Current Events > Making an escape room, need advice.

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What kinds of things make these fun? We've got plenty of puzzle ideas and such, but are still open to suggestions.

I'm just not sure it's got a lot more than point A to point B to point C going on. I guess I'm concerned it won't be entertaining enough? Still need red herrings and distractions to slow people up, but I don't want to go overboard to the point that it's hard for them to find the next actual objective.

Also, I don't want to overload it with locks, but that seems to be the best bet to keep them from just stumbling on the solution? Like, 2-3 locks feels like a good amount, probably with a combination lock being the last step.

Anyone got advice, or just want to share fun stories of times you visited these types of places and what you enjoyed?

The Room is very very good, and the puzzles are casual.

Have decorations matching the theme. E.g. if the room is supposed to be prison cell, make it look like a prison cell. If its supposed to be a fallout bunker, make it look like a fall out bunker.

help the customer suspend disbelief with good setting and props.

maybe someone talking over the PA, every so often, messing with the participants.

Provide beverages but there are clues at the bottom of the containers that you can only read when you've finished drinking (or if you pour it out I guess).

A really conspicuous panel on the wall with obvious screws on the corners. Solving one puzzle rewards you with a screwdriver, but when you open the wall panel, there's nothing important behind it. Instead, you need to use the screwdriver to take apart the ceiling fan and find a key inside that.

This was a suggestion from my mom's coworker. The coworker got excited when mom said it was a good idea, and she posted about it on Facebook and got a ton of positive responses(our area is starved for entertainment too). Then she took the helm and researched and made a 14 step series of puzzles and gathered what she needed to set it up. So at that point we were convinced, and agreed. We advertised and such...

But then in Saturday, when we were all supposed to go meet up and start getting everything set up, she dropped out. Said she'd rather not be in charge, but she also scrapped her set of ideas and puzzles. So, it left us to start over from scratch after already advertising it lol.

I just want to make sure it's a fun event to do rather than just a step by step setup.
Also, the lady keeps criticizing our decisions despite no longer wanting to be involved. Like telling us we can't put something in one corner because she likes it in the other.

Norman_Smiley posted...

Have decorations matching the theme. E.g. if the room is supposed to be prison cell, make it look like a prison cell. If its supposed to be a fallout bunker, make it look like a fall out bunker.

help the customer suspend disbelief with good setting and props.

Seconding this. Also make sure it's immersive, like actually lead the players into the cells in handcuffs and prison suits.

I went to one once and just fucking checked everywhere, found everything then let the people i was with figure it out.

Invisible ink is a good one. You'll need a lamp where they can reach the bulb to reveal it

pikakaeru posted...

The Room is very very good, and the puzzles are casual.

What makes a room good? I've only done an escape room once, and it was designed by a prop maker for the local theater group. So his was kinda decked out with cool stuff. To start with mine won't be. I'm sure the puzzles will be casual enough though.

Norman_Smiley posted...

Have decorations matching the theme. E.g. if the room is supposed to be prison cell, make it look like a prison cell. If its supposed to be a fallout bunker, make it look like a fall out bunker.

help the customer suspend disbelief with good setting and props.

Currently the theme is that a thief has been going around town and stealing historical and valuable objects. You've stumbled into his lair, and he's out thriving more stuff but will return in an hour. We're going to decorate with stuff from around town, like there's a vineyard next door, so wine bottles and such. The town was apparently once known for its sewing factory and cabbage fields, and also Dr Pepper was created here(practically on the spot where the room is) so we'll have stuff referencing those.
Otherwise, idk, fill it with a bunch of random items?

boxoto posted...

maybe someone talking over the PA, every so often, messing with the participants.

We won't have a PA system, at least at first. Best we've currently got is a set of walkie talkies they can use to ask for a hint.

Hambo posted...

Provide beverages but there are clues at the bottom of the containers that you can only read when you've finished drinking (or if you pour it out I guess).

A really conspicuous panel on the wall with obvious screws on the corners. Solving one puzzle rewards you with a screwdriver, but when you open the wall panel, there's nothing important behind it. Instead, you need to use the screwdriver to take apart the ceiling fan and find a key inside that.

lol tricky. That's a good one.

doshindude posted...

Seconding this. Also make sure it's immersive, like actually lead the players into the cells in handcuffs and prison suits.

