We heard you loud and clear—you wanted visible VR hands, and we've delivered! The VR Hands Update is now live, not only featuring those much-requested VR hands but also packed with over 40 fixes and improvements, all thanks to your feedback. We've completely remade player models so you can finally see your partner grab objects, solve puzzles, and even high-five (virtually) in celebration. But that's not all! We've also added a brand new feature for managing your inventory in VR: over-the-shoulder item stashing! Quickly stow away items you're not using for easy access later, all with a natural over-the-shoulder motion.
Here's what the VR Hands Update brings you:
Visible and Interactive Partner Hands: Witness your co-op teammate's actions in VR for a more collaborative escape experience.
Over-the-Shoulder Item Stashing: Manage your inventory seamlessly with a new, intuitive VR inventory system.
Improved Player Models: We've revamped player models for a more natural and responsive VR experience for both you and your partner.
General Bug Fixes and Optimizations: We've ironed out some wrinkles to ensure a smooth VR escape for everyone.
Check the full changelog at the bottom of this article. It's HUUUGEEE!
Ready to escape together in full view? Grab your partner and dive into Escape Simulator's VR Hands Update!
Oh, btw, just one more thing! There is a new Build-a-Room Competition on the horizon, and it's coming next week! So, stay tuned for more news!
Important announcement regarding the Escape Simulator VR Steam Page
To avoid any confusion in the future, we've decided to remove the Escape Simulator VR product page, so all discussions related to VR will be held in one place; in the Escape Simulator discussion boards.
Got questions? We have answers!
Head here to find a small FAQ that hopefully answers all your questions. Have more inquiries? Ask away on the Escape Simulator forum or our Discord!
VR Improvements:
Player characters now feature realistic head and hand movements and are fully integrated into multiplayer settings.
Introducing a novel inventory addition method: simply hover and release items over your shoulder to store them.
New movement option "Smooth With Turn" allows seamless movement and turning with a single thumbstick.
For a more immersive experience, we've added the "Off" movement option, which disables thumbstick navigation.
You can now customize the thumbstick deadzone under VR settings (VR -> Other -> Thumbstick Deadzone).
Movement settings are now individually adjustable for each hand.
Celebrate your victories with a dynamic confetti effect that surrounds you upon completing a level.
Witness a visual "poof" effect when players add items to their inventory in multiplayer.
Enhanced Room Editor now offers improved control over VR item sparkles, with settings for "Automatic," "Enabled," and "Disabled."
Tools such as fire extinguishers, wands, and revolvers have been upgraded to project effects in the direction they face.
Hands remain visible and turn transparent when holding items, enhancing realism.
We’ve removed obstructions caused by trigger colliders to the raycast hit indicator.
Simplified the toggling between snap and smooth turning in the settings menu.
Added a new tutorial step to guide you through changing settings anytime via the in-game menu.
Smooth transitions between game and in-game menu with newly integrated post-processing effects.
Fixed several bugs including issues with the level loading spinner, teleport marker visibility, and performance hiccups in community levels due to excessive colliders.
Level Fixes:
Tutorial: Resolved an issue allowing players to access items from a locked chest in VR.
Emergency Awakening: Enabled the collection of flying glass pieces.
Hallway Accident: Addressed a glitch where the cable part could become stuck and uncollectible.
Space Walk: Corrected a problem allowing item retrieval from sealed containers in VR.
Chamber of Dead:
Corrected the scaling issue with the slot, preventing the ball ghost from appearing egg-shaped.
Improved the accessibility of the crowbar in VR to prevent unintended easy grabbing.
Gold Chamber: Enhanced the interaction with the pickaxe to avoid unintentional easy grabbing in VR.
Metaverse: Fixed a VR issue where players would not correctly spawn in metaverse rooms upon loading.
Versus (Beginner and Expert): Eliminated an unwanted VR vignette effect visible in the final room.
Among Us (DLC): Resolved a difficulty with activating the hint box, particularly in VR.
The Engine Room (Steampunk DLC): Clarified the use of the fire extinguisher in VR instructions.
The Helm Room (Steampunk DLC):
Resolved a glitch where VR night goggles effects incorrectly applied to the in-game menu.
Improved the readability of the note gear in VR.
Fixed an issue with placing an opened container in the mailing tube in VR.
Magic Shop (Magic DLC):
Addressed a coloring issue with hints appearing pink.
Fixed the orientation issue with the eye book in VR.
The Saloon (Wild West DLC): Improved the readability of the deadbeat note in VR.
Chronomancy Hall (Magic DLC): Enhanced the usability of turnables and slidables in VR.
Potions Garden (Magic DLC): Fixed a VR-specific bug affecting player movement when carrying ladders.
-Pine team
VR Update Hotfix #2
Hey adventurers, we're back with another round of fixes and improvements! VR Update Hotfix #2 focuses on enhancing both the general and VR gameplay experience.
