Menu

Jason

About Jason

https://crossroadsescapegames.com

I grew up in the high desert and went to several colleges around so-cal. Tested out of most of my core classes for my English degree so I spent most my time learning about literature, psychology, and philosophy. Took every creative writing course I could and put most of my efforts into my writing via clubs, classes, and meet ups. After college, I continued studying and writing for pleasure. Eventually I used my unique collection of knowledge and skill to publish a book. I published Darkness and Joy last year and have been working on the sequel most of this year. I have been working at Cross Roads Escape Games since September 2016 and I am currently a Manager and Game Master.

Posts by Jason Sakal:

First Date

Why Escape Rooms Are Great for First Dates

, , , , , , , , , , , , 0

Are you the kind of person who wants your dates to be memorable and out-of-the-ordinary? Do you and your date like adventure and puzzle-solving? Have you been on too many bland dates and want something that you will truly enjoy?

With Valentine’s day right around the corner it is a good idea to start thinking about good date night ideas. The only problem is… you’ve already been on all the classic dates. You’ve done the fancy dinners before, you’ve taken your date to the movie, you’ve even gone on long walks and romantic picnics. So now what?

Are you the kind of person who wants your dates to be memorable and out-of-the-ordinary? Do you and your date like adventure and puzzle-solving? Have you been on too many bland dates and want something that you will truly enjoy? With Valentine’s day right around the corner it is a good idea to start thinking about good date night ideas. The only problem is… you’ve already been on all the classic dates. You’ve done the fancy dinners before, you’ve taken your date to the movie, you’ve even gone on long walks and romantic picnics. So now what?

Have you ever taken your date to an escape room?

Escape rooms are immersive experiences that take you on thrilling adventures that require cunning, team work, and communication. You will rely on each other to find clues and solve challenging puzzles in an attempt to escape the room in time. There are so many different themes that you are bound to find a room nearby that offers the experience you are looking for. Whether silly or scary, whacky or intense, you will undoubtedly have an amazing and unforgettable experience.

First Date in Fun House

You might be asking yourself, “what makes escape rooms so ideal for dates?” Well, just sit back and let me explain.

The main focus of any escape room is team work and togetherness. Escape rooms are a bonding experience that forces people to leverage their strengths in order to assist each other in escaping the room. The challenge of the rooms often brings people closer together, uniting them under a common goal… ESCAPE!

If you have done an escape room before, you already know how memorable they are. The entire experience is so thrilling and unique that you and your date will be talking about it for months to come.

One might wonder, but why do escape rooms make memorable dates? Well, that is simple. It is because everyone that participates in an escape room is having an active experience, rather than a passive one such as going to the movies.

Lastly, when you manage to escape an escape room it leaves you with a feeling of accomplishment. You didn’t just sit through your date and enjoy yourself, you worked with your date to solve puzzles and figure out a way to get out of the game!

Any date that emphasizes working together and gives you both a common goal to work towards while simultaneously making you feel thrilled and accomplished will be a date to remember.  And if this hasn’t convinced you yet, then just remember this: Any date that leaves you all wondering “when are we going to do another,” surely has to have been a good date.

Jason Sakal
Manager, Game Master
Cross Roads Escape Games

Zoltar

Zoltar’s Premonitions: Mr. Literal

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , 0

Greetings and salutations dearest reader! I am Zoltar the Great, Seer of secrets, and your guide to the funniest thing I have ever seen in the Fun House!

Many people have asked me, “Zoltar, do you enjoy hanging around and laughing with your players all day?” My answer to this question is simple. Yes. Yes, I most certainly do. It would be apt to say that I revel in the shenanigans that my players come up with while under the big top. Oh, I could go on and on about the many laughs shared between myself and my players. But of all the different types of people that have visited me here in the Fun House, there was one that tickles my funny bone to this day. I call him Mr. Literal!

Yes! We all know someone like Mr. Literal. This person takes your word for everything. This person often finds simple instructions to be unintuitive and frustrating. This is the person that when you say, “give me a second”, will count to one out loud and then ask if you are ready yet. Yes, you know exactly who I am talking about, don’t you? One of my fondest memories was created by someone who took everything I said too seriously.

