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# The mother of all mashups
- URL: https://www.chrismessina.me/blog/the-mother-of-all-mashups/
- Published: 2006-08-10T17:13:44.000Z
- Updated: 2026-03-25T03:37:02.000Z
- Author: Chris Messina
- Tags: Society & economy, Technology

[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/factoryjoe/212145488/?ref=chrismessina.me)Yeah, the fate of all good technology is either to turn into a dating site or a videogame (sometimes both) and it's only a matter of time before people start using [Google Earth](http://earth.google.com/?ref=chrismessina.me) and [Google Maps](http://maps.google.com/?ref=chrismessina.me) as the backdrop for videogames. It's only logical, given the plight of sim games like [SimEarth](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SimEarth?ref=chrismessina.me). But can you imagine -- what if [Civilization IV](http://civiv.com/?ref=chrismessina.me) were powered by [Google Earth](http://earth.google.com/sites/?ref=chrismessina.me)? And in real time, the things going on in the world affected your gameplay. I mean, wow. Surely it's only a matter of time before such games are ported from military simulations into [real games](http://www.army.com/americas-army/?ref=chrismessina.me). . . . In other news, [incoming flights are on red alert](http://www.army.com/blog/item/2239?ref=chrismessina.me) and, oh yeah, the [Army](http://www.army.mil/?ref=chrismessina.me) has a [blog](http://www.army.com/blog/?ref=chrismessina.me). A real [gem](http://www.army.com/blog/item/2237?ref=chrismessina.me):

> I love science fiction and when science actually catches up to fiction, I'm always excited about it. This could be a great defensive weapon and, of course, offensive. Could you imagine if this \[system to use mirrors to shoot laser beams\] was working at the start of the Iraq war? We could have sat back a little, let Osama or one of the other most wanted poke their head out and then hit them with a laser and very likely have no collateral damage. Of course the most exciting use is to knock down incoming missiles.

Of course. But the thought that we could be fighting Bin Laden and co. like it were a game of "[bop the terrorist](http://www.popcap.com/images/hammerheads/ss%5Fthree.jpg?ref=chrismessina.me)" sure is funny! LOL. (smacks head)

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### 💬 Comments from the original post

**[kellan](http://laughingmeme.org/?ref=chrismessina.me)** · 2006-08-11 09:21:15

Bruce Sterling wrote about this very game in "Islands in the Net", but remember the name for it, but it always sounded great.