Revolt against the Buritian dictatorship
Project carried out in 2020 with Chloé, Inès, Joan and Léo
Imagine yourself immersed in a silent island where speaking in the workplace inevitably leads to death penalty. It is within this sinister and agonizing atmosphere that the escape game that we have created unfolds.
A dictatorship
To achieve this escape game, we had to characterize the context of the game by creating a dictatorship related to silence. By confronting our ideas, we agreed on the regime of Marit Burit, an oppressive dictatorial regime where noise is totally banned. The basic rules of this dictatorship are gathered in a notebook called “the little blue book”, where several prescriptions are written:
Not a word, you do not pronounce.
On your work, you focus. Sign language, you speak.
Marie our mother, you respect. From all entertainment you turn away.
Any act of resistance, you denounce.
The Party of Silence, you revere.
Faithful to your nation, you are.
Every citizen should always have this book with him and know these commandments by heart.
This regime is a regime of terror, where a militia is omnipresent to ensure that these rules are respected. Marie Burit, considered “the mother of the island”, is the only audible voice of the place. She speaks through loudspeakers dotted around the island. This is acclaimed by the people and in particular by the silent youth, who have been educated to approve of this regime.
We have produced a teaser to explain and clarify this context of dictatorship. Players can view it before registering for the escape game. The video is also shown at the start of each game.
The escape game teaser
The progress of a game
When the players arrive, the game master greets them and tells them the formal rules to follow during a game. This takes place over a period of 30 minutes with 4 players. The material that will be needed for a game is given at the start of the game or is accessible during the game.
Then, The game master presents the theme of the game: to free a people oppressed by a silent dictatorship. To immerse users in this universe, the teaser detailing the dictatorship is screened. After its broadcast, the game master takes on his role of accomplice of the tribe (the regime resisting the dictatorship) and explains, in a low voice, the mission to be accomplished within the next 30 minutes:
“Hi guys, I’ll be your accomplice today. I am here to guide you and help you with any problems.
Keep in mind the main goal of your mission: Marie Burit drinks her cup of coffee every morning without exception. It is precisely this ritual that will allow us to eliminate her and overthrow the SP (the Silent Party). You must therefore pour a deadly poison into her drink and escape the scene as quickly as possible, all without being spotted.
I will contact one of you by phone.
* One of the players has his cell phone and headphones and will be in communication with the game master during the game *
You will first enter the administrative council offices after entering the embassy. To achieve this, pretend to be party members by putting on these armbands.
* Donation of SP armbands *
Remember that in these offices speaking is prohibited. It’s nighttime so there is no light. Do not turn on large lights as they may attract attention, but use desk lamps. Once the room is lit, you will see a box with a code. You need to find this code. According to the information we have, its various numbers and their order are hidden in this large space. There is, in this room, a protocol which makes it possible to find these indications. Look for her as a priority.
I managed to hack into the surveillance systems, so the door to the premises will open for 25 minutes. That gives you enough time to find this code. Next, we know that Marie Burit’s office has an alarm that detects nighttime intrusions. Don’t be surprised if the indicator lights come on there. From that point on, the main doors lock and you only have 5 minutes before the militia arrives. Keep cool and go pour out the poison. To get out, there is a secret door in the dictator’s office. Find a way to open it and exit discreetly. I will be present at the exit to welcome you.
So are you ready ? Keep in mind that it is your life that is at stake and that one word can lead to your death.
Take this bag, it will be of great use and good luck to you all. ”
* Gift of the bag which has slates and notebooks to express yourself, lights to enlighten you and deadly poison *
At the end of this immersive pitch, the game master calls one of the players by phone. In this way, he gives him the start of their mission by claiming to have hacked the doors of the offices.
The 4 players therefore enter a meticulously tidy room, with a refined appearance. Here they must look for the protocol, which comes in the form of the Little Blue Book of Commandments. It’s hidden under a stack of white papers to the right of the front door.
It is the main clue to finding the code for a blue box, which contains the key to Marie’s office. When players find it, they are guided through the great escape game puzzles. Each allows you to find a useful sign to discover the code of the blue box.
The protocol
Riddle 1: Riddle of the secretary’s office
Riddle 2: Riddle of the calendar
Riddle 3: Riddle of the map
Riddle 4: Poster Riddle
When the players have solved these 4 puzzles, they have the 4 signs of the code, which they must decipher to find the numbers associated with them. On its last page, the protocol shows a wall hanging, also present in the room, which hides, under its fabric, the decoding technique.
This allows them to find the correct code, open the blue box and retrieve the key to the dictator’s office. In the office, a red alarm goes off. It means that the SP has been warned of an unusual intrusion and that the militia will arrive within 5 minutes to stop them.
From there, players must quickly pour the poison into the coffeemaker, pick up the entry key, and exit through another door, which leads them to the exit of the Embassy.
If they are successful, then their mission is accomplished and they win the game. The game master is therefore waiting for them to congratulate them. If they fail, then the militia arrives and arrests them and they are sentenced to death (in-game).
The four puzzles
- Secretary’s Office Riddle
Regarding this first riddle, we had the idea to design a false background. This background would hide a sheet with a code sign written on it. To find which drawer is the right one, we added a plant on the desk, which designates the secretary’s desk. We have added the logo of the dictatorship on this drawer. In the protocol, participants may find a drawing of a plant as well as the phrase “sometimes sweetness is revealing”, related to the piece of soft fabric that reveals the correct drawer. For the false bottom, a wooden board, covered with black paper, was placed at the bottom of the drawer, slightly raised to hide a sign below. A textured fabric tab has been glued to it, to allow the board to be removed.
Secretary’s Office Riddle
- Calendar riddle
For this second puzzle, players are guided to a calendar for the year 2039, stapled to the wall. 5 out of 12 months show parts of signs. These were copied on slaps, dotted all over the room. To find them, the top location illustration shows a map with red crosses over the locations of the layers. This calendar only shows months starting from August so that not all parts of signs are visible and players are forced to search for layers. Their translucency allows them to be superimposed and to discover, by lighting from below, the desired shape. The calendar is made from machine papers printed and connected by a sewn thread.
Calendar riddle
- Map puzzles
For the third riddle, we used a map. This one has, on its bottom, a grid with 4 coordinates, more or less large circles indicating the bases of the resistance according to their densities in population and an indication of its HQ. There is also a legend that explains the previous items. Next to it is a computer with a digital code made on Scratch.
The puzzles of the map
The principle is to succeed in finding 4 bases using the coordinates and indications of the protocol, to classify them in ascending order and then to transfer this order to the digicode in order to reveal the sign. This riddle was the most complicated of our escape game and the players were struggling to solve it. It should certainly have been simplified.
- Poster puzzles
To build the fourth puzzle, we used the idea of hidden pieces of symbols, which should be placed in a certain order, like a puzzle. In order to find these symbols, players must head to the paperwork hung on the board with magnets. As stated in the Little Blue Book, they must use the order of the posters to help them reorganize the administrative documents. On these, pieces of the symbol have been hidden. They should carefully observe the illustrations making up the propaganda posters and use the diagram in which they were placed in order to be able to reconstruct the symbol.
Poster puzzles
- The decor
The escape takes place in three rooms: the departure storage room, the administrative offices and Marie Burit’s office. All these premises are very tidy and have a cold atmosphere. The dominant colors are white and blue. The decoration is linked to the party. The puzzles blend into the background.
Different decorative objects
The tests
- First test
We did a first test of the game with four students from our class. This allowed us to make various observations to improve the progress of the escape game. Among other things, it is important to think of more means allowing players to communicate, to facilitate certain puzzles and to clarify the speech of the Game Master.
The first test of the escape game
- Second test
We then carried out a second test with people outside the project. They finished a game without too much difficulty. Nevertheless, players struggled with the third puzzle, which is complex. We also found that the protocol research step is not necessary. The little blue notebook can be given at the start of the game by the Game Master.
The second test of the escape game