Apparently the original plan was that it's a haunted house and you have to rescue your handcuffed friend from inside(don't ask how they ended ended up cuffed in a haunted house, that's all the details I have). One player would be handcuffed but have access to info the others wouldn't. Idk, that was the scrapped 14 step story.

IfGodCouldDie posted...

I went to one once and just fucking checked everywhere, found everything then let the people i was with figure it out.

That's what I'm afraid of. If we just hide everything good players will find it all relatively quickly. The only way I can think to prevent it is to have things locked, but it'd be repetitive and confusing if every puzzle just gives a key or combination.

Tyranthraxus posted...

Invisible ink is a good one. You'll need a lamp where they can reach the bulb to reveal it

That'll probably play into it somehow. I think I'm going to make hint notes that can only be seen under a color filter, like with those red/blue 3d glasses. Have a note in blue but scribbled over with red or yellow so it can only red looking through the red filter to let the blue shine through.

KogaSteelfang posted...

That's what I'm afraid of. If we just hide everything good players will find it all relatively quickly. The only way I can think to prevent it is to have things locked, but it'd be repetitive and confusing if every puzzle just gives a key or combination.

Instead of locks then have a computer in the room. Make them solve riddles & puzzles to get passwords. You can either give them the password outright or just give them a clue behind a lock. Once they're in the computer there could be some cryptic text files suggesting what else to do.

KogaSteelfang posted...

That's what I'm afraid of. If we just hide everything good players will find it all relatively quickly. The only way I can think to prevent it is to have things locked, but it'd be repetitive and confusing if every puzzle just gives a key or combination.

Part of the issue we were having in the escape room is everyone was like hyper focusing on one thing and I just got fed up with the time wasting so I started just givin'er and checked everything that could move. I found all the clues and brought them to the table in the middle and left them to figure out what meant what. There was apparently some kind of story behind the escape room but I didn't pay any attention to it because I was experiencing auditory and visual hallucinations by the end.(self induced)

Ohh, a real room, I assumed you meant a videogame >_>

Tyranthraxus posted...

Instead of locks then have a computer in the room. Make them solve riddles & puzzles to get passwords. You can either give them the password outright or just give them a clue behind a lock. Once they're in the computer there could be some cryptic text files suggesting what else to do.

That's a good idea, but something like that might have to wait for when we change things up a bit.

IfGodCouldDie posted...

Part of the issue we were having in the escape room is everyone was like hyper focusing on one thing and I just got fed up with the time wasting so I started just givin'er and checked everything that could move. I found all the clues and brought them to the table in the middle and left them to figure out what meant what. There was apparently some kind of story behind the escape room but I didn't pay any attention to it because I was experiencing auditory and visual hallucinations by the end.(self induced)

The story to the one I went to was a zombie infection broke out. They were trying to get in and we only had an hour to get into the safe room. This room was sectioned off and half of it was locked until we found a way in, then the clues in that half paired with the ones in the first to give the way out.

pikakaeru posted...

Ohh, a real room, I assumed you meant a videogame >_>

No worries.

KogaSteelfang posted...

The story to the one I went to was a zombie infection broke out. They were trying to get in and we only had an hour to get into the safe room. This room was sectioned off and half of it was locked until we found a way in, then the clues in that half paired with the ones in the first to give the way out.

Yea ours was a late 1800's/early 1900's family's 1 story house, there was a main room with open concept with a kitchen and a single room where the family slept and it was haunted and we had to solve the haunting, find some bodies and put them to rest for the ghost to let us out. There were trick cabinets and stuff, the way they hid stuff was really cool. Like one of the clues was found by kneeling at a prayer alter. (which I did just because I figured fuck it lol) The bodies we had to put to rest were found underneath a bed which i had just decided to flip the mattress and check under.(that actually made me jump pretty good because I wasn't really actually expecting to find anything underneath it.)

IfGodCouldDie posted...

Yea ours was a late 1800's/early 1900's family's 1 story house, there was a main room with open concept with a kitchen and a single room where the family slept and it was haunted and we had to solve the haunting, find some bodies and put them to rest for the ghost to let us out. There were trick cabinets and stuff, the way they hid stuff was really cool. Like one of the clues was found by kneeling at a prayer alter. (which I did just because I figured fuck it lol) The bodies we had to put to rest were found underneath a bed which i had just decided to flip the mattress and check under.(that actually made me jump pretty good because I wasn't really actually expecting to find anything underneath it.)

lol
That one sounds like it was a lot of fun.

