User Created Worlds

I'm thinking of a world that mimics reality, where all that is in the world is created inside the world by the inhabitants of the world.

What would be the interest in a game, maybe an MMO, where all content added into this world was user made and kept in context of the world. I'n not talking about Second Life, LPB or PC MODS. Think if Warcraft allowed the user the ability and tools to design their own weapons (with limits of course) or armor or even allowed them to breed monsters or summon demons or construct buildings. Think of a game world that started out as nothing and the users were allowed to grown this world with all that they make. Obviously, there would need to be a skill-based mechanic to this otherwise the world would be overrun buy garbage. Also, that ability to created content should still be tied to the economy of the game; you need certain materials or monetary units to be able to build/create.

No need for the developers to add more content and no need for the players to rely on the developers to make the game fresh and exciting again. It would be always changing and growing. All the devs would have to do would be to monitor for bugs/exploits and maybe expand the game world with new areas.

As always, this would created a natural economy and hierarchy within the population and even that wouldn't always stay the same.

The type of game you are talking about is called a Sandbox game and while they are few and far between they are out there. I suggest you check out WURM Online. It's got pretty much everything you mentioned in your post.

Something to keep track of if you're the MMO fan. Looks a little primitive right now, but it's being created by ONE person. Got to love that ambition.  
  

" Something to keep track of if you're the MMO fan. Looks a little primitive right now, but it's being created by ONE person. Got to love that ambition.  
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Warcraft and other MMOs already off the ability to modify your UI (user interface), but as to in game content, that would be far more problematic as it requires everyone who can interact with you to have the same mod that you do.  This problem used to exist when I played old Unreal '99 games.  People wouldn't be able to play specific maps or see characters in their "costumes" and not in their default appearance if you didn't have the same addon.  There are ways around this now by providing a unified framework for people to work within but that's usually limited to new skins only.  Alternate meshes are more difficult to generate on the fly, especially when everyone in the village has a unique shape.  Then there is the problem of what effects weapons have.  Again, much like the variable color and style of Champions Online's powers, the outward appearance doesn't mean too much, but the numbers do.  Left unchecked, you'll have everyone running around with "The Sword of a Thousand Truths", one-shoting even the hardest bosses.  Finally, there is the problem that I like to refer to as "Invasion of the Flying Purple Penises".   Given the opportunity, people will create the most vile, decadent, offensive material imaginable.  And, while that maybe okay in small doses, unregulated, you'll just get a new Second Life.  If you do regulate it, then you open yourself up to accusations of censorship. 
 
It's not a bad idea, but I'm not too sure how many people want to create and how many just want to kick back and play.  Allowing small, limited modifications is a good thing, asking players to build their own world may be asking too much from the gaming populace.  Besides, why should I pay you (the game maker) when I am doing all the work?

" Something to keep track of if you're the MMO fan. Looks a little primitive right now, but it's being created by ONE person. Got to love that ambition.  
  

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Too bad 98% of user-created content is shit. Hence, Second Life.

In order for your game to become a successful reality(beat that play on words!), the users who are designing this content would have to be mature about all of it or you would have to have administrators approve the content before it is released.  Otherwise, you would just a get a world that mimics South Park's Major Boobage episode.

 
To be honest, I think the issue of quality control would be to severe to realize an idea like that. Yet, it would work if you would introduce some sort of "moderator" system who could give specific "rights" to people, which have proven their will and ability to create content.  But a sandbox game would rule out many aspects of competition and create a game-in-game or a metagame where the creation of content actually supercedes the actual game experience. Look at Spore, a terrible game at its core, people are fascinated by the toolbox aspect.  While I do not doubt that your suggestion is what the future of gaming will be about (Wikigaming, Game 3.0, Semantic Gaming), as someone else mentioned on the forum, 98% of what people would make would be crap.
 
If you want my advice, and I may sound like an old fart saying this. If you want complete freedom of imagination and creation, play Pen&Paper Roleplaying games with your friends. No Boundaries there. You already live in reality you know.
 
H.

I'm pretty sure that having a certain level of complexity in the user creation would limit the amount of crap added to the world. Also, if the creation still had an economy to it, it would reduce the amount of time people use making garbage. If you are required to buy/collect certain materials to create something, the way tradeskills already work in MMO's, then I'm pretty sure people wouldn't waste their time and effort and ridiculous garbage.

I think it would be cool to see an MMO with those creation features you mentioned, but have the system be as simple and easy to use as the system in Spore. I liked how easy it was to build a sweet walker tank, or a nice building in just a couple minutes. Great creation system there, love to see it in an MMO.

You have to find the right balance between freedom for the user, so (s)he can create whatever (s)he likes; and ease of use, so the user can actually create it instead of knowing it is technically possible but in practice the only result is frustration. Spore tried to find that balance.
 
About the economical aspects you mention, I think eve online aimed at that, and it looked promising.
 
This is all I can tell, I didn't play any of those games.