This all started when Mr. Literal asked for a clue to a puzzle that one of his team mates was in the process of solving. My response to Mr. Literal was “If you put your heads together I’m sure you’ll be able to figure it out.” Mr. Literal stared at me with slowly widening eyes as the dawn of realization passed over him. He then turned to his team and demanded a huddle.

“Zoltar says that we need to put our heads together!” He shouted as his team huddled around him. He then stuck his head towards the center of his huddle circle. The other team mates exchanged looks of skepticism as they slowly leaned in and touched their heads together.

Now… I could have said something and put a stop to it right there, but honestly, I was curious to see how far this would go… So, I asked if they had figured it out yet. Of course, there was nothing to figure out, but Mr. Literal immediately replied that they were still working on it.

“Are you sure you are standing in the right spot?” I asked. The words popped out of my mouth unbidden and drenched in sarcasm. Most people would have realized in that moment that literally putting their heads together couldn’t possibly solve a puzzle… But this wasn’t most people; This was Mr. Literal!

And do you know what he did next? He told everyone to move to the center of the room and everyone in the group began to move their feet together shuffling towards the center of the room with their heads pressed together.

I… was… breathless. They stood together with their heads pressed together for what had to be a full minute before someone in the group finally spoke. “What exactly did Zoltar say to you?”

“He said that if we put our heads together we should be able to figure out our puzzle.” In that moment, his entire team groaned audibly and pushed away from the huddle. Mr. Literal stood there with a confused look on his face as his team walked away to go back to solving puzzles and I laughed harder than I have ever laughed in my life.

This was indeed one of the funniest moments I have ever experienced in all my time in The Fun House. Perhaps, dear readers, I shall reveal more of my favorite stories from the big top in the future. Make sure to keep an eye out for more of Zoltar’s Premonitions! Of course, not literally.

Jason Sakal
Manager, Game Master
Cross Roads Escape Games

Escaped The Hex Room

The 6 Types of People Every Great Escape Room Team Needs

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 9

Every escape room has a varying skill set that is needed to complete each mission. When gathering your team, make sure to get a diversity of creative thinkers so you have all your bases covered. Here is our list of the 6 types of people every great escape room team needs! Which one are you?

Detective in The Hex Room

The Leader

O’ Captain my captain! Every good group needs a fearless leader! Someone to help settle time wasting disputes and support their team mates when they need an extra set of hands. The Leader is usually elected into the role, either consciously or by habit, and others react and respond to the Leaders suggestions with little to no argument. The Leader doesn’t stick to any one puzzle though and can often be seen running about the room checking in with the rest of the team.

 

Prom Queen in The Hex Room

The Finder

This is the person you call when you lose the T.V. remote and need help finding it. This person is the one that pops up every three seconds while in the room and shouts “I found something!” The Finder is usually the one who finds most of the clues and puzzles and helps to figure out what things goes with what. They are also normally the keeper of keys and the knower of clues. They will sometimes also act as a courier running their new clues back and forth between team mates to trying to figure out if it can help solve any active clues.

 

The Nerd in The Hex Room

The Thinker

The brains of the group. Usually this player is a natural puzzler. Often, they are referred to as the smart one and they derive the most enjoyment from being the one to crack the puzzle’s code! However, Thinkers do tend to have a really bad habit; The Thinker likes to focus on one puzzle until it is solved and hates it when they need to leave a puzzle half solved to try and solve a different puzzle. In extreme cases, this can lead to the Thinker being that one player who spends half the game in a corner by themselves working on a single puzzle.

 

Jock in The Hex Room

The Worker

Do you have to look through several volumes of an encyclopedia? No problem! Bag full of puzzle pieces? No problem! Other process of elimination puzzles? No problem! This tireless worker doesn’t get frustrated by meticulous tasks and can finish up the busy work on puzzles that have already been “solved” while their team mates move on to other tasks!

 

Rebel in The Hex Room

The Leaper

Oh Leaper… What can we say about the Leaper other than this: every group has one and every group needs one. The Leaper is that one person on the team that chooses to ignore clues and make huge leaps in logic when trying to find a solution to a problem. The Leaper embodies the age old saying that “there is no such thing as a dumb idea.” They will leap to strange and confusing conclusions that often end up being wrong. However, whenever the thinker gets stumped, it becomes the leapers job to attempt to find new out-of-the-box ideas for the Challenger to work with. When the clock is ticking down and everyone else starts panicking, the leaper is always there with another solution.

