Reality Escape Pod - Escape Rooms & Immersive Games

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 helped craft the program for this year's RECON. We touch on the different talks, from the financial talk to decoding the social media marketing puzzle. Puzzle design enthusiasts won't be disappointed either, with deep dives into the creative process. Along the way, we share the challenges faced in ticket sales and staffing predictions, offering a glimpse into what the future might hold. This year's event was further testimony to David and Lisa's dedication to building a kind and thoughtful community in the escape room industry. Stay tuned until the end to witness Peih-Gee's annual quest to make David shed a tear on-air. Show Notes Episode Sponsor Thank you to our sponsor: Morty Morty is a free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings. Special Badge for REPOD listeners: You can learn more at MortyApp.com/REPOD to sign up and get a special badge for our listeners (works for existing users also). Music Credits Our music was created by Ryan Elder. Production Credits Spoilers Club is produced by Lisa Spira and edited by Peih-Gee Law.

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! This podcast is barely about them! In this podcast crossover, REPOD co-host Peih-Gee Law makes a guest appearance to help solve some puzzles while trying to escape the dastardly clutches of PigJaw. We play a few brainteasers, a word game created by Peih-Gee, and a very fun game finding appropriate names for different professions. Special thanks to Hey Riddle Riddle for sharing this episode with our listeners. Adal, Erin and JPC are hilarious and talented, occasionally both at the same time. Make sure to check out their podcast for your weekly dose of sketch comedy and riddles.

Have you wanted to go behind the scenes at your favorite escape rooms? With the Spoilers Club, our patron-exclusive series, we take a deep dive with the creators of iconic escape rooms for an indulgent recap plus creator commentary. This content is normally safeguarded by Patreon access to avoid accidental spoilers leaking into the pubic, but we were lucky to cover an amazing escape room that is no longer running, and we're sharing it with everyone. Time Machine from Not Another Escape Room is a local fan favorite amongst SoCal escape room enthusiasts, and for good reason. Creators Davey Eaves and Bora Olcken managed a magician's trick of sending players through the same door over and over again, only to emerge into completely new and different rooms. In this podcast, Davey and Bora break down how they managed to bend time and space through origami-like manipulation of their sets, what excites them about designing escape rooms, and why they want to create games that are, indeed, not just another escape room. Take a listen to go inside their unique and different approach to escape room mechanics. If you enjoyed this podcast, you can browse the other escape rooms we've covered in our Spoilers Club. To get access to these podcasts, support Room Escape Artist on Patreon. Show Notes Episode Sponsor Thank you to our sponsor: Morty Morty is a free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings. Special Badge for REPOD listeners: You can learn more at MortyApp.com/REPOD to sign up and get a special badge for our listeners (works for existing users also). Music Credits Our music was created by Ryan Elder. Production Credits Spoilers Club is produced by Lisa Spira and edited by Peih-Gee Law.

What does it take to compete on the reality show Survivor? What's the backstory on these contestants? Learn more about REPOD co-host Peih-Gee Law and what makes her tick in this special RHAP crossover episode. Road to Reality is a limited edition series hosted by Kellyn Bechtold (@theKellynB) from Survivor Ghost Island. Listen in while she interviews former Survivor contestants about their real life and how being on reality television has had a major impact on their life trajectories. Every reality contestant has been on a story-worthy journey to land on television and yet the edit turns them into a hero or a villain or maybe something in between, but it is always just one dimension. In this podcast crossover, Kellyn interviews REPOD co-host Peih-Gee Law about her life previous to appearing on Survivor: China and Survivor: Second Chances. In this episode, we talk about how she feels about her more well rounded edit, seeing life through rose colored glasses, how she’s moved from being a lone wolf to a creator of communities, getting lucky, and being in control of your own life experience. Stay until the end to hear her Five Keys for guaranteeing a happier life. Special thanks to Rob Has a Podcast for sharing this episode with our listeners, and thank you to Kellyn for being a great interviewer and drawing out some introspective and vulnerable conversations.

It’s the dog days of August, and nothing screams summer more than theme parks, fried chicken, Star Wars, and ice cream... except for episode guest Mark Larson, but you'll have to listen to the end for that story. In this special release of a patron-exclusive bonus episode from S5E11, Peih-Gee and David discuss their recent trips to Disneyland’s Galaxy’s Edge and Knott’s Berry Farm’s Ghost Town Alive. We’re joined by editor Steve Ewing and game designer Mark, who chats about his involvement with DASH: Different Area, Same Hunt, a global puzzle hunt. Mark also created the ridiculously fun Shop of Theseus game exclusively for RECON23. (Tickets are still available for this limited edition event.) We start with fried chicken ice cream. Then Peih-Gee gives a short history of how Knott’s Berry Farm grew from a roadside stand selling berries and fried chicken dinners to a massive theme park. She also discusses Ghost Town Alive, Knott’s Berry Farm’s interactive Western-themed experience, and the gang regales you with the hilarious story of Peih-Gee’s unhinged rise to Mayor Law in Calico. Mark Larson explains how DASH works, and we talk about some other approachable puzzle hunts. David raves about the ride Rise of the Resistance at Disneyland’s Galaxy’s Edge and talks about snagging some of the last tickets for the Galactic Starcruiser. He also discloses that his wife Lisa had never watched any of the Star Wars movies and breaks down her live reactions to watching them for the first time. We close out with a chat about the now-discontinued Battlestar Galactica board game. Show Notes & Timestamps Episode Sponsors Thank you to our sponsors: Morty Morty is a free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings. Special Badge for REPOD listeners: You can learn more at MortyApp.com/REPOD to sign up and get a special badge for our listeners (works for existing users also). Reality Escape Convention - RECON Escape room conventions should be as fun, collaborative, and immersive as the games we celebrate. RECON is our very own escape room and immersive gaming convention. Whether you’re an owner, creator, player, or you’re escape room curious, you are invited learn, connect, and play with our wonderful community. RECON Remote 23 will take place August 19 – 20, 2023, online. RECON 24 will be in person. Get your RECON 23 ticket at now. Music Credits Our music was created by Ryan Elder. Production Credits Bonus REPOD is produced by Lisa Spira and edited by Peih-Gee Law.

Imagine American Ninja Warrior meets Mario Party mini-games, all set in an epic art-filled space... and you’ll have some idea of what Level99 is like. In Season 5, episode 12, we chat with Matthew DuPlessie, founder of 5 Wits, the original immersive gaming experience, and Level99, a new type of open world gaming concept. 5 Wits pre-dates escape rooms, with the first location opening in 2004. It included immersive sets and a high-tech, high-throughput model, filled with puzzles, adventure and storyline. Level99 opened more recently in 2021, designed to solve some of the throughput issues Matt found with 5 Wits. Matt shares a lot of business advice for escape room owners, including considerations for increasing throughput and creating models with low recurring costs. He also talks with us about how he developed the original concept for 5 Wits, and shares some exclusive behind-the-scenes looks at some of the special effects for 5 Wits games. As a mechanical engineer and businessman who loved theme parks, Matt wanted to create the feel of a theme park encapsulated into a retail storefront. That’s how 5 Wits was born. Matt is passionate about pushing the frontiers of immersive gaming while balancing the reality of throughput models and the economics of running a successful business. He has created some really innovative gaming concepts, and we loved picking his brain in this conversation. Show Notes & Timestamps Episode Sponsors Thank you to our sponsors: Morty Morty is a free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings. Special Badge for REPOD listeners: You can learn more at MortyApp.com/REPOD to sign up and get a special badge for our listeners (works for existing users also). Resova Resova is your all-inclusive software for bookings, made specifically for escape rooms, offering robust booking management, waiver management, integrated point of sales systems, and follow-up emails. Resova is the ultimate online reservation software designed to elevate the guest experience, increase game master efficiencies, drive sales, and improve operations. Special Offer for REPOD Listeners: Sign up with our link at Get.resova.com/rea and receive up to $100 with a Google Ads gift card. Reality Escape Convention - RECON Escape room conventions should be as fun, collaborative, and immersive as the games we celebrate. RECON is our very own escape room and immersive gaming convention. Whether you’re an owner, creator, player, or you’re escape room curious, you are invited learn, connect, and play with our wonderful community. RECON Remote 23 will take place August 19 – 20, 2023, online. RECON 24 will be in person. Get your RECON 23 ticket at now. Music Credits Our music was created by Ryan Elder. Production Credits REPOD is produced by Lisa Spira and edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media.

In Season 5, episode 11, we chat with Mark Larson, a game and puzzle designer with an impressive track record. As David notes, Mark is the only designer to have contributed to Golden Lock award winning games in 3 different categories: tabletop, virtual, and IRL escape room. We talk to Mark about the different hats he's worn while working in the gaming industry: designing tabletop games, managing escape rooms, and designing audio escape rooms. One of his award-winning audio creations was Escape from Escape Island, a game created exclusively for RECON 2021. Mark has also designed the virtual game for the upcoming RECON Remote 23: The Shop of Theseus. We hear the story behind Mark's infamous headshot with Captain Adama from the TV show Battlestar Galactica, and loyal listeners will get a chance to hear Peih-Gee sing. Mark has navigated his long career in the gaming and puzzle world with humor, charm, and kindness. We're so happy for a chance to chat about his experiences. Show Notes & Timestamps Episode Sponsors Thank you to our sponsors: Morty Morty is a free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings. Special Badge for REPOD listeners: You can learn more at MortyApp.com/REPOD to sign up and get a special badge for our listeners (works for existing users also). Resova Resova is your all-inclusive software for bookings, made specifically for escape rooms, offering robust booking management, waiver management, integrated point of sales systems, and follow-up emails. Resova is the ultimate online reservation software designed to elevate the guest experience, increase game master efficiencies, drive sales, and improve operations. Special Offer for REPOD Listeners: Sign up with our link at Get.resova.com/rea and receive up to $100 with a Google Ads gift card. Reality Escape Convention - RECON Escape room conventions should be as fun, collaborative, and immersive as the games we celebrate. RECON is our very own escape room and immersive gaming convention. Whether you’re an owner, creator, player, or you’re escape room curious, you are invited learn, connect, and play with our wonderful community. RECON Remote 23 will take place August 19 – 20, 2023, online. RECON 24 will be in person. Get your RECON 23 ticket at now. Music Credits Our music was created by Ryan Elder. Production Credits REPOD is produced by Lisa Spira and edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media.

