One of our favorite escape room locations in Edinburgh, UK (Locked in Edinburgh) won our "Best Overall" category and was mentioned in the "Edinburghlive"! We are very proud of them and hope to return soon for another challenge! This is definitely not an easy room to escape from but it's worth every moment. Are you up for the challenge? Locked In Edinburgh has generously given our subscribers a 10% off discount code "ROOMers10". Be sure to check them out when you are in town! #CiciCao #Articles #ETRinthepress #EdinburghLive #LockedInEdinburgh #UK

In case you bought way too much toilet paper...There's always room for.... During this global Coronavirus pandemic, we like to remind everyone that there's also something equally scary - an economy crisis. Many escape rooms will not be able to survive through this long period of "quarantine". We are in awe of companies that are trying very hard to make their escape rooms safe for their customers. Many have stated that their rooms are being cleaned and disinfected constantly (using CDC guidelines), making their rooms private for the customers, providing disposable gloves, asking the customers that are feeling ill to postpone their visit and providing very lenient reschedule or cancellation policies. This is the time escape room enthusiasts show our love and support for the industry. This is also a great time to take advantage of these private games at a much lower cost. Together we will escape COVID-19! We have listed the US and Canada companies who have notified us on all of their bookings now becoming private only or have always been private bookings. If your company is not on the list and would like to be added please let us know. Areas outside of North America will not be listed since most of the companies do offer private games ONLY. If you normally do not offer private rooms but is changing the policy due to the pandemic, please let us know and we can add it to the list). Click Here for the Full List Here are PRIVATE bookings only companies in Canada: Fazed Escape Rooms - Burlington, Ontario District 3 Escape Rooms - Regina, Saskatchewan Narrow Escape - Oakville, Ontario Escapology - London, Ontario Escapology - Montreal Omescape - Markham, Ontario Omescape - Scarborogh, Ontario Let the Escape Room come to you: Aftermath NL can visit you at home in the Netherlands. Designed for 6 to 25 players, with an agent in attendance to present, brief, debrief and supervise. Here are some items that might come in handy (especially the handy hand, sold on amazon for $7.99) if you want to implement some extra security measures: If you are going on an escape room adventure we love to hear your story! Please stay safe and we can't wait for this to be over so we can bring you along our exciting journeys that we have planned this year! #CiciCao #Articles #Perspectives #escapetheroomers #notafraid #coronavirus #wefight #standstrong #escaperoomsunite #safety #covid19 #support

Hi guys, As we are all trying to adapt to this new situation of business closures and curfew times (especially in the state we live in NY/NJ and our near by state of CT having similar policies), we decided to compile a list of things to do at home. This list consists of things we've played before and suggestions from our readers. We've also gathered some other resources like free met opera streaming, educational resources for kids at home, free movie streaming outlets, coronavirus updates etc...Please let us know if we missed anything that should be added to the list. Remember it's all about teamwork and together we'll find that "KEY" to the cure! Online Escape Room/Puzzles Cryptex Hunt Deadlocked Escape Room's "Insider" - If you purchase any escape room gift voucher anywhere and sent them a photo in an email (info@deadlockedrooms.com), they will give you access to "insider" for FREE Escape: A Game By Anthony BL Smith Escape Game Adventure books by Shiffer Books (for kids 8-12) Enigma Emporium First Puzzle Free Funny Bones Games Lounge & Café - Thursday at 7:45pm live on FB Galactic Puzzle Hunt Hogwarts Digital Escape Room - FREE Homehunts by Escape Room Eight Lock & Code Escape Room's downloadable games Mystery Escape Room Online: Nancy Drew/The Superhero Escape Adventure Mystery of the Missing Mare by Reality Break Escapes Mystery Story: Utopia - FREE By Xcapade Paruzal: Live-Hosted Online Escape Rooms (Private bookings) Penny Park Puzzled Pint ReadyMayorOne Reason: Lola in Space See Me Escape Room - Free Online Game Tim Tang Test Time's Up Escape Room's Free Printable Escape Games The Cult Experience Interactive Online Escape Room The Escape Kit The Escape Game - TEG at Home Think Tank Escape Room Trap Door Escape Stream Virtual Escape Rooms by Scott Weiss TableTop Games/Puzzles/Books Asmodee Unlock! Games Carcassonne Board Game Deadbolt Mystery Society Dispatch by Breakout Escape Room in a Box Escape Room The Game Escape Tales Escape The Crate Family Game box by Granite State Escape Room (Will include a $25 Gift Card) Forbidden Island Hive Ingenious Journal29 Loan Shark Games My First Carcassonne Mystery Package Pandemic Puzzle Post R & R Games Hanabi Card Game Team Blue Fish – The Curious Elevator of Mr. Hincks Thames & Kosmos - Exit: The Games The Conundrum Box The Master Theorem Apps Alleys: Maze escape/Hidden object by TILT Games Clue Keeper Cube Escape Daily Crossword Escape Challenge Escape the Fairy Tale Room Room Escape The Room MISC: Crackle Free Stream Movies Education Companies Offering Free Subscriptions due to School Closings Escape This Podcast Free Resources for Remote Learning for Kids Hoopla Free Movies(with a library card number and pin) IMDB Free Stream Movies (must create free IMDb account or sign in through Amazon/Facebook/Google) Met Opera Stream for FREE Pluto.TV Free Movies Room Escape Divas Podcast Shout! factoryTV Free Movies TubiTV Free Movies Vudu Free Movies (With Ads) Youtube Free Movies (With Ads) Coronavirus Update Websites: CBS CDC CNN NY Times WorldoMeter Finall, how many of these 100 things have you done already? Anything else to add? Link here Additional Resource Lists: Broad Game Geek FREE ESCAPE GAMES TO PLAY AT HOME By Black Rose Which room-in-a-box should I buy? By Escape The Review #CiciCao #Articles #Persepectives #coronavirus #thingstodoathome #thingstodoathomecoronavirus #resourcesforcoronavirus #boardgames #puzzles #freemovies #freethings

Dear all Escape Room Supporters, We are deeply saddened by so many escape room closure news during this pandemic. We understand it's a measure that must be taken in order to return our lovely community to normal again but the rebuild will be a difficult road ahead. We've compiled a list of companies that are still trying to give back to their loyal fans with discounted gift cards during this challenging period. We were only able to compile as much as we could from reading their social media posts and emails but we love it if you can let us know if we missed any. This is a great opportunity for you to also play your favorite games for less at a later. Of course you are welcome to purchase gift cards even if they are not at a discount for your favorite escape room locations as they are in need of your help to survive this and bounce back to normal once this is all over. Click here for the list of companies (This is an international list so all companies are welcome to submit) If you currently had a game booked and had to cancel, please consider a credit to use at a later time than a refund request. Many escape rooms are also offering a promotional discount if you decide to book at a later date. We also noticed a lot of physical escape room locations have quickly came up with solutions that they can provide their fans online (either for free or private booking experiences). There are also previous companies that already had either online/sent home puzzles that we've added on the list as well. Once again if we missed any, please let us know. 999 Games Can You Escape MAlta's Online Escape Games: Covid 19-The Antidote & The Serial Killer (small Donation). They also have a live stream escape room game: "The Pub" Challenge Escape Games's Online Escape Games Clue Quest - Online Escape Game: Stolen IQ Creators United DarkPark's - "CONSPIRACY 19" Deadlocked Escape Room's "Insider" - If you purchase any escape room gift voucher anywhere and sent them a photo in an email (info@deadlockedrooms.com), they will give you access to "insider" for FREE Dispatch by Breakout Escape New Haven's Online Games - The Gallery, The Crypt, and Before Moonrise Escape Room Herndon's Complimentary Online puzzle - "POTTER'S ESCAPE" Escape Room The Game Family Game box by Granite State Escape Room (Will include a $25 Gift Card) Huisarrest Lock & Code Escape Room's downloadable games Locked Amsterdam's "The Submarine in VR" Locks&Keys - "ESCAPEMIC" Modern Fable - "Medogan" Mystery Escape Room Online Mystery of the Missing Mare by Reality Break Escapes Mystery Story: Utopia - FREE By Xcapade Palace Games - FREE online puzzle game: Palace of Destiny Project Escape - "THE BLACK HAWK" See Me Escape Room - Free Online Game Time's Up Escape Room's Free Printable Escape Games The Escape Game - TEG at Home Think Tank Escape Room Trap Door Escape Stream If you are not looking to purchase anything, perhaps a simple shout out or re-post of your favorite escape room that you've played in the past will sent warmth to their hearts. We believe the industry will bounce back even stronger than before! Sending our prayers to all the escape room/puzzle creators out there! Consider this a little well deserved time off to make more amazing creations for us in the near future! #CiciCao #Articles #Perspectives #escaperoom #escapetheroomers #support #ERcommunity

