The Room Escape Divas are getting ready for their next event.
An escape room.
On a moving train.
For three hours(!?!).
Thanks to Errol, Manda & Mike from the Room Escape Divas for discussing their newest adventure.
Q. Who is involved with this event and how did it get started?
Errol: There are three groups involved in this: the York Durham Heritage Railway [in Ontario, Canada], Panic Factory, and the Room Escape Divas. The railway approached Nick and Ray of Panic Factory about an escape room on a train.
They said yes.
A few weeks later, the divas did a room at Panic Factory. Afterwards, Ray casually mentioned the event they were doing.
Apparently, as soon as he said “train”, I took off my coat, sat down, and began to drill them with as many questions that I could think of.
At least, that’s the story they told me. And then I told them I was going to be involved with the project.
Q. What inspired Terminus?
Errol: I am a huge fan of adventure games, and one I particularly enjoyed was The Last Express (video game), set on the Orient Express in 1914.
The game had characters with their own agendas and would even change their plans in case the player intervened.
It was also one of the few real-time adventure games: if multiple events occurred at 4:00pm, the player could only see one of them at the time. And of course, it’s on a train.
To be honest, I create games I want to play myself. I want to feel like I’m involved in some nefarious plot and I want the environment to match that.
I’ve played a few adventure games on a train, and it’s always been one of my dreams to make an escape event on one!
Q. Are you playing as an Non-Player Character (NPC) on the night? If so – what’s your role?
Errol: Yes, I am playing a ‘train official’ for the night. We won’t have that many NPCs for this event, though.
Manda will be Train Announcer, so she will be on the intercom the whole night. And we do have on other actor, but then that goes into spoiler territory!
Q. How many cars are on the train? And how many people does each session take?
Errol: There are 144 people on this train and five cars!
They will be split up into two groups so each group will see three train cars at the most.
Q. Will teams get to wander in between train cars or will they need to visit each train car in a sequence?
Errol: For the most part, in sequence. The two main cars are the dining car and the bar car.
People will be in one or the other, but because of the tight fit walking down the cars, we don’t encourage a lot of wandering.
Q. The fourth session of Terminus is almost sold out! Are you planning a fifth session to be held?
Errol: Oh dear, no. *laugh*
As of writing, the fourth session is now sold out which is terribly exciting for us!
This is taking up the majority of my summer and is like putting on a theatre show, so as exciting as it is, I will also look forward to having one month where we can relax!
Intervirals 