Reality Escape Pod - Escape Rooms & Immersive Games

In Season 5, episode 11, we chat with Mark Larson, a game and puzzle designer with an impressive track record. As David notes, Mark is the only designer to have contributed to Golden Lock award winning games in 3 different categories: tabletop, virtual, and IRL escape room.

We talk to Mark about the different hats he's worn while working in the gaming industry: designing tabletop games, managing escape rooms, and designing audio escape rooms. One of his award-winning audio creations was Escape from Escape Island, a game created exclusively for RECON 2021. Mark has also designed the virtual game for the upcoming RECON Remote 23: The Shop of Theseus.

We hear the story behind Mark's infamous headshot with Captain Adama from the TV show Battlestar Galactica, and loyal listeners will get a chance to hear Peih-Gee sing. Mark has navigated his long career in the gaming and puzzle world with humor, charm, and kindness. We're so happy for a chance to chat about his experiences.

Show Notes & Timestamps

Thank you to our sponsors:

Morty is a free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings.

Special Badge for REPOD listeners:

You can learn more at MortyApp.com/REPOD to sign up and get a special badge for our listeners (works for existing users also).

Resova is your all-inclusive software for bookings, made specifically for escape rooms, offering robust booking management, waiver management, integrated point of sales systems, and follow-up emails. Resova is the ultimate online reservation software designed to elevate the guest experience, increase game master efficiencies, drive sales, and improve operations.

Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:

Sign up with our link at Get.resova.com/rea and receive up to $100 with a Google Ads gift card.

Escape room conventions should be as fun, collaborative, and immersive as the games we celebrate.

RECON is our very own escape room and immersive gaming convention. Whether you’re an owner, creator, player, or you’re escape room curious, you are invited learn, connect, and play with our wonderful community.

RECON Remote 23 will take place August 19 – 20, 2023, online.

RECON 24 will be in person.

Get your RECON 23 ticket at now.

Our music was created by Ryan Elder.

REPOD is produced by Lisa Spira and edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media.

Imagine American Ninja Warrior meets Mario Party mini-games, all set in an epic art-filled space... and you’ll have some idea of what Level99 is like.

In Season 5, episode 12, we chat with Matthew DuPlessie, founder of 5 Wits, the original immersive gaming experience, and Level99, a new type of open world gaming concept. 5 Wits pre-dates escape rooms, with the first location opening in 2004. It included immersive sets and a high-tech, high-throughput model, filled with puzzles, adventure and storyline. Level99 opened more recently in 2021, designed to solve some of the throughput issues Matt found with 5 Wits.

Matt shares a lot of business advice for escape room owners, including considerations for increasing throughput and creating models with low recurring costs. He also talks with us about how he developed the original concept for 5 Wits, and shares some exclusive behind-the-scenes looks at some of the special effects for 5 Wits games.

As a mechanical engineer and businessman who loved theme parks, Matt wanted to create the feel of a theme park encapsulated into a retail storefront. That’s how 5 Wits was born. Matt is passionate about pushing the frontiers of immersive gaming while balancing the reality of throughput models and the economics of running a successful business. He has created some really innovative gaming concepts, and we loved picking his brain in this conversation.

Show Notes & Timestamps

Thank you to our sponsors:

Morty is a free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings.

Special Badge for REPOD listeners:

You can learn more at MortyApp.com/REPOD to sign up and get a special badge for our listeners (works for existing users also).

Resova is your all-inclusive software for bookings, made specifically for escape rooms, offering robust booking management, waiver management, integrated point of sales systems, and follow-up emails. Resova is the ultimate online reservation software designed to elevate the guest experience, increase game master efficiencies, drive sales, and improve operations.

Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:

Sign up with our link at Get.resova.com/rea and receive up to $100 with a Google Ads gift card.

Escape room conventions should be as fun, collaborative, and immersive as the games we celebrate.

RECON is our very own escape room and immersive gaming convention. Whether you’re an owner, creator, player, or you’re escape room curious, you are invited learn, connect, and play with our wonderful community.

RECON Remote 23 will take place August 19 – 20, 2023, online.

RECON 24 will be in person.

Get your RECON 23 ticket at now.

Our music was created by Ryan Elder.

REPOD is produced by Lisa Spira and edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media.

We brought together escape room industry professionals and enthusiasts from all around the world for a 2-day virtual event in August. If you're still coming down off the high of RECON Remote 23, we've got you covered. In this pre-season special release, we break down all the happenings at RECON, with a special behind-the-scenes look from Brendan Lutz, Room Escape Artist's CTO, and the Head of Technology for RECON.

We kick things off by reflecting on mistakes make in previous events and how it helped craft the program for this year's RECON. We touch on the different talks, from the financial talk to decoding the social media marketing puzzle. Puzzle design enthusiasts won't be disappointed either, with deep dives into the creative process. Along the way, we share the challenges faced in ticket sales and staffing predictions, offering a glimpse into what the future might hold.

This year's event was further testimony to David and Lisa's dedication to building a kind and thoughtful community in the escape room industry. Stay tuned until the end to witness Peih-Gee's annual quest to make David shed a tear on-air.

