Abstract
How do we think about, and interact with, our built environment?
The nature of our cities is changing. In the wake of the 2008 financial crisis and unprecedented gentrification in major urban areas, the housing market in the United States is stratifying. As millennials age into becoming homeowners and parents, more and more of us are seeking to stay in cities. Increasingly, we are drawn to second- and third-tier cities, like Madison, WI; Grand Rapids, MI; and Syracuse, NY, as places like New York City, San Francisco and Oakland, CA, have grown prohibitively expensive. As we enter spaces that are not historically our own, we risk commodifying existing communities, and driving out populations that have created vibrant neighborhoods for decades.
One Day in Mount Vernon invites players to engage with the semi-fictional community of a Baltimore neighborhood in a thoughtful, joyful, curious way. As a point-and-click adventure game, it encourages players to think creatively about learning their surroundings, engaging with local characters, and appreciating unexpected spaces. The game encourages players to go out into the real world with the same wide-eyed curiosity for the people and places around them as they have in a digital realm. One Day in Mount Vernon is an invitation to be curious and critical about the world we live in.