Player-based game development funding system

[Darkflame]

http://www.wmdportal.com/about/

Interesting concept.

WMD (World of Mass Development) is a new platform for games creation from the award-winning developer Slightly Mad Studios that allows:
Developers to submit ideas to an active gaming community, raise the funds needed to develop them, get continual feedback from community team members that can play work-in-progress builds, use the WMD Portal to promote their project, get help from other developers, and ultimately launch their game to an eagerly-awaiting audience
Players to browse available projects and join any they are interested in, download and play regular builds of the game, participate in discussion & polls, speak directly to the developers, and eventually earn money back for their contribution when the game is released

WMD is therefore a unique prospect for both developers looking to raise funds for their projects and gamers that want to get involved in exciting upcoming titles.

[Bot13]

The concept has a lot of similarities with Kickstarter but this one is based around game-developers and gamers. Which means you have a higher risk of getting some know it all gamer demanding you put purple zombies in your game. (Yes, big investors can alter your game scripts and so on.)
Needless to say I'd rather put my projects on Kickstarter.

[Darkflame]

No, its only suggestions- nothing says the dev has to do everything, only listen to suggestions.

Kick-starter is also cool (its how a Discworld film "Trollbridge" got funded), but not quite the same thing as this. The key here is you get royalties - effectively turning contributors into investors rather then donators for published products. The perk system is quite similar, however.

Besides, just my feeling, but I think the sort of gamer wanting Zombies in everything wouldn't be paying much attention to this - their needs are well catered too elsewhere. (like, everywhere )

[Bot13]

I get your point on the zombie example. However I've noticed that if there's one place untalented developers (be it games, applications, or whatever) seek shelter, it's communities. Especially communities that give them a voice. Makes them equal to other folks who might have a better understanding.
I am however glad it's only suggestions they can place, not demands or anything. But still, I've noticed that if you have a product that can sell itself, you'll get all the help and support you want without any problems.

See http://blackmesasource.com/ for example. Or what to think of http://www.interstellarmarines.com/. Or http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news...oks-Incredible.