Frequently asked questions
WHAT IS THE UNDERCOVER UNIT?
It is a fully interactive theatrical experience where, with the help of actors, lights, a musical score, and much much you experience whatever show you have purchased for about an hour and a half.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
You will be placed in a scenario (which changes periodically) and, with the help of a guide will become a special agent, undercover agent, spy, or maybe even a ghost hunter.
I STILL DON'T GET IT?
Think of it as a scavenger hunt, escape room, murder mystery, and stage show all rolled into one.
OK, I AM STARTING TO GET IT BUT HOW DOES IT WORK?
You will arrive at our facility and once you are there you will conduct a safety briefing and find out what the scenario is and how we are to accomplish it. You will then make contact with either our actors or the "suspect" and go from there. It could entail surveillance of a subject, gathering clues, finding evidence. talking to witnesses, interviewing suspects, and conducting undercover operations. etc. Then once you have solved the crime or completed your mission you will return to the briefing area for a test (so pay close attention)
WHERE ARE YOU LOCATED AND WHERE SHOULD I PARK?
We are located in the NIghtmare Arts Gallery located in the Mill Race Village in Mount Holly NJ. It's important to note that although Mount Holly is located near Philadelphia it is 30 miles from Center City and there is a toll road/bridge to get to us and may not be cost-effective if you are trying to take uber or public transportation. As far as parking when you arrive go past the building and at the first stop sign follow the p signs. The one on the left behind Rock, Paper, Scissors is the best option as you will just walk up that path and be at our front door. We are also very close to many restaurants, bars (we even have a cool little speakeasy in town), and many other attractions so come and make a day of it.
I SEE PEOPLE IN THE PICTURES HAVE GUNS WHAT ARE THEY?
Currently neither of the shows we have utilize the weapons however if we add them in the future we use Airsoft guns as well as prop weapons that shoot blanks
CAN THEY HURT ME LIKE A REAL FIREARM?
No. Airsoft guns are TOYS. They cannot fire firearm bullets nor can they be modified to do so. The internal design and workings are totally different from those of real firearms. They are also utilized only in very controlled areas so they can't be mistaken for a real firearm by the general public.
CAN THEY STILL HURT ME?
Yes, airsoft bbs can hurt and a BB will leave a mark if it hits unprotected skin or clothing tightly stretched over it. If it hits soft skin, like the cheek or inner thigh, it will undoubtedly hurt more. Airsoft hurts a lot less than paintball, but you do run the risk of receiving small red welts from impacts. The upside is without a little pain, there is no more incentive to avoid hits than a computer game. The adrenaline produced by a player when in the game may well mean they don't feel any effects of being hit until they return home.
IS THERE ANY OTHER WAY I CAN GET HURT?
Due to the nature of some of the games, you may be called upon to do such things as crawl, crouch, and escape from various scenarios. Due to this, there is always a chance you may get hurt. We do not recommend this to anyone that is pregnant, suffers from heart ailments, asthma, high blood pressure, back pain, neck pain, or any other injury/ailment that would preclude them from playing any other sport, riding an amusement ride, etc. You also MUST sign a waiver (ON OUR TICKET PAGE) before entering our facility. There are however a few simple rules to follow and this can be a very safe and fun adventure.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER RULES I SHOULD KNOW ABOUT?
We have a strict zero-tolerance policy when it comes to unsafe or illegal actions. Breaking a zero-tolerance rule will have you banned from our facility and future events and in most cases will result in local law enforcement being called in.
Some examples are, but are not limited to:
• Illegal drugs of any kind.
• Excessive alcohol consumption before (or any consumption during) games/events (anyone deemed intoxicated will not be able to play.)
• Theft
• Willful damage to property (graffiti, littering, etc)
• Aggressive physical contact with another player/event staff
• Disrespect of any kind towards other players, facility/event staff.
Possession of an actual firearm in the game zone is strictly prohibited. (Including anyone with a CW permit)
WHAT DOES MY TICKET INCLUDE?
It includes the game itself, and everything you will need to play the game.
WHAT SHOULD I BRING/WEAR?
Right now the only games we have are indoors so you will be fine as far as the elements. For the Zodiak KIller-themed game we encourage you to dress the part for a '70s themed show
HOW OLD DO I HAVE TO BE TO PLAY?
