Escape Room Magic

One of the most fascinating things for me about being a game master is learning about what goes into the making of an escape room.

All of our rooms can be completed in just a single hour, but behind that one hour is hundreds more hours of meticulous design and planning. I had never really thought about it before joining the ERH team, but every element in each room has been extensively developed to uphold a balance of challenging puzzles and fun gameplay/ambiance. Certain puzzles in every escape room rely on eyesight, so even the colors and images we use are selected.

The most interesting thing to learn about so far has been the mechanics behind my favorite escape room props. For those of you who have been to escape rooms before, you may have seen objects open or move on their own, as if by magic. Each of those moments is its own unique feat of electrical and mechanical engineering; it may not be the kind of magic you’re thinking of, but I find the innovation and creativity involved to be enchanting in its own way. 

For some, knowing the secrets behind escape rooms may dispel the magic that is “the suspension of disbelief”. However, I've also seen many people come to ERH who are just as (if not more) enthusiastic about room mechanics as I am. Everyone finds an escape room to be magical in their own unique way, but one common thing I’ve noticed is that each player experiences one moment or prop in a room that makes them say “whoa, that’s so cool!” It’s the thing I look forward to hearing the most whenever I run a room, and I can say with confidence that those moments are what make my escape room experiences truly magical.

Whether you’d rather escape rooms remain mysterious, or if you’re interested in what goes on behind the scenes, I hope you can come and experience your own magical "whoa" moment (whoa-ment?) here at ERH!