DEV DIARY #6: The origins of the original Escape Tales: The Awakening
In this Dev Diary we’re talking with Bartosz Idzikowski, Lock.Me partner, one of the creators of the board game! What did the prototype of Escape Tales: The Awakening look like?
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changedWhat did the prototype of Escape Tales: The Awakening look like? At the very beginning, we sketched the first prototypes on paper. ✏️ We created a stack of about 150 pieces of paper; therefore, we had many sketches of the locations and objects. Later we scanned all of them and described to the graphic designer what we would like to do with them next. Very little of it was in Excel or Photoshop, as we wanted to make it fully paper from the very beginning and put as much of our effort as possible. 📝 We felt that using the digital tools would be necessary one way or another, but also wanted the basis to be built from our own ideas and imagination.
changedHow did you come up with the idea for the story? We knew from the beginning that we wanted our games to deal with difficult topics. We were tired of bland plots in escape room games that were just an excuse to solve puzzles. One of our goals was also to have no time limit on gameplay, which allowed us to present a deeper and more complex story. 🧔🙋♀️ The story of Sam and Lizzy was an idea born during brainstorming, which we decided to develop further. This idea turned out to be so capacious that we felt from the beginning that this was the right direction and we would succeed in creating an interesting, difficult, but also mysterious story that would move others. 🫂 I think the best “review” is the fact that there were situations where people gave up in the middle of the game with tears in their eyes due to too much emotional weight.
addedDid you invent all the puzzles yourselves or were you inspired by something? The process of creating puzzles is quite complex. We went over some of them in our heads for a long time until they finally found their place in the game. 🧩 Some of them are inspired by elements found in rooms or moments in the storyline. Sometimes, when we run out of ideas, we make use of known puzzle mechanics - but we always add something ourselves. 💡 However, there is no recipe for coming up with a puzzle. There is, however, a rule - you have to start designing every puzzle with what you want the solution to be.
addedWhat was the hardest part in creating the whole game? The hardest part is always the game testing. Our games are extremely long, which means that a single test took about 4-5 hours. 🕟 On top of that, you have to add time to collect feedback, make adjustments, and update the prototype. These games are one-offs, so the process of finding teams for testing is also quite complex. 👥 During the course of the game's production, dozens of such tests need to be performed, and this creates quite a burden.
changedIf you haven’t yet had a chance to play the physical version of Escape Tales: The Awakening, we hope that now you’re even more motivated to try it out - it’s really worth the play! 😄 Until we meet again!
added-- PS. In the meantime, don’t forget to Add the game to your Wishlist and Follow it to stay up to date. 😏
Escape Tales: The Awakening changes
changedWhat did the prototype of Escape Tales: The Awakening look like? At the very beginning, we sketched the first prototypes on paper. ✏️ We created a stack of about 150 pieces of paper; therefore, we had many sketches of the locations and objects. Later we scanned all of them and described to the graphic designer what we would like to do with them next. Very little of it was in Excel or Photoshop, as we wanted to make it fully paper from the very beginning and put as much of our effort as possible. 📝 We felt that using the digital tools would be necessary one way or another, but also wanted the basis to be built from our own ideas and imagination.
changedHow did you come up with the idea for the story? We knew from the beginning that we wanted our games to deal with difficult topics. We were tired of bland plots in escape room games that were just an excuse to solve puzzles. One of our goals was also to have no time limit on gameplay, which allowed us to present a deeper and more complex story. 🧔🙋♀️ The story of Sam and Lizzy was an idea born during brainstorming, which we decided to develop further. This idea turned out to be so capacious that we felt from the beginning that this was the right direction and we would succeed in creating an interesting, difficult, but also mysterious story that would move others. 🫂 I think the best “review” is the fact that there were situations where people gave up in the middle of the game with tears in their eyes due to too much emotional weight.
