"We're thinking about developing escape games in alternative forms"

Romane Cornali hesitated between doing an apprenticeship as a librarian or going to college to study tourism. But in the end she chose to study mathematics at EPFL, mathematics being another of her passions, passed on to her from an early age by her architect father, who had a passion for solving mathematical problems. For this young woman of 24, who admits to "getting bored quickly", adding up the sum of her varied interests - imagination, organization and logic - led her to co-found the EscapEPFL association in 2021, specializing in the creation of escape games, treasure hunts and other forms of “enigma”.

Before sharing it with the student community, Romane Cornali started out developing her ideas on her own in her bedroom during the school holidays. Now in her second year of a Master’s in mathematics, Romane came up with a novel scenario for an escape game to celebrate her 20th birthday with her friends and family. The theme? Follow the trail of a scientist who was kidnapped after finding a formula to solve the problem of global warming. The game keeps the guests guessing for 45 minutes, and they keep coming back for more. This first experience will pave the way for new ideas.

Romane Cornali was a gifted pupil at high school, but she had a hard time in the first semester of her mathematics Bachelor's degree. The way of working was different, demanding and very rigorous. But she hung in there, as the intellectual stimulation of studying abstract mathematics gradually got the better of her. "I love this discipline. It allows me to disconnect from reality, because I'm hyper-concentrated. If you persevere to the end of the process, you'll find a solution whatever happens. In this field, there's no room for interpretation, it's black and white", she explains. At the same time, she feeds her imagination by devouring historical novels, thrillers and other fiction, and gives her classmates the benefit of her organizational talent by getting involved in preparing the end-of-Bachelor's trip.

Hiding in a cube

During Covid and semi-confinement, the young woman decided to take a semester off. But she needed a new project. So why not take the escape game concept and turn it on its head? "I created a cube filled with small compartments and doors with locks. The aim was to solve riddles to open all these hiding places in order to find a treasure hidden inside. I built it with my father's model-making tools and used scrap wood as the raw material." Once again, her friends tried out her game, which kept them busy for over an hour. They were so enthusiastic that Romane Cornali wondered whether she could market it. To do so, she realized that she needed to learn more about entrepreneurship. "My aim was to share it with as many people as possible, to be able to rent it out, or to create others. I had no notion of management, nor did anyone in my family. That's why I chose to focus my Master’s in this direction, opting for a minor in Management, Technology and Entrepreneurship (MTE)."

I quickly saw how the theory could be put into practice. I learned even more because my game became a group project. The feedback from the teachers was interesting, especially the notions of intellectual property in order to protect my work.

This course, offered by the College of Management of Technology (CDM) incorporates a whole range of knowledge that will be useful for her new challenge: sustainability, project management, basic economic principles, business law and start-up creation. "I quickly saw how the theory could be put into practice. I learned even more because my game became a group project. The feedback from the teachers was interesting, especially the notions of intellectual property to protect my work."

Following her first building experience, she left with a second, improved prototype, which she built in the Student Kreativity and Innovation Laboratory (SKIL) on campus. As for the creation of the EscapEPFL association, she finalized it in 2022, but the idea was already in gestation long before Covid. "It all started as a joke with a friend. We thought it was a shame that there were no associations dedicated to escape games on campus. So why not create our own?" she says with a big smile. Their first life-size game took place in the civil protection shelters under the EPFL esplanade. The team spent six months preparing the game, which was played twice, in April and October 2023. A success in terms of visitor numbers, but a lot of work. Romane Cornali has now handed in her president's hat, but remains active as a volunteer. "We're thinking about developing the concept in other ways. We've come up with an advent calendar, for example, with a riddle to solve every day online on our Instagram account. The association has expanded to include everything to do with puzzle games," she adds, with plenty of scenarios in mind for the future.