So happy to see you post again. I am in the process of building my third DYI @ home escape room. This time, thank to your amazing work 8 am now using Arduino 😊
I'm doing a couple of physical ER room builds at the moment, and I'm _hoping_ that I might persuade the owner to let me do some filming of installing the prop on-site but I'm not sure yet.... fingers crossed!
This would be really cool for one of those "two generals have a key that they have to put in a slot and turn at the same time to launch a nuclear bomb" kinda scenarios. I also like the idea of using one of these sensors simply as an alternative to pressing a button, like for a pirate theme or something
First of all, thank you for sharing your videos as you do. It really helps people like myself learn that much more. Quick question though, and this will really go to show how much I am in the learning phase - what is powering the esp32? Are you able to use the 12VDC that helps the maglock to also power the esp32 via use of a terminal block? Or is that too much current pull from one source and you need to have 2 separate 12VDC sources - one for the esp and one for the maglock? Thanks again and thanks for the helpful videos!
Haven’t watched it in full yet, but any reason for using the IR sensors instead of just a normal switch? In my mind it’s easier to wire 3 switches in series with their NO connection going to the next, closing the data line to a relay, which in turn switches off the maglock (connected 12v to power supply and ground to NC of relay) and the mp3 module (connecting the pin on the module via NO to the common ground) for the sound. Reasons I can see - being able to track it via the wifi onboard with mqtt; - to not have the relay sound - switches being a mechanical part that could wear with time - being able to enable the next puzzle wirelessly instead of via the relay.
Magnet switches could 0be used and put 3 small magnets in each of the knifes. Also the IR sensors could degrade with time, Dust, bugs, particles, could block the IR light from emitter to reciever @@t3chrs
As I mentioned in a previous comment, the purpose of this channel is to provide ideas and inspiration of some of the different technology that are often used to achieve the "magic" of escape rooms. There are certainly many other ways that you could achieve the same outcome - using contact switches, magnets, RFID, proximity, metal sensors.... each has their own advantages and disadvantages. One of the main advantages of the beam break sensors is that they are completely contactless - they have no intenal moving parts, nor come into contact with any prop that the (often heavy-handed) escape room player is wielding, so they should have a much longer expected lifespan than a normal switch, especially useful in a prop like this where players are quite forceful in pushing the knives into the slots. And yes, the reason for using the microprocessor is a topic I've mentioned in several videos - it enables the basic standalone puzzle illustrated in the video to be extended further: to include additional inputs or outputs, to change game logic on the fly, to provide feedback, monitoring, or override capability from a remote room monitoring system, to synchronise outputs with room-level lighting or audio etc. etc.
@@PlayfulTechnology Don’t take this the wrong way - I’m All In for proposing different ideas - I have personally learned a ton from your videos - from logic via code to very specific components I never knew existed. I’ve just been interested if there’s an obvious advantage to doing it that way that I haven’t thought about yet. - On my personal journey I started working exclusively with Arduinos (before ESPs were so mainstream) and knew hot to build the logic for many puzzles in code with many different inputs. As we’re now moving more and more into temporary outdoor installations my attention has switched to how to make certain puzzles run without any form of microcontroller, just with simple components and a battery pack. This has led me to 1) find and use many cooooool boards, like the mp3 player one shown here, but in the v^v mode i think, where each of the 1-8 legs plays a different track when connected to ground; 2) try to simplify MANY puzzles into basic components - switches, motors, simple leds and transistors; 3) appreciate first hand how much we rely on good (or not very bad) weather conditions for our tech to work and how quickly things go haywire when the prop is suddenly underwater 😁😅. Please keep on creating and showing us creative ways to go about creating puzzles. With a great amount of love and huge thanks for the lessons learned - kindest regards from Bulgaria!
I would have just used reed switches to minimize the wiring instead of the beam break. Also would have wired each hole to me able to make the required holes programmable.
It seems this is overengineered. Between this setup, and use of 3 magnet switches wired in series and small magnets in the knifes. Then you will use only 1 pin for detection on the ESP. Instead of a pin for each detector. Also the magnet switches setup is more bulletproof. It wont degrade by any means. If you have more dusty enviroment, or a spider tries to put his web on the way of the IR emmiter, it could wreck players experience if you don't have monitoring over the sensors. Aside from this, cool puzzle :)
That is true, but a lot of escape room puzzles use magnets (and those that don't use RFID :) ), and it's a good idea to ensure that players can't accidentally solve one puzzle using the wrong prop which happened to use the same detection mechanism in a different scenario. Too many magnetised props in a room can lead to difficulties! Also, the intention of this channel is to demonstrate a range of different input and output methods, and this seemed like a suitable scenario in which to demonstrate how a beam break sensor could be used. But there are certainly many ways that the same effect could be done.
![Felix "Unfair" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Oswujxm2Ag0/mqdefault.jpg)
So happy to see you post again. I am in the process of building my third DYI @ home escape room. This time, thank to your amazing work 8 am now using Arduino 😊
Really cool tutorial, what about making another series similar to "building an escape room in a box" again, I really enjoyed that format
I'm doing a couple of physical ER room builds at the moment, and I'm _hoping_ that I might persuade the owner to let me do some filming of installing the prop on-site but I'm not sure yet.... fingers crossed!