What’s New:
General Fixes:
No more freezing when picking up certain items.
VR and flat players can now co-play in all community rooms.
New default step sound for community rooms.
VR-Specific Fixes:
Completed levels now save correctly.
Closing zooms in VR is now a click away.
Level complete UI has a new "Stay" button.
Fixed level complete UI spawning issues.
Community room rating now available in VR.
Trigger function refined for better interaction: Trigger no longer grabs item from other hand (only grip does so), rather it is now used for interactions only.
Improved press indicator for VR grip.
Token and community rooms beta popups are more readable.
Level Adjustments:
'Emergency Awakening': Fixed disappearing zoomable in multiplayer.
'The Greenhouse' (Steampunk DLC): Enhanced turnable interaction.
'The Jail' (Wild West DLC): Fixed the VR bug with the picture on the table.
'Divination Towers' (Magic DLC): Fixed table turnable snapping issue.(could be set in-between 2 towers)
We're committed to making your gaming experience as seamless and enjoyable as possible. Keep the feedback coming, and let's keep the game great together!
Pine team
VR Update Hotfix #1
First off, a massive thank you to all who've been diving into our new VR mode and an extra shoutout to the 1171 supporters who've showed love by getting the Supporter Pack. Your support means the world to us! ❤️
This week, we've been all ears and got down to squashing those pesky bugs to make your VR experience smoother. And yes, we're already on the case with some exciting updates in the pipeline – like bringing your own arms to the multiplayer, an over-the-shoulder inventory, and polishing up the VR version of the amazing community-made rooms. And yes, we're working on a standalone Meta Quest version of the game!
Here’s what’s new in v32311r:
General Fixes:
No more double-clicking in-game menu buttons.
Fixed non-referencing items for some zoomables.
Smoother item grabbing.
Enhanced room selection in the menu.
Moved network protocol option to the Advanced tab.
Extra checks before item respawns to keep things smooth.
VR Enhancements:
Fixed camera spawn issues – no more floor view when you start.
Credits roll in the right place now.
Zoomables and slots handling in VR got a major tune-up.
Swappable slots and distance placing now work like a charm.
Crouching into out-of-reach spaces? Fixed that.
Level completion now comes with more confetti and no black UI squares.
Flat version motion sickness settings won't mess with VR anymore.
Meta Quest Pro controllers should work better now.
VR Custom Rooms & Editor:
No more air-spawn in custom rooms.
Zoomables in VR now stay put and only move with significant player motion.
Picking up items in VR stops unnecessary animations.
Fixed the VR trashcan duplication in custom rooms.
Level Adjustments:
'Among Us' room manual is now VR-friendly.
'Emergency Awakening' has its screw slots sorted for VR.
'Magic Shop's hungry book and hidden zoomables behave better.
'Versus Expert' chess puzzle is now VR ready.
'Gold Chamber' has improved gold slot interaction.
We're pumped to keep improving and expanding the game based on your feedback.
-Pine team
Free VR Update & Supporter DLC are OUT NOW!
Here it is! Escape Simulator just leveled up! We’ve seamlessly integrated VR mode into the game, and is now yours, absolutely FREE!
Whether you’re deciphering ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs, escaping from haunted mansions, or solving intricate puzzles, you can do it all in a captivating VR environment.
The adrenaline rush? Off the charts. The thrill? Unmatched. Immerse yourself and experience your favorite challenges like never before.
Before you ask - yes, non-VR and VR players CAN play together!
Supporter DLC: Exclusive Goodies
We’ve noticed many of you are looking for ways to further support the game and our team. To answer this, we’ve created the Supporter DLC. This fun little package is a treasure trove for fans, including exclusive digital goodies such as a unique in-game skin, a golden token badge, a digital art book, ES wallpapers, and even the first playable ES prototype version. It’s our way of offering you something special in return for your incredible support! 💟
With the game evolving and expanding, especially with the addition of VR, we're adjusting the price from $14.99/€14.99/£12.99 to $19.99/€19.99/£16.79 and DLCs from $4.99/€4.99/£3.99 to $5.99/€5.99/£4.99, effective April 14th. We believe this price change better reflects the current value of the game and allows us to keep supporting it long into the future.
Final Sale Alert: Grab It Before the Adjustment
Before the price adjustment takes effect, don’t miss our final sale! From April 2nd to April 13th, seize the opportunity. Whether it’s for yourself or as a thoughtful gift, now’s the time.
Since the initial release, our journey with Escape Simulator has been nothing short of extraordinary. Here’s a quick recap of our achievements:
12 Additional Rooms: We’ve expanded the escape universe, adding twists, turns, and surprises galore.
3 Developed DLCs: New challenges, fresh mysteries, and brain-teasing conundrums await.
2 Free DLCs Released: Because we believe in giving back to our community.
But hold onto your hats—2024 promises even more excitement! Here’s what’s in store:
At Least One More DLC: Brace yourselves for mind-bending puzzles and heart-pounding escapes.
