“We take your favorite games from TV, but we put our own twist on it.”

Sound design is the most underused tool in escape room design. It’s not just for ambiance; it’s a feedback system. It tells players what they did, redirects them when they’re wrong, and stops them from doing the same wrong thing over and over. Sound design plays a huge role at The Escape Game and Great Big Game Show.

Troy Armstrong has two music composition degrees. If you’ve played Cosmic Crisis, The Depths, or The Rugrats version ofThe Playground, then you’ve heard some of his work. Troy got his start in the industry as a gamemaster at The Escape Game. One day, he cold-emailed the head of design to “talk about game design” and left with a sound design commission. Today he’s Director of Product Design for Great Big Game Show, one of the newest immersive gaming options from The Escape Game.

Great Big Game Show is not an escape room. Rather, it’s a live immersive gaming experience where two teams compete over a series of mini games, all guided by an energetic, live host. It takes familiar games from TV, but adds origin spin on the concepts.

Troy is passionate about gameshows and sound design. It was fascinating to hear him talk about how he crafts these elements to create the best possible experience for guests. I especially enjoyed hearing him talk about all the ways that sound design can help direct players and shape the flow of a game.

If you’re interested in hearing more about how sound design matters, join us at the Reality Escape Convention, where Troy will be speaking.

Thank You to Our Sponsors

We are immensely grateful to our sponsors this season: REA Patreon Backers, PG’s Playhouse, and Buzzshot. We truly appreciate your support of our mission to promote and improve the immersive gaming community.

Topics Discussed in this Episode

• 00:00 Sponsor Break: RECON – The Reality Escape Convention
• 02:06 Troy’s Music Origins
• 04:20 Bassoon and Instruments
• 05:35 Discovering Escape Rooms
• 06:48 From Game Guide to Designer
• 09:27 Sound Design as Feedback
• 14:13 Games and Brand Projects
• 16:22 Cosmic Crisis Deep Dive
• 20:39 Designing for Scale and Replication
• 22:29 Audio Meets Visual Design
• 24:54 Sponsor Break: Buzzshot, Escape Room Marketing Software
• 27:28 RECON Talk Preview
• 29:56 Most Common Sound Mistakes in Escape Room Design
• 32:06 Great Big Game Show Intro
• 33:18 Becoming the First Host
• 35:16 Handling Any Crowd
• 36:14 Sponsor Break: Room Escape Artist Patreon – Bonus Episodes, Spoilers Club & More
• 37:44 Backstage Sound Illusion
• 40:23 Mini Game Variety
• 41:12 Twists and Randomization
• 42:56 Fan Favorites and Flops
• 45:06 Simple Rules, Big Moments
• 46:11 Balancing Skill & Interest Levels
• 47:44 Sponsor Break: PG’s Playhouse – Puzzles, Pals, and Trivia
• 49:14 Making Losing Feel Good
• 50:45 Chip the Co Host
• 53:17 Why Booking Packs Ended
• 55:23 Rolling Out Updates
• 57:54 Adventure Gem Mining
• 01:00:48 Influence of Musical Theater in Game Design
• 01:02:59 What Comes Next?
• 01:07:46 Cricket Cautionary Tale

Leave a Voicemail

Got a question or thought for the podcast? You can submit a voice recording by calling the Room Escape Artist not-so-hotline that always goes straight to voicemail (551-227-7273).

Resources Mentioned in this Episode

• Great Big Game Show Website
• Great Big Game Show YouTube
• The Escape Game Website
• Troy Armstrong Website
• REA Reviews
  • Cosmic Crisis
  • Legend of the Yeti
  • Rugrats: Search for the Losted Toys
  • The Depths
  • Timeliner: Train Through Time
  • Great Big Game Show

About Troy Armstrong

Linkedin, Instagram, Facebook, Tiktok

Troy Armstrong is the Director of Product Design for Great Big Game Show, where he leads the creative development of immersive, live-action game show experiences.

Troy has worked in the escape game industry since 2017 and joined The Escape Game in 2020. There he continues to play a pivotal role in shaping the sound and music identity of its award-winning experiences including The Depths, Timeliner, Cosmic Crisis [Golden Lock Award Winner 2024], Ruins, and Legend of the Yeti.

He has also collaborated with clients ranging from Nickelodeon (Rugrats) and Cheetos to Disney (Mysterious Benedict Society) and Hulu (Only Murders in the Building). Troy holds degrees in music composition from the University of Southern California (B.M.) and the University of Texas at Austin (M.M.). An active commissioned composer, his concert works have been performed across the United States, Canada, Central America, Australia, and Europe by distinguished ensembles including the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra and the U.S. Navy Band.

He currently resides in Nashville, Tennessee, with his partner, Taylor, and their dog, Elly.

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