Want to design your own MMO? Check out this press release from Acclaim. The company is offering someone the chance to become an MMO Director.

Acclaim Games and video game industry superstar David Perry have partnered to present the ground-breaking "Top Secret" project. In this project, players actually get an opportunity to participate in the entire video game development process from start to finish.

In an unprecedented move for the game industry, these players will be given a chance to have their work featured in a massively multiplayer PC game that will be published by Acclaim and directed by David Perry. Perry will choose a winner from the contributors, and Acclaim will be giving them a breath-taking prize, 'A Video Game Industry Directorship', working on a new fully-funded massively multiplayer online PC game. David Perry will be their Executive Producer to help them as needed on their game, and once they complete their project, they will even earn royalties from the game sales!

"I've always loved the idea that someone, from their bedroom, reveals their passion and talent, then suddenly can have an absolutely stunning career explosion, becoming a famous Game Director with a pre-built fan base. We're going to make it happen!" says David Perry who is a Game Director and Chief Creative Officer for Acclaim Games.

David Perry will be building the new online game from scratch and is offering members of the Acclaim player community a rare opportunity to help him develop this video game in a collaborative effort with some of the industry's best talent. "We will bring in some surprise guests along the way to inspire and mentor the contributors," says Perry.

One lucky winner who shines the most during the development process will be given the top prize. "This is the only chance I know of to jumpstart a directorship career in the video game industry," continues Perry. "Everyone wins. They get to learn how to make professional games, and if they get anything in, they get a real professional credit on their resume." Perry finishes, "But, if they win, well then they get their life changed."

Interestingly, applicants don't need any prior game development experience. In fact, Perry refuses to look at resumes. "We only care about the pure, focused, passionate talent they show up with," he says.

"Top Secret is like 'The Apprentice' meets 'American Idol' meets 'The Video Game Industry'. We're giving our players a chance to work on an online game that we will actually develop and publish. Our community really loves these games and knows what it takes to make a hit. And it will be a dream come true for one lucky star that shines the most throughout the project," says Acclaim CEO Howard Marks.

This is a first-of-its-kind project from the new Acclaim, a resurrected company with a very well known name. The new Acclaim will focus entirely on providing quality multiplayer online games for free. The games will be supported with a mix of advertising and virtual item stores. Acclaim has already partnered with IGA Worldwide to provide in-game advertising for its other online game titles.

The entry period will be limited, and so will the number of people allowed in to see the project, so sign up now to become a team member on Top Secret. To register for a free account and find out more about Top Secret, visit http://topsecret.acclaim.com

Read more here.

You have to wonder though.

With big developers like Sigil, SOE and Mythic basically telling their fans that they could care less what they say and what they think, who's doing it right?

Personally if I was a developer I'd be doing exactly this, involve your player base and involve your fans. Don't JUST give them a forum, give them open mic nights, developer one on one's and producer contact. You can try to ignore the people that pay your bills forever guys, but eventually ideas like this are going to happen and your way of putting us asside will be aged and gone.

IMHO, great move by acclaim and a good way to get things going.

Originally posted by shae

You have to wonder though.

With big developers like Sigil, SOE and Mythic basically telling their fans that they could care less what they say and what they think, who's doing it right?

Personally if I was a developer I'd be doing exactly this, involve your player base and involve your fans. Don't JUST give them a forum, give them open mic nights, developer one on one's and producer contact. You can try to ignore the people that pay your bills forever guys, but eventually ideas like this are going to happen and your way of putting us asside will be aged and gone.

IMHO, great move by acclaim and a good way to get things going.

This is absolutely monumental  

I'm shocked a company would actually offer anything this awesome, good work Acclaim!

Man this is so awsome!!!!

I can't wait for this. What an opertunity. Talk about the ultimate sandbox!

I am seeing a bigger picture here.If i am paying my production manager big bucks to do all the thinking,then why is he looking to the public for answers?This appears as nothing more than a  marketing ploy.First of all i don't mind advertising i think that is a great idea in games,it allows a bigger market ,in hand giving the companies more money to play with.I mean come on ,you'd have to be under a rock if you can't see what has been the pros/cons and wants of the gaming public.This looks like a nice announcement to make themselves look good,i'm not buying it at all.

The part i do not like whatsoever is a virtual market for the game.I wouldn't last one second on this team because i would adamantly refuse this as part of the game.There is no question that these guys are in the business of making money,this is not a cry to the public for help,that's why they pay there manager the big bucks.The winners might feel like they are taking part ,but no way will you have any input ,if they dont see it making money to drive there virtual market and advertising.A game that  has a virtual market will be a bigtime magnet for IGE and its cohorts.This is the very thing that is finally starting to piss off gamers as it should.

If they want a better project then do like epic did with there unreal tournament[Make something UNREAL contest].Offer real cold hard cash,maybe even a job to anyone that makes a great mod/map/mesh anything to do with the game.Of course this would involve the game to release its source code to the public.From what i have seen in the past the public has done some pretty amazing things,far surpassing the actual game designers efforts.

