Category: Tips & Tricks

First of all – dress casual. You are not going to a gala, you are going to have an adventure!
If you are coming from or going to a special event that requires more fancy clothing, at least make sure you have comfortable shoes and clothes that can take a little action and perhaps pick an escape room that is a little more easygoing.

Comfortable shoes

Since you will likely be on your feet for most of the game, picking the right footwear is crucial to ensure a pleasant experience. Wear closed-toe shoes, preferably sneakers or trainers. Hiking shoes or comfortable boots are fine as well.
Avoid high heels, any kind of open-toed shoe and stay away from flip-flops! You will likely be in a group of people and you don’t want anybody to step on your toes.

Flexible pants

While escape rooms are generally designed to accommodate most people, regardless of fitness level or flexibility, there will be some small challenges and obstacles you might have to face during the game. Whether it is crawling through a narrow space or climbing up steps or over a barrier, you will be thankful for having chosen the right pants for the game.
Choose a pair of comfortable pants or shorts. Jeans, sweatpants or athletic shorts are your best bet. Nothing too tight or you won’t be able to face all the obstacles in the game, but too baggy either, or it might get in your way.

Breathable shirts

While most escape rooms have air conditioning, you can’t always rely on that to be enough. Make sure your shirt or sweater is light and loose-fitting and made of a breathable and flexible fabric.

Avoid dressing too heavily, as you might get quite warm during the game, depending on how many players are in your group and how much action is involved.

If you want to wear a dress, make sure it’s not too short and that it has some flexibility.

Accessories

Avoid wearing too many accessories, especially things that might get damaged, drop off, or get in the way. Expensive watches, jangly necklaces, and big earrings are not recommendable.

If you have long hair, tie it up in a ponytail or a bun so it doesn’t distract you or get caught on anything.

Costumes

Sometimes, people come to an escape room to celebrate a special occasion, or perhaps they just want to make it a fun and memorable experience. Whether it’s a hen or stag party, a birthday, a graduation party or just some crazy dudes, matching shirts or even full-fledged costumes are a fun way to celebrate. Just make sure they fit the dress code and you are good to go!

Conclusion

Always be prepared! Choosing the right clothes before visiting an escape room is essential if you want to have a good time. Feeling comfortable and unrestricted during the game will allow you to focus on what’s important: jumping into the adventure and completing the mission!

Step 1: How much space is needed?

Before you begin to set up the escape room, you need to know its dimensions. You need to know exactly what kind of setting your escape room will have before you start building anything.

The room needs to be large enough to fit in all props and still provide enough space for players to move around freely, depending as well on the size of the group. Sometimes it is advisable to use more than one room to prolong the game and raise the difficulty level, as well as adding excitement to the game.

Step 2: Setting

To create an exciting and memorable experience for your customers, picking a historically and/or geographically interesting setting is key. Apart from that, you can work with interesting props, colors, lighting techniques, or other special effects to enhance the experience.

Step 3: Theme

There are virtually no limitations when it comes to picking a theme for your escape room.
Of course, popular themes like horror, mystery, and adventure are the most attractive, but there is always room for creativity and individuality, and it’s important to put some personal elements into the creative process as well, to make your establishment stand out from the masses. Of course, a classical escape theme is always nice, but adding a little twist here and there will make sure your customers don’t get bored.

Step 4: Finding premises

Before you can begin to set up your escape room, you are going to need suitable accommodation. Make sure you know exactly how much space you need for the escape rooms themselves, keeping in mind that you need additional space for washroom facilities, storage, and a reception area for the visitors.

Possibly, you should also have a separate room for the gamemasters to monitor and run the games.
Another important factor is of course location. Pick an area where you can be sure your visitors will be able to find you without any difficulties, preferably not too far from public transportation. Another thing to consider is whether you want to provide parking for your customers. This is going to require a higher budget but will prevent unnecessary delays, as customers do not need to search for a parking space in the area.

Step 5: Duration of the game

Generally speaking, one hour is the ideal time for an escape game. It allows for simpler guidelines and facilitates organization. Other variations can be suitable for certain escape rooms, but this is by far the most popular format.
Naturally, the entire game has to be designed in a way that is is possible for the players to finish it within the set time limit. This needs to be tested thoroughly before you can create the exact storyline of the game. The number of riddles that need to be solved in the set time limit has to be determined, as well as the number of clues that help facilitate the solving process. Once all of these factors have been coordinated, you can start writing the story.

