LOST LANDS MUSIC FESTIVAL
PUZZLE QUEST
Lost Lands was already a well established festival beloved for their iconic DJs and giant animatronic dinosaurs. In 2021, they wanted to make it even more interactive and immersive, and brought in the Wild Optimists to create a puzzle quest throughout the Forsaken Forest.
The quest was playable at any time so that it could be enjoyed between sets. The puzzles were designed in such a way so that multiple people could all play them at the same time, ensuring there wouldn’t be any annoying bottlenecks. The puzzles were scattered throughout the forest, inviting players to peer into bird’s nests, study dinosaur patterns, and look for some very unusual foliage. It all culminated in a giant dinosaur nest, where questers needed to find the exact right egg and use it to open a mysterious boulder, revealing the end of the story and their keepsake prize!
"Nobody comes close to the artistry, flair and ingenuity that Ariel and Julianna bring to every project. Having worked with them on large scale TV-focused projects and smaller scale personal ones, it’s immediately apparent from the very beginning of working together why they are the best in the business."
Bryan Seabury, EVP CBS Studios
DTLAPROUD & WEEDMAPS
HISTORY PUZZLE QUEST
How to you make DTLA pride even more fun?? With puzzles about cannabis!
Weedmaps hired the Wild Optimists to take their DTLA booth to the next level, increasing customer engagement and brand ambassadorship. Rather than simply being handed a piece of merch, players had to earn it by solving puzzles throughout the festival.
The quest featured cryptic rainbow pennants, a photo booth hiding a smoky secret, and a perfectly instagram-able pool full of giant inflatable joints. After solving each puzzle, players received not only their unique prize, but a keepsake postcard illuminating the intersecting history of the cannabis movement and the gay rights movement.
"The Wild Optimists are like the ninja warriors of the immersive and experiential landscape. I leave every conversation with them energized, impressed and excited for the projects we're working on together. I look forward to our creative sessions and their work has been world-class at every stage. These woman are insanely brilliant!"
Justin Sudds, Right Angle Entertainment
santa monica pier
secret story tours
For their 110th anniversary, the Pier wanted to do something unique and memorable to celebrate their history.
They hired us to create an official historical tour as a puzzle quest. So we created a custom app that showcases the history of the pier in a safe and socially distanced way.
Rather than lecturing players about history, it comes alive in their hands, inviting them to discover the mysteries lying just beneath the surface. A tiered hint system means the tour is fun and accessible for both novice players and experienced puzzlers.
Finally, it provides unique opportunities to hold history in your hands, and then take an exclusive photo to share with the world.
"We know that everyone, especially families, are looking for safe and fun activities, and we are lucky to have puzzle masters like the Wild Optimists and an open-air space to make it happen!"
Negin Singh, Santa Monica Pier
ELECTRIC FOREST MUSIC FESTIVAL
PUZZLE QUESTS
A four day music festival that draws over 45,000 attendees to listen to music, experience immersive art installations and… play puzzles.
We designed two puzzle quests and an immersive event. The quests spanned the forest, art installations, and village area.
These quests were fun, durable and were played by thousands of people over four days. Many attendees cited our games as their favorite part of the festival.
“Loved working with Juliana & Ariel. They created a magical experience for our Anti-Gala. It got attendees making new friends and playing together in a matter of seconds. Can’t wait to find more things to build together."
Brent Bushnell, Two Bit Circus
TWO BIT CIRCUS
GALA GAME
Two Bit Circus hosted a 500+ person gala to raise money for their amusement park.
The challenge we were presented with was how to make dinner fun and get the energy up before the auction so people would be more willing to spend.
Our answer: A puzzle quest that was ”discovered” after the salad plate was removed and revealed that the centerpiece was actually a machine you needed to build (by solving puzzles.) Once solved, it spit out gold coins that could be used to purchase a prize.
This event included video games, circus performers and a cocktail making robot, but on a poll of the biggest donors after the event our game was cited as the most fun of the evening.
