The sad part is- that really is NOT what its about - but it is MARKETED as such.

Arthur -- I think you have the game you envisioned... but people are mis-understanding what its meant to be because of terminology that is used CONSTANTLY throughout the game.

Reference to the player being the "hand of god" is said once. We see the word Heathen over and over and over, as well as seeing a representation of "a heathen" over and over.. seeing and interacting. While we do see the hand statue - as a representation that the PLAYER's HAND is "the god"- its not something to locate and deal with throughout the game, the way the heathens and the word heathen are.

The graphics included in the announcement/ what you see when you first come to the game from the email announcing it say Heathen over and over... and "God Powers", etc.

This is just human nature --- which happens to even the smartest of us... we remember what we see more than what we read... we remember what we saw or read many times more so than we remember something that we saw once.

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While playing virtual families, I totally "got it" that *I* was the power... they talked to me, they emailed me, addressed ME, etc.

Perhaps just "Powers" instead of "god powers" would suffice.
Certainly, I realize "player" and "dissillusioned" are weaker terms that do not have the same punch as god power and heathen... but, I suggest to you that there IS something that would work.

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if the game really were about converting heathens to believe in God - fine, use those terms and people can take it or leaev it. BUT, thats not your vision, and you reveal it part-way into the game.

I suggest that in the future, you run the STORY by other people, as well as the technical aspects.

I have NO IDEA of the testing and such you do. I assume there is beta testing to look for glitches in the game, etc... but... I wonder --- do you leave out the flurishes then? Did your beta testers get to see the write-up about the game (the blurb used before purchasing), and see the intro video, and the mid-game video?

Certainly, some game aspects will not apeal to some and that has to be let go... BUT, I really think all of this could have been solved with some attention to the facts of human nature. No one can just SAY "this is a tadpole" and then draw goldfish, and repeatedly use the term goldfish, and use other goldfish-related phrases and items... and expect people to think "this is a tadpole"

It just doesnt work that way. (Even for well-educated scientists enjoying a leisure time activity)