From an idea to an actual game...
It all started when some young people came to the youth center and complained that nothing ever happens in Ilmatsalu. Instead of just complaining, they came up with the idea of organizing something cool themselves—something that would be fun for others, too. It would also bring more young people to the youth center.
During the discussion, we came up with the idea of creating an escape room in the old fish farm facilities at the Ilmatsalu Youth and Community Center. The idea was developed into a project and submitted through EANK’s Ideepuhur platform. After receiving a positive response, the real work began—designing the game’s story and routes, devising challenges, and building and testing prototypes.
It is important to us that no one creates a ready-made game for the young people. They are involved every step of the way—from designing the challenges and spaces, to making props, to testing the puzzles, and later helping to run the games.
Young people are supported by youth workers from the Tartu Youth Work Center and game leaders from Seiklus Kuubis, who help them turn their ideas into a functioning whole. Some ideas work right away, while others need to be reworked after the first test run—and that’s exactly what’s part of creating a game.
What is “The Lost Trail”?
“The Lost Trail” isn’t quite a classic escape room. It’s an interactive adventure game lasting about 1.5 hours, in which teams move through different rooms, search for clues, solve puzzles, and piece together a larger story step by step.
Several teams can participate in the game at the same time, each following different routes. Some challenges require players to notice small details, others involve piecing together different sources of information, and some require the entire team to truly work together to solve them.
It All Begins with a Missing Young Man
A local legend tells of a young person who went missing in the Ilmatsalu area.
The objects are arranged in a strange way; there are notes and traces left behind, and some clues seem to have been left there on purpose. The players' task is to follow the missing young person's trail and figure out what happened.
However, the further the investigation progresses, the more new questions arise. What was the missing young man investigating himself? Why did he leave behind exactly these kinds of clues? And are the players even looking for what they think they’re looking for?
We can't reveal any more at this time. However, we can give you one small hint:
Don't believe everything you're told at the beginning of the game.
Construction is currently in full swing
Throughout September, we’ll turn the prototypes into actual challenges, make props, design the spaces, and test the entire game so that we’ll have a complete adventure ready by October.
However, the project’s goal extends beyond the game itself. With the proceeds from the games, we are supporting the creation of a new outdoor area at the Ilmatsalu Youth and Community Center. In this way, one idea created by the youth themselves helps bring the next one to life.
Come try what we've created!
"The Lost Trail" awaits players from October 23 to November 1, 2026.
You can play with a team of 2–4 people; a ticket for one team costs 60 euros, and the game lasts about 1.5 hours. Game times are between 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., and young people can use a discount code to get a discount on their tickets.
Tickets are already on sale Fientas – “The Lost Trace”.
Can your team find clues, solve puzzles, and uncover what’s really behind “The Lost Trail”?
The youth initiative project competition "Ideepuhur" is implemented by the Estonian Association of Open Youth Centres and funded by the Ministry of Education and Research.