 

Virgin in Hex Room

The Challenger

The Challenger works in tandem with the Thinker and the Leaper and acts as a grounding force for their brainstorming. Simply put, the challenger challenges the solutions put forth by the Thinker and the Leaper to help them come up with solutions that actually makes sense. The Challenger’s role is not to shoot down ideas, but rather to prioritize ideas with highest chance of success. They are the ones saying things like “We can try that, but first let’s see if this works instead…” They also help the Leaper turn their crazy idea into a plausible one by working through the Leapers thought process and forcing them to think about certain ideas in greater depth. If the team is a factory that produces ideas, then the Challenger’s role is quality control.

You also may have some team mates that can take on multiple roles, but it is fun to figure out which habits fit your team mates and friends. Let us know what roles each of your team mates fill in the comment section below! Also, make sure to play The Hex Room and put your teamwork to the test!

Jason Sakal
Game Master and Manager
Cross Roads Escape Games

Team Building at Cross Roads Escape Games

#1 Team Building Outing is at Cross Roads Escape Games

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , 0

Are you looking for a thrilling experience that will test your team’s wit, communication, and teamwork? Perhaps you are looking for an event that will allow your team to bond by working together to overcome obstacles? Or maybe you are just trying to be the coolest boss in the world. Either way, Cross Roads Escape Games offers a fun and exciting take on team building that will engage and excite every member of your group.

Our games offer unique challenges to test team cohesion, communication, critical thinking, and creative problem solving. With two different themes, we can offer two different experiences sure to thrill and include everyone on your team.

The Fun House is a kooky non-linear game that emphasizes the importance of team work, time management, and communication while brainstorming creative solutions to new challenges. Everyone starts out in a topsy-turvy room filled with hidden clues, optical illusions, and tons of puzzles that can be solved in any order. It is up to you and your team to work together to make heads or tails of all the clues and prove yourselves as Magnificent Magicians!

In The Hex Room, your team is split into six different rooms based on a personality test that is taken before the game starts. The Hex Room has an intense atmosphere and each room is designed to make the player feel like they are the star of their own horror film. It is imperative that your team works together and learns to communicate through the physical barriers separating them. Employing a clever use of stress and isolation, The Hex Room highlights the strengths and weaknesses of each team member.

Both rooms are designed to test your team’s communication and problem solving skills while also revealing a team’s true dynamic. In the Fun House, players are exposed to wacky ideas and are forced to think outside the box. Each player must add their brainpower to the group to find the solution to a challenge. In the Hex Room, communication becomes paramount and failing to do so could have dire effects. In both rooms, the dynamic of the group will become apparent; Natural leaders will rise to the occasion to lead their teams to victory and team cohesion will form around those leaders.

The Hex Room and The Fun House are both excellent tools for team building that allow players to identify their own strengths and weaknesses.

 

Team Building at Cross Roads Escape Games

Often, it isn’t until someone is put to the test that they realize their strengths to cultivate or the weaknesses that they can mend. It is through these fun and thrilling adventures that people discover their desire to lead.

Team Building here at Cross Roads is a thrilling experience for everyone. We have a friendly and enthusiastic staff that can offer a wide range of team building services including Game Master talk backs. During these talk backs, your game master will sit down with your team after the game to discuss the group’s strengths and shortcomings. They will offer advice on how to improve team work, communication, and overall cohesion.

Cross Roads Escape Games Lounge
Rentable private lounge area for team building talk backs

If you want a truly memorable and exciting way to discover your team dynamic, want to strengthen critical thinking and problem solving, or are just looking to take your team out for a fun and thrilling bonding experience, Cross Roads Escape Games can help with top-quality games and engaging experiences. For more information on what we can offer for your next team building outing, check out our team building page.

Jason Sakal
Manager and Game Master
Cross Roads Escape Games

Jigsaw

JIGSAW Giveaway and Contest This October!

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , 0

“Could you survive a horror film?” This is a question that horror movie fanatics ask each other all the time. It’s fun to sit around and joke about which of us would make it and which of us would fall victim to the killer’s nefarious plot. However, when the SAW series first made its debut on the silver screen in 2004, many horror movie fans found themselves slack jawed when asked if they had what it takes to survive?

