Mystery Manor Puzzle

Product Design, 5 Wits Productions
Spring 2016

The Context

This class project for MIT 2.744 was in collaboration with 5 Wits Productions, a “live-action immersive adventure” company. In teams of 5 students, we were tasked with creating some element of a turn of the century “Mystery Manor” adventure experience. Our group began by brainstorming possible puzzles and special effects we could implement. My idea for a Billiards Room themed puzzle can be seen in this user experience storyboard I illustrated:

The group enters the Billiards Room…

They notice things that they can interact with, like the pool table… “Oooo what does this ‘turn’ dial do? Can I take the pool balls?”

…and the portraits. “That looks like a handle. Can I open it?”

It opens! “What are those dots inside for?”

Meanwhile, the rest of the group continues to explore the pool table.

The balls don’t seem to fall through the holes! “Huh, that’s weird.”

One person tries turning the dial. The pocket is now open! “The ball fell! I think we have to turn the dial to let the balls through.”

Meanwhile, over by the portraits… “These dots look like a code. Maybe we use the pool table to enter it!”

They try putting the balls in position, according to the pattern behind the first portrait. They turn the dial… “I hope this’ll work!”

The light over the first portrait turns on! “WOOOO!”

After completing the other three dot patterns, all the lights are glowing! “We got them all!”

When the last light turns on, a secret door slides open! The group continues on to the next room. “We solved it!”

The Process

After deciding on the Billiards Room themed idea, our team began making physical prototypes for testing. I created a sketch model to test the guest interaction between the paintings and pool table. Other team members worked on sensing/releasing mechanisms for the pool balls and how to implement the painting clues. We decided to clue the position of the pool balls using light up paintings, rather than doors, to streamline the experience.

For the final implementation, we created a 2:7 scale model of the puzzle. The paintings use timed LEDs to clue the pool ball configurations, and the billiards table is fitted with an internal mechanism to release the pool balls when triggered, so they will roll down ramps and into a tray.