Would this get people more interested at the start or just be a headache?

[Vynar]

Anyway long story short, eventually I hope to see if I can get my friends who have had a lot of fun with dnd before but are no means experts to play over the summer if everyone has time. Long story short, I am thinking of a home brew world and was wondering if you guys think it might be a good idea to get the players more interested in the world if I leave a large continent mostly blank and ask the group to together design that part of the world. I know you don't know the people involved but in general do you guys think this is a good idea? I could see them either getting more connected and interested to the game or maybe getting snippy if I don't portray it correctly or something? I am tired and rambling but I hope I conveyed some sort of question. 

[Solo]

As long as you tell them you may make changes, I see no huge problem, aside from the obvious ones arising from empowering the serfs.

[altpersona]

ya, i dont see a problem at all.

[The_Mad_Linguist]

play a game of catan to define the terrain and amjor kingdoms.  Evil is the winner.

[Sohala]

Sounds awesome. If you are worried that you might not do something the way the creator wanted, you could always ask. Also, you hardly rambled at all.

[Vynar]

My main concern is that if they get into this, they really have no idea how dnd works having only played relatively low levels. Long story short the guy who always Dmed or at least played and pushed for us to play blew up 5 mins into every game and I distinctly remember him just saying to his brother that his character dies over what type of chair he used irl. However, when playing they did have a lot of fun in between every game dying and combat taking to long. Anyway, I am just wondering if their lack of understanding the rules would make this difficult. I already have some idea if they want large scale land war without wizards just blowing up the entire army.

[Hallack]

It could well work to engage them in the game but really that depends on the players and their interests. 

Some may enjoy that type of creative outlet while others could care less.

[Empirate]

I think in an experienced and mature group of players this idea would be excellent. "Long story short", in your situation, it is not. Present a simple, stringent background for them to work in, and plan for teaching them the game first and foremost. Not only the rules, also the roleplaying thing. A character died over... which chair the player used in real life? I'm not getting this, like, at all. Doesn't seem to have much in common with roleplaying games I know, though.

[Anarril]

A character died over... which chair the player used in real life? I'm not getting this, like, at all. Doesn't seem to have much in common with roleplaying games I know, though.

Just popped in to say that as far as I could tell the previous DM was a control freak or at least had issues. The chair thing was not related to anything ingame, except him using his DM 'powers' to punish someone for out of game reasons.
If the players are as inexperienced as you make them out I agree with the simple stringent background. If people need to learn, remove as much confusing factors as possible and include as much fun for them as possible. Good luck!

[woodenbandman]

I did this once, it didn't work out. Your players will want to do a lot of stuff and if just one person does something silly, everyone will follow. Don't do it.