Take a few minutes and help influence the next generation of games. The 2010 game design competition sponsored by HASTAC and the MacArthur Foundation Digital Media and Learning program is looking for help in deciding which games and designers deserve to advance. The narratives in this year's proposals are innovative, fun, gripping and timely, including: finding a missing genius scientist, repelling invaders of human consciousness, rescuing victims of a killer earthquake, and the proper care and feeding of aliens. They all feature provocative characters, including: “Sackboy,” a Geico-like lizard named “Sal,” an invisible time traveling professor named “Momo,” and many others.

You can find all the details at the contest website. There’s a brief description of each proposed game. Make suggestions about how to make them better. You can even sign up for a chance to be a collaborator if there’s a game listed that you think you can bring value to.  Later in the competition, you'll have a chance to vote for your favorite ideas and help determine the People's Choice awards.

Contestants will review all of your advice and work it into their final contest proposals. They all deserve kudos for their creativity. The winners will receive major funding support for their proposed games. But for now, they really want help determining which ones should move to the next step in the competition.