In Season 5, Episode 10 of REPOD we chat with Taylor Pfyffer and Josh Skidmore from The Exit Games. Passionate escape room enthusiasts Tay and Josh have made a name for themselves with their innovative and captivating games. Their latest creation, Pins & Needles, just won a Golden Lock Award. Both this game and their other game, Servants of Sleight, placed in the top 40 on the 2023 TERPECA list. The intentionality of their storytelling shines through in every little detail, even the immersive "warnings" on their website. Players may be surprised to discover that Tay and Josh build all the games themselves, given their impressive scenic design. They also share some of the Easter eggs hidden in their escape rooms, such as sneaking a Fenways into the "back alleys" of New York City. They stuck to their guns when everyone told them that a tattoo parlor theme was too risky, or that the names of their games were "weird" and it paid off. The escape rooms at The Exit Games, particularly the acclaimed Servants of Sleight and Pins & Needles at their Clearwater, FL, location are designed with escape room enthusiasts in mind. Tay and Josh have a true passion for escape rooms and it shines through their inventive designs, captivating storytelling, and meticulous craftsmanship. Show Notes & Timestamps Episode Sponsors Thank you to our sponsors: Morty Morty is a free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings. Special Badge for REPOD listeners: You can learn more at MortyApp.com/REPOD to sign up and get a special badge for our listeners (works for existing users also). Resova Resova is your all-inclusive software for bookings, made specifically for escape rooms, offering robust booking management, waiver management, integrated point of sales systems, and follow-up emails. Resova is the ultimate online reservation software designed to elevate the guest experience, increase game master efficiencies, drive sales, and improve operations. Special Offer for REPOD Listeners: Sign up with our link at Get.resova.com/rea and receive up to $100 with a Google Ads gift card. Reality Escape Convention - RECON Escape room conventions should be as fun, collaborative, and immersive as the games we celebrate. RECON is our very own escape room and immersive gaming convention. Whether you’re an owner, creator, player, or you’re escape room curious, you are invited learn, connect, and play with our wonderful community. RECON Remote 23 will take place August 19 – 20, 2023, online. RECON 24 will be in person. Get your RECON 23 ticket at now. Music Credits Our music was created by Ryan Elder. Production Credits REPOD is produced by Lisa Spira and edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media.

In Season 5, Episode 9, David and Peih-Gee celebrate the 50th episode of REPOD! As they reflect on the journey to 50 episodes, David says that his perspective shift comes from observing Peih-Gee’s growth as both an escape room enthusiast and podcaster, transitioning from regional enthusiast to having a more global perspective. David has been covering this industry for almost ten years. It’s startling to think about the influence that Room Escape Artist has had, which we don’t realize until guests mention it on the podcast. We spend some time pondering magic wishes… if we could wave a magic wand and wish some things into existence at different points along the player journey, what would they be? We also listen to messages from past guests and play a game Peih-Gee created based on some of the escape rooms we’ve covered in our Spoilers Club show. We’re both extremely proud of this podcast, and are grateful for this wonderful friendship and collaboration. This podcast wouldn’t exist without all the support from our sponsors and listeners. Thank you for supporting us for 50 episodes, and here’s to 50 more! (or 50,000 more, as Peih-Gee said on the podcast.) Show Notes & Timestamps Episode Sponsors Thank you to our sponsors: Morty Morty is a free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings. Special Badge for REPOD listeners: You can learn more at MortyApp.com/REPOD to sign up and get a special badge for our listeners (works for existing users also). Resova Resova is your all-inclusive software for bookings, made specifically for escape rooms, offering robust booking management, waiver management, integrated point of sales systems, and follow-up emails. Resova is the ultimate online reservation software designed to elevate the guest experience, increase game master efficiencies, drive sales, and improve operations. Special Offer for REPOD Listeners: Sign up with our link at Get.resova.com/rea and receive up to $100 with a Google Ads gift card. Reality Escape Convention - RECON Escape room conventions should be as fun, collaborative, and immersive as the games we celebrate. RECON is our very own escape room and immersive gaming convention. Whether you’re an owner, creator, player, or you’re escape room curious, you are invited learn, connect, and play with our wonderful community. RECON Remote 23 will take place August 19 – 20, 2023, online. RECON 24 will be in person. Get your RECON 23 ticket at now. Music Credits Our music was created by Ryan Elder. Production Credits REPOD is produced by Lisa Spira and edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media.

In Season 5, episode 8, we have a lively chat with Dani Siller and Bill Sunderland of Escape This Podcast. Dani and Bill are the pioneers of the audio escape game format, which blends an escape room with tabletop roleplaying. They’ve been creating these audio escape rooms for their podcast listeners since 2017, long before the popularity of virtual escape games arose over the pandemic. Between laughs and reminiscing about ridiculous interactions in their games, Dani and Bill share their insights on creating the best experiences for this medium. We hear about their podcast editing tricks for creating tension and avoiding tedium. They give us some really solid tips on creating puzzles for the audio medium, including “keyword matching,” which helps players make connections between components of a puzzle. I was also surprised to hear that mundane settings, as opposed to magical settings, often work best in this format because it’s easier for players to discern where the puzzle is and see the consequences of their actions. This glimpse into the creative process behind Escape This Podcast brings new appreciation for the show that Dani and Bill have created. They shared a lot of tips and tricks for designing an audio escape room, and talked about design decisions they made early on that they wouldn’t repeat now. Dani and Bill are immensely entertaining, and if you enjoyed this episode, I hope you’ll check out their podcast. Show Notes & Timestamps Episode Sponsors Thank you to our sponsors: Morty Morty is a free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings. Special Badge for REPOD listeners: You can learn more at MortyApp.com/REPOD to sign up and get a special badge for our listeners (works for existing users also). Resova Resova is your all-inclusive software for bookings, made specifically for escape rooms, offering robust booking management, waiver management, integrated point of sales systems, and follow-up emails. Resova is the ultimate online reservation software designed to elevate the guest experience, increase game master efficiencies, drive sales, and improve operations. Special Offer for REPOD Listeners: Sign up with our link at Get.resova.com/rea and receive up to $100 with a Google Ads gift card. Reality Escape Convention - RECON Escape room conventions should be as fun, collaborative, and immersive as the games we celebrate. RECON is our very own escape room and immersive gaming convention. Whether you’re an owner, creator, player, or you’re escape room curious, you are invited learn, connect, and play with our wonderful community. RECON Remote 23 will take place August 19 – 20, 2023, online. RECON 24 will be in person. Get your RECON 23 ticket at now. Music Credits Our music was created by Ryan Elder. Production Credits REPOD is produced by Lisa Spira and edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media.

In Season 5, episode 7, we dive into designing for the widest audience possible with Sina Bahram, a computer scientist and accessibility consultant who is passionate about inclusive design. He shares his personal experience as a blind individual and his dedication to improving accessibility for all. Sina’s work on inclusive design methodology has been honored by many organizations, including being named one of President Obama’s Champions of Change in 2012, as well as being named one of the two inaugural Catalyst award recipients by the Themed Entertainment Association in 2022. Inclusive design, according to Sina, is about shifting the responsibility of accessibility from individuals to society as a whole. It’s a game-changer that benefits everyone, just like how closed captioning is not only used by deaf people, but by people who have issues processing audio information, those who speak another language, or anyone trying to follow the news in a loud bar. Sina emphasizes the importance of considering inclusive design early in the design process. This allows accessibility solutions to be integrated in a comprehensive, seamless and efficient manner, rather than retrospectively added late in the design process in an audit-based approach. Sina’s message is clear: inclusive design is essential, and it’s all about embracing diversity, breaking barriers, and creating experiences that bring people together. My hope is that this conversation inspires more designers to consider inclusive access so we can welcome more and more people into the escape room community. Show Notes, Timestamps, & Transcript Episode Sponsors Thank you to our sponsors: Morty Morty is a free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings. Special Badge for REPOD listeners: You can learn more at MortyApp.com/REPOD to sign up and get a special badge for our listeners (works for existing users also). Resova Resova is your all-inclusive software for bookings, made specifically for escape rooms, offering robust booking management, waiver management, integrated point of sales systems, and follow-up emails. Resova is the ultimate online reservation software designed to elevate the guest experience, increase game master efficiencies, drive sales, and improve operations. Special Offer for REPOD Listeners: Sign up with our link at Get.resova.com/rea and receive up to $100 with a Google Ads gift card. Reality Escape Convention - RECON Escape room conventions should be as fun, collaborative, and immersive as the games we celebrate. RECON is our very own escape room and immersive gaming convention. Whether you’re an owner, creator, player, or you’re escape room curious, you are invited learn, connect, and play with our wonderful community. RECON Remote 23 will take place August 19 – 20, 2023, online. RECON 24 will be in person. Get your RECON 23 ticket at now. Music Credits Our music was created by Ryan Elder. Production Credits REPOD is produced by Lisa Spira and edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media.

In season 5, episode 6 of Reality Escape Pod, we step into the DarkVerse with Gijs Geers, CEO and Head of Design at DarkPark Escape Rooms, one of our favorite escape room companies. DarkPark distinguishes itself with its consistently high production value, intriguing storytelling, and masterfully crafted scares. This quality of work persists across all their games, their branding, and their marketing. Gijs shares his thought process when designing rooms. I loved hearing about his approach to crafting the storylines. Rather than shoving a narrative at the players, he shapes elements of a story and offers it to his players, allowing them to form their own stories. Gijs also shares his secret to creating effective jump scares, which stems from his background as an actor and magician. DarkPark’s approach to designing escape rooms is really unique. All of the games I played there are etched in my memory as a series of cinematic vignettes. The folks at DarkPark are master storytellers, infusing their games with drama, wonder, and thrills. This is a conversation you won’t want to miss. Full with Show Notes Timestamps Episode Sponsors Thank you to our sponsors: Morty Morty is a free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings. Special Badge for REPOD listeners: You can learn more at MortyApp.com/REPOD to sign up and get a special badge for our listeners (works for existing users also). Resova Resova is your all-inclusive software for bookings, made specifically for escape rooms, offering robust booking management, waiver management, integrated point of sales systems, and follow-up emails. Resova is the ultimate online reservation software designed to elevate the guest experience, increase game master efficiencies, drive sales, and improve operations. Special Offer for REPOD Listeners: Sign up with our link at Get.resova.com/rea and receive up to $100 with a Google Ads gift card. Reality Escape Convention - RECON Escape room conventions should be as fun, collaborative, and immersive as the games we celebrate. RECON is our very own escape room and immersive gaming convention. Whether you’re an owner, creator, player, or you’re escape room curious, you are invited learn, connect, and play with our wonderful community. RECON Remote 23 will take place August 19 – 20, 2023, online. RECON 24 will be in person. Get your RECON 23 ticket at now. Music Credits Our music was created by Ryan Elder. Production Credits REPOD is produced by Lisa Spira and edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media.

