Escape room
Escape Room Design Studio
Description
This project challenges students to collaboratively design, prototype, and build a fully functional physical escape room experience. Over the course of 14 weeks, interdisciplinary student teams will develop immersive narratives, construct puzzle-based game mechanics, and integrate physical and digital technologies into a cohesive, playable space. The project culminates in a live demonstration and user playtests.
Learning Goals
By completing this course, you will:
Apply interdisciplinary skills – Integrate storytelling, interaction design, prototyping, and basic electronics to create immersive game experiences.
Learn user-centered design – Design puzzles and narrative elements based on iterative playtesting and user feedback.
Gain experience in open-ended teamwork – Practice agile planning, collaborative problem-solving, and distributed roles in a team setting.
Develop physical prototyping literacy – Learn how to design, build, and test tangible game interfaces using both low- and high-fidelity materials.
Understand narrative-driven game mechanics – Create engaging stories that integrate meaningfully with gameplay and puzzle logic.
Present and reflect professionally – Communicate design ideas effectively and critically reflect on design outcomes, challenges, and teamwork dynamics.
Deliverables
Project brief
initial concept, target audience, goals
Brief template
Game story
narrative structure, characters, setting
Existing games report
what makes a good escape room game based on playtesting
Project plan
timeline, milestones, task distribution, risk analysis
Notion template
Game Design document
mechanics, puzzles, player flow, tech and physical interactions, tools used
GDD
Puzzle Design Specification
individual puzzle breakdowns, logic, dependencies, and reset mechanisms
Puzzle spec template
Artefact testing report
usability, robustness, safety, and maintenance
Artefact Prototypes
individual physical or digital puzzle and prop artefacts
User testing report
with feedback analysis and iteration plan
Integrated prototype
minimum viable playable room setup; can be partial, but cohesive
Final Game Installation
functioning escape room with all puzzles integrated
Setup & Reset Manual
how to prepare and reset the room for new users
Setup template
Presentation/Demo Day
format TBD according to the project spoecifics
Final Reflection Report
individual and group reflection on process, learning, team dynamics
Furhter details to what is expected in each can be found within the Notion DB of the deliverables