Joseph’s Story CD is the entire story of Joseph
told through a fun software adventure game
with life application.
Overview…
We’ve taken the story of Joseph and turned it into an interactive landscape your students walk-through, see, hear, and experience as if it were a game. They steer “Robin MacTavish” the young archaeologist, through the ruins of Joseph’s lost Egyptian palace. There are challenges, things to pick up, and apparent mazes, but in reality, your students are walking through the story in order of its episodes. Robin (your students) is guided by Sir Dabney MacTavish, her grandfather and esteemed archaeologist. Robin and her grandfather talk about the different parts of the story, and what to do next.
As your students move through the mysterious ruins, they hear, see and encounter Joseph’s story, from coat to well to reconciliation, and contemplate it’s meaning. Dabney often poses questions and makes astute observations at key points in the underground journey.
Additional Bible background and questions are tucked into the game landscape for those who want to go deeper. Because it’s a fun game, they’ll want to play the story more than once.
A navigational menu allows players to jump to any part of the story they want to concentrate on, or visit to play again (or discuss with the teacher). Open our Teacher Notes toggle below on this page for ways to use this CD in a one, two or three week class.
This CD is a wonderful overview of the entire Joseph story, and particularly good as a review once you’ve studied the story a bit, or shown a Joseph video.
While designed to be played by students, some teachers are projecting it on the wall like a “presentation” and inviting students to come forward to help navigate Robin to the next learning area in the ruins. This “presentation” approach saves time as the teacher has our handy step-by-step guide to every detail of what to do next.
Details about the Ruins of Joseph’s Palace…
It seems Joseph built his Egyptian palace to tell his amazing story to future generations, and you are about to be one of the first students to enter its ruins.
But be careful! There are passageways, gates, and spiders. After learning about his coat and dreams, they come upon a covered well –but don’t get to close! ….it looks precarious. And when your students, of course, fall into the well, that’s when the “game” takes a turn. The ruins think that Robin is Joseph. She is captured by slave traders and sent to Egypt, meets Potiphar and his wife, gets sent to prison where she meets the baker and steward, and eventually is summoned by Pharaoh himself to solve the riddle of his dreams. At the end of the ruins, she emerges above ground with “the cup” and activates an area where Joseph’s brothers appear and have things to say.
The teacher’s guide outlines every detail, and how to successfully navigate each level and challenge.
Parts of the Joseph saga covered in this game:
After entering the Dig Tent, Robin and Dabney go into the ruins to learn these parts of the story:
- The Coat of Many Colors
- Joseph’s Dreams
- The Well of Rejection
- Potiphar’s House
- Pharaoh’s Prison
- Baker and Cupbearer
- Pharoah’s Dream
- The Cup of Benjamin
- …and Joseph’s reconciliation with his brothers.
The following video is a montage of various scenes, characters, and game interactions you’ll encounter in Joseph’s Story CD. It is set to the theme song, “Go Where the Spirit Says Go.”
Game Play & Presentation Notes:
There are times when you must navigate Robin to the next location, and when she gets to a certain spot, accomplish a certain activity –before the game will open the next activity or level. For example, in the first underground level, Robin must blast all the spiders before the gate to the Dream Rooms will open. Once inside, she is instructed to “go talk to Dabney” and when she finds him, he pauses the game to talk to her. (Thus, your students cannot bypass key content.) When he’s done talking, a gate opens and she can enter the “Dream of Wheat” room. Inside, the game takes over again–showing your students a narrated animation about Joseph’s dream of bowing wheat. Then the game returns control to the player who must follow Dabney to the next part of the story, …and so it continues.
A major change in the ruins happens when Robin falls into the well and is sent to Potiphar’s house. The ruins starts to think she is Joseph. When his wife invites “Joseph” to come near, and Robin approaches, she accuses Joseph and calls for her guards. Robin tries to escape but the guards have her arrested and thrown in prison. (Grandpa Dabs appears and lets her out after some conversation.)
Your students then navigate Robin to find the Baker and Cupbearer and hear their dreams. When she correctly answers their questions, she is let out of prison. The level changes and Robin finds herself called to Pharaoh’s Palace to solve Pharaoh’s dream. 
When your students correctly answer Pharaoh’s dream,she is set free and meets up with her grandfather again who takes her through “Pharaoh’s Maze” to hear and see the story of how Joseph found his brothers again.
At the end of the maze, Robin finds the cup of Benjamin and emerges above ground. Now Robin must climb the scaffolding around an obelisk to meet her Grandpa Dabney again and show him Benjamin’s cup.
When she puts the cup into a niche in the obelisk, it triggers a final event: Joseph’s brothers appear and talk with Robin. She hears what’s in their heart –and ponders the true meaning of Joseph’s story.
Don’t worry, there’s a “story jump menu” built into the game that allows you to skip parts of the story-game. It takes about 30-40 minutes to get through the story. And there’s plenty of extra content and navigational options to allow you to shorten that time, or extend it over two or more class times. You can also expertly guide your students, especially younger ones, directly through the ruins to save time.
Click a Tab to See and Learn More…
The Dig Tent and Joseph’s Dream Rooms
At the opening of the game, Dabney introduced Robin to the story of Joseph and the game outside the Dig Tent. Inside the Dig Tent, she finds instructions, and a short timeline presentation. Don’t forget to grab your airblaster before doing down in the ruins! You’ll need them to shoo away the spiders.
