Richard and Fran from Escape Envelope & Nomad Escape have had a rollercoaster of a year, which you’ll hear more about later! I’m thrilled that they could take some time out to chat about their series of play-at-home escape games, embracing their Scottish roots and their brand-new business venture.
(Meet Your Maker is an interview series featuring creators of puzzle and mystery games and experiences from across the globe. We aim to shine a spotlight on both established creators and those who are just setting out on their journey. Stay tuned for more interviews coming soon.)
Can you tell me a little about yourselves?
We are Richard & Fran – we met when we were hired as Game Masters for an escape room chain in late 2016. Now, thanks to an extraordinary set of circumstances, we’ve been given the opportunity to strike out on our own. We’ve just opened our own escape room brand in Glasgow called Nomad Escape. We’re still going to be GMing, but now we are doing it for ourselves, which is so much more rewarding. We’ve been working together for eight years now and live in Glasgow with our wee cat – Clementine!
That’s really exciting! What would you say the USP is for Nomad Escape?
The live-actor versions of our games definitely set us apart from other escape rooms in Glasgow. They completely change the way you have to approach the experience! Right now it’s just The Jail that features a live actor, but Haunted Circus will as well, and Scare BnB will likely have live elements when it opens.
Even though Deep Space Zero doesn’t have a live actor, the hint system is a series of video transmissions from other members of the crew which leans heavily into B movie humour. The Conspiracy requires you to put on a tinfoil hat to allow an international group of conspiracy theorists to contact you. So each of our rooms, whether it’s thriller, sci-fi or horror, has a hint system built to suit the world and actually maintain immersion. We’ve tried really hard to build rooms that have several of those “wow” moments that people talk about well after they leave!
For anyone wondering, we have no plans to wind up Escape Envelope – in fact, quite the opposite.
Great to hear! Where did the idea for Escape Envelope come from?
It was initially born from boredom during the great lockdown of 2020. At that point, we had been running the Escape Room in Glasgow for about four years, so it was pretty much our life. Then BOOM, nothing for months. So I began to think of ways to make escape rooms available for people trapped at home. Those initial days stuck inside formed the beginning of what Escape Envelope would become.
When the escape room I worked for finally reopened, things were hectic, and life got in the way. So the idea didn’t really take off until 2022. I was then able to get someone to help with the digital integrations of the game. After that, I’ve never looked back!
What games do you offer and who might they appeal to?
Lock Ness: “A renowned Cryptozoologist has entrusted you with his discovery of a secret cave beneath Loch Ness. But to keep the coordinates safe, he has disguised them within a series of documents!“
It was designed with a broad audience in mind. The narrative is straightforward, and the puzzles are more loosely connected, making it a perfect choice for larger groups, first-timers, or people wanting an easier overall experience.
Disappearance at Blackridge: “When a storm runs your boat aground on the island of Blackridge, no one from the local town comes to your aid. That’s when you realise that the entire town has mysteriously vanished, leaving behind empty buildings, each one containing a piece of the truth for you to deduce.”
This is good for players looking for a challenge but within a reasonable timeframe. Blackridge is quite story-driven. Each puzzle is designed to paint a picture of the abandoned town and the weird situation that has befallen it. Solving puzzles reveals more about the actual story of the disappearance.
A Haunting in the Highlands: “The castle of the Clan MacDuglan is cursed. Everyone who inherits it dies under mysterious circumstances. The latest to inherit the castle is rightly concerned for his safety, and has tasked you with investigating the deaths.“
It’s definitely one for those eager to test their deduction and puzzle-solving skills. Unlike previous games, we have leaned into the murder mystery elements that require a greater focus due to more interconnectivity between puzzles. The online component of this game is vital to its overall experience. So although it is difficult, smaller teams with good communication are recommended.
You embraced your Scottish roots with Lock Ness. What was the development process like and was it important to set your first game in Scotland?
