One of the top questions we get asked by our players is “how do you make these rooms?” To celebrate the opening of our newest room, “Burned Out,” we’re going to pull back the curtain and let you in on the process of making an escape room!

Starting with a theme

For this room, we started with the basics. We knew we wanted a room that could accommodate larger groups, and one that would be a perfect match for corporate team building. As fans of the movie Office Space, and of course The Office, we couldn’t miss this opportunity to create a room that recreated the feel of these classic comedies.

Brainstorm all the things

Once we settled on a theme, we had to start creating some ideas. Here’s where the fun comes in. We all threw out all the ideas we could think of that relate to everyday life in the office. Paper clips, staplers, break rooms, water coolers… there are no bad ideas in this stage!

Throw out the bad ideas

Turns out, there are some bad ideas. In this stage, we weed out what ideas could not realistically turn into fun, engaging, and dynamic puzzles. Here’s where the game starts to emerge, and an outline of the game is made. Individual puzzles are created and reworked from the brainstorming stage.

Call in the experts

For this particular game, we found ourselves in need of a few more good ideas. We needed to call in the experts. Team Bluefish came to our rescue. As escape room enthusiasts and bloggers who have played over 350 rooms, we trusted that we were in good hands. They came out, played our “rough draft” room, and helped us brainstorm about the narrative, puzzle design, and game flow. They even created 2 puzzles for the game (and they’re two of our favorites in the game!).

Tweak, test, retweak, retest, repeat, repeat, repeat.

In this stage, the proverbial blood, sweat, and tears emerge. Making the puzzles, drilling into props, scouting and procuring furniture… the list is endless and just continues to grow as progress is made. Sparks of genius spontaneously arise in this phase. This is also where we recruit unwitting family and friends to come play the unfinished game (cue more sweat and tears, but hopefully no blood).

A game ready for the public

After feedback from family, friends, and escape room enthusiasts, the room is ready to play! Of course, a game is never complete, and it evolves as you (the players!) give us feedback. Come check it out!