Welcome back to the next issue of Escape Rooms Australia.
We have had so many new rooms opening again this time and we also held our first Escape Room owners conference HEROCON. I love the community we have and hearing from all the other owners. It was also great to meet some other people looking at opening escape rooms soon.
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Hi there! I’m Josh, and together with my best friend, Daniel, we have created a new escape room business in Sydney, Australia! If you haven’t heard of us yet, you might have heard whispers of a new escape room that tried the crazy idea of making a game that you play… completely seated. That’s us. Hi! Let me formally introduce you to The Cool Space and how we came about.
I’m from Sydney and I met Daniel – originally based in Melbourne – online across the video streaming platform, Twitch. We’ve since become best friends in real life. We first played an escape room together in March 2021 (we didn’t escape) but it wasn’t until eight months later when we stumbled upon an independent escape room that inspired our imagination. I guess that’s when you can say our addiction hobby began. From then on, we’ve toyed with the idea of making our own escape rooms and now, we can finally say, that idea has become a reality.
The Cool Space is a new (opened January 2024), independant escape room business located in Chippendale. We specialise in creating escape games with immersive narratives and incorporating uniquely crafted puzzles intended to excite and surprise players.
We craft all our escape room experiences ourselves, the backstory and narrative, the puzzles, sound and light design and all the graphics. Having both played over 130 escape rooms, we strive to engage and amaze players in new and engrossing ways… which brings us to our first room, Seance. Unlike your typical escape room, Seance, from start to finish, is played completely seated.
It has definitely been and become something players question before playing – or even before booking – “How is this room even possible?”, “What can they possibly do? We’re sitting down.” And if we’re being honest, we had trouble answering this ourselves when we started brainstorming the room. What initially started as an idea to fill a small room in our floorplan, soon became a theatrical escape room experience centred around a table which has players contacting a spirit. So simple and yet, surprisingly, so effective.
So, are you brave enough to take a seat? Join us and be among the first to play our game Seance.
I did my first escape room with my wife and kids in 2019 -Paniq room in the rocks sydney- jungle. Really enjoyed the experience. It took a bit of time to get to the next one but had done a few more before I thought “you know what, I should make some escape rooms” Call it a mid life crisis maybe. Then came 4 long years of collecting things and and research before finally finding a location that was suitable and signing a lease.
I had the somewhat naive idea that I would have 4 rooms open and ready to go in 3 months (escape room owners, please stop laughing now!) because murphys laws right – things go wrong, take longer, cost more, not as easy as it looks etc. Then there is the process of adjusting as you go. Anyway it will all be worth it right!
Scarborough Fair Escape Rooms were originally planned for up to 5 rooms, however the space we finally got will accommodate 8, so 8 it is. the first room completed is called “10:79 at Rigatoni Tower”.
The irony is that this room only came to me as I was enroute to sign the lease! I was driving and thinking about Counter Strike ( a game if you don’t know it) and thought it would be cool to have to diffuse a bomb as part of an escape room. Then thought, or rescue a hostage. Why not both? OK! then my mind was drifting into the movie Die Hard. – Cool – office plaza – and the theme was set – yippee ki-yay!
The next to open – “The Curse of Davy Jones” explores the historical notes of what Davy Jones locker actually is, hence the brief, is Davy Jones the name of an English dockside publican who provided Drunken men to the British Navy, The captain of the infamous Flying Dutchman pirate ship or the final resting place for Sailors? Well, there is only one way to find out!
Our next 2 rooms to launch are ” The Great Comic Book Heist” where you and your team of burglars are going into a comic book store to steal a comic book that is worth a whole bag of cash. Great! there is a really cool twist…. and then – “Saknussem’s Trail”, challenging name! This one is loosely based on Journey to the centre of the earth where you are ultimately on the train of Arne Saknussem who journeyed to the centre of the earth back in the late 1600’s, according to his diary in the original book by Jules Verne. There is some cool crawlspace in this one but I will confess we did skip the underground sea!
5th room to launch will be either Apollo 2000, Portal, Skull Island or the 8th room which does not have a name as yet!
