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According to David, "A great escape room can be a beautiful blend of game design, set design, storytelling, intellectual stimulation, physical activity, and whatever else the creators have in their bag of tricks. They can be wondrous, intense, scary, or just feel like an adventure. There’s a game in the Netherlands called The Dome that literally feels like a hallucination without mind altering substances. Great games are thoughtfully designed, tested, and refined. These games are brimming with care and craft," the expert continued.
However, David says there are plenty of things that can kill the good time in an escape room. "Poor customer service will ruin just about anything (escape room or otherwise). The common sources of bad feels in mediocre escape rooms are broken and unmaintained props, bad puzzle design, and while it is possible to make a great escape room on a budget… the overwhelming majority of cheaply built games are pretty lame," he told Bored Panda.
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David also shared that in the early days of escape rooms (2013-2017), the majority of players actually failed escape rooms. "However, escape rooms have evolved from puzzle gauntlets into a medium for storytelling," he noted. "Escape room creators construct themed adventures, often with characters and narrative arcs, and they want the players to get the full experience. Plus, winning customers are more likely to come back. So today, while the games are still challenging, they are often more balanced, with better hint mechanics to help teams succeed."
Even David has failed a few himself. "I think my worst failure was just my wife Lisa and I playing a game designed for 8-10 people. We just didn't have enough people to do all the puzzles," he added.
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Before heading into an escape room yourself, it's important to know that they're primarily communication challenges, David says. "They are all about making connections. To succeed, you just need to speak up whenever you notice something, and listen when your teammates share their thoughts," he explained.
"Also, like all entertainment, all escape rooms are not created equal. The best ones can be epic adventures where you and your teammates are the heroes, or intimate emotional stories where you connect with characters," he added. "Do your research and find a recommended game with a theme or story that excites you. The recommendations guides at Room Escape Artist are a great place to start."
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"I co-host a podcast, Reality Escape Pod with two time Survivor player Peih-Gee Law about escape rooms and immersive games," David shared. "We interview amazing creators from around the world about the art, business, and craft of making adventures for people. Season 7 is coming soon."
"We put a lot of love into each episode and have had some amazing guests including Elan Lee (Exploding Kittens), Neil Patrick Harris (Box One), AJ Jacobs (best selling author). You can find it wherever you get your podcasts."
And if you'd like to learn more about David or find a great room to escape from yourself, be sure to visit Room Escape Artist!