There are many secrets in the underground ruins of Joseph’s “lost” Egyptian palace. Somehow, the ruins are able to tell his story, and are activated as you travel through them. When Robin finds and enters the Dream rooms, the rooms transform to show and tell her about Joseph’s dreams (Genesis 37).
Pharaoh’s Maze, Joseph’s Brothers
When Robin encounters Potiphar’s wife, a dramatic shift in the game occurs: the ruins think Robin is Joseph! …and she is taken to see Potiphar and thrown in Pharaoh’s prison. This turn in the game increases the sense of immersion and excitement. From here on out, students need to listen carefully in order to complete the story.
After Robin gets out of prison, she goes to Pharaoh’s palace and must correctly interpret Pharaoh’s dream. Doing so, she can now enter Pharaoh’s Maze to hear and see the story of Joseph’s reconciliation with his brothers.
Joseph’s brothers have some very interesting things to say about how they felt about their brother’s forgiveness. At this point in the game, you can also play the music video, “Go Where the Spirit Says Go.”
Play this video clip! It’s the “intro video” your students hear and see when they enter the “Dig Tent.” It sets up the adventure.
Joseph’s story is especially relevant to children and youth:
- Joseph is a young person.
- His story is about family and siblings.
- His story is about jealousy and bullies.
- His story is about people who tried to hurt him or get him to compromise his values.
- His story is about “why is this happening to me?” and “Where is my life going?”
- His story is about perseverance and staying true to one’s self and trusting God.
- His story is about reconciliation, –instead of retaliation.
Price: $18 for one copy
$16 each for 2 to 4 copies*
$12 each for 5+ copies*
*2+ copies will come as a ‘site license’ edition CD with installs up to the number you order, and CD replacement guarantee. It amounts to a great discount!
Age Range: 2nd* grade through adult.
*Younger kids will enjoy trying to navigate and they will understand the story and enjoy the challenges, but they will definitely need an older person helping them at various points.
Minimum: 1.4 ghz, 1.5 mb ram
Windows 8/10 users, see our Windows tweaks.
Teacher’s Outline and Game Guide to Joseph CD
Print a MAP of the game and Pharaoh’s Maze (it’s your cheat sheet)
Student Worksheet (to guide them through the content)
Bonus: Download my free teaching outline and guide to the Joseph movie. This great video stars Ben Kingsley as Potiphar.
Teaching Notes:
Print our GUIDE and a copy of the MAP (which is your “cheat sheet”!)
Preview, preview, preview. If you are not familiar with this style of ‘first person” gaming -running through landscapes and buildings and having to ‘figure things out,’ then invite a 12 year old gamer to help you! Remember that it is a game… the ruins will at first seem mysterious to you, but our guide and map will soon make you appear to be a genius 🙂 Best advice: pay attention to onscreen prompts, and the narrations.
Dabney appears throughout the game to act as your guide. If he has something to say, he will do so when you walk up to him. Our game guide has more tips.
If students only have one class time to use Joseph CD, then you need to schedule a minimum of 35 minutes to play through the entire Joseph’s Story CD. Even at 35 minutes, there will be some content you’ll simply need to pass by. If you have less than 35 minutes, you will need to skip certain sections using our jump menu. Consult our guide.
Another way to use Joseph’s Story CD is to “present it” to the entire class on a big screen or projected from your computer onto the wall. This method puts you, or an expert assistant, into the role of “chief navigator.” You can invite students to come forward to help navigate at certain points, and let your expert navigator move quickly through others areas of the game. In effect, this puts you in the role of “Sir Dabney.” This is also a great way to use Joseph’s Story with younger children who may find the game play too challenging.
If your class has two or three weeks to study Joseph using software (an other materials), then you can break up your approach to the CD. The first week you might try to play all the way through so they get the whole scope of the story. The second week you would play to a certain point and stop to discuss that part of the story. We’ve loaded the game with extra content at several natural stopping points in the story. That content includes “Sir Dabney’s Bible Study Notes.” Consult our game guide for their content and location.
There is no “game over” and you never run out of “turns” in Joseph. If you “get stuck” in the game, it’s probably because there’s something you have to do before a gate or room will activate. Listen to Dabney!
A “JUMP MENU” allows teachers or students to jump forward or backwards in the story. Just press “ESC” anywhere in the program to access the Jump Menu.
About Joseph CD Versions
We are at version 2.3, having made MANY improvements over the years.
A Few Customer Reviews…
LOVE the new Joseph! It is so much easier to maneuver since you follow Grandpa around. It is easier for younger kids, but yet still fun to use, and tells the story in a wonderful way. Thanks! ~Cindy W., Trinity Lutheran, Hayfield MN
Love Joseph and thrilled about the teacher’s map for the Hall of Dreams. Makes it so much easier. ~Amy P., First Presbyterian, Ft Worth TX
The adults and youth who’ve been preparing have been very positive. Our kids will see Joseph 2.0 for the first time this weekend. Thanks for your good work. ~Sue S., Preston Hollow Church, Dallas Tx.
The kids really enjoyed it and gave it a thumbs up! ~Nancy C., Palma Ceia Presbyterian Church, Tampa, FL
My elementary-aged Sunday School class of boys began their adventures with Joseph today, and I wish you could have seen their faces! They can’t wait to come back next Sunday! Thank You so much! ~Kendel H. Tulsa OK