All of our rooms are original. This is one of the best things about playing rooms. That time you get to escape the real world and go into another world of adventure, mystery, intrigue and sometimes just pure fun. I hope to see you soon and that you enjoy our experiences as much as we have loved creating them.
Finally, we have an opening date for some of our rooms. Easter weekend – Friday 29th of March.
10:79 at Rigatoni Tower
and
The Curse of Davy Jones
Final question: www.areyougoing.au to Scarborough Fair?
End of the Road
You’re the new recruits the guys plucked from the city, to accompany the transport containing a cure for the zombie outbreak, right?
Well, it’s fine if you’re not competent. Your one job is to guard the ingredients and the cure synthesiser with your life like the cannon fodder… uh, brave survivors, that you are! It should be an easy first mission, all you need to do is hop into the transport and ensure everything gets to the outpost. You’ll probably be in the 0.05% of rookies who return. Just don’t get infected along the way, and you should be just fine*.
*The team makes zero promises about this.
Players: 2-7
Difficulty: 4/5
Suggested Ages: Recommended for adults. Junior room escapers (under 16 years) MUST be supervised by an adult OVER 18 YEARS OLD.
Duration: 75 Minutes
Seance
Unlike your typical escape room, Seance, from start to finish, is played completely seated.
Welcome to the Abercrombie Mansion. The new owner has requested your help!
After discovering a cursed artefact in the mansion, they have requested you, as ghost hunters, to perform a seance and gain a spirt’s trust. This spirit not only haunts the mansion, but is also said to have the key to unlocking the strange artefact.
Take a seat, be our guest but be wary on who you trust.
This room is intended to scare and is not recommended for players under the age of 16. Jump scares, theatrical sequences and live actors involved.
Tarot cards are used as part of a puzzle.
Players: 2-6
Difficulty: 4/5
Suggested Ages: Recommended for 16 years old and above.
Duration: 60 Minutes
10:79 at Rigatoni Plaza
Will you find the bomb in time to save the people in Rigatoni Tower?
Terrorists have taken a hostage and planted a bomb at Rigatoni Tower. The police won’t go in because it’s too dangerous. Can you save the day?
Rated PG
Crawl space
Players: 2-6
Difficulty: Not specified
Suggested Ages: Open to all ages
Duration: 60 Minutes
The Curse of Davy Jones
For centuries there have been many theories on what Davy Jones Locker actually is. Is it The final resting place of seafarers, a publican in England supplying drunken men to the navy, or perhaps the Captain of the infamous Flying Dutchman who brings certain death to all he encounters?
Only one way to find out, meet your mates at the pub!
Rated PG
Players: 2-8
Difficulty: Not specified
Suggested Ages: Open to all ages
Duration: 60 Minutes
Return To Thebes
After the ancient Egyptian capital was established in Thebes, most of the pharaohs were buried here. Since the world-famous discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb in 1923, many have coveted the priceless treasures hidden within these tombs. However, despite numerous attempts, no one has been able to breach the heavily guarded resting places. With the passing of the tomb excavator, Carter, the secrets remained hidden once more. The newly appointed curator, John, embarked on a seven-year quest and finally decided to extend an invitation to an expedition team. Yet, challenges lie ahead on the journey…
Unlocking the Secrets of Thebes: A Journey of Discovery and Challenge
Players: 4-8
Difficulty: 4/5
Suggested Ages: Recommended for all ages.
Duration: 60 Minutes
Green Hospital
Green Hospital admitted a young girl whose condition worsened during treatment, despite the staff’s efforts to save her. As her life slipped away, a sense of loss pervaded.
In the following days, the hospital was plagued by a series of eerie incidents. Doctors fell ill, patients grew restless, and rumors of a girl’s voice echoing through the halls became commonplace. An unsettling atmosphere enveloped the entire hospital, leading to its temporary closure.
The enigmatic occurrences left people suspicious, convinced that the hospital held secrets. Braving the unknown, you and your team ventured inside to uncover the truth.
What truly transpired here?
Discover the truth from the abandoned hospital, or become a patient yourself.
