Magic in games

A

Armethous

New Member
I want to ask what your oppinions on magic in video games. I mean how do you feel? Is it all ok, is it ok up to a point, or is it all bad?
Here's a little background on myself. I was a avid RPGer. I started off playing D&D in highschool then I moved on to Ultima Online, EverQuest, and then DAOC.
I put down D&D a long time ago and also Ultima Online.
Once I was married EQ went and then recently DAOC.
Here's why: My wife HATES RPGs. I mean to the point that it upsets her very much when I play. So out of respect for her feelings I stopped playing.
The way I feel about magic in the video game world is that its only pixels on a screen. Its meant to add color to the games and its not real, it can't hurt or help me or anyone in the real world. I know where my salvation is and I know that it can't be taken away.
That being said I personaly think that there is a line. I mean farytales are part of growing up but I think that games like Diablo and Black and White cross the line. When I playing a game I ask myself these questions: What would Jesus say if he saw me playing this game?, What am I thinking about when I play this game?, & Am I becomming too involved in this game? As long as the game in question is not outright blasphemous and I am comfortable with my answers then I am confident that I am not sinning by playing the game.
Let me know what you think on this. I'm really intrested in hearing some other opinions.
 
You will hear both sides from people here. Many people will agree with you, while others will not. Up until Dungeon Siege came out (around March/April last year), I did not buy any type of magic games. In general, I try to stay away from them. Since then, the only other one I have bought is Icewind Dale I.

What I don't like about most games with magic are the other elements within the game. These games often times have demon-like characters (which I don't like and is probably another discussion in itself). Many times they portray the necessity of performing for other gods. In the case of Icewind Dale, you need to pray to your god. These games also tend to include other things I don't care for.

I didn't mind Dungeon Siege because it didn't have any of the elements I don't like. Although there was one section in the sawmps surrounding a church, there were undead and witches. I did not feel comfortable playing that part. Other than that, I thought the game was great. I still pick it up and play once in awhile.

In the end, there are SO many other games to choose from, I don't need to buy those games.

Oh...magic can mean all sorts of stuff too. I usually take it to mean strictly magic, like in RPGs. But many people consider the Force (from Star Wars) as a form of magic. Although I can see and understand the New Agey viewpoint on it, I don't have a problem with the Force.
 
This is one of the topics on which I'll pull the "Ultima Avatar" theory, in saying, "It's not magic...it's squares!"

One doesn't kill or use magic in a video game. One changes the properties of a set of varbiables, causing a different set of animations to be played, and changing the state of a given object.
 
depends on the magic and how its made for me. I don't like summoning things, not performing any rituals to make the magic. I usually play warrior characters, but that's a preference
 
i personally dont have a problem with Diablo II or Diablo ( let the ranging on me come) because when ever i play it i realize its just a game, and the purpose is to fight for the side of light, even though in the first one you end up being tricked in the end, and as long as you dont think WOW that would be a neat party trick or DUDE how can i do that, i mean if you know its a game and dont let it affect your walk with God or anything like that its coo to me, but just because its permissable doesnt mean you should do it.

Ok my 2 cent on a topic

Oh yeah the force is like magic, just different name and with a new cover but same principle as magic
 
Magic.....

I MAGIC THOU!!!! BWAHAHAHHAHAHA
OK, I'm being silly.

It doesn't matter to me, cuz I don't exactly play RPGs. Pokemon was the last RPG I played.
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I do read fantasy novels.... so does that count?
 
LOTR freaked me out cause of the wiccan-like stuff. I don't play games with a lot of magic content, simply because I don't feel it's right to pretend to do something that God is vehemently opposed to.
 
I tend to weigh things by how much they affect me. I play a wide variety of games and do not allow them to influence my behavior in any way...aside from occasionally playing longer than I should in one sitting. I figure most games involve something you really should not do in real life...like killing, whether by magic, sword, or gun. For me, games are fictional, as long as I don't allow that line to be crossed, then I say it's ok. In the end, we must all make these judgements for ourselves. I know people that drink occasionally, like a couple of beers every once in a while. They don't need to drink and when they do, it doesn't really change their behavior. On the flip side, I know people that can't moderate their drinking, they get drunk and behave poorly as a result. Obviously drinking is more of a stumbling block to one of these type of people than the other. I view all things from that perspective, if it causes me to stumble, I don't do it, whether it be playing a type of video game, listening to a type of music, or consuming alcohol.
 