In Season 5, episode 5, we chat with Joel Head from Headlock Escape Rooms. Joel and Janae Head are the creators of The Keeper & the Fungus Among Us—a Golden Lock Award-winning virtual escape room. Picture this: a puppet musical escape room adventure infused with awesome dark fantasy vibes. Imagine if The Labrynth married Rocky Horror Picture Show and they birthed a deliciously villainous mushroom. Throw in a sprinkling of humor, original music by Joel, and absurdly charming sets by Janae. They’ve definitely put the “fun” in fungi. Joel talks to us about the origins of the game and some of his game inspirations. He gives us a behind-the-scenes look at the intricacies of running The Keeper & the Fungus Among Us, revealing that not only is he puppeteering, he is also handling the software, the set changes, and gamemastering. Talk about a one-man-band! We hear about his musical influences like funk band Vulfpeck and Tim Curry’s Dr. Frank-n-furter. Joel also shares his creation process when designing soundscapes for his virtual escape room. The Keeper & the Fungus Among Us is one of the best games to emerge from the pandemic, and after chatting with Joel, it’s easy to see why. This game is a hilarious, rollicking romp through a puzzley, puppet-filled world. It’s remarkable how immersive a virtual game can feel. Headlock Escape Rooms is hard at work on the prequel, The Rise of the Fungi, which should be available later this year. We can’t wait to play it. Full with Show Notes Timestamps Episode Sponsors Thank you to our sponsors: Morty Morty is a free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings. Special Badge for REPOD listeners: You can learn more at MortyApp.com/REPOD to sign up and get a special badge for our listeners (works for existing users also). Resova Resova is your all-inclusive software for bookings, made specifically for escape rooms, offering robust booking management, waiver management, integrated point of sales systems, and follow-up emails. Resova is the ultimate online reservation software designed to elevate the guest experience, increase game master efficiencies, drive sales, and improve operations. Special Offer for REPOD Listeners: Sign up with our link at Get.resova.com/rea and receive up to $100 with a Google Ads gift card. Reality Escape Convention - RECON Escape room conventions should be as fun, collaborative, and immersive as the games we celebrate. RECON is our very own escape room and immersive gaming convention. Whether you’re an owner, creator, player, or you’re escape room curious, you are invited learn, connect, and play with our wonderful community. RECON Remote 23 will take place August 19 – 20, 2023, online. RECON 24 will be in person. Get your RECON 23 ticket at now. Music Credits Our music was created by Ryan Elder. Production Credits REPOD is produced by Lisa Spira and edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media.

In season 5, episode 4, we chat with magician and comedian Harrison Greenbaum. Buckle up, because we are in for a wild ride. Harrison is a hilarious but spicy treat, so be warned that the podcast episode and some of the images below will contain vulgarity and (parodied) demonic images. (No, really. Skip this episode and show notes if you think you’ll be offended.) Harrison may be headlining Mad Apple by Cirque Du Soleil, a major Las Vegas show, and he may have appeared on many television shows like Conan, America’s Got Talent, Fool Us, and Last Comic Standing, but to us, his best gig was hosting the virtual RECONs. Besides these other gigs, Harrison also created SCAM., The Society of Conjurers and Magicians, a show blending magic, comedy, and puzzles. In between stories of the time he was almost sued by Criss Angel for creating a parody menu and his sold out show at Madison Square Gardens, Harrison shares advice from his upcoming book, You Are All Terrible and talks about how it can be applied to escape room design. To sum it up: Take risks, be original, and always have a good lawyer on speed dial (or a vengeful David Spira). If all else fails, be funny and distract them with a magic trick. Thanks for the laughs, Harrison! Full with Show Notes Timestamps Episode Sponsors Thank you to our sponsors: Morty Morty is a free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings. Special Badge for REPOD listeners: You can learn more at MortyApp.com/REPOD to sign up and get a special badge for our listeners (works for existing users also). Resova Resova is your all-inclusive software for bookings, made specifically for escape rooms, offering robust booking management, waiver management, integrated point of sales systems, and follow-up emails. Resova is the ultimate online reservation software designed to elevate the guest experience, increase game master efficiencies, drive sales, and improve operations. Special Offer for REPOD Listeners: Sign up with our link at Get.resova.com/rea and receive up to $100 with a Google Ads gift card. Reality Escape Convention - RECON Escape room conventions should be as fun, collaborative, and immersive as the games we celebrate. RECON is our very own escape room and immersive gaming convention. Whether you’re an owner, creator, player, or you’re escape room curious, you are invited learn, connect, and play with our wonderful community. RECON Remote 23 will take place August 19 – 20, 2023, online. RECON 24 will be in person. Get your RECON 23 ticket at now. Music Credits Our music was created by Ryan Elder. Production Credits REPOD is produced by Lisa Spira and edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media.

In Season 5, Episode 3, we chat with Leroux Botha, the executive producer who managed to revive the production of Survivor South Africa, largely through grit and sheer moxie, after it had been dead in the water. Leroux shares his journey from Survivor super-fan to content producer, to eventually creating his own version of the show. Survivor South Africa is really a fan love letter to the show. He pays homage to past challenges and prefers to keep twists and turns to a minimum. Instead, Leroux chooses to focus on engaging and straightforward storytelling instead of sneaky editing to designed to maximize drama. Leroux is a self-proclaimed geek at heart, and he shares some of the many Easter eggs he slipped into Season 9, Return of the Outcasts. Some of these are nods to Star Trek, Stargate, and even Magic the Gathering. (Be still, David’s heart.) He also shares some behind-the-scenes insights into the production and casting process. Peih-Gee talks about her experience during the casting process for Survivor China and how the producers ask leading questions to create more drama. LeRoux talks about a much smaller budget has forced them to be more creative. I really enjoyed hearing about Survivor from the producer’s side, especially when the producer is a scrappy fan who managed to create a compelling homage to the show he loves so much. Survivor South Africa is well loved in part because it reaches for the same magic that made old school Survivor so compelling. I hope this episode convinces you to give it a watch. Full with Show Notes Timestamps Episode Sponsors Thank you to our sponsors: Morty Morty is a free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings. Special Badge for REPOD listeners: You can learn more at MortyApp.com/REPOD to sign up and get a special badge for our listeners (works for existing users also). Resova Resova is your all-inclusive software for bookings, made specifically for escape rooms, offering robust booking management, waiver management, integrated point of sales systems, and follow-up emails. Resova is the ultimate online reservation software designed to elevate the guest experience, increase game master efficiencies, drive sales, and improve operations. Special Offer for REPOD Listeners: Sign up with our link at Get.resova.com/rea and receive up to $100 with a Google Ads gift card. Reality Escape Convention - RECON Escape room conventions should be as fun, collaborative, and immersive as the games we celebrate. RECON is our very own escape room and immersive gaming convention. Whether you’re an owner, creator, player, or you’re escape room curious, you are invited learn, connect, and play with our wonderful community. RECON Remote 23 will take place August 19 – 20, 2023, online. RECON 24 will be in person. Get your RECON 23 ticket at now. Music Credits Our music was created by Ryan Elder. Production Credits REPOD is produced by Lisa Spira and edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media.

In Season 5, Episode 2, we chat with Linda Klein and Brian Corrigan, the co-founders of Farm-to-Spaceship, about how to make the experience economy more relevant to businesses, and in turn, more economically viable for artists. Linda and Brian introduce us to new vocabulary for understanding the experience economy. I particularly enjoyed hearing them talk about a conceptual “experience mixer” to dial up and down different aspects of experience design. We dig into the idea of “friction,” which is central to escape room design, and an important dial to consider for any type of experience. We also dive into the art world and discuss the unfortunate stereotypes surrounding “starving artists” and “selling out.” We touch upon how artists can better understand their economic value and impact. Farm-to-Spaceship’s community-driven model for creative placemaking provides a unique service at the intersection of business, art, and community. Linda and Brian truly understand the “power of play” and how play can create social cohesion. This episode feels like a Masterclass in crafting meaningful experiences for the customers and community. I hope you find it as inspiring as we did. Full with Show Notes Timestamps Episode Sponsors Thank you to our sponsors: Morty Morty is a free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings. Special Badge for REPOD listeners: You can learn more at MortyApp.com/REPOD to sign up and get a special badge for our listeners (works for existing users also). Resova Resova is your all-inclusive software for bookings, made specifically for escape rooms, offering robust booking management, waiver management, integrated point of sales systems, and follow-up emails. Resova is the ultimate online reservation software designed to elevate the guest experience, increase game master efficiencies, drive sales, and improve operations. Special Offer for REPOD Listeners: Sign up with our link at Get.resova.com/rea and receive up to $100 with a Google Ads gift card. Reality Escape Convention - RECON Escape room conventions should be as fun, collaborative, and immersive as the games we celebrate. RECON is our very own escape room and immersive gaming convention. Whether you’re an owner, creator, player, or you’re escape room curious, you are invited learn, connect, and play with our wonderful community. RECON Remote 23 will take place August 19 – 20, 2023, online. RECON 24 will be in person. Get your RECON 23 ticket at now. Music Credits Our music was created by Ryan Elder. Production Credits REPOD is produced by Lisa Spira and edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media.

In Season 5, Episode 1, David and I chat with Nick Moran, the creative genius behind the large-scale, immersive open-world concept Phantom Peak. Nick takes us on a journey through his thought process of moving away from traditional escape rooms towards creating a more customized and interactive experience. Phantom Peak combines elements of immersive theater, LARP, theme parks, and escape rooms to create a unique and unforgettable experience. With different story trails, puzzles, carnival games, bars, and side quests, there’s something for everyone, and with four different seasons each year, this experience is designed to encourage repeat visits. One of the things that really stood out to me about Nick’s approach is his dedication to creating fully-fledged characters with real backgrounds and motivations, rather than just functional actors who drive the story forward. He also talks candidly about some of the challenges he faces, especially with his Kickstarter campaign for Spectre and Vox. Finally, Nick gives a little teaser on the status of his iconic escape room Time Run, and whether it will make a triumphant return. Full with Show Notes Timestamps & Photos Episode Sponsors Thank you to our sponsors: Morty Morty is a free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings. Special Badge for REPOD listeners: You can learn more at MortyApp.com/REPOD to sign up and get a special badge for our listeners (works for existing users also). Resova Resova is your all-inclusive software for bookings, made specifically for escape rooms, offering robust booking management, waiver management, integrated point of sales systems, and follow-up emails. Resova is the ultimate online reservation software designed to elevate the guest experience, increase game master efficiencies, drive sales, and improve operations. Special Offer for REPOD Listeners: Sign up with our link at Get.resova.com/rea and receive up to $100 with a Google Ads gift card. Reality Escape Convention - RECON Escape room conventions should be as fun, collaborative, and immersive as the games we celebrate. RECON is our very own escape room and immersive gaming convention. Whether you’re an owner, creator, player, or you’re escape room curious, you are invited learn, connect, and play with our wonderful community. RECON Remote 23 will take place August 19 – 20, 2023, online. RECON 24 will be in person. Get your RECON 23 ticket at now. Music Credits Our music was created by Ryan Elder. Production Credits REPOD is produced by Lisa Spira and edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media.

