Stay ConnectedYour hosts David Spira & Peih-Gee Law explore immersive gaming from all angles.
Our guests have made awesome stuff: ARGs, puzzle hunts, tabletop games, and of course, escape rooms. Our aim is to bring together different segments of the gaming world and share ideas between them.
Copyright: © Copyright 2021 Room Escape Artist
In this episode, Jeroen van Hasselt, co-creator of Demise of the Grisers, joins us again, and we talk about escape room waivers in the USA versus Europe, discuss some of the clever design choices in Demise of the Grisers, and David talks about trying to balance mystery versus consent, and what it means for game design and safety.
In this preview of our Patreon exclusive Bonus Aftershow. We talk about designing games that optimize for mastery of a skill versus offering a wide range of interactions. We also discuss letting go of the desire to see every single aspect of an escape room.
If you enjoy these previews, I hope you’ll consider joining our Patreon. For only $5 a month, you’ll get access to our Bonus Aftershow, where we continually release new episodes, even in our REPOD off-season.
I creep out from the relative safety of the control center. Keeping to the shadows, I stealthily make the journey through an abandoned train yard. Somewhere in the sprawling tangle of train cars, a gricer is hunting me and my team. I complete my mission, and immediately I hear the clang of footsteps approaching. Before I even register what my feet are doing, I’m on the move, weaving through the debris. Reunited with my team, I’m whooping in celebration and feeling the heady rush of success. My heart is pounding, and I’ve never felt more alive.
Demise of the Gricers is a massively ambitious game created by Entered, located in Belgium. The worldbuilding is engrossing, and the physical mechanics make you feel like a hero in a real life video game. There's a reason this game won a Golden Lock Award in 2024, with David Spira calling it "one of my personal favorite experiences to date." (It's mine too.) Jeroen van Hasselt, Creative Director & Game Designer at Entered, joins us to talk about his career creating unique game mechanics.
I enjoyed hearing him talk about his design pillars, and his motivations behind crafting the horror aspect of his games. He talks about designing for “apprehension” in Demise of the Gricers instead of terror, and the need to balance tension in horror games. We also discuss safety issues and the steps that his team have taken to address safety.
What really stood out to me during this interview was how much thought Jeroen puts into crafting mechanics that fit the narrative. He explains that thinking about trains in the abstract, he realized they are limited in freedom because they are on rails. He took this concept and used it to create the very unique game mechanics for Demise of the Gricers. While this game might not be for everyone, it is certainly different and exciting. I’m looking forward to seeing what comes next for this talented designer.
Episode SponsorsThank you to our sponsors Morty, Buzzshot, & COGS by Clockwork Dog:
MortyMorty is a free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings.
Morty News:
Special Badge for REPOD listeners:
You can learn more at morty.app/REPOD to sign up and get a special badge for our listeners (works for existing users also).
BuzzshotBuzzshot is Escape Room Software, Powering Business Growth, Player Marketing, and improving the Customer Experience. They offer an assortment of pre and post game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and streamlined review management for Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, and Morty. Buzzshot now has integration with the other REPOD sponsors: Morty and COGS.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners get an extended 21-day free trial plus 20% off your first 3 months, with no set-up fees or hidden charges. Visit buzzshot.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.
COGSCOGS by Clockwork Dog is an easy to use software/ hardware platform for running interactive events, including escape rooms, and other immersive experiences. They have plug & play hardware that seamlessly integrates with their software so you can create a show with lighting and sound cues without having to write a single line of code. Map all kinds of inputs to outputs by building up simple logic steps which determine what you want to happen and when.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners can get the COGS Starter Set for only $130 + free shipping to the USA. This bundle is usually valued at $257. You can learn more and purchase your Starter Set at cogs.show. Use code REPOD at checkout.
Production CreditsHosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law
Produced by Theresa Piazza
Supported by Lisa Spira
Edited by Steve Ewing
Music by Ryan Elder
Logo by Janine Pracht
In this Patreon exclusive Bonus Show, Brooke Breit joins us again to talk more Jackbox Games. We talk about takeaways from party games that escape room designers should consider and she also gives us some recommendations for her favorite puzzley video games.
In this preview, we talk about why defective mechanics are difficult to incorporate in escape rooms.
If you enjoy these previews, I hope you’ll consider joining our Patreon. For only $5 a month, you’ll get access to our Bonus Aftershow, where we continually release new episodes, even in our REPOD off-season.
We’ve gathered a group of 4-6 players to try some collaborative games with mechanics that appeal to a wide variety of skills. These games are hilarious and we emerge feeling smart and witty. No, I’m not talking about the latest escape rooms. We have just finished a session of Jackbox Games.
Jackbox Games are games for large groups of people who can participate via personal devices, no controllers needed. They offer a wide variety of gaming styles, including drawing games, trivia, presentation style games, and other types that encourage creativity and humor.
Brook Breit is a creative director at Jackbox Games, and she joins us to talk about their game development cycle, including theme selection, prototyping, the importance of humor, and prioritizing player engagement. She is also a veteran improv performer with stints at Second City and Hello From the Magic Tavern. Jackbox Games tend to reward creative brainstorming, and Brooke talks to us about how improv training has helped with both creating and playing party games.
Brooke shares insights into Jackbox Games' philosophy of creating social, humor-filled party games that facilitate connection and engagement. I would love to see more escape rooms embrace the party game philosophy that winning is secondary to having a good time.
Episode SponsorsThank you to our sponsors Morty, Buzzshot, & COGS by Clockwork Dog:
MortyMorty is a free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings.
Morty News:
Special Badge for REPOD listeners:
You can learn more at morty.app/REPOD to sign up and get a special badge for our listeners (works for existing users also).
BuzzshotBuzzshot is Escape Room Software, Powering Business Growth, Player Marketing, and improving the Customer Experience. They offer an assortment of pre and post game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and streamlined review management for Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, and Morty. Buzzshot now has integration with the other REPOD sponsors: Morty and COGS.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners get an extended 21-day free trial plus 20% off your first 3 months, with no set-up fees or hidden charges. Visit buzzshot.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.
COGSCOGS by Clockwork Dog is an easy to use software/ hardware platform for running interactive events, including escape rooms, and other immersive experiences. They have plug & play hardware that seamlessly integrates with their software so you can create a show with lighting and sound cues without having to write a single line of code. Map all kinds of inputs to outputs by building up simple logic steps which determine what you want to happen and when.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners can get the COGS Starter Set for only $130 + free shipping to the USA. This bundle is usually valued at $257. You can learn more and purchase your Starter Set at cogs.show. Use code REPOD at checkout.
Production CreditsHosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law
Produced by Theresa Piazza
Supported by Lisa Spira
Edited by Steve Ewing
Music by Ryan Elder
Logo by Janine Pracht
In this clip, we talk about David's adventures in solving the beautiful and tiny titanium jigsaw puzzles of Lazels. These things are incredibly cool.
If you enjoy these previews, I hope you’ll consider joining our Patreon. For only $5 a month, you’ll get access to our Bonus Aftershow, where we continually release new episodes, even in our REPOD off-season.
If you asked me to list some of the skills a good escape room designer should possess, it would look extremely similar to Robert ‘Fro’ Myers’ resume. With a background in theater set design, and a degree from MIT in mechanical engineering, it’s little wonder that David calls Fro’s escape room company Boxaroo “a total package company.”
Boxaroo's creations encompass a wide variety of both theme and play structure. Whether it's escape rooms, digital puzzle hunts, or massive ballroom games, they all follow the approach of designing around the player’s journey. In this episode, Fro goes into detail about their “user centric” design process, which starts with mapping out the emotional arc of the player during the escape room.
Something unique Boxaroo offers their players is their stats. After playing a game, the team receives a printout tracking their stats in the game. The nerd in me deeply appreciates the chance to see my score percentile. I really enjoyed hearing Fro talk about his design process and how much consideration they put into not only the player's experience, but also their game masters' experience, especially when it comes to simplifying the reset. Check out this episode for a look into a mechanical engineer’s approach to designing escape rooms.
Episode SponsorsThank you to our sponsors Morty, Buzzshot, & COGS by Clockwork Dog:
MortyMorty is a free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings.
Morty News:
Special Badge for REPOD listeners:
You can learn more at morty.app/REPOD to sign up and get a special badge for our listeners (works for existing users also).
BuzzshotBuzzshot is Escape Room Software, Powering Business Growth, Player Marketing, and improving the Customer Experience. They offer an assortment of pre and post game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and streamlined review management for Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, and Morty. Buzzshot now has integration with the other REPOD sponsors: Morty and COGS.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners get an extended 21-day free trial plus 20% off your first 3 months, with no set-up fees or hidden charges. Visit buzzshot.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.
COGSCOGS by Clockwork Dog is an easy to use software/ hardware platform for running interactive events, including escape rooms, and other immersive experiences. They have plug & play hardware that seamlessly integrates with their software so you can create a show with lighting and sound cues without having to write a single line of code. Map all kinds of inputs to outputs by building up simple logic steps which determine what you want to happen and when.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners can get the COGS Starter Set for only $130 + free shipping to the USA. This bundle is usually valued at $257. You can learn more and purchase your Starter Set at cogs.show. Use code REPOD at checkout.
Production CreditsHosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law
Produced by Theresa Piazza
Supported by Lisa Spira
Edited by Steve Ewing
Music by Ryan Elder
Logo by Janine Pracht
Escape from Godot is a wildly experimental experience that's half escape room and half theatrical show. This is an event that asks a lot of everyone involved. The multiple actors must be word-perfect. The guests must figure out when to be a passive audience and when it's time to become an active player.
In this clip, Andy and Jeff Crocker of Mr & Mischief joins us and we talk about the intentionality of their design decisions. In this clip, they talk about their onboarding process for Escape from Godot.
You can find the rest of this Spoilers Club episode by supporting us on Patreon at patreon.com/roomescapeartist.
In this clip, we talk with magician David Kwong about social media videos that reveal the secrets behind magic tricks and the implications for the future of the art.
If you enjoy these previews, I hope you’ll consider joining our Patreon. For only $5 a month, you’ll get access to our Bonus Aftershow, where we continually release new episodes, even in our REPOD off-season.
When David Kwong was a young child, a magician performing at a pumpkin patch fooled his father with a classic magic trick. From that moment, he knew he wanted to be a magician. He has since performed worldwide as an acclaimed magician and even consulted on many movies and TV shows like Now You See Me and After Party. Fast forward to today, David Kwong has written a book for every kid who ever wanted to fool their parents.
In this episode of REPOD, David Kwong talks to us about life not only as a magician, but also as a “cruciverbalist” (crossword puzzle constructor). In fact, his signature trick involves him performing intense mental gymnastics on stage while creating a seemingly impossible crossword puzzle together with the audience.
“I realized that taking these things that I love, magic and puzzles and word games, and fusing them together could cross pollinate and synthesize into something new.”
His new book, How to Fool Your Parents, not only teaches kids how to perform the magic, but it also teaches showmanship. He tells us that “storytelling is really what sells the magic trick,” and in the book, he helps kids make the trick their own. I love escape rooms that make me feel smart, and David Kwong’s magic is designed to do exactly that.
Episode SponsorsThank you to our sponsors Morty, Buzzshot, & COGS by Clockwork Dog:
MortyMorty is a free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings.
Morty News:
Special Badge for REPOD listeners:
You can learn more at morty.app/REPOD to sign up and get a special badge for our listeners (works for existing users also).
BuzzshotBuzzshot is Escape Room Software, Powering Business Growth, Player Marketing, and improving the Customer Experience. They offer an assortment of pre and post game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and streamlined review management for Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, and Morty. Buzzshot now has integration with the other REPOD sponsors: Morty and COGS.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners get an extended 21-day free trial plus 20% off your first 3 months, with no set-up fees or hidden charges. Visit buzzshot.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.
COGSCOGS by Clockwork Dog is an easy to use software/ hardware platform for running interactive events, including escape rooms, and other immersive experiences. They have plug & play hardware that seamlessly integrates with their software so you can create a show with lighting and sound cues without having to write a single line of code. Map all kinds of inputs to outputs by building up simple logic steps which determine what you want to happen and when.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners can get the COGS Starter Set for only $130 + free shipping to the USA. This bundle is usually valued at $257. You can learn more and purchase your Starter Set at cogs.show. Use code REPOD at checkout.
Production CreditsHosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law
Produced by Theresa Piazza
Supported by Lisa Spira
Edited by Steve Ewing
Music by Ryan Elder
Logo by Janine Pracht
In this Bonus Show Preview, Elan Lee, CEO of Exploding Kittens, joins us again for a conversation about Taskmaster, growing as a leader, and he gives us an exclusive scoop on the Survivor card game he's developing alongside Jeff Probst. In this sneak preview, he tells us the origin story of Poetry for Neanderthals, one of my favorite games from Exploding Kittens.
If you enjoy these previews, I hope you’ll consider joining our Patreon. For only $5 a month, you’ll get access to our Bonus Aftershow, where we continually release new episodes, even in our REPOD off-season.
“Do you want to play again?” This is the only question Elan Lee asks when playtesting his games. Millions of people have answered yes, which explains why the Exploding Kittens games have dominated the best seller lists for almost a decade. Elan has now set his sights on conquering the world of entertainment beyond board games, starting with a namesake animated Netflix show.
Elan Lee was the very first guest on REPOD, way back on Season 1, Episode 1. Then, he shared his philosophy on game design and all the cool projects he’s worked on. In this follow up episode, we dig a little deeper into his design process. I especially enjoyed hearing about how he playtests games, as well as his philosophy when it comes to writing game instructions. He also talks about creating a new line of games for younger children with his daughter, and this segment is really delightful, with insight into how to design for little ones.
Elan creates party games that make the players entertaining. Escape rooms essentially do the same thing by casting their players into the hero role. Elan was really generous in sharing all the elements of his design process with us. Give this episode a listen if you’re interested in applying the Exploding Kittens game philosophy to your experience design of any kind.
Episode SponsorsThank you to our sponsors Morty, Buzzshot, & COGS by Clockwork Dog:
MortyMorty is a free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings.
Morty News:
Special Badge for REPOD listeners:
You can learn more at morty.app/REPOD to sign up and get a special badge for our listeners (works for existing users also).
BuzzshotBuzzshot is Escape Room Software, Powering Business Growth, Player Marketing, and improving the Customer Experience. They offer an assortment of pre and post game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and streamlined review management for Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, and Morty. Buzzshot now has integration with the other REPOD sponsors: Morty and COGS.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners get an extended 21-day free trial plus 20% off your first 3 months, with no set-up fees or hidden charges. Visit buzzshot.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.
COGSCOGS by Clockwork Dog is an easy to use software/ hardware platform for running interactive events, including escape rooms, and other immersive experiences. They have plug & play hardware that seamlessly integrates with their software so you can create a show with lighting and sound cues without having to write a single line of code. Map all kinds of inputs to outputs by building up simple logic steps which determine what you want to happen and when.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners can get the COGS Starter Set for only $130 + free shipping to the USA. This bundle is usually valued at $257. You can learn more and purchase your Starter Set at cogs.show. Use code REPOD at checkout.
Production CreditsHosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law
Produced by Theresa Piazza
Supported by Lisa Spira
Edited by Steve Ewing
Music by Ryan Elder
Logo by Janine Pracht
While we’re in off-season for the podcast, we still continue to produce episodes of our Bonus Aftershow for Patreon Supporters. This summer, we decided to go all-in reporting on our escape room adventures abroad. Nothing excites me more than journeying to far off places in search of delicious foods, wondrous sights, and of course, renowned escape rooms. David and I separately made trips to Spain, Belgium, and London to play as many escape rooms as we could cram in.
We cover David’s escape room trip to Spain with a breakdown of all the escape rooms he played. In the July episode, I take a deep dive into my experience at Neotropolis. For the August episode, we compare notes on our separate trips to Belgium and the games we played, and I report back on immersive experiences in London, including Phantom Peak and Viola's Room, the new production from Punchdrunk.
If you enjoy these previews, I hope you’ll consider joining our Patreon. For only $5 a month, you’ll get access to our Bonus Aftershow, where we continually release new episodes, even in our REPOD off-season.
How to ListenWhen you support Room Escape Artist on Patreon at $5 per month (or above), you get access to the Bonus Show.
https://www.patreon.com/roomescapeartist
Episode SponsorsThank you to our sponsors Morty, Buzzshot, COGS by Clockwork Dog, & RECON, the Reality Escape Convention:
MortyMorty is a free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings.
Morty News:
Special Badge for REPOD listeners:
You can learn more at morty.app/REPOD to sign up and get a special badge for our listeners (works for existing users also).
BuzzshotBuzzshot is Escape Room Software, Powering Business Growth, Player Marketing, and improving the Customer Experience. They offer an assortment of pre and post game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and streamlined review management for Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, and Morty. Buzzshot now has integration with the other REPOD sponsors: Morty and COGS.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners get an extended 21-day free trial plus 20% off your first 3 months, with no set-up fees or hidden charges. Visit buzzshot.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.
COGSCOGS by Clockwork Dog is an easy to use software/ hardware platform for running interactive events, including escape rooms, and other immersive experiences. They have plug & play hardware that seamlessly integrates with their software so you can create a show with lighting and sound cues without having to write a single line of code. Map all kinds of inputs to outputs by building up simple logic steps which determine what you want to happen and when.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners can get the COGS Starter Set for only $130 + free shipping to the USA. This bundle is usually valued at $257. You can learn more and purchase your Starter Set at cogs.show. Use code REPOD at checkout.
Production CreditsHosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law
Produced by Theresa Piazza
Supported by Lisa Spira
Edited by Peih-Gee Law
Music by Ryan Elder
Logo by Janine Pracht
Season 8 is coming very soon. In the meantime, Peih-Gee was recently interviewed for episode 100 of Brentfast with Brent Pope:
"Brent sits down with the delightful and witty Peih-Gee Law, best known for appearing on Survivor (two different times!) and co-hosting the Reality Escape Pod! They discuss: Growing up Asian in the 90's, being on 2 different seasons of Survivor, the allure of escape rooms, and their Brentfast meal from Bamboo Bistro!"
In this clip, Brian Corbitt - game designer of Treasure Island at Brain Games in San Pedro, California - talks about the original, unused plan for the finale puzzle and why he decided against it. Brian is most well known for the raunchy, actor driven game Miss Jezebel, and he also talks about how that game completely changed his design philosophy. He also gives us a preview of the new game he's working on.
How to ListenWhen you support Room Escape Artist on Patreon at $15 per month (or above), you get access to the Spoilers Club, our exclusive podcast where hosts David Spira and Peih-Gee Law chat in depth with creators about iconic escape rooms... spoilers and all!
https://www.patreon.com/roomescapeartist
Episode SponsorsThank you to our sponsors Morty, Buzzshot, COGS by Clockwork Dog, & RECON, the Reality Escape Convention:
MortyMorty is a free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings.
Morty News:
Special Badge for REPOD listeners:
You can learn more at morty.app/REPOD to sign up and get a special badge for our listeners (works for existing users also).
BuzzshotBuzzshot is Escape Room Software, Powering Business Growth, Player Marketing, and improving the Customer Experience. They offer an assortment of pre and post game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and streamlined review management for Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, and Morty. Buzzshot now has integration with the other REPOD sponsors: Morty and COGS.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners get an extended 21-day free trial plus 20% off your first 3 months, with no set-up fees or hidden charges. Visit buzzshot.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.
COGSCOGS by Clockwork Dog is an easy to use software/ hardware platform for running interactive events, including escape rooms, and other immersive experiences. They have plug & play hardware that seamlessly integrates with their software so you can create a show with lighting and sound cues without having to write a single line of code. Map all kinds of inputs to outputs by building up simple logic steps which determine what you want to happen and when.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners can get the COGS Starter Set for only $130 + free shipping to the USA. This bundle is usually valued at $257. You can learn more and purchase your Starter Set at cogs.show. Use code REPOD at checkout.
Production CreditsHosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law
Produced by Theresa Piazza
Supported by Lisa Spira
Edited by Peih-Gee Law
Music by Ryan Elder
Logo by Janine Pracht
In celebration of RECON LA, we are releasing our Bonus Show with Michael Borys. We hope that you enjoy and consider subscribing.
https://www.patreon.com/roomescapeartist
In this episode, David & Peih-Gee were joined by guest Michael Borys, creator of The 49 Boxes. David share stories about his own pool hustling days and educates everyone on how to not be "a jerk." They also talk about the inspiration behind The 49 Boxes, and the dilemma of using authentic, valuable props in experiences combining magic and puzzles.
"Why is there blacklight from the killer helping me?"
We groggily wake up in a dingy bathroom. It's creepy and dark with an ominous sense of dread. Our kidnapper comes on the screen and explains what will happen to us.
"I am also an escape room enthusiast and a horror fanatic. Therefore, I built a horror themed escape room. You are about to experience my masterpiece."
While these words are uttered by an actor playing the part of a psycho killer, the sentiment is straight from the heart of creator Christine Barger-Lutes. After reviewing escape rooms and haunts for almost a decade, blogger and influencer Christine finally opened up her very own escape room with husband and partner Jeremiah Lutes. 13th Basement is both a parody and homage to horror escape rooms.
Christine joins us on the Spoilers Club to talk all about 13th Basement, including designs borne out of frustrations and her own pet peeves with escape rooms. While discussing a key that falls with a purposefully loud clang onto a metal tray, David notes , "Christine was reviewing escape rooms for a long time before making this. She knows that one of the most annoying things to happen in the escape room is: a cool thing happens, you earned something, and no one knows it happened." I really enjoyed hearing Christine talk about her design decisions, especially when it comes to making sure her room is accessible. We dissect all these influences and more in this month's Spoilers Club of 13th Basement.
How to ListenWhen you support Room Escape Artist on Patreon at $15 per month (or above), you get access to the Spoilers Club, our exclusive podcast where hosts David Spira and Peih-Gee Law chat in depth with creators about iconic escape rooms... spoilers and all!
https://www.patreon.com/roomescapeartist
Episode SponsorsThank you to our sponsors Morty, Buzzshot, COGS by Clockwork Dog, & RECON, the Reality Escape Convention:
MortyMorty is a free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings.
Morty News:
Special Badge for REPOD listeners:
You can learn more at morty.app/REPOD to sign up and get a special badge for our listeners (works for existing users also).
BuzzshotBuzzshot is Escape Room Software, Powering Business Growth, Player Marketing, and improving the Customer Experience. They offer an assortment of pre and post game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and streamlined review management for Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, and Morty. Buzzshot now has integration with the other REPOD sponsors: Morty and COGS.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners get an extended 21-day free trial plus 20% off your first 3 months, with no set-up fees or hidden charges. Visit buzzshot.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.
COGSCOGS by Clockwork Dog is an easy to use software/ hardware platform for running interactive events, including escape rooms, and other immersive experiences. They have plug & play hardware that seamlessly integrates with their software so you can create a show with lighting and sound cues without having to write a single line of code. Map all kinds of inputs to outputs by building up simple logic steps which determine what you want to happen and when.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners can get the COGS Starter Set for only $130 + free shipping to the USA. This bundle is usually valued at $257. You can learn more and purchase your Starter Set at cogs.show. Use code REPOD at checkout.
RECON - The Reality Escape ConventionOur convention, RECON, will be in Universal City, California on August 18th & 19th, 2024.
RECON offers a curated collection of talks and experiences exploring the business and art of escape room and immersive game creation. All are welcome at this event that is crafted around professionals and aspiring professionals.
Tickets are on sale now at RealityEscapeCon.com
Production CreditsHosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law
Produced by Theresa Piazza
Supported by Lisa Spira
Edited by Peih-Gee Law
Music by Ryan Elder
Logo by Janine Pracht
To sleep, perchance to dream…
Sleep No More, the seminal immersive theater piece from Punchdrunk, has inspired countless immersive creators, including Haley and Cameron Cooper of Strange Bird Immersive. Haley and Cameron make no secret that it has heavily influenced their acclaimed escape room The Man From Beyond. When we heard that Punchdrunk would close Sleep No More’s New York location, we decided to pay homage to this influential work with a feature on our Spoilers Club. Haley and Cameron are historians of Punchdrunk; they joined us to break down everything you need to know about this innovative show.
In this two-part series, we delve into the background of this unique theater company. Then we do a deep dive into Sleep No More, discussing storylines, plot points, and solo moments. If you’ve never seen the show, you can experience it vicariously through this episode, and even if you’re a seasoned attendee, you’ll walk away with a deeper understanding.
Episode SponsorsThank you to our sponsors Morty, Buzzshot, COGS by Clockwork Dog, & RECON, the Reality Escape Convention:
MortyMorty is a free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings.
Morty News:
Special Badge for REPOD listeners:
You can learn more at morty.app/REPOD to sign up and get a special badge for our listeners (works for existing users also).
BuzzshotBuzzshot is Escape Room Software, Powering Business Growth, Player Marketing, and improving the Customer Experience. They offer an assortment of pre and post game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and streamlined review management for Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, and Morty. Buzzshot now has integration with the other REPOD sponsors: Morty and COGS.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners get an extended 21-day free trial plus 20% off your first 3 months, with no set-up fees or hidden charges. Visit buzzshot.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.
COGSCOGS by Clockwork Dog is an easy to use software/ hardware platform for running interactive events, including escape rooms, and other immersive experiences. They have plug & play hardware that seamlessly integrates with their software so you can create a show with lighting and sound cues without having to write a single line of code. Map all kinds of inputs to outputs by building up simple logic steps which determine what you want to happen and when.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners can get the COGS Starter Set for only $130 + free shipping to the USA. This bundle is usually valued at $257. You can learn more and purchase your Starter Set at cogs.show. Use code REPOD at checkout.
RECON - The Reality Escape ConventionOur convention, RECON, will be in Universal City, California on August 18th & 19th, 2024.
RECON offers a curated collection of talks and experiences exploring the business and art of escape room and immersive game creation. All are welcome at this event that is crafted around professionals and aspiring professionals.
Tickets are on sale now at RealityEscapeCon.com
Production CreditsHosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law
Produced by Theresa Piazza
Supported by Lisa Spira, Richard Burns, and Tommy Honton
Edited by Peih-Gee Law
Music by Ryan Elder
Logo by Janine Pracht
There's a reason Los Angeles is known as the City of Dreams. It's a town populated with dreamers and makers. They concoct fantasy worlds filled with quirky characters, dashing heroes, and tormented villains. Oftentimes, the backdrop of Southern California serves as inspiration itself, with its wide sandy beaches, snowy mountaintops, and the desolate wilds of the Mojave desert.