Players: 2-8
Difficulty: 3.5/5
Suggested Ages: Recommended for 12 years old and above.
Duration: 60 Minutes
Dragon’s Dungeon
After gathering at the tavern, your group of experienced warriors decides to adventure on a quest to get the dragon’s treasure.
But when entering the first chamber of the dungeon, a magic trap of your arch enemy, The Necromancer, is activated. The spell steals all your special weapons and magical artefacts and hides and locks them on different parts of the dungeon. But what is worse is that it also seals the exit, making it impossible to retreat…
Your only chance to escape alive is to adventure into the depths of the dungeon and get back your magical items, as they are your only hope to overcome all the obstacles and traps and, finally, beat the dragon. But be fast because in less than one hour the dragon is going to wake up… and it hasn’t eaten in a while.
A Race Against Magic, Time, and Fire
Players: 2-8
Difficulty: 3/5
Suggested Ages: Recommended for all ages.
Duration: 60 Minutes
Mafia: The Golden Ring
It’s 1953 and the Mafia wars are again rife on the streets of New York City. The Big Boss has lost the Golden Ring, whose possessor wields the ultimate power to lead the five Mafia families of New York – and with its whereabouts unknown, chaos has ensured.
New information has just been received that the Golden Ring was stolen by a rival Mafia family and is being held in their headquarters, hidden in plain sight behind the façade of a simple diner.
Your mob has been called upon by the boss to find and secure the Golden Ring to reclaim “what is rightfully ours” and put an end to the latest Mafia wars. Time is of the essence, as you have only one hour before your rivals return and should they find you inside they will be sure to unleash their fury!
This game is rated PG and contains some adult themes.
Players: 2-7
Difficulty: 5/5
Suggested Ages: Recommended for ages 16 and above. All players aged 5+ are the same price and must be included in the group size. Children under the age of 16 are more than welcome to participate in our games provided they have a paying, participating adult per team (2 adults per duel game). If no adult is present players may not be able to participate.
Duration: 60 Minutes
Speakeasy: Secrets Of The Green Fairy
Step into the summer of 1922, a time of secret whispers and hidden desires. Rumours spread through town about an enigmatic speakeasy. A place of mystery, danger, and enchantment, where fantisies and dreams take flight. Only the beautiful and powerful privy to its allure, with those most curious embarking on a thrilling adventure of discovery. But beware! The clock is ticking, and the police are determined to shut down the clandestine Green Fairy forever.
Can you gain access and unravel its secrets before it’s too late?
Players: 2-7
Difficulty: 4/5
Suggested Ages: Recommended for ages 16 and above. All players aged 5+ are the same price and must be included in the group size. Children under the age of 16 are more than welcome to participate in our games provided they have a paying, participating adult per team (2 adults per duel game). If no adult is present players may not be able to participate.
Duration: 60 Minutes
Redemption
In a peaceful small town, a relentless snowstorm concealed secrets within the sacred Church. A shocking murder revealed forbidden love that defied the sanctuary’s vows. As the town coped with the aftermath, the unyielding snowfall set the stage for an unexpected journey of redemption, intertwining with the complexities of love and family.
Players: 2-7
Difficulty: Not Specified
Suggested Ages: Recommended for 12 years old and above.
Duration: 90 Minutes
The Killer’s Game
Women are disappearing.
Can you and your team of detectives catch the killer before anyone else goes missing?
You’ve tracked him to his house in the outer suburbs where he has devised a ruthless game of wits.
Will you prevail? Or will you fall prey to his cunning?
Players: 2-6
Difficulty: Moderately difficult.
Suggested Ages: Recommended for 12 years old and above.
Duration: 75 Minutes
The Butcher Shop
The Asylum’s Butcher Shop has suffered a major failure in its cooling system.
It may already be too late to save the meat, but you and your team still have a chance to prevent any further catastrophe due to this volatile coolant.
It’s going to require all your skills and experience to restore this once state-of-the-art cooling system to working order.
Afterall, no one wants a repeat of the 1965 incident….
