GameCareerGuide.com's Game Design Challenge is an exercise in becoming a game developer, asking you to look at games in a new way -- from the perspective of a game creator, producer, marketer, businessperson, and so forth.

Every other Wednesday we'll present you with a challenge about developing video games. You'll have two weeks to brainstorm a brilliant solution (see below for how to submit your answers). After the two week submission period elapses, the best answers and the names of those who submitted them will be posted.

The Challenge

Create a game inspired by your favorite book.

Assignment Details

In today's market, we're used to seeing games draw inspiration form other media. We see titles based on movies, television, and even games that focus on popular music. Very rarely, however, do we see games draw direct inspiration from literature. Perhaps at a technical level, games have more in common with movies or music, but now it's time to explore how the written word can influence game design.

Pick a book that inspires you! Anything counts, from fantastic tales that captured your imagination, encyclopedic works that opened your eyes to new ideas, or even just a simple story you fell asleep to as a child. Once you decide, use this book as the basis for a game of your own design.

Think about why this particular work moves you. Is it the language? The plot? The characters? Does the structure of the book imply a certain principal that can apply to game design? Pinpointing the exact reason you enjoy the book could help ignite your creativity.

We'd also like to request that you don't simply re-tell the story of your favorite book. Instead, come up with a game design that the book inspired you to create.

To Submit

Work on your ideas, figure out your strategy for coming up with a solution, and ask questions on the forum. When your submission is complete, send it to gamedesignchallenge@gamecareerguide.com with the subject line "Design Challenge: ." Please type your answer directly in the email body.

Submissions should be no more than 500 words and may contain up to three images. Be sure to include your full name and school affiliation or job title.

Entries must be submitted by Wednesday, August 17

Results will be posted Tuesday, August 23

(Image credit: PBS' Reading Rainbow)

Disclaimer: GameCareerGuide.com is not responsible for similarities between the content submitted to the Game Design Challenge and any existing or future products or intellectual property.