Can you solve the world oil crisis?

Free online game tackles problems of a planet running out of fuel reserves

A new free internet lets you experience what life could be like when the world runs out of oil.

World Without Oil is an interactive experiment, produced by the design team at Writerguy, is touted as the first alternative reality game to ask millions of internet users to solve the impending crisis.

The game will look at the impact of less, or no, oil on players' lives, work, economy and families.

"Alternative reality gaming is emerging as the way for the world to imagine and engineer a best-case-scenario future," said co-developer and futurist Jane McGonigal. "It's been summed up this way: if you want to change the future, play with it first."

Creative director Ken Eklund added: "The 'alternate reality' of World Without Oil is not fantasy, it's a very real possibility. The game challenge is one of imagination. No one person or small group can hope to figure out the complex rippling effects of an oil shock, but the collective imagination can. And understanding it is a serious, positive step toward preventing it."