I'm working on an escape room! Initially I was working on a software/hardware bundle that I was planning to market to other escape rooms but I think that is the wrong approach. So I am going to build a bunch of modular stuff in my garage and eventually start my own, its been an awesome project so far! I want a more dynamic and action oriented experience so it might not really be an escape room anymore but I don't know what to call it yet.
Escape rooms are honestly... almost always a let down but the concept has a lot of potential and there are some really neat ones that standout like this local one where you pilot an airship https://www.portlandescaperooms.com/steampunk-airship
Once I build the best escape room on the planet, I can consider selling the tools.
Some sort of escape room backbone software that links together all of the hardware according to a script is such a neat idea. It would be so cool to have something like Twine [0] to build out the story graphically, where input/output is via cues to staff/hardware rather than just text on screen. An old boss of mine used to run home-haunts for halloween. (a walk-through haunted house experience scaffolded-up in his yard) I helped him a few times, and I was always amazed by how big of a community there was. There were at least 5-6 people doing a haunt next week and would come help out at his, then he would help at their haunt the next week. My boss was even making a magazine for the community for a while. Something for those folks doing quick popup theatrical events/escape rooms that could handle some "duct tape engineering" would totally have an interested market, and if it was open source you'd get great patches.
BUT I also get what you mean, have find out what works first. Do you have a blog for your escape room progress? That sounds like such a cool thing to follow you making!
A girl I went to HS went started an escape room business in my town, the first one they bought off of another company and customized it. Escape rooms need to refresh their content every so often, so the complete room or sometimes just the props end for sale. I was always curious about the tech side, if there were compatible 'systems' or if they are just one off things.
Have you ever visited a Boda Borg? They’re not quite escape rooms; generally, the experiences are fast-paced. Some are puzzles; some physical challenges; some, an interesting mix. Lots of computer automation to make it all work.
Escape rooms are honestly... almost always a let down but the concept has a lot of potential and there are some really neat ones that standout like this local one where you pilot an airship https://www.portlandescaperooms.com/steampunk-airship
Once I build the best escape room on the planet, I can consider selling the tools.