This would be really cool for one of those "two generals have a key that they have to put in a slot and turn at the same time to launch a nuclear bomb" kinda scenarios. I also like the idea of using one of these sensors simply as an alternative to pressing a button, like for a pirate theme or something
Brilliant idea! I can totally see an escape room based on stopping (or starting) a nuclear launch
Thankyou! Also consider that you can detect when an item has been _removed_ from a slot (e.g. pulling the sword from the stone...?)
Exactly my thought as well. The basic principle is simple and genius. With software you can add several layers of complexity.
First of all, thank you for sharing your videos as you do. It really helps people like myself learn that much more. Quick question though, and this will really go to show how much I am in the learning phase - what is powering the esp32? Are you able to use the 12VDC that helps the maglock to also power the esp32 via use of a terminal block? Or is that too much current pull from one source and you need to have 2 separate 12VDC sources - one for the esp and one for the maglock? Thanks again and thanks for the helpful videos!
Great tutorial as always - thanks for sharing.
I LOVE THIS IDEA! Cant wait to build one for myself! 🔥🔥🔥
Go for it!
Couldn't you do the same thing with a light sensor diode? Then you just need to look for voltage change on covered pins.
Always great content, thanks Alastair
Haven’t watched it in full yet, but any reason for using the IR sensors instead of just a normal switch? In my mind it’s easier to wire 3 switches in series with their NO connection going to the next, closing the data line to a relay, which in turn switches off the maglock (connected 12v to power supply and ground to NC of relay) and the mp3 module (connecting the pin on the module via NO to the common ground) for the sound.
Reasons I can see
- being able to track it via the wifi onboard with mqtt;
- to not have the relay sound
- switches being a mechanical part that could wear with time
- being able to enable the next puzzle wirelessly instead of via the relay.
I would think one reason is maintenance. Switches, mechanical things that players can exert force onto, break. Break beams should last forever.
Magnet switches could 0be used and put 3 small magnets in each of the knifes. Also the IR sensors could degrade with time, Dust, bugs, particles, could block the IR light from emitter to reciever @@t3chrs
As I mentioned in a previous comment, the purpose of this channel is to provide ideas and inspiration of some of the different technology that are often used to achieve the "magic" of escape rooms. There are certainly many other ways that you could achieve the same outcome - using contact switches, magnets, RFID, proximity, metal sensors.... each has their own advantages and disadvantages. One of the main advantages of the beam break sensors is that they are completely contactless - they have no intenal moving parts, nor come into contact with any prop that the (often heavy-handed) escape room player is wielding, so they should have a much longer expected lifespan than a normal switch, especially useful in a prop like this where players are quite forceful in pushing the knives into the slots.
And yes, the reason for using the microprocessor is a topic I've mentioned in several videos - it enables the basic standalone puzzle illustrated in the video to be extended further: to include additional inputs or outputs, to change game logic on the fly, to provide feedback, monitoring, or override capability from a remote room monitoring system, to synchronise outputs with room-level lighting or audio etc. etc.
@@PlayfulTechnology Don’t take this the wrong way - I’m All In for proposing different ideas - I have personally learned a ton from your videos - from logic via code to very specific components I never knew existed.
I’ve just been interested if there’s an obvious advantage to doing it that way that I haven’t thought about yet.
-
On my personal journey I started working exclusively with Arduinos (before ESPs were so mainstream) and knew hot to build the logic for many puzzles in code with many different inputs. As we’re now moving more and more into temporary outdoor installations my attention has switched to how to make certain puzzles run without any form of microcontroller, just with simple components and a battery pack. This has led me to 1) find and use many cooooool boards, like the mp3 player one shown here, but in the v^v mode i think, where each of the 1-8 legs plays a different track when connected to ground; 2) try to simplify MANY puzzles into basic components - switches, motors, simple leds and transistors; 3) appreciate first hand how much we rely on good (or not very bad) weather conditions for our tech to work and how quickly things go haywire when the prop is suddenly underwater 😁😅.
Please keep on creating and showing us creative ways to go about creating puzzles. With a great amount of love and huge thanks for the lessons learned - kindest regards from Bulgaria!
I would have just used reed switches to minimize the wiring instead of the beam break.
Also would have wired each hole to me able to make the required holes programmable.
It seems this is overengineered. Between this setup, and use of 3 magnet switches wired in series and small magnets in the knifes. Then you will use only 1 pin for detection on the ESP. Instead of a pin for each detector. Also the magnet switches setup is more bulletproof.
It wont degrade by any means. If you have more dusty enviroment, or a spider tries to put his web on the way of the IR emmiter, it could wreck players experience if you don't have monitoring over the sensors.
Aside from this, cool puzzle :)
That is true, but a lot of escape room puzzles use magnets (and those that don't use RFID :) ), and it's a good idea to ensure that players can't accidentally solve one puzzle using the wrong prop which happened to use the same detection mechanism in a different scenario. Too many magnetised props in a room can lead to difficulties!
Also, the intention of this channel is to demonstrate a range of different input and output methods, and this seemed like a suitable scenario in which to demonstrate how a beam break sensor could be used. But there are certainly many ways that the same effect could be done.