Yeah, I remember playing a special edition of Deus Ex one time, and the thing I saw on the ground was a bottle listed as "forty." Okay, pick it up...hm...wonder what happens if I hit the use key...Heh, cool, my character's drunk. Now that's game immersion.
 
but that was the intresting part of the game that if you chose you can run around and do it all drunk or on drugs, now then i could never do gthat because when the drunk or drug screen was up it gave me bad headaches
 
The drugs actually hurt you I believe. The alcohol just made your vision all blurry, and the cigs worked like poison gas
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[b said:
Quote[/b] ]When I playing a game I ask myself these questions: What would Jesus say if he saw me playing this game?, What am I thinking about when I play this game?, & Am I becomming too involved in this game?
Click to expand...

I do exactly this as well.
 
Bwahahahahaha. I am here. Let the topics come.
Magic rocks. I love to be Paladins (really cool knights with healing powers), Clerics (the church guys with healing/offensive/defensive magic skills), Sorcerors/Sorcerers, Mages, Necromancers, Illusionists, Conjurers, Summoners, etc. It rocks. I also love being the brutal warrior figure running around bashing in monsterheads with a High-Elf Thunderstrike Blade of Deception +6 (that sounds cool!).
Magic's just cool (the cardgame, as well!). Ultima Underworld you use runes to cast magic spells. Vas Kal Corp wipes the game out entirely (Apocalypse). Items, enemies, doors, pain, armor, items, ability to beat the game, it just screws the game up...then you can also use runes to levitate, cast fireballs (my favorite spell), lightning bolts, to make items, etc. It's fun!

I believe magic is just fine...and I didn't detect anything Wiccan about Lord of the Rings, dude. What's up with that? I didn't see any play of witchcraft or circles or such...runes, yes. Ancient tongues to cast the spells, yes. Deities? There was only one. And numerous spirits, angels, demons, servants to such, etc. Queens, wizardry, elves, magic, rings, swords and beasts from ancient times, yes. Wiccan resemblance? I found none.

Diablo magic is just fine, as well. What's wrong with making a lightning ring to protect yourself/harm anything that touches it? Or to insert magical gems into sockets to enhance your weapon? To kill monsters (demons and zombies and skeletons and imps and scavengers and rogues, oh my!)? Nothing. Perhaps the name: Might & Magic explains it all...use the sword or the staff. Your choice. If you're smart, you'll pick someone compatible with both. Whack up an enemy with an Enchanted Torchflame Blade of the Ninth Star, while casting Curaga...what's wrong with that?
I find it fun and enjoyable. And like Slam ripped from me, it's not magic: it's squares.
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And what's better than to summon the King of Dragons, Bahamut, FF style? Wowza! Lookout. In T-5 here comes Mega Flare!
But you know...it's your choice. If magic makes you queezy, stick to boggling puzzlers like Riven: The Sequel to Myst, or Myst III: Exile, or just plain old classic Myst. Take out infected minerbots in 31 (2 secret) levels of Descent joy! Whack-a-mole Vortiguants in Half-Life with a crowbar! Shoot down Saudi terrorists in Rainbow 6: Rogue Spear.
And of course, if you feel it against your spirit or against God, just drop the game and don't play it.
 
[b said:
Quote[/b] ]
<Paraphrase>Just drop it if you don't like it</paraphrase>
Click to expand...
You just hit the nail smack dab on the head.
 
Er, perhaps you didn't see the part where the elven girl started chanting and raising up nature against the horsemen?

All of magic stuff represents occult. God said have nothing to it. NOTHING. So that's why I have nothing to do with it, even in a game.
 
Er, perhaps you didn't see the part where the elven girl started chanting and raising up nature against the horsemen?

All of magic stuff represents occult. God said have nothing to it. NOTHING. So that's why I have nothing to do with it, even in a game.
 
Do you know what she was really saying? She could have been asking God for deliverence.
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Anyway the only magic that bothers me in games is necromancy cause then you are cheating God.
 
Raising up nature against the horsemen? That was the protection of her people. Those rivers are guardians. Set to run and protect Rivendell from intruders. And they did just that. A word to the guards: "Attack, my men!"
And do you speak Elvish? Learn it first and come back and tell me what Arwen was "chanting." Also, umm, she wasn't at that: she merely was saying something. A chant has a tone to it, a rhythm, a beat. She was speaking.

Hey, many, Simon the Sorcerer became a follower I hear. The witch of Endor raised up Samuel. Magic's in this world. Believe it or not. Sure, God says to stay away from it all, even telling us plainly that, hey, "sorcerers and other evildoers will not be in My kingdom at the end, bucko." Read Revelation 21 and you'll see that's true.

But I like magic. Because it's cool. Burnstrike of Aramethur's Pendant on the foul Minion Phalanx behind you! Trinity's Ward of the Saints bind us together! Whoohoo! I really like the idea of a God-game...seriously. I might hook up with a gaming programmer and run it by...it might fly.
 
It sounded like she was chanting to me. That could be the way elves pray though........
Have you ever herd of a game called Black & White because if that isn't a god game I don't know what is. Also I find that kind of game blasphemous.
 
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