Lab

In 2020, a lot has changed: companies' workflow has changed, everything has moved into the digital space and the whole event-world has had to go through a transformation that not many of us thought would happen. As a result, we have been enriched with several new ideas, technical solutions and experiences, which not only our customers could enjoy, but also us. Such is the virtual escape room, developed specifically for the Progressive event platform.

Last autumn, when one of our colleagues (Zita) wrote an e-mail looking for candidates to test the virtual escape room, I think I was the first to answer that I definitely want to be a member of the test team. Luckily, I did not know anything about the project, so I had a number of questions based on what I already knew about a physical escape room:

• how it will look like;
• how can we escape;
• what can be done in virtual space;
• whether Zita will know that we are not using the possibilities provided by the Internet, etc.

Already during the first test session, we got all the answers to our questions, when she told us the rules. During the game, we were in 3D spaces, we could use the Internet, and if we got in the wrong direction, we ended up at a dead end.

We learned how important it is to think, to be fast and learned about the difficulties of the levels. With our feedback we helped Zita to make an even more enjoyable game for the participants, regardless of age, position and digital knowledge. Anyways, our test team was mixed: it had a company founder, a creative colleague and an account, which I think gave a lot to enjoy the escape room because we all think completely differently. Although, I could no longer recall what were the solutions of the levels or who decided about the final answers. On the one hand, I always watched the clock that the time is running out and we have not been escaped yet. On the other hand, I did not want it to end, because I wanted to play longer. Maybe I am not telling a big secret that we managed to escape. Our team was enrichted with experiences that surprised all of us. We got to know each other from a completely different side, and everyone gave their best for the successful testing.

I applied for the second test as well, because I could not imagine how the game was renewed and this time the target group was completely different as well. Well-knowing the previous game, I thought it would not work out for me either, so I really wanted to play again to give it a try. I was not even disappointed; I was playing such a unique game again that it did not matter that I had played before and I really enjoyed this 1 hour again.

The next time, I had the opportunity to attend on one of our events as an animator and I could watch the participants play live. They were excited for what will happen during the game, how will they escape and how they will think together, yet everyone will add their own knowledge and ideas for a successful escape. At the end of the game, they praised each other, talked about their successful experiences. I was proud of the Progressive team for developing a game for virtual events that solves the problem of engaging audiences and offer them a real experience.

Fan fact: I personally fell in love with the game so much that I got my own escape room from the development team for Christmas in the topic of Home Alone. :)