2 More Free DLCs: Yes, you read that right. More free content coming your way!
It's dangerous to go alone. Take this FAQ
Before you go, we’ve compiled a list of common questions about Escape Simulator to keep you informed. Let’s dive in:
Q: What about the standalone Meta Quest version? A: Yup, we are working on it and we plan to release it by the end of this year!
Q: What about the standalone Steam version? A: We do not plan to release a standalone Steam version because we’ve included it for FREE in the base game! We believe that this approach is not only more fair to our players but also helps us tackle technical challenges while maintaining the game efficiently with our small team.
Q: Can flat-screen and VR players play together? A: Absolutely! We’ve enabled non-VR and VR players to join forces seamlessly. Give it a try!
Q: Can community rooms be played in VR? A: Yes, but community rooms are still in BETA, and there’s work to be done to bring them up to satisfactory standards. We appreciate your patience. Most rooms should function well, but occasional issues may arise. Check out the curated “Verified for VR” list in the game, where we’ve added several maps that work beautifully in VR.
Q: What about VR motion sickness? I suffer from it. Can I play in VR? A: We’ve implemented a range of options that you can enable and adjust to minimize VR motion sickness.
Q: What movement options do you support in VR? A: The game offers a variety of movement options, including smooth locomotion, teleportation, and both snap and smooth turning. Additionally, we cater to your preferred play style with both sitting and standing modes. Check out the in-game settings to discover a wide range of customizable options designed to ensure a comfortable and immersive gameplay for all players!
Q: I encountered a bug! How do I report it? A: If you encounter the same bug again, follow these steps:
To each and every one of you, thank you! Your excitement and support mean the world to us. Dive into the immersive world of Escape Simulator, explore the mysteries, and get ready for surprises galore.
Stay curious, stay daring, and keep those escape skills sharp. Adventure awaits!
-Pine team
Free VR Update & Supporter DLC Coming April 2nd!
We've got some exciting news and updates about Escape Simulator we want to share with you. First off, we're super grateful for all the support you've given us over the past 2.5 years. It's been an amazing journey, and we're not stopping yet. It’s time for the new chapter of Escape Simulator!
In short (TL;DR):
VR Update is coming out April 2nd and it will be FREE for all ES players!
Supporter DLC also launches April 2nd with cool digital goodies.
More DLCs (both free and paid) are coming out later this year!
Escape Simulator’s price is going up on April 14th from $14.99 to $19.99.
You’ll have a chance to get it cheaper one last time before the increase during our last huge sale (April 2nd till April 14th)
Introducing ES:VR - A New Dimension of Escape
First off, the big reveal: We're integrating VR mode into Escape Simulator! This means every owner of Escape Simulator will automatically receive the ES:VR version for FREE. We believe this approach is not only more fair to our players but also addresses technical challenges, making maintenance more manageable for our small team. Experience your favorite puzzles and adventures in a completely immersive VR environment, at no extra cost. This major update brings a new depth to the gameplay, making your escapes more thrilling than ever.
Supporter DLC - Get Exclusive Goodies
We’ve noticed many of you are looking for ways to further support the game and our team. To answer this, we’ve created the Supporter DLC. This fun little package is a treasure trove for fans, including exclusive digital goodies such as a unique in-game skin, a golden token badge, a digital art book, ES wallpapers, and even the first playable ES prototype version. It’s our way of offering you something special in return for your incredible support!
More Adventures on the Horizon
Since the release, we've been on an incredible journey of growth and expansion. To date, we've added 12 additional rooms, developed 3 DLCs, and released 2 DLCs absolutely free! Looking ahead, this year promises to be even more exciting. We're thrilled to announce plans for at least one more DLC, alongside 2 more free DLCs, ensuring your adventures in Escape Simulator continue to evolve and surprise. Stay tuned, as the best is yet to come!
Upcoming Price Adjustment
With the game evolving and expanding, especially with the addition of VR, we're adjusting the price from $14.99/€14.99/£12.99 to $19.99/€19.99/£16.79 and DLCs from $4.99/€4.99/£3.99 to $5.99/€5.99/£4.99, effective April 14th. We believe this price change better reflects the current value of the game and allows us to keep supporting it long into the future.
Last Sale!
Before the price adjustment, don't miss out on our final sale. If you've been eyeing Escape Simulator for yourself or as a gift, we’ll have one final sale before the price adjustment starting April 2nd till April 13th.
We're deeply grateful for your continued support and excitement for Escape Simulator. We can't wait for you to dive in and experience everything new.
