Application Note: Escape Room
NORTHSTARSHOW SYSTEMS
Application Note: Escape Room
Sensor-driven puzzle progression with Northstar
| Document Number | Revision | Date | Platform Version |
|---|---|---|---|
| NSSS-DOC-0101 | A | 2026-05-20 | 1.0 |
Scenario
A 60-minute escape room with 3 puzzle zones. Each puzzle has 2 to 5 inputs (RFID readers, button combos, switch states) and 4 to 8 outputs (locks, lights, audio cues, video reveals). Designer wants to author the entire room without writing custom code.
Recommended Hardware
| Quantity | Item | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Helm NUC | Runtime |
| 1 | AP | TrueNorth Wi-Fi |
| 3 to 5 | Polaris GPIO Nodes | One per puzzle zone for I/O |
| 1 to 2 | Polaris Audio Nodes | Ambient + puzzle reveal audio |
| 0 to 1 | Polaris Video Node | Finale projection |
| 1 | Operator station tablet | Cuemaster + override controls |
Puzzle Progression Pattern
Use event-input-combo hats for multi-input puzzles. Example: "all three pressure plates pressed simultaneously" maps to an event-input-combo with mode:"simultaneous" and a 500 ms window.
Operator Overrides
Escape rooms typically need operator-initiated hints, skips, and abort options:
- Hint cues — manual-GO cues that play a recorded voice line
- Skip cues — solve a puzzle on behalf of struggling guests
- Open all locks — emergency release for guests in distress
Implement these as event-manual cues visible in Cuemaster's Cues tab. Operators tap GO to trigger.
Resetting Between Sessions
After each booking, the room must reset to its initial state:
- Locks re-engaged (action-release on every lock channel)
- Lights restored (action-fire on ambient lights)
- Audio queued to the opening track
- All puzzle state cleared
Implement a single "Room Reset" event-manual cue that the operator runs between sessions. Include it as the first action in the Show Start sequence as well.
Related Documents
- NSSS-DOC-0062Cue Triggers Explained
Revision History
| Revision | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|
| A | 2026-05-20 | Initial publication |