Step 6: The story

When the players enter the room, they receive a short introduction, which tells them what the story behind the escape room is. This is important not only to clarify the mission but also to set the right mood and atmosphere for the game in order to ensure an immersive experience.

While the base of the story should always be consistent, each gamemaster should be allowed to tell it in their own words, in order to allow for a more natural delivery.

The story can determine how players move through the game, in which order they approach the riddles and how their thought process evolves during the game.

For instance, if your objective is to escape from a prison cell, you immediately start thinking about finding keys and other means of escape. No matter which theme, the story needs to be logical, so that the players have no difficulties. All props, riddles, and clues have to relate to the story.

Once the players start the game, the story needs to work on its own. Gamemasters can occasionally intervene by giving hints or suggestions, but ultimately, the players are left to their one devices and it should be possible for them to finish all the riddles by themselves.

This means that the story has to be easy to follow. Writing the story down step by step is important, not just to support the gamemasters but also to make sure you maintain an overview and it doesn’t get too complicated.

Step 7: The storyline

A story, no matter how long or short, requires structure. There are helpful devices that can support you during this process. For instance, creating a flowchart to illustrate the detailed process of the game will help giving a logical order to your storyline. Line up what exactly the players need to do to finish their mission.

1. Which puzzle needs to be solved to achieve which goal in the game?
2. How many parts or stations will the game have?
3. How many puzzles for each part of the game?
4. In which order do the puzzles need to be solved?

Mapping out the entire process of the game will help determine how exactly the game needs to be structured to meet all requirements and to come to a logical conclusion.

To give the game even more direction, you can separate the riddles into different challenges.
Depending on the size of the room, the duration of the game, and the number of players, there can be several challenges that will need to be mastered before the ultimate mission can be fulfilled.

For instance, if the theme of the game is a zombie apocalypse, the challenges could be to find ‘patient zero’ (the first person to be infected), determine what the cure for the virus is, and find the place where it is hidden. That way, the players have a series of small victories within the game, which will keep them motivated and even more focussed on the goal.

The puzzles and riddles can then be created to fit these challenges so that the players know in which order to solve them. For additional support, different challenges could have differently colored riddles and hints.

Conclusion

Bevor an escape room can be built, several important factors need to be considered.
A lot of planning and preparation is required and creativity and logical thinking are essential to ensure a perfect experience.

Every corporate boss knows that the secret to a successful business enterprise lies in the cooperation between its employees. Because of this, companies strive to hold regular team-building activities. These activities do not only provide a break from work but also supply the perfect opportunity to develop camaraderie and teamwork among colleagues. But let’s face it: doing the same activity every year tends to lead to boredom and decreased productively. And what’s worse is that most company retreats only let employees relax, but does not necessarily improve their ability to work as a team. This is why it is important to try new and innovative ways to pique employees’ interests. Fortunately, an alternative option comes in the form of Escape Rooms.

Why Escape Rooms Are Good for Team Building?

Escape Rooms are immersive games that require you to work together to win. As its title suggests, the ultimate goal of the game is to escape. This is done by accomplishing a series of tasks consisting of solving puzzles, finding hidden clues, and other activities that require both mental and physical prowess. But the key to winning the game lies in its most important aspect: teamwork. For this reason, Escape Rooms are a great team-building activity that reap a number of benefits, some of which are listed below.

1. Escape Rooms Improve Productivity

From a corporate standpoint, this is the main goal of any team building activity. Successfully completing the game challenges will give your employees a sense of achievement. This is a feeling that they share together, knowing that they completed the tasks by working together as a team. Such a feeling of accomplishment will provide the moving power to do better at work and ultimately to produce better overall results.

2. Escape Rooms Increase Motivation

Oftentimes, poor work ethic arises from a lack of motivation. The solution? Boost your team’s spirit through the fun and innovative quests of Escape Rooms. Because of the mutual desire to escape and win the game, employees share a common goal and work hard towards reaching said goal. Completing a complicated task together increases their confidence in both their own and their team’s ability. This will ultimately be carried on to the workplace after the game ends.