Thank you for being an integral part of our community! 💛
-Pine team
Let's escape a room together! 🥰
February is all about spreading the LOVE! Looking for a fun activity this week? Look no further! Join us on Friday, February 16th, 2024, for the third installment of our Escape Simulator Date Night, this time called, Escape Simulator Friday Date Night!
We'll pair you up with another player for a two-player session of Escape Simulator! To participate, simply hop onto our official Discord server, and reserve your spot by reacting to the latest message in the announcements channel.
Registration for the event will remain open until February 16th at 9 AM CET, at which point we'll start pairing up players. All match-ups will be announced on Discord!
Not sure which room to tackle? Here's a small guide:
Ready to switch up your usual hangout routine? Just hop on our official Discord server, follow the steps in the announcements channel, and you're all set for a unique online experience.
Can't wait to see you there!
🫶 Pine team
Escape Simulator VR Demo 2.0 is LIVE!
Hey everyone! Iggy here from Pine and I'm bringing some exciting news for y'all!
Escape Simulator VR is taking a next step forward with the unveiling of VR Demo 2.0. This refined version has been shaped by the invaluable feedback we received from you guys! We’re sincerely grateful for the suggestions and constructive criticism we’ve received so far.
So, what's new in Demo 2.0?
Among the notable additions are a newly introduced camera and a sleek wristband, injecting a fresh perspective and style into the virtual escape room adventure. We’ve optimized the VR experience for smoother gameplay, and numerous bugs have been squashed to ensure a polished and seamless encounter for players. You can check the full changelog down below.
Our collaboration with you guys doesn’t end with Demo 2.0. We’re eagerly anticipating further comments and suggestions to fine-tune the game even more, with the goal of releasing a super-polished full version in the near future.
Support [for more VR devices] incoming!
In terms of supported VR devices, the demo will be accessible via Steam VR (or the new Steam Link App) on popular devices such as Meta Oculus Quest 2, Meta Oculus Quest 3, Steam Index, HTC Vive, and more.
Moreover, our goal is to extend support to numerous other VR devices following the official release of Escape Simulator VR. We highly value any feedback or suggestions that can enhance the player experience on your preferred headset. Your input is incredibly valuable and greatly appreciated!
Get ready for some VR magic!
Mark your calendars because Magic DLC is not only for the flat-screen players! The Escape Simulator Magic DLC will launch on February 22nd and it will be compatible with VR when Escape Simulator VR comes out - very soon!
We are eager to hear your thoughts and feedback! Join us on our official Discord server or our subreddit.
Pine Studio
Full changelog:
Added instant camera that autospawns in your inventory.
Added new tutorial intro part where you can pick locomotion type and stance.
Added VR band on both hands with the settings and inventory buttons for easier controls and imersion. The band has a screen to display the token count.
Hide all VR control panels on the tutorial as controls are now shown directly on the hands.
Fixed various issues with VR tutorial controller visuals, such as thinner lines, improved text positions, and binding mismatches.
Removed bloom in the game menu in VR.
Fixed a bug where sparkles would not spawn in VR.
Updated the HTC Vive tutorial controller message to indicate the upper button is now the secondary button. Removed the background panel from VR tutorial controller texts for a cleaner look.
Logged OpenXR device for easier Meta Quest 3 detection.
Fixed a critical bug where non-VR and VR lobbies would not work.
Refactored VR grabbing to make transferring items from one hand to another faster and cleaner, without weird resetting of scale for items that have hand scale defined.
Disabled trigger actions if the VR picture camera is held to prevent unintended picture taking.
Slightly offset the Meta Quest controller position to better match real-life hand positioning.
The VR picture camera now has a 1-second cooldown to prevent spamming or accidental double clicks.
Disabled VR picture camera rendering when no more pictures are left.
VR pictures are set to always respawn.
Added utility methods for easier manual addition of items to VR inventory and for visualizing drawing bounds.
Improved VR watch button presses to be easier to trigger.
Set proper offsets for HTC Vive and SteamVR Index controllers and improved the throwing mechanism.
Added a shadow to VR inventory bubble icons for "key," "hint," and "container" items.
Fixed a bug where the VR raycast indicator would not be shown in the main menu.
Fixed a bug where VR watches would show in the main menu, causing confusion.
VR performance and memory optimizations across several updates, focusing on reducing allocations and improving efficiency in raycasting, memory usage, and controller updates.
Added the ability to disable VR item sparkles.
Toy2 VR improvements included making drawer handles collidable and puzzle slots triggers in VR.
If entering a wall (out-of-bounds) in VR and the menu is entered, the VR position is reset to the last valid position on the map.
Improved VR locomotion prompts in Toy1 to ensure buttons are all the same size.
VR button interaction improvements, including a new algorithm for calculating finger touch points and adding vibrations to VR button and finger interactions.