We’ve tested POSITIVE for COVID19 about a week ago. There are so many mixed emotions as I’m sitting here contemplating what to write for this blog. I feel numb, sad, upset, angry, hopeless, scared, nervous, etc... At the same time, I feel lucky to have support, love, strength, protection, etc. We wouldn’t have survived this without the support of our families and friends. You were the light at the end of the tunnel. Now that my brain is finally able to put sentences together, I wanted to at least do something that perhaps would be able to help others in this chaotic world. This blog is really just to document what it was like to have the COVID (since we both experienced it differently), what we found helpful when dealing with it (especially on our own at home) and what we are still doing during this recovery stage. Saturday, March 14 - Brandon felt an itch in his throat in the morning. Towards the evening, he felt really weak and had a slight cough and body aches. Sunday, March 15 - In the morning, Brandon started to develop a fever that’s around 102. He felt the chills, body aches, coughing, loss of appetite and just slept a lot for the day. We started to self-isolate at home and I was in another room while Brandon was in another area. We also isolated our pet. Monday, March 16 - We got him some Mucinex as we were hoping this would just be a common flu and it will go away. During these few days I did not have any symptoms. Tuesday, March 17 – Saturday March 21: He’s been having sporadic fevers ranging from 99-103 but it never stuck. He was taking Advil for the body aches at the time. He just drank a lot of water and slept a lot. I started showing some symptoms of fatigue and a little fever starting on March 17. I didn’t have much of a cough or phlegm which I was hoping that’s a good sign since it hasn’t reached my lungs. My grandma also passed away in China on March 21. I couldn’t even be there to see her for the one last time because of this evil virus and a month ago I had just lost my grandpa. Sunday, March 22 – Brandon experienced 4 Vertigo attacks that day and I was very scared. I wasn’t sure if we needed to bring him to the hospital or not. We consulted a few doctors and they said it’s best to stay home if he doesn’t have problems with his breathing. I was also concerned since he’s a Diabetic. His fever went down which was a good sign. My fever has gone up for the day. I had lost my sense of smell and taste. I couldn’t hold a long breath and was feeling soreness around my chest area. I started to feel scared since we didn't have any clear directions on if we can get tested and what to do other than if we can’t breathe, we have to call 911. Monday, March 23 – My nose started to bleed, and it must’ve been over 15 minutes and won’t stop. I was getting very nervous and I think it must’ve been the blood gushing into my brain as I’m thinking about thoughts like “am I going to die?” or “what should I do? Who can help me?” As the bleeding finally stopped, I saw a letter from our township (we are in the state of NJ) saying that we can call for an appointment to get tested with a new drive-through location. I called right away and got through after 40 minutes of being on hold. Brandon’s call wasn’t that lucky, but he was finally was able to get in touch with someone after 4 hours of trying. We actually got an appointment for him on the same day at 4:30 pm and I just tagged along as I really needed to know one way or another that day. When we got to the testing center, it was actually very organized. We told the policeman his name and they checked him off and he explained that I’m a family member and they let me through as well. We had about 5 cars in front of us and the entire thing probably took less than 10 minutes. Brandon experienced a little discomfort when they stuck the long stick into his nostril. I didn’t have much of pain feeling at that time. Once we were done with the test, they gave us this piece of paper for us to take home. Tuesday, March 24 – My nose bled again in the morning but not as bad as yesterday. There’s a weird sensation of burning feel inside the nostril. It’s very dry yet very hot (due to the fever) and its not comfortable at all to breath through it. Sometimes I had to breath through my mouth. I still have really bad fevers throughout the day and night. Since I can only take a maximum of 6 Tylenols within 24-hour period, I was very careful on when I should take them. The fever makes the entire body very painful. Sometimes it felt like someone’s stabbing me with an ice pick and it hurts all the way into the bones. I couldn't sleep at night at all as no position was comfortable. Brandon’s fever has been gone for 2 days now which was good news. The health clinic also called and said that she’s just a health worker and can inform us that she does see that we tested positive for COVID but wanted us to wait till we hear the official result from the lab. We were kind of prepared for this but of course no preparation is good enough to hear of this bad news. Wednesday, March 25 – As Brandon is getting better with his symptoms, I’m getting worse. At this point, I had a stuffy nose, no sense of taste or smell, constipation, some phlegm and a really bad body ache. My fever was around 101-103 and it was every 10-11 hours. I was at least able to stuff food down my body as I know I needed energy to fight this. At this point, I started trying out a lot of different types of Chinese herbal medicines. We have family members in China that had doctors fighting in the front lines of COVID and had given us some suggestions. I have some photos here of the Chinese herbal medicines we took that helped with coughing, phlegm, fever reduction, release of toxins etc... Of course, there’s no cure to this virus but at that point I was willing to try anything. I even put out onions around the house seeing that it might attract this virus to its surface. This is also when we heard that we should not take Advil and Ibuprofen so all we were depending on at this point was the Tylenol. We drank a lot of water and Gatorade to keep hydrated. The doctors in China have been taking this during their fight at the front lines of the Coronavirus. Apparently it helped a good amount of people. This is a Western medicine that the China doctors have also taken to the front lines when they were fighting this virus. This is good for stopping coughing and phlegm... This is good for toxin release in the system and also good for just regular flu etc... Also for toxin release...."Liu Sheng Wan" This helped me at times with my stomach issues (diarrhea/constipation) This is great for fever reduction and regular flu... Thursday, March 26 – Fever conditions are the same. Nighttime is the worst as I have to constantly get up to drink water and pee out the toxins. I’m not getting much rest not that I don’t want to but because my body ache doesn’t really allow me to. I started to gargle salt water and washing my nostrils with Q-tip and soap to try to kill some of the viruses. I’m still constipated but gained back a little taste buds. It still hurts my head when I try to breath through my nostrils. Friday, March 27 – I’ve been getting up at very weird hours. Today, I’m up at 5am because I was very hungry. Most of the dishes I’ve been eating are prepared by my family as they don’t want me to be eating delivery. Most of the dishes are congee, noodles, veggies, eggs and these are very good for the digestive system. My fever is still haunting me throughout the day. But I was able to finally sleep one night through without a fever. I thought I was getting better… This is the day the lab called us and confirmed that we’ve both been tested positive for COVID. It was a pretty sad day for us. Saturday, March 28 – Sunday, Mach 29 - These were the worst two days I’ve felt in days. I was ready to go to the hospital. I had a fever starting from 6am and it just won’t go down despite eating Tylenol which hasn’t happened to me before. The fever lasted till the next day until about 6pm. It’s also been the highest I’ve seen at 104 at times. At one point, I felt like my body wasn’t even in my body anymore and I was seeing things. I was very worried and scared. I didn’t want to go to the hospital as I did not want to be put on a ventilator or respirator. I also wasn’t sure what was going on with my body since my entrusted Tylenol wasn’t working. All I could do was drink a lot of water and just keep peeing the toxins out. I also had very bad diarrhea which the