The Hunter
The Hunter
A Game Design Case Study
A Game Design Case Study
This is a real-life escape room created by the EscapeTalk team, and I'm proud to serve as the lead game designer for this project.
THE HUNTER
THE HUNTER
THE HUNTER
THE HUNTER
Intro
Intro
About the Game
About the Game
The Hunter stands out as one of our top projects in Yazd, a city steeped in history in Iran. This cooperative game revolves around the Hunt mechanic, offering players an immersive and intricately crafted experience. With a richly developed fictional world, players delve into a captivating storyline while navigating through a gameplay experience that is both challenging and rewarding. Our team meticulously designed every aspect of Hunter, including live actions, decorations, gameplay mechanics, puzzles, riddles, and narrative elements, ensuring a memorable and immersive adventure for all participants.
The Hunter stands out as one of our top projects in Yazd, a city steeped in history in Iran. This cooperative game revolves around the Hunt mechanic, offering players an immersive and intricately crafted experience. With a richly developed fictional world, players delve into a captivating storyline while navigating through a gameplay experience that is both challenging and rewarding. Our team meticulously designed every aspect of Hunter, including live actions, decorations, gameplay mechanics, puzzles, riddles, and narrative elements, ensuring a memorable and immersive adventure for all participants.
Idea
Idea
The gameplay in The Hunter sets itself apart from traditional escape room experiences by immersing players in the role of a group of hunters venturing into a world inhabited by monsters. Each player represents a different phylum with unique powers, mirroring those of the monsters they encounter. This collaborative gameplay is complemented by numerous physical challenges, creating an adrenaline-fueled adventure.
In response to stakeholder feedback, we crafted simple yet enjoyable riddles to enhance the overall experience. These riddles are designed to add excitement and engagement without overwhelming players, ensuring a balance between challenge and enjoyment.
The gameplay in The Hunter sets itself apart from traditional escape room experiences by immersing players in the role of a group of hunters venturing into a world inhabited by monsters. Each player represents a different phylum with unique powers, mirroring those of the monsters they encounter. This collaborative gameplay is complemented by numerous physical challenges, creating an adrenaline-fueled adventure.
In response to stakeholder feedback, we crafted simple yet enjoyable riddles to enhance the overall experience. These riddles are designed to add excitement and engagement without overwhelming players, ensuring a balance between challenge and enjoyment.
Scenario
Scenario
The Gates... We're uncertain of their timing and purpose. What lies beyond remains a mystery. All we know is that our safety relies on the hunters who confront the monsters emerging from these Gates. Usually, they seal within a minute, radiating a bright light. However, this one has remained open for three hours without emitting any light. Several monsters have already emerged, posing a grave danger, and we're unsure when it will close. The seasoned hunter has decided to send a team to the Gate to seal it from the other side. These brave hunters are venturing into the world of monsters to safeguard us.
Gameplay Design
Gameplay Design
Onboarding
"Hunter" revolves around the concept of hunting! Players undergo an onboarding phase at the beginning of the game, set in the jungle. Here, they familiarize themselves with the story characters, their mission, available mechanics (all within the context of the story), and how to navigate between the monsters' dens. The jungle serves as the starting point for their journey into the monsters' world.
The “Adonis” Tree
Following the onboarding phase and the completion of a simple riddle, players will encounter the "Adonis" tree. This marks the transition from the human world to the monsters' world. The Adonis tree becomes a recurring location throughout the game, serving as the primary source of "Call" dust. This dust is essential for summoning monsters, allowing hunters to confront and eliminate them. In terms of gameplay design, this process becomes a repetitive task, forming the foundation of the complete hunt mechanic, with the initial step being to "Call" the monster.
Following the onboarding phase and the completion of a simple riddle, players will encounter the "Adonis" tree. This marks the transition from the human world to the monsters' world. The Adonis tree becomes a recurring location throughout the game, serving as the primary source of "Call" dust. This dust is essential for summoning monsters, allowing hunters to confront and eliminate them. In terms of gameplay design, this process becomes a repetitive task, forming the foundation of the complete hunt mechanic, with the initial step being to "Call" the monster.
The Hunt Mechanic
Following the world change (signifying the end of the onboarding and intro phase), the main challenges commence. Each challenge is encapsulated within a special monster's den, tailored to the unique characteristics of the monster inhabiting it. Every challenge consists of 1 or 2 riddles to solve, a hunt mechanic, and a physical challenge associated with confronting the monster.
Following the world change (signifying the end of the onboarding and intro phase), the main challenges commence. Each challenge is encapsulated within a special monster's den, tailored to the unique characteristics of the monster inhabiting it. Every challenge consists of 1 or 2 riddles to solve, a hunt mechanic, and a physical challenge associated with confronting the monster.
Below are pictures of three monster dens. In the first den, the physical challenge involves running. It's a vast area conducive to running, with the monster possessing eyes all over its head, making it fast and formidable. This den features two challenging riddles. The hunt mechanic operates as follows: when players enter the monster's den, the ancient necklace of one or two of them will shine, indicating they've been chosen to retrieve the "Call" dust. Meanwhile, their companions will solve riddles to locate the hunt woods, which they must then arrange according to the instructions provided in the riddles.
Below are pictures of three monster dens. In the first den, the physical challenge involves running. It's a vast area conducive to running, with the monster possessing eyes all over its head, making it fast and formidable. This den features two challenging riddles. The hunt mechanic operates as follows: when players enter the monster's den, the ancient necklace of one or two of them will shine, indicating they've been chosen to retrieve the "Call" dust. Meanwhile, their companions will solve riddles to locate the hunt woods, which they must then arrange according to the instructions provided in the riddles.
Once all the mechanisms are prepared and the "Call" dust summons the monster, their guns will activate and glow. In addition to their physical challenge, players must locate a specific moment and position to shoot the monster.
Once all the mechanisms are prepared and the "Call" dust summons the monster, their guns will activate and glow. In addition to their physical challenge, players must locate a specific moment and position to shoot the monster.
Riddles & Puzzles
Riddles & Puzzles
In the Hunter escape room, riddles and puzzles are crafted to be straightforward yet enjoyable to solve. Given the challenges of maintaining focus during moments of high excitement, we opted for simpler riddles while prioritizing engaging gameplay mechanics to manage the game runtime effectively.
In the Hunter escape room, riddles and puzzles are crafted to be straightforward yet enjoyable to solve. Given the challenges of maintaining focus during moments of high excitement, we opted for simpler riddles while prioritizing engaging gameplay mechanics to manage the game runtime effectively.
Riddle Document
