Dreaming The Prairie (2023—)
• SAIC Galleries, Chicago IL, “Faculty Sabbatical Triennial” [25 August-6 December 2025] (v1.5.5) [Vimeo trailer]
• VGA Project Lab, MANA Contemporary, Chicago IL, [21-31 March 2025], curated by Eleanor Schichtel (v1.5.3)
• Silicon Vilstal, Erlebnisfestival 2024, Vilsiburg DE, “Virtuelle Erlebnisse mit VR-Brillen” at Augenoptik Aschenbrenner [21-22 September 2024], curated by Silke Schmidt (v1.5.0)
• Festival der Zukunft, Forum der Zukunft, Deutsches Museum, Munich DE, “XR Experiences” [27-29 June 2024], curated by Silke Schmidt (v1.5.0)
• University of South Carolina, Columbia SC, “Southern Gauge Screening Series” (IG:) @southerngauge [30 May 2024], live playthrough by Chaz Evans (v1.5.0)
• Watershed Art & Ecology, Chicago IL, “Kishwacokee Kinship: Reimagining Relatives” [16 March-13 April 2024] (v1.0.0) [documentation from the opening night]
• XRHUB Bavaria, Munich DE, “Medientage München” [25-27 October 2023], curated by Silke Schmidt (v0.5.0)
This project is partially supported by grants from the Illinois Arts Council (a state agency), the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and Northwestern University.
To download the current version of the game (v1.5.9 for Windows; macOS version coming mid-2026) go to itch.io, localstyle.itch.io/dreaming-the-prairie or click on the title above.
SAIC Faculty Sabbatical Triennial 2025
SAIC Faculty Sabbatical Triennial 2025
SAIC Faculty Sabbatical Triennial 2025
Dreaming The Prairie (2023-2026)
Dreaming The Prairie uses a game engine as a platform for storytelling and story-asking. Located in Illinois, Bell Bowl Prairie—an 8000 year old ecosystem—provided critical habitat for a number of rare and endangered species including the federally protected rusty patched bumblebee (Bombus affinis), and a number of rare prairie plants. A contested expansion of Chicago Rockford International Airport ('owners' of the land) destroyed a large portion of the rare and fragile dry gravel prairie. Both the VR headset and video game versions allow the player to explore the beauty of the former prairie through the third-person POV of a rusty patched bumblebee—encountering immersive aspects of the virtual habitat along with texts and sounds—since entry to the prairie is forbidden.
This project is a collaborative effort developed through multiple iterations; it could not exist without its valuable team members:
Mak Hepler-Gonzalez: Lead Ul/UX Director, Level Designer, VFX/3D/Foliage Artist, Asset Optimization & Workflow Instructor, Concept Development
Joslyn Willauer: Lead Environment Artist, Foliage Artist, Level Designer, 3D Artist
Zoë Morgan: 3D Artist, 3D Rigger, Lead Game Rigger & Animator, Interaction Programmer, UX Designer, Lead Quest Technician, Concept Development
Kathryn Schaffer: Prairie Plant Texts
Kayla Taylor: Assistant Producer, Lead 3D Artist, Asset Optimization, Concept Development
Charlotte Guan: Lead Character Artist (creature design & rigging), Phase 1 Project Manager
Brigid O'Neil: 3D Artist, 3D Rigging, Asset Optimization, Concept Development
Kayla Kim: UX Designer, Quest Technician, Asset Optimization
Michael Swierz: Prairie Research Consultant
Contributing Artists: Diana Jiang: Project Intern, 3D Artist; Jane Tao: 3D Artist
Marlena Novak: Producer, Creative Director, Conceptual Director, 3D Artist, Voice
Jay Alan Yim: Co-Producer, Sound Design, Original Score Composition, Concept Development, Entomology Advisor