doctor told me to get Mylanta. The doctor told us to go buy a “Oximeter” to test our oxygen levels and he said as long as it’s up above 90 then I should stay home. This is probably a good thing to have at home and to gauge and see if it’s definitely necessary to go to the hospital or not. The hospital should be your last resort. Brandon’s grandma was admitted to the hospital and she tested positive for COVID. Monday, March 30 – Fever went away finally. I was able to at least get some sleep. Body ache got a bit better, but the chest area was still sore, and I still couldn’t breathe normally with like a long breath. I’m just happy fever went away. Tuesday, March 31 – Fever is still gone which is good news as this is the second day. Hopefully those two dreadful days was the body finally winning the battle. Keeping my chin up throughout all of this. Wednesday, April 1 – This was a very sad day for us. Brandon’s grandma passed away due to COVID complications in the hospital all by herself since no visitors were allowed. We are deeply saddened by the fact that we can’t even be there to say goodbye. Every moment with family should be cherished as you just don’t know how fast a turn of events could be. We did not expect this. This is surreal. Thursday, April 2 – We are slowly recovering from COVID. Brandon is doing much better than I am as my body is still weak and feel fatigue from time to time. At least the fever is gone and I’m able to sleep at nighttime. The digestive system is also not really at its full state for me. I keep going from diarrhea to constipation back and forth. It’ll probably take some time to heal as I’m sure throughout the fight with this virus other parts of my body organs were probably damaged along the way. Friday, April 3 – Brandon’s God mother’s mom passed away in the hospital as well due to COVID and she was his grandma’s best friend. May they both rest in heaven and watch over us. Saturday, April 4 – I was able to do a little walking since by us its very open and we don’t have much people around us. Everyday we’ve been taking Vitamin C (2000mg), Vitamin E (1000mg) and 2 elderberry with Zinc. We want to still keep our immune system up as we only probably have immunity against this one strain of COVID. As COVID strains evolve we are still not safe. We have been big supporters of wearing masks and gloves when you go out. This is not to say you are protected but please protect people around you. You don’t know if you are carriers or not as some people are asymptomatic but for the sake of your loved ones, people you care about please wear masks and gloves! Sunday, April 5 – Brandon’s grandma’s sister’s husband is in ICU due to COVID complications and her family members have tested positive as well. We are praying for their safety and to win this fight against this monster. Monday, April 6 – We are finally starting to be able to do some work at home. Even though our breathing hasn’t been 100%, we are finally fever free and haven’t really been coughing too much. Tuesday, April 7 - The sun felt great today. We had to go out to get some grocery but fully covered with mask and gloves. I waited in the car most of the time as the body is still quite weak to be walking around for too long. I had really bad diarrhea today but soaking in the sun felt really refreshing. Wednesday, April 8 - Today I was able to do some more chores at home. I'm still not 100% as I still can't smell things and my taste bud is probably still at 70%. A lot of the items taste like powder to me and has a weird after taste. Last night I slept better than the day before but there's always cold sweat but at least no fever. This recovering stage won't be a short one. I'm sure there are organs that has been "damaged" during this fight with this scary virus. I keep hearing things about maybe how some people's symptoms happened again after they thought they were recovering. We are not immune to this at all. Maybe just this strand but there's still a high chance we still can get infected again so we have to protect ourselves at all times especially when our body is not at 100%. I suggest to anyone who's recovered or think that they are to still take precaution at all times. Thursday, April 9 - Thursday April 11 - Not much changes to my body lately except my smell and taste haven't fully recovered. I would say scent is at 20% and taste is at 70%. Brandon has his all back awhile ago. I guess everyone's experience is different with this virus. There's still some weird digestion issues with my stomach. Sunday, April 12 - We lost another member of our family (Brandon's grandma's sister's husband) to COVID. This is just so unreal. Everything happens so fast. When you are emitted to the ICU it just seems like there's not much hope making it out. I still believe currently if you can fight this virus on your own please try to do so at home. Hospital will likely either contract you with the virus if you didn't have one (since you will not likely get tested and won't know if you have it or not) and they can't really do anything for you since they are so busy with the patients already with more serious conditions. The wait is very long in an ER room. Try to fight this on your own if you can. Monday, April 13-Tuesday, 14 - My taste is probably at 80% now and smell at 50%. There's always this weird bitter and powdery after taste after I eat meals. The chest area sometimes still feel a bit like there's something on top of it but nothing really concerning. I don't cough due to it and the testing for oxygen level is normal on the oximeter. Wednesday, April 15-Friday 17 - Nothing much changed these few days. I think we are on the recovery route. I have started to eat more normal again with normal foods and even some oily ones. It's good to have taste buds back but still have a weird after taste...Not sure when that will go away but I realized i pick up salt and bitter taste much more...Husband actually started to teach virtual dance classes. Support him here and get your grooves on at home! Saturday, April 18 - My knees started to develop a sharp pain. I didn't twist it or bump anywhere so not sure where it's from and other body parts became ache. I'm worried since fatigue and body ache are symptoms of COVID. I hope it goes away. No fever or cough I guess that's hopefully a good sign. Sunday, April 19 - Brandon has a very bad episode of Vertigo. He's been having dizziness all morning and nausea/vomit. We are going to consult the doctor on video tomorrow to see what can be done. He slept pretty much all day. My knee situation got better since I started using the Chinese medicine "Tiger Balm". It something you rub on your skin that kind of gives a burning sensation like a heat pad. Monday, April 20 - Brandon's vertigo is still bothering him a lot. The doctor prescribed "Meclizine" and said to take it for three days and should be better. We shall see. We were also worried this is another symptom of COVID since he had it when he had tested positive COVID. Hopefully this is all us thinking too much and not something more serious.... Here’s the list of items which we considered “lifesaving” items and some optional ones that you might need if you are in a self-quarantine situation. If you are symptomatic, we suggest you start to do these anyways just to not let the situation worsen. 1. Drink a lot of water (warm/hot water preferred). If can add a lemon that would be even better. Optional when needed: Gatorade/juice 2. Eat a lot of fruits. 3. Gargle saltwater morning and night. Optional: Clean your nostril with Q-tip. Use Vaseline or Tiger Balm inside nostrils. 4. Tylenol 5. Thermometer 6. Optional when needed: Mylanta, constipation medicine 7. Vitamin C, E, elderberry with Zinc 8. Mask & Gloves 9. Keep an excel sheet and update your intake on the medications, fever degrees, other body changes so this way you won't forget and also you can report it back to the doctor accurately 10. Recommendation from a medical personnel - Lie prone (chest and belly down). Based on the Pathophysiology of the disease it helps improve diffusion (gas exchange) in the lungs and perfusion to the tissues. Throughout these 3 weeks of painstaking experiences, we feel like we’ve been reborn. There are so many moments of life and death (losing our loved ones, losing our faith and maybe even losing ourselves) that we now look back and wonder how we did we even survive this? There’s no cure for this virus but if we had to share our “cure” it’s HOPE, it’s STRENGTH and it’s the WILL to FIGHT! Even though there’s a lot of hardships with the economy right now at least you have your loved ones to go through it together. Even though you can’t be physically be together... a phone call, or a video chat each day could give them the strength to go on. We hope everyone stays safe, practices social distancing, wears masks and gloves whenever possible to protect your love ones. If anyone has any concerns or questions, feel free to email us and we’ll help as much as we can. Email: escapetheroomers@gmail.com Friday August 14 - We just got our results back after testing for COVID again and