Card Game Creators Seek LDS Input

By Crystalee Webb

Church basketball, Relief Society casserole, CTR rings or a Girl''s Camp testimony meeting. Which best fits the adjective 'eternal'? Ready ... choose! This creativity-sparking question grants a foretaste of a new LDS-centered game.

Out of the Box Publishing is creating a new LDS version of the popular group game 'Apples to Apples' and invites the public to submit suggestions for the game. Al Waller, vice-president of sales and a member of the church, encourages participation in the brainstorming-process.

'We want more LDS people to submit ideas,' Waller said, ' ask the LDS community what they want in it.'

There are already Bible, Jewish and Yiddish editions of 'Apples to Apples,' and the idea for the LDS version has been on Waller''s mind for a long time.

'Over the past few years I have received several requests to create an LDS edition of ''Apples to Apples,'''

said Waller in an e-mail. 'One of my good friends suggested that I create an LDS edition based on our unique culture.'

BYU student opinion toward an LDS version is positive.

'I think an LDS version would be awesome because the LDS culture is so thick here, and it would be an untapped reservoir of humor and good, clean fun,' said Scott Murff, an economics major from Orem.

Murff has played the original 'Apples to Apples,' and recommends it to friends.

'It''s really fun and funny, a good way to get to know people,' Murff said. 'Definitely a great date game.'

The original 'Apples to Apples' game, released in 1999, has been popular locally. A variety of vendors sell the game, including Deseret Book. Sales associate Marianne DeNovellis, of Deseret Book on University Parkway, said 'Apples to Apples' is a quick-selling item.

'We don''t have any right now. We sold them all,' DeNovellis said. 'It''s one of our most popular games ... and it''s been two years in a row that''s it''s sold out at Christmastime.'

DeNovellis said she thinks Deseret Book customers will react well to the new LDS edition.

'I personally think the LDS version would sell just as well as the Bible and regular edition,' DeNovellis said.

She said she thinks asking consumers to contribute to the game''s creation is a good idea, 'especially on the college campuses.'

'Other than invested-interest, people like to be involved in new products,' DeNovellis said.

Those wishing to submit ideas should know how the game is played. 'Apples to Apples' instructions are simple. A group of players select the person/place/thing card in their hand that best fits the adjective card for that particular round. Each round, players rotate acting as judge, who chooses the winning card. The player with the most cards chosen is the winner.

Due to the nature of the word game, there is a concern that some word combinations in an LDS version could come across as blasphemous.

'The only concern I''d have is that when you''re joking about LDS culture, you need to have boundaries,' Murff said. 'There are things that religious people hold sacred, and it could be easy to cross boundaries if you''re not careful.'

Game planners at Out of the Box Publishing are sensitive to words that will be used in the game, and have precautions in place.

'We don''t want to offend anybody; that''s not our intention,' Waller said. 'I want it to be as politically correct as possible and at the same time, fun and educational. We will pass it by several church groups before we release the product.'

On the Out of the Box Web site, the opportunity to submit ideas for the LDS version is available to anyone. To create a card, one would use the online program, 'MyCard.'

'MyCard allows people to customize their own game,' Waller said, 'and you can use any word you want. Throw a party, and you can put in names of friends and family.'

In the past three years, over 50,000 personalized cards have been created. One man even used the personalization option to propose to his girlfriend by making a card for 'Will you marry me?'

For the LDS version, the company plans to create 576 cards. They seek ideas for people, places, things, and events that apply to LDS culture like minivan, stake center and green jello.

'The first 100 people that respond with 10 or more LDS Apples to Apples cards will receive a free package of customizable cards for either laser or ink jet printer,' Waller said, 'and if Out of the Box uses one or more of your Apples to Apples cards in the LDS edition then we may send a complimentary copy to you upon its completion.'

Ideas for cards will be accepted until April 6, on the Out of the Box Web site. The release date of the new LDS version of 'Apples to Apples' is undetermined.