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9 Escape Room Tips From an Escape Room Owner

If you have never played an escape room before or consider yourself a novice, here are 9 sure fire tips in ensuring your success!

 

  1. In the first 3-5 minutes, explore the room

It is easy to jump straight into solving puzzles as soon as you start a new area, however, often the clues you need to solve a puzzle are not right in front of you. Thoroughly exploring the room when you begin will set you up for success and keep you from wasting precious time.

 

  1. Listen to your teammates’ ideas – no matter how crazy they may seem

Every person thinks differently and having different thought processes is beneficial to a team! A different point of view from one of your teammates may lead to solving a puzzle faster. Plus, discounting a teammates idea can lead to defensive feelings which may negatively impact your game and your experience. You are playing the game to have fun with friends, make sure everyone is heard.

 

  1. Work as a team by capitalizing on each player’s unique skillsets

Remember how each person thinks differently? Their unique skillsets is part of that! My wife and I have played over 100 games and we know that any logical puzzles we find will go straight to her while I focus on mechanical puzzles and searching the environment. Dividing roles before stating an escape game is difficult but, knowing the types of puzzles your teammates excel at will tremendously help delegate.

 

  1. Explore everything from bottom to top

Read that sentence again. BOTTOM to TOP. As I said before, my family has played over 100 escape rooms and I couldn’t begin to tell you how much time we have wasted searching for clues that are written on the bottom of a bookshelf or under a table!

 

  1. Before starting your game, answer these questions: 1. Are items and keys “one and done” or do you use the same objects to solve multiple puzzles 2. What are your rules for hints?

These are questions to ask your game master before you start the game. The game master should go over the basics with you and your team before you enter the room. Having answers to these two questions will help you develop a strategy and move through the game at a better pace.

 

  1. If no one gets it, ask for a hint

Winning a game without hints should not be the goal. The goal is to have a complete immersion in your environment that takes you out of the city you are in and into a fantasy with a clear mission to achieve. In an escape room you should be challenged but never frustrated. When frustration occurs, it is time to ask for a hint. After you receive the hint and solve the puzzle, then you can mentally decide if it was an clever puzzle that your team could have totally figured out or if the puzzle was completely illogical and you cannot believe anyone had ever solved it.

 

  1. Bring your family and listen to your kids

Kids look at the world differently than adults. Game Masters often see seven-year-old kids with the answer pleading for their parents to listen to them. We try to radio the parents and tell them their kid has the answer. It took me about 20 escape games with my kids until I actually started listen to them. The best part of the escape room experience is the bonding component and when you bring your kids you also get to see how smart they are. My family of four has played around 40 rooms together and look forward to our weekly games.

 

  1. Establish a leader

Designating a leader is not usually something that is established before playing. We see groups try, but as soon as the stress turns on or a puzzle grabs his/her attention, they lose track of things. The leader solves very few puzzles because he/she is constantly seeing what everyone else is working on and relaying information to other players.

 

  1. Have meetings every 10 minutes

The first 10 minutes of the game go by so much slower than the next 50 minutes. Have meetings so your team can discuss what they have solved and what they have tried that did not work. This will prevent people trying the same things and wasting time.

Escape Rooms are a great for bonding, date nights, family outings, and more but make sure you take note of these simple tips to get the most out of your experience!

At Steal and Escape, we have three rooms for you to play and these tips help in all of them. Grab your team and book your room now!

The Witness Game

Three Puzzle Games on Steam to Warm-Up Your Brain

We have all been there before—waiting to play and escape your next escape room. Perhaps you and your friends might want to warm up? Here is a list of three puzzle games you can play.

Half-Life 2 :

Valve’s 2004 classic, Half-Life 2, has its players thinking outside the box. Traditionally, puzzles are mechanical or physically driven. Half-Life 2 utilizes physics in its game engine. As you’re trying to survive to the next checkpoint, Half-Life 2 will have you covered with its innovative puzzles. If you have completed the game, it definitely has replay value.

Portal and Portal 2 :

Portal and Portal 2 are Valve’s classic brain teasers. Both games will challenge your thinking. You are given a Portal Gun. Allowing you to create portals linked to each other. However, you’re only limited to two portals. It is up to the player(s) to find creative solutions to move forward. Portal 2 has a cooperative mode, making it more fun to solve puzzles with your friends! Both games are a must for puzzle enthusiasts.

The Witness :

The Witness is a game not for the faint hearted. You are dropped on an island. It is up to the player to navigates its terrain, figure out what happened to its dissidents, and solve a line of challenging puzzles. Despite its puzzles, the game’s landscape is beautiful and easily to get lost in. Even though the game’s ending has mixed reviews, it’s worth your time to get lost in this world.

