Escape rooms are all the rage these days, and what’s not to love? They’re thrilling, challenging, and a great way to bond with friends and family. But what if you want to create your own virtual escape room experience for others to enjoy? Well, Google Forms is the perfect tool for that! In this article, I’ll guide you through creating your very own escape room on Google Forms. It’s easier than you might think!
Step by Step Tutorial: Creating an Escape Room on Google Forms
Before we dive into the steps, let’s understand what we aim to achieve. By the end of this tutorial, you’ll have a fully functional escape room built within Google Forms, complete with puzzles, clues, and a storyline that will engage your players.
Step 1: Plan Your Escape Room
Start by planning the theme, storyline, and puzzles for your escape room.
An escape room is only as good as its storyline and puzzles. Think about the theme you want to go for – it could be anything from a haunted house to a space mission. Outline a narrative that will keep players engaged. Consider the flow of puzzles and how they will lead players from one clue to the next.
Step 2: Create a New Google Form
Log into your Google account and create a new form from the Google Forms homepage.
Google Forms is a free tool that comes with your Google account. Once you’ve logged in, click on the "+" button to create a new form. This will be the foundation of your escape room.
Step 3: Design Your Escape Room
Use the form to create a series of questions and puzzles that players must solve to "escape."
Each question on your Google Form will represent a different puzzle or task that players must solve. Use a mix of multiple-choice, short answer, and long answer questions to keep things interesting. You can also use images and videos to add to the atmosphere and provide clues.
Step 4: Set Up Logic Jumps
Use the "Go to section based on answer" feature to create a non-linear progression through the puzzles.
One of the coolest features of Google Forms is the ability to create logic jumps. This means that, depending on a player’s answer, you can send them to a different section of the form. It’s perfect for creating red herrings and branching pathways in your escape room.
Step 5: Test Your Escape Room
Before sharing your escape room, test it out to make sure everything works as intended.
You don’t want players to get stuck due to a technical glitch! Go through the escape room yourself, or even better, have a friend try it out. Make sure all the logic jumps work correctly and the puzzles are solvable.
After you complete the action, you’ll have a live escape room that can be shared with anyone who has the link. Players can go through your escape room, solve the puzzles, and have a great time doing it – all from the comfort of their own home.
Tips for Creating an Escape Room on Google Forms
- Keep the storyline simple but engaging. Overly complex stories can confuse players.
- Make sure your puzzles are challenging but not impossible to solve.
- Use images and videos to enhance the experience and provide visual clues.
- Test your escape room thoroughly to ensure all puzzles work as intended.
- Share your escape room with friends and family, and gather feedback to make improvements.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Google Forms?
Google Forms is a free online tool that allows you to create surveys, quizzes, and forms.
Can I add images and videos to my Google Forms escape room?
Yes, you can add multimedia elements to your form to enhance the escape room experience.
How do players access my escape room?
Once you’ve completed your escape room, you can share the link with anyone you’d like to play.
Can I make my escape room collaborative?
While Google Forms doesn’t support real-time collaboration in the traditional sense, you can have players work together by sharing the form link and communicating outside the platform.
Is there a way to keep track of who’s completed the escape room?
You can set up your Google Form to collect email addresses, allowing you to see who has completed the escape room.
Summary
- Plan your escape room’s theme, storyline, and puzzles.
- Create a new Google Form for your escape room.
- Design the escape room within the form with questions and tasks.
- Set up logic jumps to create a non-linear progression.
- Test your escape room to ensure it works correctly.
Conclusion
Creating an escape room on Google Forms is an exciting way to test your creativity and puzzle-making skills. It’s a fantastic activity that can be enjoyed remotely, making it perfect for times when you can’t get together in person. With a little bit of planning and some creative flair, you can build an engaging and enjoyable experience for your friends, family, or even the whole internet to enjoy. So, what are you waiting for? Get started on your Google Forms escape room and let the games begin!
Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.
He specializes in writing content about iPhones, Android devices, Microsoft Office, and many other popular applications and devices.