Open World Escapes
Escape Rooms...
without the room
Open World Escapes allow and encourage players to explore your property. Whether its a tropical resort, a cruise ship on the open ocean or a city wide game in snowy Canada we can build a game that is sure to be engaging for everyone who plays.
Every game we build is guaranteed to be as unique as the location its built for.
Typical locations include but are not limited to:
Resorts/Hotels ~ Theme Parks ~ Cruise Ships ~ Zoo's ~ Shopping Malls ~ Towns/Cities
How Do Open World Games Work?
Games will typically start with a standard instruction sheet that outlines how the game works and any location specific details they will need to know that are not part of the storyline.
To get guests started on their adventure the game will usually start with a themed object. An often used starter object can be a Journal or Diary from the main character in the story. In it will be the main storyline and information to get them started on their adventure. the beauty if the journal as a starting point is it can be as in depth as needed in order to be a resource that players will need to refer back to and find additional hint in throughout the game.
Each game is uniquely designed for a specific location and will never be able to be played anywhere else. Each puzzle and the corresponding clues are written to fit your unique story.
The props and any physical puzzles that the players will need to find and interact with are all manufactured to blend in with the existing decor so that any other guest will assume its just part of the furniture.
An example of a puzzle would be that there may be a portrait of a woman with the nameplate of a character in the story on the wall in a room. The woman may be holding a pair of opera glasses and her eyes in the portrait may look to a specific spot. When the players look around the room they will find a pair of opera glasses mounted on a stand. when the portrait is viewed through the opera glasses the player will be able to see a clue that was previously not visible.
Players will then take their new information, combine it with what they previously new and continue on the journey until they find the answer to the mystery. The end goal will be just as unique as the game and can help players discover something special about your location.
Development and Implementation Process
While each situation and location is unique, the typical process is as follows
1. Initial Contact - Reach out when your ready and we can go into more details through emails or by phone.
2. Budget - We work with you to come up with a budget for your project
3. Proposal - Working within your budget we develop a scope of the project and submit a proposal for approval.
4. Planning Visit - We travel to your location to explore the location. we will look for unique features and hidden gems that we can highlight for your location. While exploring we will take pictures and notes of any details we can use. The length of this trip will depend on the size of the property and project.
5. Development - The next block of time will see your story get written and a detailed plan of what we need to design and build.
6. Final Approval - We will submit a detailed breakdown of the game, story, ad props for your approval.
7. Fabrication - Most of your props, puzzles, and theme elements will be fabricated at our shop Canada. In cases where renovations are required on site we will work with you to make a plan including hiring any local contactors as required.
8. Shipping - Once all the elements are built and tested we will ship all the materials to your location.
9. Installation - upon confirmation that the materials have all arrived on site we will travel to your location to stall and test the game.
10. Testing - This step in the process is the most fun, testing. We encourage staff at the location to be among the first to play the game first and then will work with the staff to select guests at the location to test the game so we can make any modifications or adjustments before the game opens to the public.
11. Training - the final step in the process is making sure your staff are comfortable with each part of the game. We will typically stay on location for the first few days to make sure that it launches smoothly.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a game take?
Typically games are designed to take approximately 60 minutes to complete but this can be adjusted to fit your desired location. Keep in mind that some guests will "get it' quickly and be able to finish faster while other will have more difficulty.
Can there me more than one game in a location?
Yes! There are a couple ways this can be done.
1. Using the same story line but with a different journal to start the players will be taken on a completely journey with the same end of the story.
2. At the same location there can be multiple different stories all happening at the same time for example a Pirates Treasure Map that starts one game, an explorers Journal starts another, and then an encrypted letter from a mysterious spy starts the third.
There is no limit to the number of games you can have at a location other than the amount of space you want to dedicate to the games.
How much does a game cost?
There is no fixed cost per game, games are created to fit your budget level. The cost will be decided by the level of immersion, the number of puzzles, length of game, size of property, number of auto resetting props needed. We are happy to discuss your project and provide you with an estimate.
Do I need dedicated staff to run the game?
All games will require some staff interaction however this can be minimized through the use of auto resetting puzzles and other creative techniques. You will need a location such as the front desk, concierge, or customer service where guests can go to start the games or to ask for help. The games themself are designed to be self operating so that once guests are on their adventure they will be able to follow the game without staff intervention.
Do you travel to install the games?
The short answer is yes, we are happy to meet you at your location. Reach out today to discuss in more detail but the process typically requires two visits to your location. One at the beginning of the design phase and another once fabrication is completed so we can setup and test the game.