Reality Escape Pod - Escape Rooms & Immersive Games

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.   Show Notes & Timestamps Episode Sponsors Thank you to our sponsors:  Morty Morty 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). Resova Resova 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 - RECON Escape 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 Credits  Our music was created by Ryan Elder. Production Credits REPOD 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 Sponsors Thank you to our sponsors:  Morty Morty 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). Resova Resova 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 - RECON Escape 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 Credits  Our music was created by Ryan Elder. Production Credits REPOD 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 Sponsors Thank you to our sponsors:  Morty Morty 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). Resova Resova 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 - RECON Escape 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 Credits  Our music was created by Ryan Elder. Production Credits REPOD 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 Sponsors Thank you to our sponsors:  Morty Morty 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). Resova Resova 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 - RECON Escape 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 Credits  Our music was created by Ryan Elder. Production Credits REPOD 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 Sponsors Thank you to our sponsors:  Morty Morty 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). Resova Resova 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 - RECON Escape 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 Credits  Our music was created by Ryan Elder. Production Credits REPOD 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 Sponsors Thank you to our sponsors:  Morty Morty 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). Resova Resova 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 - RECON Escape 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 Credits  Our music was created by Ryan Elder. Production Credits REPOD 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 Sponsors Thank you to our sponsors:  Morty Morty 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). Resova Resova 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 - RECON Escape 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 Credits  Our music was created by Ryan Elder. Production Credits REPOD 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 Sponsors Thank you to our sponsors:  Morty Morty 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). Resova Resova 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 - RECON Escape 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 Credits  Our music was created by Ryan Elder. Production Credits REPOD 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!   Show Notes Episode Sponsors Thank you to our sponsors:  Morty - A free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings. RECON: Reality Escape Convention 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. Learn More about RECON. Music Credits  Our music was created by Ryan Elder. Production Credits REPOD 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.   Show Notes   Episode Sponsors Thank you to our sponsors:  Morty - A free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings. 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. In 2023 it will be hosted virtually. Learn More about RECON. Music Credits  Our music was created by Ryan Elder. Production Credits REPOD is produced by Lisa Spira and edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media.