Design a game and win prizes

Wii News | Sounds like a fair deal.

Bigpond and the ACMI have launched the unique Project Joystick venture. The Project Joystick venture encourages entrants to come up with an idea for a game. The entrant with the best idea will have their game turned into an online PC game or a mobile game by a local developer (which is to be announced next week).

The developer will be given $1,000,000 to complete your game and if it's your game they're creating then you'll get prizes valued at up to $20,000. So, if you've ever considered yourself a bit of a creative person, then why not head over to the Project Joystick website.

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10 Comments

thebigm

4 years ago

Sounds pretty good actually, might have enter one idea I've had.

GooberMan

4 years ago

haha, sounds like a rort to me.

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Infested Jibbs

4 years ago

My game idea?

"Mine is about a futuristic amusement park where dinosaurs are brought to life through advanced cloning techniques. I call it "Billy and the Cloneasaurus."

Daniel Primed

4 years ago

I can only see tradgic results out of this. *cringes*

A13x

4 years ago

At last my dream of a game where you need to touch girls to see if they're witches may come true!

Dare

4 years ago

^ isn't that already a game coming soon to Japan

ah Japan, gotta love the stuff they think up

El Taco

4 years ago

Would it really take $1,000,000 to create a mobile phone game?

Nice prizes but

EDIT:

Something interesting from Australian Gamer:

Quote

I just read on Kotaku that supposedly Bigpond and ACMI are running a competition to allow you to get your game idea developed. According to Kotaku, Bigpond will check out your "game ideas and give AUD$1,000,000 in development cash to the winner".

The problem is, there IS NO ONE MILLION DOLLARS. This is one step short of being a complete scam.

The official site reads, "Do you have a great idea for a new game? We're ready to invest over one million dollars to help bring it to life!"

The bit they don't mention here is that you won't be anywhere near the million dollars, and you won't be anywhere near the development of the game either. Whilst "you could see your vision realised as a hot new game", you won't be involved in the process in any way shape or form other than getting your name in the credits somewhere.

In short, Bigpond are harvesting IP. If you win, they will take your idea, create a game from it and you will get $20k in Telstra prizes. They laugh all the way to the bank with your amazing idea, and in return you get 12 months internet, phone and some Bigpond content vouchers. You also get a shiny new computer, but that will be of little consolation should your game become an international best seller, because you won't see a penny in royalties.

Buried waaaaay down the list of Terms and Conditions you will find this little gem. If you're one of the ten finalists;

38. a) the Eligible Entrant to the extent that any intellectual property rights exist, assigns all rights in their Entry Idea to the Promoter;
So even if you aren't the overall winner, they will still own your idea!

and

the Promoter may use the Entry Idea or part of the Entry Idea to formulate the BigPond Game (including sequels to the BigPond Game) without further reference or compensation to the Eligible Entrant
So once they've made a game out of your idea, they can go on to make as many sequels as they like, and never mention your name again.

But worse still!!!

the Eligible Entrant unconditionally and irrevocably consents to any act or omission that would otherwise infringe any of the Eligible Entrant's moral rights in the Comments, Photos or Entry Idea and present and future rights of a similar nature conferred by statute anywhere in the world whether occurring before or after this consent is given;
So not only do they own your idea, they own any future idea that you might come up with that even closely resembles this idea!!!

39. The Major Prize Winner acknowledges that the Promoter may choose not to use their Entry Idea to formulate a BigPond Game

and after all that... they are under no obligation to actually make any game based on your idea!!!

Whilst I am all for Bigpond and ACMI promoting the "idea" of game development, I am extremely disappointed that they would create a competition like this that does not in any way encourage or foster the young and upcoming game development scene in Australia. It would not have been much of a stretch to at least have the winner (or winners) involved in the game development in some way. In the end, the prizes consist almost entirely of Telstra's own products which have little or no cost to the company, and in return Telstra are free to harvest the ideas of the young people of Australia who sign up not understanding that they will receive no compensation if this game becomes an international success. Of course, the reality is that if the game is ever made, it would solely be used as a blatant Bigpond Advertisement.

In my view, this competition is a misleading farce, and if it is not illegal to promote a competition with the tagline, "We're ready
to invest over one million dollars to help bring it to life!", it is certainly immoral.

Boo at you Bigpond, Boo at you!

GooberMan

4 years ago

Ah ha. I knew my publisher sense was tingling.

OdensRaven

4 years ago

In regards to what el taco posted, that bit from aus gamer doesn't recognise that there may be people who have no interest in trying to develop a game but may have a good idea that they would like to see come to fruition. If that were the case then no i don't think they would be getting ripped off. There are always people who are saying wouldn't it be cool if 'they' made a game that involved blah blah blah. This is an opportunity for these people to see their thoughts put into action.

El Taco

4 years ago

Yes I know, many of us thought highly unlikely that you'd be a part of the game and I know what your saying, I thought it was an interesting read. I know all of us would like there idead implemented but as a mobile phone game, it's a bit meh.

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