the game state at will. You'll soon find all the other players giving him money and sucking up to whatever he wants.
Pardon the cynicism, but there you have it.
Sheesh, evil *and* a jerk. -- Jade
I think you'll find that a very outspoken minority of Slashdotters worship Ayn Rand.
In a country where groups got together to burn Harry Potter books because they "taught kids to be witches and wizards," can you *blame* game creators for trying to tiptoe around religion?
Games have plenty of religion. Unreal Tournament 2004 would not be much fun if I couldn't be reincarnated every time I died.
Who'se AI programming could be considered good enough to simulate God?
Easy. John Romero.
Ahh, you just winged him and made him a Unitarian. :)
"Jesus: The FPS":
...hm, on second thought: no.
While demented soldiers and demons run around the battle arena trying to frag you and each other, your ask as Jesus The Peacemaker is to persuade them to stop fighting.
With a bag full of holy water and bibles, your task is to put and end to the violence.
Powerups include "Quad-prayer" (make them believe in you. If they fail, instill fear into them.) and "Persistent nagging" - If they ignore you, annoy the shit out of them until they listen.
If you played that and anyone knew about it, you'd probably get your ass kicked for being such a pansy, haha.
Not to mention, religious games (with the exception of Black and White) would be utterly boring, just like most religious movies.
We have secretly replaced these Slashdot mods' sense of humor with a rusty nail. Let's see if they notice!!
A guy in Russia already programmed that game, I think...
Real Daleks don't climb stairs - they level the building.
That's rich. And you are, of course, able to perceive with complete accuracy truth from lies. Maybe I should start worshipping you...
There never was a Job.
Maybe Job just got outsourced?
D6 63 0D 70 89 81 BB 8E 7B 7C 5F 5D 54 EA AB 73
I don't think there are any games that treat anaesthesiology at anything more than a superficial level, either.
What? You couldn't keep up with Zeus?
I don't read AC A human right
No - Lightning is caused by the God Thor - Shame on you - Heretic!
Oh well, what the hell...
Bah, original sin is just too difficult to bother with nowadays. Everything's been done already. The other day, I threw eggs at a nun's car while riding a unicycle and smoking a joint, and my priest said even that had been done before. QED.