Next Monday, Escape the Plagues will be released to the world!
You may be wondering: so what exactly is this “Escape the Plagues” thing? Who is it for and how does one play? Well, I have some answers for you!
The game takes the form of an 18-page PDF, with original illustrations on nearly every page. Everything is designed for grayscale, so it’ll both look pretty and not drain your printers.
Recommended team size is 2-6 players, ages 9+. It works solo, though the discussion questions are best with a group.
You’ll split up the game’s 6 characters among your team as you read a script-style story about community solidarity.
There are 5 puzzles, themed around the actions depicted in each scene. The answer to each puzzle is a relevant phrase, and the final metapuzzle uses the answers to the previous 4 puzzles.
The game is all about asking questions, and we provide lots of questions for you to discuss! There’s commentary around the margins of each page, and a full page of debrief questions at the end.
You don’t need any previous knowledge of Passover to play, though if you do, it will put a fresh spin on the holiday.
Check out our website and social media, and and share with anyone else who might be interested!
Without a doubt, the most essential part of puzzle design is playtesting, and we’ve been extensively playtesting the full Escape the Plagues experience this past week.
Playtesting is typically a multistage process. When I first write a puzzle, I have someone solve a draft to make sure the core mechanics work and are fun. Soon after, I’ll test the puzzle again with initial artwork. Then, I’ll run final tests with the full puzzle game to make sure all puzzles flow well together, make sense in the context of the story, etc.
My friends at Room Escape Artist recently posted a link to a video of a hamster playing an impressively intricate escape room, and I feel morally obligated to reshare. However cute you think this is going to be, brace yourself - it’s going to be cuter!
My midnight snack turned into a puzzle design session, and I found myself humming the ABCs the entire time. The answer to this puzzle is a two-word phrase. Submit your answer here to be included in the next issue AND for a chance to win a custom puzzle of your choice at the end of the month!
(Psst… check out this Instagram post for a top-down view if you’re having a hard time reading some of the letters.)
Solution to last issue’s puzzle:
Qnfu, Ynen, Znfba, Pyrbcngen, Ihypna, naq Xvg ner nyy anzrf bs cerfvqragvny crgf. Pbaireg rnpu cerfvqrag'f ahzore gb n yrggre (1=N, 2=O, rgp) gb trg gur nafjre: JBZONG. Sha snpg: Pnyiva Pbbyvqtr unq n crg jbzong! (in ROT13)
Congrats to everyone who submitted a correct answer: Dan Katz, Summer H, Yossi Fendel, Sean McBride, and Greg Schechter (plus a few folks over on Instagram)
I'm an Oakland, CA-based puzzle and alternate reality game designer. I create experiences that guide participants to connect through play and to find wonder in the mundane.
In this newsletter, I share behind-the-scenes content, puzzle design thoughts, project updates, and other miscellaneous whimsy I think puzzle lovers will enjoy.
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