Much like video games, the real world goes through phases and fads like a student goes through pasta. A lot of these tend to only last for a month or so, before something new comes along and grabs our interest. In a way, we’re a lot like magpies when you think about it. Our attention flits from one shiny activity to another, such as indoor skydiving, laser tag or roller rinks. Obviously, these still exist nowadays but they’re a bit harder to find. One fad that doesn’t seem to be going away any time soon and that I personally adore, is escape rooms.
For those who have never done an escape room, their premise is simple. You and a few friends get locked in a room/series of rooms for a specific length of time (normally around an hour), and in order to escape, you must solve puzzles. Now the puzzles vary massively depending on the room’s designer, with some rooms being themed around cryptography or spatial awareness tasks, but they tend to be sequential. The solution to one puzzle opens a cupboard that contains a clue to the next and so on.
It’s a remarkably satisfying process that gives you a real sense of achievement and is actually a very good team bonding experience. I did an escape room with my current housemates to check whether we could handle living with one another, after all, if you can get locked in a room together (and a cage in our case, with me handcuffed to a chair!) then chances are you can handle living in close proximity of one another. Escape rooms can get a tad frustrating depending on who you are completing them with, as dominant personalities can collide but if you all keep calm, it’s a great way to see people shine in ways that you didn’t expect.
Let me give you an example. I’ve done quite a few escape rooms, since they’re a great non-alcoholic activity to do and I’ve been lucky enough to make friends who are willing to do them with me. Let’s focus on the one with my current housemates (hi guys if you’re reading this). We’re all a bit whacky in my house so an escape room seemed quite up our alley. After opening a new room, we all gravitated towards different clues – with one of my housemates instantly recognising mirror writing as she used to practise writing in it all the time! Or how one of my friends from a placement knew how to brute force a padlock by squeezing it tight and feeling when the tumblers fell into the correct slot.
In the case of my housemates, I’ll give you some background. There’s five of us in our house – three of which are computer science students, whilst the other two focus on biology and occupational therapy. So, when it comes to problem solving and logical thinking, we have a bit of an edge. Here’s the thing though – you can be the best cryptographer in the world and still struggle in an escape room because it challenges you to think beyond what you know and try things that you might not think of.
For anyone reading this who isn’t a big puzzle solver or a logical thinker, don’t be put off! You don’t need any skills to solve an escape room. Sure, knowing about the common techniques they use can be helpful but everything you need to escape is given to you. Who knows, maybe your unique way of thinking will be what cracks the final clue? If you feel anxious or need to step out for a bit, 99% of rooms provide a instant “exit” button that lets you out when you need it, so those with claustrophobia can still enjoy themselves – these rooms are there for everyone and the creators want you to enjoy them!
You see this theme of escape rooms in gaming as well. There are hundreds of puzzle games out there that challenge you to escape the house or the abandoned theme park as fast as you can. So, it’s no wonder why it has become such a massive thing in the “real world”. Considering a large part of what I do involves puzzle solving and tackling problems from a different angle, it’s not hard to see why they appeal so strongly to me.
After becoming a Dungeon Master and running campaigns for my friends, escape rooms have jumped massively up my list of interests. After dedicating so much of my time to creating unique puzzles for my players to solve, I have a deeper appreciation to the designers of escape rooms, especially when it comes to difficulty levels! Sure, it’s satisfying to complete any of them but the harder rooms, there’s an innate determination to conquer it when other’s have not.
Anyways, I’ve rambled a bit much this week rather than a fully form article but hey, you guys seem to like it regardless, so I’d love to hear your thoughts on escape rooms! Leave a comment or tweet me at @OurMindGames with your experiences! The schedule for the next fortnight is a tad all over the place due to EGX as I’m in the process of sorting meetings with developers to chat about their games but I’ll aim for The Blackout Club article to come out next Monday as planned.
Thanks,
CaitlinRC.