Players: 2-8
Difficulty: 4/5
Suggested Ages: As some puzzles are quite hard, the game is not intended as a child-only experience. However, under 16’s are welcome to attend if accompanied by an adult. Children under 7 are free, but they do still count towards the room limits .
Immersion: 5/5
Scare Factor: 3/5
Please Note:
This room contains flashing lights, loud sounds, and smoke effects.
Duration: 60 Minutes
The Lost City
This used to be the land of humans, city of technology and also your hometown: Sphinx. However, this holy place is now occupied by the ugly orcs. They invaded and ruined everything 10 years ago. No one knew where they came from and why they came. In these 10 years, you have prepared so much, to get rid of the dirty hands of the orca.
Players: 4-8
Difficulty: 3/5
Suggested Ages: The rooms are designed for challenging adventure activities for adults. Children over the age of 7 are welcome to participate in our room accompanied by at least one player over the age of 16.
Duration: 90 Minutes
Pirates – No Prey, No Pay!
Just on nightfall, somewhere in the Caribbean, a foreboding shadow appears on the horizon – an eerie-looking galleon flying the Jolly Roger. Under fall sail, the ship edges nearer when you notice a grim expression of defeat cross the face of your Captain. He understands all too well that there’s no hope of outpacing this pirate vessel, not the infamous ship of Calico Jack, renowned as the fastest in the Caribbean Sea and commanded by the most ruthless pirate of all!
In a gesture of surrender, the white flag is raised, and you suddenly find yourselves in the clutches of this dastardly pirate captain and his ragtag crew. Held prisoner below deck, a conversation is overheard… Calico Jacks intends to have you walk the plank at sunrise!
Under cover of night and sea fog, now is your opportunity to break free, seize whatever treasure you can, and make a daring escape in a lifeboat before the dawn exposes your absence. Should your efforts at escape be detected though, Calico Jack will surely have you face the dreaded plank!
You Have One Hour to Escape …
Players: 2-8
Difficulty: 6/10
Suggested Ages: From 9 yrs old and above.
Duration: 60 Minutes
The Legend Of Captain Nemo
A scientific visionary and innovative engineer, the illusive Captain Nemo is rumoured to roam the depths of the seven seas in his self-assembled steampunk submarine, the Nautilus. Seafarer’s tales tell of Nemo’s extraordinary navigation skills and reluctance to walk on all dryland but that of his own Mysterious Island hideaway, and even that Nemo is the only man to have ever laid eyes on the underwater ruins of the City of Atlantis. But this all just old sailor’s lore, right?
You certainly thought so… that was until you found yourself aboard Nemo’s fabled Nautilus! Now, a giant sea monster stalking the depths of the seven seas; an eccentric captain; and a limited oxygen supply… what could possibly go wrong?
Dare you enter?
Players: 4-8
Difficulty: 7/10
Suggested Ages: From 9 yrs old and above.
Duration: 60 Minutes
Dead Man’s Chest
So you’ve played our Pirates and Pirate Island escape rooms, survived Calico Jack’s motely crew and made off with his treasure? Now what? Let us introduce Dead Man’s Chest, an all new escape experience for Escape This Perth CBD.
With Calico Jack’s treasure chest in your possession, the time to break the lock and reveal your newfound riches is nigh. There is but one problem – a siren’s curse as old as the seven seas holds the treasure inside hostage. To break the curse, you’ll need to decipher the clues and puzzles hidden on and within the chest. Only when the true secrets of the chest and its curse have been revealed can you claim your riches.
But beware, the sands of time have turned on you and your crew… you have but 60 minutes before Davy Jones’s locker threatens to retake the chest… and your crew! Dare you enter?
Players: 2-8
Difficulty: 7/10
Suggested Ages: From 12 yrs old and above.
Duration: 60 Minutes
Zombie Apocalypse
Step into a post-apocalyptic world teetering on the brink of destruction in Zombie Apocalypse! A virus wiped out most of mankind and the scientific community’s last ditch efforts at a cure has resulted in something much, much more dangerous… a zombie held only by an experimental containment chamber. Now you find yourself locked in the very room housing that failing containment chamber – only a few inches of steel and glass between you and your untimely death. With the zombie on the brink of breaking free, yours is a vital mission: find and administer a cure! The stakes couldn’t be higher – success means salvation for humanity, while failure seals our grim fate.