Added feedback to all inputs for all VR devices in Toy1, ensuring a consistent experience across tutorials and gameplay.
Magic DLC is coming this February! 🪄
Hello everyone!
Iggy from Pine here! Following our Magic DLC announcement back in December 2023, we now have an official release date!
✨Magic DLC is coming on February 22nd, 2024 ✨
So gear up with your mystical apparatus, grab your enchanted broomsticks, and place magical hats upon your heads, for it is time to explore the magical unknown!
So here it is, dear esteemed practitioners of the mystical arts! The official release date has been set! Also, we're thrilled to share some exciting updates with you.
Check out the refreshed trailer, explore a collection of new screenshots, and don't forget to wishlist!
Additionally, make sure to join your fellow enchanters on Pine's Discord and become an integral part of our magical gathering!
Pine Team
Meet the Builders #3 - DUC
Welcome to our "Meet the Builders" series, where we delve into the creative minds behind some of the most remarkable room designers in Escape Simulator.
In our previous conversations we had a fun chat with Zesty and Cico, and now it's time for (drumroll.....) - Duc! Duc stands out as one of the crème de la crème in the realm of room building for Escape Simulator. His creations, such as The Projectionist, Under the Sea, The Clockwork Games (and more), rank among the finest available on the Steam Workshop.
Under the Sea
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and how you got into playing Escape Simulator?
My alias is Duc, I’m 28 from the UK. During working hours, I’m an air traffic controller that dabbles in IT. Other interests include motorsport, photography, and laying down.
The date is 16 Dec 2021 - Some friends and I had just finished Overcooked 2 and were looking for more co-op fun. We had completed some escape rooms in real life so Escape Simulator seemed like an ideal purchase. We binged through the developer's rooms in short order and dove into the community rooms.
The unhealthy obsession continues to this day! I used to play a serious amount of Rocket League in my spare time. As of the time of writing, I’ve played 2467 hours of it. Steam tells me I haven’t played the game since Feb 2022 so escape sim has done pretty well to displace rocket league from my life.
What inspired you to start designing rooms in the game?
Riddles, Books and a Lab
A friend of mine, ‘TheChubbyWalrus’ created a room for our group of 4 to have a go at. As soon as we finished it, I knew I had to return the favour. That room became ‘Riddles, Books and a Lab’. I published it as public, but it never occurred to me that anyone else would play it. The next day it had 20 likes, a couple of weeks later it had 1000. And from that moment on it just got out of hand.
Can you walk us through your process of creating a room? (you sketch on paper, what tools, how you start)
Whatever you think my creative process is, it is far less sophisticated than that!
Rooms 3-8 were created around the same question. What interesting real-world environments can be feasibly created within the escape sim editor? I’ll crack open OneNote and brainstorm ideas with my partner. Before the model importer, skyboxes, and advanced lighting were added to the editor, outdoor environments were extremely challenging.
I have an old experimental room where I probably spent 30 hours playing around with various props in the editor trying to get it to work. But it never saw the light of day due to the editors’ limitations. And these 30 hours aren’t me trying to develop puzzles or playing with logic.
This is 30 hours of retexturing random props and rescaling them so that I can create whatever monstrosity it is I need for the environment to work. If there is a world record for the longest time spent rescaling a folded stack of clothes to turn it into a distant set of green hills, I am the record holder.
Once I’ve got an environment with a nice-looking floor and established a new horizon, then I’ll start planning out the total playable area in the editor. I’ll grab the nearest envelope and a biro and sketch a very simple plan. That envelope will then sit on my desk for the next for weeks/months whilst I clumsily place props in the editor.
Once the room is 60-70% physically assembled, then I will start thinking about adding puzzles. Generally speaking, the environment inspires the puzzles rather than the other way around. Now the editor has more tools, there are fewer limitations. The model importer being the big one.
Fortunately, the days of using random props to create things are over! Most of my time is spent in Blender having a crack at modeling things. Imported models are the best way of getting the most performance out of a room, so long as the number of vertices and the texture sizes aren’t ridiculous.
You were one of the winners during last year’s Build-A-Thon, for which you made a tiny room within only 48 hours. How was it to work under such pressure?
The Projectionist
Shockingly, the 48 hours was far less stressful than Build-a-room #2 & #3’s 2 weeks. And I would put this down to the scope of the room (The Projectionist) being relatively simple from the start.
I knew that if I made the room too complex then any minor setbacks during creation would cause the room development to fall behind and eventually feel incomplete once the timer runs out. I made this mistake in Build-a-room #2 with The Virtual Prison. Learned from the mistake with The Projectionist. Then forgot the lesson again in Build-a-thon #3 with ‘Relativity’...
The 48 hours even included a picturesque walk in the lovely British countryside to record the footage for the movie clips in the room. That being said, I must have gotten 6 hours sleep within that 48-hour period.
