"One of my favorite things about Spoilers Club is getting to hear about those tiny little details that the designers sneak into their games." One of the things I love about playing escape rooms is that post-game discussion where we get to analyze everything that happened during the game. We can talk about all of our favorite puzzles, things that worked for us, and things that didn't work for us. But it's tough to discuss details on a podcast, because you don't want to spoil anything for people w...
Jan 19, 2024•51 min
"You never know why something will go viral, and it doesn't matter why. They'll still come." If social media was an escape room, most owners and designers would never find the key. Navigating all the different trends and social media apps is a daunting task, and it's even harder when most escape rooms don't allow photos or videos of their games. That's why we brought in an expert. In this special release of our Patreon Exclusive Bonus episode from Season 6, Episode 3 , we talk to social media in...
Jan 12, 2024•55 min
We're sharing a little bit of our Patreon exclusive Bonus show from S6E13 with A.J. Jacobs and Greg Pliska of The Puzzler Podcast. In this clip. Peih-Gee confesses to some writing struggles and David shares a story of being utterly destroyed and then rebuilt by a writing professor back in college. Listen to the rest of the Bonus Show now by becoming a patron today at patreon.com/roomescapeartist and to gain to access our library of over 60 bonus after shows. Thank you for supporting our work....
Dec 28, 2023•7 min
“Fun, bite sized, and entertaining.” In the final episode of season 6, we’re back with author and now podcaster A.J. Jacobs, along with his Chief Puzzle Officer, Greg Pliska. We first interviewed A.J. about his book, The Puzzler, in S3E11 . The idea for the podcast originated in part while recording the audio book version of The Puzzler. A.J. realized many of the puzzles in the book were visual and wouldn’t work for an audio book. He created a bunch of audio puzzles that only worked in the audio...
Dec 26, 2023•1 hr 3 min•Season 6Ep. 13
We're sharing a little bit of our Patreon exclusive Bonus show from S6E12 with Mike Dold and Rick George of Doldrick's Escape Room. In this clip. David makes his case against using animatronics in escape rooms and explains why Doldrick's Spoopy animatronic is one of the few that works. Listen to the rest of the Bonus Show now by becoming a patron today at patreon.com/roomescapeartist and to gain to access our library of over 50 bonus after shows. Thank you for supporting our work....
Dec 21, 2023•6 min
“Comedy and whimsy feel like the foundational principles of Doldrick’s.” In Season 6, episode 12, we chat with Mike Dold and Rick George, two of the co-owners of Doldrick’s Escape Room in Orlando, Fl. Their games are fan favorites amongst enthusiasts, in particular because of their blend of humor, whimsy, beautiful sets, and fun gameplay. Every single REA review of the Doldrick’s escape rooms talks about how funny they were, with Theresa Wagner writing that Spoopy’s Ghoulish Graveyard “had [her]...
Dec 19, 2023•1 hr•Season 6Ep. 12
We're sharing a little bit of our Patreon exclusive Bonus show from S6E11 with Summer Herrick of Locurio. In this preview, we talk about the challenge of designing for and around the most devoted fans of these large format experiences in experiences like Sleep No More and Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser. Listen to the rest of the Bonus Show now by becoming a patron today at patreon.com/roomescapeartist and to gain to access our library of over 50 bonus after shows. Thank you for supporting our wo...
Dec 14, 2023•6 min
"Poor game flow is one of the biggest downfalls to any escape room." In Season 6, episode 11, we chat with Summer Herrick, co-founder of the iconic escape room company Locurio in Seattle, Washington. In 2020, Locurio had the distinction of being the sole company to win in all three TERPECA categories: Top Room, Top Online Room, and Top Company. Locurio’s games, The Vanishing Act and The Storykeeper are fan favorites in the escape room scene, and with good reason. Summer talks about Locurio's des...
Dec 13, 2023•58 min•Season 6Ep. 11
We're sharing a little bit of our Patreon exclusive Bonus show from S6E10 with Lonnie Hanzon of Camp Christmas. In this preview, we talk about the evolution of retail, visual merchandising into social media and experiences. Listen to the rest of the Bonus Show now by becoming a patron today at patreon.com/roomescapeartist and to gain to access our library of over 50 bonus after shows. Thank you for supporting our work....
Dec 07, 2023•7 min
"It's a quirky romp through this thing that we call Christmas." In Season 6, episode 10 of Reality Escape Pod, we talk to visual installation artist Lonnie Hanzon, who has been creating immersive displays celebrating Christmas for over 30 years. Lonnie is the mastermind behind the wildly creative Christmas trees and windows at Neiman Marcus in Dallas, and "The Evolution of the Ball" installation at Coors Field in Denver. His holiday immersive experience, Camp Christmas, is a whimsical journey in...
