Uploaded October 2019 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
This is the first of a series of tutorial videos demonstrating how to use Node-RED (nodered.org/) to control devices in an escape room.
Node RED is a general-purpose framework that can be used to connect all sorts of hardware and software device - including DMX lighting, MIDI/OSC sound devices, and Arduino, Raspberry Pi, or other microprocessors connected via serial cable, ethernet, or Wi-Fi, which makes it absolutely ideal for use to connect the various puzzle controllers and tech props found in an escape room. It runs on Windows, Linux, and even a Raspberry Pi, and the editor is accessed via a node-based graphical interface in your browser. And, best of all, it's completely free and open-source :)
In this video, I'll cover how to download and install Node-RED itself, and then create a general ER "game flow" workflow, which can update a timer displayed on both a GM dashboard and a HTML/CSS-styled in-room player display. I'll also show how that same timer flow can send a message via an HTTP GET request to a WeMos D1 mini device which sets the time on a clock using a dual-shaft stepper motor. I'll also create link nodes for other types of triggered events - such as events that occur when the timer reaches a certain value, or an event with a random chance of occurring based on a set probability. I'll demonstrate how these events can trigger different sorts of hardware in later videos in this series.
This video was created with the generosity of my Patreon supporters - if you'd like to see more of my escape room tech projects, please check out patreon.com/playfultech
And, if you have any comments, suggestions, or requests for hardware/software which you'd like to see how to integrate into an escape room running Node RED, please let me know in the comments below!
00:00 - 02:05 Intro and Demonstration
02:06 - 05:48 Installation of Node.JS and Node-RED
05:49 - 07:21 The Node-RED interface
07:22 - 13:19 Creating a Game Flow - declaring global variables
13:20 - 21:04 Creating a Game Flow - maintaining a game timer
21:05 - 31:00 Adding a simple GM dashboard timer with buttons and text node
31:01 - 36:50 Adding a fancy in-room timer display with HTML and CSS in a template node
36:51 - 46:52 Exposing link nodes to allow actions to be triggered by common game events
46:53 - 50:30 Controlling a clock prop running on WeMos D1 mini using HTTP GET request
50:31 - 52:50 Importing and exporting Node RED flows
52:51 - 53:30 Wrap-up
This is the first of a series of tutorial videos demonstrating how to use Node-RED (nodered.org/) to control devices in an escape room.
Node RED is a general-purpose framework that can be used to connect all sorts of hardware and software device - including DMX lighting, MIDI/OSC sound devices, and Arduino, Raspberry Pi, or other microprocessors connected via serial cable, ethernet, or Wi-Fi, which makes it absolutely ideal for use to connect the various puzzle controllers and tech props found in an escape room. It runs on Windows, Linux, and even a Raspberry Pi, and the editor is accessed via a node-based graphical interface in your browser. And, best of all, it's completely free and open-source :)
In this video, I'll cover how to download and install Node-RED itself, and then create a general ER "game flow" workflow, which can update a timer displayed on both a GM dashboard and a HTML/CSS-styled in-room player display. I'll also show how that same timer flow can send a message via an HTTP GET request to a WeMos D1 mini device which sets the time on a clock using a dual-shaft stepper motor. I'll also create link nodes for other types of triggered events - such as events that occur when the timer reaches a certain value, or an event with a random chance of occurring based on a set probability. I'll demonstrate how these events can trigger different sorts of hardware in later videos in this series.
This video was created with the generosity of my Patreon supporters - if you'd like to see more of my escape room tech projects, please check out patreon.com/playfultech
And, if you have any comments, suggestions, or requests for hardware/software which you'd like to see how to integrate into an escape room running Node RED, please let me know in the comments below!
00:00 - 02:05 Intro and Demonstration
02:06 - 05:48 Installation of Node.JS and Node-RED
05:49 - 07:21 The Node-RED interface
07:22 - 13:19 Creating a Game Flow - declaring global variables
13:20 - 21:04 Creating a Game Flow - maintaining a game timer
21:05 - 31:00 Adding a simple GM dashboard timer with buttons and text node
31:01 - 36:50 Adding a fancy in-room timer display with HTML and CSS in a template node
36:51 - 46:52 Exposing link nodes to allow actions to be triggered by common game events
46:53 - 50:30 Controlling a clock prop running on WeMos D1 mini using HTTP GET request
50:31 - 52:50 Importing and exporting Node RED flows
52:51 - 53:30 Wrap-up