What are some of your favorite rooms you've created so far, and what makes them unique?
Let me out
Creating a room is a labour of love. It consumes a considerable proportion of your life. In a way, they are all my favourite for their own reasons. Let Me Out is probably my current favourite as I’m a fan of horror rooms.
It was the first room (to my knowledge) to use a professional voice actor. Looking back it’s not the greatest and it doesn’t even have many puzzles in it despite being in a game about puzzles! Nevertheless, I have a soft spot for it.
Aside from winning the Build-A-Thon, you also entered several other room-building contests. How does your room-building process differ when you’re creating for a contest as opposed to rooms that you are building in your ‘free time’?
Pure chaos. I’ve entered 3 contests and the 2 build-a-rooms were just madness. Creative direction is constantly changing. Entire ideas evaporating or appearing out of thin air due to necessity. I’d put this down to myself always wanting the scope of the rooms to be as large and impressive as possible.
At first, 2 weeks feels like an eternity. “Oh yeah, I can get that done in a day. Oh that puzzle will be easy to sort the logic for.” Then you realise you’ve got 2 days left, nothing is ready, and the original concept is a husk of it’s former self. Great puzzle ideas get ditched because the time to properly execute them no longer exists.
So yes. Chaos… But you better believe I’ll be doing the exact same thing in the next competition!
In my free time, ideas can come and go naturally. Assets can be created slow-time and if something is a creative dead end, it doesn’t matter. What’s the rush? Ideas that turn out to not be fun or don’t make sense can be deleted and better ideas have the time to be developed and sculpted.
Most of your rooms contain a lot of animations, visuals, and environments that exist outside of the puzzle room itself. How do you go about making these environments feel ‘alive’?
Relativity
All I try to accomplish is the same feat that all other games employ. If there’s a window, you should be able to see something nice out of it. If you pour a bucket of water, the bucket should be animated nicely, make a water pouring sound, and have water coming out of it. It’s fair to say I spend 80% of the room creation time on these finer details.
They often add nothing to the puzzles. But it’s these details that make a room more memorable and enchanting to me.
How do you come up with the themes and puzzles for your rooms?
Virtual Prison
The usual scenario is to pick a theme that hasn’t been done before. A theme that is possible within the confines of the editor. A theme that has the potential to look pretty or striking or both.
As mentioned previously, the puzzles are centered around the environment. For example, in ‘Under the Sea’ I was making a colourful animated fish as a background prop and thought “ahhhh, I can use that!”
What do you think are the key elements to creating a challenging yet enjoyable escape room?
In my crazy dreamworld, I like to believe that it’s possible to create a room that everyone plays and has a fun time with. This is not what happens. Everyone has different tastes. And that’s okay. The next best thing is to make a room that most players will enjoy.
That room has a difficulty that is easy/moderate. It might be challenging, but it most certainly will not be hard. A good room should not require the player to be very smart. But a good room should leave the player feeling smart.
What are some tips and tricks you can share with players who want to try their hand at designing rooms in Escape Simulator?
Virtual Prison
Do you have a best friend? Forget them. Your new best friend is the ‘empty’. It is nothing, yet it can do everything. It might not be today, tomorrow, or even next week. But one day you will realise that the empty is the most important thing in your creative life.
Most effects can be retextured for some pretty impressive and often chaotic results. Play around with the effects and let your imagination run wild. I was able to create a ‘bubbles’ effect by taking the ‘snow’ effect, flipping it upside down and retexturing the snow particles with a simple bubble png.
What are some lessons you’ve learned the hard way as a creator for Escape Simulator?
What I like isn’t always what the rest of the world likes. And that’s okay.
A great example is found within my Build-a-room #2 submission, ‘The Virtual Prison’. In that room, there is a mini game which is essentially just basketball. There’s a little scoreboard and an announcer. I loved it.
But this is Escape Simulator, not NBA 2k23. People hopped into that room and got frustrated that they were having to throw basketballs into a moving hoop. And I completely understand. This is a puzzle game after all, and I handed the player something that isn’t a puzzle. That room also contained a frogger rip-off. I’m now asking the player to do some ‘action/platforming’ in a puzzle game.
I was hard on myself for months after this room was released due it’s less than favourable reception. It wasn’t until Dr_Poly played through the room on a stream that I decided to play it again myself… And I loved it!
It sounds horribly narcissistic, but I had a great time throwing balls with an over exuberant announcer and dodging cars like an 80’s frog.
It’s important for creators to understand that you should create what makes you happy. If you have fun playing it, there’s a good chance that most others are going to enjoy it too!
Can you share any memorable experiences or funny stories that have happened while you were designing or playing your escape rooms?