All credit goes to Fran for this one. See, before Fran co-wrote the amazing Conspiracy, Ritual or the TERPECA-nominated Star Crew, she had played around with a Loch Ness room. It never quite worked out, but I remember thinking there was a lot you could do with the theme, and the name was awesome. So with her blessing, I took that and started to brainstorm.
We are both very proud to be Scottish, and Scotland has a lot of fun traits, which are specific enough to be undeniably Scottish, but universal enough to be globally recognised. So it kind of ticks both of those boxes when it comes to theming a game.
Your latest game was very successfully funded on Kickstarter. How did you find crowdfunding?
One word… AMAZING! We did not expect it to take off the way it did and I was not prepared for the logistics of fulfilling everyone’s rewards. But it was an incredible experience both for getting out there and actually having some money in the account. Never underestimate that feeling when you realise you can actually cover costs and have something left over. That’s why Kickstarter is such an important part of so many creator’s lives.
Now we know it’s a viable option for us, I think I will spend a lot more time pre-gaming our next campaign. What that looks like I have no idea, but rather than just announce the Kickstarter a week before it launches, really try and build some hype. Hopefully, those who backed A Haunting in the Highlands will help!
A Haunting in the Highlands is different from your previous games in that it adds more deductive gameplay elements. How does introducing these change the way the design process?
Hoo boy the rabbit holes I went down for Haunting. In Lock Ness, you solve the puzzles, you save the Professor. Easy. In Blackridge, the story comes through in layers, but ultimately, you solve the puzzles and reveal the truth. In Haunting, the deduction adds a whole new level.
Imagine you have your endgame theory, it has to be:
- vague enough that it’s hard to guess the solution until you are close to or finishing the game;
- broken up adequately across puzzles so that no combination of puzzles in any order reveals it earlier than any other combination;
- deductively sound from EVERY point of the game
That balancing act, while infusing new elements to the game like linear puzzles and dialogue trees, meant the process of creating it was so much more in-depth than anything we had made before. And once again, Fran was there making sure it was still fun when I was deep in the narrative stage.
You also beefed up the web app component – can you speak a little about that?
All hail Nick, champion of code. He’s been with us from the start and handles all the user interface aspects of the game. Honestly, without him, our games would not be as fun or diverse in scope. With Haunting his efforts quite literally doubled to make everything work.
You are called Escape ‘Envelope’. Have you discussed creating any boxed experiences with more varied physical components, or using other mediums?
Oooh! Maybe one day – never say never. Each game gets more ambitious in scope, so I can imagine that soon, I might need to upgrade to house that ambition. But our next two games are still very much based in the trusty ol’ envelope.
In terms of other mediums, I have written several “Walking tour” puzzle games for Glasgow that have never seen the light of day. I’d love to get that project off the ground. But of course, we have just come out of the process of writing and building 5 physical Escape Rooms, which is a whole new level for me. So I’m excited to see how my ideas can translate from envelopes to rooms!
What do you each bring to the table?
I am great at writing puzzles. But as Fran often points out, they aren’t always fun puzzles. Yes, it can be satisfying working through a logic puzzle, but not everyone’s brain is the same. So Fran ensures that the puzzles in our games are fun. Except for that one solid logic puzzle for the hardcore puzzle peeps I refuse to budge on!
As a small business, you must be met with a lot of challenges. Can you share any specific problems you have had to overcome and how you dealt with them?
Probably our biggest issue has to do with pricing. Just last year, when we started to do markets to feel out Escape Envelope’s popularity with the general public. Our go-to market ran every weekend and cost £45 for a table across the weekend. This year, that same market only runs twice a month, and now costs £100. But like everyone, money is getting tighter as everything gets more expensive. So we pay double for half the time, and sales in general have taken a hit due to the cost of living crisis.
The only other issue (which isn’t really an issue, just a series of dead ends) is getting reviews for our games. My goodness, it is hard to get them! For a small business with not a lot of sales online, reviews are really important for legitimising us.
