A Note from Jol:
Happy Halloween!
We’re doing things a little different today this time! Ever wanted some advice on how to get into designing escape rooms?
Well... buckle in from some READING!
-Jol @ The Escape Game
Question of the Month:
“How does someone get into designing escape rooms as something more than a hobby? ”
Submitted by Chase K.
Thanks for writing in!
We've gotten quite a few questions about how our designers got started in this career, so I thought I'd have them share some advice on where to start! Take a look :)
Daniel:
From Game Guide to Designer
His Background:
I started at The Escape Game in 2017 as a Game Guide, running games and watching thousands of players work through our rooms. From there I moved into store management, then to our HQ, where I worked across production, installation, maintenance, and quality control before landing on the Game Design team. My degree is in Commercial Music and I have a live theater background, so I came in thinking about pacing, story, and, most importantly, how guests react to the experience.
His Advice:
There are a lot of great books and podcasts about game design. One of my favorites is Think Like a Game Designer, where designers talk through their creative process, struggles, and successes. Beyond that, play lots of games and observe as much as you can! Don't just look at the puzzle mechanics; watch how people respond to them. What emotions did the group feel? What frustrated them? What brought them joy? Afterward, think about what worked best and what you'd change, and whether those changes would ripple into other puzzles or story beats.
Beth Ann:
Storytelling Background
Her Background:
I double majored in English and Classics because I love storytelling, history and anthropology, researching, communicating, and organizing (or reorganizing) information. All of these skills have served me well in game design, but you don't even need to pursue higher education if life takes you another direction. Your unique interests can guide your focus like they did mine. I started off in educational game design while also freelancing in tabletop rpg, larp, and video game design. These different approaches to interactive entertainment and narrative helped expand my skillset further, and soon I was also consulting in a few escape room projects. Now I'm here with TEG!
Her Advice:
Ultimately your path does not need to look like anyone else's. In fact, it probably won't. However, here are a few suggestions no matter your background: 1. Work on your portfolio. If you have nothing to show outside of your awesome brain, no one will know what you can do. Remember that visible is better than "perfect" yet hidden. Make a website or host your content somewhere digitally accessible for easy review. 2. Talk to people! Authentic connections are the backbone of the game industry, especially for escape rooms. Make friends with other creators, join groups, visit conferences. 3. Get good at collaborating. Very few designers work alone, so your ability to do well on a team will take you far. 4. Keep learning and experimenting! Become a dabbler and let your curiosity run wild. Escape room designers need to know at least a little bit about a lot of things, so the more experience you can pull from, the better.
Kiera:
Theatre and Trade Skills
Her Background:
I started out as a theatre kid! Working backstage gave me the chance to explore all kinds of creative, immersive jobs: set design, costume design, scenic art and prop making. It also gave me the skills to build a career in themed entertainment. My love of creating and making pushed me to pick up a lot of skills that turned out to be perfect for escape rooms, like fabrication, faux finishing and making fun props. I use that knowledge every day designing escape rooms.
Her Advice:
If you’re interested in getting into escape room design, my advice is to learn as many things as you can! Building a room throws all kinds of unexpected situations at you, and you never know when you’ll need something you’ve picked up along the way. Electrical, plumbing, carpentry, drawing: learn it all! And if you don’t know where to start, I highly recommend joining your local community theatre. It’s a great place to start learning immersive design and the skills behind it.
