Any Game Developers / Artists Out there?

[FutureAndAHope]

Hey guys I have no cash, lets get that on the table straight away. I am not looking to hire.

I am a computer programmer with around 15 years programming experience, sounds like I am trying to get a job . However none of it has been in game development.

However for a while I have had a secret desire to create a computer game that would introduce Christian principals and the Christian life to unbelievers, and Christians a like.

I am just putting out my feelers today to see what skills are out there, and if there would be anyone willing to talk about starting a Christian gaming project.

Now I have never actually sat down and worked out how the game would work, or anything like that. Just had a few random thoughts. Feel free to put forward any concepts. But here are my rough thoughts of how the/a christian game would function.


The way I envision this game is a bit like your standard 3D role playing game (isometric view). You would have a character/s who you develop over time. The the game would take place at the time of Jesus.

Playable characters would be a Roman centurion responsible for maintaining the peace, stopping rebellions. You could be a zealot, opposing the romans. A tax collector, fisherman etc, who have to make a living. Each one of these characters would encounter Jesus at some point, and could become a disciple, apart from the Roman, he could become a disciple of sorts, but stay in his role. It would sort of be like the sims, but on religious steroids. It would be free roaming, but you would have to eat each day, provide food for your self, through wages. As a zealot, stay hidden from Romans, try to recruit members, and avoid roman spies, by watching the Romans movements.

The game would explore the crucification of Jesus, and the expansion of the early church. The time of Saul, persecuting the church. If you became a believer any time during the game you would become responsible for sharing the gospel with other characters. This could result in your imprisionment if not careful. So a lot of the game would revolve around secrecy and strategy to avoid doing things to get your self jailed or killed. As a Roman on the other hand you would be responsible for rooting out trouble makers.

Your character would develop characteristics based upon choices made. i.e. one of the tasks given to the Zealot would be to approach Jesus and ask him about violence against the Romans, was it God's way. The answer would be according to scripture, "Love your enemies and do good to them". He would then give them a counter task to join him. If they failed to join him their path would become one of joining the pharisees in crucifying Jesus (latter in the game), and then in putting Christians in jail, during the time of Saul. All the time through the story line there would be chances to change alliegence, to either become a follower, or persecutor of Jesus.

Any ideas or comments. Post them here. Any one interested in helping with this idea let me know. I know I don't have the skills to do it myself, all alone.

 

[Daniel9v9]

Sounds like a nice concept! I'd play it.

Not sure if you're familiar with this, but there's a community for making Christian games:
http://christiandevs.com/news/

Their forum:
http://www.christiandevs.com/phpBB3/

I made a few posts and contacts some years ago and I don't think you should struggle in finding like-minded guys.

As for me, sorry to say I'm quite busy with my own projects, but I can offer some practical advice on tools. Do you have any Unity experience? Unity can be a good starting platform for developing an isometric 3D game. Though with your programming skills, you can of course edit things freely as you like. It's also good for making multiplatform games (PC, consoles, Android, iOS). There are also many useful plugins and you can even get game assets for fairly cheap, such as characters and environment - some plugins are free. Unity comes with its own terrain editor, which is pretty decent, so you can make a world and run around first person pretty swiftly. Anything more than that, you probably need someone to do art (unless you care to pay for assets or model them yourself).

 

[ChristmasMeat]

Hi, I'm actually working on a similar game right now. You go through John's gospel and there is also an open world Israel. I can't program for crap and I am making it in RPG Maker. hammbibletools.com

 

[theweirdn8]

I'm a game developer. I also made an engine recently if you're interested.

See create.pawbyte.com

 

[Note]

Good luck with it, lad. I have a BS in video game design. Only made one game, from a game maker (at least got an A on my final). A retro space shooter that not only you collect points from shooting bad aliens, but from collecting crosses and spelling "Jesus." I also tested, and been credited for QA and writing on several games, mainly Christian ones. I miss doing that. Was just for fun, not for funds. However, when I was laid off the same day I graduated, five years ago, I struggled finding work. All acquired knowledge from school. Since I struggled, I have defaulted school loans for a degree I can not use now. Yea, one of my many sad stories... Anyway, I say definitely make yourself some small games, for a portfolio. Show people what you can do, what ideas you can bring about.

 

[HasAnswers]

Hi there!
I strictly make visual novels. But I guess I fit the description.

http://www.moddb.com/company/godline

I hope you find people to work with!

 

[FutureAndAHope]

Sounds like a nice concept! I'd play it.

Not sure if you're familiar with this, but there's a community for making Christian games:
ChristianDevs |

Their forum:
- Index page

I made a few posts and contacts some years ago and I don't think you should struggle in finding like-minded guys.

As for me, sorry to say I'm quite busy with my own projects, but I can offer some practical advice on tools. Do you have any Unity experience? Unity can be a good starting platform for developing an isometric 3D game. Though with your programming skills, you can of course edit things freely as you like. It's also good for making multiplatform games (PC, consoles, Android, iOS). There are also many useful plugins and you can even get game assets for fairly cheap, such as characters and environment - some plugins are free. Unity comes with its own terrain editor, which is pretty decent, so you can make a world and run around first person pretty swiftly. Anything more than that, you probably need someone to do art (unless you care to pay for assets or model them yourself).

