Mystical escape room "1408"
creation of a escape room in 1 month
About game
Clients from Nice, France contacted me with an order to build an escape room in the classic genre of detective story.
I suggested using the theme of the movie "1408" and the game was based on a hotel room, getting into which players encounter paranormal forces.
I remember this escape room in the first place as the easiest project. Probably because of the theme it was very easy to do.
And secondly, as the fastest my project for the construction of a escape room.
It took 4 weeks from the arrival to the launch of the game.
It was very fast considering that I had never built in
France and spent some time to adapt and understand what kind of materials you need to buy in hardware stores.
I suggested using the theme of the movie "1408" and the game was based on a hotel room, getting into which players encounter paranormal forces.
I remember this escape room in the first place as the easiest project. Probably because of the theme it was very easy to do.
And secondly, as the fastest my project for the construction of a escape room.
It took 4 weeks from the arrival to the launch of the game.
It was very fast considering that I had never built in
France and spent some time to adapt and understand what kind of materials you need to buy in hardware stores.
The plot of the game
Players arrive in Nice late at night.
Tired of the road, no strength even to talk.
They went to all the hotels but they are overcrowded.
Arriving at the last hotel with the hope that maybe there are free rooms, the players have no luck again. This hotel is also busy.
But the hotel administrator decides to take pity on the negligent tourists and put them in a room that never gives up to anyone.
This number is notorious, many terrible and inexplicable events took place in it. After that, the owner of the hotel gave orders to no one else to rent this room.
Players check into a hotel room hoping to rest. But they didn't have to be alone for long, because no one survived in this room for more than 1 hour.
Tired of the road, no strength even to talk.
They went to all the hotels but they are overcrowded.
Arriving at the last hotel with the hope that maybe there are free rooms, the players have no luck again. This hotel is also busy.
But the hotel administrator decides to take pity on the negligent tourists and put them in a room that never gives up to anyone.
This number is notorious, many terrible and inexplicable events took place in it. After that, the owner of the hotel gave orders to no one else to rent this room.
Players check into a hotel room hoping to rest. But they didn't have to be alone for long, because no one survived in this room for more than 1 hour.
Gameplay
This is a classic escape room for 2-6 people.
The game lasts 60 minutes.
There are two locations in the escape room.
The first location is a large room with a sofa, wardrobe and other furniture.
In it, players are frightened by screamers, and a leisurely detective gameplay takes place. The escape room unfolds slowly like fine wine. Players find clues and plot parts about what happened in this room with other escape rooms.
The second location, hidden, the transition to it through a secret opening in the closet. This is a strange smoke-filled room that players enter after solving 10 riddles in the main room.
A special feature of the second location is smoke. Before the players get there, a smoke machine turns on which creates a dense fog.
Because of it, the players cannot see the real dimensions of the room.
It looks very funny, because the room is very small in fact.
During the test games, there was a case when one player walked around in the fog, came back, sat down in a corner and began to cry.
When we asked what happened after the game, he said that he was afraid to get lost in the fog and therefore sat in the corner while his comrades were solving riddles.
In the photo below, this "terrible smoke location" in green. In the photo, of course, there is no level that is used in the game. It is impossible to take photographs in it, nor can you see anything.
To solve this problem for surveillance cameras, they had to be placed on the floor in the corners of the room. The smoke rises a little higher, and we can follow the players in a layer of clean air, 30 centimeters high from the floor.
In this location, players spend no more than 5-7 minutes, so there is no harm to health, especially since the smoke from the smoke of the car is absolutely harmless.
The game lasts 60 minutes.
There are two locations in the escape room.
The first location is a large room with a sofa, wardrobe and other furniture.
In it, players are frightened by screamers, and a leisurely detective gameplay takes place. The escape room unfolds slowly like fine wine. Players find clues and plot parts about what happened in this room with other escape rooms.
The second location, hidden, the transition to it through a secret opening in the closet. This is a strange smoke-filled room that players enter after solving 10 riddles in the main room.
A special feature of the second location is smoke. Before the players get there, a smoke machine turns on which creates a dense fog.
Because of it, the players cannot see the real dimensions of the room.
It looks very funny, because the room is very small in fact.
During the test games, there was a case when one player walked around in the fog, came back, sat down in a corner and began to cry.
When we asked what happened after the game, he said that he was afraid to get lost in the fog and therefore sat in the corner while his comrades were solving riddles.
In the photo below, this "terrible smoke location" in green. In the photo, of course, there is no level that is used in the game. It is impossible to take photographs in it, nor can you see anything.
To solve this problem for surveillance cameras, they had to be placed on the floor in the corners of the room. The smoke rises a little higher, and we can follow the players in a layer of clean air, 30 centimeters high from the floor.
In this location, players spend no more than 5-7 minutes, so there is no harm to health, especially since the smoke from the smoke of the car is absolutely harmless.
Development features
I wrote the script for the game before leaving for France. After completing all the preparatory work to create a plan, drawings and electronic circuits of riddles.
Also remotely, together with the client, we found suitable furniture on bulletin boards.
And when I arrived in Nice, the furniture and final repairs of the locations had already been done.
This made it possible to immediately start assembling the riddles that I did on the spot.
Since the style of the game is about paranormal forces, all the electronics of the first location are hidden and creates the effect of the presence of an inexplicable force.
Strange sounds, moving objects and other screamers that set the right mood for the players.
The riddles in the first location are partially parallel. They go in blocks, alternating a parallel plot that connects at certain points to tell the legend in a certain order.
All electronics were made on relay circuits so that everything worked like a Swiss watch.
During the operation of this game, and many years have passed, I have not received from the client, I received only one mention of the breakdown from the client.
Burned out IR LED in one of the riddles. But the client was able to replace it since all the riddles are easily understandable and maintainable.
I liked creating this escape room, I recall this project on the French Riviera with nostalgia.
Also remotely, together with the client, we found suitable furniture on bulletin boards.
And when I arrived in Nice, the furniture and final repairs of the locations had already been done.
This made it possible to immediately start assembling the riddles that I did on the spot.
Since the style of the game is about paranormal forces, all the electronics of the first location are hidden and creates the effect of the presence of an inexplicable force.
Strange sounds, moving objects and other screamers that set the right mood for the players.
The riddles in the first location are partially parallel. They go in blocks, alternating a parallel plot that connects at certain points to tell the legend in a certain order.
All electronics were made on relay circuits so that everything worked like a Swiss watch.
During the operation of this game, and many years have passed, I have not received from the client, I received only one mention of the breakdown from the client.
Burned out IR LED in one of the riddles. But the client was able to replace it since all the riddles are easily understandable and maintainable.
I liked creating this escape room, I recall this project on the French Riviera with nostalgia.
Download this PDF for a complete history of the project. You will learn a lot from it.