In honor of RECON Los Angeles, Season 7 of REPOD is filled with creative luminaries all hailing from Southern California. We curated a select cross-section of the different types of immersive games you'll find locally, and there is an impressive variety of experiences. They range from escape rooms and magic shows to networking games, large scale festivals, and theme parks. There's even an escape room in a vacation home where the Joshua Tree landscape itself is part of the set.
Our editor, Steve Ewing, put together some memorable clips from each episode of Season 7. It’s perfect for new listeners of this podcast or fans who want to relive their favorite moments. I hope this episode inspires you to visit my hometown of SoCal, and if you're coming for RECON Los Angeles in August, make sure to check out these featured experiences.
If you want even more podcast episodes, consider joining our Patreon. For only $5 a month, you’ll get access to our Bonus Aftershow, which is a more casual conversation with each guest.
Episode SponsorsThank you to our sponsors Morty, Buzzshot, COGS by Clockwork Dog, & RECON, the Reality Escape Convention:
MortyMorty is a free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings.
Morty News:
Special Badge for REPOD listeners:
You can learn more at morty.app/REPOD to sign up and get a special badge for our listeners (works for existing users also).
BuzzshotBuzzshot is Escape Room Software, Powering Business Growth, Player Marketing, and improving the Customer Experience. They offer an assortment of pre and post game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and streamlined review management for Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, and Morty. Buzzshot now has integration with the other REPOD sponsors: Morty and COGS.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners get an extended 21-day free trial plus 20% off your first 3 months, with no set-up fees or hidden charges. Visit buzzshot.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.
COGSCOGS by Clockwork Dog is an easy to use software/ hardware platform for running interactive events, including escape rooms, and other immersive experiences. They have plug & play hardware that seamlessly integrates with their software so you can create a show with lighting and sound cues without having to write a single line of code. Map all kinds of inputs to outputs by building up simple logic steps which determine what you want to happen and when.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners can get the COGS Starter Set for only $130 + free shipping to the USA. This bundle is usually valued at $257. You can learn more and purchase your Starter Set at cogs.show. Use code REPOD at checkout.
RECON - The Reality Escape ConventionOur convention, RECON, will be in Universal City, California on August 18th & 19th, 2024.
RECON offers a curated collection of talks and experiences exploring the business and art of escape room and immersive game creation. All are welcome at this event that is crafted around professionals and aspiring professionals.
Tickets are on sale now at RealityEscapeCon.com
Production CreditsHosted by David Spira, Peih-Gee Law, & Steve Ewing
Produced by Theresa Piazza
Supported by Lisa Spira, Richard Burns, and Tommy Honton
Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media
Music by Ryan Elder
Logo by Janine Pracht
In April, David and Peih-Gee were guests for two episodes of The Infinite Escape Room, a comedy puzzle show where a group of pals sit down, have a drink, and work together to solve an audio escape room.
This time around, they needed to escape a giant, flaming wicker man, and all sorts of silliness ensued.
The game episode is now available on the Reality Escape Pod feed:
And you can find the followup hangout episode where David and Peih-Gee had a casual chat with host Jamie Gibbs on The Infinite Escape Room’s feed. You should absolutely go check out that episode and their show in general.
We're sharing a little bit of our Patreon exclusive Bonus Show from S7E12 with Tommy Wallach and Terry Pettigrew-Rolapp of Hatch Escape.
In this clip, Terry talks about the qualities that intrigue him the most when playing Escape Rooms and how Immersia and Escaparium, located in Montreal, Canada, fit the bill.
Listen to the rest of the Bonus Show now by becoming a patron today at patreon.com/roomescapeartist and to gain to access our library of over 60 bonus after shows.
Thank you for supporting our work.
If you ask any escape room enthusiast to recommend a must-play game in Los Angeles, you'll hear about Lab Rat. When it first opened in 2018, it was ranked #8 in the world on the TERPECA list. It has maintained a ranking in the top 100 games ever since, which is no small feat. Hatch Escapes' highly anticipated new game, The Ladder, has wowed the escape room community with its unique, replayable mechanics and branching narrative.
Terry Pettigrew-Rolapp and Tommy Wallach, the creative minds behind (and owners of) Hatch Escapes, join us for a deep dive into escape room storytelling. They spend a remarkable about of time thinking about how to craft stories with interludes – a skill they developed while writing musical theater. They approach escape rooms from a writer’s perspective, with an eye towards unique interactions, but always with storytelling at the heart of the experience.
"When we played our first escape room, we realized immediately: oh, this is a medium that captures, in some ways, the best of both worlds.”
Terry and Tommy are constantly iterating on escape rooms as a medium for narrative. I especially enjoyed hearing their analysis of what makes for good storytelling, and the details of how they advance plot and characters in their work. They muse on including plot twists or moments where the stakes change. Terry and Tommy are truly excited about the future of escape rooms as a medium and the ways in which it can evolve, and that excitement is contagious.
If you enjoyed this episode, don’t miss their talk at RECON LA titled:
The Hatch Escapes Championship Title Bout: “Tell Better Stories vs. Stop Telling Stories”
A debate between Terry Pettigrew-Rolapp and Tommy Wallach in which the ultimate fate of the medium shall at last be determined.
Episode SponsorsThank you to our sponsors Morty, Buzzshot, COGS by Clockwork Dog, & RECON, the Reality Escape Convention:
MortyMorty is a free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings.
Morty News:
Special Badge for REPOD listeners:
You can learn more at morty.app/REPOD to sign up and get a special badge for our listeners (works for existing users also).
BuzzshotBuzzshot is Escape Room Software, Powering Business Growth, Player Marketing, and improving the Customer Experience. They offer an assortment of pre and post game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and streamlined review management for Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, and Morty. Buzzshot now has integration with the other REPOD sponsors: Morty and COGS.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners get an extended 21-day free trial plus 20% off your first 3 months, with no set-up fees or hidden charges. Visit buzzshot.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.
COGSCOGS by Clockwork Dog is an easy to use software/ hardware platform for running interactive events, including escape rooms, and other immersive experiences. They have plug & play hardware that seamlessly integrates with their software so you can create a show with lighting and sound cues without having to write a single line of code. Map all kinds of inputs to outputs by building up simple logic steps which determine what you want to happen and when.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners can get the COGS Starter Set for only $130 + free shipping to the USA. This bundle is usually valued at $257. You can learn more and purchase your Starter Set at cogs.show. Use code REPOD at checkout.
RECON - The Reality Escape ConventionOur convention, RECON, will be in Universal City, California on August 18th & 19th, 2024.
RECON offers a curated collection of talks and experiences exploring the business and art of escape room and immersive game creation. All are welcome at this event that is crafted around professionals and aspiring professionals.
Tickets are on sale now at RealityEscapeCon.com
Production CreditsHosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law
Produced by Theresa Piazza
Supported by Lisa Spira, Richard Burns, and Tommy Honton
Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media
Music by Ryan Elder
Logo by Janine Pracht
We're sharing a little bit of our Patreon exclusive Bonus show from S7E11 with Noah Nelson of No Proscenium.
In this clip, Noah and David discussed the exposition dump and why writers should prioritize the audience's relationship with the characters first and foremost.
Listen to the rest of the Bonus Show now by becoming a patron today at patreon.com/roomescapeartist and to gain to access our library of over 60 bonus after shows.
Thank you for supporting our work.
Whether you work in the immersive theater space, or have more than a passing interest in the immersive arts, chances are you’ve seen Noah Nelson at an immersive event, or listened to his coverage of it on the No Proscenium podcast. Or maybe you’ve read about it on their weekly newsletter. Whether it’s reviews of immersive theater shows, thought pieces on the term “immersive” or articles on how to break into the immersive industry, No Proscenium has it covered.
After attending Sleep No More and Then She Fell, Noah he came out of these experiences with his mind on fire. He started compiling a list of upcoming immersive shows to share with his friends, which eventually became the No Proscenium website, an incredible resource for all things immersive.
On the podcast, Noah shares insights from his decades long coverage of immersive, including how immersive theater and escape rooms can learn from each other. I especially appreciated hearing him talk about teaching immersive at the college level and hearing about the passion that his students have for the medium.
“They're obsessed with the idea of telling stories this way. They want to figure out how to make a good immersive experience, right? It's not cynical at all. They believe in the power of the form. And that's what takes all of this from being a fad and becoming a medium and industry is that the love of the form is such that people pursue it at any cost.”
If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to check out the No Proscenium Podcast.
Episode SponsorsThank you to our sponsors Morty, Buzzshot, COGS by Clockwork Dog, & RECON, the Reality Escape Convention:
MortyMorty is a free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings.
Morty News:
Special Badge for REPOD listeners:
You can learn more at morty.app/REPOD to sign up and get a special badge for our listeners (works for existing users also).
BuzzshotBuzzshot is Escape Room Software, Powering Business Growth, Player Marketing, and improving the Customer Experience. They offer an assortment of pre and post game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and streamlined review management for Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, and Morty. Buzzshot now has integration with the other REPOD sponsors: Morty and COGS.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners get an extended 21-day free trial plus 20% off your first 3 months, with no set-up fees or hidden charges. Visit buzzshot.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.
COGSCOGS by Clockwork Dog is an easy to use software/ hardware platform for running interactive events, including escape rooms, and other immersive experiences. They have plug & play hardware that seamlessly integrates with their software so you can create a show with lighting and sound cues without having to write a single line of code. Map all kinds of inputs to outputs by building up simple logic steps which determine what you want to happen and when.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners can get the COGS Starter Set for only $130 + free shipping to the USA. This bundle is usually valued at $257. You can learn more and purchase your Starter Set at cogs.show. Use code REPOD at checkout.
RECON - The Reality Escape ConventionOur convention, RECON, will be in Universal City, California on August 18th & 19th, 2024.
RECON offers a curated collection of talks and experiences exploring the business and art of escape room and immersive game creation. All are welcome at this event that is crafted around professionals and aspiring professionals.
Tickets are on sale now at RealityEscapeCon.com
Production CreditsHosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law
Produced by Theresa Piazza
Supported by Lisa Spira, Richard Burns, and Tommy Honton
Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media
Music by Ryan Elder
Logo by Janine Pracht
This is a teaser from this month's Spoilers Club. David Spira & Peih-Gee Law take a deep dive into iconic or impactful escape rooms. The creators join us to share exclusive behind the scenes, commentary and insights about their games. This month explored Stay in the Dark; a remarkably enormous game of cat and mouse played through a five story abandoned chemical factory. Creator Gijs Geers from DarkPark guided us on a journey through his game.
Get the full episode by supporting Room Escape Artist on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/roomescapeartist
When you support Room Escape Artist on Patreon at $15 per month (or above), you get access to the Spoilers Club, our exclusive podcast where hosts David Spira and Peih-Gee Law chat in depth with creators about iconic escape rooms... spoilers and all!
We're sharing a little bit of our Patreon exclusive Bonus show from S7E10.
In this clip. David and Lee-Fay Low discuss the art of crafting a great convention talk and what they look for in speakers at RECON.
Listen to the rest of the Bonus Show now by becoming a patron today at patreon.com/roomescapeartist and to gain to access our library of over 60 bonus after shows.
Thank you for supporting our work.
Do you own an escape room? Do you have a skillset that applies to immersive gaming experiences, such as game designer, prop maker, or tech expert? Are you an aspiring escape room creator? Are you an escape room enthusiast looking to take a deep dive into the craft and see behind the scenes of these remarkable games?
If the answer to any of these questions is YES, then RECON LA is perfect for you. Programming Lead Lee-Fay Low and Games Lead Theresa Wagner join us to break down everything you need to know about our escape room convention.
We talk about new changes to the format of the convention, which has been designed to ensure that every attendee has a chance to see and play everything offered. We tease some of the main stage talks and speakers, and we also discuss some of the incredible experiences guests will be able to enjoy, including Imagi-Ne’er Do-Wells & The 49 Boxes.
If you’re on the fence about attending RECON LA, hopefully this episode will help you decide to join in. If you’ve already bought a ticket, this episode will give a sense of what to expect and help you maximize your time at RECON.
Episode SponsorsThank you to our sponsors Morty, Buzzshot, COGS by Clockwork Dog, & RECON, the Reality Escape Convention:
MortyMorty is a free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings.
Morty News:
Special Badge for REPOD listeners:
You can learn more at morty.app/REPOD to sign up and get a special badge for our listeners (works for existing users also).
BuzzshotBuzzshot is Escape Room Software, Powering Business Growth, Player Marketing, and improving the Customer Experience. They offer an assortment of pre and post game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and streamlined review management for Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, and Morty. Buzzshot now has integration with the other REPOD sponsors: Morty and COGS.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners get an extended 21-day free trial plus 20% off your first 3 months, with no set-up fees or hidden charges. Visit buzzshot.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.
COGSCOGS by Clockwork Dog is an easy to use software/ hardware platform for running interactive events, including escape rooms, and other immersive experiences. They have plug & play hardware that seamlessly integrates with their software so you can create a show with lighting and sound cues without having to write a single line of code. Map all kinds of inputs to outputs by building up simple logic steps which determine what you want to happen and when.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners can get the COGS Starter Set for only $130 + free shipping to the USA. This bundle is usually valued at $257. You can learn more and purchase your Starter Set at cogs.show. Use code REPOD at checkout.
RECON - The Reality Escape ConventionOur convention, RECON, will be in Universal City, California on August 18th & 19th, 2024.
RECON offers a curated collection of talks and experiences exploring the business and art of escape room and immersive game creation. All are welcome at this event that is crafted around professionals and aspiring professionals.
Tickets are on sale now at RealityEscapeCon.com
Production CreditsHosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law
Produced by Theresa Piazza
Supported by Lisa Spira, Richard Burns, and Tommy Honton
Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media
Music by Ryan Elder
Logo by Janine Pracht
We're sharing a little bit of our Patreon exclusive Bonus show from S7E9.
In this clip, co-host Peih-Gee Law talks about rat park, a psychological experiment run by Dr. Bruce Alexander in the seventies, and the impact of creating connections through play.
Listen to the rest of the Bonus Show now by becoming a patron today at patreon.com/roomescapeartist and to gain to access our library of over 60 bonus after shows.
Thank you for supporting our work.
Playing pretend together is powerful stuff, and Andy Crocker knows this better than anyone. If you’ve experienced heartfelt shenanigans at Ghost Town Alive, or exchanged thrilling secrets in the engineering room aboard Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser, chances are you’ve come across Andy’s work. As an Immersive Performance Director, Andy’s work involves creating unscripted moments that gives the audience a chance to dig into their inner silliness.
In addition to her work with Interactive Performance at theme park experiences, Andy is also one half of Mister and Mischief. They create what they call “fun-forward interactive experiences designed to delight audiences and turn strangers into pals.” Escape From Godot definitely fits the bill as a play that suddenly becomes an escape room. Their more recent 40 Watts from Nowhere turned the guests into pirate radio DJ’s reliving the memories of Sue Carpenter, a kickass radio rebel.
Andy takes the business of being silly very seriously. Her enthusiasm for spreading the joy of make-believe is palpable. She designs her experience to create a safe space for the audience to indulge in childlike joy. The power of make-believe is real, and no one believes in it more than Andy Crocker. If you want to see the magic for yourself, don't miss Andy's talk at RECON this August, and make sure to get tickets for Escape From Godot.
Episode SponsorsThank you to our sponsors Morty, Buzzshot, COGS by Clockwork Dog, & RECON, the Reality Escape Convention:
MortyMorty is a free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings.
Morty News:
Special Badge for REPOD listeners:
You can learn more at morty.app/REPOD to sign up and get a special badge for our listeners (works for existing users also).
BuzzshotBuzzshot is Escape Room Software, Powering Business Growth, Player Marketing, and improving the Customer Experience. They offer an assortment of pre and post game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and streamlined review management for Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, and Morty. Buzzshot now has integration with the other REPOD sponsors: Morty and COGS.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners get an extended 21-day free trial plus 20% off your first 3 months, with no set-up fees or hidden charges. Visit buzzshot.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.
COGSCOGS by Clockwork Dog is an easy to use software/ hardware platform for running interactive events, including escape rooms, and other immersive experiences. They have plug & play hardware that seamlessly integrates with their software so you can create a show with lighting and sound cues without having to write a single line of code. Map all kinds of inputs to outputs by building up simple logic steps which determine what you want to happen and when.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners can get the COGS Starter Set for only $130 + free shipping to the USA. This bundle is usually valued at $257. You can learn more and purchase your Starter Set at cogs.show. Use code REPOD at checkout.
RECON - The Reality Escape ConventionOur convention, RECON, will be in Universal City, California on August 18th & 19th, 2024.
RECON offers a curated collection of talks and experiences exploring the business and art of escape room and immersive game creation. All are welcome at this event that is crafted around professionals and aspiring professionals.
Tickets are on sale now at RealityEscapeCon.com
Production CreditsHosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law
Produced by Theresa Piazza
Supported by Lisa Spira, Richard Burns, and Tommy Honton
Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media
Music by Ryan Elder
Logo by Janine Pracht
We're sharing a little bit of our Patreon exclusive Bonus show from S7E8.
In this clip, co-hosts David Spira and Peih-Gee Law talk about Activate and Time Mission, which are both different types of challenge arcades.
Listen to the rest of the Bonus Show now by becoming a patron today at patreon.com/roomescapeartist and to gain to access our library of over 60 bonus after shows.
Thank you for supporting our work.
“We always want to make something that we haven't seen before.”
There are few companies who have been as influential in the escape room scene as Cross Roads Escape Games. Not only are all their games highly polished with brilliant puzzles, gorgeous sets, and fun interactions, they’re also creatively experimental.
The owners, Luke and Madison Rhoades, have made some of the most innovative and format-breaking escape rooms in the world from the iconic experience, The Hex Room, to their most recent masterpiece, The Weeping Witch. In this episode, we break down the brilliance behind their games and what makes them unique.
At their core, Luke and Madison are creative dare devils. They look for ways to challenge the industry and add their own fun twist on what defines an escape room. Combined with their theatrical backgrounds and business acumen, this experimental nature is what defines Cross Roads Escape Games and makes them such an iconic company in the escape room scene.
Episode SponsorsThank you to our sponsors Morty, Buzzshot, COGS by Clockwork Dog, & RECON, the Reality Escape Convention:
MortyMorty is a free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings.
Morty News:
Special Badge for REPOD listeners:
You can learn more at morty.app/REPOD to sign up and get a special badge for our listeners (works for existing users also).
BuzzshotBuzzshot is Escape Room Software, Powering Business Growth, Player Marketing, and improving the Customer Experience. They offer an assortment of pre and post game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and streamlined review management for Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, and Morty. Buzzshot now has integration with the other REPOD sponsors: Morty and COGS.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners get an extended 21-day free trial plus 20% off your first 3 months, with no set-up fees or hidden charges. Visit buzzshot.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.
COGSCOGS by Clockwork Dog is an easy to use software/ hardware platform for running interactive events, including escape rooms, and other immersive experiences. They have plug & play hardware that seamlessly integrates with their software so you can create a show with lighting and sound cues without having to write a single line of code. Map all kinds of inputs to outputs by building up simple logic steps which determine what you want to happen and when.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners can get the COGS Starter Set for only $130 + free shipping to the USA. This bundle is usually valued at $257. You can learn more and purchase your Starter Set at cogs.show. Use code REPOD at checkout.
RECON - The Reality Escape ConventionOur convention, RECON, will be in Universal City, California on August 18th & 19th, 2024.
RECON offers a curated collection of talks and experiences exploring the business and art of escape room and immersive game creation. All are welcome at this event that is crafted around professionals and aspiring professionals.
Tickets are on sale now at RealityEscapeCon.com
Special Offer:
If you buy your ticket by May 1, you’ll get priority session selection for Imagi-Ne’er-Do-Wells and The 49 Boxes.
Production CreditsHosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law
Produced by Theresa Piazza
Supported by Lisa Spira, Richard Burns, and Tommy Honton
Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media
Music by Ryan Elder
Logo by Janine Pracht
We're sharing a little bit of our Patreon exclusive Bonus show from S7E7 with Michael Borys, creators of The 49 Boxes.
In this clip. Michael tells us the story behind one of his most prized possessions and interactive sculptural Van Gogh head.
Listen to the rest of the Bonus Show now by becoming a patron today at patreon.com/roomescapeartist and to gain to access our library of over 60 bonus after shows.
Thank you for supporting our work.
We shuffle slowly into the basement, careful not to bump into anything. This is harder than seems, because everywhere we turn, there are boxes and objects. Collections of items are spotlit, dust motes dancing in the air. Curious, we split up and start exploring. In one hidden nook, there’s a display of antique brass locks, and in another, a strange set of wine bottles. Over in the corner, there is a sculpture of a Van Gogh head, which hides pontifications on commercialized art on the back.
This basement belongs to Michael Borys, and was our first introduction to the man behind The 49 Boxes. Michael is not only an innovative game designer with a storied career, he is also a magician and a writer. His magical experience, The 49 Boxes, blurs the lines between puzzle hunt, magic show, and interactive theater. We also explore Michael’s other work, including The Arkham Files, an exciting new type of tabletop game that makes use of AR technology.
Michael cares deeply about creating a magical experience for players. Whether it’s through magic shows, tabletop games, or his experience The 49 Boxes, Michael’s games aim to transport the player and make them the hero. We are thrilled to bring his unique experience to RECON Los Angeles.
Episode SponsorsThank you to our sponsors Morty, Buzzshot, COGS by Clockwork Dog, & RECON, the Reality Escape Convention:
MortyMorty is a free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings.
Morty News:
Special Badge for REPOD listeners:
You can learn more at morty.app/REPOD to sign up and get a special badge for our listeners (works for existing users also).
BuzzshotBuzzshot is Escape Room Software, Powering Business Growth, Player Marketing, and improving the Customer Experience. They offer an assortment of pre and post game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and streamlined review management for Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, and Morty. Buzzshot now has integration with the other REPOD sponsors: Morty and COGS.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners get an extended 21-day free trial plus 20% off your first 3 months, with no set-up fees or hidden charges. Visit buzzshot.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.
COGSCOGS by Clockwork Dog is an easy to use software/ hardware platform for running interactive events, including escape rooms, and other immersive experiences. They have plug & play hardware that seamlessly integrates with their software so you can create a show with lighting and sound cues without having to write a single line of code. Map all kinds of inputs to outputs by building up simple logic steps which determine what you want to happen and when.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners can get the COGS Starter Set for only $130 + free shipping to the USA. This bundle is usually valued at $257. You can learn more and purchase your Starter Set at cogs.show. Use code REPOD at checkout.
RECON - The Reality Escape ConventionOur convention, RECON, will be in Universal City, California on August 18th & 19th, 2024.
RECON offers a curated collection of talks and experiences exploring the business and art of escape room and immersive game creation. All are welcome at this event that is crafted around professionals and aspiring professionals.
Tickets are on sale now at RealityEscapeCon.com
Special Offer:
If you buy your ticket by May 1, you’ll get priority session selection for Imagi-Ne’er-Do-Wells and The 49 Boxes.
Production CreditsHosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law
Produced by Theresa Piazza
Supported by Lisa Spira, Richard Burns, and Tommy Honton
Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media
Music by Ryan Elder
Logo by Janine Pracht
We're sharing a little bit of our Patreon exclusive Bonus show from S7E6 with Al and Stacy Delcome, creators of Confusion Escapes in San Bernardino, California.
In this clip, Peih-Gee talks about playing her first jubensha, the larp-like murder mystery experience popularized in China.
Content Warning: Please be warned that this segment does discuss sexual assault in the context of the game. This is a common and controversial trope in jubensha games.
Listen to the rest of the Bonus Show now by becoming a patron today at patreon.com/roomescapeartist and to gain to access our library of over 60 bonus after shows.
Thank you for supporting our work.
Imagine walking up to the lobby of an escape room, only to be confronted by an enormous semi-truck that has smashed through one of the walls. Maybe you’re climbing up a massive, sprawling tree and ducking into the treehouse of your childhood dreams.
Local favorite Confusion Escapes engineer all their games to maximize fun, which made a lot of sense once we discovered that owner Al Delcome has a background in mechanical engineering. His wife and business partner Stacy Delcome is the one responsible for the gorgeous set decor. The duo honed their talents on haunts. They created incredibly elaborate home haunts, complete with stunt work and elevator simulators.
One of the things I appreciated most after our conversation was their emphasis on safety. Al and Stacy are meticulous in their build approach. They ensure that every build is structurally sound and that every surface is finely sanded to prevent splinters and snags. It’s always a pleasure to chat with owners who are passionate and ambitious in their creations.
Episode SponsorsThank you to our sponsors Morty, Buzzshot, COGS by Clockwork Dog, & RECON, the Reality Escape Convention:
MortyMorty is a free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings.
Morty News:
Special Badge for REPOD listeners:
You can learn more at morty.app/REPOD to sign up and get a special badge for our listeners (works for existing users also).
BuzzshotBuzzshot is Escape Room Software, Powering Business Growth, Player Marketing, and improving the Customer Experience. They offer an assortment of pre and post game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and streamlined review management for Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, and Morty. Buzzshot now has integration with the other REPOD sponsors: Morty and COGS.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners get an extended 21-day free trial plus 20% off your first 3 months, with no set-up fees or hidden charges. Visit buzzshot.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.
COGSCOGS by Clockwork Dog is an easy to use software/ hardware platform for running interactive events, including escape rooms, and other immersive experiences. They have plug & play hardware that seamlessly integrates with their software so you can create a show with lighting and sound cues without having to write a single line of code. Map all kinds of inputs to outputs by building up simple logic steps which determine what you want to happen and when.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners can get the COGS Starter Set for only $130 + free shipping to the USA. This bundle is usually valued at $257. You can learn more and purchase your Starter Set at cogs.show. Use code REPOD at checkout.
RECON - The Reality Escape ConventionOur convention, RECON, will be in Universal City, California on August 18th & 19th, 2024.
RECON offers a curated collection of talks and experiences exploring the business and art of escape room and immersive game creation. All are welcome at this event that is crafted around professionals and aspiring professionals.
Tickets are on sale now at RealityEscapeCon.com
Special Offer:
If you buy your ticket by May 1, you’ll get priority session selection for Imagi-Ne’er-Do-Wells and The 49 Boxes.
Production CreditsHosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law
Produced by Theresa Piazza
Supported by Lisa Spira, Richard Burns, and Tommy Honton
Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media
Music by Ryan Elder
Logo by Janine Pracht
We're sharing a little bit of our Patreon exclusive Bonus show from S7E5 with Blake Hodges-Koch & Thomas Meston, creators of Wild Heart Ranch outside of Joshua Tree, California.
In this clip, we talk about Blake & Thomas' initial fear of seasoned escape room players finding Wild Heart Ranch and why David loving refers to a group of escape room players as a complaint."
