Cheryl Gress from Divine Games

Cheryl Gress from Divine Games

How did you become a Christian?

I was raised Catholic but at 15 I had doubts and did a lot of reading and committed my life to Christ and started attending a Baptist church and still went to my dad's church out of respect.

How did Divine Games come into being?

I run a Christian game review website (Christ Centered Gamer) and I have always had a heart for Christian developers. I hate to say this but many Christian games are either cheesy or so out dated it's laughable. I wanted to make a game that's fun and just so happens to be Christian.

What games have you completed?

The biggest game I completed is Break-Out The Bible and I sell that for $4. I offer for free several completed tutorials and mini games that I have completed for competition or learning purposes here: http://www.divinegames.net/?page_id=2

What games are you working on right now?

To be honest I'm a little disappointed in the game engine I purchased, it has some nasty memory leaks so I'm playing with other engines and looking for direction on where to go.

Tell me about your team

It's mostly me but a guy named Aun helped tweak the physics in Break-Out The Bible. My husband still hates the physics and took a crack at perfecting it and gave up (he still complains about the physics though).

How do you market your games?

Well I'm still learning the ropes on that. It takes a lot of patience and persistence. I usually sell the game on ebay, it's also listed on Amazon, GameStreamer.net, payloadz, digitalriver and of course DivineGames.net. I've been calling some churches and sending some e-mails to youth leaders. It's tough.

What has been the most successful way to market your games?

Give away some copies to get the word out

What are some of the hurdles you face as an indie developer?

Making a profit is not very easy, many distributors take 50-60%. That is if you can get a distributor to accept your game. You need tough skin and determination and above all a good game to sell.

What makes a good game?

One that you keep coming back to.

What is your company's process for developing games?

Get an idea, make a prototype, gather feed back, perfect, release

What tools do you use?

Torque Game Builder 1.7.4 but I'm open to trying others

What does a Christian in the game industry have to consider/think about?

Be ready for an uphill battle. There's not a lot of money in this business but make a good game and hopefully the word will get out.

What do you think is the current state of "Christian Video Games" and where do you see it heading?

It's getting better but nowhere near the secular market. I think it can only get better from here.

What do you want to change about the industry?

I think it needs better games to offer and perhaps a combined effort of the current developers could really make something great.

Do you have any advice for someone that wants to break in to the game industry?

Don't expect Halo sales. Make small goals and rejoice when they are met.

What advice do you have for a young studio trying to launch their first game?

Focus on making a fun game, not everyone can afford the latest Unreal engine and graphics aren't everything. Brace yourself for rejection and lack of support. Gather unbiased opinions to help make your game awesome.

Are there any books you recommend?

I don't read much other than the Bible but when I get stumped on game developing Garagegames and ChristianCoders.com have great IRC chat rooms

Anything you want to plug?

Please check out the game I'd like to see more scores on the high score table

Anyone you want to thank?

I'd like to thank God and my supportive family, friends and Christian online communities. Thanks for the interview.