ON AIR - Hinged Book Nook Escape Room

For those who don’t know, I make puzzle games, and my latest project has me making miniature ones. This is the third in the series, On Air.

A little précis of the storyline:

Two years ago, TV magician and mentalist Renard Fuscus has for years entertained the nation with his incredible feats of mind control and escapism, but his latest TV performance, “judge:mental” captivated the world. Broadcast live from a locked room, with only three, heavily secure, doorways, Renard had the lights turned off for just one minute, and when they went back on, he was gone, with all three doors secure and intact. All that was left was a set of handcuffs, a small set of playing cards and a blueprint.

He has not been seen or heard from since that time, and it remains one of the most famous and supernatural locked room mysteries of modern times. Can you solve if and how he got out?

This set has two hinged wall panels, which can rotate out for solving, and then easily fold back in. It is this feature which has excited the Book Nook community, and am delighted!

The floorboards are all individually cut from 2mm ply, and I personally love the scorched look of the edges, as it feels quite floorboardy (that is a word).

I also have a 3D printer (an essential bit of kit), and this photo shows a simple table design cut on the GF, alongside some TINY playing cards, and some 3D printed handcuffs.

This set has been designed to be made by one, and played by another, as too many of the puzzles are revealed in the making. It is very technical and should provide quite the build for someone when it is finally released!

The three doors can be unlocked using various methods, but they involve magnets, making a tool, matching and solving a puzzle, and creating a lever. I spent FAR TOO LONG making a combination dial, and then a cogged system, but it was too hit-and-miss to incorporate into my final design. In a basket for a future project…

If you’d like to support this project, a follow on the Kickstarter would go a long way! Here’s the link:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1666104729/escape-the-book-nook?ref=12wu00

37 Likes

This is really nice. How long would you say the whole process was for you, from conception to plan to execution? Anything in particular more or less time than expected?

Anything that just didn’t work and you had to change course?

13 Likes

Thank you! This has taken around six full working days so far.

I tried to make a combination dial lock, and that probably ate up two or three of those days. I have it all working in principle, but haven’t yet mastered positioning one cog, but still being able to move the others. I really like it, so will keep experimenting!

13 Likes

Super cool

11 Likes

This is really awesome. Great job!

8 Likes

Wow! Very cool!

7 Likes

Thank you, Matthew!

4 Likes

Definitely! I love puzzles and puzzle rooms. Glad to support another GFer. This one looks pretty cool.

6 Likes

Amazing!

4 Likes

Thanks - I’m really pleased with how it’s come out. Although it’s quite sparse, there’s actually bits hidden EVERYWHERE!

5 Likes

Such a very cool idea!

5 Likes

Thank you! The double hinge is enormous fun to use!

2 Likes

I think you worked your own escape … escape from the world while you created. Kudos. Awesome project.

5 Likes

What a wonderful upgrade to the miniature diorama that tells a story. Making it into a puzzle box is brilliant!

4 Likes

Great project. so many details and so amazing.

2 Likes

That’s a very good point - making these is very satisfying!

1 Like

Thanks - especially this one, where there’s more than meets the eye!

1 Like

Thanks Mark!