Listen to the rest of the Bonus Show now by becoming a patron today at patreon.com/roomescapeartist and to gain to access our library of over 60 bonus after shows.
Thank you for supporting our work.
You arrive at the Airbnb, ready for a fun-filled weekend with your loved ones. The ranch is gorgeously furnished with mid-century modern touches. Outside, the desert stretches off into the distance. You wander in after a soak in the hot tub and find a little piece of paper that says "Start Here." Before long, you're uncovering secrets about Grandpa Ray and going on adventures out into the desert. And what is hidden behind those locked doors in the courtyard?
Blake Hodges-Koch and Thomas Meston have created magic in Joshua Tree – an escape room-esque immersive experience packaged in an Airbnb. By discovering secrets and solving hidden puzzles in a place you're calling home, the story starts to come alive and the characters become real. Delightful little touches like the custom soundtrack that plays throughout the property add to the experience.
Time spent in an experience truly aids immersion, and nothing quite beats living in it for the weekend. Blake and Thomas put a lot of love and effort into crafting a home that's comfortable, appealing, and with plenty of mysteries to discover. It was especially fun to hear how appreciative they are of the escape room community embracing of their project. As David puts it, even after playing a thousand escape rooms, Wild Heart Ranch still managed to surprise and delight him.
Episode SponsorsThank you to our sponsors Morty, Buzzshot, COGS by Clockwork Dog, & RECON, the Reality Escape Convention:
MortyMorty is a free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings.
Morty News:
Special Badge for REPOD listeners:
You can learn more at morty.app/REPOD to sign up and get a special badge for our listeners (works for existing users also).
BuzzshotBuzzshot is Escape Room Software, Powering Business Growth, Player Marketing, and improving the Customer Experience. They offer an assortment of pre and post game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and streamlined review management for Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, and Morty. Buzzshot now has integration with the other REPOD sponsors: Morty and COGS.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners get an extended 21-day free trial plus 20% off your first 3 months, with no set-up fees or hidden charges. Visit buzzshot.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.
COGSCOGS by Clockwork Dog is an easy to use software/ hardware platform for running interactive events, including escape rooms, and other immersive experiences. They have plug & play hardware that seamlessly integrates with their software so you can create a show with lighting and sound cues without having to write a single line of code. Map all kinds of inputs to outputs by building up simple logic steps which determine what you want to happen and when.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners can get the COGS Starter Set for only $130 + free shipping to the USA. This bundle is usually valued at $257. You can learn more and purchase your Starter Set at cogs.show. Use code REPOD at checkout.
RECON - The Reality Escape ConventionOur convention, RECON, will be in Universal City, California on August 18th & 19th, 2024.
RECON offers a curated collection of talks and experiences exploring the business and art of escape room and immersive game creation. All are welcome at this event that is crafted around professionals and aspiring professionals.
Tickets are on sale now at RealityEscapeCon.com
Special Offer:
If you buy your ticket by May 1, you’ll get priority session selection for Imagi-Ne’er-Do-Wells and The 49 Boxes.
Production CreditsHosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law
Produced by Theresa Piazza
Supported by Lisa Spira, Richard Burns, and Tommy Honton
Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media
Music by Ryan Elder
Logo by Janine Pracht
We're sharing a little bit of our Patreon exclusive Bonus show from S7E4 with Jason & Marketa Richard, creators of Steal and Escape in San Diego, California.
In this clip, we talk about making escape room merch and making content for social media.
Listen to the rest of the Bonus Show now by becoming a patron today at patreon.com/roomescapeartist and to gain to access our library of over 60 bonus after shows.
Thank you for supporting our work.
“High on fun” is how David introduces the games at Steal and Escape, and that’s exactly how I felt after playing their creative and unique games. From popsicles to hilarious assessment tests, and challenges that gave me Survivor PTSD, the games created by husband-and-wife team Jason and Marketa Richard are maximizing the fun factor.
Steal and Escape is an escape room company that pulls out all the stops. Indeed, Jason told us he thought The Missing Season might be the last game he’d design. That’s why he threw in all the toys and tricks that he’d always wanted to see in an escape room.
You can feel when designers of a game are truly passionate about their craft. And I’m not just saying this because I found an article written by David pinned to the wall of their gamemaster office. But it told me that these owners truly care about the player experience. You can clearly see that they design from the heart.
Episode SponsorsThank you to our sponsors Morty, Buzzshot, COGS by Clockwork Dog, & RECON, the Reality Escape Convention:
MortyMorty is a free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings.
Morty News:
Special Badge for REPOD listeners:
You can learn more at morty.app/REPOD to sign up and get a special badge for our listeners (works for existing users also).
BuzzshotBuzzshot is Escape Room Software, Powering Business Growth, Player Marketing, and improving the Customer Experience. They offer an assortment of pre and post game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and streamlined review management for Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, and Morty. Buzzshot now has integration with the other REPOD sponsors: Morty and COGS.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners get an extended 21-day free trial plus 20% off your first 3 months, with no set-up fees or hidden charges. Visit buzzshot.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.
COGSCOGS by Clockwork Dog is an easy to use software/ hardware platform for running interactive events, including escape rooms, and other immersive experiences. They have plug & play hardware that seamlessly integrates with their software so you can create a show with lighting and sound cues without having to write a single line of code. Map all kinds of inputs to outputs by building up simple logic steps which determine what you want to happen and when.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners can get the COGS Starter Set for only $130 + free shipping to the USA. This bundle is usually valued at $257. You can learn more and purchase your Starter Set at cogs.show. Use code REPOD at checkout.
RECON - The Reality Escape ConventionOur convention, RECON, will be in Universal City, California on August 18th & 19th, 2024.
RECON offers a curated collection of talks and experiences exploring the business and art of escape room and immersive game creation. All are welcome at this event that is crafted around professionals and aspiring professionals.
Tickets are on sale now at RealityEscapeCon.com
Special Offer:
If you buy your ticket by May 1, you’ll get priority session selection for Imagi-Ne’er-Do-Wells and The 49 Boxes.
Production CreditsHosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law
Produced by Theresa Piazza
Supported by Lisa Spira, Richard Burns, and Tommy Honton
Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media
Music by Ryan Elder
Logo by Janine Pracht
We're sharing a little bit of our Patreon exclusive Bonus show from S7E3 with Brett Jackson, creator of Imagi-Ne’er-Do-Wells.
Brett talks about the need to consider the guests emotional safety, and how to be considerate in your experience design.
Listen to the rest of the Bonus Show now by becoming a patron today at patreon.com/roomescapeartist and to gain to access our library of over 60 bonus after shows.
Thank you for supporting our work.
Your palms are sweaty, but your body is filled with exhilaration. You’re still coming down off the high of pitching your ludicrous idea on stage to a room filled with your peers. Thunderous applause, whistles, and exuberant cheers fill your ears. You walk off, clutching your squashed penny prize.
An hour ago, you walked in, nervous as hell, with no idea what to expect. Now you’re leaving with new friends and the satisfaction of exercising your creative muscles. That’s the magic of Imagi-Ne'er-Do-Wells, the brainchild of themed experience designer Brett Jackson.
Brett created this event as a creative social club, where guests formulate ridiculous attractions following some hilarious prompts. Not only does it get the creative juices flowing, it also fosters networking opportunities. I especially enjoyed hearing about all the design elements he’s deliberately built into the event. Brett designs with fun, humor, and the safety of his guests as a priority. I hope this episode inspires you to become an Imagi-Ne'er-Do-Well.
Episode SponsorsThank you to our sponsors Morty, Buzzshot, COGS by Clockwork Dog, & RECON, the Reality Escape Convention:
MortyMorty is a free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings.
Morty News:
Special Badge for REPOD listeners:
You can learn more at morty.app/REPOD to sign up and get a special badge for our listeners (works for existing users also).
BuzzshotBuzzshot is Escape Room Software, Powering Business Growth, Player Marketing, and improving the Customer Experience. They offer an assortment of pre and post game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and streamlined review management for Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, and Morty. Buzzshot now has integration with the other REPOD sponsors: Morty and COGS.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners get an extended 21-day free trial plus 20% off your first 3 months, with no set-up fees or hidden charges. Visit buzzshot.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.
COGSCOGS by Clockwork Dog is an easy to use software/ hardware platform for running interactive events, including escape rooms, and other immersive experiences. They have plug & play hardware that seamlessly integrates with their software so you can create a show with lighting and sound cues without having to write a single line of code. Map all kinds of inputs to outputs by building up simple logic steps which determine what you want to happen and when.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners can get the COGS Starter Set for only $130 + free shipping to the USA. This bundle is usually valued at $257. You can learn more and purchase your Starter Set at cogs.show. Use code REPOD at checkout.
RECON - The Reality Escape ConventionOur convention, RECON, will be in Universal City, California on August 18th & 19th, 2024.
RECON offers a curated collection of talks and experiences exploring the business and art of escape room and immersive game creation. All are welcome at this event that is crafted around professionals and aspiring professionals.
Tickets are on sale now at RealityEscapeCon.com
Special Offer:
If you buy your ticket by May 1, you’ll get priority session selection for Imagi-Ne’er-Do-Wells and The 49 Boxes.
Production CreditsHosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law
Produced by Theresa Piazza
Supported by Lisa Spira, Richard Burns, and Tommy Honton
Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media
Music by Ryan Elder
Logo by Janine Pracht
We're sharing a little bit of our Patreon exclusive Bonus show from S7E2 with Jared Butler, owner of Wasteland Weekend and Neotropolis.
In this preview, Peih-Gee talks about some of the escape room-esque features of Neotropolis, and Jared discusses how the bars work. He also shared his dreams for the future of the event.
Listen to the rest of the Bonus Show now by becoming a patron today at patreon.com/roomescapeartist and to gain to access our library of over 60 bonus after shows.
Thank you for supporting our work.
You’ve been driving through the desert for miles. It’s nighttime, and you've seen nothing but scrub brush and rocks for a while. Suddenly, emerging from the darkness is the glimmer of lights… neon lights, and as you get closer you hear the thunderous pounding of music. People in funky lit-up outfits are running around in this vibrant neon construction. You sigh as you settle into this post-apocalyptic city that you will call home for the next 5 days.
It’s difficult to convey the scope of a fully immersive event that spans 5 days and is chock full of missions, tribal allegiances, subcultures, music, and mayhem. Wasteland Weekend and Neotropolis are multi-day, larp-esque, dystopian-themed immersive festivals taking place in the barren wasteland of the Mojave Desert in California. Jared Butler is the mastermind behind these events. He joins us to break down how it all works.
It was fascinating to hear about the logistics of running such a complex event. However, what struck me most during this interview was not the commitment to immersion, which is enforced by required in-world costumes, nor the scope, which includes missions, art pieces, performances, and a cohesive narrative. Rather, I was really impressed with the dedication to creating an open and welcoming community. Jared's insistence on keeping his events an inviting and collaborative place to play is apparent, and I could feel how it trickles down through the culture of these events. Wasteland Weekend and Neotropolis are can't-miss experiences if you're looking to delve deeper into immersive play.
Episode SponsorsThank you to our sponsors Morty, Buzzshot, COGS by Clockwork Dog, & RECON, the Reality Escape Convention:
MortyMorty is a free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings.
Morty News:
Special Badge for REPOD listeners:
You can learn more at morty.app/REPOD to sign up and get a special badge for our listeners (works for existing users also).
BuzzshotBuzzshot is Escape Room Software, Powering Business Growth, Player Marketing, and improving the Customer Experience. They offer an assortment of pre and post game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and streamlined review management for Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, and Morty. Buzzshot now has integration with the other REPOD sponsors: Morty and COGS.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners get an extended 21-day free trial plus 20% off your first 3 months, with no set-up fees or hidden charges. Visit buzzshot.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.
COGSCOGS by Clockwork Dog is an easy to use software/ hardware platform for running interactive events, including escape rooms, and other immersive experiences. They have plug & play hardware that seamlessly integrates with their software so you can create a show with lighting and sound cues without having to write a single line of code. Map all kinds of inputs to outputs by building up simple logic steps which determine what you want to happen and when.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners can get the COGS Starter Set for only $130 + free shipping to the USA. This bundle is usually valued at $257. You can learn more and purchase your Starter Set at cogs.show. Use code REPOD at checkout.
RECON - The Reality Escape ConventionOur convention, RECON, will be in Universal City, California on August 18th & 19th, 2024.
RECON offers a curated collection of talks and experiences exploring the business and art of escape room and immersive game creation. All are welcome at this event that is crafted around professionals and aspiring professionals.
Tickets are on sale now at RealityEscapeCon.com
Special Offer:
If you buy your ticket by May 1, you’ll get priority session selection for Imagi-Ne’er-Do-Wells and The 49 Boxes.
Production CreditsHosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law
Produced by Theresa Piazza
Supported by Lisa Spira, Richard Burns, and Tommy Honton
Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media
Music by Ryan Elder
Logo by Janine Pracht
We're sharing a little bit of our Patreon exclusive Bonus show from S7E1 with The Ministry of Peculiarities.
In this preview, David tells a story about an unexpected guest at an early escape room tour.
Listen to the rest of the Bonus Show now by becoming a patron today at patreon.com/roomescapeartist and to gain to access our library of over 60 bonus after shows.
Thank you for supporting our work.
To sleep, perchance to dream...
Sleep No More, the seminal immersive theater piece from Punchdrunk, has inspired countless immersive creators, including Haley and Cameron Cooper of Strange Bird Immersive. Haley and Cameron make no secret that it has heavily influenced their acclaimed escape room The Man From Beyond. When we heard that Punchdrunk would close Sleep No More's New York location, we decided to pay homage to this influential work with a feature on our Spoilers Club. Haley and Cameron are historians of Punchdrunk; they joined us to break down everything you need to know about this innovative show.
In this two-part series, we delve into the background of this unique theater company. Then we do a deep dive into Sleep No More, discussing storylines, plot points, and solo moments. If you've never seen the show, you can experience it vicariously through this episode, and even if you're a seasoned attendee, you'll walk away with a deeper understanding.
How to ListenWhen you support Room Escape Artist on Patreon at $15 per month (or above), you get access to the Spoilers Club, our exclusive podcast where hosts David Spira and Peih-Gee Law chat in depth with creators about iconic escape rooms... spoilers and all!
https://www.patreon.com/roomescapeartist
Production CreditsHosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law
Produced by Theresa Piazza
Supported by Lisa Spira
Edited by Peih-Gee Law
Music by Ryan Elder
Logo by Janine Pracht
"Quirkiness is a core value."
In Season 7, Episode 1, we chat with Adam Moody, Jonathan Berk, and Benjamin Berk, the creators of The Ministry of Peculiarities in Azusa, California. Their first full-length game, Hope End, established their quirky brand of escape room, elegantly mixing story, puzzles, and adventure into one of Southern California’s preeminent experiences.
One of the reasons this company is so beloved is their commitment to immersion. In the podcast, they talk about how the storytelling begins the moment a guest clicks onto their website, and continues once they step foot into the lobby. There’s a lot of off-beat humor woven into their experience. They’ve even got a few lobby “gags” and pranks, one of which David calls “obnoxiously compelling.”
Hope End is the rare escape room that does a little bit of everything, and does it all extremely well. Whether it’s the high production value found in their set design, props or video work, the intimate moments that stem from a great actor, or puzzles with a wow factor, The Ministry of Peculiarities has set an amazingly high bar for the escape room scene in Los Angeles. We loved getting a peek into the minds behind this unique blend of escape room and immersive theater.
Episode SponsorsThank you to our sponsors Morty, Buzzshot, COGS by Clockwork Dog, & RECON, the Reality Escape Convention:
MortyMorty is a free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings.
Morty News:
Special Badge for REPOD listeners:
You can learn more at morty.app/REPOD to sign up and get a special badge for our listeners (works for existing users also).
BuzzshotBuzzshot is Escape Room Software, Powering Business Growth, Player Marketing, and improving the Customer Experience. They offer an assortment of pre and post game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and streamlined review management for Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, and Morty. Buzzshot now has integration with the other REPOD sponsors: Morty and COGS.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners get an extended 21-day free trial plus 20% off your first 3 months, with no set-up fees or hidden charges. Visit buzzshot.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.
COGSCOGS by Clockwork Dog is an easy to use software/ hardware platform for running interactive events, including escape rooms, and other immersive experiences. They have plug & play hardware that seamlessly integrates with their software so you can create a show with lighting and sound cues without having to write a single line of code. Map all kinds of inputs to outputs by building up simple logic steps which determine what you want to happen and when.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners can get the COGS Starter Set for only $130 + free shipping to the USA. This bundle is usually valued at $257. You can learn more and purchase your Starter Set at cogs.show. Use code REPOD at checkout.
RECON - The Reality Escape ConventionOur convention, RECON, will be in Universal City, California on August 18th & 19th, 2024.
RECON offers a curated collection of talks and experiences exploring the business and art of escape room and immersive game creation. All are welcome at this event that is crafted around professionals and aspiring professionals.
Tickets are on sale now at RealityEscapeCon.com
Special Offer:
If you buy your ticket by May 1, you’ll get priority session selection for Imagi-Ne’er-Do-Wells and The 49 Boxes.
Production CreditsHosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law
Produced by Theresa Piazza
Supported by Lisa Spira, Richard Burns, and Tommy Honton
Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media
Music by Ryan Elder
Logo by Janine Pracht
We're putting the "celeb" in celebrate! Play along as we test each other's wits with games, puzzles, and trivia, all themed around Los Angeles, the home for this year's Reality Escape Convention. In keeping with the theme, Season 7 of REPOD will feature guests whose work can be found in LA, The City of Angels. To celebrate, Peih-Gee's Playhouse is back with another special release episode chock full of games and merriment. We've brought back recurring guest Tommy Honton and our esteemed podcast producer Theresa Piazza.
Los Angeles has some of the best escape rooms in the country, not to mention world class restaurants, bars, a thriving theater scene, and of course, theme parks galore. As local Angelinos, Tommy and Peih-Gee's games tried to highlight a few local escape room gems. Some knowledge of Los Angeles area escape rooms and companies will definitely help when trying to play along. Start getting excited for Season 7, because as one of the premiere entertainment capitals of the world, Los Angeles has a ton to offer when it comes to immersive gaming and events. And that means we've got amazing guests lined up for REPOD.
Episode SponsorsThank you to our sponsors Morty, Buzzshot, and COGS:
MortyMorty is a free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings.
Morty News:
Special Badge for REPOD listeners:
You can learn more at morty.app/REPOD to sign up and get a special badge for our listeners (works for existing users also).
BuzzshotBuzzshot is Escape Room Software, Powering Business Growth, Player Marketing, and improving the Customer Experience. They offer an assortment of pre and post game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and streamlined review management for Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, and Morty. Buzzshot now has integration with the other REPOD sponsors: Morty and COGS.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners get an extended 21-day free trial plus 20% off your first 3 months, with no set-up fees or hidden charges. Visit buzzshot.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.
COGSCOGS by Clockwork Dog is an easy to use software/ hardware platform for running interactive events, including escape rooms, and other immersive experiences. They have plug & play hardware that seamlessly integrates with their software so you can create a show with lighting and sound cues without having to write a single line of code. Map all kinds of inputs to outputs by building up simple logic steps which determine what you want to happen and when.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners can get the COGS Starter Set for only $130 + free shipping to the USA. This bundle is usually valued at $257. You can learn more and purchase your Starter Set at cogs.show. Use code REPOD at checkout.
Production CreditsHosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law
Produced by Theresa Piazza
Supported by Lisa Spira
Edited by Peih-Gee Law
Music by Ryan Elder
Logo by Janine Pracht
"Why did it have to be snakes?"
"Since we started this podcast, I have been talking repeatedly about my desire for there to be more lower budget, experimental, thought provoking, and thoughtful productions." David calls this game "the black box theatre" of escape rooms, while REA Patron Dan Egnor called it "the best room in the world in awesomeness per square foot."
You've probably never played this room, or even heard about it, but David and I love this room so much that we dedicated 90 minutes to thoroughly dissecting and reliving The Ghost of Mentryville. Creator Matt Tye of Arcane Escape Room in Newhall, CA joins us to share his design and thought process behind this brilliant game.
In this preview, Matt talks about how difficult it is to run this game, especially for the gamemaster, who is operating as a performer, gamemaster, and audio/ visual technician, all within the confines of a very small space.
Listen to the rest of the episode now by becoming a Patreon backer at the "Search Win" level for access to all of the Spoilers Club episodes. https://www.patreon.com/roomescapeartist
Episode SponsorsThank you to our sponsors Morty, Buzzshot, and COGS by Clockwork Dog:
MortyMorty is a free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings.
Morty News:
Special Badge for REPOD listeners:
You can learn more at morty.app/REPOD to sign up and get a special badge for our listeners (works for existing users also).
BuzzshotBuzzshot is Escape Room Software, Powering Business Growth, Player Marketing, and improving the Customer Experience. They offer an assortment of pre and post game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and streamlined review management for Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, and Morty. Buzzshot now has integration with the other REPOD sponsors: Morty and COGS.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners get an extended 21-day free trial plus 20% off your first 3 months, with no set-up fees or hidden charges. Visit buzzshot.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.
COGSCOGS by Clockwork Dog is an easy to use software/ hardware platform for running interactive events, including escape rooms, and other immersive experiences. They have plug & play hardware that seamlessly integrates with their software so you can create a show with lighting and sound cues without having to write a single line of code. Map all kinds of inputs to outputs by building up simple logic steps which determine what you want to happen and when.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners can get the COGS Starter Set for only $130 + free shipping to the USA. This bundle is usually valued at $257. You can learn more and purchase your Starter Set at cogs.show. Use code REPOD at checkout.
Production CreditsHosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law
Produced by Theresa Piazza
Supported by Lisa Spira
Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media
Music by Ryan Elder
Logo by Janine Pracht
“For new listeners, we hope it will be a great introduction to what the podcast is all about, and for our regular listeners, a reminder of the most interesting and impactful moments from Season 6.”
Already missing REPOD? Don’t worry, Season 7 of the podcast is launching very soon. In the meantime, our editor, Steve Ewing, put together some of his favorite clips from each episode of Season 6.
In Season 6, we interviewed a few guests with ties to the puzzle hunt world, including TERPECA founder Rich Bragg, puzzle constructor Eric Berlin, and Chief Puzzle Officer Greg Pliska, of A.J. Jacobs’s The Puzzler Podcast.
We also explored unusual gameplay and immersive concepts with guests who are experimenting and innovating with their projects, including Christian Vernon and Zac MacKrell, creators of the replayable Doors of Divergence and Kellian and Brian Pletcher, creators of Club Drosselmeyer— an immersive, puzzling swing dance party. Plus Eric Wastl invented The Advent of Code, an advent calendar full of programming puzzles, and Lonnie Hanzon explained the intent behind his set designs at Camp Christmas.
We covered some fan favorite escape rooms, interviewing Summer Herrick of Locurio, Marie Huber and Nico César of Red Fox Escapes, and Mike Dold and Rick George of Doldrick’s. What I especially loved about these guests was how they explained the thought process behind their design decisions.
In our interview with Christine Barger we talk more about effective social media marketing than escape room design. She actively encourages guests to film in her game!
Season 6 also included episodes which were a departure from our normal interview style episodes, including my Halloween Spooktacular filled with games and stories, and hosting the hilarious crew from Hey Riddle Riddle to play through Shop of Theseus, our audio escape room from RECON 23.
If you want even more podcast episodes, consider joining our Patreon. For only $5 a month, you’ll get access to our Bonus Aftershow, which is a more casual conversation with each guest.
Episode SponsorsThank you to our sponsors Morty, Buzzshot, and COGS:
MortyMorty is a free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings.
Morty News:
Special Badge for REPOD listeners:
You can learn more at morty.app/REPOD to sign up and get a special badge for our listeners (works for existing users also).
BuzzshotBuzzshot is Escape Room Software, Powering Business Growth, Player Marketing, and improving the Customer Experience. They offer an assortment of pre and post game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and streamlined review management for Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, and Morty. Buzzshot now has integration with the other REPOD sponsors: Morty and COGS.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners get an extended 21-day free trial plus 20% off your first 3 months, with no set-up fees or hidden charges. Visit buzzshot.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.
COGSCOGS by Clockwork Dog is an easy to use software/ hardware platform for running interactive events, including escape rooms, and other immersive experiences. They have plug & play hardware that seamlessly integrates with their software so you can create a show with lighting and sound cues without having to write a single line of code. Map all kinds of inputs to outputs by building up simple logic steps which determine what you want to happen and when.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners can get the COGS Starter Set for only $130 + free shipping to the USA. This bundle is usually valued at $257. You can learn more and purchase your Starter Set at cogs.show. Use code REPOD at checkout.
Production CreditsHosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law
Produced by Theresa Piazza
Supported by Lisa Spira & Richard Burns
Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media
Music by Ryan Elder
Logo by Janine Pracht
The only thing I like better than puzzles is winning money while solving puzzles. Who Killed Ickey? is an online treasure hunt taking place January 27, 2024 with prizes worth $50,000. In this special release sponsored episode, we sat down with the Who Killed Ickey? puzzle hunt designer John Bromels for the inside scoop on how this treasure hunt works .
John started off creating The Puzzle Crawl—for nerds who like to drink and drunks who like to think. He is also on the team that ran this year's MIT Mystery Hunt.... but don't worry. He told us that he designed The Who Killed Ickey? hunt to be accessible to puzzlers of all experience levels.
We’re really excited that a publishing company is using the medium of puzzle hunts to promote their new book. Good luck to all the puzzlers! The Who Killed Ickey? treasure hunt begins at 10 am Pacific Time on January 27, 2024 and ends at 4:30 pm Pacific Time. You can learn more at the Who Killed Ickey? website.
Episode SponsorsThank you to our sponsors Who Killed Ickey? and Morty, Buzzshot, and COGS by Clockwork Dog:
Who Killed Ickey?Who Killed Ickey? is a madcap treasure hunt from Galbraith Literary Publishers taking place on January 27, 2024, with prizes totaling fifty thousand dollars. This hunt is designed by John Bromels, a member of the team running this year’s MIT Mystery Hunt.
Who Killed Ickey? Details:
Morty is a free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings.
Morty News:
Special Badge for REPOD listeners:
You can learn more at morty.app/REPOD to sign up and get a special badge for our listeners (works for existing users also).
BuzzshotBuzzshot is Escape Room Software, Powering Business Growth, Player Marketing, and improving the Customer Experience. They offer an assortment of pre and post game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and streamlined review management for Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, and Morty. Buzzshot now has integration with the other REPOD sponsors: Morty and COGS.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners get an extended 21-day free trial plus 20% off your first 3 months, with no set-up fees or hidden charges. Visit buzzshot.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.