it's NEGATIVE! We also tested for the Antibody which came back POSITIVE. It was weird because the first time I went for the COVID test my husband tested negative for COVID and positive for antibodies but I tested positive for COVID and positive for antibodies. I told the doctor that my test result doesn't seem to be correct as I haven't had any symptoms and have contracted the virus back in March. So he had to redo a test for me with the oral and nasal and the second time it came back negative. I wanted to share this story so people know that sometimes the test might not be accurate and since testing is free anyways its probably best to get tested twice to make sure. Even though we are happy about this news, somethings are still not the same. My scent and taste buds are not like before and I don't know when and if they'll ever recover. My knees and muscles are still hurting a lot and are a lot weaker than before. My husband also feels fatigue from time to time. No one could tell us anything because no one knows if there's ever going to be a cure that'll fix everything. We could only hope for that day... Monday August 31 - Our doctor's office finally opened and we were able to go do our annual check up. Due to the fact that we're constantly feeling tired, we haven't been exercising as much. This has caused both of us to gain weight since recovery. I also have a lot of body ache which the doctor said to try "Meloxicam". She said to try it out for 7 days and see if the pain would become better or not. I'll update with more information if it does help. My scent and taste still haven't came back 100% and who knows if it will ever become before or not. Here's an interview we did with WJMS radio along with a few other COVID survivors on our experience during COVID and post COVID symptoms and other useful information: As I had some request of a Chinese version of this article, here's the translation: A Fight Against an Invisible Monster - CORONAVIRUS 一场与一个看不见的怪物——"冠状病毒”的战斗 一周前我跟我老公的COVID19检测呈阳性。 当我坐在这里思考该为这个博客写些什么的时候，太多复杂的情绪让我有些窒息。我感到麻木、悲伤、不安、生气、绝望、害怕、紧张……与此同时，我也感觉到了幸运、支持、爱、力量、等等。如果没有家人和朋友的支持，我们也许战胜不了这个病毒。你们给予了我们隧道尽头的“光”。 现在我的大脑终于能够把一个句子组合在一起了。我想至少做点什么，也许我们的经验能够帮助到你或者你身边的人。我把我们从得了COVID直到现在的恢复期间写成了一篇日记。因为我们两个都有不同的体验，希望如果你们有任何的症状下可以进行对比。这里面还包含了我们这个期间用的一些产品和药物。希望可以帮助你们在家救急用。 3月14日，星期六——早上我老公觉得喉咙有点痒。傍晚时分，他感到非常虚弱，还伴有轻微的咳嗽和身体疼痛。 3月15日，星期天——早上，我老公开始发烧，大约102度。他感到发冷，身体疼痛，咳嗽，没有食欲。这一天他基本上在睡觉。我们开始在家里自我隔离。我在另一个房间，而我老公在另一个区域。我们也隔离了我们的宠物。 3月16日，星期一——我老公吃了Mucinex(管鼻腔堵塞感冒的药)。因为我们希望这只是一个普通的流感，它会消失。这几天我没有任何症状。 3月17日(星期二)——3月21日(星期六): 我老公一直在断断续续发烧，范围从99-103，但从未停止过。他当时一直在服用止痛药 (Advil)来缓解身体疼痛 。他只是喝了很多水，睡了很多觉。从3月17日开始，我开始出现一些疲劳和轻微发烧的症状。我没有咳嗽或痰，我希望这是一个好迹象，因为它可能还没有到侵蚀到我的肺。我的奶奶也在3月21日在中国去世了。因为这个邪恶的病毒，我甚至不能去见她最后一次。一个月前我刚刚失去了我的爷爷。 3月22日，星期天——那天我老公经历了4次眩晕，我非常害怕。我不确定我们是否需要带他去医院。我们咨询了一些医生，他们说如果他没有呼吸问题，最好呆在家里。我也很担心，因为他是糖尿病患者。今天他退烧了，这是一个好迹象。但是我今天开始发烧了。我失去了嗅觉和味觉。我无法长时间地呼吸，感到胸部周围疼痛。我开始感到害怕，因为我们没有明确的指示也没有地方给我们测试。医生只是说如果我们不能呼吸就必须拨打911。 3月23日，星期一——我的鼻子开始流血，而且肯定已经超过15分钟了，一直流个不停。我变得非常紧张，我想一定是血液涌进了我的大脑而导致鼻子的血流个不停。我的脑子开始胡思乱想。。。 “我会死吗？”，“我该怎么办?” ,” 谁能帮助我?“ 当流血终于停止时，我看到了一封来自我们镇(我们在新泽西州)的信，信中说我们可以打电话预约一个新的驾车穿越地点进行测试。我马上打了过去，等了40分钟才接通。我老公的电话没那么幸运，但经过4个小时的努力，他终于与某人取得了联系。那天下午四点半，我跟着他一起去了。当我们到达测试中心时，他们还是非常有组织性的。我们告诉警察我老公的名字 然后跟他解释说我是一个家庭成员，他们也让我通过去测试了。我们前面有5辆车，整个过程可能不到10分钟。当他们把长棍插入他的鼻孔时，我老公感到有点不舒服。那时我并没有太多的疼痛感只是高兴终于给我们测试了。测试完了后就给了我们这张纸，让我们带回家。 3月24日，星期二——早上我的鼻子又开始流血了，但不像昨天那么严重。鼻孔里有一种奇怪的烧灼感。(由于发烧)它又干又热，呼吸起来一点也不舒服。有时我不得不用嘴呼吸。我仍然日夜不停地发烧。由于我在24小时内最多只能服用6片泰诺，所以我非常谨慎地选择了服用的时间。发烧使整个身体非常疼痛。有时感觉就像有人用冰锥刺我，刺痛我的骨头。我晚上根本睡不着，因为没有什么姿势是舒服的。我老公已经两天没有发烧了，这是个好消息。我们下午的时候接到了健康诊所给我们打的电话。 她说她只是一个卫生工作者,可以告诉我们结果但是我们还是要等医生打给我们确诊。她看到我们COVID结果是阳性的，但是我们还是保存了一线希望等真正的实验室的结果。 3月25日，星期三，—我老公的症状正在好转，而我的情况却在恶化。此时，我的鼻子不通气，没有味觉或嗅觉，便秘，有些痰，身体非常疼。每隔10-11个小时，我的发烧大约是101-103。我至少能够把食物塞进我的身体里，因为我知道我需要能量来对抗病毒。从那时起，我开始尝试各种各样的中草药。我们在中国认识的一些医生给了我们一些建议 (包括莲花清瘟，阿比多尔，银翘，六神丸，贝母止咳，等等)。我这里有一些我们服用的药物的照片，这些药物可以帮助治疗咳嗽、痰、退烧、释放毒素等等……当然，这种病毒是无法治愈的，但当时我愿意尝试任何方法。我甚至在房子周围都放了洋葱（因为它可能会把病毒吸引到它的表面），用大蒜进行口试呼吸等等。这也是当我们听说我们不应该服用Advil和Ibuprofen。所以我们一发烧就只吃 Tylenol。我们喝了很多水和佳得乐来保持水分。 3月26日，星期四——我发烧的情况还是和前天一样。晚上是最糟糕的，因为我必须经常起床喝水，排尿排出毒素。我没有办法得到足够的休息，不是我不想休息，而是因为我的身体疼痛不允许我休息。我开始用盐水漱口，用棉签和肥皂清洗鼻孔，试图杀死一些病毒。我还是便秘，但味觉回来了一些。当我试图从鼻孔呼吸时，我的头仍然很痛。 3月27日，星期五——我总是在很奇怪的时间起床。今天我早上5点就醒了，因为我很饿。我吃过的大多数菜都是我的家人亲自为我们做的，因为他们不想让我吃外卖。大部分的菜肴都是粥、面条、蔬菜、鸡蛋，等等。这些对消化系统都有好处。我整天都在发烧。但是这个晚上没发烧我还不容易的睡着了。我以为我的情况正在好转…这一天实验室给我们打了电话，确认我们都被检测出是COVID阳性。对于我们来说，这是非常悲伤的一天。 3月28日，周六，——3月29日，周日 ——这是我几天来感觉到最糟糕的两天。我准备好去医院了。我从早上6点开始发烧，尽管我吃了泰诺，但还是没退烧，这种情况以前从未发生过。发烧一直持续到第二天下午6点。这也是我烧到最高的一次，达到了104次。有一段时间，我觉得我的身体甚至都不在我的身体里了，我都能看到幻觉。我非常担心和害怕。我不想去医院，因为我不想戴呼吸器。我也不确定我的身体发生了什么，因为泰诺不起作用了。我所能做的就是喝大量的水，不停地排尿排出毒素。我的腹泻也非常严重也呕吐了，医生让我去吃Mylanta。医生让我们去买一个“血氧计”来测试我的氧含量，他说只要高于90，我就应该呆在家里。家里需要必备一个这个东西因为你可以衡量看看是否有必要去医院还有你的氧含量的危险程度。医院应该是你最后的选择。这天我老公的婆婆被送进了医院，因为她被检测出患有COVID阳性和肺炎。 3月30日，星期一——我的发烧终于退了。我至少还能睡一会儿。身体的疼痛减轻了一点，但胸部仍然疼痛，我仍然不能正常呼吸。 星期二，3月31日——还是没有发烧，这是个好消息，因为今天是第二天。希望这两个可怕的日子是身体最后赢得战斗的开始。在这整个过程中，心态是最重要的。 4月1日，星期三——这对我们来说是非常悲伤的一天。我老公的婆婆因为病毒和肺炎独自（医院不给人探望）在医院去世了。我们甚至不能说再见。和家人在一起的每一刻都应该被珍惜，因为你不知道事情的变化会有多快。 4月2日，星期四——我们正慢慢从COVID的阴影中恢复过来。我老公的情况比我好多了，因为我的身体仍然很虚弱，时不时会感到疲劳。至少退烧了，晚上可以睡觉了。我的消化系统也不是完全处于最佳状态。我总是从腹泻到便秘，来来回回。可能需要一段时间才能痊愈，因为我确信在与这种病毒的战斗中，我身体的其他器官可能在战斗中都受到了损害。 4月3日，星期五——我老公的干妈的母亲也因COVID在医院去世了，她是他祖母最好的朋友。愿他们在天堂安息，守护我们。 4月4日，星期六——因为我们这里很开放，周围人也不多所以我出去散了一会儿步。我们每天都在服用维生素C(2000毫克) ，维生素E(1000毫克)和2个含锌的接骨木果。我们想要保持我们的免疫系统，因为我们可能只有对这一种COVID有免疫力。当COVID病毒进化时，我们仍然不是安全的。我们一直是戴口罩手套出门的坚定支持者。你不知道你是否是携带者，因为有些人是无症状的，所以请大家为了你自己及所有人，戴上口罩! 4月5日，星期日 -布兰登的祖母的姐姐的丈夫由于急性脑卒中并发症在ICU，她的家人也被检测出阳性。我们祈祷他们的安全，并赢得这场与这个怪物的战斗。 4月6日，星期一——我们终于可以在家里做一些工作了。尽管我们的呼吸并不是100%的顺畅，但我们终于摆脱了发烧的困扰，咳嗽也不再那么频繁了。 以下是我们认为可能在你绝望的时候可以“挽救生命”的一些物品清单。如果你处于自我隔离状态或感觉有一些症状，可以尝试以下建议而不让疫情恶化。 1. 多喝水(最好是温水/热水) 。如果能加一个柠檬那就更好了。必要时可选:佳得乐/果汁 2. 多吃水果。 2. 早晚用盐水漱口。可选: 用棉签清洁鼻孔。 3. 泰诺 4. 血氧计 5. 温度计 6. 必要时可选: 蜜兰塔，便秘药 7. 维生素C, E，含锌接骨木果 8. 面具和手套 9. 做一个excel表格，更新你的药物摄入量，发烧程度，其他身体变化，这样你就不会忘记。你也可以准确地向医生报告你的状况。 10. 医疗人员推荐-俯卧(胸部和腹部向下)。基于疾病的病理生理学，它有助于改善肺部的扩散(气体交换)和组织的灌注。 在这三个星期的艰苦经历中，我们感觉自己得到了重生。有太多的生死离别 让我们感觉到失去我们所爱的人，失去我们的信仰，甚至失去我们自己)，以至于我们现在回首往事，不禁会想，我们是怎么活下来的? 因为知道没有治愈这种病毒的方法，所以还没跟病毒抗衡的时候就感觉50%我们是输了。但是这个病毒就是靠这个理念才带走了那么多人的生命。我们不会那么轻易的屈服的。我们有支持和爱我们的家人，我们要为他们战斗！尽管现在的经济很困难，但你们要记得你起码有亲人和你们一起度过难关。即使你们不能在一起，每天打个电话或视频聊天也能给他们继续下去的力量！我们希望每个人都能保持安全，少出门，多隔离，尽可能戴上面具和手套来保护你们身边的人。希望我们这次的COVID经验能够帮助更多人战胜这个病毒！如果任何人有任何疑问，请随时给我们发邮件，我们将尽我们所能提供帮助。电子邮件: contact.upkey@gmail.com #CiciCao #Articles #Perspectives #covid #coronavirus #recap #covid19 #cure #howtopreventcovid #covidhomeremedy

As we see more escape room companies transitioning to online business models, we as players have been provided with numerous options and have been quite confused with the types and different terminologies. I’ve already covered that in my previous blog so today we are just going to focus on the “Remote Escape Room” category. *Please note that we have not played all the remote escape rooms that's out there and these are opinions based on what we have seen as a player so far. As we play more of these remote escape rooms perhaps our opinions might change. We might do an updated blog if we see new trends emerge in this market. What is a Remote Escape Room? When you book this type of escape room, you’ll need to be connected via Zoom/Google hangout or some sort of live stream app that you can join at your specific booked time and date with a live game master/avatar to start your game. Your game will be in an actual escape room setting but you will be playing at home and you’ll be able to “control” your game by speaking to the game master/avatar telling them what to do in the room. For instance, if you want them to open the book next to the bed, they will go over there and do so. The usual timing for the entire game is normally 60 minutes but do check with the location as they can vary. Does it feel like a real escape room? We’ve beta tested a few of these from various companies from all over the world. Overall, the things that we noticed is significantly different from when we are at a physical location playing an escape room are the following: 1. Lost the immersive feel – Because you have to see and hear things clearly on camera, they can not do dim lighting or background sounds and it would also be difficult to create special effects that can be captured at the right moments on camera 2. Games are linear – Since there’s only one game master/avatar you have to solve one puzzle at a time to move on to the next. 3. Games became more simplified with easier and less puzzles – Since there’s only one game master/avatar and they have to show you everything in the room and have to go back and forth, there’s a lot of time spent on just “showing”. You probably will not see too many difficult puzzles as there’s really no time to solve those during the 60 minutes given 4. The “physical sensation” – I was always a fan of opening physical locks and hearing that “unlocking” sound. You still hear it and see it on camera, but it just doesn’t feel the same when you are not physically operating it. How can remote escape rooms improve on player experience? Based on what we’ve experienced as players, we have a few suggestions we think could improve our experience that we like to suggest to the escape room locations: 1. Website Description – We still get confused by what game we are booking into as some companies do not write out in detail what is included in the game. We think description should include the following: Does the game have a live avatar? In a physical escape room setting? Language offered in? Pricing structure? Description of the game? How many players? Duration? What do you need for the game (internet, pen/pencil, Zoom, computer)? 