Have you ever wanted to touch that incredible safe from The Room videogame? This is your chance!
There’s a LEGO IDEAS project called The Safe from ‘The Room’ that needs your vote. With enough support, it can become an actual, tangible reality, outside of the videogame. And it’s free to support!
We recently spoke with the creator, Roger Schembri, to learn more about his LEGO IDEAS project.
REA: Hello! What’s your background for this LEGO IDEAS project?
Roger: Hi there! This LEGO IDEAS project is based on a videogame called The Room by Fireproof Games. It is particularly special to me as I’m one of the original game developers. I’m the Graphic Designer at Fireproof, working across many aspects of the games, from the user interface, concept art, pre-visualisation and in-game textures to marketing assets such as logos, key art, trailers & social media promotion.
Since the initial success of The Room on iPad (including winning a BAFTA!) we expanded the series over 4 sequels on mobile, tablets, PC, and Nintendo Switch, and recently took the plunge into virtual reality with the most recent game released in March this year.
Tell us about your LEGO kit. How does it work?
My LEGO model is intended to be primarily a display set for adults, though it does contain several play features too. The build consists of the iconic metal safe from the first level, set on the wooden floorboards of a dusty attic, with bespoke stickers in Adobe Photoshop for the ornate panels around the safe. It has many details inspired by the game waiting to be discovered, from the secret hatch at the rear of the safe to the ornate jewelry box and stack of books set on top. The door to the safe can be opened to reveal a minibuild of the ornate wooden box (from the 2nd level of the game) or an alternative build of the tentacle creature, the physical manifestation of the dark power from the games.
Of course it wouldn’t be a LEGO set without a minifigure, so this set comes with the mysterious guide from the game known only by the initials A.S. Naturally he comes with a range of suitably Victorian accessories to help him explore the mysterious safe and discover its compelling contents.
Why do you think this Safe from The Room LEGO kit will appeal to escape room players?
Building with LEGO bricks scratches a similar itch in my brain to solving puzzles. I hope that many escape room players will have a similar experience. The Room games are often compared to real-life escape rooms, from the searching for clues hidden in plain sight to decoding arcane riddles. It seems like a natural fit.
What inspired you to design this LEGO kit?
I’ve always been a fan of films and television steeped in mystery and intrigue with a supernatural twist, from Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Shining to The X-Files, Eerie Indiana and Stranger Things. Even after 8 years of making The Room games, I still love the mysterious atmosphere and all the intricate details that pull you into these fantastical worlds we’ve created.
As for many people, toys and models have always been a big part of my life. For me there’s something almost magical about having a physical piece of a film or videogame, which brings that fantasy into reality, from playing with Star Wars figures as a child to building LEGO Star Wars sets as an adult! As The Room is a very tactile game with buttons to push and hidden panels to open, I’ve always thought it would be amazing to have a tangible piece of the game that you could hold in your hands.
The pandemic pause on ‘normal’ life gave me more free time to try something new and the iconic safe from The Room seemed like an ideal subject for a LEGO build.
Which game in The Room series is your favorite?
There have been 5 games in The Room series over the past 8 years and it’s hard to choose among them as they’re all a snapshot in time from my life and each of them offers something different for the player.
Our most recent game The Room VR: A Dark Matter is certainly up there, as exploring the rooms in virtual reality is incredibly immersive. I learned a huge amount about game development as we had to reinvent everything that had gone before so it worked properly. On balance, however, I’d probably say that my favorite would be The Room – the first game we made as Fireproof Games, which gave us total independence and so many happy memories.
Are you an escape room fan as well?
Yes! For many years now we’ve gone to a different escape room as part of our work Christmas party. These are always a really good afternoon out.
Do you have a favorite real-life escape room?
A few years ago we did the Operation BlackSheep mission at ClueQuest in London, which was particularly good. It had a really compelling atmosphere and set dressing with great use of sound and lighting; my favorite ones are definitely when you feel almost like you’re on a film set!
How does LEGO IDEAS work?
LEGO IDEAS is a way for people to get the LEGO set they’ve always dreamed of! Anyone can submit a project to LEGO Ideas and people can support as many projects as they want, all totally free! If a project reaches 10,000 supports then the LEGO group will consider it to be made into an official LEGO set. There have been dozens of incredible LEGO sets which have come into existence this way, from the Ghostbusters car to The Beatles’ Yellow Submarine!
At the moment over 1500 people have voted for my project, but there’s still a long way to go, so if you like the look of my project, please click the link and add your support. Every vote counts!
If your project gets 10,000 supporters, do you think that LEGO will have any difficulty procuring the rights to The Room?
No, I can’t see any problems securing the rights as Fireproof Games would be very pleased to get the publicity and kudos attached to having a LEGO set based on an original IP.
What can escape room fans do to support you in bringing the Safe from The Room to life?
When it was first released on iPad, word-of-mouth played a huge part in making The Room a success and the same is true with this LEGO project. The single most important thing to do right now is to stop reading this and support the project on LEGO IDEAS. 😉 Once you’ve done that, share the project on any social media channels you use to tell your friends and family about it to help spread the word. The power of word-of-mouth is truly remarkable and with your help I really believe this project stands a good chance of becoming a reality. Thank you for your support.
And if you’re already supported this project, don’t forget that there is also a LEGO IDEAS project called Carter’s Escape. You can read more about it this interview. You can back them both, and any other creative ideas you’d like to turn into a reality. It’s free!
If you enjoy The Room, we hope you’ll check out our interview with co-creator Barry Meade of Fireproof Studios on The Reality Escape Pod.
Why does the lego guy’s face look so much like David Spira?
I have a bit less beard action going on.