Embedded Files
"Can't get out that way!" ~ Han Solo
The Escape Room Tutorial came out of a conversation with the Cobblestone Collective, an organization in Canada I did Minecraft related work for at the time. They were looking for Minecraft Education summer camp ideas, and I imagined a series of workshops on building escape rooms in Minecraft would be popular. The focus would be on learning redstone and command block techniques to build the puzzles and learning how to disguise and hide them.
Unfortunately, the summer camp series never came to be and I was left with a lot of planning and notes for the construction of the tutorial world. So... I built it anyway. It has proven to be a fairly popular tutorial with teachers and students alike, and I get a fair amount of requests to share it. I'm actively planning on submitting it to the official Minecraft Education Library, so it may be more easily available in the near future. In the meantime, feel free to contact me to obtain a copy.
The Escape Room Tutorial has two main components: One, a tutorial walkthrough that demonstrates redstone and command block mechanisms and techniques and how they might be used in escape room designs, while allowing the player to investigate and see how they work. Additionally, the tutorial covers a crash coarse on redstone/command block basics as well as some best build practices, and other helpful tips and tricks.
Two, the world contains a partially disassembled escape room challenge. Players can play the escape room, and after, go into creative mode to see how it was put together, and reverse engineer the various puzzles.
Tutorial
Tutorial
The tutorial is laid out as a number of rooms where you can interact with NPCs, read signs to learn about escape room techniques and the different mechanisms in play. You must solve the puzzle to move onto the next room, lucky for you this is a walkthrough, and there are instructions!
Piston Door
Piston Door
The piston door can be activated by dropping items on a weight triggered pressure plate. The plate is far enough away from the door that you won't be able to step on it and run through the door! Once you're through the door, the mechanism has been left visible so you can see how it works.
Command Blocks
Command Blocks
Here, command blocks are visible so you can see and understand how command block chains work. There are plenty of NPCs to help explain all the details. This world only uses only "vanilla" Minecraft elements; that is standard Minecraft materials and components found natively in the game, meaning that anyone can build an escape room using the techniques and parts being demonstrated. No addon packs needed.
Escape Room Example
Escape Room Example
Included in the world is a practical escape room example. It has been left exposed, so the player can investigate and reverse engineer how it was assembled. You can also play the escape room example, and try to make it from the front of the house, to the backyard. Sounds easy, right?
Command Blocks
Command Blocks
The exposed structure also allows players access to the crawl space above, below and between floors to see hidden mechanisms.
The floor is lava!
The floor is lava!
Perhaps there are some hints that will point us to the solution? Remember to pick up every item you find! It could come in useful at any time.
Just a living room...
Just a living room...
Nothing to see here... or is there? Many common decorating techniques can be used to disquise and hide escape room mechanics or puzzle interfaces. There's also opportunities to build in plenty of red herrings.
The floor is lava!
The floor is lava!
For anyone playing the practical escape room example, the front yard, house, interior and backyard look like any normal Minecraft house. The NPC at the front will help you either start playing the practical example, or switch you to creative mode so you can explore deeper!
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