10/05/25 – Reflection: Prototype Testing, Audio Challenges, and Hyperfocus Rework

🧪 Escape Room Prototype Tested in the Pod

I finally ran a full test of the escape room setup in the pod, including all the questions, wall interactions, and timing. The good news: it works. The bad news: it took an absurd amount of time to get it working.

Some technical hurdles:

• The program wouldn't download properly in the pod environment.

• I had to repeatedly unsave and resync content just to get it to function.

• Projector alignment issues were worse than expected—especially in colder conditions. When the pod hasn't warmed up, the two projectors misalign, making any text centered on the wall blurry or unreadable.

This means I'll likely need to:

• Add a voiceover for each question, since text isn't always legible.

• Preheat the pod for 30+ minutes before sessions to ensure the walls expand fully and the visuals align.

🔊 Audio Issues and Workarounds

Only one speaker seems to be significantly louder than the others. Initially, I thought it was due to video exports from iMovie, but it seems to be a hardware or room balance issue. Some of my sound effects—particularly those used when a question opens or closes—ended up being jarring, and I'll likely rework those to be subtler.

🧩 Puzzle Refinement: Letters, Anagrams & Scoring

The current system:

• Correct answers reveal letters.

• Incorrect answers reset the question (no letter revealed).

• Players use those letters to solve an anagram puzzle.

Sean suggested a twist: revealing a wrong letter when players get a question wrong—maybe in a different colour or as a red herring. While interesting, it adds complexity:

• I'd need a secondary layer of logic to filter incorrect clues.

• It risks becoming too convoluted for the format.

I may stick with the current system unless testing reveals it's too easy or too flat.

That said, the room still feels a little dry, so I plan to add:

• Background music or ambient sound

• Possibly a scoring system, or feedback based on speed/accuracy

🎥 Hyperfocus Simulation: Concept & Script Overhaul

I've rewritten the hyperfocus video to emphasise the hunter's perspective—aligning with the broader metaphor of "hunters in a farmer's world." The new angle frames hyperfocus not as a "superpower," but as an adaptive strength tied to survival, curiosity, and energy regulation.

Key inspiration:

• Humans are not physically impressive—compared to a lion, we're weak. But we're persistence hunters: strategic, enduring, highly focused.

• This matches the dopamine-driven, stimulation-seeking patterns of ADHD.

• I've created a comparison table (with AI help) of "Hunter Traits" vs. "Farmer Traits" to show where strengths differ—without pathologizing either.

Visual concept:

• Film a first-person 360° run through the woods using a head-mounted camera.

• Cut in footage from films like Apocalypto, Prey, or Last of the Mohicans—to visually reinforce the endurance/stalking metaphor.

This version is more engaging, metaphorically rich, and personally grounded than the first draft.

🖼 Visual Environment & Set Dressing

The PowerPoint-built walls actually look good in the pod! I'm happy with the current layout. Two more to go:

• One wall needs minor finishing

• One wall still needs to be designed from scratch

I'm thinking about adding a bed or "lived-in" element to the room—something that suggests Holbrook was actually living in that space. It'll make the setting more immersive and help flesh out the character.

🗣 General Feedback So Far

Reactions from those who've seen the prototype have been very positive:

• "Clever" and "immersive" are common comments.

• One person even asked if I'd considered a career in gamified learning design (I haven't—but it's flattering).

That said, the biggest concern remains time management—this project is massive, and I'm struggling to give it the attention it deserves while balancing work and family.

✅ Action Items

• 🎧 Record and add voiceovers for questions (to counteract projector blur)

• 🔊 Fix or reduce sound effect volume

• 🎼 Add ambient background music

• 🧠 Finalise hyperfocus simulation script

• 📹 Plan and shoot 360° hunter POV footage

• 🧩 Build scoring mechanism or red herring logic (if time allows)

• 🪪 Finish Holbrook's in-room environmental details

• 🧪 Conduct timed user tests to see how long real participants take

This project is still evolving into something truly unique—half escape room, half empathy-building training, all driven by purpose. I'm short on time, but the vision is intact and clearer than ever.