This is an adventure that is only recommended for adults. The games can include violence, strong language, gun violence, etc. We feel that with the current culture and environment towards guns or anything that "promotes the gun culture" and in light of recent violent incidents involving minors, the decision to participate in these games should be on those who can be legally responsible to make that decision. We also have made most of our adventures as if you were living in a movie or video game. With that in mind, we feel some of our adventures would get an R rating due to gun violence, adult themes, and strong language. Based on all of these factors we have decided that no one under the age of 18 may purchase a ticket and NO ONE UNDER THE AGE OF 13 WILL BE ADMITTED. Anyone under the age of 18 must be accompanied by their parent/legal guardian (not just an adult) and their parent must sign the waiver ON LOCATION in order to participate.
WHAT IS THE MINIMUM/MAXIMUM NUMBER OF PEOPLE?
We need to have at least 2 people to start the game (any single person should book on dates that others have already booked or bring some friends). The Seance show is a great date night or girls night out type adventure and the zodiac killer game is better with larger groups as the more heads the better when trying to solve the clues etc. The table only seats a max of 7 people for the seance and we don't recommend any more than 6 for the zodiac killer game as both of the games are at their best at 6. Due to limited space, we can not accommodate larger groups. There may be a way to book multiple shows and split them up but that will need to be coordinated in advance.
I HAVE NEVER DONE THIS BEFORE AND I NEED TO KNOW IF THE PEOPLE I AM PLAYING AGAINST WILL BE ON THE SAME LEVEL?
The game level will be determined by the tickets you purchase. We will though have people playing the game that are from beginners to pro status. You will have a guide that will walk you through all aspects of the game and assure that the game is played at your chosen level. We are happy to answer any questions that you may have to ensure that your visit with us is an exciting one.
HOW LONG DOES A TYPICAL SCENARIO LAST?
The scenarios are scripted and will last approximately 1-1.5 hours.
DO I NEED TO PURCHASE TICKETS AHEAD OF TIME?
The short answer is YES. We base our actors, guides, staff etc on ticket presales only. Although we may be able to accommodate walk-ups we cannot guarantee a game will be available at that time. It is STRONGLY recommended that you purchase tickets at least 8 hours in advance of the time you would like to play. If it is less than 8 hours, we recommend you call us to see if we can assemble a game for you. Certain days/times sell out.
I SEE YOU ARE SOLD OUT/NOT OPEN DURING THE TIME I REALLY WANT TO GO WHAT DO I DO?
There may be times that we are able to accommodate you even if the tickets online are sold out or we may be able to set up a special game for a large group during our non-working hours. Feel free to call us or email us and we may be able to help
I SEE THERE IS AN OPTIONAL EVIDENCE PACK WHAT IS THAT AND DO I NEED IT?
You do not have to have the evidence pack to play the game. That is more for the people that want more out of the game. It will give you a complete background on the zodiac killer and all of the people he has killed to this point. It will also give you some insight into how he works, the ciphers he has used in the past, and how they were solved. This should give you some really good information inside the mind of the killer which should help you in the game. You are also given a test at the end of the game and it will give you additional points on the test. We also are in the process of building an ongoing game that will be online so anyone can participate from anywhere and the evidence pack will give you a big advantage in that as well.
WHAT DO THE POINTS DO?
You are scored during several points of the game, your answers on the test, and any extra points you may have gotten either from the evidence pack or if you solve the cipher given to you in your confirmation email. Those are tallied and the top 3 teams are put on the leader board. At the end of the season, the team that has the number one slot is given a $50 gift certificate that can be used towards future games or items at Nightmare Arts Gallery.
I ALSO SEE THAT YOU HAVE A SEANCE GAME. CAN YOU TELL ME ABOUT THAT ONE?
The seance is different in that there are no physical elements nor do you need to have any analytical skills and it is more geared towards date night, girls' night out, and customers who enjoy being scared/ horror movies/ghost hunting that kind of stuff. It is a seance conducted in an actual haunted space. It also has some magic, mentalism, utilizes what's called neuro-linguistic programming, and various forms of meditation. It is for entertainment purposes only. We also refrain from trying to contact dead relatives or anything like that as we do not like to take advantage of someone's grief. However, because we are in an actual haunted space we get real paranormal things that happen all the time!
BECAUSE IT'S A LITTLE TAMER DO YOU RECOMMEND THE SEANCE FOR PERSONS UNDER 18?
NO, we do not recommend this for anyone under 18. We have had adults who have had panic attacks and are not able to finish the game. It is also science-based so most children aren't able to follow the game and they tend to get bored and the adults don't have as good of a time either.
ANYTHING ELSE I SHOULD KNOW?
The building we are located in does not have a restroom so please be sure to use any of the area facilities before arrival You can also read through the FAQ page on their site at www.nightmarearts.com for additional info.
If we have missed anything or you still have questions feel free to contact us either in the chat with us tab or the contact us section of our page.