SAW redefined what it would take to survive a horror film. No longer could we survive by simply avoiding horror film clichés or by enduring until help arrived. Suddenly, there was a time limit on our survival and in place of some supernatural monster, we found ourselves trapped in a room full of torturous contraptions with a sadistic game to be played. Instead of being a passive victim, we were forced to actively find a way to survive.

Though the idea of being locked in a room, building, or house was not new to horror films, SAW quickly became the first thing on peoples’ minds when horror escape rooms started gaining in popularity.

The Hex Room, though less deadly (and requiring less physical harm), offers players a similar experience to living one of the SAW movies; you are trapped in a room with a set of clues that you must solve within the time limit or you lose. It was only natural that the promoters of the movie JIGSAW would team up with Cross Roads to promote their new movie, in theaters October 27! For the month of October, any group that manages to escape the Hex Room will get a free JIGSAW poster while supplies last.

Jigsaw Poster

In an additional giveaway, if you comment on our official social media posts on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook and tag 5 friends that you want to see JIGSAW with, you will be entered to win a special JIGSAW prize package, including a T-shirt, playing cards, a syringe pen, and tickets to the film! Want to stack the odds in your favor? Comment on all 3 social media sites! The winner will be chosen at random on October 23rd.

Do you want to play a game? You can see if you have what it takes to survive a horror film with The Hex Room at Cross Roads Escape Games, perfect for the Halloween season.

About the movie: Thirteen years ago on Halloween weekend – SAW and the character of JIGSAW introduced the world to a new face of horror. For seven straight years “If it’s Halloween it must be SAW” was a holiday tradition. This October 27… Lionsgate and Twisted Pictures proudly present JIGSAW! After a series of murders bearing all the markings of the Jigsaw killer, law enforcement find themselves chasing the ghost of a man dead for over a decade and embroiled in a new game that’s only just begun. Is John Kramer back from the dead to remind the world to be grateful for the gift of life? Or is this a trap set by a killer with designs of their own?

Jason Sakal
Manager & Game Master
Cross Roads Escape Games

FunHouse_bigtop

Zoltar’s Premonitions: Avoiding The Terrible Fate of Eternal Imprisonment

, , , , , , , , , , , , , 1

If you have had the chance to meet Zoltar the Great inside The Fun House, I’m sure you may have found yourself wondering how could someone so handsome and so powerful get trapped inside a painting for all eternity? Well, you are not alone in your pondering! It is a question I get quite often, so I decided to go straight to the source and ask Zoltar the Great himself. Here is what he had to say:

Zoltar The Great

“Greetings and salutations dear readers, I am Zoltar the Great, the Seer of Secrets, and today I’ll be your guide to avoiding the terrible fate of eternal imprisonment.

“It all starts in 1940. I was part of a very prestigious travelling circus that would draw crowds from near and far. During this golden age of circuses, I was the gem in the crown of my ring leader’s performance. Ah yes, I was truly a site for people to behold. And, oh, how they would gasp when I would peer into my crystal ball and lay bare the path to their future. Secrets? Scandals? Deep wells of unknowable knowledge? No problem for the Great and Powerful Zoltar.

“But alas, the 40s were a turbulent time, and even a talent like mine was not enough to drag people from their sorrows and into our seats. Ah yes, it was quite the low point indeed.

“Naturally, the Ring Leader had some tough choices to make and one by one the other acts were cancelled. Now, I will admit that this was curious, but I did not fear for my job. No, no, no. I was merely worried that another circus might come by and take me away from my beloved circus. That’s it. That is why I sought out our magician, Morgan something or other, for a cure to my worries.

“Now it was no secret that Morgan and I didn’t get along very well. He, like so many others, couldn’t help but go green with jealousy when he would see the adoring fans showering me with compliment after compliment. However, when I so humbly asked him for a spell that would keep my act in the circus forever, he set his grudge aside and graciously agreed to help me. Perhaps he believed that by helping me, he might be able to bask in the glow of my success for that much longer.

“Or at least that is what I thought at the time.

“Morgan said he had something that would give me exactly what I wanted. He handed me a terribly dusty scroll and said if I signed it, I could be part of the circus forever. Without overthinking anything, I dipped my quill into some ink and signed the scroll with a perfect autograph.

