An important factor to keep in mind, all Open World experiences must be self-resetting. At no time will a staff member enter the room to "undo" what the last group did and put the game back into the original starting state. Can this idea be designed in a way that makes it self-resetting?

I love the idea of using a magnet to manipulate a ball in a maze.

return to top of page

A lot of your ideas have potential - but think about how things will reset. We can never guarantee that the guest puts things back, even if you ask them to. The ball & magnet maze looks cool - but how does it reset?

return to top of page

I like the idea of the missing artifact on a pedestal - it evokes Indiana Jones, which is a great mindset for guests to be in. I'd like to see the different components (painting, maze, magnet) be more closely tied together, conceptually. I can see a painting belonging in the same room as the artifact, but the maze is a bit of a non-sequitur. I wonder if the maze piece could be eliminated entirely, and the key to unlocking the painting is just a hidden switch (pull a specific book on a bookcase?) that requires you to explore all of the props in the room. I do have one concern about the artifact, which is that it must be reset manually in its hidden compartment to replay the game. You could think about ways that the artifact gets placed on the pedestal without direct user interaction - it emerges from the pedestal maybe, or the pedestal is up against a wall and when the users solve the puzzle, a panel in the wall opens up to reveal the artifact.

return to top of page

I like the museum theme and I think that the overall challenge is good; I especially like using the magnet for the ball maze.

I think you should consider how to make it obvious that the players should return the artifact as it might be confused with something that they should keep maybe as a prize.

I would also try to think about an easier way to get the magnet--it might be pretty hard/tedious to check each brick.

Lastly, I would consider a way in which the player could fail this room. Maybe you could make it so that getting the magnet requires a mini-challenge that the player can fail.

return to top of page

I love this one! First off, I think it's awesome how you are using different types of interactive experiences and puzzles, including the surveillance system, a moving painting, maze, and magnets. For the room, I think these different types of experiences will keep people very engaged and not bored or frustrated! It's also clear that there is an "accomplishment" which is restoring the stolen artifact. This will be great to boost people's moral as an intermediary step, so it's not just about escaping the room but all the small tasks in between. I do wish some of the elements came back, like if the room opens with a message playing, then that the same voice or message plays throughout or at the end once the stolen artifact has been replaced. I think the consistency or overarching theme of the surveillance/ someone watching over will take this to the next level.

return to top of page

This game seems similar to the Aztec Temple game that was playtested in Norwood.

This game presents technical challenges. What technology is being used for the detect the people in the light?

return to top of page

I'm not sure if this qualifies as a game, or I'm missing something in your storyboard.

return to top of page

I think this idea has potential. I'm a little unclear on the gameplay once the user picks up the artifact (do they have to replace the artifact while the spotlight is on them to succeed?). I wonder if the gameplay might be better if you had to move the artifact to a different pedestal while avoiding the spotlight. Or better yet - the whole group had to work together to figure out which artifacts go on which pedestals, all while avoiding the spotlight. Currently I think this is a one-player game, so it would be good to involve the rest of the group.

return to top of page

I think the spotlight challenge is pretty creative, but I think the room might need more dimensions to it. Think about ways in which the player can figure out where the spotlight will be or maybe even something like the spotlight stays in one position for 10 seconds and then moves somewhere else for 10 seconds. I think the player needs something to plan out where he/she will be going

Again, I think that it might not be super obvious that you're supposed to move the artifact from one pedestal to another.

return to top of page

This board is also very exciting, although it seems a bit incomplete. In a more realistic scenario, the user should get in trouble or have a new encounter after picking up the artifact, as opposed to just moving along. Or, if you were trying to say that stealing the artifact is actually what the user is trying/instructed to do, but they can't do it in this way, it's not very clear. I like this premise a lot- I think to make it even more exciting and real, add something happening after the spotlight goes on the person. For example, all the sudden they are locked in and have to escape in a different way, avoid laser security, or turn an alarm off!

return to top of page

Again this is another puzzle that has a "resetting issue". I am also unclear about the technology that would be used to detect if two pieces go together correctly or incorrectly.