3. Escape Rooms Enhance Communication Skills

The key to any successful team is its ability to communicate with each other. In Escape Rooms, teammates are placed in high-pressure situations where they have no choice but to focus on the game and on each other’s cooperation. The quests involved will encourage even the meekest of employees to reach out and speak his mind. Because of the complicated puzzles involved, teammates will be encouraged to listen to each other. Once the team realizes that it is this shared communication that will propel them to victory, they will apply the same to their jobs as well.

4. Escape Rooms Improve Team Cohesion

In Escape Rooms, teammates have no one else to rely on but each other. Players are forced into a situation wherein in order to win, they have to encourage and motivate each other towards their common goal. It reinforces their spirit of togetherness and teaches them to understand each other’s strengths and weaknesses.

5. Escape Rooms Encourage Friendliness and Camaraderie Among Employees

One of the main reasons why employees continue to remain in a particular job is the existence of a healthy work environment. Escape Rooms give ample opportunities to employees to get to know each other on a more personal level. The informal and cooperative nature of the game allows them to talk to each other without restrictions and to better recognize each other’s interests. This cultivates in each employee a sense of respect and appreciation.

Conclusion

Escape Rooms are not just fun games but are also excellent team building activities. They provide employees with a rich, unique, and exciting experience that they will never forget. The memories of how well they worked together to solve the intricate puzzles and win the complicated quests will stay with them long after the Escape Room closes. Moving forward, such shared experience will foster a culture of friendliness and cooperation in the workplace as they recall the fun times they had while bonding over the Escape Room. This effectively boosts morale and camaraderie while creating lifelong friendships that ultimately create a healthy and productive work environment for you and your employees.

Ready To Start the Fun?

Give your employees the chance to experience an Escape Room like none other. Here at PlanB Escape Germany, we cater to all ages and tastes. As one of Germany’s premier Escape Rooms, we have several adventures to choose from here in Stuttgart and Karlsruhe.

The Magic University

Are you a Harry Potter fan? Then you’ll love this immersive adventure. Get to explore an ancient room full of magical artifacts. Armed with only your wand and your wits, you and your teammates will work together to defeat the evil sorcerer Baracus. Will your magic and smarts be enough to escape from his evil plan?

Bunker 71

Imagine yourself trapped in an underground bunker surrounded by old and new technology. The danger of a chemical poison looms in the air. There’s just one catch: the fate of the world is in your hands. Do you and your teammates have what it takes to beat the clock before a nuclear Armageddon strikes?

The War Over Space

The force is strong with this one. This adventure will appeal to any Star Wars fan, engaging you in a battle of the galaxies. You and your teammates will decrypt alien technology and solve the world’s greatest mysteries of space. You are humanity’s last hope. Will you fight to save the universe?

The Secret Jungle

It’s a game of life and death as you bring out your inner Indiana Jones and traverse through the thick jungle full of dangerous animals, ancient artifacts, and hidden secrets. Do you have what it takes to survive?

These are only some of the many fun and exciting choices to choose from. So what are you waiting for? Book your next adventure here with us at PlanB Escape Germany. The clock is ticking!

For more information about us and our escape rooms, check us out on our website.

Slumped on what to do on your next family vacation? Bored with the same routine night out with friends? Or are you just one of those people who seek the thrill of trying something new? Whatever your reasons, you definitely will not want to miss out on one of the hottest trends today: the Escape Room. Never heard of it? Here are the basics.

What is an Escape Room?

To put it simply, an Escape Room is a game. But this isn’t your typical run-of-the-mill play. While these are relatively new forms of entertainment, the concept itself dates back centuries. One of the greatest Greek myths revolved around the labyrinth – a maze where the Greek hero Theseus kills the Minotaur in order to escape. This idea of escape games was later incorporated into several video games which led to the first actual Escape Room being created by a Takao Kato in 2007 in Japan. Escape Rooms are part of the so-called “reality entertainment” which rose to popularity in recent years because of its immersive nature. These kinds of games are better known today under the umbrella term “virtual reality.” It’s an appeal to players lies in the fact that it places them in a situation that mimics true-to-life experiences. But what makes it so popular? Imagine being placed in the middle of your favorite video game. Instead of just sitting in front of a computer screen, you get to experience the action first-hand. The fun, the fear, the thrill of defeat – you experience all of it in real life.