Humanity’s last glimmer of hope hinges on your team’s ability to decipher the enigmatic puzzles, uncover vital clues, and race against the clock to develop a cure. With every passing moment, the threat of the zombie’s escape looms larger, and time is running out! Dare you enter Zombie Apocalypse?
You have 45 mins to escape!
Players: 2-4
Difficulty: 7/10
Suggested Ages: From 16 yrs old and above.
Duration: 45 Minutes
Santa’s Cottage
Twas the night before Christmas, and all was calm in the North Pole until an unexpected event occurred – Santa misplaced the instructions for his magical sleigh! With time ticking away, Santa needs your help to recover the lost instructions before the clock strikes midnight. Your team of festive detectives must navigate through Santa’s cozy cottage, solving puzzles, unraveling clues, and unlocking the secrets hidden within the twinkling lights and holiday decor.
Players: 2-6
Difficulty: 84% Escape Rate
Suggested Ages: Not specified.
Duration: 60 Minutes
Terminal Crisis
Disaster looms as a hijacked train speeds towards the city.
A group of terrorists have disengaged the control system and plans to derail it, causing untold chaos.
As elite technicians, you must find your way through a subway station, restore power, and halt the train.
The city’s fate hangs in the balance.
Players: 2-8
Difficulty: 3/5
Suggested Ages: From 13 yrs old and above.
Duration: 60 Minutes
Special Ops Tokyo: The Bioweapon Threat
In Tokyo’s heart lies a prototype bioweapon, smuggled and hidden in an underground facility.
As elite agents, you’re tasked with navigating Tokyo’s challenges, infiltrating the facility, and retrieving the weapon and its activation code.
The world’s safety is at stake.
Players: 2-8
Difficulty: 3/5
Suggested Ages: From 13 yrs old and above.
Duration: 60 Minutes
Mystical Manor
In an ancient forest stands the Mystical Manor, home to Professor Whippleton’s powerful oddities, and rumoured to cure any sadness.
As archaeologists, you break in, only to be transported to a magical realm.
Navigate the manor’s enchantments to harness the artifacts’ magic.
But disturb its peace, and the magic may be lost forever.
Players: 2-8
Difficulty: 4/5
Suggested Ages: From 13 yrs old and above.
Duration: 60 Minutes
Dead or Alive
The city is gripped by fear as people vanish mysteriously.
An old morgue is the suspected lair of a brutal serial killer.
As the top detective, you and your team venture into the morgue to find the killer’s weapons and gather evidence.
But be swift, for the murderer could be back any minute, and you might be his next experiment.
Players: 2-6
Difficulty: 3/5
Suggested Ages: From 13 yrs old and above.
Duration: 60 Minutes
Dead or Alive
Your thrillseeking friend, Cody, has convinced you and your team to explore the old abandonded Rutherford Mine. As you descend into the depth of the mine you begin to realise that you might not be the only ones… or things… down there. Can you find a way out of the mine before it’s too late!?
Players: 3-7
Difficulty: 3/5
Suggested Ages: From 16 yrs old and above.
Duration: 60 Minutes
Click Image for Answer
“The Adventure of HEROCON”
HEROCON. What the Australian Escape Room industry has been waiting for. After looking on with envy at conferences in North America and Europe, we finally have one here. You may have missed the first one, but based on the feedback there will definitely be another.
Let’s take a step back – what is it?
The brilliantly backronym’ed Hivemind of Escape Room Owners CONference was touted as “a gathering of Australian escape room owners, designers and associated professionals. It’s an unconference where we come together to share ideas and experiences” and held in Sydney in early February (2024 for future readers).
The inaugural event saw over 60 owners, staff and enthusiasts meet together to network, learn, and discuss all things Escape. The hivemind brought people from Adelaide, Canberra, Newcastle, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Hobart and Melbourne down among the industry locals of Sydney.
