What Does an Escape Room Game Master Actually Do?
What Does an Escape Room Game Master Actually Do?
You may have played a few escape room games and are wondering what a game master actually does. A game master is a person who is responsible for making the escape room experience more enjoyable for everyone. He or she can give you clues, make guided suggestions, and help lead you in the right direction.
Give hints
When you're a game master, it's important to know how to give hints. Hints are an important component to ensuring that the players have an enjoyable experience. A good hint should provide enough information for the players to progress. It should also be opaque enough to allow the players to feel satisfied with the objective when they've completed it.
Hints should be offered at the right time. Typically, the players should ask for a hint if they've been stuck in the puzzle for a while. Some groups prefer to be helped as soon as the Game Master notices they are getting stuck, while other groups want no input from the Game Master at all unless they specifically ask. Those options, and anything in between, is no problem for a Game Master; it just needs to be communicated between the group and the person Game Mastering for that group.
The best way to solve puzzles is in pairs or teams. This will help you get more creative ideas and solutions. You may also have to work with people who have more experience than you. However, don't let that stop you from having fun.
Whether you're a first timer or an experienced player, you'll need to take a mental inventory of the room before you start. Look for anything that looks odd, and be sure to listen to teammates talking.
Whenever you find something interesting, you should communicate it to your team. Your teammates will appreciate it, and it will make the game more enjoyable.
Reveal information verbally
The art of revealing information verbally as an Escape Room Game Master is a tricky thing. It is a challenge to come up with the most accurate, relevant and entertaining hints. Some rooms provide a fixed number of hints, but this isn't always the case.
Objects and puzzles vary from room to room, and can include anything from a kids book "Where's Waldo" to a virtual escape room. These puzzles usually have a clear "aha" moment when the right approach is taken.
Word puzzles and audio puzzles are also common. While some of them require little to no outside knowledge, others are more complicated and may require memory of a few important bits of information.
If you're going to give out hints, you need to be sure they are worth the trouble. For example, does your team need to use a "fiddly" lock to enter the room? Or, are there a few red herrings you need to be aware of before you start your adventure?
If you're looking for an immersive experience, you should try an escape room. Many of these rooms allow you to bring extra players when you arrive. A team of four to six people is ideal, but groups from 2-10 can have a great time. Consider making a reservation on a weekday, or reserve in advance for a weekend time-slot. If an extra friend is able to show up after you’ve booked and paid, no sweat! You'll pay for the remainder of the reservation on arrival.