How Escape Rooms Work

As its title suggests, the ultimate goal of the game is to escape. This is done by accomplishing a series of tasks consisting of solving puzzles, finding hidden clues, and other activities that require both mental and physical prowess. Before the game starts, you are asked to form a team, usually consisting of two or more members. Everything begins with a locked location which may consist of one or more rooms. These rooms are set-up to replicate fictional locations with different themes: a dungeon, a bunker, a jungle, or even a magic castle. Some are even scarier by simulating your favorite horror movies. With all these options, you and your teammates can choose your own adventure before entering the room. Once inside the room, a timer will start and your race against the clock will begin.

Game Play Overview

Once inside, you and your teammates will be given a set of instructions, usually with the help of an instructional video or through the personal directions of your Guide Master. While your ultimate purpose is to get out of the room, you also go through a number of side quests before actually getting the final key to escape. These side quests lead you on a real-life treasure hunt. It requires you to solve puzzles, find clues, and work together to solve the room’s mystery. But what kind of puzzles? Picture this: like a magician’s assistant, you sort through an old bookcase to find a hidden key. The painting near the fireplace contains a secret message, an anagram, that you and your friends need to rearrange to find its meaning. Behind the table, there’s a mechanical device similar to a Rubik’s cube that you must solve to get to the next room. All the while, the clock continues to tick. These are just a number of ways by which an escape room may be set up. The themes may range from whimsical fantasy stories to the horror genre. If players get stuck on a quest, they are given the option to ask for hints. But be aware that these hints are limited in number and should be used with caution. When the timer ends, the team is informed whether they win or lose.

Advantages of Escape Rooms

Because of its immersive nature, the experience of an Escape Room is unlike any other game you have played. But it’s not just all fun and games. Studies have shown that there is a direct connection between puzzle-solving games like Escape Rooms and a person’s overall health. Here is a list of 12 benefits of taking part in Escape Rooms.

1. Escape Rooms Provide your Daily Dose of Physical Exercise

If you’re the kind of person who has been struggling to stay fit but finds it hard to exercise, then consider Escape Rooms your best option. The physical tasks involved are not as strenuous as sports nor as laid back as ordinary board games. Don’t worry, there’s no jumping jacks or push-ups involved. The experience itself is similar to taking a brisk walk in the park. And the best part? Because of the fun and excitement of beating the time limit, you won’t even notice you’ve been exercising. The American Heart Association requires at least 30 minutes of daily physical exercise. And since a typical Escape Room game ranges from 45 minutes to an hour, you are getting even more than your required minimum.

2. Escape Rooms Encourages You to Explore the Use of All Your Senses

Escape Rooms heighten the players’ imaginations and stimulate the senses. Sight, smell, touch, hear, taste — all your senses have to work together to solve the puzzles in the game.

3. Escape Rooms Greatly Improve Your Memory and Decision-Making Skills

Do you pride yourself on having the ability to memorize all your friends’ phone numbers? Well in Escape Rooms, your memory and retention are put to the ultimate test. The tasks involved range from memorizing a mere number sequence to an arrangement of different shapes and pictures. Even your surroundings will require mental action, since the placement of the room may itself be a clue that you need to remember. Escape Rooms also place you in a pressured situation where your decision-making skills are put to practice, requiring you to make certain choices in a mere matter of minutes.

4. Escape Rooms Help Enhance Your Problem-Solving Abilities

The unique quests involved require you to step out of your comfort zone and put you in a situation where you have to think of the best option available for your teammates. As a result, you leave the Escape Room not only with a sense of accomplishment for being able to complete the complicated puzzles of the game, but also the comfort that you are now better equipped to solve your own real-life problems.

5. Escape Rooms are a Great Exercise for the Brain

While a bit of physical activity is involved, Escape Rooms rely more heavily on a person’s mental prowess. The game provides you with a good opportunity to keep your mind sharp and your senses alert. This is particularly true for older team players, to keep away the risks of Alzheimer’s disease, dementia and other age-related illnesses. Studies have shown that solving puzzles also decreases the chances of brain damages and keeps the cells healthy. This is one of the reasons why Escape Rooms are one of the best activities for family bonding: it benefits both younger and older members of the family alike.