Under the Sea
I was putting together the layout of ‘Under the Sea’ in the editor and realised I had backed myself into a corner. I had accidentally placed all the assets in such a way that it wouldn’t be possible/make sense for the underwater facility to route where it needed to. I certainly didn’t want to undo hours of work.
Then my partner said to me, “why don’t you just go underground?” And I thought, “Nah that’s mad. I’d have to cut out a hole in the mesh of the sea floor and build an entirely new section off to the side to create an indoor space. Crazy. Too much work…”
Hours go by and I thought, well actually she is right. Going underground whilst underwater sounds quite fun and unexpected. You’re at the bottom of the ocean and you end up going even lower! It started as a simple ladder down into a basement.
Somehow that morphed into creating some sort of London Underground ripoff with a moving train section. I wouldn’t have even attempted a moving train section because I wouldn’t have considered it possible. Then I remembered towards the end of Zesty’s Ominous Obelisk; he had a moment where all the players move vertically in an elevator in a very convincing fashion.
So why wouldn’t it work horizontally?
In summary, Under the Sea’s most memorable section only exists due to my poor planning and a bit of lateral thinking from my partner.
What are some of the nicest reactions or interactions you’ve had with people who played one of your rooms?
Clockwork Games
It’s difficult to narrow it down. I’m grateful to have received a lot of positive support over the past 20 months (at time of writing) of this escape sim journey I find myself on. The comment section for Under The Sea is a great place to start.
Actually, scratch that. I know what it is. After the Build-a-room #3. Mumbo said this to me on the Pine Studio Discord regarding Relativity.
"Duc I think you are the number 1 greatest 3d environment artist escape simulator has to offer and this is the number 1 most beautiful room in ES."
There was plenty of helpful constructive criticism in there as well but the above comment has always stuck with me.
What do you feel has been your greatest ‘Escape Simulator accomplishment’ so far?
Pine choosing me for this!
Are there any features you would like to see added to the room editor in future updates?
True 2D sprites. We have transparents which is incredible. (RIP Space sticker.) But a transparent that rotates itself to always face the player would be neat.
Having more animation keyframes. The current workaround for fancy animations is to stack parented empties or whip out LUA. But it’s a bit cumbersome and certainly a roadblock for newer creators. More animation curves. Linear and smooth are good, but it is not enough for all purposes. For example: an object falling off a shelf and hitting the floor. I challenge someone to animate that in ES and make it look realistic. I know how I would do it and it would be such a pain to put together.
Blender allows you to hold shift while interacting with an object to adjust it in finer increments. Having that in escape sim would change my life. And would save me needing to change the numeric values each time I want something lined up with something else. Having granular control over minute distances would be excellent.
Stairs. Stairs. Please.
Are there any other room designers in the game whose work you admire or draw inspiration from?
The creators that stand out are the ones that are doing things that nobody had done before them. Pioneers. Visionaries. The list is colossal. I believe there are least 20 creators whose rooms I’ve played and gone “Wow, what a fantastic idea!” Sadly, I didn’t write down every time that happened so apologies to those not listed.
Cico: The OG pioneer. Those who have been playing workshop rooms from the very beginning will remember ‘A Pirates Legend.’ A Cico room which is no longer available today. However, it was the first true example of a very well executed outdoor environment. Before this, I had no idea the editor had the capability! If Cico hadn’t made that room, it’s a fair shout to say I probably wouldn’t have created 8 rooms by now. But this is surprising to no one. I’m certain every creator looks up to Cico in the same way as I do.
Zesty: He showed the community that escape sim can be far more than just a series of connected rooms. Devilish Diorama was a fantastic idea fantastically executed. A feat unmatched until he brought out a sequel. The game design in these rooms is so intelligent and intuitive. The player is transported into the mesmerising world that Zesty has created. I’ve spent the past few months continuously pressing refresh on Zesty’s workshop page hoping for a 3rd installment. Any. Day. Now.
Robin: In every Build-a-room competition I’ve entered, Robin has finished 1 place ahead of me. This is no accident. I remember playing those rooms and being overwhelmed with amazement. Immortal Canvas stands alongside the Hanging Gardens of Babylon and Machu Pichu. Absolute perfection in every regard and I have no idea how it was made. No doubt during my next room, I’ll be looking at Immortal Canvas and trying to capture a glimpse of its excellence. Shout-out to Spellbound.
Franch: Because audio is vital to creating a complete game experience. INSIDE, The Bastet Cat, and This Way Up are all auditory treats! No creator has put as much dedication into sound as Franch. I’m hardly scratching the surface here. The community is rich with talent, and I would need a few thousand more words to give the credit where it is due.
What are your future plans for designing rooms in Escape Simulator? Do you have any big projects in the works? ;)
I like to think that Under The Sea was a spiritual successor to Clockwork Inc. This next one is a spiritual successor to Under The Sea. It’s still early in development but the scope is very large. Far larger than Under The Sea.