2. Know your players – It would be nice for us to get a survey at the time of booking with questions like how many escape rooms have you played before? Have you played any remote escape rooms? Would you like your game master to give you hints? Do you want unlimited hints or no hints? Would you like us to give you time reminders and “push” you a bit when there’s not much time left? This will also help you know what kind of player you are getting and how to inform the game master on how to direct the game. Since players are all different and have their own way of playing the game, this would probably be the best way to “know” them and satisfy their needs during the game. 3. Cameras and angles – We notice some escape rooms are only using one camera which is on the avatar. This shows their point of view only. We recently played one where they also had another camera set up where they are calling that camera a “working station” where if they find a “clue” or anything useful like a “key” they will place it there and you’ll be able to see that camera anytime you want. This was very helpful since as a player we would compile things when we’re in an escape room as well and go back to it so we don’t forget what was gathered. The placement of “clues” there also helped save time for us to tell the game master to keep showing it back and forth to us again and again. This saved time. Also, we noticed that some locations may have details on the painting or places that might have “clues” that we need to find. If it’s small fonts or clues we need to read, it would help if there’s a spotlight or something that helps the player see better. Additionally, take note of your avatar’s height and make sure all the clues and hints are reachable by them and also the camera angle as sometimes it’s hard for them to show it to us if they can not move their camera around. 4. Lighting usage – Since we are not at the physical location and cannot see what has been opened with the pin code we just gave, it would help to add some wrap around lighting to the location that just popped open to give guidance and excitement to the player that they just opened something. We saw this in one of the locations we’ve just played, and they have done their lighting very well. All places that “opened” has green lights wrap around the door or cabinet and once the code opened it, the place lit up. 5. Game master/Avatar Interaction – This is very important part of the player experience and it’s a lot more work for a game master now than when we were at a physical location since for the most part they were mainly giving clues when we needed them and monitoring us from the backend. Now they have to interact with the players throughout the entire game as an avatar and do what they say (sometimes multiple players have different requests). For multiple player game perhaps it’s best to designate a leader and when agreed then that would be the action to take. It can get very confusing for the game master and waste time when everyone is putting in a different input. We felt that the game was a lot more engaging when the avatar was in character as part of the story line and was also into the game as much as we were. It felt more like a team when they also wanted to solve the puzzles quickly. But this also leads back to our first point of knowing your players before the game so you know if you are dealing with players that wants to quickly beat the game or enjoy the game for the entire 60 minutes without cluing. 6. Puzzle design – This becomes tricky with remote escape rooms. We feel like most people booking remote escape rooms right now are enthusiasts who’s played before. They may feel that the puzzles are too linear and easy at some point in comparing to the ones they’ve played before. It’s also difficult for escape room owners to design these at a complex level since there’s only one avatar and only one puzzle can be solved at a time. Beta testing may be the best way for the escape rooms to determine if your puzzles are all easy and if people are getting way too fast and not getting their full 60 minutes worth. Adding in more hidden places or rooms can also be more intriguing for players since remote escape room focus more on visual stimulation. 7. Language – If your game requires any kind of translation to another language from the original, I definitely suggest the escape room location to have a enthusiasts from that country beta test the game to make sure the wording is what its suppose to mean in that country and there were times we were confused by a few symbols which could mean differently in the US than Europe. 8. Pricing - There’s a huge range of pricing currently for these remote escape rooms and as a player it’s hard to determine how to pick a game based on that. The physical escape rooms were a lot easier as most prices are fairly standard in the same range. Currently there are pricing structures as per person, per device, or per group/team. As a player if I chose the per team price and had a great time and went back to another place where they are charging per person and did not get the same kind of experience, then that might result in a negative feedback. We strongly suggest escape room owners who have remote escape rooms to play some others to compare yours and market research to determine where you should set your price standard with the game experience you’ll provide. Due to the current situation, remote escape room seems to be the closest option we felt to an actual escape room. I would still prefer to go to a physical location and playing the escape room over the remote escape room option when everything returns back to normal. Although it would be interesting to see if this option would last in the industry for international clients since it’ll be a cheaper option for them to try out the rooms without having to travel to there. If there’s anything else anyone can think of to add on to this list, please email (escapetheroomers@gmail.com) us and let us know! Find a list of Remote Escape Room from all of the world to try HERE! #CiciCao #Articles #Perspectives #RemoteEscapeRoom #APlayerPerspective

There's a sculpture created by Jim Sanborn called "Kryptos" at the grounds of CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia. Three of the 4 have been solved but the 4th one hasn't been able to be cracked by anyone yet for over 30 years....Click on this Youtube video on the story. Give it a try and see if you'll be the first to solve this in the world! Here are the solutions to the previous 3 Kryptos and a hint to the 4th: Click here There's a Kryptos inspired escape room in Bulgaria called "The Secret of Kryptos". If you have a chance to go there, definitely check it out! If that's too hard of a chance, give these codes a try (created by cryptanalysts at the FBI Laboratory) Anyone have the answer? #CiciCao #Articles #IndustryNews #puzzle #solve #uncrackablecode #fbi #cia #secretcode

We visited Escape Room Arlington back in July of 2019. We played their "Supervillains" room and loved it! It even received a bullseye award from us! We are super excited when they asked us to be featured on their blog. We gave a lot of background story on how we ended up becoming who we are today. Enjoy! Click Here #CiciCao #Articles #ETRinthepress #escaperoom #escapetheroomers #escapearlington #review #blog #fun #supervillains #topratedgame #bullseyeaward

We were suppose to attend UTG's conference in the Netherlands this year along with our Netherland escape room tour but due to COVID everything was cancelled. We are grateful to have recovered from COVID in time to be able to participate at the online festival's breakout room sessions (special shout out to Norbert & Rik for putting this together!). There were many veterans and industry leaders at the online conference and we had an amazing time meeting them. There were also fun digital games offered. See below for a sample of their daily schedule. We hope to meet in person one day but for now let's revisit some wonderful memories! #CiciCao #Articles #Events #upthegame #utg #europe #escaperoom #escaperoomconference #conference #etr

We had a blast watching NBC's special for Red Nose Day (Please support and donate! yesterday. There were moments wow moments (when they completed DDR in one shot), laughter (when these phrases were used:“Whats’s 4x9?”, “Lets get loud ahhhhhhhh”, “turn it over and it’s 666 sign of the devil”, “red and white is orange”), and screaming (when we saw a solution to a puzzle and they didn't). If you missed the show last night, check out the video below: #CiciCao #Articles #IndustryNews #escapetheroomers #escaperooms #celebrityinescaperooms #celebrity #show #rednoseday #letsplay #donate