Dec 05, 2023•1 hr 4 min•Season 6Ep. 10
We're sharing a little bit of our Patreon exclusive Bonus show from S6E10 with Eric Wastl, creator Advent of Code. In this preview, we talk about effective interviewing techniques for hiring. Spoiler... it's not Advent of Code puzzles. Listen to the rest of the Bonus Show now by becoming a patron today at patreon.com/roomescapeartist and to gain to access our library of over 50 bonus after shows. Thank you for supporting our work....
Nov 30, 2023•6 min
"It's also sort of a gateway drug to becoming a programmer." In REPOD season 6, episode 9, we have a rare interview with Eric Wastl, who is not only the creative mind behind Advent of Code, but he is also married to our very own Kate Wastl who writes for Room Escape Artist and is the producer for RECON 24 in Los Angeles this August. Advent of Code is a series of unique programming puzzles that launches on December 1st every year and continues until Christmas. Eric initially created Advent of Cod...
Nov 28, 2023•1 hr 2 min•Season 6Ep. 9
We're sharing a little bit of our Patreon exclusive Bonus show from S6E8 with puzzle maker Eric Berlin, creator of Puzzle Snacks. In this preview, we talk about designing puzzles for kids and Eric gives us some tips for solving crossword puzzles. Listen to the rest of the Bonus Show now by becoming a patron today at patreon.com/roomescapeartist and to gain to access our library of over 50 bonus after shows. Thank you for supporting our work....
Nov 23, 2023•6 min
“An escape room crossword puzzle” In Season 6, episode 8, we talk to the charming crossword constructor Eric Berlin. Eric is the creator of Puzzlesnacks, one of our favorite puzzle books, and he authored the Winston Breen trilogy, a series of puzzling novels for kids. Eric was also captain of Team Palindrome, one of the largest MIT Mystery Hunt teams, which won in 2021. Eric has a long and illustrious career crafting creative crossword puzzles. From brazening his way into Games Magazine board ga...
Nov 21, 2023•1 hr 5 min•Season 6Ep. 8
We're sharing a little bit of our Patreon exclusive Bonus show from S6E7 with Marie and Nico, co-creators of Red Fox. Here we talk about lessons learned from designing escape rooms and debate the merits of designing for authenticity versus ease of reset. Listen to the rest of the Bonus Show now by becoming a patron today at patreon.com/roomescapeartist and to gain to access our library of over 50 bonus after shows. Thank you for supporting our work....
Nov 16, 2023•5 min
“That is some crazy market research.” In season 6, episode 7 of REPOD, we chat with the brilliant Marie Huber and Nico César, owners of Red Fox Escapes in Cambridge, MA. Red Fox Escapes is known for constructing elegant and complex puzzles with gorgeous, detailed sets. As David notes in the episode, “There are a few hallmarks of Red Fox games… your approach to puzzles… and the abundance of detail in your games.” As a former business analyst, Marie has a metrics-based approach to both how she run...
Nov 14, 2023•1 hr 5 min•Season 6Ep. 7
We're sharing a little bit of our Patreon exclusive Bonus show from S6E6 with Kellian and Brian Pletcher, co-creators of Club Drosselmeyer. Here's a snippet of us sharing some advice for interacting with the performers at an immersive event. And also how to draw some hesitant guests, deeper into your storyline. Listen to the rest of the Bonus Show now by becoming a patron today at patreon.com/roomescapeartist and to gain to access our library of over 50 bonus after shows. Thank you for supportin...
Nov 09, 2023•6 min
“It's an interactive Nutcracker in swing time.” In REPOD season 6, episode 6, we go behind the scenes with the creators of Club Drosselmeyer, Kellian and Brian Pletcher. Club Drosselmeyer is a World War II-themed mass-puzzling, swing-dancing, and immersive performance event, and it’s one of Room Escape Artist’s favorite holiday events. Kellian talks to us about what to expect from Club Drosselmeyer, the format of the show, and how the puzzles work. She talks about drawing inspiration from histor...
Nov 07, 2023•1 hr 5 min•Season 6Ep. 6
We're sharing a little bit of our Patreon exclusive Bonus show from S6E5 with where Peih-Gee & David catch up on their experiences and travels. In this preview, we talk about playing escape rooms with new players. Going out to experience Delusion an immersive haunted attraction and Pomona, California, and Ghost of Mentryville, a recently reopened game from Arcane Escape Rooms. Listen to the rest of the Bonus Show now by becoming a patron today at patreon.com/roomescapeartist and to gain to a...
Nov 04, 2023•7 min
“Chris, you’re a monster.” Join us for spooky trivia games that test your escape room knowledge and scary stories to tell in the dark. Peih-Gee takes over hosting duties from David to present a ghostly and entertaining episode with guests Tommy Honton , and Anne & Chris Lukeman . We learn about things like mummy brown and the origins of Halloween, a unique trick or treating tradition in the midwest, and a video game called Sanity’s Requiem, which gaslit its players into going mad. Play along...