COGSCOGS by Clockwork Dog is an easy to use software/ hardware platform for running interactive events, including escape rooms, and other immersive experiences. They have plug & play hardware that seamlessly integrates with their software so you can create a show with lighting and sound cues without having to write a single line of code. Map all kinds of inputs to outputs by building up simple logic steps which determine what you want to happen and when.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners can get the COGS Starter Set for only $130 + free shipping to the USA. This bundle is usually valued at $257. You can learn more and purchase your Starter Set at cogs.show. Use code REPOD at checkout.
Production CreditsHosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law
Produced by Theresa Piazza
Supported by Lisa Spira
Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media
Music by Ryan Elder
Logo by Janine Pracht
"One of my favorite things about Spoilers Club is getting to hear about those tiny little details that the designers sneak into their games."
One of the things I love about playing escape rooms is that post-game discussion where we get to analyze everything that happened during the game. We can talk about all of our favorite puzzles, things that worked for us, and things that didn't work for us. But it's tough to discuss details on a podcast, because you don't want to spoil anything for people who haven't played the game yet.
That's why we created the Spoilers Club. It's a Patreon exclusive series where we invite creators from all of our favorite escape rooms to dish about the challenges and details of creating their games.
In this special release episode, I've chosen some fun clips from our more recent Spoilers Club episodes to preview. I tried to choose clips that were interesting but didn't spoil too much about the game. One thing to note is that some clips might have very slight spoilers, but nothing that wouldn't be immediately revealed the minute you step foot into the game. We also don't spoil major reveals or how puzzles work in these clips.
Episode SponsorsThank you to our sponsors Who Killed Ickey? and Morty, Buzzshot, and COGS by Clockwork Dog:
Who Killed Ickey?Who Killed Ickey? is a madcap treasure hunt from Galbraith Literary Publishers taking place on January 27, 2024, with prizes totaling fifty thousand dollars. This hunt is designed by John Bromels, a member of the team running this year’s MIT Mystery Hunt.
Who Killed Ickey? Details:
Morty is a free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings.
Morty News:
Special Badge for REPOD listeners:
You can learn more at morty.app/REPOD to sign up and get a special badge for our listeners (works for existing users also).
BuzzshotBuzzshot is Escape Room Software, Powering Business Growth, Player Marketing, and improving the Customer Experience. They offer an assortment of pre and post game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and streamlined review management for Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, and Morty. Buzzshot now has integration with the other REPOD sponsors: Morty and COGS.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners get an extended 21-day free trial plus 20% off your first 3 months, with no set-up fees or hidden charges. Visit buzzshot.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.
COGSCOGS by Clockwork Dog is an easy to use software/ hardware platform for running interactive events, including escape rooms, and other immersive experiences. They have plug & play hardware that seamlessly integrates with their software so you can create a show with lighting and sound cues without having to write a single line of code. Map all kinds of inputs to outputs by building up simple logic steps which determine what you want to happen and when.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners can get the COGS Starter Set for only $130 + free shipping to the USA. This bundle is usually valued at $257. You can learn more and purchase your Starter Set at cogs.show. Use code REPOD at checkout.
Production CreditsHosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law
Produced by Theresa Piazza
Supported by Lisa Spira
Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media
Music by Ryan Elder
Logo by Janine Pracht
If social media was an escape room, most owners and designers would never find the key. Navigating all the different trends and social media apps is a daunting task, and it's even harder when most escape rooms don't allow photos or videos of their games.
That's why we brought in an expert. In this special release of our Patreon Exclusive Bonus episode from Season 6, Episode 3, we talk to social media influencer and the owner of Exit Game OC, Christine Barger. Exit Game OC not only allows filming during their game, they actively encourage it. They also capture footage of their guests filming TikToks for their own social media.
Christine explains that all these players "want to market you. For Free." and wonders why more escape rooms don't take advantage of this free, viral marketing opportunity. We also discuss hiring practices and how to foster kindness towards players. This is a can't-miss conversation. For more episodes like this, support our podcast by joining our Patreon today.
Episode SponsorsThank you to our sponsors Who Killed Ickey? and Morty:
Who Killed Ickey?Who Killed Ickey? is a madcap treasure hunt from Galbraith Literary Publishers taking place on January 27, 2024, with prizes totaling fifty thousand dollars. This hunt is designed by John Bromels, a member of the team running this year’s MIT Mystery Hunt.
Who Killed Ickey? Details:
Morty is a free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings.
Morty News:
Special Badge for REPOD listeners:
You can learn more at morty.app/REPOD to sign up and get a special badge for our listeners (works for existing users also).
Production CreditsHosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law
Produced by Theresa Piazza
Supported by Lisa Spira
Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media
Music by Ryan Elder
Logo by Janine Pracht
We're sharing a little bit of our Patreon exclusive Bonus show from S6E13 with A.J. Jacobs and Greg Pliska of The Puzzler Podcast.
In this clip. Peih-Gee confesses to some writing struggles and David shares a story of being utterly destroyed and then rebuilt by a writing professor back in college.
Listen to the rest of the Bonus Show now by becoming a patron today at patreon.com/roomescapeartist and to gain to access our library of over 60 bonus after shows.
Thank you for supporting our work.
“Fun, bite sized, and entertaining.”
In the final episode of season 6, we’re back with author and now podcaster A.J. Jacobs, along with his Chief Puzzle Officer, Greg Pliska. We first interviewed A.J. about his book, The Puzzler, in S3E11. The idea for the podcast originated in part while recording the audio book version of The Puzzler. A.J. realized many of the puzzles in the book were visual and wouldn’t work for an audio book. He created a bunch of audio puzzles that only worked in the audio form. But when it came to a podcast, he knew he couldn't do it alone, and so he pulled in puzzle guru Greg Pliska, who collaborated with A.J. on The Puzzler book.
Greg Pliska has created puzzles for the Ask Me Another podcast and the Mohonk Mountain House’s Wonderful World of Words. This is a fun-filled weekend in a mountain resort with puzzle-hunts for people who love language. He’s also a commentator for Will Shortz’s annual American Crossword Puzzle Tournament, the YouTube recordings of which, to David’s surprise, “really sucked [him] into it.”
Between A.J. and Greg, they possess a powerful pile of podcast puzzling prowess, so I was thrilled to pick their brains about crafting audio puzzles. At the end of the episode, I turned the tables, surprising them with my own game segment called Tilted Titles. Play along, and see if you can beat the puzzle gurus! If you’re looking for pint-sized puzzles for your listening pleasure, make sure to check out The Puzzler Podcast.
Episode SponsorsThank you to our sponsors Morty, Buzzshot, and COGS:
MortyMorty is a free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings.
Morty News:
Special Badge for REPOD listeners:
You can learn more at morty.app/REPOD to sign up and get a special badge for our listeners (works for existing users also).
BuzzshotBuzzshot is Escape Room Software, Powering Business Growth, Player Marketing, and improving the Customer Experience. They offer an assortment of pre and post game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and streamlined review management for Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, and Morty. Buzzshot now has integration with the other REPOD sponsors: Morty and COGS.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners get an extended 21-day free trial plus 20% off your first 3 months, with no set-up fees or hidden charges. Visit buzzshot.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.
COGSCOGS by Clockwork Dog is an easy to use software/ hardware platform for running interactive events, including escape rooms, and other immersive experiences. They have plug & play hardware that seamlessly integrates with their software so you can create a show with lighting and sound cues without having to write a single line of code. Map all kinds of inputs to outputs by building up simple logic steps which determine what you want to happen and when.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners can get the COGS Starter Set for only $130 + free shipping to the USA. This bundle is usually valued at $257. You can learn more and purchase your Starter Set at cogs.show. Use code REPOD at checkout.
Production CreditsHosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law
Produced by Theresa Piazza
Supported by Lisa Spira & Richard Burns
Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media
Music by Ryan Elder
Logo by Janine Pracht
We're sharing a little bit of our Patreon exclusive Bonus show from S6E12 with Mike Dold and Rick George of Doldrick's Escape Room.
In this clip. David makes his case against using animatronics in escape rooms and explains why Doldrick's Spoopy animatronic is one of the few that works.
Listen to the rest of the Bonus Show now by becoming a patron today at patreon.com/roomescapeartist and to gain to access our library of over 50 bonus after shows.
Thank you for supporting our work.
In Season 6, episode 12, we chat with Mike Dold and Rick George, two of the co-owners of Doldrick’s Escape Room in Orlando, Fl. Their games are fan favorites amongst enthusiasts, in particular because of their blend of humor, whimsy, beautiful sets, and fun gameplay. Every single REA review of the Doldrick’s escape rooms talks about how funny they were, with Theresa Wagner writing that Spoopy’s Ghoulish Graveyard “had [her] laughing so hard [she] was in tears.”
In fact, their newest game, Crazy Train: The Ballad Of Skeemin' Plotz inspired Lisa to write what David calls “her finest work” as an escape room reviewer. At this point, you’re probably thinking, “these are crazy names for an escape room,” and I’d have to agree. My favorite is “Red Sled Redemption: Hollie Jolly Holiday Hubcap Repair”, which is an escape room title of epically insane proportions, but absolutely fits the Doldrick’s brand of madcap comedy.
Besides talking to us about their inspirations for their games, my favorite part is when Rick opens up about the difficulties of running an escape room while raising a young family. I really appreciated his willingness to be vulnerable, and I think it’s valuable for other escape room owners to know that everyone has the same struggles.
Episode SponsorsThank you to our sponsors Morty, Buzzshot, and COGS:
MortyMorty is a free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings.
Morty News:
Special Badge for REPOD listeners:
You can learn more at morty.app/REPOD to sign up and get a special badge for our listeners (works for existing users also).
BuzzshotBuzzshot is Escape Room Software, Powering Business Growth, Player Marketing, and improving the Customer Experience. They offer an assortment of pre and post game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and streamlined review management for Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, and Morty. Buzzshot now has integration with the other REPOD sponsors: Morty and COGS.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners get an extended 21-day free trial plus 20% off your first 3 months, with no set-up fees or hidden charges. Visit buzzshot.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.
COGSCOGS by Clockwork Dog is an easy to use software/ hardware platform for running interactive events, including escape rooms, and other immersive experiences. They have plug & play hardware that seamlessly integrates with their software so you can create a show with lighting and sound cues without having to write a single line of code. Map all kinds of inputs to outputs by building up simple logic steps which determine what you want to happen and when.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners can get the COGS Starter Set for only $130 + free shipping to the USA. This bundle is usually valued at $257. You can learn more and purchase your Starter Set at cogs.show. Use code REPOD at checkout.
Production CreditsHosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law
Produced by Theresa Piazza
Supported by Lisa Spira & Richard Burns
Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media
Music by Ryan Elder
Logo by Janine Pracht
We're sharing a little bit of our Patreon exclusive Bonus show from S6E11 with Summer Herrick of Locurio.
In this preview, we talk about the challenge of designing for and around the most devoted fans of these large format experiences in experiences like Sleep No More and Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser.
Listen to the rest of the Bonus Show now by becoming a patron today at patreon.com/roomescapeartist and to gain to access our library of over 50 bonus after shows.
Thank you for supporting our work.
In Season 6, episode 11, we chat with Summer Herrick, co-founder of the iconic escape room company Locurio in Seattle, Washington. In 2020, Locurio had the distinction of being the sole company to win in all three TERPECA categories: Top Room, Top Online Room, and Top Company. Locurio’s games, The Vanishing Act and The Storykeeper are fan favorites in the escape room scene, and with good reason.
Summer talks about Locurio's design process and breaks down the art of game flow—what it means and how to achieve it. With a background in acting and theater, Summer loves creating characters that add to the magic of feeling completely immersed in a world. Summer is also very active in the puzzle hunt community and brings her puzzle crafting skills to Locurio's escape rooms.
I especially loved hearing Summer talk about how to create great game flow and fill a game with character. At over 800 games played, Summer is a true escape room enthusiast. With such a wealth of experience, it’s no wonder that Locurio creates such renowned games that resonate with the escape room community.
Episode SponsorsThank you to our sponsors Morty, Buzzshot, and COGS:
MortyMorty is a free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings.
Morty News:
Special Badge for REPOD listeners:
You can learn more at morty.app/REPOD to sign up and get a special badge for our listeners (works for existing users also).
BuzzshotBuzzshot is Escape Room Software, Powering Business Growth, Player Marketing, and improving the Customer Experience. They offer an assortment of pre and post game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and streamlined review management for Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, and Morty. Buzzshot now has integration with the other REPOD sponsors: Morty and COGS.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners get an extended 21-day free trial plus 20% off your first 3 months, with no set-up fees or hidden charges. Visit buzzshot.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.
COGSCOGS by Clockwork Dog is an easy to use software/ hardware platform for running interactive events, including escape rooms, and other immersive experiences. They have plug & play hardware that seamlessly integrates with their software so you can create a show with lighting and sound cues without having to write a single line of code. Map all kinds of inputs to outputs by building up simple logic steps which determine what you want to happen and when.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners can get the COGS Starter Set for only $130 + free shipping to the USA. This bundle is usually valued at $257. You can learn more and purchase your Starter Set at cogs.show. Use code REPOD at checkout.
Production CreditsHosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law
Produced by Theresa Piazza
Supported by Lisa Spira & Richard Burns
Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media
Music by Ryan Elder
Logo by Janine Pracht
We're sharing a little bit of our Patreon exclusive Bonus show from S6E10 with Lonnie Hanzon of Camp Christmas.
In this preview, we talk about the evolution of retail, visual merchandising into social media and experiences.
Listen to the rest of the Bonus Show now by becoming a patron today at patreon.com/roomescapeartist and to gain to access our library of over 50 bonus after shows.
Thank you for supporting our work.
In Season 6, episode 10 of Reality Escape Pod, we talk to visual installation artist Lonnie Hanzon, who has been creating immersive displays celebrating Christmas for over 30 years. Lonnie is the mastermind behind the wildly creative Christmas trees and windows at Neiman Marcus in Dallas, and "The Evolution of the Ball" installation at Coors Field in Denver. His holiday immersive experience, Camp Christmas, is a whimsical journey into the land of Christmas where every surface is exploding with decor that tells a story.
Lonnie is a self-professed maximalist. Trained as a magician, he employs a variety of techniques designed to convey a narrative. Lonnie has amassed a collection of objects he calls his "palette," and as a visual artist, he deploys them strategically to craft a specific mood or era. At his core, Lonnie is an environmental storyteller, and he breaks down his design decisions, explaining how different elements come together to craft a narrative.
I particularly enjoyed hearing Lonnie explain his process of creating immersive environments, often starting with what he calls "a color story" and a vision of sparking childlike joy and exuberance. We also discuss things like the social contract when visiting an immersive space and how to encourage polite etiquette among guests. Lonnie's Camp Christmas has converted more than one cynic to the magic of Christmas, and it made even David's heart swell a few inches.
Episode SponsorsThank you to our sponsors Morty, Buzzshot, and COGS:
MortyMorty is a free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings.
Morty News:
Special Badge for REPOD listeners:
You can learn more at morty.app/REPOD to sign up and get a special badge for our listeners (works for existing users also).
BuzzshotBuzzshot is Escape Room Software, Powering Business Growth, Player Marketing, and improving the Customer Experience. They offer an assortment of pre and post game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and streamlined review management for Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, and Morty. Buzzshot now has integration with the other REPOD sponsors: Morty and COGS.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners get an extended 21-day free trial plus 20% off your first 3 months, with no set-up fees or hidden charges. Visit buzzshot.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.
COGSCOGS by Clockwork Dog is an easy to use software/ hardware platform for running interactive events, including escape rooms, and other immersive experiences. They have plug & play hardware that seamlessly integrates with their software so you can create a show with lighting and sound cues without having to write a single line of code. Map all kinds of inputs to outputs by building up simple logic steps which determine what you want to happen and when.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners can get the COGS Starter Set for only $130 + free shipping to the USA. This bundle is usually valued at $257. You can learn more and purchase your Starter Set at cogs.show. Use code REPOD at checkout.
Production CreditsHosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law
Produced by Theresa Piazza
Supported by Lisa Spira & Richard Burns
Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media
Music by Ryan Elder
Logo by Janine Pracht
We're sharing a little bit of our Patreon exclusive Bonus show from S6E10 with Eric Wastl, creator Advent of Code.
In this preview, we talk about effective interviewing techniques for hiring. Spoiler... it's not Advent of Code puzzles.
Listen to the rest of the Bonus Show now by becoming a patron today at patreon.com/roomescapeartist and to gain to access our library of over 50 bonus after shows.
Thank you for supporting our work.
"It's also sort of a gateway drug to becoming a programmer."
In REPOD season 6, episode 9, we have a rare interview with Eric Wastl, who is not only the creative mind behind Advent of Code, but he is also married to our very own Kate Wastl who writes for Room Escape Artist and is the producer for RECON 24 in Los Angeles this August. Advent of Code is a series of unique programming puzzles that launches on December 1st every year and continues until Christmas.
Eric initially created Advent of Code as a means of helping people improve their programming skills. He has certainly accomplished this goal. Over a million people have tackled his programming puzzles in the span of 8 years, with a quarter of a million last year alone. In this episode, Eric takes us behind the scenes, telling us about how meticulously he writes his puzzles to ensure only one correct answer. He also constructs them to be inclusive, so that participants of all skill levels can solve Advent of Code.
Creating captivating puzzles isn't merely about providing a brainteaser. The right puzzle can educate, entertain, and even bring together a community. To join this festive programming journey, head over to Advent of Code on December 1st.
Episode SponsorsThank you to our sponsors Morty, Buzzshot, and COGS:
MortyMorty is a free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings.
Morty News:
Special Badge for REPOD listeners:
You can learn more at morty.app/REPOD to sign up and get a special badge for our listeners (works for existing users also).
BuzzshotBuzzshot is Escape Room Software, Powering Business Growth, Player Marketing, and improving the Customer Experience. They offer an assortment of pre and post game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and streamlined review management for Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, and Morty. Buzzshot now has integration with the other REPOD sponsors: Morty and COGS.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners get an extended 21-day free trial plus 20% off your first 3 months, with no set-up fees or hidden charges. Visit buzzshot.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.
COGSCOGS by Clockwork Dog is an easy to use software/ hardware platform for running interactive events, including escape rooms, and other immersive experiences. They have plug & play hardware that seamlessly integrates with their software so you can create a show with lighting and sound cues without having to write a single line of code. Map all kinds of inputs to outputs by building up simple logic steps which determine what you want to happen and when.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners can get the COGS Starter Set for only $130 + free shipping to the USA. This bundle is usually valued at $257. You can learn more and purchase your Starter Set at cogs.show. Use code REPOD at checkout.
Production CreditsHosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law
Produced by Theresa Piazza
Supported by Lisa Spira & Richard Burns
Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media
Music by Ryan Elder
Logo by Janine Pracht
We're sharing a little bit of our Patreon exclusive Bonus show from S6E8 with puzzle maker Eric Berlin, creator of Puzzle Snacks.
In this preview, we talk about designing puzzles for kids and Eric gives us some tips for solving crossword puzzles.
Listen to the rest of the Bonus Show now by becoming a patron today at patreon.com/roomescapeartist and to gain to access our library of over 50 bonus after shows.
Thank you for supporting our work.
In Season 6, episode 8, we talk to the charming crossword constructor Eric Berlin. Eric is the creator of Puzzlesnacks, one of our favorite puzzle books, and he authored the Winston Breen trilogy, a series of puzzling novels for kids. Eric was also captain of Team Palindrome, one of the largest MIT Mystery Hunt teams, which won in 2021.
Eric has a long and illustrious career crafting creative crossword puzzles. From brazening his way into Games Magazine board game nights to convincing Weird Al Yankovic to star in a cameo congratulating the winners of the MIT Mystery Hunt, Eric has great stories about being a passionate life-long word nerd.
This conversation with Eric Berlin opened my eyes to a whole new world of crossword puzzles. I had no idea that they were heavily themed or could masquerade as magic shows and escape rooms. It’s always wonderful to interview guests who are enthusiastic about their craft. It’s delightful to see that Eric has maintained a lifelong love for puzzles.
Episode SponsorsThank you to our sponsors Morty, Buzzshot, and COGS:
MortyMorty is a free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings.
Morty News:
Special Badge for REPOD listeners:
You can learn more at morty.app/REPOD to sign up and get a special badge for our listeners (works for existing users also).
BuzzshotBuzzshot is Escape Room Software, Powering Business Growth, Player Marketing, and improving the Customer Experience. They offer an assortment of pre and post game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and streamlined review management for Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, and Morty. Buzzshot now has integration with the other REPOD sponsors: Morty and COGS.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners get an extended 21-day free trial plus 20% off your first 3 months, with no set-up fees or hidden charges. Visit buzzshot.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.
COGSCOGS by Clockwork Dog is an easy to use software/ hardware platform for running interactive events, including escape rooms, and other immersive experiences. They have plug & play hardware that seamlessly integrates with their software so you can create a show with lighting and sound cues without having to write a single line of code. Map all kinds of inputs to outputs by building up simple logic steps which determine what you want to happen and when.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners can get the COGS Starter Set for only $130 + free shipping to the USA. This bundle is usually valued at $257. You can learn more and purchase your Starter Set at cogs.show. Use code REPOD at checkout.
Production CreditsHosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law
Produced by Theresa Piazza
Supported by Lisa Spira & Richard Burns
Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media
Music by Ryan Elder
Logo by Janine Pracht
We're sharing a little bit of our Patreon exclusive Bonus show from S6E7 with Marie and Nico, co-creators of Red Fox.
Here we talk about lessons learned from designing escape rooms and debate the merits of designing for authenticity versus ease of reset.
Listen to the rest of the Bonus Show now by becoming a patron today at patreon.com/roomescapeartist and to gain to access our library of over 50 bonus after shows.
Thank you for supporting our work.
“That is some crazy market research.” In season 6, episode 7 of REPOD, we chat with the brilliant Marie Huber and Nico César, owners of Red Fox Escapes in Cambridge, MA. Red Fox Escapes is known for constructing elegant and complex puzzles with gorgeous, detailed sets. As David notes in the episode, “There are a few hallmarks of Red Fox games… your approach to puzzles… and the abundance of detail in your games.”
As a former business analyst, Marie has a metrics-based approach to both how she runs the business and her design process. She even ran a workshop at RECON Boston called “Upping Your Game: Beyond the Basics of Game Design.” Nico comes from a software background. He talks about how his approach to tech in escape rooms is different from the norm, which tends to be hardware focused.
Marie and Nico have spent a lot of time analyzing what makes for great gameplay and a memorable escape room experience. I especially enjoyed hearing all their stories about how to add a special touch to props in an escape room and their hacks for figuring out the headcounts at local escape rooms. This is a masterclass in how to approach escape room design with intentionality and thoughtfulness.
Episode SponsorsThank you to our sponsors Morty, Buzzshot, and COGS:
MortyMorty is a free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings.
Morty News:
Special Badge for REPOD listeners:
You can learn more at morty.app/REPOD to sign up and get a special badge for our listeners (works for existing users also).
BuzzshotBuzzshot is Escape Room Software, Powering Business Growth, Player Marketing, and improving the Customer Experience. They offer an assortment of pre and post game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and streamlined review management for Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, and Morty. Buzzshot now has integration with the other REPOD sponsors: Morty and COGS.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners get an extended 21-day free trial plus 20% off your first 3 months, with no set-up fees or hidden charges. Visit buzzshot.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.
COGSCOGS by Clockwork Dog is an easy to use software/ hardware platform for running interactive events, including escape rooms, and other immersive experiences. They have plug & play hardware that seamlessly integrates with their software so you can create a show with lighting and sound cues without having to write a single line of code. Map all kinds of inputs to outputs by building up simple logic steps which determine what you want to happen and when.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners can get the COGS Starter Set for only $130 + free shipping to the USA. This bundle is usually valued at $257. You can learn more and purchase your Starter Set at cogs.show. Use code REPOD at checkout.
Production CreditsHosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law
Produced by Theresa Piazza
Supported by Lisa Spira & Richard Burns
Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media
Music by Ryan Elder
Logo by Janine Pracht
We're sharing a little bit of our Patreon exclusive Bonus show from S6E6 with Kellian and Brian Pletcher, co-creators of Club Drosselmeyer.
Here's a snippet of us sharing some advice for interacting with the performers at an immersive event. And also how to draw some hesitant guests, deeper into your storyline.
Listen to the rest of the Bonus Show now by becoming a patron today at patreon.com/roomescapeartist and to gain to access our library of over 50 bonus after shows.
Thank you for supporting our work.
“It's an interactive Nutcracker in swing time.” In REPOD season 6, episode 6, we go behind the scenes with the creators of Club Drosselmeyer, Kellian and Brian Pletcher. Club Drosselmeyer is a World War II-themed mass-puzzling, swing-dancing, and immersive performance event, and it’s one of Room Escape Artist’s favorite holiday events.
Kellian talks to us about what to expect from Club Drosselmeyer, the format of the show, and how the puzzles work. She talks about drawing inspiration from history as well as current events and tells us why it’s important to throw in a dash of whimsy and weirdness (like robots in 1940.) We also chat about how to approach large-scale, open-world immersive events without getting overwhelmed.
If you’re looking for a fabulous holiday event with mysteries to unravel, puzzles to solve, gorgeous outfits, raucous performances, and a lively dance floor, look no further than Club Drosselmeyer. David and Lisa love it so much that they created Operation Nutcracker, a Room Escape Artist event built around this show.
Episode SponsorsThank you to our sponsors Morty, Buzzshot, and COGS:
MortyMorty is a free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings.
Morty News:
Special Badge for REPOD listeners:
You can learn more at morty.app/REPOD to sign up and get a special badge for our listeners (works for existing users also).
BuzzshotBuzzshot is Escape Room Software, Powering Business Growth, Player Marketing, and improving the Customer Experience. They offer an assortment of pre and post game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and streamlined review management for Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, and Morty. Buzzshot now has integration with the other REPOD sponsors: Morty and COGS.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners get an extended 21-day free trial plus 20% off your first 3 months, with no set-up fees or hidden charges. Visit buzzshot.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.
COGSCOGS by Clockwork Dog is an easy to use software/ hardware platform for running interactive events, including escape rooms, and other immersive experiences. They have plug & play hardware that seamlessly integrates with their software so you can create a show with lighting and sound cues without having to write a single line of code. Map all kinds of inputs to outputs by building up simple logic steps which determine what you want to happen and when.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners can get the COGS Starter Set for only $130 + free shipping to the USA. This bundle is usually valued at $257. You can learn more and purchase your Starter Set at cogs.show. Use code REPOD at checkout.