“Suddenly everything became shaky and my vision started to darken. Next thing I knew, I was trapped within a magical painting of myself.

“Oh, woe was me in that moment. Sure, things could have been worse. Sure, he could have shaved one of my perfect eyebrows, or scarred the flawless skin on my face, but nonetheless this was definitely a terrible predicament to find myself in.

“Luckily for me, I was still able to speak and my powers of foresight were keener than ever. So, I called out for help. And who would show up but the apprentices of the very magician that had done this to me.

“I talked to the children and told them of how their master had tricked me and, bless their hearts, they believed every word I said. I gave them some good advice and sent them on their way to the magician’s tent.

“By using their wits and working together the two apprentices were able to discover the mysteries inside their master’s tent and return to me with Morgan’s dreaded Grimoire. I was so pleased that I declared that they should be made worthy magicians at once!

“But this was not the end of the tale. There was no happily ever after yet. Oh, no there wasn’t! The two young magicians looked through the Grimoire and found nothing in it that resembled a counter spell. Alas… I Zoltar the Great, the seer of secrets, and soon to be 5-time beer pong champion… was still trapped.

“In the end, Morgan the Magician was arrested for the improper use of magic against a national treasure, the two young magicians were given a center stage performance in the circus’ main event, and I was trapped for what seemed to be all eternity.

“Basically, you could say that the circus just wasn’t the same anymore. The two young magicians eventually left for better things and as the circus fell into debt, I was eventually sold to an old pawnshop owner whose hearing was so bad, I could never convince him I wasn’t an ordinary painting.

“But, as Mother always said, when life gives you a lemon, just wait around until you find someone who knows how to make lemonade! My fate changed the day I was purchased by a lovely couple who saw my talent for what it was truly worth! They gave me a well-paying job at Cross Roads Escape Games and since then, I have made it my mission to test those who wish to take on the Fun House, sorting the worthy magicians from the clueless clowns. It is my earnest hope that one day I will find a magician worthy enough to free me from my magical painting.

“At least, that is the story I tell people… it is a timeless tale of woe, betrayal, and not reading the waiver before messing with dark magic… One might say this story is a people pleaser. Trust me, this is the story you want to hear… It is much better than the one about the troll…

“But perhaps that version will be a story for another time.”

And there you have it dear readers. Straight from the horses mouth. Now your new question that you should be asking yourself is if  YOU will be the one who is worthy enough to set Zoltar fee?

Jason Sakal
Manager & Game Master
Cross Roads Escape Games

Characters of The Hex Room

What Makes The Hex Room So Unique?

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 0

Since The Hex Room opened back in January of 2016, it has received rave reviews from fans and critics who consistently claim it as their new favorite escape room. But what makes The Hex Room so unique and popular? Is it the room’s dedication to absolute immersion? Is it the set design perhaps? Though these aspects play a huge role in people’s experience, I believe that the number one reason for the Hex Room’s popularity is its unique style of game play.

Owner and creator of The Hex Room, Madison Rhoades, says, “My husband and I created The Hex Room because we wanted something new. We played about 50 escape rooms, and they were starting to all blend together. We wanted something that gave each player an individual experience and their own moment to shine, without having to battle over it with other players. We also wanted to create an escape room that was replayable. We love escape rooms so much, but once we played one we really enjoyed, it was impossible to replay it with new friends without already knowing all the answers. It was a huge challenge to create this unique design, but after a lot of testing, it all came together in the end!”

In a standard escape room, you and your team all start in a single room with clues to find and puzzles to solve. You are told to communicate and work as a team, but not everyone needs to participate. Sometimes there aren’t enough puzzles for the number of people in the room. Sometimes people are shy and let the more assertive players take the lead. Either way, it is possible for parts of your team to do all the work while other parts of your team do very little. This is the biggest difference between the standard escape room, and the Hex Room.

In the Hex Room, each person is divided into separate rooms based on a personality quiz that is taken before entering the room. Each person is given costume pieces based on which stereotypical horror movie character their personalities best match; such as the Detective, Rebel, Jock, Nerd, Prom Queen, and Virgin. You are then led into the rooms one by one. Once divided, it becomes each player’s imperative to try and escape their individual room. Though the team is divided, everyone must still work together to escape. Each player must search their rooms for clues to help themselves and their team mates.

