While enhancing the experience for many, the use of live actors can be daunting for introverted players who might find the prospect of “performing” or engaging in improvisation anxiety-inducing.
Understanding the Introverted Player
Introverts, according to studies like those by psychologist Jonathan Cheek, often process stimulation differently and may prefer environments where they feel in control and unobserved. Being put “on stage” in an escape room with a live actor can trigger a sense of performance anxiety, detracting from their enjoyment. My escape room partner is an introvert. The nature of live interaction and the pressure to respond often creates stress for her rather than excitement. A study on introversion by Dr. Marti Olsen Laney explains how introverts might feel drained by too much external stimulation, suggesting that the high-energy, unpredictable nature of actor-driven puzzles might be overwhelming.
Extroverts are the ones to shout from the rooftops how much they love an immersive experience with live actors. Extroverts will also express their dislike for a game. Introverts, on the other hand, often won’t say anything, good or bad. While an owner or designer may hear how incredible their game with live actor interaction is from the extroverts, it may be just as anxiety-inducing for the same number of introverts who never speak a word about it.
I consider myself an ambivert, someone who straddles the line between introvert and extrovert. Most of the time I enjoy live actors in a room, certainly more than Tina, but if the actor asks me a bunch of questions or is looking for a certain level of participation, it can make me uncomfortable and take away from the experience. Tina and I have found more than a few games that are praised by enthusiasts to be just so-so for us due to the live interaction.
So what is a game designer to do? How can we design games that mimic that live actor presence and still make it enjoyable for everyone?
Enhancing Immersion Without Live Actors
Escape rooms can create immersive, engaging experiences without live actors by using technology and narrative design. Here are some suggestions:
1. Recorded Videos: Use screens to display pre-recorded videos of actors. This approach maintains a narrative and interactive element without the unpredictability of live interaction. Players can still receive clues and story elements from characters without the pressure to perform or respond in real-time. A great example of this is in the game Evil Dead at Hourglass in Seattle, WA. Lab Rat at Hatch Escapes in Los Angeles is also a fantastic example.
2. Interactive Objects: Transform objects into “characters” with pre-recorded voices or digital faces. For instance, a talking portrait or a wise-cracking safe can provide hints and contribute to the story, engaging players in a more controlled, predictable manner. We LOVE character hint systems like this, be it a skeleton come to life, a charming toaster, or a cute puppet.
3. Ambient Narration: Use speakers to provide ambient voices or narration that guides the story and offers clues. This method can create a rich, atmospheric setting without direct interaction, allowing introverted players to absorb and react at their own pace. The narrator in Easy Bake Coven is a wonderful example of this.
4. Detailed Set Design: Invest in creating an environment that tells a story itself. Rich details, thematic objects, and intricate set pieces can convey a narrative and evoke a mood without the need for live actors. Players can explore and interpret these elements, piecing together the story through observation and discovery. More and more escape rooms are showing just how important set design is in storytelling.
5. Puzzle-Based Storytelling: Design puzzles that naturally reveal the story as players solve them. Each completed puzzle can unlock part of the narrative, allowing players to engage with the story directly through their actions and decisions.
In one game we played, videotapes were provided after completing certain puzzles. Watching them moved the story along. We became invested in the characters from the tapes. The room also talked to you through voices coming from the walls and the house itself. Creepy, effective, and no need for us to improv…just the way we like it.
Enhancing Immersion With Live Actors But Limited Interaction
Can you have live actors and still appeal to introverts? Absolutely. The key is to use the actors as puzzles, clue-givers, or narration only. As long as they are not looking for verbal responses from the players, it can be an experience that introverts enjoy. It’s that feeling of being “on stage” that makes introverts (and even some ambiverts and extroverts) uncomfortable. They don’t want to feel like they need to provide the correct response or answers to questions from the actor(s). They don’t want to have that feeling of being judged.
Live actors can offer a thrilling dimension to escape rooms. It just needs to be recognized that not all players enjoy certain types of interaction. For introverts, the pressure to perform can detract from the experience. By incorporating alternative methods like those mentioned above or adjusting the level of interaction of the live actors, escape rooms can offer immersive and engaging experiences that cater to a broader range of personalities.