Hi everyone! We've started to gather this "master list" of "At Home Games" since March of 2020. The list has became a great resource for players and creators, In the list, you'll find games in various languages and from over 40+ countries. There's about 700+ companies and over 3,000 games listed. Whether you are looking for a free game, point-n-click game, game with an live avatar, puzzle trivia with a live host, tabletop games, puzzle book, print-n-cut, kids game or App/PC games, you should be able to find something to keep you entertained at home. We will continue to update this list DAILY as we discover new games on the market. [ For The List ] (Updated daily - Sorted by category and then by company name) As players, we hope the list makes it convenient for you to find what you're looking for. If the company is offering the games for free as "pay-what-you-can" or "donation" method, we hope you would consider a small payment to help them during these difficult times. If you are an owner or game creator, we hope this list can give you some insights to the different types of games and pricing that are out there. Perhaps it could even spark some creative ideas on new projects for the future. If your game is not listed on there and you would like to be listed, please email us. We have divided the games into these categories below but the online gaming industry is changing so quickly that we'll be constantly updating our description as we see fit. For now here are the current categories (you can find this on the main page of the list as well): Remote Escape Room - Booking for a specific time is needed. There's an actual game master (avatar) who's set up physically in an escape room (you'll be viewing this over Zoom or other video conferencing device) and you'll be instructing them on what you would like them to do (including opening items, locks, etc...). The game is often times paired with an online inventory system. Audio Escape Game/ Live Stream Puzzle - Booking for a specific time is needed. The game master will not be in a physical escape room setting and you'll be meeting together via Zoom, Google Hangout, Skype, etc. Audio games mostly will be paired with visual images or sound. Digital (Escape) Game (w/ or W/o GM) - Online game in point-n-click format. If there's a storyline that is similar to a mission where you'll need to escape or you're being timed, then we put it under digital escape game. Other wise, you'll just see it as digital game where it's more like a puzzle hunt. These will be delivered immediately to you via email or you can play it on their website. There are no game masters/ guides (unless we specify GM next to it). The GM will be there for hint guidance and tech issues. There's no narratives like in audio escape games. These games could have prerecorded video and audio components DIY Escape Kit - Can be downloaded from online immediately after purchase. Additional supplies may be required like a printer, scissors etc...in order to play the game. There usually some narratives involved although some are just plain puzzles. Some games will require you to combine online elements as well as the printouts. Online Puzzle Games - Riddles and Puzzles with no storyline. These will be delivered immediately to you via email or available on the website. Some may require printing. Puzzles by Mail (Books/Tabletop Games) - These are developing stories/ puzzle boxes/ board games that could be subscription based or just a one time purchase. It would most likely have to be mailed to you although some might have digital options. Escape/Strategy Video Games - PC or App Game Immersive Experiences - Theater production/Role Playing/Live streamed shows that's more focused on the narrative but have some light puzzles/mysteries elements We've also separated out a category for Free Games and Kids Games on the list. If you notice anything you've played recently that's missing on the list, we would really appreciated if you could EMAIL US that information. If there’s any errors that you were able to spot on the list, please contact us right away so we can amend them. Lastly... if you would like us to beta test or review your game, please email us. For players who would like to play a game or two with us, check out our tier programs on Patreon! We really love meeting new people from all over the world! Most of all, enjoy these "At Home Games" and puzzle on!!! #CiciCao #Articles #Guides #STAYATHOME #FlattenTheCurve #OnlinePuzzleGames #RemoteEscape #VirtualEscape #PuzzlesByMail #EscapeVideoGames #Quarantine #DIY #stayathomegames #digitalgame #onlinegame #tabletopgames #appgames #videogames

Since last March, we started playing remote (online) escape rooms (with live avatar) from companies all over the world. As of today, we've played close to 200 of them from countries like USA, Hungary, Malta, Brazil, UK, Japan, Portugal, Italy, Australia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Canada, Ukraine, Croatia, Russia, Greece, Poland, France, Austria, Lithuania, Cyprus, Ireland, Spain, Slovenia, Germany, Switzerland, Finland and Singapore. It's so nice to be able to see the different takes on puzzle ideas and room designs. The concept of having a GM (sometimes even the owners themselves) as avatar where they will be to our eyes and hands in front of a camera was born during this pandemic period since Escape Rooms weren't allow to open. Even now when escape rooms are allow to open to the public, we are still seeing some companies continue to offer the remote option to customers. It really opened doors for enthusiasts who would probably never be able to travel to their location in their whole life time to be able to play their games online. I still get questions from our readers who's never tried an online escape room before on how these are played and if I have any tips for them. Hopefully these pro tips below will get you prepared and successfully escape every one of them in the future! Pro Tip 1 - Prepare Your Tech "Tools": If you've never played an online escape game before, make sure you read the email instructions carefully and prepare what you'll need in advance. Most companies will be using either Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Meetup, Jitsi or some other video conferencing platform to host the game, You should download the software and test out the camera and microphone ahead of time. A lot of the games have sound effects and some may even have audio puzzles so it's best to wear headsets during the game play. If you don't have headsets, be mindful of other players on your team and "mute" and "unmute" yourself during the game whenever there's audio components. If you are fancy and have dual monitors, it's definitely an advantage during most of these games as they are often paired with an inventory system. It's a lot easier for you to have Zoom on one screen and the inventory system on the other. Pro Tip 2 - Assign Roles: This one might be tricky and tough to follow pending on the team you're playing with. Sometimes its really difficult to hear the avatar or vise versa when all the players are talking at the same time. It would be great if there's a designated searcher and the person who ultimately calls out the codes once decided by the group. But usually everyone would like to contribute so it's hard to manage to keep those rules rigid. This technique is definitely useful if you're going to try to aim for the leaderboard, Pro Tip 3 - Inform Your Avatar: Since your avatar doesn't know what type of players you and your team are (beginners or enthusiasts that gave played hundreds of escape games), it's best to let them know how you would like to play the game prior to the start. This could avoid confusion or frustration later on as some players might feel like the avatar is doing too much on their own or too slow for their team's speed (i.e. If we informed the avatar to check the first drawer, it would be great if the he/she could also check on the bottom drawer without our instructions). Pro Tip 4 - Automate The Search: Even though you have a team of players joining you on Zoom, there's only one avatar. You may discover puzzles that you can solve simultaneously but there's still only one pair of hands that will be able to act on your instructions. Instead of having the avatar run around the room and multiple players all shouting different things for him/her to do at the same time, it's best to just inform them to search the room from left to right (or vise versa) in an automated fashion. You'll save a lot of time that you can use towards solving puzzles and the search will be more thorough as you won't forget any areas. If the avatar found items in the previous room and you've just opened up a new space, have them carry the items with them. Chances are you'll be using it in there so this will also save some time. Pro Tip 5 - Settle on a Strategy: After the start of the game, you'll probably realize if the puzzles are linear or nonlinear. If the game provided ways where players are able to solve various puzzles separately (this is rare as it's quite difficult