Am I in the right place?

Hi everyone.
I'm not even sure if I'm at the right place. Let me introduce myself, I'm chasing my dream in being a independent game developer. I founded a company in 2010, developing apps and games during the evenings(after my day job).

I noticed that there are not so many games / apps that creatively engage the mobile technology for the Christian community, or I maybe wrong. But I want to reach out to you guys to get a better understanding of what you look for in a Christian game or app, what is important to you?

I don't know if this is even the correct forum for this, but please share your thoughts and ideas around the subject as I'm very interested to hear about them.

Hello and welcome. The new members forum is only for introducing yourself. The Family forum would be good to post about your games.

Glad to have you join our community. There are quite a few residents that are tech orientated in computers, games, etc. Welcome to CC.

Thanks, are you a moderator? I posted this http://christianchat.com/bible-discussion-forum/118730-guess-bible-quote-verse-mobile-app.html in the bible discussion forum and maybe it should have been moved to family forum?
Thanks for your warm welcome. And cool to read about the tech orientated residents. If you don't mind me asking do you use mobile apps and/or games that are Christian related?

I don't know. I think most Christian games fail because they're not fun, they're too preachy, they have simplistic gameplay and/or are just based on stories from the Bible or are about spiritual warfare. There's so much more to God's Word! It's ripe with ideas for gaming.

No. I don't even own a smart phone but use a simple Tracfone.

welcome on aboard!

Neato!

How's a christian game different from secular game? Less violent, more bible verses?

coolios, go for your dreams. Never let people get you down, I say!

I use a bible app.

Thanks for your feedback, this is what I hear a lot as well. We have an idea for game that hopefully can do something about that. I take it that you are a gamer, do you have christian friends that are also gamers? And would you be willing to play christian themed games with them(given the game was actually fun to play)? Or is it more like to separate worlds that you not naturally mix, if you get my question?

Ok, thanks for sharing, do you think the right game or app could lead you to actually buy a smartphone?

Welcome. My sons play so many video games I often wish there were more, and interesting choices for them to play Christian themed games. I'm not sure if it would be transferrable to a phone app, but they love quest type games while earning various acheivements along the way. Something along those lines. Maybe winning by reaching Sanctification. Good Luck!!

Hi Robiwan. Welcome to Christian Chat! Yes, I'm a bit of a gamer. Less than I used to be though. I have Christian friends that are gamers (there are actually a lot of Christian gamers around the world). Yes, I'd be willing to play Christian-themed games with them. I'd be willing to play them with my non-Christian friends too. I just can't abide preachiness in entertainment. The first priority is it should be fun. The Christian flavour of the game should come through not because it has X amount of Bible verses or because it's a retread of a Bible story, but because the game is made by people who love Jesus and their faith comes through in their art eg. games. I hope that helps.

Very good point, what is the definition of a Christian game? I'm thinking it has to have Christian theme. But you could ask the same questions in regards of movies, a movie like "Book of Eli" is it a Christian movie?

Cool, what is important for you in terms of functionality and design for a bible app? What I find strange is ways of using the bible is not very creative(my opinion) by these bible app developers. As an example, the app I mention in the above link has a very classic theme. At least in my home country (Norway) there are lot of app like this very you have to guess the color of a black/white drawing a stuff like this.

When doing some research I didn't find a single app that did what we are now trying to do. Then my question is, is it because the users don't want it? And this is one of the reason I'm reaching out to have a better understanding of what you guys want.

Thanks for your feedback, if you don't mind me asking how much are you involved with your sons choice of games?

Thanks for the warm welcome and valuable insight. I totally agree that the first priority of game is to be fun, and by definition that is what game is suppose to do do. Also very interesting to know that you would play the game with your non-Christian friends as long as it's not preachiness. But how about games based on knowledge of the bible, I guess it would be so interesting for your non-Christian friends?

Really glad to read your statement that love of Jesus should come through the art of the game. In our team there are a big mix, but our graphics guy is Christian.

I don't mind you asking. They are 16 and 18 now, so hopefully they know not to mess with the M rated games, except for some of the Call of Duty games, which they rarely play anymore, and to my knowledge they don't play them even at friends houses. They mostly play the sports games, and quest games like Empire something or other. I think they'd be happy to play Christian themed games if they were available and interesting though.

Good idea..but it would be a limited market. BIBLE verses, Morals, and Christian drenched scenarios would not be popular with this world's viewpoint. You would not make a lot of money, but the Holy Spirit would bless you in other ways. THere are not a ton of complete wholesome families out there today that would take time after an evening meal to sit down and play games, period, with their children...be they Christian or not. My wife's school enrollment for the year was 473...out of that number, only 29 children had the same last name as their parent's. I love your enthusiasm and, if holy spirit directed, he can certainly use you in the creative department....every little bit helps that spread's the Gospel message.

Games based on Bible knowledge? Yes, I think that would work for Christians and some of my non-Christian friends. Again, as long as it's fun and well done, and as long as it has varying levels of difficult (and maybe the option of a clue or two for the really hard questions). I go by the belief that a Christian's art should first, be great art and secondly, speak God's truth. We shouldn't comprise quality just because we have a great message of hope.

Thanks for your reply and insight. Do you think you would play games with them if it was Christian themed game?

Thanks for your supporting words. I would be lying if I said I didn't do it for the money. Or to put it into other words, I'm just following my dream to work with what I love, and to do so I need the money. But I don't need to be rich from it (in terms of money). How about you, would you be interested to play a game about testing your Bible knowledge?

Yes, a game based upon Bible knowledge, such as this one http://christianchat.com/bible-discussion-forum/118730-guess-bible-quote-verse-mobile-app.html (please feel free to give your feedback about the game idea). I like you statement about Christian art should at first be great art.

Welcome to CC!
Otherwise, you've reached.
Nice time!