MMORPG desing contests - yes or no?

Benedikt

I was just thinking, why dont game companies lauch, before starting to prepare new MMORPG, some kind of game design contest, where winning entry mechanic would have chance to appear in their new game. Sure, I am sure they have ,while planning to create a new game, usually already pretty good idea how its game mechanics and features will work, but maybe from such contest would come some good new ideas, and if not for this game, than maybe for the next one.

What do you think? why dont game companies hold such contests? would there be some law/copyright issues? or are they affraid that including outside idea would crack core mechanics of their game?

therain93

Probably for the simple reason that people designing games have their own vision and want to use their own ideas.  That, and then there's the possible legal and economic liabilities if a company were to use an idea suggested from outside of the company.

weslubow

Some companies do have exactly what you are talking about. An entrant must release all rights for their ideas to the company. They can be a lot of fun. Many of the entries are not possible due to programing. Some are just not very well thought out. The contests I have seen of this type are usually held on sites for specific games. "How would you solve this problem?" or "What would you like to see and do in this game." Content such as missions (quests) are always needed.

Benedikt

Originally posted by weslubow


Some companies do have exactly what you are talking about. An entrant must release all rights for their ideas to the company. They can be a lot of fun. Many of the entries are not possible due to programing. Some are just not very well thought out. The contests I have seen of this type are usually held on sites for specific games. "How would you solve this problem?" or "What would you like to see and do in this game." Content such as missions (quests) are always needed.

 

hm, i have to say, i had never seen any game mechanics contest - just contests for things like item design, quests, NPCs etc.

ChrisMattern

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Originally posted by Benedikt
I was just thinking, why dont game companies lauch, before starting to prepare new MMORPG, some kind of game design contest, where winning entry mechanic would have chance to appear in their new game. Sure, I am sure they have ,while planning to create a new game, usually already pretty good idea how its game mechanics and features will work, but maybe from such contest would come some good new ideas, and if not for this game, than maybe for the next one.
What do you think? why dont game companies hold such contests? would there be some law/copyright issues? or are they affraid that including outside idea would crack core mechanics of their game?

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Ideas are cheap. You can't walk out the door without bumping into five interesting ideas. Execution matters. Companies don't need ideas, they need people with the skills to implement them, and they don't work for free.