6. Escape Rooms Keep You Happy

Nowadays, depression is one of our society’s most silent killers. For this reason, mental health should be one of our top priorities. And a surefire way to take care of ourselves mentally is to keep ourselves happy and fulfilled. The fun and thrill brought by Escape Rooms help you battle the risks of depression because the activities involved facilitate the release of dopamines and endorphins in your body. Both are known as our “happy hormones” because they keep you in a positive mood throughout the day and help alleviate anxiety and depression.

7. Escape Rooms Keep Your Heart Healthy

Studies have shown that most heart attacks result from an inactive lifestyle. Escape Rooms help keep you active without the unnecessary stress that ordinary exercise carries with it. As the clock ticks, while you’re playing the game, your heart rate decreases during concentration while also lowering your blood pressure.

8. Escape Rooms Relieve Stress and Anxiety

Feeling stressed at work lately? Escape Rooms are a good way to help you relax while having fun. The mental aspect of the game helps you redirect your stress into the puzzles so that you come out of the game feeling more accomplished and relaxed.

9. Escape Rooms Develop Fine Motor Skills

Fine motor skills involve good hand and eye coordination that is essential to our everyday tasks. The physical and mental activities of Escape Rooms help you practice these skills in a fun and fast-paced manner.

10. Escape Rooms Improve Your Survival Instincts

Because Escape Rooms are designed to test your physical and mental responses to certain situations all while trying to beat the timer, they provide you with the optimal opportunity to practice how you would react to real-life situations. It increases your sense of awareness of your surroundings and helps amplify your sense of self-preservation. Remember that the ultimate goal is to escape. So the next time you find yourself in a dangerous situation, finding your way out will not be as difficult.

11. Escape Rooms Help You Socialize And Communicate With Others

Let’s face it: many of us are introverts by nature. We find it hard to talk to people, especially ones we have never met before. Escape Rooms offer the perfect situation to help you socialize with others. In the game, you are brought together by the singular goal of trying to escape. Chances are, the people you are with share the same interests of puzzles and problem-solving. And because the mechanics of the game rely highly on team cooperation, communication is essential. It also gives you a chance to meet new people in a fun and unconventional way.

12. Escape Rooms Are a Great Way To Bond With Friends And Family

Perhaps the most common reason why people engage in new activities is to spend time with friends and family. Escape Rooms give you the perfect excuse to bond and to know more about each other through the interactive games involved.

Ready To Start the Fun?

Here at PlanB Escape Germany, we cater to all ages and tastes. As one of Germany’s premier Escape Rooms, we have several adventures to choose from here in Stuttgart and Karlsruhe.

The Magic University

Are you a Harry Potter fan? Then you’ll love this immersive adventure. Get to explore an ancient room full of magical artifacts. Armed with only your wand and your wits, you and your teammates will work together to defeat the evil sorcerer Baracus. Will your magic and smarts be enough to escape from his evil plan?

Bunker 71

Imagine yourself trapped in an underground bunker surrounded by old and new technology. The danger of a chemical poison looms in the air. There’s just one catch: the fate of the world is in your hands. Do you and your teammates have what it takes to beat the clock before a nuclear Armageddon strikes?

The War Over Space

The force is strong with this one. This adventure will appeal to any Star Wars fan, engaging you in a battle of the galaxies. You and your teammates will decrypt alien technology and solve the world’s greatest mysteries of space. You are humanity’s last hope. Will you fight to save the universe?

The Secret Jungle

It’s a game of life and death as you bring out your inner Indiana Jones and traverse through the thick jungle full of dangerous animals, ancient artifacts, and hidden secrets. Do you have what it takes to survive?

These are only some of the many fun and exciting choices to choose from. So what are you waiting for? Book your next adventure here with us at PlanB Escape Germany. The clock is ticking!

Escape rooms are the perfect way to bring a group of people together. The combination of a shared tasks, suspenses, time limits, cooperation and problem-solving mirrors real life – this makes it an especially popular activity for colleagues. Here is the Plan B blog guide to building an Escape Room challenge in Germany that will have people coming back again and again!

Escape Room challenges are the most interesting part of setting up an escape room building

Why should the players have all the fun? Building an escape room is equally if not even more exciting than participating in one.

