Source
r/escaperooms•
bugninja

What is your current control room setup like?

We started off really basic. Cameras only, clocks in the room, I literally go into the room to deliver hints. Simple DVR system to monitor the rooms. Now that we've had some success in our early months, I'm considering upgrading my control room situation and adding more cameras, an audio system, screens in the rooms where we control clocks, deliver hints, etc.

I'll probably end up wasting time on bad control room ideas and money on bad tech decisions, but this has all been an interesting learning process for us every step of the way, so I guess that's OK.

Would anyone like to describe their current control room setup, and what they like and don't like about it?

Posted Jan 11, 2017, 11:04 PM UTC

27
tomato000•

~15 cameras for each room.

A control panel showing which puzzles have been solved, which doors are unlocked, buttons to manually trigger puzzles or unlock doors.

Light/sound board, God mic for people breaking the rules/emergencies.

Space for extra props/replacements.

4
bugninjaOP•

I can't imagine needing all of this for our rooms.... but I want to play whatever escape room this is REALLY bad right now!

1
John-Garrison•

CAMERAS: I have 2 wireless cameras in each room, and a closed wifi router through which the cameras feed into a laptop out at the lobby desk for the game master. Despite the flexibility of the wireless cameras, I'm considering changing to a wired system for better reliability. The wireless cams cut out a lot.

CLOCK: At first I just had small travel DVD players mounted on the walls in the rooms, playing a countdown video with music, and the game master would need to start and stop the DVD from the doorway with a remote as the group started and just as they left. But now each room has a small TV with the timer video broadcast via chromecast from the gamemaster's laptop. Much better, as the gamemaster instantly knows the clock time without having to make it out from a camera feed, and he can adjust the time if necessary without having to open a door and use the remote.

CLUES: In the past I've used both laminated clue cards and a speaker in the room for the gamemaster to give clues verbally. The voice kind of spoiled the immersion for the players though, and hearing only an audio clue often led to problems as players tend to mishear or misremember things very easily. Clue cards solved both of these problems, but then the flexibility of the voice was lost; even with a hundred clue cards, practically every group would have a novel situation for which a card did not exist. So lately I've changed to a typed message system, which is broadcast into the room on the same screen as the clock video is. This allows the immersion of being separated from the game master, yet with ultimate flexibility and the added bonus of giving the players a written clue they can refer back to and won't forget the wording of (I generally leave the clues on the screen until they players have figured out what it means).

OTHER: The gamemaster laptop's bluetooth can also be used for some additional effect, like controlling a speaker hidden in the room on cue as part of a puzzle or player interaction. I also have a few things that are controlled by wireless remote power outlets, so the game master can usually just point the remote at the door to the room, push a button, and the effect is triggered.

It would be nice to have a proper "control center" with switches and buttons of all sorts to control specially-constructed elements of the game, but that will have to come later. No budget for it now.

1
trecbus•

CAMERAS: I have 2 wireless cameras in each room, and a closed wifi router through which the cameras feed into a laptop out at the lobby desk for the game master. Despite the flexibility of the wireless cameras, I'm considering changing to a wired system for better reliability. The wireless cams cut out a lot.

Definitely go wired, the drops from wireless will cost you business... eventually. We've removed every single wireless thing in every one of our rooms because of these issues. Wired is the future!!! :P

Of course, the odd key-fob or wireless "toy" we use here and there are all still wireless! They are a lot more reliable though, usually only a battery problem if something goes wrong.

2
bugninjaOP•

This sounds very similar to what we are working toward. I also tried clue-cards at one point, but it failed pretty miserably as we never had the right card for the situation.

I've got a few chromecast setups working now and plan to implement them in the rooms soon with typed messages and the clocks all built-in to the same system. Nervous about it because of the reliability of our wireless network.

I actually like the DVD approach to the countdown clock. I have no control over the clocks right now, but should when I get the Chromecasts in place.

I do use wired cameras and have 0 cut-out. My only problem is I have no control of them at all. And they are a bit blurry which makes it hard to see exactly what's going on. So I'm worried I'll need several more cameras in the room when moving to textual clues over a screen.

We too use remotes over power outlets to trigger alarms and special lighting, it's fun, but requires really close attention to the game and clock, which can be hard when all the rooms are full.

1
John-Garrison•

Yeah, even when I had 4 wide-angle cameras (too expensive for me at the time; had to return them) it was still really hard to always see what was going on. I've had the best luck just relying on the audio. But then it really requires a 1-on-1 gamemaster-to-room ratio, to ensure we're keeping close enough attention on the room to truly know what the players are facing and what sort of clue or remote activation is necessary.

Some days, I envy those rooms that have a gamemaster in the room (such as an actor). It'd save so much hassle! Perhaps in some sorts of games and live-action experiences, that would be perfectly fine. But if a game has "escaping" as a core part of the story then it's not really possible from an immersion perspective.

1
bugninjaOP•

I have a competitor in the area that puts someone in the room, but they aren't really an actor I don't believe, just... there. I was thinking that it would be distracting or uncomfortable. I've thought about it myself too though, especially if the players have been drinking, are all teens, or are very new to the concept and have a hard time getting started. It comes down to money though, I can't really see this being financially viable the way I have the business setup right now.

1