Control protocols
MQTT · Modbus · OSC
Connect custom controllers, PLCs, show-control tools, and networked devices through established protocols.
Connections and hardware
Connect the hardware you already use to the system running your rooms
ARC combines native device connections, established control protocols, and tools for custom props so your room does not have to fit one hardware ecosystem.
Connections are managed in ARC, devices are mapped once, and the same hardware can then participate in games, automations, monitoring, tests, and staff controls.
Smart devices
Z-Wave · Zigbee · Hue
Bring common sensors, lights, locks, plugs, and relays into the same ARC device model.
Custom props
Arduino · ESP · Pi
Build purpose-made props and displays without giving up centralized monitoring and control.
Choose the connection that matches the job
ARC does not force every device through the same transport. Each connection keeps the capabilities and diagnostics that matter for that device family.
Room and show control
MQTT, Modbus TCP, DMX, OSC, and QLC+
Use network messaging, PLC registers, professional lighting, and show-control cues directly from games and automations.
Smart devices and sensors
Z-Wave, Zigbee, Hue, Kasa, and Shelly BLU
Connect practical off-the-shelf sensors, relays, plugs, locks, buttons, and lighting without rebuilding them as custom props.
Custom hardware
Arduino, ESP32, ESP8266, and Raspberry Pi
Use ARC libraries and standard protocols for RFID readers, keypads, custom controllers, physical effects, and player displays.
Existing automation tools
ARC’s own Node-RED nodes
Install @automation-room-control/node-red-arc when an existing flow should trigger ARC controls or react to game state, timers, objectives, and completed sessions.
From connection to a reusable room device
1
Add the connection
Enter the controller, broker, gateway, or service details in System → Connections and verify its health.
2
Discover or create devices
Map the real hardware into ARC with a clear name, location, and the capabilities it supports.
3
Use it throughout ARC
Reference the device from game logic, When/If/Do automations, quick actions, test tools, displays, and monitoring.
4
See problems before the game
Connection and device health feed ARC diagnostics and Game Systems Monitor so staff can see when something needs attention.
What this looks like in a real room
- A door contact changes game state and starts the next lighting and audio sequence.
- An MQTT prop reports a solved puzzle and exposes test controls to the builder.
- A PLC output drives a physical effect while ARC monitors the related input and reset state.
- An existing Node-RED flow receives an objective-completed event through ARC’s published nodes.
- Staff see the health of all of it from one operational system.
Hardware support without hardware lock-in
Escape rooms evolve one prop at a time. A system that only works with one controller family eventually becomes another constraint. ARC’s connection model lets a business combine reliable off-the-shelf hardware, industrial control, and custom-built props without hiding where each device comes from.
The result is not merely a longer integration list. It is one place to understand what is connected, what each device can do, where it is used, and whether it is ready for the next game.
Next step
Check your current hardware against ARC
Browse the connection guides, then use the full 30-day trial to connect a representative room before committing to a switch.