Production CreditsHosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law
Produced by Theresa Piazza
Supported by Lisa Spira & Richard Burns
Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media
Music by Ryan Elder
Logo by Janine Pracht
We're sharing a little bit of our Patreon exclusive Bonus show from S6E5 with where Peih-Gee & David catch up on their experiences and travels.
In this preview, we talk about playing escape rooms with new players. Going out to experience Delusion an immersive haunted attraction and Pomona, California, and Ghost of Mentryville, a recently reopened game from Arcane Escape Rooms.
Listen to the rest of the Bonus Show now by becoming a patron today at patreon.com/roomescapeartist and to gain to access our library of over 50 bonus after shows.
Thank you for supporting our work.
“Chris, you’re a monster.”
Join us for spooky trivia games that test your escape room knowledge and scary stories to tell in the dark. Peih-Gee takes over hosting duties from David to present a ghostly and entertaining episode with guests Tommy Honton, and Anne & Chris Lukeman.
We learn about things like mummy brown and the origins of Halloween, a unique trick or treating tradition in the midwest, and a video game called Sanity’s Requiem, which gaslit its players into going mad. Play along with us on The Price is Fright, where we guess the number of escape rooms in the world with certain words in the title, such as “zombie” or “asylum.” And you don’t want to miss Chris’ terrifying tale of a group of friends who wander into an escape room and leave haunted with a mystery they’ll never figure out.
This is a special seasonal episode, and we’ll return to our usual format next week. We hope you have fun playing along on our Halloween Spooktacular Special. Happy Hauntings!
Episode SponsorsThank you to our sponsors Morty, Buzzshot, and COGS:
MortyMorty is a free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings.
Morty News:
Special Badge for REPOD listeners:
You can learn more at morty.app/REPOD to sign up and get a special badge for our listeners (works for existing users also).
BuzzshotBuzzshot is Escape Room Software, Powering Business Growth, Player Marketing, and improving the Customer Experience. They offer an assortment of pre and post game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and streamlined review management for Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, and Morty. Buzzshot now has integration with the other REPOD sponsors: Morty and COGS.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners get an extended 21-day free trial plus 20% off your first 3 months, with no set-up fees or hidden charges. Visit buzzshot.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.
COGSCOGS by Clockwork Dog is an easy to use software/ hardware platform for running interactive events, including escape rooms, and other immersive experiences. They have plug & play hardware that seamlessly integrates with their software so you can create a show with lighting and sound cues without having to write a single line of code. Map all kinds of inputs to outputs by building up simple logic steps which determine what you want to happen and when.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners can get the COGS Starter Set for only $130 + free shipping to the USA. This bundle is usually valued at $257. You can learn more and purchase your Starter Set at cogs.show. Use code REPOD at checkout.
Production CreditsHosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law
Produced by Theresa Piazza
Supported by Lisa Spira & Richard Burns
Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media
Music by Ryan Elder
Logo by Janine Pracht
We're sharing a little bit of our Patreon exclusive Bonus show from S6E4 with Mark Larson co-creator and voice of The Shop of Theseus.
Here's a snippet of where Mark we talks about implementing search mechanics. David also gives us a teaser for the game at RECON next year, which will be live in person in Los Angeles.
Listen to the rest of the Bonus Show now by becoming a patron today at patreon.com/roomescapeartist and to gain to access our library of over 50 bonus after shows.
Thank you for supporting our work.
We're giving The Shop of Theseus a final send-off, and we invited the hilarious crew from the Hey Riddle Riddle Podcast to test their wits in this audio escape room co-created and run by Mark Larson, who was a guest on REPOD Season 5, Episode 11.
If you missed playing this game during RECON Remote 23, or if you want to relive your glory moments, join us for this final playthrough of The Shop of Theseus. JPC, Adal, and Erin are some of Chicago's top improvisers, and they had me roaring with laughter through the entire game. I highly recommend checking out their podcast Hey Riddle Riddle if you like improv comedy and riddles. Start with the episode guest-starring our very own Peih-Gee Law.
Episode SponsorsThank you to our sponsors Morty, Buzzshot, and COGS:
MortyMorty is a free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings.
Morty News:
Special Badge for REPOD listeners:
You can learn more at morty.app/REPOD to sign up and get a special badge for our listeners (works for existing users also).
BuzzshotBuzzshot is Escape Room Software, Powering Business Growth, Player Marketing, and improving the Customer Experience. They offer an assortment of pre and post game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and streamlined review management for Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, and Morty. Buzzshot now has integration with the other REPOD sponsors: Morty and COGS.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners get an extended 21-day free trial plus 20% off your first 3 months, with no set-up fees or hidden charges. Visit buzzshot.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.
COGSCOGS by Clockwork Dog is an easy to use software/ hardware platform for running interactive events, including escape rooms, and other immersive experiences. They have plug & play hardware that seamlessly integrates with their software so you can create a show with lighting and sound cues without having to write a single line of code. Map all kinds of inputs to outputs by building up simple logic steps which determine what you want to happen and when.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners can get the COGS Starter Set for only $130 + free shipping to the USA. This bundle is usually valued at $257. You can learn more and purchase your Starter Set at cogs.show. Use code REPOD at checkout.
Production CreditsHosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law
Produced by Theresa Piazza
Supported by Lisa Spira & Richard Burns
Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media
Music by Ryan Elder
Logo by Janine Pracht
We're sharing a little bit of our Patreon exclusive Bonus show from S6E3 with Christine Barger co-creator of 13th Basement.
Here's a snippet of Christine sharing the type of content that has worked for her escape room which has garnered millions of views on TikTok.
Listen to the rest of the Bonus Show now by becoming a patron today at patreon.com/roomescapeartist and to gain to access our library of over 50 bonus after shows.
Thank you for supporting our work.
“It's about whether you want to be culturally relevant in 2023.” In Season 6, Episode 3 of REPOD, we discuss the importance of social media marketing with The Haunt Girl—Christine Barger, co-owner of The Exit Game OC. Her game, 13th Basement, is a hilarious comedy-horror escape room that’s self-aware and parodies typical escape room tropes. Christine has almost a million followers on TikTok as an entertainer and haunt/ escape room influencer.
The conversation moves from haunts to being an escape room blogger. Christine tells us how she finally made the leap from influencer to escape room creator. Christine is one of the very few owners who allows players to film her entire game, and she actively encourages them to post in-game footage on social media. Hear what she has to say about why this is essential for growing your escape room business.
It was fascinating to hear Christine’s approach to social media for her escape room business, especially when she explains her background as an influencer and social media whiz. She’s leveraged in-game footage to create viral videos with millions of views, driving new players to her escape room. This is a can’t-miss conversation for those looking to improve their marketing game.
Episode SponsorsThank you to our sponsors Morty, Buzzshot, and COGS:
MortyMorty is a free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings.
Morty News:
Special Badge for REPOD listeners:
You can learn more at morty.app/REPOD to sign up and get a special badge for our listeners (works for existing users also).
BuzzshotBuzzshot is Escape Room Software, Powering Business Growth, Player Marketing, and improving the Customer Experience. They offer an assortment of pre and post game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and streamlined review management for Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, and Morty. Buzzshot now has integration with the other REPOD sponsors: Morty and COGS.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners get an extended 21-day free trial plus 20% off your first 3 months, with no set-up fees or hidden charges. Visit buzzshot.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.
COGSCOGS by Clockwork Dog is an easy to use software/ hardware platform for running interactive events, including escape rooms, and other immersive experiences. They have plug & play hardware that seamlessly integrates with their software so you can create a show with lighting and sound cues without having to write a single line of code. Map all kinds of inputs to outputs by building up simple logic steps which determine what you want to happen and when.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners can get the COGS Starter Set for only $130 + free shipping to the USA. This bundle is usually valued at $257. You can learn more and purchase your Starter Set at cogs.show. Use code REPOD at checkout.
Production CreditsHosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law
Produced by Theresa Piazza
Supported by Lisa Spira & Richard Burns
Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media
Music by Ryan Elder
Logo by Janine Pracht
We're sharing a little bit of our Patreon exclusive Bonus show from S6E2 with Rich Bragg of TERPECA.
Here's a snippet of Rich talking about the inherent difficulties of trying to rank the top escape rooms in the world on the typical list.
Listen to the rest of the Bonus Show now by becoming a patron today at patreon.com/roomescapeartist and to gain to access our library of over 50 bonus after shows.
Thank you for supporting our work.
If you consider yourself a serious escape room enthusiast, chances are you’ve heard of TERPECA, the Top Escape Rooms Project Enthusiasts' Choice Award. In Season 6, Episode 2 of REPOD, we chat with Rich Bragg, founder of TERPECA and ClueKeeper, and a former escape room Guinness World Record holder.
Rich has been involved in the immersive gaming scene since he first discovered the world of elaborate puzzle hunts in the early 2000s. Rich talks about playing in Moscow while setting the Guinness World record, and he tells us about playing the “hard with pain” game mode. We discuss the “TERPECA Effect,” while talking about the impact that the Enthusiast Choice Awards has had on the international escape room scene. Not only has this project created a globally recognized reference list of the top escape rooms, it has also brought the international community together, with many enthusiasts traveling all over the world to experience these games.
Rich’s passion for the puzzling world crosses many genres. It’s abundantly clear that he puts a lot of thought into ensuring that TERPECA is balanced, fair, and accurately reflects the opinions of the most experienced players. If you’re an experienced enthusiast, we hope this episode convinces you to vote in the upcoming TERPECA season. Your opinion matters!
Episode SponsorsThank you to our sponsors Morty, Buzzshot, and COGS:
MortyMorty is a free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings.
Morty News:
Special Badge for REPOD listeners:
You can learn more at morty.app/REPOD to sign up and get a special badge for our listeners (works for existing users also).
BuzzshotBuzzshot is Escape Room Software, Powering Business Growth, Player Marketing, and improving the Customer Experience. They offer an assortment of pre and post game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and streamlined review management for Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, and Morty. Buzzshot now has integration with the other REPOD sponsors: Morty and COGS.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners get an extended 21-day free trial plus 20% off your first 3 months, with no set-up fees or hidden charges. Visit buzzshot.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.
COGSCOGS by Clockwork Dog is an easy to use software/ hardware platform for running interactive events, including escape rooms, and other immersive experiences. They have plug & play hardware that seamlessly integrates with their software so you can create a show with lighting and sound cues without having to write a single line of code. Map all kinds of inputs to outputs by building up simple logic steps which determine what you want to happen and when.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners can get the COGS Starter Set for only $130 + free shipping to the USA. This bundle is usually valued at $257. You can learn more and purchase your Starter Set at cogs.show. Use code REPOD at checkout.
Production CreditsHosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law
Produced by Theresa Piazza
Supported by Lisa Spira & Richard Burns
Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media
Music by Ryan Elder
Logo by Janine Pracht
We're sharing a little bit of our Patreon exclusive Bonus show from S6E1 with Christian and Zach of Doors of Divergence.
Here's a snippet of Christian and Zach talking about their expectations of what their audience would love and what actually kept people coming back for replays. David talks about his past covering live music events and compares doors of divergence to jazz music. They also talk about creating on the fly, magical memories for their guests.
Listen to the rest of the Bonus Show now by becoming a patron today at patreon.com/roomescapeartist and to gain to access our library of over 50 bonus after shows.
Thank you for supporting our work.
What if you entered an escape room where the choices are real and every decision you make causes ripples down the line of your adventure? Replayability is one of the hottest topics in the escape room world, and right now, no company showcases it better than Doors of Divergence in New York City. In Season 6, Episode 1 of REPOD, we chat with Christian Vernon and Zac MacKrell, the creators behind Doors of Divergence. They spill the secrets of their success, including their secret weapon when it comes to their immersive actors.
They describe their games Heresy: 1898 and Madness: 1917 as "escape room meets immersive theater meets choose-your-own-adventure novel." We learn about how the branching narratives work in their shows. They talk about being surprised at the popularity of their achievement system "Chivo." Christian and Zac tell us how they got their start in the immersive worlds of themed restaurants and extreme zombie paintball. We also learn about their philosophy when it comes to onboarding and the magic circle.
It's clear that these two creators have a wildly ambitious approach to designing their escape rooms in ways that empower their audience. Sadly, they have lost their venue and will have to shut down operations while they hunt for a new home. Doors will remain open through October 20, 2023, and I highly recommend you experience their special brand of madness while you can.
Episode SponsorsThank you to our sponsors Morty, Buzzshot, and COGS:
MortyMorty is a free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings.
Morty News:
Special Badge for REPOD listeners:
You can learn more at morty.app/REPOD to sign up and get a special badge for our listeners (works for existing users also).
BuzzshotBuzzshot is Escape Room Software, Powering Business Growth, Player Marketing, and improving the Customer Experience. They offer an assortment of pre and post game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and streamlined review management for Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, and Morty. Buzzshot now has integration with the other REPOD sponsors: Morty and COGS.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners get an extended 21-day free trial plus 20% off your first 3 months, with no set-up fees or hidden charges. Visit buzzshot.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.
COGSCOGS by Clockwork Dog is an easy to use software/ hardware platform for running interactive events, including escape rooms, and other immersive experiences. They have plug & play hardware that seamlessly integrates with their software so you can create a show with lighting and sound cues without having to write a single line of code. Map all kinds of inputs to outputs by building up simple logic steps which determine what you want to happen and when.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners can get the COGS Starter Set for only $130 + free shipping to the USA. This bundle is usually valued at $257. You can learn more and purchase your Starter Set at cogs.show. Use code REPOD at checkout.
Production CreditsHosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law
Produced by Theresa Piazza
Supported by Lisa Spira & Richard Burns
Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media
Music by Ryan Elder
Logo by Janine Pracht
We brought together escape room industry professionals and enthusiasts from all around the world for a 2-day virtual event in August. If you're still coming down off the high of RECON Remote 23, we've got you covered. In this pre-season special release, we break down all the happenings at RECON, with a special behind-the-scenes look from Brendan Lutz, Room Escape Artist's CTO, and the Head of Technology for RECON.
We kick things off by reflecting on mistakes make in previous events and how it helped craft the program for this year's RECON. We touch on the different talks, from the financial talk to decoding the social media marketing puzzle. Puzzle design enthusiasts won't be disappointed either, with deep dives into the creative process. Along the way, we share the challenges faced in ticket sales and staffing predictions, offering a glimpse into what the future might hold.
This year's event was further testimony to David and Lisa's dedication to building a kind and thoughtful community in the escape room industry. Stay tuned until the end to witness Peih-Gee's annual quest to make David shed a tear on-air.
Show Notes
Episode SponsorThank you to our sponsor:
MortyMorty is a free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings.
Special Badge for REPOD listeners:
You can learn more at MortyApp.com/REPOD to sign up and get a special badge for our listeners (works for existing users also).
Music CreditsOur music was created by Ryan Elder.
Production CreditsSpoilers Club is produced by Lisa Spira and edited by Peih-Gee Law.
The floor is cold and hard against our face as we groggily awaken to Pigjaw looming over us... and the only way to survive is to saw(lve) his riddles.
Hey Riddle Riddle is an uproariously funny podcast featuring improvisers Adal Rifai, Erin Keif, and John Patrick Coan solving every riddle, puzzle, brain-teaser, and head-scratcher known to humanity. Some riddles are almost impossible, some are absolutely improbable, and some simply have not aged well. And if you don't like riddles, don't worry! This podcast is barely about them!
In this podcast crossover, REPOD co-host Peih-Gee Law makes a guest appearance to help solve some puzzles while trying to escape the dastardly clutches of PigJaw. We play a few brainteasers, a word game created by Peih-Gee, and a very fun game finding appropriate names for different professions.
Special thanks to Hey Riddle Riddle for sharing this episode with our listeners. Adal, Erin and JPC are hilarious and talented, occasionally both at the same time. Make sure to check out their podcast for your weekly dose of sketch comedy and riddles.
Have you wanted to go behind the scenes at your favorite escape rooms? With the Spoilers Club, our patron-exclusive series, we take a deep dive with the creators of iconic escape rooms for an indulgent recap plus creator commentary. This content is normally safeguarded by Patreon access to avoid accidental spoilers leaking into the pubic, but we were lucky to cover an amazing escape room that is no longer running, and we're sharing it with everyone.
Time Machine from Not Another Escape Room is a local fan favorite amongst SoCal escape room enthusiasts, and for good reason. Creators Davey Eaves and Bora Olcken managed a magician's trick of sending players through the same door over and over again, only to emerge into completely new and different rooms.
In this podcast, Davey and Bora break down how they managed to bend time and space through origami-like manipulation of their sets, what excites them about designing escape rooms, and why they want to create games that are, indeed, not just another escape room. Take a listen to go inside their unique and different approach to escape room mechanics.
If you enjoyed this podcast, you can browse the other escape rooms we've covered in our Spoilers Club. To get access to these podcasts, support Room Escape Artist on Patreon.
Episode SponsorThank you to our sponsor:
MortyMorty is a free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings.
Special Badge for REPOD listeners:
You can learn more at MortyApp.com/REPOD to sign up and get a special badge for our listeners (works for existing users also).
Music CreditsOur music was created by Ryan Elder.
Production CreditsSpoilers Club is produced by Lisa Spira and edited by Peih-Gee Law.
What does it take to compete on the reality show Survivor? What's the backstory on these contestants? Learn more about REPOD co-host Peih-Gee Law and what makes her tick in this special RHAP crossover episode.
Road to Reality is a limited edition series hosted by Kellyn Bechtold (@theKellynB) from Survivor Ghost Island. Listen in while she interviews former Survivor contestants about their real life and how being on reality television has had a major impact on their life trajectories. Every reality contestant has been on a story-worthy journey to land on television and yet the edit turns them into a hero or a villain or maybe something in between, but it is always just one dimension.
In this podcast crossover, Kellyn interviews REPOD co-host Peih-Gee Law about her life previous to appearing on Survivor: China and Survivor: Second Chances. In this episode, we talk about how she feels about her more well rounded edit, seeing life through rose colored glasses, how she’s moved from being a lone wolf to a creator of communities, getting lucky, and being in control of your own life experience. Stay until the end to hear her Five Keys for guaranteeing a happier life.
Special thanks to Rob Has a Podcast for sharing this episode with our listeners, and thank you to Kellyn for being a great interviewer and drawing out some introspective and vulnerable conversations.
It’s the dog days of August, and nothing screams summer more than theme parks, fried chicken, Star Wars, and ice cream... except for episode guest Mark Larson, but you'll have to listen to the end for that story. In this special release of a patron-exclusive bonus episode from S5E11, Peih-Gee and David discuss their recent trips to Disneyland’s Galaxy’s Edge and Knott’s Berry Farm’s Ghost Town Alive. We’re joined by editor Steve Ewing and game designer Mark, who chats about his involvement with DASH: Different Area, Same Hunt, a global puzzle hunt. Mark also created the ridiculously fun Shop of Theseus game exclusively for RECON23. (Tickets are still available for this limited edition event.)
We start with fried chicken ice cream. Then Peih-Gee gives a short history of how Knott’s Berry Farm grew from a roadside stand selling berries and fried chicken dinners to a massive theme park. She also discusses Ghost Town Alive, Knott’s Berry Farm’s interactive Western-themed experience, and the gang regales you with the hilarious story of Peih-Gee’s unhinged rise to Mayor Law in Calico.
Mark Larson explains how DASH works, and we talk about some other approachable puzzle hunts. David raves about the ride Rise of the Resistance at Disneyland’s Galaxy’s Edge and talks about snagging some of the last tickets for the Galactic Starcruiser. He also discloses that his wife Lisa had never watched any of the Star Wars movies and breaks down her live reactions to watching them for the first time. We close out with a chat about the now-discontinued Battlestar Galactica board game.
Show Notes & Timestamps
Episode SponsorsThank you to our sponsors:
MortyMorty is a free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings.
Special Badge for REPOD listeners:
You can learn more at MortyApp.com/REPOD to sign up and get a special badge for our listeners (works for existing users also).
Reality Escape Convention - RECONEscape room conventions should be as fun, collaborative, and immersive as the games we celebrate.
RECON is our very own escape room and immersive gaming convention. Whether you’re an owner, creator, player, or you’re escape room curious, you are invited learn, connect, and play with our wonderful community.
RECON Remote 23 will take place August 19 – 20, 2023, online.
RECON 24 will be in person.
Get your RECON 23 ticket at now.
Music CreditsOur music was created by Ryan Elder.
Production CreditsBonus REPOD is produced by Lisa Spira and edited by Peih-Gee Law.
Imagine American Ninja Warrior meets Mario Party mini-games, all set in an epic art-filled space... and you’ll have some idea of what Level99 is like.
In Season 5, episode 12, we chat with Matthew DuPlessie, founder of 5 Wits, the original immersive gaming experience, and Level99, a new type of open world gaming concept. 5 Wits pre-dates escape rooms, with the first location opening in 2004. It included immersive sets and a high-tech, high-throughput model, filled with puzzles, adventure and storyline. Level99 opened more recently in 2021, designed to solve some of the throughput issues Matt found with 5 Wits.
Matt shares a lot of business advice for escape room owners, including considerations for increasing throughput and creating models with low recurring costs. He also talks with us about how he developed the original concept for 5 Wits, and shares some exclusive behind-the-scenes looks at some of the special effects for 5 Wits games.
As a mechanical engineer and businessman who loved theme parks, Matt wanted to create the feel of a theme park encapsulated into a retail storefront. That’s how 5 Wits was born. Matt is passionate about pushing the frontiers of immersive gaming while balancing the reality of throughput models and the economics of running a successful business. He has created some really innovative gaming concepts, and we loved picking his brain in this conversation.
Episode SponsorsThank you to our sponsors:
MortyMorty is a free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings.
Special Badge for REPOD listeners:
You can learn more at MortyApp.com/REPOD to sign up and get a special badge for our listeners (works for existing users also).
ResovaResova is your all-inclusive software for bookings, made specifically for escape rooms, offering robust booking management, waiver management, integrated point of sales systems, and follow-up emails. Resova is the ultimate online reservation software designed to elevate the guest experience, increase game master efficiencies, drive sales, and improve operations.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
Sign up with our link at Get.resova.com/rea and receive up to $100 with a Google Ads gift card.
Reality Escape Convention - RECONEscape room conventions should be as fun, collaborative, and immersive as the games we celebrate.
RECON is our very own escape room and immersive gaming convention. Whether you’re an owner, creator, player, or you’re escape room curious, you are invited learn, connect, and play with our wonderful community.
RECON Remote 23 will take place August 19 – 20, 2023, online.
RECON 24 will be in person.
Get your RECON 23 ticket at now.
Music CreditsOur music was created by Ryan Elder.
Production CreditsREPOD is produced by Lisa Spira and edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media.
In Season 5, episode 11, we chat with Mark Larson, a game and puzzle designer with an impressive track record. As David notes, Mark is the only designer to have contributed to Golden Lock award winning games in 3 different categories: tabletop, virtual, and IRL escape room.
We talk to Mark about the different hats he's worn while working in the gaming industry: designing tabletop games, managing escape rooms, and designing audio escape rooms. One of his award-winning audio creations was Escape from Escape Island, a game created exclusively for RECON 2021. Mark has also designed the virtual game for the upcoming RECON Remote 23: The Shop of Theseus.
We hear the story behind Mark's infamous headshot with Captain Adama from the TV show Battlestar Galactica, and loyal listeners will get a chance to hear Peih-Gee sing. Mark has navigated his long career in the gaming and puzzle world with humor, charm, and kindness. We're so happy for a chance to chat about his experiences.
Episode SponsorsThank you to our sponsors:
MortyMorty is a free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings.
Special Badge for REPOD listeners:
You can learn more at MortyApp.com/REPOD to sign up and get a special badge for our listeners (works for existing users also).
ResovaResova is your all-inclusive software for bookings, made specifically for escape rooms, offering robust booking management, waiver management, integrated point of sales systems, and follow-up emails. Resova is the ultimate online reservation software designed to elevate the guest experience, increase game master efficiencies, drive sales, and improve operations.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
Sign up with our link at Get.resova.com/rea and receive up to $100 with a Google Ads gift card.
Reality Escape Convention - RECONEscape room conventions should be as fun, collaborative, and immersive as the games we celebrate.
RECON is our very own escape room and immersive gaming convention. Whether you’re an owner, creator, player, or you’re escape room curious, you are invited learn, connect, and play with our wonderful community.
RECON Remote 23 will take place August 19 – 20, 2023, online.
RECON 24 will be in person.
Get your RECON 23 ticket at now.
Music CreditsOur music was created by Ryan Elder.
Production CreditsREPOD is produced by Lisa Spira and edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media.
In Season 5, Episode 10 of REPOD we chat with Taylor Pfyffer and Josh Skidmore from The Exit Games. Passionate escape room enthusiasts Tay and Josh have made a name for themselves with their innovative and captivating games. Their latest creation, Pins & Needles, just won a Golden Lock Award. Both this game and their other game, Servants of Sleight, placed in the top 40 on the 2023 TERPECA list.
The intentionality of their storytelling shines through in every little detail, even the immersive "warnings" on their website. Players may be surprised to discover that Tay and Josh build all the games themselves, given their impressive scenic design. They also share some of the Easter eggs hidden in their escape rooms, such as sneaking a Fenways into the "back alleys" of New York City.
They stuck to their guns when everyone told them that a tattoo parlor theme was too risky, or that the names of their games were "weird" and it paid off. The escape rooms at The Exit Games, particularly the acclaimed Servants of Sleight and Pins & Needles at their Clearwater, FL, location are designed with escape room enthusiasts in mind. Tay and Josh have a true passion for escape rooms and it shines through their inventive designs, captivating storytelling, and meticulous craftsmanship.
Episode SponsorsThank you to our sponsors:
MortyMorty is a free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings.
Special Badge for REPOD listeners:
You can learn more at MortyApp.com/REPOD to sign up and get a special badge for our listeners (works for existing users also).
ResovaResova is your all-inclusive software for bookings, made specifically for escape rooms, offering robust booking management, waiver management, integrated point of sales systems, and follow-up emails. Resova is the ultimate online reservation software designed to elevate the guest experience, increase game master efficiencies, drive sales, and improve operations.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
Sign up with our link at Get.resova.com/rea and receive up to $100 with a Google Ads gift card.
Reality Escape Convention - RECONEscape room conventions should be as fun, collaborative, and immersive as the games we celebrate.
RECON is our very own escape room and immersive gaming convention. Whether you’re an owner, creator, player, or you’re escape room curious, you are invited learn, connect, and play with our wonderful community.
