Room Escape Artist

Few instructions in an escape room leave me with more questions than: “If you see the monster (or killer), run!”

Can I Run?

When a gamemaster or performer says those words to me, I find myself wondering:

• How big is this game?
• Are the paths clear?
• Is it well lit?
• Are the ceilings consistently high enough?
• How are they going to stop me from crashing into my teammates or the performers?
• Is this a good idea?

Most of those questions are about the physical layout of the space, because while little kids can zip around in fairly small spaces… adults need space to run… and space to stop. We also – and I hope you don’t take this the wrong way – tend to have a lot more mass. If we crash into something, the odds are pretty good that something or someone is getting damaged.

I’ve played in some very large escape rooms, and I cannot think of a single one that felt like it was actually built for running. If the space isn’t designed to handle adults running, then it’s pretty negligent to tell adults to run in it.

Should I Run?

No. You shouldn’t run in escape rooms. Even if the gamemaster or a performer told you to run.

• You should not run in enclosed spaces.
• You should not run if the path isn’t clear, or if you are unsure that the path is clear.
• You should not run in darkness or low light.
• You should not run if the ceiling is low.
• You should not run if there are people around you.
• Running in an escape room is a bad idea.

Honestly, don’t even rush if you are unsure of your footing. Move at your own pace, and move safely.

I have played so many intense horror games, and the truth is that the game will progress at your pace. If a performer is pursuing you, they will always be nipping at your heels, regardless of the speed that you’re moving. That actor will only catch you if they want to, or if you’re being a disruptive jerk. And if they catch you because they want to, it’s because it’s part of the script… whereas if they catch you because you’re being a jerk, that means they are ejecting you. Either way, the speed that you’re moving isn’t really the cause of the capture.

Move safe, and move smart. Enjoy yourself, and remember that you will not have fun if you hurt yourself.

If someone tells you to run in an escape room, smirk and move at your own pace.

Marathons, Not Sprints

Since April, we’ve been going hard over here at Room Escape Artist. We ran two Tours this past spring, ran a virtual RECON that shattered attendance numbers from 2023, and produced a large volume of some of the highest quality written content that we have ever put out, not to mention all of the podcasts that we produce.

The pace has been relentless, and we have another couple months of intensity before things calm down a bit for the winter.

The team’s output has been astonishing both in volume and quality, and I could not be prouder. It’s also only possible because of the support of our Patreon community which only continues to grow… and we have plans for that community. We are blessed and cursed with endless ideas and a drive to bring them to life. Our Patreon community makes absolutely all of the effort worth it.

Special shout out to those who joined this month: Toby Powell, Emma Liddell, Ricki Heicklen, Howard, Caro Murphy, Rémy Strobbe, Jennifer Fonfara Tactical Escape 101, RoRo17, Bent Vent, Jordan Q Jordan Q, and Mauricio Collares

To those of you reading who have the means, we hope you’ll consider joining this wonderful group of supporters.

Support Room Escape Artist’s Mission

There are lots of ways to support Room Escape Artist, like buying from Amazon or Etsy after clicking into the links included in this post or backing us on Patreon.

The money that we make from these helps us to grow the site and continue to add more value to the community that we love so much.