Hey there, friends! We’ve got an exciting surprise for you. We’re releasing a special bonus episode that’s normally reserved exclusively for our Patreon supporters. This one’s a real treat because we’re chatting with game design philosopher and wizard Alexander Gierholz. He’s the creator of the iconic escape room, The Amsterdam Catacombs and co-founder of the global escape room conference Up The Game. If you haven’t already listened, we recommend you check out his main interview first. With a background in psychology and having taught both experience design and gamification, he takes a unique, holistic approach to game design that draws on different disciplines to create experiences that are meaningful for players. REPOD Patreon supporters get access to these informative companion bonus episodes, featuring fun conversations with incredible escape room and experience designers like Alexander. If you’re not a Patreon supporter yet, what are you waiting for? This special episode is just one of the many perks you’ll get by joining our little community. So come on, join the fam and let’s get nerdy about games together! Show Notes Episode Sponsors Thank you to our sponsors: Morty - A free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings. RECON: Reality Escape Convention Our escape room and immersive gaming convention, will be an incredible event for creators and consumers of the games we love. In 2023 it will be hosted virtually. Learn More about RECON. Music Credits Our music was created by Ryan Elder. Production Credits REPOD is produced by Lisa Spira and edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media.

David makes a guest appearance on The Board Game Community Show. In this crossover episode, David and Riley nerd out about all their favorite nerdy topics, including podcast production, legacy games, and managing social dynamics at game night. David and Riley share insights on producing the Reality Escape Pod and tips for improving podcast quality. They delve into different board games, including legacy games Clank: Legacy and Aeon's End: Legacy, discussing strategies and gameplay dynamics. David also talks about Diplomacy, a board game that he considers one of the most elegant ever designed, and its impact on personal relationships. They explore managing personal feelings when playing social manipulation and deduction games, including Survivor and poker. They discuss David's moderation of a panel on games at PAX Unplugged, and they touch on non-game related interests, such as David's fascination with the video essay format and growing up with "nerdy interests." David and Riley have such a great rapport, and with their mutual interests, it's easy to see why they had such great chemistry on this show. Show Notes Episode Sponsors Thank you to our sponsors: Morty - A free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings. Reality Escape Convention - RECON Our escape room and immersive gaming convention, will be an incredible event for creators and consumers of the games we love. In 2023 it will be hosted virtually. Learn More about RECON. Music Credits Our music was created by Ryan Elder. Production Credits REPOD is produced by Lisa Spira and edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media.

In this special episode, we look back on some key moments from Season 4 of REPOD. Season 4 was notable for several reasons—every guest was from a different country, and all our guests were from the escape room world... yes, we do consider Boda Borg to be an escape room (well, perhaps a distant cousin). Our editor, Steve Ewing, put together a selection of some of his favorite moments from Season 4. In most cases, he didn't go for the most obvious "meatiest" parts of a guest's interview. Rather, he chose a few side stories in hopes of intriguing new listeners to check out our past episodes. These stories include cooking pizzas in an escape room, buying and transporting a giant 80-foot pirate ship from Florida to an ecsape room in Montreal, uncovering massive financial fraud from business partners, intermissions and bathrooms in 3-hour escape rooms, and even running an escape room in the middle of a war with air alarms blaring. This is a great episode to start with if you aren't already a listener. And if you are, hopefully you'll enjoying revisiting some of these key moments. Thank you for listening, and stay tuned for Season 5 of REPOD, booting up again in April 2023. PS. Did you notice our new theme music? Show Notes Episode Sponsors Thank you to our sponsors: Morty - A free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings. Reality Escape Convention - RECON Our escape room and immersive gaming convention, will be an incredible event for creators and consumers of the games we love. In 2023 it will be hosted virtually. Learn More about RECON. Music Credits Our music was created by Ryan Elder. Production Credits REPOD is produced by Lisa Spira and edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media.

In Season 4, Episode 12, David and I reflect back on a season of podcasting with global escape room creators. I am continually impressed with all the guests who were brave enough to come on a podcast and chat with us in a language that’s not their native tongue. After recording this season, one of the most noticeable trends was the rampant imposter syndrome that affects even the most brilliant escape room designers. David and I have a long chat about what causes it, and how to embrace it as a secret superpower. We also noticed some creators shying away from the term “puzzle,” and we spend some time exploring what makes for a puzzle. One of the things I appreciated most about this season were all the guests who were willing to come on the podcast and candidly share stories of their struggles as escape room business owners. Hopefully this will go a long way towards eradicating that pesky imposter syndrome we keep seeing. Thank you so much for listening, and I hope you enjoy the game at the end of the episode. I make David play “Guess that Podcast” where he must guess the podcast episode using only emoji clues. This podcast has really helped us both grow, not only as podcasters, but also as players and humans. We are humbled by the love and support of all our patrons and listeners. Show Notes Episode Sponsors Thank you to our sponsors: Morty - A free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings. Escape Tales - Escape Tales is an acclaimed series of tabletop escape room games— each featuring a unique blend of mind-bending puzzles masterfully woven into thought-provoking, robust narratives. Use code “roomescapeartist” for 25% off all Escape Tales products and Books of Rituals on Board & Dice. Buzzshot - ‘Customer Satisfaction Software’ for your escape room business. Streamline your marketing and grow your escape room business with pre- and post-game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and integrated review management. Use code REPOD2022 in the dropdown list when booking a demo for 20% off your first three months. Reality Escape Convention - RECON Our escape room and immersive gaming convention, will be an incredible event for creators and consumers of the games we love. We hope to see you in Boston. Learn More about RECON. Production Credits Hosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law Produced by Lisa Spira Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media Music by Ryan Elder Logo by Janine Pracht

In Season 4, Episode 11, we chat with Lukas Rauscher of Crime Runners, Austria. His game, Going Underground, has consistently placed high on the Terpeca list since it first premiered, and has garnered rave reviews for its sense of adventure and adaptive difficulty that creates a fulfilling experience for both new players and experienced enthusiasts. Lukas is an unapologetically passionate escape room enthusiast and advocate. He freely admits to having little to no moderation when it comes to creating his games because he constantly wants to outdo himself. He is also very candid when it comes to struggles with the business. Lukas was a delight to chat with. His passion for the industry is infectious, and I really appreciated how frank he was about his personal confidence struggles. I loved hearing about his approach to designing escape rooms and how they manage adaptive difficulty. This conversation feels like the kind you have over a beer after a satisfying day of amazing escape rooms. Show Notes Episode Sponsors Thank you to our sponsors: Morty - A free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings. Escape Tales - Escape Tales is an acclaimed series of tabletop escape room games— each featuring a unique blend of mind-bending puzzles masterfully woven into thought-provoking, robust narratives. Use code “roomescapeartist” for 25% off all Escape Tales products and Books of Rituals on Board & Dice. Buzzshot - ‘Customer Satisfaction Software’ for your escape room business. Streamline your marketing and grow your escape room business with pre- and post-game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and integrated review management. Use code REPOD2022 in the dropdown list when booking a demo for 20% off your first three months. Reality Escape Convention - RECON Our escape room and immersive gaming convention, will be an incredible event for creators and consumers of the games we love. We hope to see you in Boston. Learn More about RECON. Production Credits Hosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law Produced by Lisa Spira Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media Music by Ryan Elder Logo by Janine Pracht

In Season 4, Episode 10, we head to Sweden to explore Boda Borg... or at least that's where we thought we were going with this episode. As it turns out, the President/ CEO of Boda Borg is an American business strategy visionary living in Laguna Hills, California named David Spigner. There is surprisingly little information about the Boda Borg story, and we are thrilled to share the tale of how he became the owner and President of what was originally a Swedish company. Boda Borg has been around since 1995. That is way longer than escape rooms have existed, and it was ingenious in the way it approached what they call "reality gaming." David Spigner recounts how he helped propel it from rooms decorated only with flat, 2D paintings into interactive multidimensional sets with movie-like narrative and feel. He candidly shares his global ambitions as well as the hurdles of trying to explain the appeal of Boda Borg to financial lending communities. David Spigner is an excellent storyteller, and we were enthralled with his tale of discovering and shaping Boda Borg. Spigner is an unusual guest in that his approach to the immersive gaming world comes from a very business-oriented, strategic mindset with aspirations towards massive global expansion. And yet, in chatting with him, it was clear that he intuitively understands the appeal of physically immersive gaming. This was a fascinating conversation that you shouldn't miss. Show Notes Episode Sponsors Thank you to our sponsors: Morty - A free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings. Escape Tales - Escape Tales is an acclaimed series of tabletop escape room games— each featuring a unique blend of mind-bending puzzles masterfully woven into thought-provoking, robust narratives. Use code “roomescapeartist” for 25% off all Escape Tales products and Books of Rituals on Board & Dice. Buzzshot - ‘Customer Satisfaction Software’ for your escape room business. Streamline your marketing and grow your escape room business with pre- and post-game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and integrated review management. Use code REPOD2022 in the dropdown list when booking a demo for 20% off your first three months. Reality Escape Convention - RECON Our escape room and immersive gaming convention, will be an incredible event for creators and consumers of the games we love. We hope to see you in Boston. Learn More about RECON. Production Credits Hosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law Produced by Lisa Spira Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media Music by Ryan Elder Logo by Janine Pracht

Please consider donating to Direct Relief In Season 4, Episode 9, we share stories from Ukraine. We talk to Nataliya (Tasha) Tarkhanova of Hypno Dive, creator of the Project Avatar series of virtual escape room games. Project Avatar is an incredible virtual experience that plays like a live-action video game, where you are directing a live actor (the Avatar) through an enormous abandoned warehouse. With stylish, acrobatic moves and impressive special effects, tech and visuals, Project Avatar was a high point in quarantine-era virtual escape rooms. Then war happened. On February 24, 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine in a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War, which began in 2014. This episode is a bit of a departure for us, but we wanted to share Tasha's story. We begin with discussion of Project Avatar and escape rooms, but in the second half of this episode, we dive into how the invasion has turned Tasha's life upside-down. It's a heavy episode. It's not graphic and there are no explicit depictions of death or violence, but Tasha candidly shares stories of the upheaval in her life and business. There is an emotional story of the war's impact on her daughter that brought both David and Peih-Gee to tears. The stories that you're going to hear are tragic and hilarious and kind of off-the-wall. Tasha is resilient, creative, and captivating. We think that this is a really important story to tell. We are donating all of REPOD's income from this episode to Direct Relief, earmarked for the crisis in Ukraine. If this episode touches you, scroll to the end of the show notes and click the button to donate. Show Notes Episode Sponsors Thank you to our sponsors: Morty - A free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings. Escape Tales - Escape Tales is an acclaimed series of tabletop escape room games— each featuring a unique blend of mind-bending puzzles masterfully woven into thought-provoking, robust narratives. Use code “roomescapeartist” for 25% off all Escape Tales products and Books of Rituals on Board & Dice. Buzzshot - ‘Customer Satisfaction Software’ for your escape room business. Streamline your marketing and grow your escape room business with pre- and post-game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and integrated review management. Use code REPOD2022 in the dropdown list when booking a demo for 20% off your first three months. Reality Escape Convention - RECON Our escape room and immersive gaming convention, will be an incredible event for creators and consumers of the games we love. We hope to see you in Boston. Learn More about RECON. Production Credits Hosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law Produced by Lisa Spira Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media Music by Ryan Elder Logo by Janine Pracht