Will look into unity .... I did get a few unity courses online, and have started to look at them, but finding time between family (which is good by the way), and other stuff that I need to get done, it is always hard to make the time available.

 

[FutureAndAHope]

Hi, I'm actually working on a similar game right now. You go through John's gospel and there is also an open world Israel. I can't program for crap and I am making it in RPG Maker. hammbibletools.com

Do you have any shots or prerelease?

 

[FutureAndAHope]

I'm a game developer. I also made an engine recently if you're interested.

See create.pawbyte.com

You obviously have more skills than me. Would you be interested in working on the project I mentioned? As a bit of a part time thing?

 

[FutureAndAHope]

Hi there!
I strictly make visual novels. But I guess I fit the description.

GODline company

I hope you find people to work with!

I am still kind of interested in getting a game off the ground, so if you would like to be a pert of things let me know.

 

[FutureAndAHope]

Good luck with it, lad. I have a BS in video game design. Only made one game, from a game maker (at least got an A on my final). A retro space shooter that not only you collect points from shooting bad aliens, but from collecting crosses and spelling "Jesus." I also tested, and been credited for QA and writing on several games, mainly Christian ones. I miss doing that. Was just for fun, not for funds. However, when I was laid off the same day I graduated, five years ago, I struggled finding work. All acquired knowledge from school. Since I struggled, I have defaulted school loans for a degree I can not use now. Yea, one of my many sad stories... Anyway, I say definitely make yourself some small games, for a portfolio. Show people what you can do, what ideas you can bring about.

It can be tough first coming out of uni. It took me many years to get a stable job in computer programming. But I have been working in the industry now for 15-16 years. Have a job at the moment where I make learning objects for the department of education here in Queensland. Have had to make some HTML 5 based games for kids. Very simple ones, and not 3D. But God looks after us work wise as we trust in Him. I would not get discouraged at the lack of opportunities so far, God always has your back.

 

[MonstersvsMartyrs]

I came here looking for some people who would be interested in working on a game with me, and I especially need a programmer. The idea I had for a game sounds very much like yours, so I think our ideas could mesh together very well. I have been working on it for over a year now, and I have a website (which is just the title page right now) for it: MonstersvsMartyrs.com

The game is set in Ancient Rome, during the Christian persecution. The player plays a guardian angel who is sent to help the Christian martyrs. (Or, alternatively, the player can choose to be a fallen angel and oppose the Christians.) The guardian angel chooses a mortal to guide, and this could be any number of different characters, each with their own backstories. The fallen angels use mortals to further their agendas as well, and could direct a Roman officer to arrest Christians. As you mentioned, the player can also change allegiance at any time.

Many of the characters are Christians sentenced to death in the Colosseum. The player must face opponents of many kinds, including wild beasts, gladiators, and monsters from Greek and Roman mythology. Each of these opponents stands for different vices, and the player's job is to help the martyr to defeat them, by reciting Bible verses. The player can use Holy Relics to help them defeat their opponent. The Holy Relics have Bible verses on them, that they can use. The point of the game is to help people learn more about the Bible, Christianity and early church history, and memorize verses. So, for example, if the player is in a battle against a lion, and the lion's vice is Fear 2, then the player has to recite 2 Bible verses about Fear or its contrary virtue, Faith to defeat the Lion. But the player could also use a holy relic that they have, like the Shield of Faith, which has Bible verses about Faith on it (like Ephesians 6) to defeat it. The angel's job is to save as many souls as possible and help them escape temptation and damnation.
That's the basic concept of the game-but there is a whole lot more to it, the player has to make different decisions in the game and so forth, and learn about the Gospel to advance.

I'm also working on a trading card game version and a board game version of the game, which I want to be able to connect together. I also had planned to eventually expand the game, and add new chapters with different themes. I wanted to make chapters that start in Genesis and go all the way through the Bible, so as I expanded the game the angel could travel through time, and help souls that are living at the same time as Jesus, or maybe Jews enslaved in Egypt. But I wanted to focus on the Roman era one first.

Right now I'm just trying to figure out how it will work, and trying to save money to fund it, but I can see a lot of similarities between what you had in mind and what I wanted in the game:
Set in early church era during Christian persecution in the Roman Empire
Being able to select different characters and choose which side you're on
Making decisions that change the characteristics of the character
Trying to escape arrest by Roman soldiers
Main goal to learn more about the Gospel
Etc.

