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.

Each Wednesday we'll present you with a challenge about developing video games. You'll have one week to brainstorm a brilliant solution (see below for how to submit your answers). The following week, the best answers and the names of those who submitted them will be posted along with some commentary.

The Challenge
Design a "race to the end" game.

Assignment Details
One of the simplest of game designs is the "race to the end." Often found in board games such as The Game of Life and Candy Land, race to the end games ask players to compete to get to the finish line as quickly as possible. Along the way, a variety of obstacles slow players down. Eventually, a winner emerges.

You have been tasked with creating a 2D, turn-based, online race-to-the-end game for ages 11 to 15. The target audience is male and female English speakers in the U.S. and Canada. You must choose the setting and basic rules for the game. How do players move? How do they interact with each other, if at all? What slows them down? Be sure to give your game a catchy title.

Remember, race-to-the-end games are about the journey, not the necessarily the destination.

To Submit
Ask questions and discuss your ideas for a solution on the forum. When your submission is complete, send it to gamecareerguide@gmail.com with the subject line "Design Challenge: Race to the End." Please type your answer directly in the email body. Be sure to include your full name and school affiliation or job title, and try to keep your answers to 500 words or fewer -- unless they're really good!

Entries must be submitted by Wednesday, December 17, 2008.
The responses for this challenge will appear the week of December 22, 2008.

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.