Simon Brookes, (right) a lecturer in entrepreneurship, is one of the lead mentors on the 10-week game which addresses a new challenge each week.  The idea behind the game is that thousands of players from across the world will join forces to generate solutions to some of the toughest challenges facing mankind.

The game, EVOKE is the brainchild of Jane McGonical (left) director of Games Research & Development at the Institute for the Future  in Palo Alto, California which is supported by the World Bank Institute.

That, it is argued, means real capital behind the enterprise aimed fundamentally at tackling problems faced by developing countries such as Africa.  In just two weeks the game has attracted more than ten thousand players.

The current challenge is based around the worlds diminishing energy resources; the scenario is that more than 1.5bn people around the world live without regular access to any reliable electricity.  Participants' skills and ingenuity are challenged to harness renewable power sources, on or off the grid.

McGonigal says that 'gamers' are the best people to tackle tough scenarios because they are less likely to give up at the first hurdle.  She said: "Computer games constantly challenge the player in more and more difficult ways which helps them develop perseverance and resilience. Gamers are the most optimistic people in the world."

Extreme Evoke
Participants gain points for demonstrating qualities such as courage, creativity and resourcefulness and there is a leader board where top 'agents' can compare scores. But the game is more than just an online fantasy where players act alone.

Simon Brookes is usually found teaching in the University's Centre for Enterprise, but his online role bestows him with more entrepreneurial 'superpowers' and involves helping to direct how the game is played, following the game's progress and encouraging players to collaborate with each other.

He said: "The most exciting element is that at the end of the game some of the best ideas will be turned into real life projects on the ground.  The prospect of actually making a difference is very real. People may never have spoken to each other but they're communicating online and new groups are forming every day that recognise that they can achieve much more together than they can as individuals.

"For me the other motivating factor is that people are being educated about issues they won't have seriously thought about before.  It's a crash course in changing the world."