Transcribe to Survive

Designed in collaboration with Genome BC, this project designed and fabricated a tabletop escape room to teach high school students the complex mechanics of DNA transcription and translation through immersive play, accommodating diverse learning styles and fostering peer-to-peer engagement. By utilizing 3D printing and CNC laser cutting, the components remain easily replicable and repairable within any local makerspace, removing the logistical barriers of traditional educational hardware.

CLIENT / PARTNER Genome British Columbia

ROLE Product Development Designer

FABRICATION 3D Printing & Laser Cutting

TARGET AUDIENCE Grade 10 - 12 Students

DESIGN QUESTION

"How might we design a lightweight, portable, and interactive tabletop escape room to educate groups of 3–6 students on DNA transcription and protein synthesis through tactile, repairable hardware?"

Initial concept by Geneskool for a tabletop escape room.

Flow diagram of game assets based on game walkthrough.

The project started with an initial prototype pinned to the board above. This concept of a tabletop escape room went through several iterations of development throughout six months. It was proposed that most components be digitally fabricated through 3D printing and CNC laser cutting in order to ensure the entire kit can be easily replicated and produced on demand.

Alternative Board Types

(For better engagement and tactility)

Different options for how the clue board might operate include the following options:

1. Pop-up Board

Pro: This type of board has 3D pop-up elements to create a more immersive environment aligned with the narrative.

Con: It needs more custom fabrication; cannot be easily sourced out.

2. Pop-up Book

Pro: Creates a more immersive storytelling with 3D pop-up elements similar to the first concept. Unlike the former, however, this option allows for multiple environments to be accessed as the players move from one location to another in the narrative.

Con: It needs more custom fabrication; cannot be easily sourced out.

3. Dual Layer Board

Pro: Allows for 2 layers to be laminated together to create spaces where game assets may be fitted/removed as part of the actions involved in the game. It can be sourced from local game board fabricators.

Con: It is limited in its upper dimensions and not being foldable which may present concerns with transport and storage.

Clue Board options

Overall, the Dual Layer Board was selected due to its increased tactile interactability with both 2D and 3D game elements.

Typography

While the initial ideas around using Eurostile and Orbitron as the typefaces were reminiscent of that in science fiction media, it did not scream modern biology and more of space and technology. BioSans was then used to highlight a more modern sans serif.

Clue Board

This is a dual-layer board that is made from laser-cut chipboard. The graphic print mimics the top view of the evil scientist's desk to which the players are looking over. On the desk, they can find different clues to help them escape the room the evil scientist had locked them in with poison circulating inside.

Puzzle Boxes

The first puzzle box contains the smaller second box and keychain inside. To unlock the box, players can use the code sequence from the vials of the clue board either top-down or reversed.

DNA/RNA Sequences

This holds the DNA/RNA sequences used to decode the final stages of the game. It helps to swap out DNA slides with RNA slides, depending on the need of the workshop facilitator. The sliding mechanism, unexpectedly also helped in visual alignment for players to not get lost amidst the sea of letters when finding the code, as was evidenced in the playtesting with the internal team.

Its appearance is based on a flow cell in a genome sequencer machine from lab photos used as reference.

A fully 3D-printed version using multicolour printing was then subsequently developed in order to produce two more classroom kits comprising a total of 12 tabletop escape room sets.

Vancouver, BC, Canada