These are some of our favorite games we’ve played that helped us think outside the box. Let us know in the comments about your favorite puzzle games!

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Spring Break -Into Something New

In San Diego, locals and tourists have an endless amount of options for Spring Break Fun. Beach goers, sports fans, foodies, and craft beer connoisseurs – they all have one thing in common, they are looking for something to do! But the question must be asked, “Are you tired of doing the same activities over and over again?” There are fifty-two weeks in a year and only one of them is Spring Break; make the most of it. Do something different; think outside the box and challenge yourself! Grab a group of friends and family and take an adventure to the best Escape Room San Diego has to offer, Steal & Escape!

Steal & Escape, located in National City, San Diego, offers three unique puzzle rooms that satisfy all skill levels and ages. The rooms drop players into a fully immersive, time-based scenario. In order to complete the mission, the team must solve a variety of puzzles, clues, and riddles in sixty minutes. Each game is designed for two to eight people and is recommended for ages seven and up.

Players can choose from:

  • Takeover – recommended for ages thirteen and up
  • Mysterious Stranger – great for families
  • Lost Expedition – designed for experienced players.

“Perfect for a moms’ night out,” says Kennington, a recent guest, “The ‘puzzles’ all had a rhyme and reason and kept with the story line of the escape room which made it more fun. We definitely plan on going back!” Players are taken into a new world in each room imbedding them into storyline and experience.

Steal & Escape cannot predict if players will win or lose; however, it is guaranteed you will finish the game a stronger team and your experience will be the best of your Spring Break. If you are looking for something to do on your Spring Break in San Diego, head to Steal & Escape.

Spring Break -Into Something New
Mysterious Stranger website picture
Lost Expedition website pic
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dog

Top Dog-Friendly Places in San Diego

San Diegans love their dogs, and luckily have many dog-friendly places and activities to enjoy with them.

Dog Parks:

Nate’s Point Dog Park, Balboa Park

Located in historic Balboa Park, this dog park is popular for both the location and the tree-covered expanse of grass.

Dusty Rhodes Park, Ocean Beach

Many locals bring their dogs to enjoy this park near the beach, perfect for some exercise under the palm trees and sea air.

Hiking Trails:

Cowles Mountain

Though one of the busiest hikes in San Diego, this short and steep trail great for taking your dog along. Make sure to bring plenty of water for both of you on hot days.

Los Penasquitos Canyon Trail

This flat, shady trail is the perfect place to take your canine for a stroll. End at a waterfall where you can both cool off and then walk back along the same beautiful path.

Beaches:

Dog Beach, Ocean Beach

Dogs of all shapes and sizes fill this popular beach with rock jetties on either side. Dogs are allowed off a leash in this area, so sit back in the sand and watch them play in the surf.

Fiesta Island, Mission Bay

Dogs are allowed off the leash on Fiesta Island, located right next to Sea World. Bring a group of friends for a picnic or a bonfire at one of the many bonfire pits on the island.

Restaurants:

Many restaurants in San Diego allow dogs on their patios, however, some areas are better for bringing your pup than others. Ocean Beach, Pacific Beach, Hillcrest, and North Park are all neighborhoods with a heavy concentration of dog-friendly restaurants. In addition, many San Diego breweries allow dogs in their taprooms. Check websites or make a phone call before you go to make sure Fido is welcome!

Thank you for reading.

Did we miss one of your favorite spots? Do you love a certain spot we mentioned? Let us know in the comments.

EK YAPCreative DirectorPhotographerwww.ekyap.comwww.flickr.com/ekyap

Best Bars for Trivia in San Diego

San Diego is a dense community of brewing and beer. If you are in San Diego, it’s important that you take drinking alcohol seriously. We do! We also take games seriously, so we wanted to make sure that you know where you can find the best trivia nights in town.

Midtown: Regal Beagle

Wednesdays, 8pm

This unique restaurant in the heart of Midtown offers a fun atmosphere and amazing food during trivia. Try one of their artisan sausages, burgers, or tots topped with one of their many mustard choices, as well as a craft beer from their extensive tap list.

Mission Beach: Beachcomber

Tuesdays, 7:30-9:30pm

Popular with the coastal locals, this beachside bar is a great place to spend a night showing your smarts by the water. The top three teams win discounted drink tickets called “Beachcomber Bucks.”

Ocean Beach: Belching Beaver Brewery

Thursdays, 7pm

Bring your dog and your dinner to this busy and fun trivia night. Resident teams abound, and the music is always fun. The top three teams win gift cards for the brewery, and the winners of the middle round win a free flight of your choice of beers.