RECON Remote 23 will take place August 19 – 20, 2023, online.
RECON 24 will be in person.
Get your RECON 23 ticket at now.
Music CreditsOur music was created by Ryan Elder.
Production CreditsREPOD is produced by Lisa Spira and edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media.
In Season 5, Episode 9, David and Peih-Gee celebrate the 50th episode of REPOD! As they reflect on the journey to 50 episodes, David says that his perspective shift comes from observing Peih-Gee’s growth as both an escape room enthusiast and podcaster, transitioning from regional enthusiast to having a more global perspective. David has been covering this industry for almost ten years. It’s startling to think about the influence that Room Escape Artist has had, which we don’t realize until guests mention it on the podcast.
We spend some time pondering magic wishes… if we could wave a magic wand and wish some things into existence at different points along the player journey, what would they be? We also listen to messages from past guests and play a game Peih-Gee created based on some of the escape rooms we’ve covered in our Spoilers Club show.
We’re both extremely proud of this podcast, and are grateful for this wonderful friendship and collaboration. This podcast wouldn’t exist without all the support from our sponsors and listeners. Thank you for supporting us for 50 episodes, and here’s to 50 more! (or 50,000 more, as Peih-Gee said on the podcast.)
Episode SponsorsThank you to our sponsors:
MortyMorty is a free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings.
Special Badge for REPOD listeners:
You can learn more at MortyApp.com/REPOD to sign up and get a special badge for our listeners (works for existing users also).
ResovaResova is your all-inclusive software for bookings, made specifically for escape rooms, offering robust booking management, waiver management, integrated point of sales systems, and follow-up emails. Resova is the ultimate online reservation software designed to elevate the guest experience, increase game master efficiencies, drive sales, and improve operations.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
Sign up with our link at Get.resova.com/rea and receive up to $100 with a Google Ads gift card.
Reality Escape Convention - RECONEscape room conventions should be as fun, collaborative, and immersive as the games we celebrate.
RECON is our very own escape room and immersive gaming convention. Whether you’re an owner, creator, player, or you’re escape room curious, you are invited learn, connect, and play with our wonderful community.
RECON Remote 23 will take place August 19 – 20, 2023, online.
RECON 24 will be in person.
Get your RECON 23 ticket at now.
Music CreditsOur music was created by Ryan Elder.
Production CreditsREPOD is produced by Lisa Spira and edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media.
In Season 5, episode 8, we have a lively chat with Dani Siller and Bill Sunderland of Escape This Podcast. Dani and Bill are the pioneers of the audio escape game format, which blends an escape room with tabletop roleplaying. They’ve been creating these audio escape rooms for their podcast listeners since 2017, long before the popularity of virtual escape games arose over the pandemic. Between laughs and reminiscing about ridiculous interactions in their games, Dani and Bill share their insights on creating the best experiences for this medium.
We hear about their podcast editing tricks for creating tension and avoiding tedium. They give us some really solid tips on creating puzzles for the audio medium, including “keyword matching,” which helps players make connections between components of a puzzle. I was also surprised to hear that mundane settings, as opposed to magical settings, often work best in this format because it’s easier for players to discern where the puzzle is and see the consequences of their actions.
This glimpse into the creative process behind Escape This Podcast brings new appreciation for the show that Dani and Bill have created. They shared a lot of tips and tricks for designing an audio escape room, and talked about design decisions they made early on that they wouldn’t repeat now. Dani and Bill are immensely entertaining, and if you enjoyed this episode, I hope you’ll check out their podcast.
Episode SponsorsThank you to our sponsors:
MortyMorty is a free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings.
Special Badge for REPOD listeners:
You can learn more at MortyApp.com/REPOD to sign up and get a special badge for our listeners (works for existing users also).
ResovaResova is your all-inclusive software for bookings, made specifically for escape rooms, offering robust booking management, waiver management, integrated point of sales systems, and follow-up emails. Resova is the ultimate online reservation software designed to elevate the guest experience, increase game master efficiencies, drive sales, and improve operations.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
Sign up with our link at Get.resova.com/rea and receive up to $100 with a Google Ads gift card.
Reality Escape Convention - RECONEscape room conventions should be as fun, collaborative, and immersive as the games we celebrate.
RECON is our very own escape room and immersive gaming convention. Whether you’re an owner, creator, player, or you’re escape room curious, you are invited learn, connect, and play with our wonderful community.
RECON Remote 23 will take place August 19 – 20, 2023, online.
RECON 24 will be in person.
Get your RECON 23 ticket at now.
Music CreditsOur music was created by Ryan Elder.
Production CreditsREPOD is produced by Lisa Spira and edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media.
In Season 5, episode 7, we dive into designing for the widest audience possible with Sina Bahram, a computer scientist and accessibility consultant who is passionate about inclusive design. He shares his personal experience as a blind individual and his dedication to improving accessibility for all. Sina’s work on inclusive design methodology has been honored by many organizations, including being named one of President Obama’s Champions of Change in 2012, as well as being named one of the two inaugural Catalyst award recipients by the Themed Entertainment Association in 2022.
Inclusive design, according to Sina, is about shifting the responsibility of accessibility from individuals to society as a whole. It’s a game-changer that benefits everyone, just like how closed captioning is not only used by deaf people, but by people who have issues processing audio information, those who speak another language, or anyone trying to follow the news in a loud bar.
Sina emphasizes the importance of considering inclusive design early in the design process. This allows accessibility solutions to be integrated in a comprehensive, seamless and efficient manner, rather than retrospectively added late in the design process in an audit-based approach. Sina’s message is clear: inclusive design is essential, and it’s all about embracing diversity, breaking barriers, and creating experiences that bring people together. My hope is that this conversation inspires more designers to consider inclusive access so we can welcome more and more people into the escape room community.
Show Notes, Timestamps, & Transcript
Episode SponsorsThank you to our sponsors:
MortyMorty is a free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings.
Special Badge for REPOD listeners:
You can learn more at MortyApp.com/REPOD to sign up and get a special badge for our listeners (works for existing users also).
ResovaResova is your all-inclusive software for bookings, made specifically for escape rooms, offering robust booking management, waiver management, integrated point of sales systems, and follow-up emails. Resova is the ultimate online reservation software designed to elevate the guest experience, increase game master efficiencies, drive sales, and improve operations.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
Sign up with our link at Get.resova.com/rea and receive up to $100 with a Google Ads gift card.
Reality Escape Convention - RECONEscape room conventions should be as fun, collaborative, and immersive as the games we celebrate.
RECON is our very own escape room and immersive gaming convention. Whether you’re an owner, creator, player, or you’re escape room curious, you are invited learn, connect, and play with our wonderful community.
RECON Remote 23 will take place August 19 – 20, 2023, online.
RECON 24 will be in person.
Get your RECON 23 ticket at now.
Music CreditsOur music was created by Ryan Elder.
Production CreditsREPOD is produced by Lisa Spira and edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media.
In season 5, episode 6 of Reality Escape Pod, we step into the DarkVerse with Gijs Geers, CEO and Head of Design at DarkPark Escape Rooms, one of our favorite escape room companies. DarkPark distinguishes itself with its consistently high production value, intriguing storytelling, and masterfully crafted scares. This quality of work persists across all their games, their branding, and their marketing.
Gijs shares his thought process when designing rooms. I loved hearing about his approach to crafting the storylines. Rather than shoving a narrative at the players, he shapes elements of a story and offers it to his players, allowing them to form their own stories. Gijs also shares his secret to creating effective jump scares, which stems from his background as an actor and magician.
DarkPark’s approach to designing escape rooms is really unique. All of the games I played there are etched in my memory as a series of cinematic vignettes. The folks at DarkPark are master storytellers, infusing their games with drama, wonder, and thrills. This is a conversation you won’t want to miss.
Full with Show Notes Timestamps
Episode SponsorsThank you to our sponsors:
MortyMorty is a free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings.
Special Badge for REPOD listeners:
You can learn more at MortyApp.com/REPOD to sign up and get a special badge for our listeners (works for existing users also).
ResovaResova is your all-inclusive software for bookings, made specifically for escape rooms, offering robust booking management, waiver management, integrated point of sales systems, and follow-up emails. Resova is the ultimate online reservation software designed to elevate the guest experience, increase game master efficiencies, drive sales, and improve operations.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
Sign up with our link at Get.resova.com/rea and receive up to $100 with a Google Ads gift card.
Reality Escape Convention - RECONEscape room conventions should be as fun, collaborative, and immersive as the games we celebrate.
RECON is our very own escape room and immersive gaming convention. Whether you’re an owner, creator, player, or you’re escape room curious, you are invited learn, connect, and play with our wonderful community.
RECON Remote 23 will take place August 19 – 20, 2023, online.
RECON 24 will be in person.
Get your RECON 23 ticket at now.
Music CreditsOur music was created by Ryan Elder.
Production CreditsREPOD is produced by Lisa Spira and edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media.
In Season 5, episode 5, we chat with Joel Head from Headlock Escape Rooms. Joel and Janae Head are the creators of The Keeper & the Fungus Among Us—a Golden Lock Award-winning virtual escape room. Picture this: a puppet musical escape room adventure infused with awesome dark fantasy vibes. Imagine if The Labrynth married Rocky Horror Picture Show and they birthed a deliciously villainous mushroom. Throw in a sprinkling of humor, original music by Joel, and absurdly charming sets by Janae. They’ve definitely put the “fun” in fungi.
Joel talks to us about the origins of the game and some of his game inspirations. He gives us a behind-the-scenes look at the intricacies of running The Keeper & the Fungus Among Us, revealing that not only is he puppeteering, he is also handling the software, the set changes, and gamemastering. Talk about a one-man-band! We hear about his musical influences like funk band Vulfpeck and Tim Curry’s Dr. Frank-n-furter. Joel also shares his creation process when designing soundscapes for his virtual escape room.
The Keeper & the Fungus Among Us is one of the best games to emerge from the pandemic, and after chatting with Joel, it’s easy to see why. This game is a hilarious, rollicking romp through a puzzley, puppet-filled world. It’s remarkable how immersive a virtual game can feel. Headlock Escape Rooms is hard at work on the prequel, The Rise of the Fungi, which should be available later this year. We can’t wait to play it.
Full with Show Notes Timestamps
Episode SponsorsThank you to our sponsors:
MortyMorty is a free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings.
Special Badge for REPOD listeners:
You can learn more at MortyApp.com/REPOD to sign up and get a special badge for our listeners (works for existing users also).
ResovaResova is your all-inclusive software for bookings, made specifically for escape rooms, offering robust booking management, waiver management, integrated point of sales systems, and follow-up emails. Resova is the ultimate online reservation software designed to elevate the guest experience, increase game master efficiencies, drive sales, and improve operations.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
Sign up with our link at Get.resova.com/rea and receive up to $100 with a Google Ads gift card.
Reality Escape Convention - RECONEscape room conventions should be as fun, collaborative, and immersive as the games we celebrate.
RECON is our very own escape room and immersive gaming convention. Whether you’re an owner, creator, player, or you’re escape room curious, you are invited learn, connect, and play with our wonderful community.
RECON Remote 23 will take place August 19 – 20, 2023, online.
RECON 24 will be in person.
Get your RECON 23 ticket at now.
Music CreditsOur music was created by Ryan Elder.
Production CreditsREPOD is produced by Lisa Spira and edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media.
In season 5, episode 4, we chat with magician and comedian Harrison Greenbaum. Buckle up, because we are in for a wild ride. Harrison is a hilarious but spicy treat, so be warned that the podcast episode and some of the images below will contain vulgarity and (parodied) demonic images. (No, really. Skip this episode and show notes if you think you’ll be offended.)
Harrison may be headlining Mad Apple by Cirque Du Soleil, a major Las Vegas show, and he may have appeared on many television shows like Conan, America’s Got Talent, Fool Us, and Last Comic Standing, but to us, his best gig was hosting the virtual RECONs. Besides these other gigs, Harrison also created SCAM., The Society of Conjurers and Magicians, a show blending magic, comedy, and puzzles.
In between stories of the time he was almost sued by Criss Angel for creating a parody menu and his sold out show at Madison Square Gardens, Harrison shares advice from his upcoming book, You Are All Terrible and talks about how it can be applied to escape room design. To sum it up: Take risks, be original, and always have a good lawyer on speed dial (or a vengeful David Spira). If all else fails, be funny and distract them with a magic trick. Thanks for the laughs, Harrison!
Full with Show Notes Timestamps
Episode SponsorsThank you to our sponsors:
MortyMorty is a free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings.
Special Badge for REPOD listeners:
You can learn more at MortyApp.com/REPOD to sign up and get a special badge for our listeners (works for existing users also).
ResovaResova is your all-inclusive software for bookings, made specifically for escape rooms, offering robust booking management, waiver management, integrated point of sales systems, and follow-up emails. Resova is the ultimate online reservation software designed to elevate the guest experience, increase game master efficiencies, drive sales, and improve operations.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
Sign up with our link at Get.resova.com/rea and receive up to $100 with a Google Ads gift card.
Reality Escape Convention - RECONEscape room conventions should be as fun, collaborative, and immersive as the games we celebrate.
RECON is our very own escape room and immersive gaming convention. Whether you’re an owner, creator, player, or you’re escape room curious, you are invited learn, connect, and play with our wonderful community.
RECON Remote 23 will take place August 19 – 20, 2023, online.
RECON 24 will be in person.
Get your RECON 23 ticket at now.
Music CreditsOur music was created by Ryan Elder.
Production CreditsREPOD is produced by Lisa Spira and edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media.
In Season 5, Episode 3, we chat with Leroux Botha, the executive producer who managed to revive the production of Survivor South Africa, largely through grit and sheer moxie, after it had been dead in the water. Leroux shares his journey from Survivor super-fan to content producer, to eventually creating his own version of the show. Survivor South Africa is really a fan love letter to the show. He pays homage to past challenges and prefers to keep twists and turns to a minimum. Instead, Leroux chooses to focus on engaging and straightforward storytelling instead of sneaky editing to designed to maximize drama.
Leroux is a self-proclaimed geek at heart, and he shares some of the many Easter eggs he slipped into Season 9, Return of the Outcasts. Some of these are nods to Star Trek, Stargate, and even Magic the Gathering. (Be still, David’s heart.) He also shares some behind-the-scenes insights into the production and casting process. Peih-Gee talks about her experience during the casting process for Survivor China and how the producers ask leading questions to create more drama. LeRoux talks about a much smaller budget has forced them to be more creative.
I really enjoyed hearing about Survivor from the producer’s side, especially when the producer is a scrappy fan who managed to create a compelling homage to the show he loves so much. Survivor South Africa is well loved in part because it reaches for the same magic that made old school Survivor so compelling. I hope this episode convinces you to give it a watch.
Full with Show Notes Timestamps
Episode SponsorsThank you to our sponsors:
MortyMorty is a free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings.
Special Badge for REPOD listeners:
You can learn more at MortyApp.com/REPOD to sign up and get a special badge for our listeners (works for existing users also).
ResovaResova is your all-inclusive software for bookings, made specifically for escape rooms, offering robust booking management, waiver management, integrated point of sales systems, and follow-up emails. Resova is the ultimate online reservation software designed to elevate the guest experience, increase game master efficiencies, drive sales, and improve operations.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
Sign up with our link at Get.resova.com/rea and receive up to $100 with a Google Ads gift card.
Reality Escape Convention - RECONEscape room conventions should be as fun, collaborative, and immersive as the games we celebrate.
RECON is our very own escape room and immersive gaming convention. Whether you’re an owner, creator, player, or you’re escape room curious, you are invited learn, connect, and play with our wonderful community.
RECON Remote 23 will take place August 19 – 20, 2023, online.
RECON 24 will be in person.
Get your RECON 23 ticket at now.
Music CreditsOur music was created by Ryan Elder.
Production CreditsREPOD is produced by Lisa Spira and edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media.
In Season 5, Episode 2, we chat with Linda Klein and Brian Corrigan, the co-founders of Farm-to-Spaceship, about how to make the experience economy more relevant to businesses, and in turn, more economically viable for artists.
Linda and Brian introduce us to new vocabulary for understanding the experience economy. I particularly enjoyed hearing them talk about a conceptual “experience mixer” to dial up and down different aspects of experience design. We dig into the idea of “friction,” which is central to escape room design, and an important dial to consider for any type of experience.
We also dive into the art world and discuss the unfortunate stereotypes surrounding “starving artists” and “selling out.” We touch upon how artists can better understand their economic value and impact.
Farm-to-Spaceship’s community-driven model for creative placemaking provides a unique service at the intersection of business, art, and community. Linda and Brian truly understand the “power of play” and how play can create social cohesion. This episode feels like a Masterclass in crafting meaningful experiences for the customers and community. I hope you find it as inspiring as we did.
Full with Show Notes Timestamps
Episode SponsorsThank you to our sponsors:
MortyMorty is a free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings.
Special Badge for REPOD listeners:
You can learn more at MortyApp.com/REPOD to sign up and get a special badge for our listeners (works for existing users also).
ResovaResova is your all-inclusive software for bookings, made specifically for escape rooms, offering robust booking management, waiver management, integrated point of sales systems, and follow-up emails. Resova is the ultimate online reservation software designed to elevate the guest experience, increase game master efficiencies, drive sales, and improve operations.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
Sign up with our link at Get.resova.com/rea and receive up to $100 with a Google Ads gift card.
Reality Escape Convention - RECONEscape room conventions should be as fun, collaborative, and immersive as the games we celebrate.
RECON is our very own escape room and immersive gaming convention. Whether you’re an owner, creator, player, or you’re escape room curious, you are invited learn, connect, and play with our wonderful community.
RECON Remote 23 will take place August 19 – 20, 2023, online.
RECON 24 will be in person.
Get your RECON 23 ticket at now.
Music CreditsOur music was created by Ryan Elder.
Production CreditsREPOD is produced by Lisa Spira and edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media.
In Season 5, Episode 1, David and I chat with Nick Moran, the creative genius behind the large-scale, immersive open-world concept Phantom Peak. Nick takes us on a journey through his thought process of moving away from traditional escape rooms towards creating a more customized and interactive experience.
Phantom Peak combines elements of immersive theater, LARP, theme parks, and escape rooms to create a unique and unforgettable experience. With different story trails, puzzles, carnival games, bars, and side quests, there’s something for everyone, and with four different seasons each year, this experience is designed to encourage repeat visits.
One of the things that really stood out to me about Nick’s approach is his dedication to creating fully-fledged characters with real backgrounds and motivations, rather than just functional actors who drive the story forward. He also talks candidly about some of the challenges he faces, especially with his Kickstarter campaign for Spectre and Vox. Finally, Nick gives a little teaser on the status of his iconic escape room Time Run, and whether it will make a triumphant return.
Full with Show Notes Timestamps & Photos
Episode SponsorsThank you to our sponsors:
MortyMorty is a free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings.
Special Badge for REPOD listeners:
You can learn more at MortyApp.com/REPOD to sign up and get a special badge for our listeners (works for existing users also).
ResovaResova is your all-inclusive software for bookings, made specifically for escape rooms, offering robust booking management, waiver management, integrated point of sales systems, and follow-up emails. Resova is the ultimate online reservation software designed to elevate the guest experience, increase game master efficiencies, drive sales, and improve operations.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
Sign up with our link at Get.resova.com/rea and receive up to $100 with a Google Ads gift card.
Reality Escape Convention - RECONEscape room conventions should be as fun, collaborative, and immersive as the games we celebrate.
RECON is our very own escape room and immersive gaming convention. Whether you’re an owner, creator, player, or you’re escape room curious, you are invited learn, connect, and play with our wonderful community.
RECON Remote 23 will take place August 19 – 20, 2023, online.
RECON 24 will be in person.
Get your RECON 23 ticket at now.
Music CreditsOur music was created by Ryan Elder.
Production CreditsREPOD is produced by Lisa Spira and edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media.
Hey there, friends! We’ve got an exciting surprise for you. We’re releasing a special bonus episode that’s normally reserved exclusively for our Patreon supporters. This one’s a real treat because we’re chatting with game design philosopher and wizard Alexander Gierholz. He’s the creator of the iconic escape room, The Amsterdam Catacombs and co-founder of the global escape room conference Up The Game.
If you haven’t already listened, we recommend you check out his main interview first. With a background in psychology and having taught both experience design and gamification, he takes a unique, holistic approach to game design that draws on different disciplines to create experiences that are meaningful for players.
REPOD Patreon supporters get access to these informative companion bonus episodes, featuring fun conversations with incredible escape room and experience designers like Alexander.
If you’re not a Patreon supporter yet, what are you waiting for? This special episode is just one of the many perks you’ll get by joining our little community. So come on, join the fam and let’s get nerdy about games together!
Episode SponsorsThank you to our sponsors:
Our escape room and immersive gaming convention, will be an incredible event for creators and consumers of the games we love. In 2023 it will be hosted virtually.
Music CreditsOur music was created by Ryan Elder.
Production CreditsREPOD is produced by Lisa Spira and edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media.
David makes a guest appearance on The Board Game Community Show. In this crossover episode, David and Riley nerd out about all their favorite nerdy topics, including podcast production, legacy games, and managing social dynamics at game night.
David and Riley share insights on producing the Reality Escape Pod and tips for improving podcast quality. They delve into different board games, including legacy games Clank: Legacy and Aeon's End: Legacy, discussing strategies and gameplay dynamics. David also talks about Diplomacy, a board game that he considers one of the most elegant ever designed, and its impact on personal relationships. They explore managing personal feelings when playing social manipulation and deduction games, including Survivor and poker. They discuss David's moderation of a panel on games at PAX Unplugged, and they touch on non-game related interests, such as David's fascination with the video essay format and growing up with "nerdy interests."
David and Riley have such a great rapport, and with their mutual interests, it's easy to see why they had such great chemistry on this show.
Episode SponsorsThank you to our sponsors:
Our escape room and immersive gaming convention, will be an incredible event for creators and consumers of the games we love. In 2023 it will be hosted virtually.
Music CreditsOur music was created by Ryan Elder.
Production CreditsREPOD is produced by Lisa Spira and edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media.
In this special episode, we look back on some key moments from Season 4 of REPOD. Season 4 was notable for several reasons—every guest was from a different country, and all our guests were from the escape room world... yes, we do consider Boda Borg to be an escape room (well, perhaps a distant cousin).
Our editor, Steve Ewing, put together a selection of some of his favorite moments from Season 4. In most cases, he didn't go for the most obvious "meatiest" parts of a guest's interview. Rather, he chose a few side stories in hopes of intriguing new listeners to check out our past episodes.
These stories include cooking pizzas in an escape room, buying and transporting a giant 80-foot pirate ship from Florida to an ecsape room in Montreal, uncovering massive financial fraud from business partners, intermissions and bathrooms in 3-hour escape rooms, and even running an escape room in the middle of a war with air alarms blaring.
This is a great episode to start with if you aren't already a listener. And if you are, hopefully you'll enjoying revisiting some of these key moments.
Thank you for listening, and stay tuned for Season 5 of REPOD, booting up again in April 2023.
PS. Did you notice our new theme music?
Episode SponsorsThank you to our sponsors:
Our escape room and immersive gaming convention, will be an incredible event for creators and consumers of the games we love. In 2023 it will be hosted virtually.
Music CreditsOur music was created by Ryan Elder.
Production CreditsREPOD is produced by Lisa Spira and edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media.
In Season 4, Episode 12, David and I reflect back on a season of podcasting with global escape room creators. I am continually impressed with all the guests who were brave enough to come on a podcast and chat with us in a language that’s not their native tongue.
After recording this season, one of the most noticeable trends was the rampant imposter syndrome that affects even the most brilliant escape room designers. David and I have a long chat about what causes it, and how to embrace it as a secret superpower. We also noticed some creators shying away from the term “puzzle,” and we spend some time exploring what makes for a puzzle.
One of the things I appreciated most about this season were all the guests who were willing to come on the podcast and candidly share stories of their struggles as escape room business owners. Hopefully this will go a long way towards eradicating that pesky imposter syndrome we keep seeing.
Thank you so much for listening, and I hope you enjoy the game at the end of the episode. I make David play “Guess that Podcast” where he must guess the podcast episode using only emoji clues. This podcast has really helped us both grow, not only as podcasters, but also as players and humans. We are humbled by the love and support of all our patrons and listeners.
Show Notes
Episode SponsorsThank you to our sponsors:
Buzzshot - ‘Customer Satisfaction Software’ for your escape room business. Streamline your marketing and grow your escape room business with pre- and post-game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and integrated review management. Use code REPOD2022 in the dropdown list when booking a demo for 20% off your first three months.
Our escape room and immersive gaming convention, will be an incredible event for creators and consumers of the games we love. We hope to see you in Boston. Learn More about RECON.
Production CreditsHosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law
Produced by Lisa Spira
Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media
Music by Ryan Elder
Logo by Janine Pracht
In Season 4, Episode 11, we chat with Lukas Rauscher of Crime Runners, Austria. His game, Going Underground, has consistently placed high on the Terpeca list since it first premiered, and has garnered rave reviews for its sense of adventure and adaptive difficulty that creates a fulfilling experience for both new players and experienced enthusiasts.
Lukas is an unapologetically passionate escape room enthusiast and advocate. He freely admits to having little to no moderation when it comes to creating his games because he constantly wants to outdo himself. He is also very candid when it comes to struggles with the business.
Lukas was a delight to chat with. His passion for the industry is infectious, and I really appreciated how frank he was about his personal confidence struggles. I loved hearing about his approach to designing escape rooms and how they manage adaptive difficulty. This conversation feels like the kind you have over a beer after a satisfying day of amazing escape rooms.
Episode SponsorsThank you to our sponsors:
Buzzshot - ‘Customer Satisfaction Software’ for your escape room business. Streamline your marketing and grow your escape room business with pre- and post-game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and integrated review management. Use code REPOD2022 in the dropdown list when booking a demo for 20% off your first three months.
Our escape room and immersive gaming convention, will be an incredible event for creators and consumers of the games we love. We hope to see you in Boston. Learn More about RECON.
Production CreditsHosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law
Produced by Lisa Spira
Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media
Music by Ryan Elder
Logo by Janine Pracht
In Season 4, Episode 10, we head to Sweden to explore Boda Borg... or at least that's where we thought we were going with this episode. As it turns out, the President/ CEO of Boda Borg is an American business strategy visionary living in Laguna Hills, California named David Spigner. There is surprisingly little information about the Boda Borg story, and we are thrilled to share the tale of how he became the owner and President of what was originally a Swedish company.