In Season 4, Episode 8 of REPOD, we return home to the United States for a chat with Mark Flint, CEO of The Escape Game (TEG). With over 26 locations in 14 states, TEG is positioned to offer a shared American experience. Many of their locations have the same games as locations in other cities, all with consistently high quality rooms, accessible venues in high-profile shopping centers, beautifully decorated sets, and friendly customer service. Mark operates his company with a businessman's brain and an escape room enthusiast's heart. The emphasis on hospitality lies at the heart of The Escape Game experience. Their mission statement is Every Single Guest, and Mark shares insights on how he incorporates their mission into every location and experience. With their commitment to warm and welcoming customer service, well-maintained, clean lobbies and games, and an eye towards rapid expansion, The Escape Game reflects American values. Mark emphasized their in-house leadership training program, and in chatting with him, it was clear that his strong vision and leadership is reflected through his company. Show Notes Episode Sponsors Thank you to our sponsors: Morty - A free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings. Escape Tales - Escape Tales is an acclaimed series of tabletop escape room games— each featuring a unique blend of mind-bending puzzles masterfully woven into thought-provoking, robust narratives. Use code “roomescapeartist” for 25% off all Escape Tales products and Books of Rituals on Board & Dice. Buzzshot - ‘Customer Satisfaction Software’ for your escape room business. Streamline your marketing and grow your escape room business with pre- and post-game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and integrated review management. Use code REPOD2022 in the dropdown list when booking a demo for 20% off your first three months. Reality Escape Convention - RECON Our escape room and immersive gaming convention, will be an incredible event for creators and consumers of the games we love. We hope to see you in Boston. Learn More about RECON. Production Credits Hosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law Produced by Lisa Spira Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media Music by Ryan Elder Logo by Janine Pracht

In Season 4, episode 7, we head over to Israel, a relatively unexplored escape room region that has a bounty of creative, lighthearted themes. We chat with prolific escape room designer Gai Bosco of Cerebro, who has designed over 200 escape rooms, or roughly 25% of the Israeli market. Gai is not only an escape room creator, he is a mega-enthusiast and self-proclaimed nerd who got his start creating sci-fi fan fiction. The Israeli escape room scene is teeming with family-friendly fandom themes, with escape rooms playing homage to many movies including The Lion King, Harry Potter, The Hunger Games, and TV shows like Friends and How I Met Your Mother. One of the other notable and unique Israeli escape room themes we discussed culinary escape rooms, where you gather ingredients for a recipe and that you actually bake or cook over the course of your game. Gai is a passionate ambassador for Israeli escape rooms. His game The Sting is his love letter to escape rooms, and includes many enthusiast-insider nods and plays with the concept of escape room tropes. It was clear that Gai really loves his craft and wants to share the joy of Israeli escape rooms with the world. Show Notes Episode Sponsors Thank you to our sponsors: Morty - A free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings. Escape Tales - Escape Tales is an acclaimed series of tabletop escape room games— each featuring a unique blend of mind-bending puzzles masterfully woven into thought-provoking, robust narratives. Use code “roomescapeartist” for 25% off all Escape Tales products and Books of Rituals on Board & Dice. Buzzshot - ‘Customer Satisfaction Software’ for your escape room business. Streamline your marketing and grow your escape room business with pre- and post-game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and integrated review management. Use code REPOD2022 in the dropdown list when booking a demo for 20% off your first three months. Reality Escape Convention - RECON Our escape room and immersive gaming convention, will be an incredible event for creators and consumers of the games we love. We hope to see you in Boston. Learn More about RECON. Production Credits Hosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law Produced by Lisa Spira Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media Music by Ryan Elder Logo by Janine Pracht

In Season 4, episode 6, we chat with Dino Paulo, owner of escape room company Hinthunt Africa, located in Cape Town, South Africa. Dino also happens to be the winner of the reality show Survivor South Africa: Return of the Outcasts. In his first season, Survivor South Africa: Immunity Island, Dino was voted out early on. However, he established enough of a presence to return for an all-star returnee season, eventually winning the title of Sole Survivor. This turnaround from downtrodden underdog to eventual winner is echoed in his experience as an escape room owner. Dino candidly shares the story of an early business partner who committed financial malfeasance, lessons learned, and how ousting the ex-partner was a bit like blindsiding someone in Survivor. He shares some of the difficulties in working with an escape room franchise. We also spend some time exploring the differences between American and South African Survivor. Dino is a charming guest and extremely self-effacing despite his impressive achievements. He speaks from the heart, is guided by an analytical brain, and radiates boundless enthusiasm. It's easy to see how he won Survivor (and our hearts). Show Notes Episode Sponsors Thank you to our sponsors: Morty - A free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings. Escape Tales - Escape Tales is an acclaimed series of tabletop escape room games— each featuring a unique blend of mind-bending puzzles masterfully woven into thought-provoking, robust narratives. Use code “roomescapeartist” for 25% off all Escape Tales products and Books of Rituals on Board & Dice. Buzzshot - ‘Customer Satisfaction Software’ for your escape room business. Streamline your marketing and grow your escape room business with pre- and post-game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and integrated review management. Use code REPOD2022 in the dropdown list when booking a demo for 20% off your first three months. Reality Escape Convention - RECON Our escape room and immersive gaming convention, will be an incredible event for creators and consumers of the games we love. We hope to see you in Boston. Learn More about RECON. Production Credits Hosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law Produced by Lisa Spira Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media Music by Ryan Elder Logo by Janine Pracht

In Season 4, episode 5 of Reality Escape Pod, we headed to Canada to chat with Jonathan Driscoll and Sacha St.Denis, owners of Escaparium escape games, Nuit de Terreur haunted attraction, L'Atelier resto-pub game cafe, and Ezkapaz immersive experiences. As you can tell from their list of businesses, Jonathan and Sacha have big ambitions. Not only do they have over 30 escape rooms under the Escaparium brand, they have recently expanded into a haunted attraction with escape room elements, a game cafe integrated into their Laval location, and an immersive experience at a local speakeasy bar. It's not just the number of experiences that are epically sized. Their flagship games Rain Corp., Wardrobe for Sale, and The Lost Island of the Voodoo Queen are jaw-droppingly enormous, filled with endearing characters, immersive puzzles, and touching storylines that actually made me cry. When setting out to build a haunt, Jonathan and Sasha didn't want a generic maze. Instead, they created a haunted attraction that's part maze, with mini-escape room elements and private immersive interactions. It's no easy feat juggling so many different projects. Jonathan and Sacha are supportive leaders and are extremely appreciative of their large creative team. The owners of Escaparium have managed to stay humble and are receptive to constructive feedback, while maintaining their ambitious aspirations. Escaparium is an immersive gaming brand of epic proportions. It's hard to put into words how massive their games are, and that's why I highly encourage you to visit their locations in Montreal. Show Notes Episode Sponsors Thank you to our sponsors: Morty - A free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings. World Escape Room Championship - A global competition for escape room players. It is being held virtually, for free. The elimination round is on November 5, 2022. Each member of the winning team will receive a Nintendo Switch Lite. Buzzshot - ‘Customer Satisfaction Software’ for your escape room business. Streamline your marketing and grow your escape room business with pre- and post-game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and integrated review management. Use code REPOD2022 in the dropdown list when booking a demo for 20% off your first three months. Reality Escape Convention - RECON Our escape room and immersive gaming convention, will be an incredible event for creators and consumers of the games we love. We hope to see you in Boston. Learn More about RECON. Production Credits Hosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law Produced by Lisa Spira Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media Music by Ryan Elder Logo by Janine Pracht

In Season 4, Episode 4, we head over to The Netherlands for a chat with Alexander Gierholz of Logic Locks, creator of The Amsterdam Catacombs, which has won numerous accolades including a Golden Lock Award and a TERPECA. In a country rich with globally top-rated escape rooms, The Catacombs stands out for its commitment to immersion, stunning location and incredible ending. The Netherlands has a vibrant escape room scene, due in part to Alexander's efforts with events like Up The Game, a global escape room conference he co-founded in 2017. Coming from a psychology background, and having taught experience design and gamification, Alexander approaches game design with a unique holistic philosophy. He thinks deeply about creating experiences that pull from different disciplines which resonate with the audience in a meaningful way. This conversation about escape rooms, gameplay, and creating a community changed the way I think about game design, and I know you'll find it as fascinating as we did. Show Notes Episode Sponsors Thank you to our sponsors: Morty - A free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings. World Escape Room Championship - A global competition for escape room players. It is being held virtually, for free. The elimination round is on November 5, 2022. Each member of the winning team will receive a Nintendo Switch Lite. Buzzshot - ‘Customer Satisfaction Software’ for your escape room business. Streamline your marketing and grow your escape room business with pre- and post-game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and integrated review management. Use code REPOD2022 in the dropdown list when booking a demo for 20% off your first three months. Reality Escape Convention - RECON Our escape room and immersive gaming convention, will be an incredible event for creators and consumers of the games we love. We hope to see you in Boston. Learn More about RECON. Production Credits Hosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law Produced by Lisa Spira Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media Music by Ryan Elder Logo by Janine Pracht

Next up on our global tour, in Season 4, Episode 3, David and Peih-Gee go down under with The Doctor and The Alchemist, aka, Aaron Hooper and Leanne Yong from Next Level Escape in Sydney, Australia. They gave a fantastic talk at RECON '21, Playing with Game Structure: the Macro of Mechanics. In this podcast, they go into more depth about designing unusual game mechanics like their game, The Game, a competitive escape room where players go head to head, battling for objectives, or The Show Must Go On, which is part audio play, part interactive performance and part escape room. Leanne and Aaron both came from finance backgrounds—Aaron previously worked as an economist and Leanne as a business analyst. They combined their hobbies of tech, writing, and gaming to create some very fun escape rooms with humor, loads of player interactions, and unique gameplay. Because of their backgrounds in business, it was very interesting to chat with them about the economics of running an escape room, especially when they are located in the heart of the Central Business District and run games for lots of corporate groups. After chatting with them on the podcast, it was clear that Leanne and Aaron put a lot of love and thought into creating their escape rooms, especially when it comes to creating innovative game mechanics. Show Notes Episode Sponsors Thank you to our sponsors: Morty - A free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings. World Escape Room Championship - A global competition for escape room players. It is being held virtually, for free. The elimination round is on November 5, 2022. Each member of the winning team will receive a Nintendo Switch Lite. Buzzshot - ‘Customer Satisfaction Software’ for your escape room business. Streamline your marketing and grow your escape room business with pre- and post-game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and integrated review management. Use code REPOD2022 in the dropdown list when booking a demo for 20% off your first three months. Reality Escape Convention - RECON Our escape room and immersive gaming convention, will be an incredible event for creators and consumers of the games we love. We hope to see you in Boston. Learn More about RECON. Production Credits Hosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law Produced by Lisa Spira Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media Music by Ryan Elder Logo by Janine Pracht