Gaslamp: Bubs at the Ballpark

Tuesdays, 8-10pm

Located right next to the Padres stadium, this lively downtown join offers surprise drink specials and the opportunity to win prizes and gift cards during trivia.

Little Italy: Princess Pub

Wednesdays, 7pm

If you’re in the mood for an authentic British pub, come enjoy some fish and chips while you play trivia in the heart of Little Italy. Gift cards are given out to the top three teams.

Miramar: 32 North Brewing Company

Thursdays, 7pm

For $10, you can enjoy unlimited tacos during trivia at 32 North. The large taproom is dog friendly, and features plenty of other games to enjoy in addition to a great beer lineup.

North Park: True North Tavern

Mondays, 8pm

If you’re in North Park looking for a fun quiz night, stop by this large sports bar and enjoy $4 St. Archer cans and $4 Jameson while you test your trivia knowledge. Watching the games on their many T.V. screens is a bonus.

Thanks for reading

Let us know if we missed some of your favorite San Diego trivia spots. Have you attended some of the ones we mentioned?

coffe-shop

Best Coffee in Golden Hill, San Diego, California

So why Coffee?

Everyone has their different rituals for getting into their escape game mode. For me, coffee is a key ingredient for puzzle solving and coordinating with others. Steal and Escape is based in National City. Golden Hill is a bit more residential than National City, so if you are in town, it might be a nice place to grab a cup of joe before playing heading down to play one of our games. We created a list for you, so you can skip the guessing work.

Krakatoa

Located on 25th street (between B and C) rates number one for Best Golden Hill Coffee. It rests in the heart of Golden Hill underneath the shade of a beautiful banyan tree that overlooks its sizeable patio. The building is abundantly charming, keeping the character of the once smaller Craftsman house from which it was rendered. The décor and menu are volcano-themed. Coffee selection is carefully curated and includes an array of espresso coffee drinks, or fresh brewed organic, medium, or dark roast to put a spring in your step. Coffees and teas are from the premium Caffe Calabria and you can even bring your canine companion since the Krakatoa team are fellow dog lovers!

Dark Horse Coffee Roasters

Runner-up for best GH coffee is Dark Horse Coffee Roasters, owned by a trio of brothers who hail from Koloa, Hawaii. They certainly transferred some of Hawaii’s “aloha spirit” with their exceptional barista customer service who serve a variety of coffee.One of the founders of Steal and Escape was born and raised in Maui, Hawaii so the Hawaiian origins are significant. The coffee includes such items like deliciously well-crafted nitro cold-brew, single-origin pour overs, and specialty drinks. For example, “The Champ” with its espresso, steamed milk, cinnamon, and honey. Grab an accompanying pastry from their own Skinny Donuts vegan doughnut line! The company has an intimate hand in the coffee process, going on various trips to places like Ethiopia to garner recipe insights and more importantly, create ties with the local communities.

Influx Café

Last but certainly not least is Influx Café located on Broadway! The mod-chic space attracts a highly productive customer base of students and business workers, though this space is perfect for friends looking for some relaxed conversation as well. The drink menu includes the must-have Vietnamese coffee (hot or cold) that will keep you laser-focused throughout the day, as well as tea lattes and mochas that will satisfy any divergent tastes.

What do you think?

We won’t hold it against you if you disagree? Where did we go right? Where did we go wrong? Looking forward to hearing from you!

San Diego Downtown

4 San Diego Adventurous Activities

Escape-Room-Style Adventures

Looking for an adventure in San Diego similar to Escape Rooms? Escape rooms throughout North America, Asia, Europe, Russia, and New Zealand share some common elements. In essence, it is a timed, physical puzzle that may or may not involve storytelling. The puzzles require strategy, cooperation, and hints to escape, and they are based on the video game genre “escape-the-room.” Although not an exhaustive list, common locations of escape rooms are space stations, prison cells, dungeons, laboratories, and shipwrecks. Because of similarities, the escape room demographic usually includes people who enjoy interactive team problem-solving in a creative, meaningful environment full of symbols and mystery. Here are additional San Diego activities (in no particular order) that might interest the average escape room player:

  1.   Murder Mystery Scavenger Hunt

While most scavenger hunts in San Diego appeal to children, Murder Mystery Scavenger Hunt contains clue-based games and hunts that are specially designed to be challenging for adults. It is far from run-of-the-mill passive walking tours. Instead, the scavenger hunt is a unique competition to identify a killer using detective skills while exploring beautiful locations such as Old Town San Diego, Newport Beach, Downtown Laguna Beach, or San Clemente. Armed with nothing but your wits, imagination, and team, you will compete with up to ten other teams scattered throughout the area in this “whodunnit?” remix. According to Yelp, even participants who did not identify the killer listed a 5-star entertained experience.