Right now we are dealing with the GPSR mandate which has essentially cut off all sales to the EU. We’ve not dealt with them yet, but it’s just another day of running a business. Nothing’s ever easy haha.
A while back, you released a roadmap for 2025 on Instagram. This included teasers for four big projects that you have lined up. Can you share any details about each of these?
I was so proud of that roadmap! Then the physical escape room opportunity arose and threw everything up in the air. Most of the things on this list are still going ahead, but will likely get pushed back to 2026 now.
The immersive experience is still quite under wraps – we’re at the beginning stages of working with another company that wants us to make something for them. So I can’t share much about that at the moment I’m afraid! But it will be fun!
Our mobile escape room is called ‘Blood Drive’ and it’s Scotland’s only mobile horror escape room! We’re very excited about it, although at the moment – we are still battling the red tape of the DVLA and DVSA. Who knew that turning a 5000kg ex-ambulance into a mobile escape room would be so hard to explain to the government…!? We’ve still got a few boxes to tick before we can complete work on it, but we’re very excited and have big plans for expansion, should it be something that people respond positively to. Sadly, this has been pushed to 2026 as we work on the branch. But I love the vibe at conventions and want to bring Escape Room experiences to them!
The next envelope is currently in development, and it’s called Midnight Arcade. We’re going to try some new things with it, this time around. Hopefully, people like it! I still tentatively hope to release that this year, fingers crossed!
Dark Christmas is still in super early development, so I can’t share much, but we’re definitely hoping to provide a less-than-traditional Christmas experience…
Fran, you were chosen to be mentored as part of the Immersive Experience Network. How did this came about and what does it mean for you on a day-to-day basis?
I was absolutely blown away to receive the mentorship. A good friend of mine in the escape room world had advised me to apply for it, and I’m so glad I did. I was lucky enough that a representative from Vista Insurance liked our mobile escape room business, and wanted to support us. On a day-to-day basis, it means I have more contacts in the industry – from people who make things, to people who will help us get insurance for things! It was also a wonderful chance to get to know some other folks in the Scottish escape room industry better, like the excellent team at Case Closed.
What advice would you give to aspiring puzzle makers and escape room owners?
If you are the kind of person who walks away from a great experience, like an escape room or an immersive event – and starts brainstorming the kind of adventures that YOU would create? Then go for it. For me it has always been about finding ways to make people feel things. I want to make them feel smart by giving them a nice, satisfying puzzle. I want them to have ‘aha!’ moments. I want them to be so scared that they want to leave. I want them to make memories in the things I build.
In terms of proper advice that isn’t just “go for it!” I’d say – always make your puzzle easier than you think it needs to be. Other people’s brains don’t work the same way that yours does. It may seem easy to you, but it’s very likely to stump people. You can always amend things to make them a little tricker if need be.
You are also not going to please everyone – for every ten compliments you get about a puzzle, someone will absolutely hate it and fall out with their entire family about it. Don’t take it personally.
What are some of your favourite play-at-home experiences? Did any games have a particular influence on yours?
We’ve played quite a few different things, I’d say I definitely prefer games where the puzzles are linked to a story or are themed appropriately for the story. I really enjoyed the EXIT games’ Space-themed ones. Though honestly, you are much more likely to find me playing a classic game of Rummikub!
I’m not sure any particular game inspired us, but we knew we liked the ones that were story-based or had strong themes, and we knew we wanted our stories to be a little different than what was already out there. I think we’ve achieved that.
Thank you!
I can’t believe how much Richard and Fran have achieved over the last few months. They regularly attend craft fairs and markets to sell Escape Envelope and have also officially launched their escape room business, Nomad Escape! If you ever find yourself in Glasgow then make sure you pay them a visit; they are both very approachable.
You can purchase copies of Escape Envelope on the official website (link below). Their escape rooms are also available to book now as well; I hope to visit and play some of these soon!
Follow Escape Envelope / Nomad Escape online
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