Today, we have the pleasure of chatting with Mihail (AKA GG3L), a full-stack developer from Romania, who has made a significant mark in the Escape Simulator community through his impressive modding and scripting skills. Mihail's journey into the world of Escape Simulator began with a casual YouTube discovery that quickly turned into a passion. Since then, he has become an integral part of the community, contributing innovative LUA scripts and room designs that enhance the gameplay experience for everyone. Join us as Mihail shares his insights, experiences, and the creative process behind his engaging and intricate escape room projects.
Enigmas of the Nile
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and how you got into playing Escape Simulator?
My name is Mihail, and I am a full-stack developer from Romania. I currently specialize in web-related application development but have also dabbled in game testing, software testing, game design, and development.
As for how I got into playing Escape Simulator, I was watching random YouTube videos and stumbled upon one about it. After watching it for a few minutes, I paused the video, went to Steam, and bought it. I've never stopped playing since.
Modding in videogames in general is a pretty fun way to expand on what the developer originally envisioned. But we really want to know what made you say: “Fine, I’ll do it myself”? :-)
Chronicles of the Forgotten Wisdom - Ch. I
When I first started building rooms, I made it a rule to only use the editor logic. I thought it would be a fun challenge. After I eventually tried LUA for the first time, it became a new challenge. I spend a lot of time on the official Discord server and take note of what others are having trouble with or would like/need to be added to the game. I realize that most of these problems/requests aren’t a priority for the developers, as they have more important things to focus on, so I try my best to create the functionality and share it with the community.
Did you mod other games before, or Escape Simulator is the first one you started fiddling with?
I’ve always had an attraction toward computers in general. I’ve started tinkering with them since I got my first one back in 2002. I first learned all of the “how not to do it” ways… the hard way. As for modding, I started with custom private servers and client modding for popular games of the era in 2005.
How do you approach the creative process when starting a new LUA script or escape room project? Do you begin with a concept, a puzzle, or something else entirely?
When it comes to room building, I start with a simple idea. I then give it a name, a story, and a visual representation. If I’m happy with the result, I then start building puzzles. Scripting is different. When most people want to relax, they watch a movie, play a game, or do some other activity. I like playing around with the LUA API.
How did you first discover the potential for creating LUA scripts for Escape Simulator?
I’ve played around with a lot of programming languages, but LUA wasn’t one of them. At first, I was reluctant to learn another one, but that quickly changed when I couldn’t find any other way to implement a feature for one of my rooms and realized it was extremely easy and fun to use.
What motivates you to continue developing and refining your LUA scripts for Escape Simulator? Are there specific feedback or experiences from our community that drive your work?
I’ve always enjoyed helping people. All of the scripts I’ve shared were designed with the community in mind. Most people find coding intimidating, that’s why my scripts don’t require coding knowledge to be used and are configurable through the editor directly.
GG3L is an active community member on Pine's Discord server and often helps other members
Besides your own creations, are there any other LUA scripts on the Steam Workshop that you think are total game-changers for the Escape Simulator community?
Thoroniul’s and apa-games’s work is some of the best out there. Thoroniul is the original LUA master, and apa-games, while relatively new to the community, has created some great things and also spent the time to create a detailed guide to help others get into LUA easier.
Were there any specific resources or tutorials that helped you learn LUA scripting for Escape Simulator?
I think most people interested in trying LUA scripting, myself included, probably started with “Thoroniul's LUA Tutorial” as a guide.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2809817128
Are there any specific game mechanics or features in Escape Simulator that you haven't explored yet but are interested in experimenting with through LUA scripting in the future?
I feel like I’ve almost reached the limits of the current API. I’m looking forward to the new update.
Every creator faces hurdles. What are some valuable takeaways you've gained through your experiences as a creator for Escape Simulator, especially those that were hard-earned lessons?
Always test and playtest your projects thoroughly before publishing and make sure you always have backups that you can roll back to in case you ever need to.
If someone in the community is interested in getting started with LUA scripting for Escape Simulator, what advice would you give them?
Start small and go up from there. It might look intimidating, but it’s not really that hard. You could think of using the editor logic props as a simplified form of coding and LUA as a more manual but less restrictive way of doing the same thing.
The guide created by apa-games is perfect for both beginners and experienced coders. If you have any questions or need help, the official Discord server is your friend. Someone will always be there to help.
Pine's Discord community member apa-games has created a famed Unofficial Escape Simulator LUA Guide. Check it out!
Has your experience with LUA scripting in Escape Simulator influenced your approach to other games or activities outside of the game itself? Has it sparked an interest in programming or scripting in general?
I’ve been meaning to go back to game development, but could never find the time. LUA scripting was the answer to that problem.
Can you recount any funny moments, unexpected discoveries, or bursts of inspiration that happened while working on your projects for Escape Simulator?
I once spent around 30 minutes trying to figure out why my script wasn’t working, only to realize that I accidentally deleted the script prop from the room. Some of my scripts were unexpected discoveries. I usually play around with the API, trying different ideas. There were multiple instances where I discovered something new or got new ideas while working on something completely different.
Possibly one of the most hilarious thumbnails you'll find for a LUA script.
Are there any upcoming projects or LUA scripts you’re currently working on that you can share with us?
I do have some projects in the works, but they’re still in early development. As for scripts, the ones I haven’t already shared news about are part of the new Collab room.
Pine's Discord member Brush$troke has announced a new Collab room. Make sure to check out the previous The Collab: Museum.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2985569031&searchtext=collab
Do you have a favorite community room (or rooms) you've created so far?
I don’t have a favorite one. I love and hate all of my rooms equally. :-)
And finally, can you name the 3 best rooms by other room builders?
I’ve played a lot of great community rooms, but the first that come to mind are the ones created by Zesty and Cico. From both a technical and gameplay point of view, my favorite would be The Devilish Diorama.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2774254073&searchtext=the+devilish+diorama