In season 2, episode 2, we have a lovely chat with Nick Moran, who was creative director for Time Run, one of the most influential escape room companies. He has created ambitious games with innovative formats, and he’s now focused his creative genius on designing Spectre and Vox, a gorgeously crafted tabletop gaming experience with interactive storytelling.

Nick’s background as a narrative-focused writer becomes apparent when he starts talking about the structure of a game. It was fascinating to hear how he approaches structure from a narrative viewpoint, for example, by considering the “status” of the player in an escape room and the importance the player’s status has on immersion. Additionally, Nick approaches game design from a business viewpoint, taking into consideration how to maximize player throughput and increase productivity.

It’s rare to find a designer as talented as Nick, who creates not only with an eye for brilliant gameplay and immersive narrative, but also towards optimizing the business model. Nick is charming, hilarious and very opinionated. We think you’ll really enjoy this episode.

Show Notes

Episode Sponsors

Thank you to our sponsors: 

• SEO ORB - Marketing and SEO optimization created specifically for escape rooms by an enthusiast.

Production Credits

Hosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law

Produced by Lisa Spira

Edited by Steve Ewing of Stand Inside Media

Music by Ryan Elder

Logo by Janine Pracht