In Season Four of Reality Escape Pod, we’re going global! Each episode we’ll be interviewing escape room creators from a different country, and there’s no better place to start with than Athens, Greece, home to Paradox Project. Paradox Project’s escape rooms are some of the most highly regarded games in the world, with two of their rooms ranked in the top twenty best escape rooms according to TERPECA. These games also have the distinction of being some of the longest escape rooms in the world, with The Bookstore clocking in at 200 minutes. That’s a whopping three hours and 20 minutes. While chatting with Dimitris Varelas, one of the creators of Paradox Project, it became clear that the driving force behind their games is a deep love of escape rooms and a devotion to creating the best possible player experience. He’s willing to run his games for you at all hours of the day, and has invited any visiting escape room enthusiasts to consult with him when planning their trip to Athens. Hearing Dimitris talk about their design process, we could see how much care they put into their games. From their willingness to put the player experience first, to crafting custom sets in huge locations, Paradox Project is a shining example of how to craft incredible escape rooms that cater to escape room enthusiasts. Show Notes Episode Sponsors Thank you to our sponsors: Morty - A free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings. World Escape Room Championship - A global competition for escape room players. It is being held virtually, for free. The elimination round is on November 5, 2022. Each member of the winning team will receive a Nintendo Switch Lite. Buzzshot - ‘Customer Satisfaction Software’ for your escape room business. Streamline your marketing and grow your escape room business with pre- and post-game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and integrated review management. Use code REPOD2022 in the dropdown list when booking a demo for 20% off your first three months. Reality Escape Convention - RECON Our escape room and immersive gaming convention, will be an incredible event for creators and consumers of the games we love. We hope to see you in Boston. Learn More about RECON. Production Credits Hosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law Produced by Lisa Spira Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media Music by Ryan Elder Logo by Janine Pracht

We're kicking off Season Four of Reality Escape Pod with a RECON Boston recap! David and Peih-Gee are joined by Lisa Spira and Theresa Wagner. RECON was an incredibly special event with brilliant talks, amazing lobby parties, and some very special escape rooms. Magic was definitely in the air. We recap the talks from industry leaders and discuss the amazing ARG (alternate reality game) created especially for RECON. David and Lisa give us insight on some of the aspects designed to help the convention run more smoothly. We look back fondly on the lobby parties, and Peih-Gee talks about her nefarious goal of making David cry at RECON (and how it backfired). We listen to voicemails from attendees, discuss our top secret special guest, and replay his incredible imitation of David. RECON was truly a magical experience, judging by the response from attendees. It was a celebration of the escape room community, an experiment, and a knowledge share... We look forward to making more RECON magic in the future. Show Notes Episode Sponsors Thank you to our sponsors: Morty - A free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings. World Escape Room Championship - A global competition for escape room players. It is being held virtually, for free. The elimination round is on November 5, 2022. Each member of the winning team will receive a Nintendo Switch Lite. Buzzshot - ‘Customer Satisfaction Software’ for your escape room business. Streamline your marketing and grow your escape room business with pre- and post-game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and integrated review management. Use code REPOD2022 in the dropdown list when booking a demo for 20% off your first three months. Reality Escape Convention - RECON Our escape room and immersive gaming convention, will be an incredible event for creators and consumers of the games we love. We hope to see you in Boston. Learn More about RECON. Production Credits Hosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law Produced by Lisa Spira Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media Music by Ryan Elder Logo by Janine Pracht

Last week, David and Peih-Gee managed to solve the mystery of the Silver Screen room on Escape This Podcast, and this week, they're recapping their adventures in the madcap chocolate factory. We recommend listening to that episode before you listen to this one. After getting stuck on donuts and pies, it was a relief to know that Dani and Bill had graciously reserved one of their harder rooms for us. We dissect some of the puzzles in the game and debate the merits of various puzzle design etiquette, including common expectations like prop reuse and crossword puzzle rules. If you enjoyed these episodes, we hope that you'll check out Escape This Podcast and listen to more of their wonderful audio escape rooms. Season 4 of the Reality Escape Pod is launching October 3, so stay tuned!

David and Peih-Gee go on a romp through a very wonky chocolate factory on Escape This Podcast, a show that's a mix between table top role-playing and escape room style puzzles. Much like Willy Wonka, Dani and Bill are madly creative geniuses, dreaming up fantastical audio escape rooms that have come very close to stumping us on more than one occasion. Going on their podcast is always a good time, and the best part is that all their audio escape rooms are available for free to play with your friends and family at home. Tune in to see what happens when David and Peih-Gee find themselves in a strangely smooth white room with not much except a television and a giant bar of chocolate. Make sure to check out the companion show next week on Escape This Podcast where we'll break down and analyze the room we just played. And… Season 4 of the Reality Escape Pod is coming in October… so stay tuned…

Today we're releasing a Patreon Bonus Episode from Season 3 to give you a sneak peek of our REPOD Patreon perks. Johanna's episode was extremely popular, and with good reason. She shared a wealth of knowledge about game design with us on the main episode, and yet, we still had so many questions for her. Luckily she stuck around for the Aftershow. This one in particular feels very much like an extension of the main episode. If you haven't listened to her main episode, we highly recommend you play that one first. You can find REPOD S3E2 with Johanna here. Johanna thinks about game design with both an eye towards the larger picture, as well as considering all the small details, like how temperature can affect a player's behavior. We hope you'll enjoy this surprise release of our exclusive Patreon Bonus Aftershow. Bonus Content After each episode, hosts Peih-Gee and David record another long form show, just for Patreon backers ($5/ month and up). Sometimes the guests stick around for the Aftershow. Where the main episode is a heavily edited and produced experience, the bonus content is a freeform conversation. Season 3 Episode 2 This sneak peek is the REPOD S3E42 Patreon Bonus Episode, recorded with Nordic larp creator Johanna Koljonen. You can find REPOD S3E2 with Johanna here.

The Infinite Escape Room is a puzzling podcast where a group of pals sit down, have a drink, and work together to solve an audio escape room. The creators are brilliant and hilarious, and they were kind enough to welcome us on a recent episode. We had a blast puzzling our way through this Stranger Things-inspired episode, despite David constantly trying to off Peih-Gee in some nefarious way, and Peih-Gee trying to figure out what is "bed cheese." This is something a little different from our usual episodes, but we think you'll really enjoy it. We like what they're creating at The Infinite Escape Room Podcast, and we hope you'll give it a listen. Here is our episode, "Portal shenanigans and Hidden Bed Cheese." And... Season 4 is coming in the fall... so stay tuned for that.

In season 3, episode 12, we chat with Lee-Fay Low and Theresa Wagner about the upcoming RECON, the Reality Escape Convention, taking place in person, in Boston, August 21-22, 2022. RECON is a new type of convention mixing talks from leaders in the immersive gaming industry as well as games ranging from an ARG, a large-format ballroom game, an included escape room, and visits to Level99 and Boda Borg. Lee-Fay is the Programming Coordinator. She talks to us about the different talks you can expect at RECON Boston 22, ranging from Caro Murphy, an Immersive Experience Director on Disney’s Star Wars Galactic Starcruise, to the Mayor of Malden, who will talk about working with local government. And of course, RECON will also include speakers from some of the top local escape room companies. Theresa Wagner is the Games “Executioner,” in charge of organizing games at RECON. She talks to us about the different games you’ll experience with your RECON ticket, including Level99, an “escape room amusement park.” We also reveal a surprise announcement that Boda Borg will now be part of the convention offerings. I was really excited to get a sneak peek at the inner workings of RECON, and to learn more about everything offered at this escape room convention. I hope that after listening to this conversation, you’ll be inspired to join us at RECON in Boston this summer. Show Notes The Mailbag: Please give us some feedback? We're doing a Mailbag episode where we answer your questions, share your stories, and learn from you fine folks. There are a few ways to take part: Take our survey Leave a voicemail Send an email Send us some snail mail Here's how to do each: Take A Short Survey Share your feedback anonymously through this survey. Leave A Voicemail If you’d like to be on the podcast, please submit a voice recording by calling the Room Escape Artist not-so-hotline that always goes straight to voicemail (551-227-7273), and record your thoughts and feels about REPOD straight into the voicemail. Your message should be: Short, no longer than 30 seconds - it will help to jot down your ideas before recording Recorded with as little background noise as possible (recording in a closet, or under a comforter could help) Start with your name and where you are from Send an Email Hit us up at: [email protected] Send a Letter Room Escape Artist PO Box 683 Nutley, NJ 07110 Episode Sponsors Thank you to our sponsors: Morty - A free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings. Virtual Escape Games - Specializes in virtual team building adventures for teams anywhere around the globe, 24/7. Reality Escape Convention - RECON Our escape room and immersive gaming convention, will be an incredible event for creators and consumers of the games we love. We hope to see you in Boston. Learn More about RECON. Production Credits Hosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law Produced by Lisa Spira Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media Music by Ryan Elder Logo by Janine Pracht

