Educational escape game to save the Earth and get a grip on the EU

This game, developed over a period of two full years as part of the Have Your Say project, lets groups of 4-10 players face the task to save planet Earth from an asteroid impact by securing money for a space shild from the EU. To that end, they must know how the EU takes such big decisions. Finding this out, that's the task, and the hidden learning-purpose of the game.

 

 

Taken from reality

Intro text for the escape game

Planet earth is in big danger.

An asteroid is hurtling towards it. There is not much time left until the impact. That is the end of mankind.

Or not yet? A team of scientists has developed plans for an asteroid shield. But the shield would first have to be built, and building it costs a lot of money. Who can afford it?

The scientist ponder: Asking the USA? No, they are occupied with inner struggles. Asking Russia? No, they have spent all their money on a silly war. Asking China? No, everybody is sick with Covid19 there. So who remains?

The countries of the European Union have money, and with the EU they have an organization that can act together on their behalf. But how would you get the EU to assign the money? The scientiest must find out how the EU works! Then, perhaps, they can save the Earth!

The scientists - that's you. - GO!

The game installed in a classroom, with students trying to solve the puzzles.

How to play the game?

This is a real-world escape game for groups of 4-10 participants. Groups can contact VHS Hannover and agree a date for gaming. VHS Hannover provides certain weeks over the year when the game is installed in one of the seminar classrooms. - On special request it is also possible to install the escape room in other venues, e.g. at schools or in any other suitable location. VHS Hannover staff (2 persons) is needed for the role of game master, to control the game as "Space Assistants" from outside.

There is also an other option: VHS Hannover published all the materials developed for the game  - game instructions, printable materials, instructions for building physial props - and everybody can build the props themselves. However, this is very time-consuming and needs quite a number of technical skills.

So, in practice, educational institutions turn to VHS Hannover to provide the gaming opportunity.

The props for the game are currently available in German and in English. Other languages can relatively easily be provided, too.

 Between 6 and 96 meeples sitting on country plates. What role could they have in the game?

 

 

Materials (examples)

The following pictures show selected materials from the package of printable materials for the Asteorid Alarm game.

Poster "EU Commission" - presents the true members plus three false ones. The task is to find the imposters.

 

31 country plates for the EU-member countries. Uh... wait a moment? Why 31? How many members does the EU really have? 31 country plates for the EU-member countries. Uh... wait a moment? Why 31? How many members does the EU really have?

Are all countries here member of the EU?Are all countries here member of the EU? 

 

The package of printable includes lables for the 27 figurines to represent the ministers in the Council of the European Union. Print, cut, and make them the base of your figurines. The codes will help to solve the puzzle. The package of printable includes labels for the 27 figurines to represent the ministers in the Council of the European Union. Print, cut, and make them the base of your figurines. The codes will help to solve the puzzle.

 

Large poster showing a session of the European Parliament. Players have to find out where the session takes place. Large poster showing a session of the European Parliament. Players have to find out where the session takes place.

 

Template for the fill-in-the-word puzzle. Players have to find the right cards and place them in the board. You can print this, glue it on cardboard, and cut the slots with a knife. Template for the fill-in-the-word puzzle. Players have to find the right cards and place them in the board. You can print this, glue it on cardboard, and cut the slots with a knife.

 

Download

Instructions (EN)

Instructions (DE)

Collection of printable materials (Zip-Folder, 52 MB)

Materials in the collection still undergo improvement. Later download will give you improved versions of the props.

Update (Aug. 2023): An new version of the EU Commissioners poster is available now, reflecting recent changes in the Commission's staff. See below, selected materials.

 

Selected materials for direct download:

Direct links to selected material - allows quick review, without bothering with downloading and unzipping the entire collection.

Item 03: Messages (to be put in the boxes etc.) (EN) - (DE)

Item 11: Country plates: (EN) - (DE)

Item 12: Institutions puzzle: Background (EN) - (DE); Frame (EN) - (DE); Puzzle parts (EN) - (DE)

Item 13: Word-gap board: (EN) - (DE) (one-page layout for poster print)  /  (EN) - (DE) (split layout for printing on A3)

Item 27: EU Commissioners poster (EN) - (DE) (one-page layout for poster print) / (EN) - (DE) (split layout for printing on 9 x A4) - All four designs show the updated list of commissioners of August 2023.

 

 

Props gallery

Take a tour through the room and inspect (some of) the props.

 

List of printables for the Asteroid game 

This lists shows the various pdfs available in the download package (see above). The idea is to print these so they can be used in the game, either as game utensils or a deco for the room. The list will be refined over time (in 2023 ongoing). Some materials are already available in both German and English. Information about language versions will be added yet. - You can use this list to identify the items in the download package via the Item numbers even if their file names differ.

 

Item File name Type Use
Purpose
001 Introtext A4 Game essential

The story of the game, as to bepresented to the players at start.