If you want public input then show some cahoonas and put out the source code,so they can produce things.Then a team can pick and choose what looks like a great idea or project.I guess this is why unrealtournament will remain above these other games,as releasing source code and the editor ,is too much effort for these little wannabe game projects.Well hats off to NWN2 i guess they have done this,i just don't follow the game enough to know what kind of reults they have had.

Originally posted by shae

You have to wonder though.

With big developers like Sigil, SOE and Mythic basically telling their fans that they could care less what they say and what they think, who's doing it right?

Personally if I was a developer I'd be doing exactly this, involve your player base and involve your fans. Don't JUST give them a forum, give them open mic nights, developer one on one's and producer contact. You can try to ignore the people that pay your bills forever guys, but eventually ideas like this are going to happen and your way of putting us asside will be aged and gone.

IMHO, great move by acclaim and a good way to get things going.

I completely disagree with your assessment of Mythic. What gives you the right to make false claims about a company as good as Mythic and what proof do you have to back up your claims? I only care, because I have been playing DAoC for over 4 years now (off and on) and they have been very open with their customers and they communicate and implement our ideas a lot. SOE I understand, but Mythic? Common now, either put up proof or show some respect and netiquette and refrain from dragging Mythics name through the mud.

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Originally posted by Wizardry
I am seeing a bigger picture here.If i am paying my production manager big bucks to do all the thinking,then why is he looking to the public for answers?This appears as nothing more than a marketing ploy...

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Maybe because it's the public who will later on be playing the game? Tapping onto a very potent source of ideas (that would be the gamers), if done correctly, can prove successful to a game's development. Other developers are already doing this, obtaining ideas from their playerbase, but not at this level of risk. Perhaps the Apprentice-style execution can lower the risk associated, but only time will tell.

And putting out the source code isn't a likely option for game developers who want to earn big bucks.

Originally posted by Wizardry

I am seeing a bigger picture here.If i am paying my production manager big bucks to do all the thinking,then why is he looking to the public for answers?This appears as nothing more than a  marketing ploy.First of all i don't mind advertising i think that is a great idea in games,it allows a bigger market ,in hand giving the companies more money to play with.I mean come on ,you'd have to be under a rock if you can't see what has been the pros/cons and wants of the gaming public.This looks like a nice announcement to make themselves look good,i'm not buying it at all.

The part i do not like whatsoever is a virtual market for the game.I wouldn't last one second on this team because i would adamantly refuse this as part of the game.There is no question that these guys are in the business of making money,this is not a cry to the public for help,that's why they pay there manager the big bucks.The winners might feel like they are taking part ,but no way will you have any input ,if they dont see it making money to drive there virtual market and advertising.A game that  has a virtual market will be a bigtime magnet for IGE and its cohorts.This is the very thing that is finally starting to piss off gamers as it should.

If they want a better project then do like epic did with there unreal tournament[Make something UNREAL contest].Offer real cold hard cash,maybe even a job to anyone that makes a great mod/map/mesh anything to do with the game.Of course this would involve the game to release its source code to the public.From what i have seen in the past the public has done some pretty amazing things,far surpassing the actual game designers efforts.

If you want public input then show some cahoonas and put out the source code,so they can produce things.Then a team can pick and choose what looks like a great idea or project.I guess this is why unrealtournament will remain above these other games,as releasing source code and the editor ,is too much effort for these little wannabe game projects.Well hats off to NWN2 i guess they have done this,i just don't follow the game enough to know what kind of reults they have had.

This is a marketing ploy in that they are soliciting input from the public and advertising it as a "reality show" type contest.  Look at the crap on TV - either the reality show format works, or to advertisers it has the appearance of working.  Either way, the producers are getting paid by advertisers.

I don't think that a game that has a "company store" [regardless of how many tons you've loaded] would have much or ANY market for IGE - the producers would set the price of items such that farming would be pointless.

They are offering a job to the winner, as well as exposure through announcing the winner and giving credit "if the winner follows through with the development" <or words to that affect>  Offering cash also would be a bonus

I maybe mistaken, but it seems that this is more an abstract design contest -atleast in the preliminary stages - so the code isn't necessary.  At least, that is my interpretation of the article.

[Disclaimer: I only read the print article. I am at work now and cannot access the website linked from here]

I'm afraid I'm the same kind of cynic that Wizardry is. When I read the story, my irst thought was not "what a great idea" but rather "have they run out of their own ideas?". I also agree that the winner should not only have an active hand in the development process, they should also get a year's salary which the current ideas team will still get, despite not having the idea themselves.

I will sign up myself, but I remain unconvinced that this is anything mroe than a publicity stunt.

It would be great if the player-created idea was not just another RPG-by-numbers though, because the MMO world is already saturated with them.