Boda Borg has been around since 1995. That is way longer than escape rooms have existed, and it was ingenious in the way it approached what they call "reality gaming." David Spigner recounts how he helped propel it from rooms decorated only with flat, 2D paintings into interactive multidimensional sets with movie-like narrative and feel. He candidly shares his global ambitions as well as the hurdles of trying to explain the appeal of Boda Borg to financial lending communities.
David Spigner is an excellent storyteller, and we were enthralled with his tale of discovering and shaping Boda Borg. Spigner is an unusual guest in that his approach to the immersive gaming world comes from a very business-oriented, strategic mindset with aspirations towards massive global expansion. And yet, in chatting with him, it was clear that he intuitively understands the appeal of physically immersive gaming. This was a fascinating conversation that you shouldn't miss.
Episode SponsorsThank you to our sponsors:
Buzzshot - ‘Customer Satisfaction Software’ for your escape room business. Streamline your marketing and grow your escape room business with pre- and post-game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and integrated review management. Use code REPOD2022 in the dropdown list when booking a demo for 20% off your first three months.
Our escape room and immersive gaming convention, will be an incredible event for creators and consumers of the games we love. We hope to see you in Boston. Learn More about RECON.
Production CreditsHosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law
Produced by Lisa Spira
Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media
Music by Ryan Elder
Logo by Janine Pracht
Please consider donating to Direct Relief
In Season 4, Episode 9, we share stories from Ukraine. We talk to Nataliya (Tasha) Tarkhanova of Hypno Dive, creator of the Project Avatar series of virtual escape room games. Project Avatar is an incredible virtual experience that plays like a live-action video game, where you are directing a live actor (the Avatar) through an enormous abandoned warehouse. With stylish, acrobatic moves and impressive special effects, tech and visuals, Project Avatar was a high point in quarantine-era virtual escape rooms.
Then war happened. On February 24, 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine in a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War, which began in 2014. This episode is a bit of a departure for us, but we wanted to share Tasha's story. We begin with discussion of Project Avatar and escape rooms, but in the second half of this episode, we dive into how the invasion has turned Tasha's life upside-down. It's a heavy episode. It's not graphic and there are no explicit depictions of death or violence, but Tasha candidly shares stories of the upheaval in her life and business. There is an emotional story of the war's impact on her daughter that brought both David and Peih-Gee to tears.
The stories that you're going to hear are tragic and hilarious and kind of off-the-wall. Tasha is resilient, creative, and captivating. We think that this is a really important story to tell.
We are donating all of REPOD's income from this episode to Direct Relief, earmarked for the crisis in Ukraine. If this episode touches you, scroll to the end of the show notes and click the button to donate.
Episode SponsorsThank you to our sponsors:
Buzzshot - ‘Customer Satisfaction Software’ for your escape room business. Streamline your marketing and grow your escape room business with pre- and post-game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and integrated review management. Use code REPOD2022 in the dropdown list when booking a demo for 20% off your first three months.
Our escape room and immersive gaming convention, will be an incredible event for creators and consumers of the games we love. We hope to see you in Boston. Learn More about RECON.
Production CreditsHosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law
Produced by Lisa Spira
Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media
Music by Ryan Elder
Logo by Janine Pracht
In Season 4, Episode 8 of REPOD, we return home to the United States for a chat with Mark Flint, CEO of The Escape Game (TEG). With over 26 locations in 14 states, TEG is positioned to offer a shared American experience. Many of their locations have the same games as locations in other cities, all with consistently high quality rooms, accessible venues in high-profile shopping centers, beautifully decorated sets, and friendly customer service.
Mark operates his company with a businessman's brain and an escape room enthusiast's heart. The emphasis on hospitality lies at the heart of The Escape Game experience. Their mission statement is Every Single Guest, and Mark shares insights on how he incorporates their mission into every location and experience.
With their commitment to warm and welcoming customer service, well-maintained, clean lobbies and games, and an eye towards rapid expansion, The Escape Game reflects American values. Mark emphasized their in-house leadership training program, and in chatting with him, it was clear that his strong vision and leadership is reflected through his company.
Episode SponsorsThank you to our sponsors:
Buzzshot - ‘Customer Satisfaction Software’ for your escape room business. Streamline your marketing and grow your escape room business with pre- and post-game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and integrated review management. Use code REPOD2022 in the dropdown list when booking a demo for 20% off your first three months.
Our escape room and immersive gaming convention, will be an incredible event for creators and consumers of the games we love. We hope to see you in Boston. Learn More about RECON.
Production CreditsHosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law
Produced by Lisa Spira
Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media
Music by Ryan Elder
Logo by Janine Pracht
In Season 4, episode 7, we head over to Israel, a relatively unexplored escape room region that has a bounty of creative, lighthearted themes. We chat with prolific escape room designer Gai Bosco of Cerebro, who has designed over 200 escape rooms, or roughly 25% of the Israeli market. Gai is not only an escape room creator, he is a mega-enthusiast and self-proclaimed nerd who got his start creating sci-fi fan fiction.
The Israeli escape room scene is teeming with family-friendly fandom themes, with escape rooms playing homage to many movies including The Lion King, Harry Potter, The Hunger Games, and TV shows like Friends and How I Met Your Mother. One of the other notable and unique Israeli escape room themes we discussed culinary escape rooms, where you gather ingredients for a recipe and that you actually bake or cook over the course of your game.
Gai is a passionate ambassador for Israeli escape rooms. His game The Sting is his love letter to escape rooms, and includes many enthusiast-insider nods and plays with the concept of escape room tropes. It was clear that Gai really loves his craft and wants to share the joy of Israeli escape rooms with the world.
Episode SponsorsThank you to our sponsors:
Buzzshot - ‘Customer Satisfaction Software’ for your escape room business. Streamline your marketing and grow your escape room business with pre- and post-game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and integrated review management. Use code REPOD2022 in the dropdown list when booking a demo for 20% off your first three months.
Our escape room and immersive gaming convention, will be an incredible event for creators and consumers of the games we love. We hope to see you in Boston. Learn More about RECON.
Production CreditsHosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law
Produced by Lisa Spira
Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media
Music by Ryan Elder
Logo by Janine Pracht
In Season 4, episode 6, we chat with Dino Paulo, owner of escape room company Hinthunt Africa, located in Cape Town, South Africa. Dino also happens to be the winner of the reality show Survivor South Africa: Return of the Outcasts. In his first season, Survivor South Africa: Immunity Island, Dino was voted out early on. However, he established enough of a presence to return for an all-star returnee season, eventually winning the title of Sole Survivor.
This turnaround from downtrodden underdog to eventual winner is echoed in his experience as an escape room owner. Dino candidly shares the story of an early business partner who committed financial malfeasance, lessons learned, and how ousting the ex-partner was a bit like blindsiding someone in Survivor. He shares some of the difficulties in working with an escape room franchise. We also spend some time exploring the differences between American and South African Survivor.
Dino is a charming guest and extremely self-effacing despite his impressive achievements. He speaks from the heart, is guided by an analytical brain, and radiates boundless enthusiasm. It's easy to see how he won Survivor (and our hearts).
Episode SponsorsThank you to our sponsors:
Buzzshot - ‘Customer Satisfaction Software’ for your escape room business. Streamline your marketing and grow your escape room business with pre- and post-game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and integrated review management. Use code REPOD2022 in the dropdown list when booking a demo for 20% off your first three months.
Our escape room and immersive gaming convention, will be an incredible event for creators and consumers of the games we love. We hope to see you in Boston. Learn More about RECON.
Production CreditsHosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law
Produced by Lisa Spira
Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media
Music by Ryan Elder
Logo by Janine Pracht
In Season 4, episode 5 of Reality Escape Pod, we headed to Canada to chat with Jonathan Driscoll and Sacha St.Denis, owners of Escaparium escape games, Nuit de Terreur haunted attraction, L'Atelier resto-pub game cafe, and Ezkapaz immersive experiences. As you can tell from their list of businesses, Jonathan and Sacha have big ambitions. Not only do they have over 30 escape rooms under the Escaparium brand, they have recently expanded into a haunted attraction with escape room elements, a game cafe integrated into their Laval location, and an immersive experience at a local speakeasy bar.
It's not just the number of experiences that are epically sized. Their flagship games Rain Corp., Wardrobe for Sale, and The Lost Island of the Voodoo Queen are jaw-droppingly enormous, filled with endearing characters, immersive puzzles, and touching storylines that actually made me cry. When setting out to build a haunt, Jonathan and Sasha didn't want a generic maze. Instead, they created a haunted attraction that's part maze, with mini-escape room elements and private immersive interactions.
It's no easy feat juggling so many different projects. Jonathan and Sacha are supportive leaders and are extremely appreciative of their large creative team. The owners of Escaparium have managed to stay humble and are receptive to constructive feedback, while maintaining their ambitious aspirations. Escaparium is an immersive gaming brand of epic proportions. It's hard to put into words how massive their games are, and that's why I highly encourage you to visit their locations in Montreal.
Episode SponsorsThank you to our sponsors:
Buzzshot - ‘Customer Satisfaction Software’ for your escape room business. Streamline your marketing and grow your escape room business with pre- and post-game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and integrated review management. Use code REPOD2022 in the dropdown list when booking a demo for 20% off your first three months.
Our escape room and immersive gaming convention, will be an incredible event for creators and consumers of the games we love. We hope to see you in Boston. Learn More about RECON.
Production CreditsHosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law
Produced by Lisa Spira
Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media
Music by Ryan Elder
Logo by Janine Pracht
In Season 4, Episode 4, we head over to The Netherlands for a chat with Alexander Gierholz of Logic Locks, creator of The Amsterdam Catacombs, which has won numerous accolades including a Golden Lock Award and a TERPECA. In a country rich with globally top-rated escape rooms, The Catacombs stands out for its commitment to immersion, stunning location and incredible ending. The Netherlands has a vibrant escape room scene, due in part to Alexander's efforts with events like Up The Game, a global escape room conference he co-founded in 2017.
Coming from a psychology background, and having taught experience design and gamification, Alexander approaches game design with a unique holistic philosophy. He thinks deeply about creating experiences that pull from different disciplines which resonate with the audience in a meaningful way. This conversation about escape rooms, gameplay, and creating a community changed the way I think about game design, and I know you'll find it as fascinating as we did.
Episode SponsorsThank you to our sponsors:
Buzzshot - ‘Customer Satisfaction Software’ for your escape room business. Streamline your marketing and grow your escape room business with pre- and post-game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and integrated review management. Use code REPOD2022 in the dropdown list when booking a demo for 20% off your first three months.
Our escape room and immersive gaming convention, will be an incredible event for creators and consumers of the games we love. We hope to see you in Boston. Learn More about RECON.
Production CreditsHosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law
Produced by Lisa Spira
Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media
Music by Ryan Elder
Logo by Janine Pracht
Next up on our global tour, in Season 4, Episode 3, David and Peih-Gee go down under with The Doctor and The Alchemist, aka, Aaron Hooper and Leanne Yong from Next Level Escape in Sydney, Australia. They gave a fantastic talk at RECON '21, Playing with Game Structure: the Macro of Mechanics. In this podcast, they go into more depth about designing unusual game mechanics like their game, The Game, a competitive escape room where players go head to head, battling for objectives, or The Show Must Go On, which is part audio play, part interactive performance and part escape room.
Leanne and Aaron both came from finance backgrounds—Aaron previously worked as an economist and Leanne as a business analyst. They combined their hobbies of tech, writing, and gaming to create some very fun escape rooms with humor, loads of player interactions, and unique gameplay.
Because of their backgrounds in business, it was very interesting to chat with them about the economics of running an escape room, especially when they are located in the heart of the Central Business District and run games for lots of corporate groups. After chatting with them on the podcast, it was clear that Leanne and Aaron put a lot of love and thought into creating their escape rooms, especially when it comes to creating innovative game mechanics.
Episode SponsorsThank you to our sponsors:
Buzzshot - ‘Customer Satisfaction Software’ for your escape room business. Streamline your marketing and grow your escape room business with pre- and post-game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and integrated review management. Use code REPOD2022 in the dropdown list when booking a demo for 20% off your first three months.
Our escape room and immersive gaming convention, will be an incredible event for creators and consumers of the games we love. We hope to see you in Boston. Learn More about RECON.
Production CreditsHosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law
Produced by Lisa Spira
Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media
Music by Ryan Elder
Logo by Janine Pracht
In Season Four of Reality Escape Pod, we’re going global! Each episode we’ll be interviewing escape room creators from a different country, and there’s no better place to start with than Athens, Greece, home to Paradox Project. Paradox Project’s escape rooms are some of the most highly regarded games in the world, with two of their rooms ranked in the top twenty best escape rooms according to TERPECA. These games also have the distinction of being some of the longest escape rooms in the world, with The Bookstore clocking in at 200 minutes. That’s a whopping three hours and 20 minutes.
While chatting with Dimitris Varelas, one of the creators of Paradox Project, it became clear that the driving force behind their games is a deep love of escape rooms and a devotion to creating the best possible player experience. He’s willing to run his games for you at all hours of the day, and has invited any visiting escape room enthusiasts to consult with him when planning their trip to Athens.
Hearing Dimitris talk about their design process, we could see how much care they put into their games. From their willingness to put the player experience first, to crafting custom sets in huge locations, Paradox Project is a shining example of how to craft incredible escape rooms that cater to escape room enthusiasts.
Episode SponsorsThank you to our sponsors:
Buzzshot - ‘Customer Satisfaction Software’ for your escape room business. Streamline your marketing and grow your escape room business with pre- and post-game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and integrated review management. Use code REPOD2022 in the dropdown list when booking a demo for 20% off your first three months.
Our escape room and immersive gaming convention, will be an incredible event for creators and consumers of the games we love. We hope to see you in Boston. Learn More about RECON.
Production CreditsHosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law
Produced by Lisa Spira
Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media
Music by Ryan Elder
Logo by Janine Pracht
We're kicking off Season Four of Reality Escape Pod with a RECON Boston recap! David and Peih-Gee are joined by Lisa Spira and Theresa Wagner. RECON was an incredibly special event with brilliant talks, amazing lobby parties, and some very special escape rooms. Magic was definitely in the air.
We recap the talks from industry leaders and discuss the amazing ARG (alternate reality game) created especially for RECON. David and Lisa give us insight on some of the aspects designed to help the convention run more smoothly. We look back fondly on the lobby parties, and Peih-Gee talks about her nefarious goal of making David cry at RECON (and how it backfired). We listen to voicemails from attendees, discuss our top secret special guest, and replay his incredible imitation of David.
RECON was truly a magical experience, judging by the response from attendees. It was a celebration of the escape room community, an experiment, and a knowledge share... We look forward to making more RECON magic in the future.
Episode SponsorsThank you to our sponsors:
Buzzshot - ‘Customer Satisfaction Software’ for your escape room business. Streamline your marketing and grow your escape room business with pre- and post-game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and integrated review management. Use code REPOD2022 in the dropdown list when booking a demo for 20% off your first three months.
Our escape room and immersive gaming convention, will be an incredible event for creators and consumers of the games we love. We hope to see you in Boston. Learn More about RECON.
Production CreditsHosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law
Produced by Lisa Spira
Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media
Music by Ryan Elder
Logo by Janine Pracht
Last week, David and Peih-Gee managed to solve the mystery of the Silver Screen room on Escape This Podcast, and this week, they're recapping their adventures in the madcap chocolate factory. We recommend listening to that episode before you listen to this one.
After getting stuck on donuts and pies, it was a relief to know that Dani and Bill had graciously reserved one of their harder rooms for us. We dissect some of the puzzles in the game and debate the merits of various puzzle design etiquette, including common expectations like prop reuse and crossword puzzle rules.
If you enjoyed these episodes, we hope that you'll check out Escape This Podcast and listen to more of their wonderful audio escape rooms.
Season 4 of the Reality Escape Pod is launching October 3, so stay tuned!
David and Peih-Gee go on a romp through a very wonky chocolate factory on Escape This Podcast, a show that's a mix between table top role-playing and escape room style puzzles. Much like Willy Wonka, Dani and Bill are madly creative geniuses, dreaming up fantastical audio escape rooms that have come very close to stumping us on more than one occasion.
Going on their podcast is always a good time, and the best part is that all their audio escape rooms are available for free to play with your friends and family at home. Tune in to see what happens when David and Peih-Gee find themselves in a strangely smooth white room with not much except a television and a giant bar of chocolate. Make sure to check out the companion show next week on Escape This Podcast where we'll break down and analyze the room we just played.
And… Season 4 of the Reality Escape Pod is coming in October… so stay tuned…
Today we're releasing a Patreon Bonus Episode from Season 3 to give you a sneak peek of our REPOD Patreon perks. Johanna's episode was extremely popular, and with good reason. She shared a wealth of knowledge about game design with us on the main episode, and yet, we still had so many questions for her. Luckily she stuck around for the Aftershow.
This one in particular feels very much like an extension of the main episode. If you haven't listened to her main episode, we highly recommend you play that one first. You can find REPOD S3E2 with Johanna here. Johanna thinks about game design with both an eye towards the larger picture, as well as considering all the small details, like how temperature can affect a player's behavior. We hope you'll enjoy this surprise release of our exclusive Patreon Bonus Aftershow.
Bonus ContentAfter each episode, hosts Peih-Gee and David record another long form show, just for Patreon backers ($5/ month and up). Sometimes the guests stick around for the Aftershow.
Where the main episode is a heavily edited and produced experience, the bonus content is a freeform conversation.
Season 3 Episode 2This sneak peek is the REPOD S3E42 Patreon Bonus Episode, recorded with Nordic larp creator Johanna Koljonen.
The Infinite Escape Room is a puzzling podcast where a group of pals sit down, have a drink, and work together to solve an audio escape room. The creators are brilliant and hilarious, and they were kind enough to welcome us on a recent episode. We had a blast puzzling our way through this Stranger Things-inspired episode, despite David constantly trying to off Peih-Gee in some nefarious way, and Peih-Gee trying to figure out what is "bed cheese."
This is something a little different from our usual episodes, but we think you'll really enjoy it. We like what they're creating at The Infinite Escape Room Podcast, and we hope you'll give it a listen. Here is our episode, "Portal shenanigans and Hidden Bed Cheese."
And... Season 4 is coming in the fall... so stay tuned for that.
In season 3, episode 12, we chat with Lee-Fay Low and Theresa Wagner about the upcoming RECON, the Reality Escape Convention, taking place in person, in Boston, August 21-22, 2022. RECON is a new type of convention mixing talks from leaders in the immersive gaming industry as well as games ranging from an ARG, a large-format ballroom game, an included escape room, and visits to Level99 and Boda Borg.
Lee-Fay is the Programming Coordinator. She talks to us about the different talks you can expect at RECON Boston 22, ranging from Caro Murphy, an Immersive Experience Director on Disney’s Star Wars Galactic Starcruise, to the Mayor of Malden, who will talk about working with local government. And of course, RECON will also include speakers from some of the top local escape room companies.
Theresa Wagner is the Games “Executioner,” in charge of organizing games at RECON. She talks to us about the different games you’ll experience with your RECON ticket, including Level99, an “escape room amusement park.” We also reveal a surprise announcement that Boda Borg will now be part of the convention offerings.
I was really excited to get a sneak peek at the inner workings of RECON, and to learn more about everything offered at this escape room convention. I hope that after listening to this conversation, you’ll be inspired to join us at RECON in Boston this summer.
Show Notes
The Mailbag: Please give us some feedback?We're doing a Mailbag episode where we answer your questions, share your stories, and learn from you fine folks. There are a few ways to take part:
Here's how to do each:
Take A Short SurveyShare your feedback anonymously through this survey.
Leave A VoicemailIf you’d like to be on the podcast, please submit a voice recording by calling the Room Escape Artist not-so-hotline that always goes straight to voicemail (551-227-7273), and record your thoughts and feels about REPOD straight into the voicemail.
Your message should be:
Hit us up at: contact@roomescapeartist.com
Send a LetterRoom Escape Artist
PO Box 683
Nutley, NJ 07110
Thank you to our sponsors:
Our escape room and immersive gaming convention, will be an incredible event for creators and consumers of the games we love. We hope to see you in Boston. Learn More about RECON.
Production Credits
Hosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law
Produced by Lisa Spira
Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media
Music by Ryan Elder
Logo by Janine Pracht
In season 3, episode 11, we chat with New York Times bestselling author of The Year of Living Biblically, A.J. Jacobs, about his newest book The Puzzler. A.J. is a self-described “human guinea-pig,” immersing himself deeply, even masochistically, into a given topic and chronicling his experiments, whether it’s living by the Bible literally for a year, or thanking everyone involved in the creation of his morning cup of coffee.
An avid crossword solver, A.J. dives down the rabbit hole of puzzles in his latest book The Puzzler. He goes on a journey to attempt the world’s hardest puzzles, exploring all the varieties including crosswords, puzzle hunts, mazes, jigsaws, and chess problems. Along the way, he tackles fiendish Japanese puzzle boxes, drags his family to Spain to compete in a jigsaw competition, and even plays an escape room with David and Lisa Spira from Room Escape Artist. The Puzzler is also chock full of puzzles, including a hidden, super-challenging but solvable puzzle that will earn the first reader to crack it a $10,000 prize.
A.J. is a delightful guest with an insatiable curiosity about the world. He talks about his adventures through the puzzle universe and shares some amusing insights that he’s learned along the way. A.J. was funny, knowledgeable, and charming. We know you’ll want to read his book after listening to this podcast.
The Mailbag: Please give us some feedback?We're doing a Mailbag episode where we answer your questions, share your stories, and learn from you fine folks. There are a few ways to take part:
Here's how to do each:
Take A Short SurveyShare your feedback anonymously through this survey.
Leave A VoicemailIf you’d like to be on the podcast, please submit a voice recording by calling the Room Escape Artist not-so-hotline that always goes straight to voicemail (551-227-7273), and record your thoughts and feels about REPOD straight into the voicemail.
Your message should be:
Hit us up at: contact@roomescapeartist.com
Send a LetterRoom Escape Artist
PO Box 683
Nutley, NJ 07110
Thank you to our sponsors:
Our escape room and immersive gaming convention, will be an incredible event for creators and consumers of the games we love. We hope to see you in Boston. Learn More about RECON.
Production Credits
Hosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law
Produced by Lisa Spira
Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media
Music by Ryan Elder
Logo by Janine Pracht
In season 3, episode 10, we chat with Jeff Leinenveber and Jarrett Lantz, creators of The Nest, an intimate, memorable immersive experience that was a masterclass in environmental storytelling. The Nest unfolded through a series of audio cassette tapes that guests discovered while wandering through a labyrinth of memorabilia and memories.
As former Disney Imagineers, Jarrett and Jeff really showcased their talent in scenic design, crafting a rich narrative through an incredible set that took guests on a dreamlike journey through one woman's memories. They talk about purposeful design choices meant to foster a sense of intimacy and creating spaces that help further the narrative.
The Nest takes its guests on an emotionally charged journey through lush scenery, carefully selected props, and purposefully designed spaces. Jarrett and Jeff are truly masters of environmental storytelling, and it was a pleasure to have them on the podcast.
The Mailbag: Please give us some feedback?We're doing a Mailbag episode where we answer your questions, share your stories, and learn from you fine folks. There are a few ways to take part:
Here's how to do each:
Take A Short SurveyShare your feedback anonymously through this survey.
Leave A VoicemailIf you’d like to be on the podcast, please submit a voice recording by calling the Room Escape Artist not-so-hotline that always goes straight to voicemail (551-227-7273), and record your thoughts and feels about REPOD straight into the voicemail.
Your message should be:
Hit us up at: contact@roomescapeartist.com
Send a LetterRoom Escape Artist
PO Box 683
Nutley, NJ 07110
Thank you to our sponsors:
Our escape room and immersive gaming convention, will be an incredible event for creators and consumers of the games we love. We hope to see you in Boston. Learn More about RECON.
Production Credits
Hosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law
Produced by Lisa Spira
Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media
Music by Ryan Elder
Logo by Janine Pracht
In Season 3, episode 9 of REPOD, David and Peih-Gee are joined by David’s wife and REPOD producer Lisa Spira, along with Steve Ewing, the REPOD editor. We take questions and comments from listeners who have called in with voicemails or sent us emails. We had some really thought provoking questions, some lovely compliments about listeners’ favorite episodes, and of course, some hilarious prank calls.
We also got to play some hilarious games designed by Steve and Peih-Gee, themed on our past guests. We absolutely loved hearing from our listeners and had a blast going through our mailbag. I hope you have as much fun listening as we did recording it.
Show Notes
Send an EmailHit us up at: contact@roomescapeartist.com
Send a LetterRoom Escape Artist
PO Box 683
Nutley, NJ 07110
Thank you to our sponsors:
Our escape room and immersive gaming convention, will be an incredible event for creators and consumers of the games we love. We hope to see you in Boston. Learn More about RECON.
Production Credits
Hosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law
Produced by Lisa Spira
Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media
Music by Ryan Elder
Logo by Janine Pracht
In Season 3, Episode 8, we chat with Chris Waters, The Architect of Constructed Adventures. Chris creates extraordinary, customized treasure hunt adventures for special occasions. His experiences are primarily for private clients and have included everything from being picked up in helicopters to getting mysterious envelopes delivered by otters.
Chris is the Willy Wonka of treasure hunts, doling out mysteries and golden prizes. However, instead of secrecy, he is incredibly transparent about what he does, his methods, and what he charges. He was full of tips and tricks for anyone who wants to create adventures for their own friends and family. Chris is passionate, energetic, and charming, and it’s easy to see why The Architect has been so successful in constructing adventures.
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Nutley, NJ 07110
Thank you to our sponsors:
Our escape room and immersive gaming convention, will be an incredible event for creators and consumers of the games we love. We hope to see you in Boston. Learn More about RECON.
Production Credits
Hosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law
Produced by Lisa Spira
Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media
Music by Ryan Elder
Logo by Janine Pracht
In season 3, episode 7, we chat with Tommy Honton, creator of the award-winning escape room Stash House. He is a master craftsman of experience design with his bottomless bag of tools, combining storytelling and game design to create memorable, playable experiences.
It’s no coincidence that Tommy’s been mentioned by so many guests on this podcast. It’s clear his huge network exists because he genuinely cares about elevating the escape room community and helping like-minded creators succeed.
It was fascinating to get a glimpse into Tommy’s methodical creative design process. His approach to escape room design is deliberate and thoughtful, designing all aspects of the experience based on what he calls an “adrenaline map.” I especially appreciated the insight into his beta testing process. Tommy is so passionate about elevating the craft of immersive gaming and advocating for other creators. It’s easy to see why many escape room designers consider him a mentor.
The Mailbag: Please give us some feedback?We're doing a Mailbag episode where we answer your questions, share your stories, and learn from you fine folks. There are a few ways to take part:
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Take A Short SurveyShare your feedback anonymously through this survey.