addedDid you invent all the puzzles yourselves or were you inspired by something? The process of creating puzzles is quite complex. We went over some of them in our heads for a long time until they finally found their place in the game. 🧩 Some of them are inspired by elements found in rooms or moments in the storyline. Sometimes, when we run out of ideas, we make use of known puzzle mechanics - but we always add something ourselves. 💡 However, there is no recipe for coming up with a puzzle. There is, however, a rule - you have to start designing every puzzle with what you want the solution to be.
addedWhat was the hardest part in creating the whole game? The hardest part is always the game testing. Our games are extremely long, which means that a single test took about 4-5 hours. 🕟 On top of that, you have to add time to collect feedback, make adjustments, and update the prototype. These games are one-offs, so the process of finding teams for testing is also quite complex. 👥 During the course of the game's production, dozens of such tests need to be performed, and this creates quite a burden.
changedIf you haven’t yet had a chance to play the physical version of Escape Tales: The Awakening, we hope that now you’re even more motivated to try it out - it’s really worth the play! 😄 Until we meet again!
In this Dev Diary we’re talking with Bartosz Idzikowski, Lock.Me partner, one of the creators of the board game!
What did the prototype of Escape Tales: The Awakening look like? At the very beginning, we sketched the first prototypes on paper. ✏️ We created a stack of about 150 pieces of paper; therefore, we had many sketches of the locations and objects. Later we scanned all of them and described to the graphic designer what we would like to do with them next. Very little of it was in Excel or Photoshop, as we wanted to make it fully paper from the very beginning and put as much of our effort as possible. 📝 We felt that using the digital tools would be necessary one way or another, but also wanted the basis to be built from our own ideas and imagination.
Did you have a specific plan for the whole game when creating drafts? When we were creating the drafts and sketches for Escape Tales: The Awakening, we also had to come up with a particular game system, accurate for the whole product we had in mind. 🧠 It was a big brainstorming process that took us many, many days, but it brought us great effects. We created the storyline, which we set in a framework, and within that framework we placed the puzzles. 🧮
How did you come up with the idea for the story? We knew from the beginning that we wanted our games to deal with difficult topics. We were tired of bland plots in escape room games that were just an excuse to solve puzzles. One of our goals was also to have no time limit on gameplay, which allowed us to present a deeper and more complex story. 🧔🙋♀️ The story of Sam and Lizzy was an idea born during brainstorming, which we decided to develop further. This idea turned out to be so capacious that we felt from the beginning that this was the right direction and we would succeed in creating an interesting, difficult, but also mysterious story that would move others. 🫂 I think the best “review” is the fact that there were situations where people gave up in the middle of the game with tears in their eyes due to too much emotional weight.
Did you invent all the puzzles yourselves or were you inspired by something? The process of creating puzzles is quite complex. We went over some of them in our heads for a long time until they finally found their place in the game. 🧩 Some of them are inspired by elements found in rooms or moments in the storyline. Sometimes, when we run out of ideas, we make use of known puzzle mechanics - but we always add something ourselves. 💡 However, there is no recipe for coming up with a puzzle. There is, however, a rule - you have to start designing every puzzle with what you want the solution to be.
What was the hardest part in creating the whole game? The hardest part is always the game testing. Our games are extremely long, which means that a single test took about 4-5 hours. 🕟 On top of that, you have to add time to collect feedback, make adjustments, and update the prototype. These games are one-offs, so the process of finding teams for testing is also quite complex. 👥 During the course of the game's production, dozens of such tests need to be performed, and this creates quite a burden.
Which part was the easiest to make and why? The puzzles themselves were the easiest to come up with. 🔎 Since this was our first game, we had our heads full of ideas, and the creative process gave a lot of pleasure. Even though it was one of the most time-consuming parts. 🗃️
If you haven’t yet had a chance to play the physical version of Escape Tales: The Awakening, we hope that now you’re even more motivated to try it out - it’s really worth the play! 😄 Until we meet again!
Bluekey Games Team
NOTE: All the sketches used in this article are taken from the private collection of Bartosz Idzikowski.
--- PS. In the meantime, don’t forget to Add the game to your Wishlist and Follow it to stay up to date. 😏
Please note that what you see in the Dev Diary presents the work in progress, not the final product!
