Escape rooms are fun, exciting, and a great way to exercise your mind. Most people know how to play a physical escape room. You solve puzzles, unlock boxes, put pieces together, and ultimately (hopefully) escape! Many people don’t know how an online escape room works and it can seem daunting. Virtual and online escape rooms are a very fun way to get the experience of an escape room when the participants are separated from each other. Below you will find a step-by-step guide to how a virtual escape room works.
Book the room
The first step is finding a time and theme that works for you and booking the room. This process is very similar (if not exactly the same) as booking a physical escape room.
Receive Calendar Invite
After booking your room you will receive a calendar invite that includes information about the date and time of your booking, what you need to do to be prepared, and the video conferencing link you will need in order to attend your game.
Show Up
Arrive at your video conference at the time of your booking. Have a positive attitude and be ready to work with the other participants so that you can accomplish your goal. You will use the video conference to talk to the other participants as you navigate the game on your individual device.
Solve Puzzles, Find Clues
Much like a physical escape room you will navigate through the adventure solving puzzles and piecing things together. You will navigate the adventure on your own device, but will share your findings with the rest of your team. You will share it through communication in the video conference and a shared online document (Google Docs). You will explore through the game website and other sites throughout the internet.
Escape!
Each room has a different objective that you will need to accomplish. Make sure you understand your final goal in order to put your energy and organization towards that ultimate goal. Put all those clues together to complete your mission and win the game!
There you have it! 5 easy steps to playing a virtual escape room. Even though it might be a different experience than you may have done before, it will be an exciting experience and a memorable adventure for all involved.
Helpful things to keep in mind:
Video Conferencing
Virtual escape rooms utilize video conferencing software (Google Meet, Zoom, MS Teams, etc.) to allow participants to talk to each other during the game.
Individual devices
Virtual escape rooms work best when participants are on individual laptops or desktop computers. Having everyone on their own device allows you to split up the work so that more ground can be covered at the same time. If everyone is following along on one device it can slow the group down and make it hard to complete the adventure.
Navigating the web
Virtual escape rooms often utilize the internet to enhance the experience. You may need to use Google Maps, Google Translate, online anagram solvers, or simply looking up information online to help you solve puzzles. Having knowledge of tabs and internet browsers can be helpful.