Here is a list of simple simulations that could be multi-player compatible.

• pong
• pool (aka billiards for the brits - actually aka pool for brits - billiards is a different game - you colonials ... ;-) )
• Artillary duel (perhaps even a 3D version with wind, radar, gravity)
• space war (use a 3D arena, more than two ships), each ship has one gun, period

Istvan "space war" would pretty much be how NetDevil started JumpGate. Then they added stuff randomly until they got where they are today.

• modding: create a mod for an existing game.

DWM IWar2's latest patch includes an SDK for modders! IWar2 has multi-player functionality, but oriented towards player-provided servers, which implies (I think) that it won't scale up to MM. But it still might be an interesting playground to try out some ideas, and if the mod was good, could even establish some street cred for us. JDH Ooh that sounds like fun! It's a shame I have the attention span of a fruit fly - I'm too busy shooting the bad guys in Halo at the moment ...