RECON talks are powerful and actionable.
At RECON Boston in 2022, I learned how to position my body to foster welcoming group dynamics. I saw lightbulbs go off in the minds of the whole room, reacting to an innovative reset mode. And I saw speakers transform into character on stage, to demonstrate the importance of The Magic Circle. These RECON talks were designed for the stage and made me think about experience design in new ways. And believe me, I was already thinking about experience design, specifically how everything is a designable surface (wait… that was also a talk!)
After two years, we are bringing this caliber of talks to the stage once again, at RECON Los Angeles. We’ve been attending practice sessions all week and we are inspired!
The only way to see a RECON talk is to be there so get your ticket today. There might be a few clips available on social media (scroll down!) but if you aren’t in the room, you aren’t a part of the moment or the conversation that follows.
Unless a RECON talk is turned into a blog post 2 years later. But that’s extremely rare. Today you’re in luck… let me present to you The Magic Circle at Immersology. Through this piece, we hope you think differently about the Magic Circle and about the value of RECON talks, conversations, and sharing of perspectives.
The Magic Circle
This morning Haley E.R. Cooper of Strange Bird Immersive published a piece about The Magic Circle, based on the RECON 22 talk, The Magic Circle: Delivering Game Changing Immersion that she wrote and delivered with Cameron Cooper.
In this excerpt she talks about an opportunity many escape rooms have to embrace the Magic Circle more fully.
The Magic Circle is the boundary between the ordinary and imagined world. The border is a transition point, a threshold. Within awaits a new world with new rules and the need for new behaviors.
Once inside the circle, the magic demands consistency. This immersive technique is less about money spent on mechatronics and more about dedication in design.
If you wish to have a Magic Circle in your game world, then first and foremost, you cannot allow an out-of-character host inside the game room.
This person does not belong to this world.
If I called you out just now, you’re not alone. Everyone does it. It’s inconvenient to brief teams in the hallway, and yes, I know logistics matter. But do they matter more than your guest experience?
The most exciting part for the guest is walking into the room for the first time. Throwing on the brakes to talk to them about the rules while they steal glances of your cool world like naughty children is an unmitigated disaster. It shatters their immersion immediately. Let the team ride that high and start their adventure the moment they cross that threshold.
And that’s just the beginning…
The whole piece is available at Immersology and we encourage you to read it all.
Don’t Leave Anything to Chance
We’re less than one month away from gathering in Los Angeles for RECON. The talks are outstanding. The experience is so much more than that.
If you’re a professional in escape rooms or immersive games, or an aspiring professional – with an accomplished resume or just getting started – RECON is for you!
Act Now: Purchase your ticket by July 27th to guarantee the complete RECON experience. Admission to the exclusive Imagi-Ne’er-Do-Wells and The 49 Boxes learning and networking activities is only guaranteed when you buy your ticket in the next (less than!) 48 hours. You don’t want to miss out on any part of RECON LA!
Last Chance: The discounted RECON hotel rate is only available until July 27th. Don’t miss your chance to save!
Secure your ticket, book your hotel room, and join us for an unforgettable experience – it’s time!
From the RECON Stage
You can now watch clips from this talk (this one and 3 more!), and clips from some of the other talks presented at RECON 22 on the RECON Instagram.
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