ArduinoProps library for escape room props on GitHub

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1

ArduinoProps is a library to make MQTT props sketches for Escape Room 2.0 with Arduino Yún , Ethernet and WiFi.

I've shared the code we use in our escape rooms on GitHub at GitHub - xcape-io/ArduinoProps: Library to make MQTT props sketches for Escape Room 2.0 with Arduino Yun, Ethernet, WiFi and STM32 Nucleo-144 boards.

My purpose is to help every escape room tinkerers and professionals to provide the best customer experience for escape gamers:

  • props that work
  • props reliable (up and running 247)/
  • maximum automation and connected (prop 2.0)
  • control/command thru MQTT (mosquitto on Raspberry Pi recommended)
  • manual rescue control by the GM (broken sensor for example)
  • reliable and reusable code (MIT license)

A lot of boards are supported:

2

Thanks so much for sharing your library. That's some very nice documentation!

One thing you should be aware of: Arduino does not allow libraries which have a library.properties name value starting with "Arduino" to be added to the Arduino Library Manager index. Library Manager provides the easiest way to install and update Arduino libraries. The restriction only applies to the library.properties name value, there is no problem with the GitHub repository name or the library file names starting with "Arduino".

Reference and more information:

I also don't think it's necessary to put the .zip file in the repository. Adding binary files to repositories makes them get very big fast, so it's best to avoid this if possible. GitHub automatically generates .zip files for you. There is one for each Git ref. For example, this URL gives you a .zip file for the tip of the master branch:
https://github.com/xcape-io/ArduinoProps/archive/master.zip
GitHub also provides .zip files for each GitHub release or Git tag. Yes, these will have the Visual Studio files in them which are removed by your .bat file, but I don't think it's a huge problem. If you want to provide customized .zip files, you can do this by attaching them to GitHub Releases. These files are not in the Git repository, so they don't affect its size.

3

Thanks for the feedback and tips!

4

I might sound ignorant, but what's the fun with these escaperooms?

5

There are thousands of escape rooms world wide and Arduino boards are the preferred choice to automate props:

  • detect object presence with RFID or reed switch
  • free doors or drawers stuck with mag locks
  • detect colored light beam
  • start/stop DC motors
  • position stepper motor
  • release fog from smoke machine
  • light effects
  • sound effects
  • complex props: rotary phone, biometrics, (fake) wired bombs, etc.

You'll be less ignorant then : :grin:

https://thrillbuilders.com/diy-escape-room-props/

6

This project was initiated in 2016 when we opened our own Live Escape game in Grenoble, France.

We now have 5 rooms with about 40 Arduino and 20 Raspberry Pi board, with 11 arduinos in a single room with a lot of automation, we created a Windows software controller for our Game Masters.

We use only Arduino Yun or Arduino Meag 2560 + Dragino Yun shields so I can reboot, reprogram from anywhere. We don't use WiFi to ensure reliable networking (his may change with WiFi 6 coming).

Our code is now mature and reliable enough to share.

It is simple, so I can code very quickly, adapt and maintain.

It is reusable and rely on a simple protocol over MQTT: