DeepSummary
The episode features an interview with Madison and Luke Rhoades, the owners of Crossroads Escape Games in Anaheim, California. They discuss the origins of their company, including the financial struggles they faced in the early days and how they took a big risk in opening their first game, The Hex Room. The Hex Room is described as an iconic and influential game that helped shape the escape room community.
The conversation delves into the unique aspects of various Crossroads games, such as The Hex Room's individual player experiences, the social deduction game Trust Experiment (formerly Psych Ward), and their newest game, The Weeping Witch, which combines horror and puzzles. Madison and Luke share insights into their creative process, their theatrical backgrounds, and their approach to designing immersive and innovative experiences.
The episode also touches on Crossroads' latest venture, Slashers Axe Throwing, where they've applied their immersive design principles to create a unique axe-throwing experience. Additionally, Madison and Luke offer tips for escape room creators, emphasizing the importance of attention to detail, hiring professionals for specialized tasks, and creating games that challenge and engage players.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- Crossroads Escape Games is known for creating innovative and experimental escape room experiences that challenge traditional formats and push the boundaries of the industry.
- The owners, Madison and Luke Rhoades, faced significant financial struggles and bureaucratic challenges in the early days of starting their business, but persevered through their passion and creativity.
- Crossroads' games, such as The Hex Room, Trust Experiment (Psych Ward), and The Weeping Witch, incorporate unique mechanics, player experiences, and immersive elements inspired by their theatrical backgrounds.
- Madison and Luke emphasize the importance of attention to detail, efficient reset times, and recognizing one's limitations by hiring professionals for specialized tasks.
- Crossroads' latest venture, Slashers Axe Throwing, applies their immersive design principles and commitment to safety to create a unique axe-throwing experience.
- The owners offer valuable tips for escape room creators, including focusing on the entire space (walls, ceilings, floors), creating challenging puzzles, and prioritizing player engagement and replayability.
- Crossroads' experimental approach and willingness to take creative risks have made them an influential and iconic presence in the escape room and immersive gaming community.
- Madison and Luke's passion for horror movies and immersive theater heavily influences their creative process and the overall aesthetic of their experiences.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “Sometimes you have groups that run late and then it's like, oh, we have to reset this room really quick. And it takes 10-15 minutes to reset the room no matter what. Then all your games are going to run late where if you just have a faster reset room, you can just accommodate those late players easier and then not be set off for the whole day.“ by Madison Rhodes
- “There was just a bunch of bills that you just don't think about because you're thinking about your dream and what you want all the cool things to be and what people to do and stuff, and then there's all this bureaucracy that charges you so much money to go through, and we're like, oh, so we have no money to actually make our dream come true.“ by Luke Rhodes
- “I haven't thrown any accidents. I don't. You think it's dangerous? But we just feel like, if you can add more safety precautions, like, why wouldn't you?“ by Madison Rhodes
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Episode Information
Reality Escape Pod - Escape Rooms & Immersive Games
David Spira & Peih-Gee Law
4/30/24
“We always want to make something that we haven't seen before.”
There are few companies who have been as influential in the escape room scene as Cross Roads Escape Games. Not only are all their games highly polished with brilliant puzzles, gorgeous sets, and fun interactions, they’re also creatively experimental.
The owners, Luke and Madison Rhoades, have made some of the most innovative and format-breaking escape rooms in the world from the iconic experience, The Hex Room, to their most recent masterpiece, The Weeping Witch. In this episode, we break down the brilliance behind their games and what makes them unique.
At their core, Luke and Madison are creative dare devils. They look for ways to challenge the industry and add their own fun twist on what defines an escape room. Combined with their theatrical backgrounds and business acumen, this experimental nature is what defines Cross Roads Escape Games and makes them such an iconic company in the escape room scene.
Episode Sponsors
Thank you to our sponsors Morty, Buzzshot, COGS by Clockwork Dog, & RECON, the Reality Escape Convention:
MortyMorty is a free app for discovering, planning, tracking, and reviewing your escape rooms and other immersive social outings.
Morty News:
- Morty now features haunt attractions
- Morty for Android is here
Special Badge for REPOD listeners:
You can learn more at morty.app/REPOD to sign up and get a special badge for our listeners (works for existing users also).
Buzzshot
Buzzshot is Escape Room Software, Powering Business Growth, Player Marketing, and improving the Customer Experience. They offer an assortment of pre and post game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and streamlined review management for Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, and Morty. Buzzshot now has integration with the other REPOD sponsors: Morty and COGS.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners get an extended 21-day free trial plus 20% off your first 3 months, with no set-up fees or hidden charges. Visit buzzshot.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.
COGS
COGS by Clockwork Dog is an easy to use software/ hardware platform for running interactive events, including escape rooms, and other immersive experiences. They have plug & play hardware that seamlessly integrates with their software so you can create a show with lighting and sound cues without having to write a single line of code. Map all kinds of inputs to outputs by building up simple logic steps which determine what you want to happen and when.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners can get the COGS Starter Set for only $130 + free shipping to the USA. This bundle is usually valued at $257. You can learn more and purchase your Starter Set at cogs.show. Use code REPOD at checkout.
RECON - The Reality Escape Convention
Our convention, RECON, will be in Universal City, California on August 18th & 19th, 2024.
RECON offers a curated collection of talks and experiences exploring the business and art of escape room and immersive game creation. All are welcome at this event that is crafted around professionals and aspiring professionals.
Tickets are on sale now at RealityEscapeCon.com
Special Offer:
If you buy your ticket by May 1, you’ll get priority session selection for Imagi-Ne’er-Do-Wells and The 49 Boxes.
Production Credits
Hosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law
Produced by Theresa Piazza
Supported by Lisa Spira, Richard Burns, and Tommy Honton
Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media
Music by Ryan Elder
Logo by Janine Pracht