History repeats itself, virtual-style, with Ancient Spaces, an exciting open-source project providing multiplayer educational gaming opportunities in ancient Mediterranean locales. Game content is developed entirely by university students using the principles of archeology in their virtual reconstructions--material is vetted through an anonymous peer review process by academic faculty before it is launched in order to ensure historical accuracy.

Coordinated by the Universities of British Columbia (Canada) and Oxford (UK), the Ancient Spaces project will swiftly make available results from recent excavations for both academic and public use. As a teaching tool, undergrad students will "learn by creating." As an outreach program, Ancient Spaces aims to involve the general public in its immersive environment which its makers hope will become "a large-scale simulation of the society and culture of antiquity." The project was presented this week at the NMC Online Conference on Eduational Gaming, and will be made available for play at www.AncientSpaces.com in the middle of 2006.