002 EU-Institutions-Poster Poster size Game essential A poster showing the most important EU institutions and the way they cooperate. 
003 Messages Office paper Game essential Messages to the players, to be placed in boxes of the game, and messages to be read by the game master orally, in certain cituations of the game.
004 Strassbourg map Poster size Game essential A city map of Strasbourg, plus a visiual hint to identify the town.
 005 Map of Europe Poster   Deco  A large map of Europe and neighbouring regions, mixed political-geografical presentation. Not technically necessary for using the tasks in the game, but anyway helpful in various phases of the game, e.g. for solving the Europe puzzle
006 Earth Full Poster size Deco A picture of planet earth in space. 
007        
008 Telescope Mirror Poster size Deco  
009 EU legislation diagram Poster size Instructional A diagram showing the ordinary legislation procedure of the EU. This is not technically needed for solving the tasks in the game, but can be a crucial element in the reflection and consolidation discussion afterwards.
010 Secret Telephone List Office paper Game essential  2 pages A4 with telephone numbers, one of them a real one linking to the game master's telephone, where an automatic response is recorded. Players have to find, by comparing codes with the Commissioners' poster, which number to call .
011 Country plates Office paper (strong) Game essential A set of 31 cards each with the map of one European country (EU and some not EU) including info on their population and number of MEPs. - Print this on A4 paper, ideally a heavier variety, e.g. 150 g/m2.
012 Institutions puzzle A3 paper or larger Game essential A puzzle based on various not so prominent EU institutions. When solved, correctly, it reveals a code. - Print the various sheets and glue them to cardboard, creating a frame and puzzle pieces. 
013 Word gap puzzle  Poster Game essential  Fill-in-the-word puzzle, for players to identify and correctly place the EU's three main institutions. - Print, glue on thick cardboard, cut out the pieces and slots. 
015 Code cards for the towns

A4, and cut

Game essential A set of cards to be stuck to the wooden town plates, with codes to be used in the puzzles. The Strasbourg plate must be marked with the "5000" sign. The other cards can be distributed randomly. - To be used together with Item 19.
016

Treaty of Lisbon §13

A3 or A4 Instructional A faximile copy of Article 13 of the Treaty of Lisbon, about the institutional setup of the EU. Not really needed for solving the puzzles, but can later be used in the reflection round to demonstrate the legal foundations of the EU. Shows also the rules for the number of parliamentarians per country.
017 Asteroid in space Poster size Deco Print this, glue it onto cardboard, and use it as general deco for the room.
018        
019 Town cards A4 paper Game A set of A4 cards showing European cities by way of famous buildings in them. Used to mark the wooden town plates where the parliament can be "weighed".
020 Meteorite poster 1 A4 paper Deco An artist's impression of an asteoroid and of earth. We use this in   the introductory round to make the situation more visual.
021 Meteorite poster 2 A4 paper Deco An artist's impression of an asteoroid approaching earth, with flames around it. - We use this in the introductory round to make the situation more visual.
022 ISS poster Poster size Mere deco Photograph of the International Space Station. Can in the introduction round be presented as the place where the Space Assistants reside.
         
024 EU Council Sign A4 paper Game essential A sign "Council of the EU" (Ministerrat) to put on the Council table in the game room.
025 EU Parliament model A3 paper Game essential Print on A3, glue on flexible cardbord, cut, and glue together to get a cylindrical container resembling the EU parliament which will host the 705 parliamentarians (feebles)
026 Strasburg rebus A4 Game essential A set of cards to give a rebus clue for "Strasbourg". Alternatively: a set of letter cards for "Strasbourg".
027 EU Commission poster Poster Game A poster showing the current EU commissioners, with some personal data and codes and clues needed for the puzzle.
028        
029

Smurf plates

 A4  Game Footplates for the Smurf figures (to represents ministers in the Council), and corresponding cards for the stars on the Council table cloth.
030 Space assistants monitor frame  Poster  Deco Deco frame for the computer monitor used as communication interface between the scientists and their assistants in space. Print (e.g. on several sheets A4I, glue on cardboard, cut out the opening for the screen. 
033 EU parliament session poster  Poster  Game  
034 Map of Europe  Poster  Deco  
035 Europe puzzle (Bought) Game essential A cardboard puzzle with European countries cut out as pieces. This can be purchased in various versions and languages from booksellers and suppliers of teaching materials.
036 Cryptex letter codes  A4  Game essential  Paper strips with letters, to be used to replace the original ones of the Cryptex container. This makes the Cryptex have the "Europa" code to open. 
037 MEP per country  A4  Instructional Piece of Info about the EU parliament. To be hung somewher ein the room. 
038 MEPs and their parliamentary groups  A4 Instructional Piece of Info about the EU parliament. To be hung somewher ein the room.