So much knowledge was shared with the keen audience. Some of the tips I picked up included:
-Next Level’s https://www.nextlevelescape.com.au/ creators shared that a GamesMaster can help keep players immersed by turning rule enforcement into an in-character interaction;
-Curium https://www.curium.com.au/ currently with Australia’s highest rated room on TERPECA, showed some neat tricks of how they use music to control and direct players;
-the hosts of Escape This Podcast https://www.consumethismedia.com/escape-this-podcast challenged us to be both ambitious and mischievous in our design;
-Project Immersive https://www.projectimmersive.com/ highlighted the importance in small businesses of weighing up your time vs your money and being ready to outsource tasks;
-and finally, the Elude Escape https://eludegames.com.au/ team gave great advice that making the best experience on a personal level would help create new enthusiasts.
There was so much more than all this, but I’ve got a word limit.
Add to these talks a few discussion groups where all attendees could mix to share ideas on specific topics. I participated in groups on designing props, and utilising tech in rooms, and came out with a bunch of hastily scribbled notes on adding texture and getting more senses involved in room design.
But that wasn’t the end of the day. An afterparty generously hosted by Cipher Room https://www.cipherroom.com.au/ gave more opportunities to talk shop: picking the brains of experienced designers, sharing hosting anecdotes, and giving advice and inspiration on new ways to build puzzles.
This was a great day for all involved, and really showed the camaraderie in the Escape Room industry. There’s really nothing like it. Hanging out with a room full of like-minded people was encouraging, and the sharing of ideas can only make each room we build better, in turn lifting the industry as a realm of experience for more people to enjoy, and keep coming back for more.
Substitution Ciphers
Hello friends, this edition we are swapping back to something simple – substitution ciphers. A while back we looked at Symbol Based Ciphers specifically, but this time we look further what we can do with a whole range of ciphers in this style.
What Is A Substitution Cipher?
This is anything that is a straight and simple swap of one value to one letter (in our case with one part of it being English), also called a monoalphabetic cipher. One thing will always equal a set other thing when encoded, so look for A=1, B=2, C=3, etc.
Historical practicality to fictional fancy, there are myriads to choose from when designing puzzles for an Escape Room, and that’s just before you choose to create your own.
From the Enochian and Theban alphabets of the occult, through the Dancing Men cipher as encountered by Sherlock Holmes, all the way to the Wingdings font on your Microsoft Word.
Not A Straight Swap?
Be aware that the designers of the Room you’re in might have made their own variation of an existing cipher. This means that even the most dedicated enthusiast who has become an expert in Semaphore [https://eramag.com.au/may-21/#:~:text=for%20larger%20teams.-,Semaphore,-Cipher%5D or Pigpen [https://eramag.com.au/sep-21/#:~:text=Nick-,Pigpen,-Cipher%5D will not be able to unfairly speed through ahead of time if the alphabet in the Room has been shuffled up.
Strong Subs or a Basic Bench?
If you are super keen, monoalphabetic ciphers can be cracked even if you don’t find the key or guide to deciphering them. In a future edition we are going to look at how to use frequency analysis to do this (basically find what value = ‘E’ first). But there are other tricky ways of hiding these basic-style codes with an extra step. Remember our our Grilles? [https://eramag.com.au/oct-22/#:~:text=com.au)-,Grille,-A%20grille%2C%20also%5D-,Grille,-A%20grille%2C%20also%5D “smartCard-inline”)
Switching Things Up
You might get your symbols substituted to English letters but the text still doesn’t make sense. Maybe your Escape Room designer has thrown in a Caesar Cipher [https://eramag.com.au/nov-20/#:~:text=CHECK%20ANSWER%20HERE-,Caesar,-Cipher%5D, shifting the whole alphabet along one or more places.
Let’s shift our alphabet two places, and then change that new text across to a new set of symbols (namely, my favourite 1990s font):
Chasing Challenging Changes
Remember that an Escape Room designer won’t make anything that requires outside knowledge, so start looking for your guide to translate any new code you find.
Don’t assume that:
- the code is the same as one you have seen before;
- the code only has one step to it; and
- there is only one code in use in the Room!
Good luck!
