"It's basically a re-envisioning of the Foursquare new user experience / game mechanics. We use your Foursquare check-ins to build an illustrated map featuring 8 distinct districts (corresponding to the top level Foursquare categories, retsuarants, nightlife etc.). Every district has four levels, each with it's own art (in other words, a lot of art! 8*4 = 32 custom illustrations, plus all the other art). The point is to level up in each district."

Mr. Fisher built the project with Keenan Cummings, Jeff Escalante and Tyler Brock.

New users see a city full of empty lots and suggestions from power users, left as foursquare tips, of how to build up a mini metropolis. Every time they refresh the map they get a new group of user suggestions. Getting to the top level means you become a guide, helping new foursquare folks discover the city around them.

The hackathon was sponsored by AmEx, which is making a big move into early stage investing. "Most of us spent time in the agency or finance world, where it often feels like the whole is less than the sum of its parts. What's gratifying about participating in a hackathon (and startups in general) is that you can, in a very short time, create something that is greater than the sum of its parts," said Mr. Fisher.

Wander Mapper