Buddhist computer game

[salaoshi]

Developing the game base on the cycle of reincarnation. The hero travel through the six worlds depending on it karma. In this game use good and validity principles, identical for all people and religions. In this game, making good acts, we rise in the light, happy worlds and making bad acts, we should suffer.
What do you think about it?

 

[hideway]

The concept seems great and I would definitly try it. Is this just an idea or it's an already started project?

 

[salaoshi]

The concept seems great and I would definitly try it. Is this just an idea or it's an already started project?

The project is already started. There is only simple engine, but yet not contents.

 

[GoodBilly]

That idea is a bit...outdated. I visited a buddhist monastery for a few times. I feel that there's already enough colourful artifacts to look at. A computer game don't seem to mix with buddhism if you ask me.

What people look for in a game these days, is a game that's simple, yet fun. Hey you know the religion buddism isn't about fighting?. I just don't exactly know how you make the gameplay fun. What I'm trying to say is, don't expect a lot of gamers to play your game. If the idea of the game itself is not about fighting.

Also, how exactly are you going let the "hero" do the bad actions in game, if the game it's about buddhism. Unless it's not really about buddhism, and just a game about people killing people, and reincarnation.

 

[hideway]

Games series like SW:KOTOR are a pretty good example about how to apply a karma system to games. Being a RPG, a game can have several quests or actions that gives you either good or bad karma, which could affect your gameplay experience later on the game.

Killing wouldn't always be bad for a "light" character even if it could give you an immediate bad karma, and the same could be applied about helping others. Having several quests with several possible endings and a good karma system that actually influence the game would make this a great game to try. It's refreshing everytime a new (or old) concept is explored to an extent that no one ever did. Boring? Boring is having always the same games with different skins and a slightly different storyline.

At least it's what I think.

 

[salaoshi]

I study buddhism of mahayana and I want present a rules of karma and reincarnation to other peoples, but don't know how do it.

 

[hideway]

I'm no expert on buddhism, but as far as I know, it's not the whole, of what we call, person who is reincarnated, but only it's character. All things related to the "self" are dropped when one dies. It might be difficult to add this to the game but it can be possible as it is belived that some people have the ability to remember their's past-life memories.

The law of karma, and again I'm no expert, it's the universal law of action-reaction. If your action results in suffering towards you and others, it's recognized as bad karma. If otherwise it helps reducing suffering it is considered good karma. Karma is "stored" for some amount of time until the conditions are correct and then it's released so the reaction can be felt. Also good karma doesn't nullify bad karma, if you commit several good and bad actions, you'll recieve all karma reactions either on this or on one's future lifes.

One idea to implement these concepts is to divide your game in several realms where actions in one realm would affect the actions and events on the next one (karma law). Each time one died he would reborn on another realm somewhere on the future. With an interesting story line it can be done.

 

[Buntaro]

Salaoshi-san!

Your game sounds like a good idea. But how will it be a game of competition? How will one person compete against another person? If it is only choosing good karma vs. choosing bad karma, I do not see how there will be competing. I would need to challenge you, and defeat you in the game.

 

[Buntaro]

Here is somebody with the same idea.

http://www.lioncity.net/buddhism/index.php?showtopic=44037&hl=

 

[salaoshi]

For example, hero have mani things, but when hi is dead, hi less all things.
If hero have mani good karma, his life also good.
If hero have mani bad karma, his life also bad.
I like the game "Cosmology of Kioto" and want do similar.

 

[Mikawa Ossan]

I think making it a kind of mystery or puzzle game might be good. There was a game called "Immortal" some years back, and the point of it was to finish all your quests so you could finally rest in peace (the protaganist was already dead, so he reincarnated every time he was killed). I think this is a good device for your game; you're trying to escape the cycle of reincarnation.

 

[salaoshi]

Thank you for your support

 

[salaoshi]

I thinking that is hard work.