In season 3, episode 11, we chat with New York Times bestselling author of The Year of Living Biblically, A.J. Jacobs, about his newest book The Puzzler. A.J. is a self-described “human guinea-pig,” immersing himself deeply, even masochistically, into a given topic and chronicling his experiments, whether it’s living by the Bible literally for a year, or thanking everyone involved in the creation of his morning cup of coffee. An avid crossword solver, A.J. dives down the rabbit hole of puzzles in his latest book The Puzzler. He goes on a journey to attempt the world’s hardest puzzles, exploring all the varieties including crosswords, puzzle hunts, mazes, jigsaws, and chess problems. Along the way, he tackles fiendish Japanese puzzle boxes, drags his family to Spain to compete in a jigsaw competition, and even plays an escape room with David and Lisa Spira from Room Escape Artist. The Puzzler is also chock full of puzzles, including a hidden, super-challenging but solvable puzzle that will earn the first reader to crack it a $10,000 prize. A.J. is a delightful guest with an insatiable curiosity about the world. He talks about his adventures through the puzzle universe and shares some amusing insights that he’s learned along the way. A.J. was funny, knowledgeable, and charming. We know you’ll want to read his book after listening to this podcast. Show Notes The Mailbag: Please give us some feedback? We're doing a Mailbag episode where we answer your questions, share your stories, and learn from you fine folks. There are a few ways to take part: Take our survey Leave a voicemail Send an email Send us some snail mail Here's how to do each: Take A Short Survey Share your feedback anonymously through this survey. Leave A Voicemail If you’d like to be on the podcast, please submit a voice recording by calling the Room Escape Artist not-so-hotline that always goes straight to voicemail (551-227-7273), and record your thoughts and feels about REPOD straight into the voicemail. Your message should be: Short, no longer than 30 seconds - it will help to jot down your ideas before recording Recorded with as little background noise as possible (recording in a closet, or under a comforter could help) Start with your name and where you are from Send an Email Hit us up at: [email protected] Send a Letter Room Escape Artist PO Box 683 Nutley, NJ 07110 Episode Sponsors Thank you to our sponsors: Morty - A free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings. Virtual Escape Games - Specializes in virtual team building adventures for teams anywhere around the globe, 24/7. Reality Escape Convention - RECON Our escape room and immersive gaming convention, will be an incredible event for creators and consumers of the games we love. We hope to see you in Boston. Learn More about RECON. Production Credits Hosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law Produced by Lisa Spira Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media Music by Ryan Elder Logo by Janine Pracht

In season 3, episode 10, we chat with Jeff Leinenveber and Jarrett Lantz, creators of The Nest, an intimate, memorable immersive experience that was a masterclass in environmental storytelling. The Nest unfolded through a series of audio cassette tapes that guests discovered while wandering through a labyrinth of memorabilia and memories. As former Disney Imagineers, Jarrett and Jeff really showcased their talent in scenic design, crafting a rich narrative through an incredible set that took guests on a dreamlike journey through one woman's memories. They talk about purposeful design choices meant to foster a sense of intimacy and creating spaces that help further the narrative. The Nest takes its guests on an emotionally charged journey through lush scenery, carefully selected props, and purposefully designed spaces. Jarrett and Jeff are truly masters of environmental storytelling, and it was a pleasure to have them on the podcast. Show Notes The Mailbag: Please give us some feedback? We're doing a Mailbag episode where we answer your questions, share your stories, and learn from you fine folks. There are a few ways to take part: Take our survey Leave a voicemail Send an email Send us some snail mail Here's how to do each: Take A Short Survey Share your feedback anonymously through this survey. Leave A Voicemail If you’d like to be on the podcast, please submit a voice recording by calling the Room Escape Artist not-so-hotline that always goes straight to voicemail (551-227-7273), and record your thoughts and feels about REPOD straight into the voicemail. Your message should be: Short, no longer than 30 seconds - it will help to jot down your ideas before recording Recorded with as little background noise as possible (recording in a closet, or under a comforter could help) Start with your name and where you are from Send an Email Hit us up at: [email protected] Send a Letter Room Escape Artist PO Box 683 Nutley, NJ 07110 Episode Sponsors Thank you to our sponsors: Morty - A free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings. Virtual Escape Games - Specializes in virtual team building adventures for teams anywhere around the globe, 24/7. Reality Escape Convention - RECON Our escape room and immersive gaming convention, will be an incredible event for creators and consumers of the games we love. We hope to see you in Boston. Learn More about RECON. Production Credits Hosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law Produced by Lisa Spira Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media Music by Ryan Elder Logo by Janine Pracht

In Season 3, episode 9 of REPOD, David and Peih-Gee are joined by David’s wife and REPOD producer Lisa Spira, along with Steve Ewing, the REPOD editor. We take questions and comments from listeners who have called in with voicemails or sent us emails. We had some really thought provoking questions, some lovely compliments about listeners’ favorite episodes, and of course, some hilarious prank calls. We also got to play some hilarious games designed by Steve and Peih-Gee, themed on our past guests. We absolutely loved hearing from our listeners and had a blast going through our mailbag. I hope you have as much fun listening as we did recording it. Show Notes Send an Email Hit us up at: [email protected] Send a Letter Room Escape Artist PO Box 683 Nutley, NJ 07110 Episode Sponsors Thank you to our sponsors: Morty - A free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings. Virtual Escape Games - Specializes in virtual team building adventures for teams anywhere around the globe, 24/7. Reality Escape Convention - RECON Our escape room and immersive gaming convention, will be an incredible event for creators and consumers of the games we love. We hope to see you in Boston. Learn More about RECON. Production Credits Hosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law Produced by Lisa Spira Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media Music by Ryan Elder Logo by Janine Pracht

In Season 3, Episode 8, we chat with Chris Waters, The Architect of Constructed Adventures. Chris creates extraordinary, customized treasure hunt adventures for special occasions. His experiences are primarily for private clients and have included everything from being picked up in helicopters to getting mysterious envelopes delivered by otters. Chris is the Willy Wonka of treasure hunts, doling out mysteries and golden prizes. However, instead of secrecy, he is incredibly transparent about what he does, his methods, and what he charges. He was full of tips and tricks for anyone who wants to create adventures for their own friends and family. Chris is passionate, energetic, and charming, and it’s easy to see why The Architect has been so successful in constructing adventures. Show Notes The Mailbag: Please give us some feedback? We're doing a Mailbag episode where we answer your questions, share your stories, and learn from you fine folks. There are a few ways to take part: Take our survey Leave a voicemail Send an email Send us some snail mail Here's how to do each: Take A Short Survey Share your feedback anonymously through this survey. Leave A Voicemail If you’d like to be on the podcast, please submit a voice recording by calling the Room Escape Artist not-so-hotline that always goes straight to voicemail (551-227-7273), and record your thoughts and feels about REPOD straight into the voicemail. Your message should be: Short, no longer than 30 seconds - it will help to jot down your ideas before recording Recorded with as little background noise as possible (recording in a closet, or under a comforter could help) Start with your name and where you are from Send an Email Hit us up at: [email protected] Send a Letter Room Escape Artist PO Box 683 Nutley, NJ 07110 Episode Sponsors Thank you to our sponsors: Morty - A free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings. Virtual Escape Games - Specializes in virtual team building adventures for teams anywhere around the globe, 24/7. Reality Escape Convention - RECON Our escape room and immersive gaming convention, will be an incredible event for creators and consumers of the games we love. We hope to see you in Boston. Learn More about RECON. Production Credits Hosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law Produced by Lisa Spira Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media Music by Ryan Elder Logo by Janine Pracht

In season 3, episode 7, we chat with Tommy Honton, creator of the award-winning escape room Stash House. He is a master craftsman of experience design with his bottomless bag of tools, combining storytelling and game design to create memorable, playable experiences. It’s no coincidence that Tommy’s been mentioned by so many guests on this podcast. It’s clear his huge network exists because he genuinely cares about elevating the escape room community and helping like-minded creators succeed. It was fascinating to get a glimpse into Tommy’s methodical creative design process. His approach to escape room design is deliberate and thoughtful, designing all aspects of the experience based on what he calls an “adrenaline map.” I especially appreciated the insight into his beta testing process. Tommy is so passionate about elevating the craft of immersive gaming and advocating for other creators. It’s easy to see why many escape room designers consider him a mentor. Show Notes The Mailbag: Please give us some feedback? We're doing a Mailbag episode where we answer your questions, share your stories, and learn from you fine folks. There are a few ways to take part: Take our survey Leave a voicemail Send an email Send us some snail mail Here's how to do each: Take A Short Survey Share your feedback anonymously through this survey. Leave A Voicemail If you’d like to be on the podcast, please submit a voice recording by calling the Room Escape Artist not-so-hotline that always goes straight to voicemail (551-227-7273), and record your thoughts and feels about REPOD straight into the voicemail. Your message should be: Short, no longer than 30 seconds - it will help to jot down your ideas before recording Recorded with as little background noise as possible (recording in a closet, or under a comforter could help) Start with your name and where you are from Send an Email Hit us up at: [email protected] Send a Letter Room Escape Artist PO Box 683 Nutley, NJ 07110 Episode Sponsors Thank you to our sponsors: Morty - A free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings. Virtual Escape Games - Specializes in virtual team building adventures for teams anywhere around the globe, 24/7. Reality Escape Convention - RECON Our escape room and immersive gaming convention, will be an incredible event for creators and consumers of the games we love. We hope to see you in Boston. Learn More about RECON. Production Credits Hosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law Produced by Lisa Spira Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media Music by Ryan Elder Logo by Janine Pracht

In Season 3, episode 6 of REPOD, we chat with Hillary Manning, the puzzle design expert on Create The Escape. Create the Escape is a fun kids show where in each episode, kids design an escape room for their parents to play and hopefully escape. Hillary has previously worked at escape rooms like Beat the Bomb and Escape The Room as a puzzle designer and gamemaster. Hillary walks us through the challenges of designing escape rooms for a television audience, and creating puzzles that are both fun to play and visually pleasing with a large scale. She takes us behind the scenes of how the show is produced, and what it takes to get cast on the show. It's especially exciting to hear about how much input the kids have on designing the puzzles and helping build the room. I think this show will be a great introduction for more families to learn about escape rooms. Hillary is a fun, energetic host on the show, and she brings the same great energy to this podcast episode. Show Notes The Mailbag: Please give us some feedback? We're doing a Mailbag episode where we answer your questions, share your stories, and learn from you fine folks. There are a few ways to take part: Take our survey Leave a voicemail Send an email Send us some snail mail Here's how to do each: Take A Short Survey Share your feedback anonymously through this survey. Leave A Voicemail If you’d like to be on the podcast, please submit a voice recording by calling the Room Escape Artist not-so-hotline that always goes straight to voicemail (551-227-7273), and record your thoughts and feels about REPOD straight into the voicemail. Your message should be: Short, no longer than 30 seconds - it will help to jot down your ideas before recording Recorded with as little background noise as possible (recording in a closet, or under a comforter could help) Start with your name and where you are from Send an Email Hit us up at: [email protected] Send a Letter Room Escape Artist PO Box 683 Nutley, NJ 07110 Episode Sponsors Thank you to our sponsors: Morty - A free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings. Virtual Escape Games - Specializes in virtual team building adventures for teams anywhere around the globe, 24/7. Reality Escape Convention - RECON Our escape room and immersive gaming convention, will be an incredible event for creators and consumers of the games we love. We hope to see you in Boston. Learn More about RECON. Production Credits Hosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law Produced by Lisa Spira Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media Music by Ryan Elder Logo by Janine Pracht