to do from the online format but we've seen some really good implementations from a few of the companies), then you might want to choose the "divide and conquer" route where one person searches and the others solve puzzles. Some teams like to do things together which is totally a legit strategy for these online type of escape games. Pro Tip 6 - Take Notes: Even if the game provided you with an inventory system where you'll see images of items being collected or taken away after you've used them, it's still a good habit to take notes throughout the game. If you see a lock, write down how many digits or letters you'll need. This will help you associate which clue goes with which lock later on. If you see 4 picture frames and you have a 4 digit lock then there must be some correlation there. You'll also be able to check back on what you haven't used in the room with this method. Pro Tip 7 - Don't be a Virtual Puzzle "Hogger" - Just like in a real life escape room, if you saw something in the room that others haven't, make sure to share the information. There's no benefit in keeping things to yourself. Communication is the key to success. If there is an interactive puzzle that you can't seem to solve, let your teammates have a go at it. Don't let the game be held up by your stubbornness. Pro Tip 8 - Avatar Assistance: Many players are stubborn about asking hints but with online games sometimes it's necessary. I actually don't consider these as hints but merely as "confirmations" so definitely use them and don't let your self get stuck for over 5 minutes as time goes by pretty quickly for these online games especially if you're not keeping track. For instance, if there's a hidden panel in a drawer and I'm not there in person, I won't be able to know that it actually moves. I would have to rely on the avatar to "tell" (inspect for) me as I would've never been able to discover this over the camera on my own. There are also times when audio doesn't come through clearly and we have to ask the avatar to repeat the information even if it is a message that actually gave us a code to open a lock. Sometimes the clue written on the paper is unclear so you'll need to ask the avatar to confirm if it is a 6 or a 9. It's important for you to ask them to interact with the things in the room as there are items that might not seem like it could be pushed or pulled or turned so make sure to try everything. Lastly, this is just a reminder that these are escape rooms that you would be able to play in real life. You should assume that a key or a code should only be used once unless you're told otherwise. All the basic rules of no climbing, two finger rule or doing dangerous things still apply so don't instruct your avatar to do something you wouldn't do. In a way, the inventory system and the avatar actually makes escaping easier since there's more organization and guidance. The avatar sometimes would subconsciously give you hints through their camera view on places you haven't explored or where to put a certain item. The inventory system will organize the items you've collected and remove them after you've used them for a certain puzzle. In real life you'll need to figure all of these things out yourself. If you just started playing escape rooms, these online games could give you some great pointers and training to get you ready for the real life action. We love them because we have been able to escape every one of these rooms and it's definitely helped improve our escape rate! We'll never stop playing these as long as the companies still offer them. My favorite part about playing these games online is the fact that we are able to enjoy them with friends from all over the world and be able to meet the creators face to face over Zoom! Hopefully you find this blog useful and let us know if your escape rate has gone up because of this! If you are interested in trying a remote/online escape room, check out some awesome ones that have won our Bullseye Award! #CiciCao #Articles #Perspectives #Protip #howtoescapeanescaperoomonline #victory #escaperoomtips #howtoescape #perfectescape #escaperate #youcandoit #escaping #escapegamesonline #escaperoomsonline #remoteescaperoom #remoteescapegame #onlineescaperoom

Didn't attend the 2020 RECON (Reality Escape Convention) last year? Well definitely don't miss out again this year! This convention will be hosted online on August 22-23, 2021 so you have no excuse not the attend. Take a look at the teaser below as it takes you down the memory lane of last year's event: This convention is hosted by our lovely friends at Room Escape Artist, David & Lisa Spira. We love their mission of bring together people with similar passion and interest for the gaming and entertainment world. RECON is a great place to gain knowledge through Featured Speakers, connect with industry professionals (through RECON DISCORD), participate in workshops, play games. and you can even get a chance to create your own virtual escape room! The great thing about this event is that you can attend for absolutely FREE! We recommend selecting the $30 basic ticket option to support what they do. There are many hard working individuals putting in a ton of hours to make this event come to live. If you're looking for more than the basic experience, check out their ticket page for PRO and VIP options. We are so excited to become their media partner this year. Like REA, we love meeting creative people, playing games with amazing puzzlers, and spreading the love for our beloved industry wherever we go. Be prepared to be amazed by RECON 2021. We are especially looking forward to the Karaoke room and the after party. What are you waiting for? Get your ticket today! #CiciCao #Articles #Events #EscapeRooms #FreeEvent #EscapeRoomConvention #Recon

Mystery Puzzle Games (MPG) is one of several terms used to describe an explosively growing hobby full of armchair detectives, ghost hunters, treasure seekers, and solvers of puzzles and mysteries…a hobby the traces its origins back to Edgar Allan Poe with roots leading back further into ancient cryptography, Detective Fiction, and the history of puzzles. There are other viable terms and names, but for consistency, Mystery Puzzle Game is the terminology these articles will use. Defining this hobby can be as simple as knowing it when you see it, and as difficult as slicing through multiple overlapping Venn diagrams. There is disagreement as to where the lines are, which circles create the Venn diagrams, and what actually belongs in this hobby, along with many “cousin” lines and offshoots (escape rooms, puzzle boxes, etc.). Many hobbies are defined by those within it, whereas this hobby has been created through multiple means, times, and methods without even the forethought of being a part of a larger, specific hobby. For example, some just wanted to create a more immersive murder mystery story, others wanted to add storylines or themes to puzzles, whereas others wanted to create immersive worlds and experiences. Some have created books, some have added physical props to books, others have created subscription boxes with paperwork and artifacts, while others have moved to digital platforms...so, with all of this variety, how do we define this hobby? One of the best ways to describe the genre is to provide examples of the largest players in the field, and work outward from there: Hunt a Killer Deadbolt Mystery Society Murder Mystery in a Box Mysterious Package Company From there, there are many newcomers in the market, a small sample of which are: The Curious Correspondence Club The Scarlet Envelope The Boundless Library The Society of Curiosities Another type is puzzle books, from companies such as: Escapages Escape Book Montague Island Mysteries And these are just some of the 100s of samples that are known. So, what defines this hobby and separates it from similar hobbies? One way is to investigate what it is not, although that line can often be fuzzy (the Venn diagram of this hobby overlaps several other hobbies, not surprisingly). What it is not: Escape rooms (although they are a close cousin and often progenitor of this hobby) In person Virtual ARGs (Augmented Reality Games) (another cousin) WhoDunnit? Detective stories...a really close sibling that crosses the line at times Board games (with some exceptions) Card games (with some exceptions) Confusing, isn't it? So, what are the key elements of a Mystery Puzzle Game (MPG)? The three concentric circles of the Venn diagram are in the name itself: Mystery Puzzle Game It is a game, first and foremost. It is a "game" in the fact that the reader or player needs to absorb information and act upon it -- versus a passive reading of a novel, for example. It contains a mystery to solve. This is the primary action the player must complete. It can be as simple as guessing the killer from evidence provided, to uncovering layers of mystery and meaning through hidden clues and across multiple products. It is a puzzle. The mystery is not just presented, but must actively be solved, whether through deductive reasoning, decoding ciphers, researching real-world locations for clues, or drawing a map and folding a piece of paper, for example. So, putting this together, this definition of the hobby is a game where a player solves a mystery through puzzles. There are many exceptions to the rule, but it helps to frame this as the center line for this and future articles. Now, how did this all begin and what does Edgar Allan Poe have to do with anything? He didn’t create games, never sent boxes to players at home to solve, and definitely had no concept of this genre even existing, so what makes him the keystone? First, to help keep everything in perspective, is the basic timeline of the earliest era of this hobby, coined here as “The Progenitor Age,” since many of these works are not fully realized Mystery Puzzle Games, but are the evolutionary steps towards them. 1843: The Gold Bug (Cipher in a story) 1881: The Cryptogram, book 2 of Eight Hundred Leagues on the Amazon by Jules Verne (descendant of The Gold Bug) 1907: Jun 30: 1st Detective Puzzle published in New York Tribune* 1926: The Haverfordian publishes The Shadow of the Goat, a short story by John Dickson Carr in their college publication that allows the reader a chance to solve the mystery before the answer was published in the following month. 