It feels good to organize and create order, whether in the real world or a game world. It seems woven into our DNA, but why do we enjoy it, and where does this desire come from?

No one wants to be a hypocrite, yet everyone knows they are at times. We were made in the image of God, who is unchanging, faithful, trustworthy, and perfectly consistent. So, we expect this consistency from all our interactions.

Daddy, will you play this game with me is such a simple, innocent, and intimate question that I was struck with its profoundness when my friend Mitchell said he uses that question as a filter for his design process.

When thinking about the presence of an action or activity that could be considered sinful (killing, lying, stealing, etc.), I picture a continuum. On the left side is what I'm labeling Allow. In the middle, we have Incorporate; on the far right side, we have Celebrate.

Human beings have an aversion to loss. We feel deep grief when something is taken away from us, and the possibility of loss can create fear and nervousness. As game designers, it’s important to understand the psychology around loss so that we can take care of our players and intentionally craft the types of experiences they desire.

Whether consciously or intuitively, Notch designed a low-fi sandbox that resonates with God's creation in ways that helped catapult it to the best-selling game of all time.

“A gathering run on generous authority is run with a strong, confident hand, but it is run selflessly, for the sake of others.” For game designers, I think this means being advocates for and protectors of our players.

I like thinking about the role of a game designer as a host because it naturally shifts me into a place of empathy and generosity. When I am planning a gathering, I am focused on my guests.

Pride seems to always get in the way, like a little yappy dog jumping at your feet. It trips you up and hinders your progress. Worst of all, it prevents you from doing your best work.

It's a technique taught in both writing and game design. The easy thing to do is tell your audience an idea; the better approach is to show your audience.

We miss creating for creation's sake. And so today, we are releasing the first of hopefully many, video game experiments.

God has hidden the truth precisely so we can have the joy of discovering it, and so He can have the joy of watching us search, following Him with passion, in community.

"You can design anything to be a drug," I said, speaking to a group of video game design students at Oklahoma Christian University.

How Game Design elements contribute to telling stories that matter, and why video games are important and can change people for the good.