Don't put the bathroom across the hall fromt he escape room. Just in case someone mistakes the bathroom for the escape room and they tear your bathroom and then go into the other bathroom through the ventilation ducks and tear that one up too. Then they think your escape room is the bathroom and use the bathroom in it, instead.

The best ones I have been to had characters played by professional actors and gimmicks created by professional prop people.

Tora_Sami posted...

Don't put the bathroom across the hall fromt he escape room. Just in case someone mistakes the bathroom for the escape room and they tear your bathroom and then go into the other bathroom through the ventilation ducks and tear that one up too. Then they think your escape room is the bathroom and use the bathroom in it, instead.

That episode was amazing lmao

Heavy_D_Forever posted...

That episode was amazing lmao

Epsiode of what? That sounds hilarious.

The best one I ever went to had a good mix of puzzle styles so a diverse team would be needed.
Like throw in some math problems, some geometry, patterns, stuff like that.
Then some observational clues for people who are good at just looking at stuff.
Then some small physical challenge like having to reach your hand into a PVC pipe to reach the back of a panel that needs unscrewed, but you're doing it by touch only.
Stuff like that.

I personally would start out by selecting a theme. Come up with a backstory, it doesnt have to be overly complicated or anything, just a scenario you think would be fun.

Good luck Im sure it will be great

Tora_Sami posted...

Don't put the bathroom across the hall fromt he escape room. Just in case someone mistakes the bathroom for the escape room and they tear your bathroom and then go into the other bathroom through the ventilation ducks and tear that one up too. Then they think your escape room is the bathroom and use the bathroom in it, instead.

Actually, my original plan was to have 3 room setup. Which would also have them bypass a bathroom. I was just going to give them clear instructions with also signs saying the bathroom isn't part of the game.

Instead though, it's been reduced to a one room situation to start with. To help us figure things out, test the waters, and see how it goes before expanding.

But I'd also be interested in knowing what that's from.

BuzzKilljoy posted...

The best ones I have been to had characters played by professional actors and gimmicks created by professional prop people.

We won't have anything like that for now. There's a possibility of contacting the prop maker for help at a later point.

PoopPotato posted...

The best one I ever went to had a good mix of puzzle styles so a diverse team would be needed.
Like throw in some math problems, some geometry, patterns, stuff like that.
Then some observational clues for people who are good at just looking at stuff.
Then some small physical challenge like having to reach your hand into a PVC pipe to reach the back of a panel that needs unscrewed, but you're doing it by touch only.
Stuff like that.

I think we'll have a decent mix. I'm just worried they'll be too simple or straightforward.

Bleuets posted...

I personally would start out by selecting a theme. Come up with a backstory, it doesnt have to be overly complicated or anything, just a scenario you think would be fun.

Good luck Im sure it will be great

Thanks. It's actually not as difficult as I assumed it would be.

IfGodCouldDie posted...

Epsiode of what? That sounds hilarious.

I think it's the first episode of the new Beavis and butthead show. It's streaming on Paramount+ I believe.

Heavy_D_Forever posted...

That episode was amazing lmao

I'm glad someone else watches Beavis and butthead lmao

KogaSteelfang posted...

Currently the theme is that a thief has been going around town and stealing historical and valuable objects. You've stumbled into his lair, and he's out thriving more stuff but will return in an hour. We're going to decorate with stuff from around town, like there's a vineyard next door, so wine bottles and such. The town was apparently once known for its sewing factory and cabbage fields, and also Dr Pepper was created here(practically on the spot where the room is) so we'll have stuff referencing those.
Otherwise, idk, fill it with a bunch of random items?

get a Carmen San Diego poster and some knock off Fabrege (sp) eggs or Crown Jewels.

First thought this was about something for like a home invasion or your home comes under attack.

Like how cabins or ranches were built in the 1800s.

Incorporate magnets

The_Critic posted...

get a Carmen San Diego poster and some knock off Fabrege (sp) eggs or Crown Jewels.

That could work.

Despised posted...