1928: Feb 28: Cipher Stories Puzzle Book (Puzzles and stories with ciphers Consisting of twenty-five original short stories, dealing with life, love, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; each story containing at least two vital cipher puzzles 1928: Nov The Baffle Book published (Wren, McKay) 1929: Oct: The 2nd Baffle Book published (Wren, McKay) 1930: Oct: The 3rd Baffle Book published (Wren, McKay) 1932: Minute Mysteries is published (Ripley) 1933: The Mystery Puzzle Book is published. (Wren, McKay) 1935: Photo-crimes published in Britain in Weekly Illustrated 1936: Crime-file No. 1: The File on Blothio Blane 1936: Sep 20: The first Photo-crimes in the US is published in The Des Moines Register 1936: Nov 30: Photo-crimes book is published. 1936: The Marceau Case (dossier novel) 1936: X. Jones of Scotland Yard (dossier novel) 1937: Crime-file No. 2: File on Rufus Ray 1937: File on Robert Prentice 1937: Photo-crimes 1937: Crime-file No. 3: File on Fenton and Farr 1938: Crime-file No. 4: File on Claudia Cragge 1938: The Malinsay Massacre 1939: Herewith the Clues 1940s: Photo-crimes in Des Moines Register using photo crimes from David Nowinson (creator of "You Solve the Crime") and Harold Ripley (Creator of Minute Mysteries) In future articles these works will be discussed in more detail, but for now, how did Poe become the first data point? The three concentric circles leading into this hobby, again, are: Mysteries, Puzzles, and Games. Mysteries (Detectives, Locked Room) Mysteries have been around for a long time. Most mystery puzzle games dig into this history, often focused on detective-style work. Edgar Allan Poe is the creator of the fiction detective series with Dupin. Dupin would lead directly to Holmes, which would lead into Agatha Christie, Henri Bencolin, and dozens of others. Detective Fiction exploded in the 1930s leading to hundreds of books, magazines, and a craze around people trying to figure out how crimes were done as they read the stories. Edgar Allan Poe also created the locked room mystery (A mysterious case of a death in a locked room with no apparent way for the victim to have been murdered). with Murders in the Rue Morgue. The locked room mystery is also a progenitor of computer escape-the-room style games, which would lead to True Dungeon at Gencon in 2003 followed by the modern Escape Room hobby--topics for a future article. The Gold Bug (1843) is a direct ancestor to Jules Verne’s The Cryptogram, book 2 of Eight Hundred Leagues on the Amazon. Then by 1907 the first Detective Puzzle was published in the New York Tribune. These were visual puzzles for kids to solve with prompts explaining the setup and clews (as they were called). These are fairly simple and straightforward for adults, but provide a fun example of detective-themed puzzles and shows the influence that detective fiction would continue to have on the game hobby. Games Games have been around since ancient times and the history of games that is most related to this hobby begins in 1913 with the publication of the first “Word-Cross” in the New York World which led to an explosion of adults in the 1920 working out crosswords (and a few other similar puzzles) at home as a hobby, while there kids would focus on Detective Puzzles and other similar simplified-for-children puzzles. So now, by the late 1920s, all of the seeds have been planted and have been starting to grow...ready to explode in the 1930s in the first wave of Mystery Puzzle Games! The final culmination of these paths leading from ancient times, through Edgar Allan Poe, and the idea of publishing puzzles that could be solved at home (i.g. the Crossword Puzzle) would be in 1926... In 1926, The Haverfordian published The Shadow of the Goat, a short story by John Dickson Carr in their college publication that allowed the reader a chance to solve the mystery before the answer was published in the following month. It was an “impossible crime,” one that on the surface, like a locked-door murder, was impossible. This story took the Detective Crime Fiction created by Poe and continued by many, but added the twist of a game element! Instead of a reader trying to solve it as they went along with the story, this story had a purposeful break where the reader is asked to try to solve it before the answer was provided in the following issue! This would seem to be the very first intentional Mystery Puzzle Game (albeit in an infancy), with a story, clues, and a puzzle (in this case, a Whodunnit?). In our next article, we will investigate the 1930s and the very first wave of Mystery Puzzle Games and their kin in the Progenitor Age! #BrentPrice #MysteryPuzzleGamesandTheirOrigins #articles #perspectives #USA #History

Recon (Reality Escape Convention) 2021! What an amazing 2 day event! We finally have the time to sit down and write about some amazing memories we've encountered during this online convention. Day 1 After a hilarious opening intro from Harrison Greenbaum, the remarkable Neil Patrick Harris introduced the organizers of RECON David & Lisa Spira. The day got really busy from there on. We were hopping between Discord, their main website and Zoom. The main website is where all the "Speakers and Panels" were held. If you missed these incredible talks, they'll be releasing it on their YouTube in the future so make sure to subscribe to their YouTube channel! While busy learning about the industry through the talks and having multiple chats going on at same time in Discord, we managed to also squeeze in 3 fun games as well (if you got the RECON playpass you got over 30+ games to choose from so make sure you purchase that early next year!) : "Escape from Escape Island" from Trapped Puzzle Rooms , "The Triwizard Trials" from Improbable Escapes , and "Escape from Bell Hill Asylum" from TEN | Total Escape Network. A lot of these games were exclusively made for RECON so you can't play it elsewhere. Our day ended with an amazing surprising live hosted audio escape by the lovely Escape this Podcast joined by Neil Patrick Harris, Harrison Greenbaum, and Emily Jillette! Day 2 It's a bummer that we had to get our second vaccination shot on this day so other than playing the super fun and challenging game "CTRL/ALT/DECODE-MMXXI" by The Great Gotham Challenge (we came in 4th but only because of the amazing teammates! Shoutout to Mike Schnurr, Matthew Stein (Escape the Plagues), Ace Ellett & Anna Ellett (Bluefish Games) and Mark Denine!), trying to get into the secret society on RECON (you can still play the game and be inducted just check here for the first clue) and chatting away on Discord pub rooms! There were a lot of other fun stuff to do during RECON that we missed like workshops, learn about new games and technology with various vendors in exhibit halls, participate in a virtual escape jam, and after hour events like karaoke or trivia/puzzle pub! There's simply no way to attend everything in the mere two days. I wish I can split into multiple people or maybe the event can last a whole week instead? I'm sure the hardworking RECON team would be "delighted" to hear about this suggestion. Speaking of suggestion, if you send in your feedback now until Sept 6th by 23:59 (NY time), you will be eligible to be entered into a raffle to win a copy of signed "BoxOne" game by Neil Patrick Harris! We truly enjoyed partnering up with RECON this year as media partners as we see so much commonality in our mission and visions that we want for the community that we love. We love to get more people to recognize the fun in puzzles, escape rooms, immersive events and more! Meeting new friends in this industry also makes us feel like we are a big happy family. We can't wait for RECON to grow bigger and bigger each year and hopefully we'll see YOU all in person next year in Boston, MA! #CiciCao #recon2021 #recon #event #neilpatrickharris #boxone