HEX_Characters

In the Hex Room, everyone must work as a team and effectively communicate between their individual rooms. They must be able to tell their team mates what they see and what they have; they must ask for and pass clues between their rooms; and they must actively participate throughout their experience if they are to have any chance of escaping alive.

When six players enter the Hex Room, they will leave with six completely different experiences; each of them feeling a sense of accomplishment for their contributions to their team. There are no passive observers in The Hex Room, only active players!

Once each player is inside their room, they are instructed to remove their blindfolds and are instantly immersed within their own horror film. Cross Roads is dedicated to making each player feel as though they have stepped out of their normal lives and into the extraordinary adventure. This engaging environment makes players want to participate and see more of what the room has to offer. I have, on several occasions, had a player admit to me that they normally just stand around and let their team mates do all the work, but in the Hex Room they felt so completely immersed and engaged in the experience that the thought of standing around never even occurred to them. This is the magic of the Hex Room.

As mentioned before, The Hex Room is also the only replayable escape room in SoCal. Because each player has such an individualized experience, you can come back and play again as a different character and enjoy the game all over again with new friends or family members. We have had multiple guests play up to 6 times because they wanted to experience every room.

The Hex Room has a stressful and demanding style of game play that requires each member of the team to push themselves to escape. When this is combined with our movie quality set design and immersive ambiance, players are compelled to suspend their belief for an hour and experience what it feels like to step into the shoes of a horror film character. This completely unique style of escape game is exactly why the Hex Room has become the #1 escape room in both Orange County and Los Angeles.

If you are a fan, or even if you have not played yet, make sure to check out our pinned post on our Facebook page for a chance to win 2 free tickets and an awesome box of horror swag by tagging who you and your friends would play as in The Hex Room! Contest ends September 4th. 

Jason Sakal
Manager & Game Master
Cross Roads Escape Games

Zoltar The Great

Zoltar’s Premonitions: Guide To The Fun House

, , , , , , , , , , , 0

Greetings and salutations dear reader! I am Zoltar the Great, Seer of secrets, paragon of beauty, and your guide to navigating the ups, the downs, and the upside-downs of the Fun House! Every month, I will share with you important premonitions I may receive regarding tips, advice, stories, words of caution, and other news a magical painting may have!

Now, I know that you’re eager to begin your work as a magnificent magician, but do keep in mind we don’t just give that job away to anyone. First, you will have to prove yourself worthy of such an illustrious title.

The test ahead is a perilous one, filled with many opportunities to end up looking as silly as a clown. But fear not, for it is my most earnest desire to see you all prepared for your new jobs under the big tent. Stick with me, dear reader, and follow my advice; we might just make a magician of you yet.

First off, it is imperative to follow instructions, both written and verbal. Failing to do so can lead you down the express lane of clown employment, and nobody wants that. Do listen while the funny little men and women explain the rules of the Fun House. These rules are not only meant to keep you safe, but to keep you from wasting time by doing silly things that won’t help you in the slightest. Remember, a magician always knows the rules!

Speaking of silly things to do, please remember that you will not need to climb on anything. This test is one of wit, intellect, and perception! However, some people are much more clown than magician and will panic when presented with a test of the mind. It is not uncommon for clowns to reveal themselves by running in circles, by climbing on top of one another, or by performing a handstand to place their noses closer to the floor. Just to be clear, all puzzles within the Fun House can be done with your feet flat on the ground.

Speaking of which, here is a bit of advice on how to ground your thinking while in the Fun House. When brainstorming a possible solution to a puzzle do try and avoid overthinking things! If at any point, you find yourself saying something along the lines of “A is the first letter of the Alphabet, so that must be number 1…” TURN BACK! You have gone too far! I promise you that the solution is MUCH simpler than that. Try thinking of it as a game of connect the dots. Look for things that the clues have in common. Ask yourself, what are they trying to tell me? This will often help you to simplify your thinking substantially!

Another thing to keep in mind that many of the rules of your world do not apply in the Fun House.

