29/04/25 – Reflection: Refining the Intro, Story Layers & Puzzle Inspiration

🎙️ Intro Script Refinement

On Sunday the 27th, I spent a solid block of time refining the introductory speech for the mission briefing. Initially, the draft I developed with ChatGPT ran about 2.5 minutes, which is far too long compared to the snappier intros in the Mission: Impossible films (typically 60–90 seconds). After multiple iterations, I managed to tighten the dialogue, sharpen the pace, and bring it down to the desired time window.

One important lesson emerged: AI is great for iteration—but it doesn't know when to stop. I found myself going in circles as ChatGPT kept offering "just one more idea." It reminded me of something actor Ben Affleck said about AI: when working with people, there's a natural sense of when something is done. AI doesn't have that boundary, and it can lead to creative bloat.

🟥 Narrative Evolution – Introducing "Red Echo" & Project Parallax

Inspired by Mission: Impossible 1, I added a new narrative layer: Holbrook may be planning to sell his research to a shadowy buyer on the black market. Originally, I used "Baader-Meinhof" as a placeholder name for this group (which I realized wasn't a great fit). After testing alternatives with ChatGPT, I landed on "Red Echo":

• A mysterious entity—could be a group, could be a person.

• References the Baader-Meinhof phenomenon (a.k.a. frequency illusion), where something you just learned suddenly appears everywhere.

• Leaves room for symbolic interpretation without needing to over-explain.

I've also renamed Holbrook's original research project from "Hunter Protocol" (which felt a little on-the-nose) to Project Parallax:

• A reference to shifting perception based on perspective

• Symbolic of how ADHD and neurodivergent traits are often misread or overlooked

• Ties nicely into the theme of hidden meaning, along with Red Echo and Tenax

These names and ideas deepen the narrative without requiring explicit exposition—allowing participants to uncover meaning organically.

🪪 Prop Development – Holbrook's ID & Clue Mechanic

I've commissioned someone to create a realistic ID badge for Holbrook, which participants will discover during gameplay. Alongside the badge will be a to-do list, featuring a clue like "print the draft"—leading participants to an actual printer, which outputs the next puzzle or document.

It's a small but satisfying moment of physical storytelling that reinforces immersion and makes use of real-world mechanics.

🧩 Escape Room Mechanics – Cipher Puzzle Inspiration

I also spent time in another college's immersive suite, exploring escape room setups others have built. One game (oddly CPR-themed and set on a plane) featured a very clever sequence:

1. Participants answered questions that revealed individual letters.

2. Letters were tied to a cypher hidden behind a rub-away wall panel.

3. Letters formed an anagram, which needed solving.

4. The correct answer then revealed numbers for a code to unlock the next stage.

While the theme didn't make much sense, the mechanics were solid and engaging. Everyone was actively participating and problem-solving—which is exactly the kind of interaction I want to see in my own sessions.

I'm now brainstorming how to adapt this logic:

• Clue → Rub away cypher → Anagram → Code → Unlock

• Possibly connect it to Red Echo intel or a corrupted Holbrook manifesto

✅ Key Developments

• 🔹 Intro trimmed to under 90 seconds for pacing and style

• 🔹 Introduced Red Echo as a shadowy group (or person) in the narrative

• 🔹 Renamed Holbrook's research to Project Parallax—subtle, meaningful, thematic

• 🔹 Began production of Holbrook's ID badge with functional clue integration

• 🔹 Gained new puzzle ideas from live testing another team's escape room

🧭 Next Steps

• Finish building the final intro video using the revised script

• Embed Red Echo and Parallax references visually (briefings, props, puzzle graphics)

• Prototype the printer clue sequence and test for usability

• Design a cipher-anagram puzzle rooted in ADHD strategy terms or diagnostic language

• Continue trimming excess from the story to keep things playable within the target time window