Do you often collaborate with other creators?
The Collab: Museum
Beyond contributing towards the incredible Collab 2 Museum project. My main collaborator is my partner, Haze. Every room I’ve created has contained ideas, puzzles, concepts from Haze.
Even voice acting on occasion! Many of the rooms would have been completely different if it wasn’t for Haze’s influence. TheChubbyWalrus and AngryLasagne joined the team during The Virtual Prison for Build-a-room #2. Without their combined efforts, that room would have been an absolute shambles!
Thank you, Duc!
Thank you, Duc for taking the time to respond to our questions!
Interested in chatting with other room builders from our community? Or perhaps you've been contemplating becoming a room builder but aren't sure where to begin?
If that's the case, make sure to hop on over to our official Discord server or join the conversation on our subreddit.
We look forward to seeing you there!
Pine team
Our top community room: Winter Edition
Hello everyone! Iggy from Pine here!
It's that time again! We're on the lookout for the top Community Rooms of the last month, and this time around, we're extending our search to cover the winter season. That means we'll be selecting outstanding rooms from both December and November!
This is also the first time I'm doing Community Picks, so I would like to give a big shout-out to our Discord gang who helped me with putting this together. Hope I did well! 😅
Also, just a tiny reminder – we've recently unveiled our latest addition to the Escape Simulator series: a Magic DLC! Don't forget to hit that wishlist button and stay in the loop!
A Medieval Adventure - In this visually unique and stunning room you'll find yourself wandering through enchanting woods, encountering a jewelry merchant in need of your help. Sounds simple enough, right? Well, this room created by two authors; Elkondo (responsible for story, dialogue & puzzle mechanics) and Zweetkonijn (who did models, environment & music) will take you on quite a journey filled with fun and engaging puzzles, as well as inventive twists on, well, let's call it "battle planning"?
The Puzzler's Dungeon 🧩🧠
The Puzzler's Dungeon - This room is a treat for all you mystery and (light) horror lovers out there. Clears throat and starts talking in that dramatic movie trailers guy voice: "The day was going so well. Birds were chirping. Grandma's pie was smelling so good. But then, all of the sudden, you find yourself in a dungeon. Puzzler's Dungeon". Ok, we went a bit overboard here. It's a fantastic room filled with great and intricate puzzles; created by Easter.
Puzzles Galore 3: Sign Clutter ⛔🚦🚧
Puzzles Galore 3: Sign Clutter - Ah, traffic – the driving experience that can either be a breeze or the most stress-inducing day of your life. Enter our esteemed room builder, Wollo, who has crafted a room tailored for everyone who loves traffic - SIGNS. So, no worries, no rush hour here. This cleverly designed room invites you to clear out those pesky road signs by solving their puzzles.
Tax Evasion 📝💸
Tax Evasion - The first-ever room made by GeriHatrick is also one of the very best among our Winter Season picks. What it is about? Well, this isn't a how-to-evade-paying-taxes-simulator even though the room title could suggest that 😅 Imagine finding yourself in a tax office that you can't exit from. We are pretty sure this would be a horror scenario for most people, but this room is far from it. It is an incredibly well-designed escape room filled with some very clever and challenging puzzles.
The Hacker: matrix meltdown 👨🏻💻👾
The Hacker: matrix meltdown - In case you've watched that Hackers movie from 1995, you'll know the drill. You find yourself on a super-important mission where your job is to investigate the apartment that belongs to a teenager who's a suspect in strange signals which may have led to a security breach of one of the biggest space stations. The room itself is somewhat medium-hard, but at the same time incredibly well put together. Great work, Dr Krank!
The Puppet Master 🤥
The Puppet Master - One of the most unique rooms our community has favored during this Winter Season is certainly The Puppet Master. Your task is to finish the work of the old puppet master who has passed away. We won't spoil what exactly you have to finish in this great room by Brengo. But you'll certainly find it most amusing 😉
Secrets & Alibis 🤫
Secrets & Alibis - For our final pick, this one is a treat for fans of books and movies based on Agatha Christie's work. In this room, you have to solve the mystery of Madam Green's murder by investigating the Royce Manor. This great room has been masterfully put together by Brush$troke, but the author is also crediting Robin, Chazzy B for making some of the assets, as well as k8sparrot, GG3L, Wollo and Autumnlight91 for playtesting. A prime example of a fantastic community collaboration.
Happy New Year to our incredible community!
We are wrapping up our Winter Season community picks and would like to seize this moment to extend our warmest New Year wishes to our incredible community. We truly appreciate the time and effort you invested in creating these fantastic rooms for Escape Simulator.
If you would like to become a part of our community and reach out to some of the amazing builders featured here, then be sure to join us on our official Discord or come talk to us on our subreddit.