In Season 3, Episode 5 of REPOD, we sat down with Matt Leacock, best known for creating the Pandemic series of cooperative board games. There are several expansions for Pandemic as well as the Pandemic Legacy games, which are stand alone versions of the game with an interwoven narrative that affects the rules and mechanics of the game as you play. The Pandemic and Pandemic Legacy games share many commonalities with escape rooms, including cooperative gameplay, cinematic narrative structure, and gameplay mechanics that tie in closely to the theme. It was fascinating to hear Matt describe his game design process and how he approaches it from a user experience design standpoint. There is a dialogue between the theme and game mechanics where they impact each other iteratively. Pandemic Legacy is one of David’s favorite board games, and if you love escape rooms, we think you’ll love this game too. Featured Games: Pandemic Pandemic Legacy Season 1 Pandemic Legacy Season 2 Pandemic Legacy Season 0 Show Notes The Mailbag: Please give us some feedback? We're doing a Mailbag episode where we answer your questions, share your stories, and learn from you fine folks. There are a few ways to take part: Take our survey Leave a voicemail Send an email Send us some snail mail Here's how to do each: Take A Short Survey Share your feedback anonymously through this survey. Leave A Voicemail If you’d like to be on the podcast, please submit a voice recording by calling the Room Escape Artist not-so-hotline that always goes straight to voicemail (551-227-7273), and record your thoughts and feels about REPOD straight into the voicemail. Your message should be: Short, no longer than 30 seconds - it will help to jot down your ideas before recording Recorded with as little background noise as possible (recording in a closet, or under a comforter could help) Start with your name and where you are from Send an Email Hit us up at: [email protected] Send a Letter Room Escape Artist PO Box 683 Nutley, NJ 07110 Episode Sponsors Thank you to our sponsors: Morty - A free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings. Virtual Escape Games - Specializes in virtual team building adventures for teams anywhere around the globe, 24/7. Reality Escape Convention - RECON Our escape room and immersive gaming convention, will be an incredible event for creators and consumers of the games we love. We hope to see you in Boston. Learn More about RECON. Production Credits Hosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law Produced by Lisa Spira Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media Music by Ryan Elder Logo by Janine Pracht

In Season 3, Episode 4 of REPOD, we were joined by Gabby Pascuzzi, a Survivor contestant who competed on season 37, Survivor David vs. Goliath. Gabby is half of one of Survivor’s most iconic Nerd Alliance, alongside Christian Hubiki, a robotics professor. Gabby has a lifelong passion for puzzles and games, and she joined us to help explain why Survivor is so beloved by many game and puzzle enthusiasts. We break down some interesting game mechanics introduced on Survivor’s more recent seasons and discuss the various challenges and puzzles on Survivor. On REPOD, we love chatting about Survivor and all the different strategies and gameplay possibilities. If you’re a fan of puzzles and gaming, you’ll probably also be a fan of Survivor. We hope you’re inspired to start watching after listening to this episode (if you aren’t already). Show Notes The Mailbag: Please give us some feedback? We're doing a Mailbag episode where we answer your questions, share your stories, and learn from you fine folks. There are a few ways to take part: Take our survey Leave a voicemail Send an email Send us some snail mail Here's how to do each: Take A Short Survey Share your feedback anonymously through this survey. Leave A Voicemail If you’d like to be on the podcast, please submit a voice recording by calling the Room Escape Artist not-so-hotline that always goes straight to voicemail (551-227-7273), and record your thoughts and feels about REPOD straight into the voicemail. Your message should be: Short, no longer than 30 seconds - it will help to jot down your ideas before recording Recorded with as little background noise as possible (recording in a closet, or under a comforter could help) Start with your name and where you are from Send an Email Hit us up at: [email protected] Send a Letter Room Escape Artist PO Box 683 Nutley, NJ 07110 Episode Sponsors Thank you to our sponsors: Morty - A free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings. Virtual Escape Games - Specializes in virtual team building adventures for teams anywhere around the globe, 24/7. Reality Escape Convention - RECON Our escape room and immersive gaming convention, will be an incredible event for creators and consumers of the games we love. We hope to see you in Boston. Learn More about RECON. Production Credits Hosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law Produced by Lisa Spira Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media Music by Ryan Elder Logo by Janine Pracht

In Season 3, episode 3, we chat with Kathryn Yu, Executive Editor of No Proscenium and a co-founder of the Immersive Experience Institute, a non-profit that aims to create a sustainable future for immersive and experiential arts and artists worldwide. Kathryn joins us to chat about game design in branching narrative games, including her brilliant creation Metaverse Noir, told through the medium of Twitter threads. Through her work with No Proscenium, she has her finger on the pulse of immersive experiences. Kathryn’s passion for interactive narrative and good storytelling was apparent throughout our conversation. It was a blast chatting with her about VR gaming and talking about how to craft a game that resonates with the players. Show Notes The Mailbag: Please give us some feedback? We're doing a Mailbag episode where we answer your questions, share your stories, and learn from you fine folks. There are a few ways to take part: Take our survey Leave a voicemail Send an email Send us some snail mail Here's how to do each: Take A Short Survey Share your feedback anonymously through this survey. Leave A Voicemail If you’d like to be on the podcast, please submit a voice recording by calling the Room Escape Artist not-so-hotline that always goes straight to voicemail (551-227-7273), and record your thoughts and feels about REPOD straight into the voicemail. Your message should be: Short, no longer than 30 seconds - it will help to jot down your ideas before recording Recorded with as little background noise as possible (recording in a closet, or under a comforter could help) Start with your name and where you are from Send an Email Hit us up at: [email protected] Send a Letter Room Escape Artist PO Box 683 Nutley, NJ 07110 Episode Sponsors Thank you to our sponsors: Morty - A free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings. Virtual Escape Games - Specializes in virtual team building adventures for teams anywhere around the globe, 24/7. Reality Escape Convention - RECON Our escape room and immersive gaming convention, will be an incredible event for creators and consumers of the games we love. We hope to see you in Boston. Learn More about RECON. Production Credits Hosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law Produced by Lisa Spira Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media Music by Ryan Elder Logo by Janine Pracht

In Season 3, episode 2, we chat with Johanna Koljonen, the co-founder of Participation Design Agency. She is an experience designer specializing in Nordic larp and an expert in designing for safe and enthusiastic participation. Johanna has helped create some incredibly compelling and intense Nordic larps, including Vampire the Masquerade, Inside Hamlet, and House of Craving. Johanna puts careful thought into every aspect of her experiences, encapsulated in her concept that “everything is a designable surface.” Nordic larp encourages consent-based play, and Johanna discusses how to introduce systems that will allow participants to push boundaries safely. She gives concrete examples of how to encourage participation in very emotionally intense events, noting that “you have to feel safe to be brave.” The way Johanna discusses immersive experiences was eye-opening and illuminating. If you design immersive theater, escape rooms, larps or immersive experiences of any kind, you will find this episode absolutely invaluable. David notes that meeting Johanna completely changed the way he thinks about experience design, and I think you’ll agree after listening to this episode. Show Notes The Mailbag: Please give us some feedback? We're doing a Mailbag episode where we answer your questions, share your stories, and learn from you fine folks. There are a few ways to take part: Take our survey Leave a voicemail Send an email Send us some snail mail Here's how to do each: Take A Short Survey Share your feedback anonymously through this survey. Leave A Voicemail If you’d like to be on the podcast, please submit a voice recording by calling the Room Escape Artist not-so-hotline that always goes straight to voicemail (551-227-7273), and record your thoughts and feels about REPOD straight into the voicemail. Your message should be: Short, no longer than 30 seconds - it will help to jot down your ideas before recording Recorded with as little background noise as possible (recording in a closet, or under a comforter could help) Start with your name and where you are from Send an Email Hit us up at: [email protected] Send a Letter Room Escape Artist PO Box 683 Nutley, NJ 07110 Episode Sponsors Thank you to our sponsors: Morty - A free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings. Virtual Escape Games - Specializes in virtual team building adventures for teams anywhere around the globe, 24/7. Reality Escape Convention - RECON Our escape room and immersive gaming convention, will be an incredible event for creators and consumers of the games we love. We hope to see you in Boston. Learn More about RECON. Production Credits Hosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law Produced by Lisa Spira Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media Music by Ryan Elder Logo by Janine Pracht

To kick off Season 3, we chat with Maxime and Roxane Filion of Immersia Escape Games. Their escape games truly impressed us on our recent trip to Montreal. In this episode they talk about their immersive approach to game design, their diverse gaming influences, and how they measure success. Maxime and Roxane are also passionate about their creations and about this industry. Moreover, they have a shared vision of what escape games can be, and they are striving to build that future. Show Notes Episode Sponsors Thank you to our sponsors: Morty - A free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings. Virtual Escape Games - Specializes in virtual team building adventures for teams anywhere around the globe, 24/7. Reality Escape Convention - RECON Our escape room and immersive gaming convention, will be an incredible event for creators and consumers of the games we love. We hope to see you in Boston. Learn More about RECON. Production Credits Hosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law Produced by Lisa Spira Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media Music by Ryan Elder Logo by Janine Pracht

Bonus Content? After each episode, hosts Peih-Gee and David record another show, just for Patreon backers ($5/ month and up). Sometimes the guests stick around for the aftershow. Where the main episode is a heavily edited and produced experience, the bonus content is a freeform conversation. Guests This sneak peek is the REPOD S1E4 Patreon Bonus Content, recorded with Anne and Chris Lukeman from CU Adventures in Time & Space. You can find REPOD S1E4 with guests Anne and Chris here. Patreon Kindly consider backing us on Patreon. See you in Season 3.

In season 2, episode 8, we chat with Jon Braver, creator of Delusion. Delusion is an interactive horror theatre experience where monsters might crawl on the ceiling, creatures could be flying through the air, and at any moment you could be pulled aside for your own personal storyline. Jon describes Delusion as a cinematic moving play with a rich, linear storyline where the audience gets to be the main character in a horror movie. Jon started creating immersive horror experiences as a teen in his parents’ house. When he began doing stunt work for movies, he naturally incorporated stunts and special effects into his productions. While Delusion is well known for its stunts and effects, Jon has always emphasized his dedication to the story. It was so interesting to dig into Jon’s multi-faceted background to see how all his different skill sets culminated in the incredible experience of Delusion. After chatting with him, it was clear how committed he was to cinematic, immersive storytelling with an adrenaline-laden plot. He had so many amazing stories. We loved getting a glimpse into the cinematic delusions of Jon Braver. It’s a climactic finale to season 2. Show Notes Episode Sponsors Thank you to our sponsors: SEO ORB - Marketing and SEO optimization created specifically for escape rooms by an enthusiast. Telescape by Buzzshot - Virtual escape room game creation and interface software. Bring increased functionality to your virtual escape rooms. Escape from Mibo Island by Sherlocked - Virtual escape room played on a uniquely immersive web-based platform. First-person point of view avatar using your own webcam video that is ideal for anyone from families to corporate events. Try out Mibo Island for 20% off with the code MARVINRULES. Production Credits Hosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law Produced by Lisa Spira Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media Music by Ryan Elder Logo by Janine Pracht