About Bright Instrument
VAP Games was founded in June 2017 as a games design, development, and retail business focused on modernising traditional board game experiences.
The company aims to combine physical gameplay with digital technology to create engaging, immersive experiences that can be enjoyed at home.
Their innovation centres on a new category of hybrid gaming that blends:
- Physical board game mechanics
- Interactive digital applications
- Real-time scoring platforms
- Escape-room-style gameplay
One of their flagship products, Escape The Casino, introduces an entirely new way to experience escape-room-style gaming without leaving the home.
The Challenge
VAP Games set out to develop a new type of gaming experience that combined traditional physical gameplay with modern digital technology.
This required overcoming several technical and design challenges:
- Integrating physical gameplay mechanics with a bespoke digital application
- Designing a seamless interaction between real-world props and in-app functionality
- Creating a reliable scoring and progression system
- Ensuring the game delivered an engaging and immersive user experience
As a start-up business entering the R&D tax process for the first time, VAP Games also required guidance to:
- Identify eligible development work
- Structure technical documentation
- Navigate the R&D tax claim process
- Present innovation in a format compliant with HMRC expectations
Without specialist support, valuable qualifying work risked being overlooked.
The Solution
SAS R&D worked closely with the VAP Games team to review development work undertaken during the design and production of their flagship hybrid game.
Through structured technical discussions, qualifying R&D activity was identified within the development of:
Escape The Casino
A hybrid board game designed to combine physical components with a bespoke mobile application and digital scoring platform.
The development required:
- Designing integrated physical and digital gameplay systems
- Developing app-based mechanics linked to real-world game elements
- Creating reliable user interaction workflows
- Ensuring consistent performance across different gameplay environments
This work represented a significant advancement beyond standard board game development practices.
The Results
Following the technical and financial review:
- £21,981 in qualifying R&D expenditure was identified
- Resulting in £7,331 in cash repayments
- The business successfully completed its first R&D tax claim
This funding provided valuable support for a growing start-up, enabling VAP Games to:
- Continue developing new hybrid gaming concepts
- Strengthen product innovation
- Build confidence in future R&D claims
Most importantly, the successful claim translated innovative ideas into measurable financial support.
SAS R&D were able to explain the whole process, whilst also translating my innovation into a coherent technical narrative that ultimately resulted in a successful claim.
— Jacqui Gahan, Founder and Managing Director, VAP Games
