Puzzle game Design Studio

Description

This project challenges students to collaboratively design, prototype, and build a fully functional escape room/puzzle box/puzzle game experience. Over the course of 14 weeks, you will in 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. The game can be either implemented as outdoor game, a one off escape room in a box, production ready puzzle box or a combination of those. There will be no separate room of any sort available for the buildout.

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

https://www.notion.so/2287b14cbdf881ed81adddc017a2ae66?v=2287b14cbdf881aabf9a000ca3867067

Name	Description	Criteria
Project plan	timeline milestones task distribution risk analysis time estimates for milestones	Completeness (30%) Realism of plan (20%) Inclusion of risks and mitigations (20%) Clear roles and responsibilities (30%)
Project brief	initial concept target audience goals	Clarity of concept (20%) Relevance to target audience (20%) Originality/creativity (30%) Feasibility of the idea (30%)
Game story	define the narrative arc and emotional journey describe characters and setting of the game	Coherence and structure (30%) Integration with puzzles and gameplay (30%) Creativity and engagement (40%)
Game Design document (iterative)	mechanics puzzles player flow tech and physical interactions tools used	Completeness and detail (30%) Consistency and logic (20%) Game flow clarity (30%) Balance between challenge and solvability (20%)
Integrated prototype	minimum viable playable room setup can be partial, but cohesive artifacts connected together (can be wizard of Oz)	Functionality of puzzles (40%) Integration between elements (30%) Presentation of experience (30%)
User testing report	feedback analysis iteration plan	Rigor of test setup (20%) Insightfulness of observations (30%) Responsiveness to feedback (30%) Clarity and professionalism of report (20%)
Artefact testing report	usability robustness safety maintenance
Self eval form for reflection	what is working well what should be improved for rest of the project
Puzzle Design Specification (iterative) (optional as separate, or embedded in GDD)	individual puzzle breakdowns logic dependencies reset mechanisms	Clarity and precision (40%) Innovation in puzzle design (30%) Player feedback and iteration (30%)
Artefact Prototypes (iterative)	individual physical or digital puzzle and prop artefacts
Final Game Installation	functioning escape room with all puzzles integrated	Playability and immersion (40%) Robustness of implementation (20%) Aesthetic/theming (20%) Reset and maintenance design (20%)
Setup & Reset Manual	how to prepare and reset the room for new users	Completeness and accuracy (40%) Usability by someone outside the team (30%) Clarity and structure (30%)
Final Reflection Report	individual and group reflection on process learning team dynamics
Presentation/Demo Day		Clarity of communication (30%) Engagement and storytelling (30%) Technical readiness/demo success (40%)
Rough budget estimate	estimated cost to build and run the game balanced with options how to finance it	Realism Completeness
Existing games report	what makes a good escape room game based on playtesting
Presentation Website	promo website of the game to attract players booking functionality (payment optional, project dependent)
Reservation system	online system for player bookings and game master management	Possibility for players to pick date and time Overview of bookings for game master Possibility to cancel bookings Overview of available time slots for players
Budget for game buildout	finalized budget with specific materials for buildout	Realism Completeness
Final plan of the game	blueprint that can be used to build the game by anyone	Realism Completeness Clarity
On site integrated prototype	prototype buildout in the final location

Name

Description

Criteria

Link

Project plan

timeline
milestones
task distribution
risk analysis
time estimates for milestones

Completeness (30%)
Realism of plan (20%)
Inclusion of risks and mitigations (20%)
Clear roles and responsibilities (30%)

Project brief

initial concept
target audience
goals

Clarity of concept (20%)
Relevance to target audience (20%)
Originality/creativity (30%)
Feasibility of the idea (30%)

Game story

define the narrative arc and emotional journey
describe characters and setting of the game

Coherence and structure (30%)
Integration with puzzles and gameplay (30%)
Creativity and engagement (40%)

Game Design document (iterative)

mechanics
puzzles
player flow
tech and physical interactions
tools used

Completeness and detail (30%)
Consistency and logic (20%)
Game flow clarity (30%)
Balance between challenge and solvability (20%)

Integrated prototype

minimum viable playable room setup
can be partial, but cohesive
artifacts connected together (can be wizard of Oz)

Functionality of puzzles (40%)
Integration between elements (30%)
Presentation of experience (30%)

User testing report

feedback analysis
iteration plan

Rigor of test setup (20%)
Insightfulness of observations (30%)
Responsiveness to feedback (30%)
Clarity and professionalism of report (20%)

Artefact testing report

usability
robustness
safety
maintenance

Self eval form for reflection

what is working well
what should be improved for rest of the project

Puzzle Design Specification (iterative) (optional as separate, or embedded in GDD)

individual puzzle breakdowns
logic
dependencies
reset mechanisms

Clarity and precision (40%)
Innovation in puzzle design (30%)
Player feedback and iteration (30%)

Artefact Prototypes (iterative)

individual physical or digital puzzle and prop artefacts

Final Game Installation

functioning escape room with all puzzles integrated

Playability and immersion (40%)
Robustness of implementation (20%)
Aesthetic/theming (20%)
Reset and maintenance design (20%)

Setup & Reset Manual

how to prepare and reset the room for new users

Completeness and accuracy (40%)
Usability by someone outside the team (30%)
Clarity and structure (30%)

Final Reflection Report

individual and group reflection on process
learning
team dynamics

Presentation/Demo Day

Clarity of communication (30%)
Engagement and storytelling (30%)
Technical readiness/demo success (40%)

Rough budget estimate

estimated cost to build and run the game
balanced with options how to finance it

Realism
Completeness

Existing games report

what makes a good escape room game based on playtesting

Presentation Website

promo website of the game to attract players
booking functionality (payment optional, project dependent)

Reservation system

online system for player bookings and game master management

Possibility for players to pick date and time
Overview of bookings for game master
Possibility to cancel bookings
Overview of available time slots for players

Budget for game buildout

finalized budget with specific materials for buildout

Realism
Completeness

Final plan of the game

blueprint that can be used to build the game by anyone

Realism
Completeness
Clarity

On site integrated prototype

prototype buildout in the final location