Hi all
This
review is a little different to my recent review of Paris at Social Escape in
that this time, I was sitting in (or next to) the game master’s seat rather
than as a player. For my review of this room as a player, click here.
Moments
after I finished my solo escape from Paris, 2 members of my usual team set out
to escape from Paris. This was the second time that I have sat on the
other side and watched people escape from a room. It was a very cool
experience and it gave me a really interesting insight into the amount of work
that goes on behind the scenes to ensure a great escape experience for players.
So, here
are my thoughts from the experience:
·
we started by resetting the room after my solo escape. Mark
showed me his Paris room “bible” which went on for several pages and showed
precisely the steps needed to properly reset the room. It took us maybe
10 to 15 minutes to reset the room and to double check everything – we were
chatting as we did it, but I learned it is a process that takes time and
attention to detail;
·
on that note, I buggered up and didn’t close a suitcase padlock
properly. I was concentrating and doing it slowly, but I still stuffed it
up (thankfully, it was one of the easier puzzles so I didn’t give my team too
much of a freebie). Again, I learned that resetting a room is not
straight-forward and it can’t be rushed;
·
while we were watching and listening to my friends escaping from
the room, Mark showed me his very cool excel spreadsheet that he has designed
which sets out every single puzzle aspect in the room. Each time players
locate a puzzle piece or solve a puzzle, Mark clicks his mouse and his
spreadsheet records the time and tells him how the current players are tracking
compared to average teams. This is a really important tool because it
lets Mark know when he might need to step in to provide some nudges or hints.
This system is incredibly accurate, but it ensures that the game master
has to watch your every move, which from a player’s perspective is exactly what
you’d like;
·
this data is also used by Mark at the end of the game to provide
players with a print out of how they went compared to average teams, on a
puzzle by puzzle basis. It’s incredibly detailed and very cool;
·
I know my team members very well and I know their strengths and
weaknesses in escape rooms (just as they know mine). I was really
surprised because at the start of their game, I picked that there would be certain
hidden items they wouldn’t find and others they would find immediately – and I
was totally wrong. They attempted puzzles in a really different way than
I had done. Things that I needed a hint to find they managed to find
literally within seconds of entering the room, whereas other items I had found
took them some time to locate. So from an owner’s point of view, I can
appreciate how cool it is to see how different teams tackle your room –
everyone does it differently;
and
·
when Mark and I noticed that my friends hadn’t found a particular hidden
item, it was really interesting that Mark could then project forward and know
which knock on puzzles they would be delayed by as a result of not having found
the hidden item. I also learned how INCREDIBLY frustrating it is to
know puzzle answers or where hidden items are but to see teams struggle.
Over all,
this experience again showed me the true importance of having dedicated game
masters for each room. Playing escape
rooms is not a cheap exercise and according, we players expect to have a fun
experience with a dedicated game master ensuring that we have that fun
experience.
Thankfully,
Social Escape Rooms are one of those great outfits in Sydney that put the
customer experience as their priority. And
accordingly, Mark is bound to be successful.
Where: Level 1, 62 Wyndham Street, Alexandria
Duration:
60
minutes
Themes: 2 different themes (but 8 rooms planned in total)
Cost: $31 to $36 each (for 4 players, depending on time of week) (We played at the kind invitation of the owner)
Themes: 2 different themes (but 8 rooms planned in total)
Cost: $31 to $36 each (for 4 players, depending on time of week) (We played at the kind invitation of the owner)
Overall
Rating: Awesome, family friendly fun for all group
types
More details: http://www.socialescape.com.au/
More details: http://www.socialescape.com.au/
Hi Scott, I'm so glad you got to experience the game master side of the desk!
ReplyDeleteYes, I do agree that a game master should be dedicated to each room while teams are playing.
- A great experience can turn bad by something as simple as not responding to a hint request promptly, or offering a hint that isn't relevant to what the team are working on.
We can't wait to get our third room running and get you back out again.
Regards,
Mark