Show Notes

Thank you to our sponsor:

Morty is a free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings.

Special Badge for REPOD listeners:

You can learn more at MortyApp.com/REPOD to sign up and get a special badge for our listeners (works for existing users also).

Our music was created by Ryan Elder.

Spoilers Club is produced by Lisa Spira and edited by Peih-Gee Law.

We're giving The Shop of Theseus a final send-off, and we invited the hilarious crew from the Hey Riddle Riddle Podcast to test their wits in this audio escape room co-created and run by Mark Larson, who was a guest on REPOD Season 5, Episode 11.

If you missed playing this game during RECON Remote 23, or if you want to relive your glory moments, join us for this final playthrough of The Shop of Theseus. JPC, Adal, and Erin are some of Chicago's top improvisers, and they had me roaring with laughter through the entire game. I highly recommend checking out their podcast Hey Riddle Riddle if you like improv comedy and riddles. Start with the episode guest-starring our very own Peih-Gee Law.

Timestamps & Full Show Notes

Thank you to our sponsors Morty, Buzzshot, and COGS:

Morty is a free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings.

Morty News:

• Morty now features haunt attractions
• Morty for Android is here

Special Badge for REPOD listeners:

You can learn more at morty.app/REPOD to sign up and get a special badge for our listeners (works for existing users also).

Buzzshot is Escape Room Software, Powering Business Growth, Player Marketing, and improving the Customer Experience. They offer an assortment of pre and post game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and streamlined review management for Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, and Morty. Buzzshot now has integration with the other REPOD sponsors: Morty and COGS.

Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:

REPOD listeners get an extended 21-day free trial plus 20% off your first 3 months, with no set-up fees or hidden charges. Visit buzzshot.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.

COGS by Clockwork Dog is an easy to use software/ hardware platform for running interactive events, including escape rooms, and other immersive experiences. They have plug & play hardware that seamlessly integrates with their software so you can create a show with lighting and sound cues without having to write a single line of code. Map all kinds of inputs to outputs by building up simple logic steps which determine what you want to happen and when.

Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:

REPOD listeners can get the COGS Starter Set for only $130 + free shipping to the USA. This bundle is usually valued at $257. You can learn more and purchase your Starter Set at cogs.show. Use code REPOD at checkout.

Hosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law

Produced by Theresa Piazza

Supported by Lisa Spira & Richard Burns

Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media

Music by Ryan Elder

Logo by Janine Pracht

Do you own an escape room? Do you have a skillset that applies to immersive gaming experiences, such as game designer, prop maker, or tech expert? Are you an aspiring escape room creator? Are you an escape room enthusiast looking to take a deep dive into the craft and see behind the scenes of these remarkable games?

If the answer to any of these questions is YES, then RECON LA is perfect for you. Programming Lead Lee-Fay Low and Games Lead Theresa Wagner join us to break down everything you need to know about our escape room convention.

We talk about new changes to the format of the convention, which has been designed to ensure that every attendee has a chance to see and play everything offered. We tease some of the main stage talks and speakers, and we also discuss some of the incredible experiences guests will be able to enjoy, including Imagi-Ne’er Do-Wells & The 49 Boxes.

If you’re on the fence about attending RECON LA, hopefully this episode will help you decide to join in. If you’ve already bought a ticket, this episode will give a sense of what to expect and help you maximize your time at RECON.

Timestamps & Full Show Notes

Thank you to our sponsors Morty, Buzzshot, COGS by Clockwork Dog, & RECON, the Reality Escape Convention:

Morty is a free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings.

Morty News:

• Morty now features haunt attractions
• Morty for Android is here

Special Badge for REPOD listeners:

You can learn more at morty.app/REPOD to sign up and get a special badge for our listeners (works for existing users also).

Buzzshot is Escape Room Software, Powering Business Growth, Player Marketing, and improving the Customer Experience. They offer an assortment of pre and post game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and streamlined review management for Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, and Morty. Buzzshot now has integration with the other REPOD sponsors: Morty and COGS.

Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:

REPOD listeners get an extended 21-day free trial plus 20% off your first 3 months, with no set-up fees or hidden charges. Visit buzzshot.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.

COGS by Clockwork Dog is an easy to use software/ hardware platform for running interactive events, including escape rooms, and other immersive experiences. They have plug & play hardware that seamlessly integrates with their software so you can create a show with lighting and sound cues without having to write a single line of code. Map all kinds of inputs to outputs by building up simple logic steps which determine what you want to happen and when.

Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:

REPOD listeners can get the COGS Starter Set for only $130 + free shipping to the USA. This bundle is usually valued at $257. You can learn more and purchase your Starter Set at cogs.show. Use code REPOD at checkout.

Our convention, RECON, will be in Universal City, California on August 18th & 19th, 2024.

RECON offers a curated collection of talks and experiences exploring the business and art of escape room and immersive game creation. All are welcome at this event that is crafted around professionals and aspiring professionals.

Tickets are on sale now at RealityEscapeCon.com

Hosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law

Produced by Theresa Piazza

Supported by Lisa Spira, Richard Burns, and Tommy Honton

Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media

Music by Ryan Elder

Logo by Janine Pracht