return to top of page

How does this reset? How is it sensed? The pieces have to be incredibly durable - as guests will use them like a Frisbee. We try to keep batteries out of things that the guests handle - but it isn't out of the question.

return to top of page

I have the same comment here as for the Stolen Artifact game - how does it get reset? I wonder if the puzzle pieces could be mounted on a wall, and visitors spin/raise/lower them to solve the puzzle. Then the reset could be controlled by the show control system. I think there's also an opportunity here for a "you broke it!" gag, where visitors trigger the start of gameplay by breaking the artifact first, then having to put it back together (before the guards arrive?)

return to top of page

I like this concept a lot because it has multiple sub-puzzles to solve the larger puzzle. To make it a bit more exciting/thought provoking, instead of just one artifact that has some symbols written on it, you could make it multiple artifacts that once assembled, are all different shapes representing the different symbols. Then, their color or size (or something else) could dictate what order the symbols should be pressed in.

Finally, maybe add a part where if you get the code wrong more than X times, you fail the room.

return to top of page

Again, your overall theme is great and I would be excited to be in this room. One thing that could make this storyboard even better is to change the scale. I'm thinking about how people are likely doing this experience as part of a group, so the artifact that's broken should be really big (like maybe it's an ancient piece of armour or something" or there are multiple broken artifacts so everyone gets to contribute. I'm also thinking that in general it would strengthen your concept to visually tie all the different rooms of the museum together. Either through a theme of one type of exhibit i.e. "ancient rome" or "dinosaurs" or "Impressionist art" and have each artifact/painting/puzzle be related to that type of design. It could also give a next level "interpretation" to the keypad or clue.

return to top of page

The website was clear and presented well.

return to top of page

return to top of page

Very well done. Concepts are clear and organized. There is one panel out of all three storyboards that I'm confused by (panel 4 of Don't Get Caught) but I recognize that there's a lot of information that can't be communicated in just 6 panels.

return to top of page

Storyboard design was really good; I liked the tones of grey in contrast with the bright colors, it really brought out what was important in each frame.

return to top of page

The website is very clean and easy to navigate, however, it does take a long time to load. Perhaps reduce the file size of each image might make it quicker and easier to load the web page.

Your drawings are very clear and well executed. The use of marker for background and color to highlight the light makes the sketches seem dimensional and interesting. In Don't Get Caught, some of the marker is smudged- perhaps changing the order of operations will keep the drawing cleaner i.e. do the market last. In Museum Adventure there are also some really dark marker lines, especially in the Reassemble tab. I think the lighter drawings you have done are easier to read. My favorite is "Hidden Compartment" in Stolen Artifact because the thicker marker is used to emphasis the dimensionality of the brick moving back.

return to top of page

Museum adventures can be a fun (and cheap) theme to use. It is definitely a genre with lots of potential!

return to top of page

The 'museum heist' theme is definitely on our list.

return to top of page

Yes, I think there is a lot of cultural background that makes the Museum Adventure theme accessible to the target age range. It allows for a lot of options for motivating guests (don't get caught, repair the artifact, etc.). One thing I would think about is whether you want guests to act as thieves/adventurers (as in Don't Get Caught) or as people cleaning up after the thieves/adventurers (as in Broken Artifact). My vote is for the former!

return to top of page

I like the setting as a museum, but I think that keeping the museum in order might be a mundane goal. Instead, what if you made it so players had to steal museum artifacts; I don't condone stealing, but that might be something more thrilling for players. It would also help to tie together the story that they're alone, snooping around in a museum trying not to get caught doing something.

return to top of page

Yes! I'm a big fan of this theme. I think it would apply to all ages of 15 and 35 and that it could be even more targeted (see comment about having an overarching museum exhibit theme above). The overall comments I have are:

1. Make sure that all the puzzles are activities that groups can do together OR make enough seperate puzzles/activities for groups to split up and work on individually

2. Keep themes consistent- so if you introduce surveillance via lights or sound, make sure that element shows up again not just once in order to make the experience truly immersive and consistent

Otherwise, I think these boards were great. Nice work.

return to top of page