FunHouse_Teaser

This escape game takes place in a fantastical realm where many things are not as they appear to be. In the Fun House, it isn’t uncommon for stationary things to spin, and move, and dance; it isn’t uncommon for things to be out of place or out of order; It isn’t uncommon for potential magicians to be required to salute a picture of General von Kitty; and it is most certainly not uncommon for an enchanted painting to speak, sing, and demand worship from players in the form of flattering compliments.

And lastly, but most importantly, remember that it is never bad to ask for help. The Fun House can certainly be a bit overwhelming for new players. If it seems like you aren’t understanding something and you feel yourself getting frustrated, simply ask your team mates for help. If you all put your minds to it and still don’t quite understand something, then you can always turn to me, Zoltar the Great. Don’t let my flawless complexion intimidate you. I promise… I am only there to help.

Sincerely,
Zoltar the Great

Teammates escape The Hex Room from Cross Roads Escape Games

10 Strategies To Become A Great Escape Room Teammate

, , , , , , , , 5

Recently, I played through an escape room and was paired with a woman and her two daughters. It was their first escape room experience, whereas it was my group’s 18th. At first we had wanted to try and beat our other friend’s escape time, but after learning that it was our teammates first room, we changed our goal to making sure our teammates had an incredible first experience. We all worked as a team and managed to escape the room (almost beating our friends time as well). We were all super psyched and were hyped on the post-escape glow. That is when something strange happened.

After the game, I got a chance to talk to our game master and he thanked us for treating our teammates so well! Now… this came as a complete shock to me because I hadn’t really considered the idea that some people might treat their teammates badly. I mean we all want to escape, right? We all know that working as a team is always better than trying to solo a room, right? Shouldn’t all experienced players remember the excitement of their first room? I was caught so off guard that all I said was something like “k” and then smiled really wide. He laughed and explained himself a bit more to me.

Apparently, many people that are teamed up with strangers in a public escape room end up treating these teammates poorly. After I learned that, I started paying attention to how people were treating their teammates. To say the least, I was shocked. In response to what I’ve seen, I’ve decided to write this article about how to be a good teammate. After all, the more people that enjoy escape rooms, the more successful our favorite games will become. So here are my tips to being a good teammate in escape rooms.

 

#1 Communicate, Communicate, Communicate

Now I know that many of you enthusiasts are rolling your eyes right now, but let me remind you that not everyone understands how important it is to TALK TO YOUR TEAMMATES; not just your friends, but anyone that is currently trying to escape with you. Talk to ALL members of your team and keep in constant contact. I have played a few public escape rooms now, and it is hard to break a long silence. Some players might be too shy to break the silence as well. The first thing I do, even before I get into the escape room, is introduce myself and my group. Then I usually talk about how many games I have done (which gives them a chance to say how many they have), and suggest other games that I have done that were good. Basically, I build enough rapport with my new teammates to open a nice comfortable line of communication between everyone. This allows new players/strangers to feel familiar enough with me to share their ideas.

#2 Listen to everyone

Now you’ve made yourself approachable, GREAT, but it won’t matter in the slightest if you don’t actually listen to what your teammates are saying. You have no idea how many times I have been Game Mastering a game and someone has shouted out the right answer only to be completely ignored by their teammates. To avoid having this happen to your team, listen to your team. Anytime your teammates come up with an idea, engage them on it, talk to them about it, and if someone wants to try out a solution, then give it a shot. Not every answer will be right, but all ideas deserve to at least be heard… as long as the solution doesn’t involve breaking any rules.

#3 Ask for help

This one seems like one a piece of advice that shouldn’t be needed, but is. Remember that it’s okay to ask for help. No one wants to be the person stuck on the same puzzle for half an hour. If one of your teammates wants to help you, you should let them. Why not let them have a chance to solve the puzzle as well, who knows… they might even come up with an answer you haven’t thought of yet. Everyone thinks a little differently, and sometimes that difference is all that is needed to figure out a puzzle. And just because you weren’t the one to open the lock does not mean that you did not help solve the puzzle.

#4 Don’t snatch things out of people’s hands

On an equally important note, just because someone is struggling with a puzzle does not mean that you should snatch it out of their hands. This is very rude. A better way to approach this is to ask the player if they could use some help. Try asking what they’ve tried so far, and LISTEN as they explain it. This might spark an idea in your head that they haven’t tried yet.

