Dan McCurley

Can U Mow?

Tags
Game Design, Interaction & Experience Design

CAN U MOW? explores continuous consumption, dopamine addiction and the capitalist need to constantly earn one’s keep. The game throws participants into a stressful, hyper-commercial mowing simulation that lasts until your dopamine runs out or your customer rating drops to zero. Interacting with the simulation is intentionally frustrating, with three separate controllers and multiple on-screen events fighting for attention. A competitive leaderboard lures players back to the simulation and undermines any thoughts of rejecting it outright.

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Game engine: Godot
Assets: picoCAD2
Sound: https://heltonyan.itch.io/pixelcombat

installation & Gameplay

Game assets

3D models created in picoCAD2 and rendered as 2D sprite sheets.

Animated pixel-art trinket box: a tall blue translucent block on a pink background
Animated pixel-art sprite of a shirtless man in sunglasses riding a red lawn mower, seen from the front
Animated pixel-art tile of green grass on a blue background
Animated pixel-art trinket box: a gold block with a yellow figure inside, on a pink background
Animated pixel-art trinket: a shiny yellow bear figure on a green background
Animated pixel-art inflatable red paddling pool filled with blue water
Animated pixel-art trinket box: a silver block with a yellow figure inside, on a pink background
Animated pixel-art purple metal trash can on a green background

controller setup

Game controller steering wheel and pedals, 10-key number pad and USB volume knob/clicker.

The Can U Mow? installation: a monitor showing the green leaderboard screen above a table with a yellow and black steering wheel, a number pad and a volume knob