The answer is, of course, no? I won’t bring up the “A” word, but the choice of handset operating system is neither commanded nor prohibited in Scripture. In fact, at the LCMS National Convention I ran into plenty of pastors with Android phones. And, yes, even I, a qualified “Apple Fanboy” have an Android phone (HTC Hero).

So why aren’t Concordia Publishing House (CPH) and others (myself included) writing apps for the Android? I’ve seen plenty of requests on FaceBook and Twitter asking for apps to be written for Android. So there is most certainly a need to be filled. Well, I won’t presume to speak for CPH, but I think I can shed some light on their thought processes as I explain my rationales.

Allocation of Resources

Every developer has a limited number of resources so has to decide what platform(s) to develop for. In the case of iOS vs Android the installed base of iOS devices more than doubles Android devices in the US and is almost 4x the number worldwide (intomobile). In addition to that, amount people spend on iOS apps dwarfs what people spend on Android apps (GigaOm). Based on these simple numbers it’s quite easy to choose what platform to develop for.

Ease of Development

I’ve done some cursory research into Android development and it is not very developer friendly at this point. UI layout is done in XML (text) files. Just think of trying to arrange your living room furniture by writing down the coordinates of your sofa, TV, etc. Also the number of widgets available for free is rather limited. Think wood crate furniture with anything more sophisticated needing to be hand crafted. The current state of Android development is like stuff I was doing 10+ years ago.

Things are Changing

But Android has some positives. It is gaining is popularity and had greater unit shipments than the iPhone in Q2 2010 (ZDNet) and App Inventor and Google’s developer friendliness will surely make the development situation better.

Somethings Won’t

That being said, Google is unlikely to do anything that would improve the market for apps. Why? Because Google isn’t in the business of selling apps, Google is in the business of selling ads. They want apps to embed ads as the mechanism for monetization. Additionally, Google hasn’t been able to address piracy on Android devices (AndroidHeadlines). They actually don’t have any incentives to put much effort in anti-piracy. If piracy is rampant, then the only way for developers to make money is to embed ads.

Like I said, I won’t presume to speak for CPH, but it is quite clear to me that now and into the near future developing for the iOS is the platform to develop for if you have limited resources and want to try to make money by selling your apps.

What follows are the download statistics for the first full week that “Cwirla” was available. I have no idea what they mean. I’m just surprised that France and China were 2nd and 3rd in downloads.

I have this idea that video games can be used as a tool to spread the Gospel. I really don’t know if it’s possible. The medium of video games lends itself to choice, control, and interaction as opposed to words which convey linearity, specificity, and propositional truth. Looking at these attributes, you can see why words are the optimal medium for transmitting the Christian faith as Lutherans confess it. Choice, control, and interaction are not primary concerns when we speak of the faith, so video games may be a completely incompatible medium for proclaiming the Gospel. I’ve made several feeble attempts (here, here, and here ) but they certainly don’t convey Law and Gospel in any sense. I am not going to stop trying, I’m just not laboring under any illusions.

That being said, I will say definitively that video games don’t belong in the divine service. “Of course,” you say, “Who would ever do something like that?” Well, here’s a blog post where the author talks about his idea for using an interactive experience to reinforce the message of a sermon. The tool is in its early stages of development and is implemented as a video clip, but the author sees its future as a fully developed interactive environment. The post has a video clip for how it was used in a “worship service.” This is crazy! It utterly and completely takes our focus off of Christ and what He has done and has us concerned about our experiences. If I were a fundamentalist, I’d say this was proof that video games are tools of the devil. Used in this way, they are completely turning us from Christ. (Since, I’m not a fundamentalist, I’ll say that sinful man has turned these gifts from God against Him.)

The other thing that caught my eye was that this was done at Lutheran Church of Hope. I did some digging and they appear to be an ELCA congregation but that doesn’t excuse them from obscuring the Gospel gifts uncovered by the reformers. I wish they would drop the “Lutheran” part of their name so the casual onlooker doesn’t confuse them with confessional Lutherans. My sinful side thinks they kept the Lutheran prefix because churchofhope.org was already taken.

Today’s (actually yesterday’s) exercise in the 31 Days to Build a Better Blog Challenge, is to write a “list post.” So here’s my attempt to comply.
Nihilism is a worldview that holds there is no value or meaning in life, it just exists. Here are my top 5 retro-games that exhibit this worldview.
5. Defender
I’m defender of the planet. The aliens waves never stop. The aliens get stronger if they merge with those I’m pledged to protect. Wouldn’t it be easier to just kill most of the inhabitants to prevent the super aliens?
4. Donkey Kong
I dodge barrels, fireballs, and springs. I climb oddly configured construction sites all to stand face-to-face with the object of our affection who is continually whisked away by a big gorilla. Why won’t she run away with us? Girl, he’s not even paying attention to you. Get out of there!!!
3. Night Driver
Where in the world am I driving to? Why does this road never end? Why did I pay to play this? Why did I think this was fun?
2. Asteroids
You are alone, surviving a never-ending onslaught of asteroids and the occasional alien ship who may help or hurt your cause. Deep space is a lonely place, but at least you’re armed.
1. Pac-ManA never changing maze, bad guys chasing you, and a incessant siren blaring. Your only reprieve is an occasional power-pill that lets you turn the tables on the bad guys for a short time. This is the bleak world of Pac-Man.

So here’s the game I’ve been working on since the start of the year. It’s a little rough, and I’m no Ed McMahon, but I hope someone finds it enjoyable.

If you want to embed it in your site, copy and paste:
<embed src=”http://joyfulgames.com/LutheranInquisition.swf” width=”600″ height=”400″ />

In yet another attempt to kick-start this blog, I’m working through the 31 Days to Build a Better Blog Challenge. The first task is to write an elevator pitch. The short pitch is the title of this post. All posts will deal with “Game development with a Christian Worldview.” I think it gives me the right amount of latitude in posting anything from code samples and game design to game reviews and recommendations.

The long pitch is:

Few games ha a distinctly Christian worldview. I hope this blog encourages and assists other game developers in creating games with a Christian worldview. I also hope that the gamers in general will benefit from this blog by understanding the worldview that various games put forth and by helping them find games that exhibit a Christian worldview.

There are my two pitches and my hope I’m for a more consistent and useful blog.

Here’s the Flash game I’ve been working on.

A simple little concentration game with Martin Luther looking on. Listen to some interesting sound bytes as you complete matches. You may even hear some words from Fr. Martin.

For the most part, video games are mainstream. Casual games and the Wii have removed most stigmas surrounding video games. The violence and pornography that inhabits some games is something akin to those subjects in films. Games and gamers aren’t the oddities they were when I was growing up. However, the “Christian” video game genre lives in a ghetto unto itself. With games like Bibleman, it is no wonder that the genre is scorned.

Putting aside the fact that the best and brightest game designers and programmers aren’t developing “Christian” video games, the biggest problem is using the term “‘Christian’” video games.” You may have noticed that I keep putting quotes around Christian in the context of video games. The reason I do this is my belief that for something to be Christian it must proclaim Jesus Christ and Him crucified for the sins of the world. Don’t have that, don’t call it Christian. (Video games aren’t the only area where this is done, take a look at the site A Little Leaven and you’ll find “Christian” hair products, tire gauges, etc.) What is Christian about Bejeweled with crucifixes or a word puzzle with words from the Bible? There is some hope with games like “Timothy and Titus” and “Deliverance: Moses in the Pharaoh’s Courts” but since I haven’t played these games I would still hesitate to call them Christian.

I think Bible-based would be a good term. I think it would even allow for some level of violence as the Bible isn’t rated G.