#5 Brainstorm as a group

We have all heard the age old axiom that two heads are better than one, right? Well, in an escape room this because incredibly apparent. Everyone thinks a little differently and if you give ten people the exact same puzzle, they will come up with 11 different solutions. Not everyone comes up with the same solution, and not every solution needs to be right. Try the ones that seem simple and straightforward, and if it doesn’t work… no problem! You still have a plethora of possible solutions to try.
However, if someone does not discuss their ideas with the group, then they will get hung up on what they want the solution to be and will not be able to see past it. On my team, we have one person whose primary role is to jump to conclusions and make wild leaps of reason. Now this might seem counter intuitive to many of you, but a crazy idea is always better than no idea at all. Often times, by just attempting to solve the puzzle with a crazy idea you can find new information about the puzzle that helps you solve it faster. And even if an idea seems like a super crazy leap, it should still be heard and discussed because it might spark the right idea in someone else’s head.

#6 You are not the key master

What I mean by that is… don’t hold onto the keys and clues the entire game. Try to keep your hands free for exploring and opening things. Remember that it is always important to investigate EVERYTHING in your room. You never know where the next clue might be hiding. So it is important to keep your hands free when searching for clues. Pick a place and set your clue there. If you figure out where it might be useful, you can always go back for it… it probably won’t move on its own. This also has the added benefit of letting other people in your team have a chance to use the clue as well.

#7 Don’t put anything in your pockets

I will try and say this as straightforward as possible, which for me is a bit of a challenge… Do Not Hog The Keys! Do Not Put The Keys In Your Pockets! This is quite possibly one of the most infuriating things you can do to your teammates. No one wants to be the person that puts a key in his or her pockets and then forgets about it. It can quite literally cost you the game.
Now here is a better solution than putting things in your pocket. Before you begin investigating your room and finding clues, pick a spot where you and your teammates can put important clues and keys. This way, nothing gets lost and everyone has access to everything important.
This will save you so much time and prevent any “this-is-all-your-fault” moments caused by forgetting about the keys in your pocket.

#8 Let others have a chance to unlock locks

This is such a small thing, but it can make such a huge difference to new players. The best feeling you get from Escape Rooms is when you figure out the puzzle and open a lock. It is so gratifying and so satisfying. We all remember our first escape room. We all remember the rush we got from opening our first lock, or our first final door. So why not let the new player on your team be the ones to open the lock?
Remember that everyone was new once. We all sucked at one point or another. So don’t rob someone of a great first impression of escape rooms just because you think they aren’t carrying their weight or whatever. If you want the escape room industry to continue to flourish, then we need new players… and lots of them.
If you are greedy or rude during someone’s first room, they may not give escape rooms another chance; they most certainly won’t spread their excitement to their friends and families. If you ruin an experience for a new player, you run the risk of preventing them from ever introducing their friends as new players into the industry. No new players means no new games.
So next time you figure out the solution to a puzzle, share the love and let the new player open the lock.

#9 Participate! There is always something to do!

No one likes it when someone just stands around doing nothing. There are so many things to do in an escape room, and there is really no reason to do nothing. And no one wants to babysit someone who is just sitting there.
Even if you aren’t being a “downer” and are just sitting there, you are still affecting the team’s mentality. You doing nothing will still distract them. Someone might even join you and try and keep you company… great. Now two people aren’t helping. See the problem with this? You could be contributing a unique idea into a brainstorm, or you could be remembering clues and reporting them to your team, or you could even be giving your team moral support as you look through drawers, bookshelves, etc. You are here to have a good time, so try to participate and help your team mates!

#10 Have Fun

This is by far the most important rule of all. Remember that this is a game and is meant to be fun. You’d be surprised how many people need to be reminded of this fact. The room, its puzzles, you and your teammates, are all there for fun. This is an entertainment industry, so let yourself be entertained! Give yourself over to the experience and ESCAPE for a little while.

So these are the biggest hints I can give you about how to be a good teammate in an escape room, whether you are playing with strangers, or just your friends. Being good at escape rooms is more about being an effect and empathetic communicator than anything else. When working as a team, even the most inexperienced players can break long held records! Good luck thrill seekers, and have fun!

Jason Sakal
Manager & Game Master
Cross Roads Escape Games