Reality Escape Pod - Escape Rooms & Immersive Games

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.   Show Notes   Episode Sponsors Thank you to our sponsors:  SEO ORB - Marketing and SEO optimization created specifically for escape rooms by an enthusiast. Telescape by Buzzshot - Virtual escape room game creation and interface software. Bring increased functionality to your virtual escape rooms. Escape from Mibo Island by Sherlocked - Virtual escape room played on a uniquely immersive web-based platform. First-person point of view avatar using your own webcam video that is ideal for anyone from families to corporate events. Try out Mibo Island for 20% off with the code MARVINRULES.   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.   Show Notes   Episode Sponsors Thank you to our sponsors:  SEO ORB - Marketing and SEO optimization created specifically for escape rooms by an enthusiast. Telescape by Buzzshot - Virtual escape room game creation and interface software. Bring increased functionality to your virtual escape rooms. Escape from Mibo Island by Sherlocked - Virtual escape room played on a uniquely immersive web-based platform. First-person point of view avatar using your own webcam video that is ideal for anyone from families to corporate events. Try out Mibo Island for 20% off with the code MARVINRULES.   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. Show Notes Episode Sponsors Thank you to our sponsors:  SEO ORB - Marketing and SEO optimization created specifically for escape rooms by an enthusiast. Telescape by Buzzshot - Virtual escape room game creation and interface software. Bring increased functionality to your virtual escape rooms. Escape from Mibo Island by Sherlocked - Virtual escape room played on a uniquely immersive web-based platform. First-person point of view avatar using your own webcam video that is ideal for anyone from families to corporate events. Try out Mibo Island for 20% off with the code MARVINRULES. 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. Show Notes Episode Sponsors Thank you to our sponsors:  SEO ORB - Marketing and SEO optimization created specifically for escape rooms by an enthusiast. Telescape by Buzzshot - Virtual escape room game creation and interface software. Bring increased functionality to your virtual escape rooms. Escape from Mibo Island by Sherlocked - Virtual escape room played on a uniquely immersive web-based platform. First-person point of view avatar using your own webcam video that is ideal for anyone from families to corporate events. Try out Mibo Island for 20% off with the code MARVINRULES. 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. Show Notes Episode Sponsors Thank you to our sponsors:  SEO ORB - Marketing and SEO optimization created specifically for escape rooms by an enthusiast. Telescape by Buzzshot - Virtual escape room game creation and interface software. Bring increased functionality to your virtual escape rooms. Escape from Mibo Island by Sherlocked - Virtual escape room played on a uniquely immersive web-based platform. First-person point of view avatar using your own webcam video that is ideal for anyone from families to corporate events. Try out Mibo Island for 20% off with the code MARVINRULES. 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. Show Notes Episode Sponsors Thank you to our sponsors:  SEO ORB - Marketing and SEO optimization created specifically for escape rooms by an enthusiast. Telescape by Buzzshot - Virtual escape room game creation and interface software. Bring increased functionality to your virtual escape rooms. Escape from Mibo Island by Sherlocked - Virtual escape room played on a uniquely immersive web-based platform. First-person point of view avatar using your own webcam video that is ideal for anyone from families to corporate events. Try out Mibo Island for 20% off with the code MARVINRULES.   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

Nick Moran, creative director for Time Run, discusses designing immersive games with innovative structures. He shares insights on approaching game structure from a narrative and business perspective, maximizing player immersion and throughput. Nick's charming personality shines as he talks about blending storytelling, gameplay, and business optimization in creating captivating gaming experiences.

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. Show Notes Episode Sponsors Thank you to our sponsors:  SEO ORB - Marketing and SEO optimization created specifically for escape rooms by an enthusiast. Telescape by Buzzshot - Virtual escape room game creation and interface software. Bring increased functionality to your virtual escape rooms. Escape from Mibo Island by Sherlocked - Virtual escape room played on a uniquely immersive web-based platform. First-person point of view avatar using your own webcam video that is ideal for anyone from families to corporate events. Try out Mibo Island for 20% off with the code MARVINRULES. 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 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. Show Notes   Production Credits Hosted 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. Show Notes   Production Credits Hosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law Produced by Lisa Spira Music by Ryan Elder Logo by Janine Pracht