Oct 31, 2023•1 hr 7 min•Season 6Ep. 5
We're sharing a little bit of our Patreon exclusive Bonus show from S6E4 with Mark Larson co-creator and voice of The Shop of Theseus. Here's a snippet of where Mark we talks about implementing search mechanics. David also gives us a teaser for the game at RECON next year, which will be live in person in Los Angeles. Listen to the rest of the Bonus Show now by becoming a patron today at patreon.com/roomescapeartist and to gain to access our library of over 50 bonus after shows. Thank you for sup...
Oct 25, 2023•7 min
We're giving The Shop of Theseus a final send-off, and we invited the hilarious crew from the Hey Riddle Riddle Podcast to test their wits in this audio escape room co-created and run by Mark Larson , who was a guest on REPOD Season 5, Episode 11. If you missed playing this game during RECON Remote 23, or if you want to relive your glory moments, join us for this final playthrough of The Shop of Theseus. JPC, Adal, and Erin are some of Chicago's top improvisers, and they had me roaring with laug...
Oct 23, 2023•1 hr 20 min•Season 6Ep. 4
We're sharing a little bit of our Patreon exclusive Bonus show from S6E3 with Christine Barger co-creator of 13th Basement. Here's a snippet of Christine sharing the type of content that has worked for her escape room which has garnered millions of views on TikTok. Listen to the rest of the Bonus Show now by becoming a patron today at patreon.com/roomescapeartist and to gain to access our library of over 50 bonus after shows. Thank you for supporting our work....
Oct 20, 2023•8 min
“It's about whether you want to be culturally relevant in 2023.” In Season 6, Episode 3 of REPOD, we discuss the importance of social media marketing with The Haunt Girl—Christine Barger, co-owner of The Exit Game OC. Her game, 13th Basement , is a hilarious comedy-horror escape room that’s self-aware and parodies typical escape room tropes. Christine has almost a million followers on TikTok as an entertainer and haunt/ escape room influencer. The conversation moves from haunts to being an escap...
Oct 16, 2023•1 hr 12 min•Season 6Ep. 3
We're sharing a little bit of our Patreon exclusive Bonus show from S6E2 with Rich Bragg of TERPECA. Here's a snippet of Rich talking about the inherent difficulties of trying to rank the top escape rooms in the world on the typical list. Listen to the rest of the Bonus Show now by becoming a patron today at patreon.com/roomescapeartist and to gain to access our library of over 50 bonus after shows. Thank you for supporting our work....
Oct 16, 2023•7 min
If you consider yourself a serious escape room enthusiast, chances are you’ve heard of TERPECA, the Top Escape Rooms Project Enthusiasts' Choice Award. In Season 6, Episode 2 of REPOD, we chat with Rich Bragg, founder of TERPECA and ClueKeeper, and a former escape room Guinness World Record holder. Rich has been involved in the immersive gaming scene since he first discovered the world of elaborate puzzle hunts in the early 2000s. Rich talks about playing in Moscow while setting the Guinness Wor...
Oct 10, 2023•59 min•Season 6Ep. 2
We're sharing a little bit of our Patreon exclusive Bonus show from S6E1 with Christian and Zach of Doors of Divergence. Here's a snippet of Christian and Zach talking about their expectations of what their audience would love and what actually kept people coming back for replays. David talks about his past covering live music events and compares doors of divergence to jazz music. They also talk about creating on the fly, magical memories for their guests. Listen to the rest of the Bonus Show no...
Oct 09, 2023•6 min
What if you entered an escape room where the choices are real and every decision you make causes ripples down the line of your adventure? Replayability is one of the hottest topics in the escape room world, and right now, no company showcases it better than Doors of Divergence in New York City. In Season 6, Episode 1 of REPOD, we chat with Christian Vernon and Zac MacKrell, the creators behind Doors of Divergence. They spill the secrets of their success, including their secret weapon when it com...
Oct 02, 2023•1 hr 7 min•Season 6Ep. 1
We brought together escape room industry professionals and enthusiasts from all around the world for a 2-day virtual event in August. If you're still coming down off the high of RECON Remote 23, we've got you covered. In this pre-season special release, we break down all the happenings at RECON, with a special behind-the-scenes look from Brendan Lutz, Room Escape Artist's CTO, and the Head of Technology for RECON. We kick things off by reflecting on mistakes make in previous events and how it he...
Sep 18, 2023•1 hr 9 min•Season 5Ep. 16
The floor is cold and hard against our face as we groggily awaken to Pigjaw looming over us... and the only way to survive is to saw(lve) his riddles. Hey Riddle Riddle is an uproariously funny podcast featuring improvisers Adal Rifai, Erin Keif, and John Patrick Coan solving every riddle, puzzle, brain-teaser, and head-scratcher known to humanity. Some riddles are almost impossible, some are absolutely improbable, and some simply have not aged well. And if you don't like riddles, don't worry! T...
Sep 15, 2023•1 hr•Season 5Ep. 16
