From the instant that your group steps into your escape room, time will be on everyone's mind. Your host will have informed you about the length of your game, which could be 30, 45, or even 60 minutes in length. It's important to be aware of the time as the minutes tick past, so here are some dos and don'ts that your group will want to discuss before your game begins.
Do: Assign Someone To Monitor The Time
There's little value in having everyone in your group constantly be checking their watches and smartphones to see how much time is left in the game. Collectively, this can waste a lot of time. It's a good idea to assign one group member to be the person who watches the time. Choose a member who is reliable and conscientious as this type of person is unlikely to forget this important role.
Don't: Try To Add Stress
You want to choose a time monitor who will remain calm as he or she provides updates. You don't want someone who will make comments that add stress to the group — for example, "There are only 15 minutes left — we're going to run out of time!" The second part of such a statement adds little value and may actually cause some irritation in your group.
Do: Provide Regular Updates
Each group may have a different idea of how frequently it wants time updates, but it's a good idea to have your time-conscious member provide regular updates. For example, it might be worthwhile to provide an update every five minutes in a 45-minute game. In the final 10 minutes, you may want updates every minute. When this person provides these updates, he or she should do so briefly and without additional comments. Simply stating something such as "20 minutes left" is ideal.
Don't: Check Too Frequently
Your timekeeper is a valuable member of your team not only because he or she provides timing updates. It's important for this member not to check the time too frequently — otherwise, he or she may spend more time monitoring the time than actually helping the group to solve the various puzzles and riddles that make up the escape room experience. There's generally little value in updates that are obsessively frequent, too. For example, if the timekeeper announces that there are 15 minutes left, there's no point in announcing that there are 14 minutes and 30 seconds left just half a minute later.
For more tips on navigating escape rooms, reach out to a company like Mind Twist.
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