I’ve been playing a few of what many refer to as “god-games,” these days. They tend to be strategy/simulation games in which you direct the outcome of a civilization or an individual through various systems and triggers. Of course, the two main games I’ve been playing are The Sims and Civilization 4, quite possibly the two most extreme poles on the god-game plane that exist. In Civ 4, I find myself in a race to establish religion in stages, not because of the nature of of the religion or because it contains elements of truth, but because it progresses my civilization further. In Sims, on the other hand, I find myself trying desperately to make good, healthy choices for my individual Sim (whom I have designed and named after myself). The Sim may delay, but he pretty much never refuses my guidance, though I may choose to withdraw my guidance altogether and see what he does with himself.
The most profound discovery I’ve made playing these two games is the difference of purpose that occurs when you move from an individual level to a national level of control and power. When I control one Sim, I care deeply about him, but when I control entire nations I use them, exploit them, and throw them into harm’s way for “the greater good.” I am a virtual dictator.
I don’t think this has anything to do with playing God, but it’s fascinating nonetheless. Anyone else have profound or insightful experiences while playing these games? Do they represent what it’s like to be God in any real way?
Richard Clark (Co-Founder/Editor-in-Chief) has spent his entire life writing, reading, listening, and playing. He has a Bachelors in Theology from the Baptist College of Florida and has a Master of Arts in Theology and the Arts from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He lives in Louisville, KY where he is the classroom technology manager at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. In addition to writing at Christ and Pop Culture, he is also a staff writer for 
What I find interesting is that when playing The Sims you have created something in your image, and that because of this and your connection to the individual there is a greater emotional attachment to the creation. In a way this is very much playing God and is a micro picture (though obviously imperfect) of how relates to us. Each of us our created in his image and he loves and cares for each of us deeply, and though he could control what we do he chooses to give us a will in which we act on our own.
In my short experience playing Sims, I discovered that I am really bad at “playing God”! As I could not take care of my sims–they were pretty miserable creatures!
I think the parameters of games like Civilization sort of force you to exploit people and use other kingdoms to advance the game–not sure what that means for us as we play–perhaps just to be aware of it. There is no such thing as a truly benevolent kingdom this side of the Christ’s return.
First, I’m not sure how any of these “god games” merit the title after Populous. Once you actually play a god in a game, everything else is obviously not a god game. Civilization fails in that you are not a god but merely an immortal politician/social tactician. The Sims fails in that you are not a god but a helicopter-parent/obsessive guidance counselor.
Second, my personal experience is to not be connected to my avatar at all but instead to be connected to my own experience of my skills and talents and inabilities on a hyper-aware level. When my civilization fails or my avatar dies, my only emotional response is tied to evaluation of my own ability. Games will occasional elicit some other response from me, but those are always tied to story instead of to avatar. In Shadow of the Colossus, I felt a small touch of regret in bringing down some of the more majestic and peaceful of the colossi. I felt mock sadness for the companion cube at its inevitable destruction (a paean to my ruthless pragmatism). But I have never come to care about my avatar—probably because it’s very difficult for the character who is you to be fleshed into anything substantial and still allow you to think that this thing represents you.
The Dane, I agree with you about the ultimate failure of “God games” to live up to their name. They’re really just “dictator” simulators of different stripes.
I find it fascinating that you’re moved only by scripted story, rather than by what you call “avatar,” which really, is the unscripted, emergent story of your avatar. These stories tend to affect me just as much (if not more so) as the scripted stories because they feel unexpected and organic. When my Sim couldn’t decide if he wanted to stick with the homely girl or dump her and go for the more attractive, smarter girl, I was pretty invested in the whole situation. It’s slice of life drama where the actors talk in Simlish.