Leave A VoicemailIf you’d like to be on the podcast, please submit a voice recording by calling the Room Escape Artist not-so-hotline that always goes straight to voicemail (551-227-7273), and record your thoughts and feels about REPOD straight into the voicemail.
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Hit us up at: contact@roomescapeartist.com
Send a LetterRoom Escape Artist
PO Box 683
Nutley, NJ 07110
Thank you to our sponsors:
Our escape room and immersive gaming convention, will be an incredible event for creators and consumers of the games we love. We hope to see you in Boston. Learn More about RECON.
Production Credits
Hosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law
Produced by Lisa Spira
Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media
Music by Ryan Elder
Logo by Janine Pracht
In Season 3, episode 6 of REPOD, we chat with Hillary Manning, the puzzle design expert on Create The Escape. Create the Escape is a fun kids show where in each episode, kids design an escape room for their parents to play and hopefully escape. Hillary has previously worked at escape rooms like Beat the Bomb and Escape The Room as a puzzle designer and gamemaster.
Hillary walks us through the challenges of designing escape rooms for a television audience, and creating puzzles that are both fun to play and visually pleasing with a large scale. She takes us behind the scenes of how the show is produced, and what it takes to get cast on the show. It's especially exciting to hear about how much input the kids have on designing the puzzles and helping build the room. I think this show will be a great introduction for more families to learn about escape rooms. Hillary is a fun, energetic host on the show, and she brings the same great energy to this podcast episode.
The Mailbag: Please give us some feedback?We're doing a Mailbag episode where we answer your questions, share your stories, and learn from you fine folks. There are a few ways to take part:
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Take A Short SurveyShare your feedback anonymously through this survey.
Leave A VoicemailIf you’d like to be on the podcast, please submit a voice recording by calling the Room Escape Artist not-so-hotline that always goes straight to voicemail (551-227-7273), and record your thoughts and feels about REPOD straight into the voicemail.
Your message should be:
Hit us up at: contact@roomescapeartist.com
Send a LetterRoom Escape Artist
PO Box 683
Nutley, NJ 07110
Thank you to our sponsors:
Our escape room and immersive gaming convention, will be an incredible event for creators and consumers of the games we love. We hope to see you in Boston. Learn More about RECON.
Production Credits
Hosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law
Produced by Lisa Spira
Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media
Music by Ryan Elder
Logo by Janine Pracht
In Season 3, Episode 5 of REPOD, we sat down with Matt Leacock, best known for creating the Pandemic series of cooperative board games. There are several expansions for Pandemic as well as the Pandemic Legacy games, which are stand alone versions of the game with an interwoven narrative that affects the rules and mechanics of the game as you play.
The Pandemic and Pandemic Legacy games share many commonalities with escape rooms, including cooperative gameplay, cinematic narrative structure, and gameplay mechanics that tie in closely to the theme.
It was fascinating to hear Matt describe his game design process and how he approaches it from a user experience design standpoint. There is a dialogue between the theme and game mechanics where they impact each other iteratively. Pandemic Legacy is one of David’s favorite board games, and if you love escape rooms, we think you’ll love this game too.
Featured Games:
The Mailbag: Please give us some feedback?We're doing a Mailbag episode where we answer your questions, share your stories, and learn from you fine folks. There are a few ways to take part:
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Take A Short SurveyShare your feedback anonymously through this survey.
Leave A VoicemailIf you’d like to be on the podcast, please submit a voice recording by calling the Room Escape Artist not-so-hotline that always goes straight to voicemail (551-227-7273), and record your thoughts and feels about REPOD straight into the voicemail.
Your message should be:
Hit us up at: contact@roomescapeartist.com
Send a LetterRoom Escape Artist
PO Box 683
Nutley, NJ 07110
Thank you to our sponsors:
Our escape room and immersive gaming convention, will be an incredible event for creators and consumers of the games we love. We hope to see you in Boston. Learn More about RECON.
Production Credits
Hosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law
Produced by Lisa Spira
Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media
Music by Ryan Elder
Logo by Janine Pracht
In Season 3, Episode 4 of REPOD, we were joined by Gabby Pascuzzi, a Survivor contestant who competed on season 37, Survivor David vs. Goliath. Gabby is half of one of Survivor’s most iconic Nerd Alliance, alongside Christian Hubiki, a robotics professor.
Gabby has a lifelong passion for puzzles and games, and she joined us to help explain why Survivor is so beloved by many game and puzzle enthusiasts. We break down some interesting game mechanics introduced on Survivor’s more recent seasons and discuss the various challenges and puzzles on Survivor.
On REPOD, we love chatting about Survivor and all the different strategies and gameplay possibilities. If you’re a fan of puzzles and gaming, you’ll probably also be a fan of Survivor. We hope you’re inspired to start watching after listening to this episode (if you aren’t already).
The Mailbag: Please give us some feedback?We're doing a Mailbag episode where we answer your questions, share your stories, and learn from you fine folks. There are a few ways to take part:
Here's how to do each:
Take A Short SurveyShare your feedback anonymously through this survey.
Leave A VoicemailIf you’d like to be on the podcast, please submit a voice recording by calling the Room Escape Artist not-so-hotline that always goes straight to voicemail (551-227-7273), and record your thoughts and feels about REPOD straight into the voicemail.
Your message should be:
Hit us up at: contact@roomescapeartist.com
Send a LetterRoom Escape Artist
PO Box 683
Nutley, NJ 07110
Thank you to our sponsors:
Our escape room and immersive gaming convention, will be an incredible event for creators and consumers of the games we love. We hope to see you in Boston. Learn More about RECON.
Production Credits
Hosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law
Produced by Lisa Spira
Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media
Music by Ryan Elder
Logo by Janine Pracht
In Season 3, episode 3, we chat with Kathryn Yu, Executive Editor of No Proscenium and a co-founder of the Immersive Experience Institute, a non-profit that aims to create a sustainable future for immersive and experiential arts and artists worldwide.
Kathryn joins us to chat about game design in branching narrative games, including her brilliant creation Metaverse Noir, told through the medium of Twitter threads. Through her work with No Proscenium, she has her finger on the pulse of immersive experiences. Kathryn’s passion for interactive narrative and good storytelling was apparent throughout our conversation. It was a blast chatting with her about VR gaming and talking about how to craft a game that resonates with the players.
The Mailbag: Please give us some feedback?We're doing a Mailbag episode where we answer your questions, share your stories, and learn from you fine folks. There are a few ways to take part:
Here's how to do each:
Take A Short SurveyShare your feedback anonymously through this survey.
Leave A VoicemailIf you’d like to be on the podcast, please submit a voice recording by calling the Room Escape Artist not-so-hotline that always goes straight to voicemail (551-227-7273), and record your thoughts and feels about REPOD straight into the voicemail.
Your message should be:
Hit us up at: contact@roomescapeartist.com
Send a LetterRoom Escape Artist
PO Box 683
Nutley, NJ 07110
Thank you to our sponsors:
Our escape room and immersive gaming convention, will be an incredible event for creators and consumers of the games we love. We hope to see you in Boston. Learn More about RECON.
Production Credits
Hosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law
Produced by Lisa Spira
Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media
Music by Ryan Elder
Logo by Janine Pracht
In Season 3, episode 2, we chat with Johanna Koljonen, the co-founder of Participation Design Agency. She is an experience designer specializing in Nordic larp and an expert in designing for safe and enthusiastic participation. Johanna has helped create some incredibly compelling and intense Nordic larps, including Vampire the Masquerade, Inside Hamlet, and House of Craving.
Johanna puts careful thought into every aspect of her experiences, encapsulated in her concept that “everything is a designable surface.” Nordic larp encourages consent-based play, and Johanna discusses how to introduce systems that will allow participants to push boundaries safely. She gives concrete examples of how to encourage participation in very emotionally intense events, noting that “you have to feel safe to be brave.”
The way Johanna discusses immersive experiences was eye-opening and illuminating. If you design immersive theater, escape rooms, larps or immersive experiences of any kind, you will find this episode absolutely invaluable. David notes that meeting Johanna completely changed the way he thinks about experience design, and I think you’ll agree after listening to this episode.
The Mailbag: Please give us some feedback?We're doing a Mailbag episode where we answer your questions, share your stories, and learn from you fine folks. There are a few ways to take part:
Here's how to do each:
Take A Short SurveyShare your feedback anonymously through this survey.
Leave A VoicemailIf you’d like to be on the podcast, please submit a voice recording by calling the Room Escape Artist not-so-hotline that always goes straight to voicemail (551-227-7273), and record your thoughts and feels about REPOD straight into the voicemail.
Your message should be:
Hit us up at: contact@roomescapeartist.com
Send a LetterRoom Escape Artist
PO Box 683
Nutley, NJ 07110
Thank you to our sponsors:
Our escape room and immersive gaming convention, will be an incredible event for creators and consumers of the games we love. We hope to see you in Boston. Learn More about RECON.
Production Credits
Hosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law
Produced by Lisa Spira
Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media
Music by Ryan Elder
Logo by Janine Pracht
To kick off Season 3, we chat with Maxime and Roxane Filion of Immersia Escape Games. Their escape games truly impressed us on our recent trip to Montreal. In this episode they talk about their immersive approach to game design, their diverse gaming influences, and how they measure success. Maxime and Roxane are also passionate about their creations and about this industry. Moreover, they have a shared vision of what escape games can be, and they are striving to build that future.
Episode Sponsors
Thank you to our sponsors:
Reality Escape Convention - RECON
Our escape room and immersive gaming convention, will be an incredible event for creators and consumers of the games we love. We hope to see you in Boston. Learn More about RECON.
Production Credits
Hosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law
Produced by Lisa Spira
Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media
Music by Ryan Elder
Logo by Janine Pracht
Bonus Content?
After each episode, hosts Peih-Gee and David record another show, just for Patreon backers ($5/ month and up). Sometimes the guests stick around for the aftershow.
Where the main episode is a heavily edited and produced experience, the bonus content is a freeform conversation.
Guests
This sneak peek is the REPOD S1E4 Patreon Bonus Content, recorded with Anne and Chris Lukeman from CU Adventures in Time & Space.
You can find REPOD S1E4 with guests Anne and Chris here.
Patreon
Kindly consider backing us on Patreon.
See you in Season 3.
In season 2, episode 8, we chat with Jon Braver, creator of Delusion. Delusion is an interactive horror theatre experience where monsters might crawl on the ceiling, creatures could be flying through the air, and at any moment you could be pulled aside for your own personal storyline. Jon describes Delusion as a cinematic moving play with a rich, linear storyline where the audience gets to be the main character in a horror movie.
Jon started creating immersive horror experiences as a teen in his parents’ house. When he began doing stunt work for movies, he naturally incorporated stunts and special effects into his productions. While Delusion is well known for its stunts and effects, Jon has always emphasized his dedication to the story.
It was so interesting to dig into Jon’s multi-faceted background to see how all his different skill sets culminated in the incredible experience of Delusion. After chatting with him, it was clear how committed he was to cinematic, immersive storytelling with an adrenaline-laden plot. He had so many amazing stories. We loved getting a glimpse into the cinematic delusions of Jon Braver. It’s a climactic finale to season 2.
Episode Sponsors
Thank you to our sponsors:
Production Credits
Hosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law
Produced by Lisa Spira
Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media
Music by Ryan Elder
Logo by Janine Pracht
In Season 2, episode 7, we chat with Rita Orlov, the designer of industry-favorite, indie narrative puzzle games. Rita made a huge splash in the puzzle community with the launch of The Tale of Ord — an epic tabletop escape game with narrative depth and puzzle density. She followed that with The Emerald Flame and The Light in the Mist, a tarot card puzzletale.
Rita not only designs her games, she also self-produces, funding all of them via Kickstarter. She talks to us about some of the difficulties of being an indie game creator and her inspiration behind The Light in the Mist. Rita was also one of the featured speakers at RECON ‘21, talking about her granular hint systems for tabletop games.
My biggest takeaway from chatting with Rita was the depth of her vision. There is a grandeur to her games which leaves you fully immersed in a realistic narrative. Rita is a masterful artist, skillfully weaving all the different threads of the puzzles, themes, and the storyline together into a gorgeous and lush tapestry, a “puzzletale” if you will. We hope this episode inspires you.
Episode Sponsors
Thank you to our sponsors:
Production Credits
Hosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law
Produced by Lisa Spira
Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media
Music by Ryan Elder
Logo by Janine Pracht
In Season 2, episode 6, we got to chat with Brian Corbitt, the creative mind behind the raunchy and hilarious Miss Jezebel—an actor-driven experience that’s a mix between immersive theatre and an escape room. Two of Brian’s games have won Golden Lock Awards from Room Escape Artist, and it was also voted in the top three best online escape rooms in the 2020 TERPECAs – the Top Escape Rooms Project Enthusiasts’ Choice Awards.
Brian’s games all have a quirky signature style to them, including the use of puppets, humor, interesting mechanics, and deeply immersive interactions. Brian worked in the haunt industry for over a decade as a scare actor and set designer, and it’s easy to see the influence the haunt industry has on his games.
One of the things that struck me was how so many of his ideas all started off as April Fool’s day pranks. Many of Brian’s best games came about because he wanted to create something to entertain his friends, make ’em laugh, and maybe troll them a bit. Brian’s passion for creating something brilliant, funny, and a tad twisted is apparent in his games and this interview. It was a blast diving into his carnival funhouse brain.
Episode Sponsors
Thank you to our sponsors:
Production Credits
Hosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law
Produced by Lisa Spira
Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media
Music by Ryan Elder
Logo by Janine Pracht
In season 2, episode 5, we take a deep dive into the inner workings of RECON, our escape room convention. In 2020, Room Escape Artist was poised to launch their first escape room convention. They quickly pivoted to a virtual convention when it became apparent that they wouldn't be able to host an in-person event due to quarantine. Within three months, they put together an unforgettable experience for the escape room community.
They had even bigger aspirations for this year's RECON, with new infrastructure and the all-new Play Pass, which lets you play a variety of games, including a few which are exclusive to RECON.
We'll chat with different members of the RECON team, including James Cobalt—Jack of All Trades, Cara Mandel—The Games Curator, Theresa Wagner—The Games Executioner, Lee-Fay Low—The Volunteer Coordinator, Brendan Lutz—The “Hand” of RECON (Tech Wizard), Lisa Spira—RECON Puppetmaster, Theresa Piazza—Official Catch-All Task Master, Cindi Saiewitz—Speaker Wrangler, and Michael Augustine (Auggie/Okapi Kid)—ARG Master.
This was a fascinating look behind the scenes of running a virtual convention and seeing how all the moving parts fit together. As Brendan said, there was truly an invigorating start-up energy surrounding RECON. It was incredible to feel like we were all part of something greater. There is something really special about these talented enthusiasts and creators who want to help build an amazing community for the escape room industry.
Episode Sponsors
Thank you to our sponsors:
Production Credits
Hosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law
Produced by Lisa Spira
Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media
Music by Ryan Elder
Logo by Janine Pracht
In season 2, episode 4, we discuss possible futures for competitive escape room playing with the King of Smash, Ken Hoang.
Ken was the world champion of Super Smash Bros. Melee for five years and helped create much of the high level competitive gameplay. Ken was also an extremely strategic player on Survivor: Gabon.
Smash Melee was originally designed as a party game, not for competitive play. However, by exploiting glitches and mechanics that were built into the system, whether intentional or not, Ken was able to develop an expressive and unique style within Smash Melee, and become a top competitive player. This same strategy of exploitation has caused much of the recent evolution in Survivor.
With this perspective, we discuss whether there is room for competitive play in escape rooms, and what that evolution could look like. Episode 4 is a bit of a smashup mashup, but it was fascinating to look at escape rooms through a competitive lens.
Episode Sponsors
Thank you to our sponsors:
Production Credits
Hosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law
Produced by Lisa Spira
Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media
Music by Ryan Elder
Logo by Janine Pracht
In season 2, episode 3, we chat with Sarah Zhang from Omescape Escape Rooms in the California Bay Area. Sarah is one of the creators of the award-winning, online escape room game, Pursuit of the Assassin Artist, which was voted the #1 online escape room in the 2020 TERPECAs – the Top Escape Rooms Project Enthusiasts’ Choice Awards. It was also a winner at our own 2020 Golden Lock Awards.
2020 was a difficult year for most escape room companies. Many operators adapted their games for virtual play, allowing players to experience the games through a digital interface. Omescape elevated the online escape room, creating an experience that took advantage of the virtual format by introducing a time-loop mechanic.
Sarah walks us through their creative design process, citing many games that excited and inspired her. She talks openly about borrowing concepts from her favorite games. Through some magical alchemy, she has managed to distill various aspects and mechanics into what is far and away one of the strongest games to emerge from the virtual escape room scene. Sarah was incredibly humble and such a sweetheart. It was an absolute delight having her on our podcast.
Episode Sponsors
Thank you to our sponsors:
Production Credits
Hosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law
Produced by Lisa Spira
Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media
Music by Ryan Elder
Logo by Janine Pracht
In season 2, episode 2, we have a lovely chat with Nick Moran, who was creative director for Time Run, one of the most influential escape room companies. He has created ambitious games with innovative formats, and he’s now focused his creative genius on designing Spectre and Vox, a gorgeously crafted tabletop gaming experience with interactive storytelling.
Nick’s background as a narrative-focused writer becomes apparent when he starts talking about the structure of a game. It was fascinating to hear how he approaches structure from a narrative viewpoint, for example, by considering the “status” of the player in an escape room and the importance the player’s status has on immersion. Additionally, Nick approaches game design from a business viewpoint, taking into consideration how to maximize player throughput and increase productivity.
It’s rare to find a designer as talented as Nick, who creates not only with an eye for brilliant gameplay and immersive narrative, but also towards optimizing the business model. Nick is charming, hilarious and very opinionated. We think you’ll really enjoy this episode.
Episode Sponsors
Thank you to our sponsors:
Production Credits
Hosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law
Produced by Lisa Spira
Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media
Music by Ryan Elder
Logo by Janine Pracht
In episode 1 of season 2, we talk to acclaimed actor, producer, writer, and tabletop immersive experience designer Neil Patrick Harris. He's a performer known for his iconic roles on stage and screen, but our community knows him as a champion of escape rooms and immersive gaming, as well as the creator of the brilliant tabletop puzzle experience Box One.
Neil walks us through the path that led him to his love of escape rooms and other immersive games (including Survivor), explaining that it all stems from his fascination with structure and figuring out the mechanisms of how something works. He explains that escape rooms and immersive theatre were able to combine his two loves, magic and theatre, into a spectacle of an experience.
We spend a lot of time dissecting Box One, with quite a lot of spoilers. Make sure you play the game before listening to this segment! Neil explains some of the more controversial design elements and talks to us about his game design philosophy.
After chatting with Neil, it became clear that the driving force behind many of his immersive endeavors was an intense curiosity about the mechanics of escape rooms, puzzles, or tricks, along with a profuse appreciation for creativity and authenticity. His unbridled joy when discussing different immersive experiences was a pleasure to behold. We are thrilled to have someone like him championing this industry.
Episode Sponsors
Thank you to our sponsors:
Hosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law
Produced by Lisa Spira
Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media
Music by Ryan Elder
Logo by Janine Pracht
In episode 8, we chat with Lisa Spira, co-creator of Room Escape Artist, one of the producers of this podcast, and the main puppetmaster holding the strings of two very happy podcasters.
David and Lisa have been married for five years. He calls himself the Penn to Lisa’s Teller and explains that in their partnership, while he’s the loud carnival barker grabbing the attention, Lisa is the shorter, quiet one who is actually pulling all the strings (and we couldn’t be more thrilled that she’s helped us organize this podcast).
Together, we delve into some of the controversy and discussion stirred up by our previous episode with Chris Lattner.
Lisa has not only applied her prodigious organizational talents to producing our podcast, but she is also the driving force behind many of Room Escape Artist’s endeavors, including the Hivemind Review group, the US Escape Room Industry Report, the REA Escape Room Tours, and RECON ’21, the Reality Escape Convention.
She chats with us about these upcoming projects, giving us highlights of what to expect. I was fascinated to get a glimpse at some of the moving parts behind the Room Escape Artist machine. None of this would have been possible without Lisa’s guiding hand, and we are immensely grateful for her expertise and dedication.
Production CreditsHosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law
Produced by Lisa Spira
Music by Ryan Elder
Logo by Janine Pracht
In episode 7, we talk to Chris Lattner, CEO and creative director of The Room in Berlin, one of the top-ranked escape room companies in the world, according to TERPECA—the Top Escape Rooms Project Enthusiasts’ Choice Awards. The Room’s immersive adventures have continued to win awards and accolades throughout the years, including our own Room Escape Artist’s Golden Lock Awards.
Chris’ background was as a professional DJ in the techno scene for many years, performing at clubs and festivals around the world. He was also heavily involved in the European geocaching scene, years before escape rooms even existed. After chatting with Chris, it became very clear that he has a focused design philosophy rooted in his past influences.
From guiding party-goers on an immersive emotional journey as a DJ, to creating a world-class geocaching adventure that often times involved climbing equipment and wandering through forests at night, and even playing countless hours of video games, Chris shares with us all his influences and inspirations.
Chris is opinionated, deliberate in his design choices, and full of interesting life experiences. We loved getting inside his head and hearing about how he brings his immersive adventures to life.
Production CreditsHosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law
Produced by Lisa Spira
Music by Ryan Elder
Logo by Janine Pracht
In episode 6, we sit down with Anthony Robinson, an enthusiastic larper, former castaway on the reality show Survivor Fiji, and long-time contributor to the immersive theatre website No Proscenium.
Anthony introduced David and Peih-Gee, who met (and found their mutual love of escape rooms) as guests on an episode of the No Proscenium podcast. It only seemed fitting to bring Anthony onto our show to chat about immersive gaming and Survivor.
Anthony is an old school larper (Live Action Role Play) who also happened to play Survivor, which is one of the most immersive games in the world. Larping is one of the original forms of immersive gaming, and it was a blast chatting with him about the different types of larp. We also discuss how to incorporate role-playing into our everyday lives. As you may know, David is a huge Survivor fan, so it was fun chatting about Survivor, and how much the editing can slant to create a certain narrative.
This episode in particular was more of a conversation between friends who have a shared love of deeply nerdy topics, and we hope you'll enjoy listening along.
Production CreditsHosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law
Produced by Lisa Spira
Music by Ryan Elder
Logo by Janine Pracht
In episode 5, we had a lovely chat with Barry Meade, founding member of Fireproof Studios and one of the co-creators of The Room, an incredibly vivid mobile game first released in 2012.
The Room had a tactile, immersive quality to it, from its haunting soundtrack, to the weight of physical objects, and how the environment handled the lighting design. These design elements, combined with a series of intricate puzzles, have delighted and inspired countless escape room enthusiasts and designers.
It was fascinating to hear about how a limiting set of circumstances created the perfect recipe for an evocative 3D puzzler. What came through clearly was their sharp sense of focus. They knew what they were good at and didn't waste resources trying to be too many things. After chatting with Barry, we could see how Fireproof Studios really embodies the spirit of an indie design studio.
Production CreditsHosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law
Produced by Lisa Spira
Music by Ryan Elder
Logo by Janine Pracht
In this episode, David and Peih-Gee chat with Chris and Anne Lukeman, owners of the escape room company CU Adventures and the escape room shirt companySolve Our Shirts.
We talk about how a trip to Wisconsin and to two attractions in particular "opened their eyes to a level of weird that became a commercial business." Those attractions were Wizard Quest, a fantasy-themed scavenger hunt and House on the Rock, which Anne describes as a "skyscraper hobbit-hole of kitsch." We learn about their background in indie filmmaking and how it has influenced their escape room design process. As part of his design philosophy, Chris says that anywhere in one of their escape rooms, “it should feel like a picturesque, lived-in space, and either tell part of the story, inform part of the puzzle, or be weird, or be funny. It HAS to do one of those things."
They talk to us about the pros and cons of operating in a smaller community. We find out why they decided to release their remote game Lost Temple as a print-and-play. David and Peih-Gee gush over Solve Our Shirts, their latest project, which is an escape room in a t-shirt. Chris and Anne tell us about their plans to expand with a fantasy-themed mini-golf course with additional gamification, a bar, and gaming rooms.
Production CreditsHosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law
Produced by Lisa Spira
Music by Ryan Elder
Logo by Janine Pracht
Episode 3 is an interview with game and puzzle designers Juliana Moreno Patel and Ariel Rubin, the Wild Optimists. This brilliant duo designed the world’s first Escape Room in a Box which is released worldwide by Mattel.
Juliana and Ariel met, founded their company, and created their first product all while pregnant, which should give you a good idea of their intense passion.
They are known for their thoughtful designs in immersive gaming and continue to push the envelope when it comes to creating new types of game design.
Production CreditsHosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law
Produced by Lisa Spira
Music by Ryan Elder
Logo by Janine Pracht
In this episode, David and Peih-Gee chat with Myles Nye, a Survivor Challenge consultant and designer of team-building games.
Myles took Peih-Gee to her first Escape Room, and we discuss tips and tricks for newbies. Myles talks about improv and how to create experiences that tap into the essence of play. We learn about how Myles became a challenge consultant for the reality show Survivor, and discuss the nuances of designing puzzles and games for television. He puts to rest some of the conspiracy theories about Survivor challenges, and also talks to us about why certain challenges probably won’t make a reappearance on the show again. We also talk about Myle’s love of legacy board games.
Production CreditsHosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law
Produced by Lisa Spira
Music by Ryan Elder
Logo by Janine Pracht
In this episode, David and Peih-Gee chat with Elan Lee, one of the creators of the ARG (alternate reality game), and co-creator of Exploding Kittens - the most-backed campaign on Kickstarter at the time.
David manages to surprise Elan with interview questions that he’s never been asked before. Elan talks about creating the world’s first ARG and shares stories about what happens when you don’t properly define borders in escape rooms and immersive gaming. We also talk about escape rooms (of course) and Elan’s post-game ritual. We find out that Elan is a huge fan of Survivor and he tells us why he considers Jeff Probst to be one of the world’s best game designers.
Elan tells us that the best-designed games aren’t entertaining in and of themselves, but rather, that the best-designed games make the players entertaining.
Production CreditsHosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law
Produced by Lisa Spira
Music by Ryan Elder
Logo by Janine Pracht
David and Peih-Gee talk about how they met a year ago on a podcast, what they’re hoping to accomplish with this podcast and their escape room origin stories. While this is technically episode 0, it's labeled as episode 1. It's a puzzle.
Hosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law
Produced by Lisa Spira
Music by Ryan Elder
Logo by Janine Pracht
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