 

[FutureAndAHope]

I came here looking for some people who would be interested in working on a game with me, and I especially need a programmer. The idea I had for a game sounds very much like yours, so I think our ideas could mesh together very well. I have been working on it for over a year now, and I have a website (which is just the title page right now) for it: MonstersvsMartyrs.com

The game is set in Ancient Rome, during the Christian persecution. The player plays a guardian angel who is sent to help the Christian martyrs. (Or, alternatively, the player can choose to be a fallen angel and oppose the Christians.) The guardian angel chooses a mortal to guide, and this could be any number of different characters, each with their own backstories. The fallen angels use mortals to further their agendas as well, and could direct a Roman officer to arrest Christians. As you mentioned, the player can also change allegiance at any time.

Many of the characters are Christians sentenced to death in the Colosseum. The player must face opponents of many kinds, including wild beasts, gladiators, and monsters from Greek and Roman mythology. Each of these opponents stands for different vices, and the player's job is to help the martyr to defeat them, by reciting Bible verses. The player can use Holy Relics to help them defeat their opponent. The Holy Relics have Bible verses on them, that they can use. The point of the game is to help people learn more about the Bible, Christianity and early church history, and memorize verses. So, for example, if the player is in a battle against a lion, and the lion's vice is Fear 2, then the player has to recite 2 Bible verses about Fear or its contrary virtue, Faith to defeat the Lion. But the player could also use a holy relic that they have, like the Shield of Faith, which has Bible verses about Faith on it (like Ephesians 6) to defeat it. The angel's job is to save as many souls as possible and help them escape temptation and damnation.
That's the basic concept of the game-but there is a whole lot more to it, the player has to make different decisions in the game and so forth, and learn about the Gospel to advance.

I'm also working on a trading card game version and a board game version of the game, which I want to be able to connect together. I also had planned to eventually expand the game, and add new chapters with different themes. I wanted to make chapters that start in Genesis and go all the way through the Bible, so as I expanded the game the angel could travel through time, and help souls that are living at the same time as Jesus, or maybe Jews enslaved in Egypt. But I wanted to focus on the Roman era one first.

Right now I'm just trying to figure out how it will work, and trying to save money to fund it, but I can see a lot of similarities between what you had in mind and what I wanted in the game:
Set in early church era during Christian persecution in the Roman Empire
Being able to select different characters and choose which side you're on
Making decisions that change the characteristics of the character
Trying to escape arrest by Roman soldiers
Main goal to learn more about the Gospel
Etc.

Hi,

Sounds interesting. Maybe we could exchange details and see how we can help one another. If you want to contact me go to Professional Website Design in Brisbane from $1500 | Guardian Online Development and use the contact form from there I can reply.

Robert

 

[FutureAndAHope]

After looking into tools technologies and time frames to do what I mentioned in the first post, I no longer think it is feasible for me to start this project, if any one else wants to take it on I am happy for them to do it.

 

[iluvatar5150]

Ya'll gotta cut your scope down by like 95%.

For some reason, every noob indie/mod team seems to think they can make a Skyrim or Counterstrike knockoff with just a couple people with zero experience between them.

You can't do that. Experienced devs-gone-indie can't do that. You will fail. Money thrown at a project like that will be wasted.

The projects described thus far would take a couple years to build with a team of at least a couple dozen experienced people working full-time (or more).

If you want to get your feet wet developing your own games, try something on the order of a mobile game or a flash game (if flash games are even a thing anymore). You can start by ripping off an old arcade game like Tetris or Asteroids, then once that works, try your hand at "game design" by developing some kind of twist on the rules and trying to figure out how to make something similar, but different, while still being fun and sufficiently challenging.

Then maybe try building a simple physics game like a bridge builder or Demolition City.

One person could feasibly do an entire mobile game. But one person can't even do the audio for a mid-size RPG in less than a year or two, much less do all the design, coding, art, animation, modeling, etc.

 

[MonstersvsMartyrs]

Personally, I wasn't looking for a real complex game. I was planning on a simple, 2D, old school browser-based HTML game. I'm getting the graphics and audio from public domain sources. Ever play NeoQuest? That was the sort of game I had in mind. But when I started it, I realized I didn't have enough programming experience to finish it. Technically I could still find ways to make it work, it just wouldn't be very professional.

I'm going to move forward on this project and do what I can do, and if anybody wants to join me, please contact me.

 

[FutureAndAHope]

Personally, I wasn't looking for a real complex game. I was planning on a simple, 2D, old school browser-based HTML game. I'm getting the graphics and audio from public domain sources. Ever play NeoQuest? That was the sort of game I had in mind. But when I started it, I realized I didn't have enough programming experience to finish it. Technically I could still find ways to make it work, it just wouldn't be very professional.

I'm going to move forward on this project and do what I can do, and if anybody wants to join me, please contact me.

I build html games in my current job, I work for the government building learning objects and games for kids using HTML 5, javascript, audio etc. I might be able to assist you.

 

[MonstersvsMartyrs]

I build html games in my current job, I work for the government building learning objects and games for kids using HTML 5, javascript, audio etc. I might be able to assist you.

That would be great!

 

[MonstersvsMartyrs]

Where Im stuck right now is with the login and registration process...

 

[FutureAndAHope]

Where Im stuck right now is with the login and registration process...

This all needs to be done on the server side ... what language are you using ...