Incorporate magnets

Already have a guy making a puzzle box where you need to use the magnet to pull a key through to get it out.

KogaSteelfang posted...

Already have a guy making a puzzle box where you need to use the magnet to pull a key through to get it out.

Oh I have another idea. Have you considered a lock with no key? Like they have to pick it?

There is a computer game, Escape Simulator, that has a ton of user generated levels. You could check out some LP's on youtube of it, see what players think of certain rooms and the puzzles in them. Yes, a fair amount boils down to finding a combination but I've seen some pretty creative uses of how you get the numbers. Obviously there are things you can't do in the real world, but it might spark something you like when it comes to hiding clues in plain sight.

Tyranthraxus posted...

Oh I have another idea. Have you considered a lock with no key? Like they have to pick it?

I considered it, but I'm afraid it'd be too difficult for a regular person and make the rest too easy for someone good at lockpicking.

loafy013 posted...

There is a computer game, Escape Simulator, that has a ton of user generated levels. You could check out some LP's on youtube of it, see what players think of certain rooms and the puzzles in them. Yes, a fair amount boils down to finding a combination but I've seen some pretty creative uses of how you get the numbers. Obviously there are things you can't do in the real world, but it might spark something you like when it comes to hiding clues in plain sight.

Oh, thanks.

make an original locking device for the final puzzle. You know those wooden puzzles with a square / rectangle inside a frame only 1 way? Id make one of those. When assembled, it pushes out the latches allowing the safe to open.

the puzzle pieces are hidden behind other puzzles, so you collect the puzzle pieces to solve a unique puzzle for the final prize.

that feels master thief to me.

The_Critic posted...

make an original locking device for the final puzzle. You know those wooden puzzles with a square / rectangle inside a frame only 1 way? Id make one of those. When assembled, it pushes out the latches allowing the safe to open.

the puzzle pieces are hidden behind other puzzles, so you collect the puzzle pieces to solve a unique puzzle for the final prize.

that feels master thief to me.

That's a great idea, I don't really know how to put that into practice though.bdeginiteky gonna look into that though.

Edit: Don't know how to make, I should say.

[LFAQs-redacted-quote]

Just about to say this lol

KogaSteelfang posted...

That's a great idea, I don't really know how to put that into practice though.bdeginiteky gonna look into that though.

Edit: Don't know how to make, I should say.

google wood puzzle lock. Lots of people put stuff like this into furniture (not the exact one I described, but lots of wood based locking mechanisms of different types).

if you arent good at wood working you might want to hire it out. I bet for $1k-2k you could get something done locally and really cool.

Amazon and eBay have a bunch of wood puzzle lock boxes under $50 a piece. Id buy a number of them to use and as reference. Might be able to just scale it up and do it cheap.

[LFAQs-redacted-quote]


DKBananaSlamma posted...

Just about to say this lol

My cousin suggested that too. Well, he suggested having the bicycle doll roll out and issue a challenge after they're already locked in.

The_Critic posted...

google wood puzzle lock. Lots of people put stuff like this into furniture (not the exact one I described, but lots of wood based locking mechanisms of different types).

if you arent good at wood working you might want to hire it out. I bet for $1k-2k you could get something done locally and really cool.

The_Critic posted...

Amazon and eBay have a bunch of wood puzzle lock boxes under $50 a piece. Id buy a number of them to use and as reference. Might be able to just scale it up and do it cheap.

Thank you. The people who are supposed to be helping are being huge pains right now. So instead, I just looked up a bunch of stuff from there and bought some stuff. So, I think with what we currently have we'll be good to start with.

You have all been fantastic help, thank you very much. Definitely going to revise as we go, and change things up. But for now I think we just need some distractions and red herrings and other fun dead end stuff to find.

KogaSteelfang posted...

My cousin suggested that too. Well, he suggested having the bicycle doll roll out and issue a challenge after they're already locked in.

Thank you. The people who are supposed to be helping are being huge pains right now. So instead, I just looked up a bunch of stuff from there and bought some stuff. So, I think with what we currently have we'll be good to start with.

You have all been fantastic help, thank you very much. Definitely going to revise as we go, and change things up. But for now I think we just need some distractions and red herrings and other fun dead end stuff to find.

Get one of these and just hang it in the room somewhere:

https://tavernpuzzle.com/