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Water Cooler Games

Water Cooler Games served as the web's primary forum for "videogames with an agenda" — coverage of the uses of video games in advertising, politics, education, and other everyday activities, outside the sphere of entertainment.

The site was maintained at watercoolergames.org from 2003-2009, where it was edited by myself and Gonzalo Frasca. It is now archived here in full.

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Flight Sim Scare

by Ian Bogost January 11, 2004

categories: Political Games

Following on Jill's post about the prohibition of lavatory queues on US-bound flights, and our absurd fears about almanacs, is this Register article about a state trooper's housecall after a mother bought her son a Flight Sim from a local Staples store.

So alarmed was the Staples clerk at the prospect of the ten year old learning to fly, that he informed the police, the Greenfield Recorder reports. The authorities moved into action, leaving nothing to chance. A few days later, Olearcek was alarmed to discover a state trooper flashing a torch into to her home through a sliding glass door at 8:30 pm on a rainy night.

Oddly, nearly two years ago exactly, a 15-year old Florida boy crashed a small plane into a Tampa, Florida office building.

Back in November, Gonzalo wondered if someday we would have to burn our games rather than be subjected to political censorship and oppression.

I hope this phenomenon doesn't grow out of hand, but I fear it already might have. Just last month I downloaded X Plane for Mac... I wonder if the FBI and NSA were tracking me?

Comments (4)

Julie Olearcek recently dropped by a Staples to inquire about buying a copy of Microsoft Flight Simulator for her son. The Staples attendant got worried that she was a terrorist trying to learn how to crash planes into buildings, he called the cops. An...

collision detection - Idiocy simulator on January 16, 2004 5:47 PM

This seems to be another classic case of paranoia taking hold in light of 9/11. I mean, there is probable cause to suggest that another attack may happen but a store clerk accusing a lady buying a flight simulator of being a terrorist? It's quite far-fetched for which I hope are obvious reasons.

It's easier to point fingers then research and come to fact-based conclusions. I don't think video games cause people to go on killing sprees. I don't think that violent TV shows cause people to crash planes or plant bombs. I think its deeper then that and if anyone has the sense in them to actually LOOK at the problem then we can avoid such tragedies as complete censorship.

For an example studies in psychology might show the problem to be rooted in childhood experiance and developmental issues. Maybe the lack of parental guidance is the cause. I for one simply don't believe that the average human being can be coaxed into aggression simply by having a little fantasy fun in a virtual environment.

Cmax on January 22, 2004 8:14 AM

Dear US citizens,

I am writing from Australia. When you vote if affects every country in the world. But we can’t vote in the US. So please remember, you are voting for all of us. If you elect a crazy war-mongering idiot, we will suffer too. There's no democracy in a global age for the rest of us anymore, just for you. Please take care this time. Those of us with love and faith in the American people need your responsibility.

Cheers,

Brad

brad on September 12, 2004 5:58 PM

Cool stuff. Keep up the good work. when Table is Cosmos it will Hope Tournament: http://www.walkthelinethemovie.com/ , Lazy Gnome Win or not when Grass Love Plane Love , when Cards is Stake it will Increase Chips Rape Table is very good Game

Samuel Ballard on December 9, 2005 6:00 AM