  1.   The Haunted Trail Balboa Park

This thrilling outdoor experience boasts a venue too large for the ordinary haunted house. While the Haunted Trail is a mile long stretch at world-famous Balboa and does not necessarily require navigating physical puzzles, you will be required to carefully navigate mental obstacles like fear and anxiety. Who knows what awaits as you walk through the trail of gnarled oaks and twisted pines towards the abandoned bus and farmhouse? All we know for certain is that popular horror icons like Freddy, Pennywise, Leatherface, and Michael Myers will be there, as well as the Stranger Things house and upside down world.

  1.   Rock Climbing in Joshua Tree National Park

Chillino Rock Climbing Company offers the safety equipment and setting to privately rock climb in Joshua Tree National Park. You may bring an entire group on the expedition and take your escape-room problem-solving skills to the Mojave high desert! The national park hosts a variety of difficulty levels for climbing from beginner to advanced. The bouldering, steep faces, multi-pitch, and low angle slabs, as well as thousands of moderate crack, climbs embedded in the magnificent rocky landscape will surely have you thinking about your every next step.

  1.   Coin-Op Game Room

Want to satisfy your craving for action gameplay and camaraderie without the physical obstacle course? Check out San Diego’s first arcade bar located in North Park. The menu hosts American style burgers and finger-foods. Loosen up your gaming thumbs at the notable bar program that includes a rotating 20 craft beers and house cocktails. The Coin-Op game-room boasts dozens of games from current day to childhood classics. Yelp favorites include Streetfigher, Mariokart, and Galaga just to name a few!

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The Origin of Escape Rooms

Escape Rooms were Live Clubs

Our current digital age has left the information-overloaded population to once again seek out adventure in the physical world. The phenomena led to the success of escape rooms, and this is evidenced by a closer examination of their roots. Scrap Inc. in Japan was the first documented example where the concept of the digital escape room was transferred to a “lets do this in the real world” counterpart. Scrap Entertainment Inc. is a Kyoto-based event company managed by Takao Kato. The thirty-five-year-old entrepreneur opened Real Escape Game (Riaru Dasshutsu Ge-mu) in July 2007 for teams of 5-6 players. “I thought I could create my own adventure, a story, and then invite people to be a part of it,” said Kato. The entrepreneur credits his inspiration for the concept after witnessing a classmate play an online version of an escape-the-room. Originally, Real Escape Room events were hosted live in clubs or bars equipped with clues. One would have to purchase tickets immediately as these live events sold out quickly.

The Explosion in Popularity for Escape Rooms

It was not until 2011 that physical escape rooms began to exponentially explode in popularity, starting in Budapest and Eastern Europe. Rooms began spreading across Europe, Canada, Australia, and then moving into North America by about 2012. As the history of escape rooms is convoluted and difficult to accurately trace, a better approach would be to explore some of the interactive media that served as direct inspiration. These include role-playing games, escape-the-room games, and puzzle hunts.

Live Role-playing Games in Escape Rooms

Role-playing games, more prominently live-action role-playing games, revealed gamers’ wishes for a further immersive setting than their tabletop narratives. A notable amount of national organizations in the 1980s like NERO (New England Role Playing Organization) and IFGS (International Fantasy Gaming Society) created a precursor to escape rooms. They provided scenarios and rulesets for players to equip themselves with foam weapons and corresponding costumes to engage in puzzle solving and combat. A few of the scenarios even included timed escape from tarp-covered locked rooms in the woods.

1980’s Escape Game Influences

The next important precursor is the point-and-click adventure games and escape-the-room digital games. In the 1980s, interactive 2D text-based fiction games required gamers to locate and combine items and solve riddles by typing computer commands. This morphed into point-and-click adventures as computer and mice graphics advanced and became the norm. The most popular digital game that evolved from this 2D world to 3D world was Myst, a quintessential escape-the-room type game full of strategy-based barriers and appeals to exploration.

Puzzle Hunts in Escape Rooms

Lastly, puzzle hunts were a pivotal precursor to escape rooms. In puzzle hunts, digitized or paper-based puzzles lead to a chain of increasingly difficult puzzles, with the ultimate goal of solving a related meta-puzzle. The game is not solitary, and players once again work in teams to solve the intricately connected riddles. Puzzle hunts vary with focus on either the problem-solving aspect of the game or the social experience, MIT Mystery Hunt is an iconic example of the genre and remains a long-lasting annual tradition to this day.

Steal and Escape