A good escape room balances the difficulty factor with the thrill of discovery. It can be a challenge to find this ideal balance but it is a thrilling process that will improve your own deduction and reasoning skills.

As an Escape Room designer, you have complete control over what will happen during the challenge, including the pacing and even the characters. The experience is somewhat similar to writing and directing a movie and will appeal to your creative side. Don’t hold back!

How to create good ideas and scenarios for escape rooms?

Before you can create something, you have to understand it and the best way to do this is to experience it yourself. Before you design your first Escape Room, participate in a few. Going through the process as a participant will give you the perfect introduction.

Apply the parts that you and the other contestants enjoy the most about the adventure into your own designs. If there are parts of the experience that you and others did not like, perhaps it will be better to leave them out of your own version.

Another great source of ideas are films and books that you have enjoyed. Murder mysteries and thrillers are full of intriguing plot twists that will capture a participant’s imagination.

How to find the materials and accessories for escape rooms?

Starting anything from scratch can be a huge task… and also very expensive. Instead of creating an entire Escape Room from nothing, scout for locations where the environment and structures already tell part of the story.

Old school buildings, hospitals and warehouses are an amazing place to start. Many of them also have a spooky character, which can be very helpful if your plot has an element of fear or horror.

Using the right accessories adds a touch of realism that will help players immerse themselves in the story. Unused props from theatres or even schools can be very useful and will usually cost you nothing. Opt for second-hand furniture (even from your own home) to cut down on expenses. Garage sales, online platforms and furniture clearance sales can also be helpful. If you love DIY, you can even build some yourself.

How to place props and accessories in the right way inside an escape room&

Escape rooms are all about mystery, finding clues, solving them and performing tasks together. Place your props in such a way that the players move around the room and discover clues in the right sequence. Balance the difficulty with the amount of time available. Offers additional tips when necessary.

Conclusion

Designing an Escape Room challenge is fun and watching others enjoy your creation is even better. Why not try out Plan B Escape Rooms in Germany to see if you have what it takes?

Escape room adventures are definitely not the usual kind of thing that most people get up to in their free time. There is really no other activity like it for the way it completely pulls participants into another world. Few other experiences can generate real tension the way an escape room can as the clock runs down. This uniquely realistic and immersive nature of an Escape Room is perhaps the main reason that they have become so popular.

Before you step into an escape room and hear the door lock behind you, ask yourself:

• Can I handle the pressure?
• Am I a good team player?
• How good are my problem-solving skills?
• Will I be able to visit the washroom?

The answers in question order are:

• the pressure is exciting so don’t feel too anxious;
• this is the perfect place to learn cooperation;
• this is the perfect place to develop problem-solving abilities;
• yes, you will have lots of chances!

TOP facts that you should know about escape rooms

The Escape Room phenomenon is relatively new, with the first one being set up in 2003. However, the concept took the world by storm and today, there are already over 8,000 escape room facilities around the planet.

Most people assume that escape rooms are all about solving puzzles but there is so much variety that it is impossible to list them all down. The common features are searching for hidden objects, noticing clues hidden in plain sight, solving riddles and assembling a physical object (like a jigsaw puzzle). Some of the more innovative rooms use mathematics, mirrors, target shooting, mazes and interaction with actors.

The types of clues in an escape room may be diverse but one other factor varies even more widely: setting. Escape rooms may be set up as an ordinary office, school or clinic but more exotic scenarios like airplanes, carnivals, military bases, prisons, space stations and tombs are also popular.

Another variety factor is the period of the setting. While most escape rooms are set in the present, others choose a specific period from the past like prehistoric times, the Ice Age, the Greek era, the Wild West or the golden age of the buccaneers. The future is also a recurring theme.

For a completely different experience, there are theme-based escape rooms too. These often align with the genre of TV shows and films that are popular at the moment. For example, the Harry Potter series inspired a slew of magic-inspired rooms. The same occurred with the vampire theme following the release of the Twilight franchise and the zombie apocalypse scenario following The Walking Dead.

What are you waiting for?

The PlanB Escape blog is our team’s way of sharing with you the exciting, mysterious, fascinating and challenging world that awaits you at our base in Germany. We hope that the interesting tips and tricks we have revealed will help you have a great experience with us.

If there is anything else you believe you should know before you visit, contact us and we will be glad to help!