Studio Launch Slides Career Quest
Development Studio Phase
Design
Build
Playtest
The Mission
Your studio has been hired to create the next hit educational board game: Career Quest.
Players must navigate the complex world of post-high school choices, career hurdles, and financial surprises.
Your Goal:
"Simulate a realistic career journey where education, planning, and luck all collide to determine success."
The Three Zones
1
The Launchpad
High School graduation. Choices: Trade School, 2-Year Degree, or 4-Year Degree.
High investment vs. immediate earning.
2
The Grind
Entry-level roles, paying off debt, and building experience in the workforce.
Grinding for promotions and stability.
3
The Peak
Management, specialized expertise, or starting your own business.
High-stakes moves and long-term wealth.
Choice Mechanic: Energy
Forget simple dice rolls. In Career Quest, players manage Energy Points.
Spend 3 Energy on a Certification?
Save 2 Energy for a "Rainy Day"?
Trade Energy for immediate Cash?
The Strategy
"Do you burn out early to get ahead, or play it slow and steady? Every point counts."
The "Wildcards"
Education Impact
"You finished your Master’s. Move forward 5 spaces and collect a +$10k bonus."
REWARD FOR LEARNING
The Pivot
"Industry Shift! If you have a Tech Cert, stay put. If not, move back 3 spaces."
PREPAREDNESS CHECK
Life Happens
"Car breakdown! Pay $500. If you can't, skip a turn to work overtime."
FINANCIAL SURPRISE
Your Studio must write 4 cards for each category!
Production Schedule
D1
Brainstorm & Blueprint
Establish career paths and write your scenario cards.
D2
Construction Phase
Build the board, cut the tokens, and assemble the deck.
D3
Launch & Playtest
Swap games with another studio and play!
Studio Handbook Instructions Studio Handbook
Official Game Development Protocol
PROJECT: CAREER QUEST
PHASE: DEVELOPMENT
Studio Objective
Your "Development Studio" is responsible for creating a playable version of Career Quest. This game must challenge players to navigate high school graduation, entry-level careers, and professional peaks while managing limited resources.
1 The Blueprint Phase
The Path (The Board)
Design a winding path with three distinct zones:
The Launchpad: 2-yr vs 4-yr vs Trade School options.The Grind: Entry-level moves and debt management.The Peak: High-level careers and entrepreneurship.
The Energy Mechanic
Players start with 10 Energy Tokens. They must spend them to:
Gain Certifications (Skip 3 spaces forward)
Apply for Promotions (Roll 2 dice instead of 1)
Save for "Rainy Day" (Protection from one bad card)
2 Scenario Deck Construction
Your deck must include exactly 12 cards (4 from each category below):
1. Education Impact
Focus on how extra training or degrees move a player forward or increase salary.
2. The Pivot
Focus on industry changes. Does a player have the right skills to stay put?
3. Life Happens
Random financial or personal events that slow progress or cost money.
3 Production & Playtest
Cut out 20 Energy Tokens and 20 Currency Units ($).
Assemble Scenario Cards into a face-down deck.
Final Review: Does the game meet all Rubric criteria?
Standard Rules
Players start at "High School Graduation."
On each turn, spend 1 Energy to roll a die.
Landing on a ? space requires drawing a Scenario Card.
First player to "The Peak" finish line wins.
Dev Studio Protocol v1.2 FOR EDUCATIONAL USE ONLY ID: STUDIO-HB-2026
Career Blueprint Organizer Career Blueprint
Development Studio Brainstorming Sheet
Studio Name: ____________________
Lead Designers: ____________________
I. Zone Architecture
The Launchpad (HS Graduation)
Options & Costs
Trade School Path
2-Year Degree Path
4-Year Degree Path
The Grind (Entry Level)
Milestones & Hurdles
Career Field #1 (e.g. Healthcare)
Career Field #2 (e.g. Technology)
The Peak (Management/Owner)
Success States
Executive Positions
Business Ownership
II. Resource Engine
The Choice Mechanic
How do players spend their Energy? List at least 3 distinct "spending" options.
1
2
3
Economy Logic
How does a player earn more Energy? (e.g., passing a rest stop, landing on specific tiles)
III. Scenario Card Seedlings
Edu Card Draft
Pivot Card Draft
Life Card Draft
Board Blueprint Template Board Blueprint Template
Phase: Structural Engineering & Path Layout
Normal Space
?
Scenario Space
Start
The Peak
The Launchpad
The Grind
The Peak
Architect's Instructions
Draw a continuous path of 40-50 spaces connecting Start to Finish.
Designate 12 spaces as Scenario Card Spaces (Mark with a ?).
Create "Decision Forks" where paths split based on education choices.
Add "Pit Stops" where players can trade cash for Energy.
DRAWING NO: CQ-001 SCALE: 1:1 STUDIO USE ONLY REVISION: A
Scenario Deck Templates Scenario Deck Templates
12 Cards Total (4 Per Category)
Edu
Edu
Edu
Edu
Pivot
Pivot
Pivot
Pivot
Life
Life
Life
Life
Cut along card boundaries
Career Quest Game Component: Scenario Deck
Studio Kit Assets Studio Kit Assets
Cut-Out Components for Career Quest
KIT-REF: ASSET-PK-01
Energy Tokens (Resource)
Career Capital ($)
$500
$500
$500
$1k
$1k
$5k
$500
$500
$500
$1k
$1k
$5k
Player Avatars (Studios: Draw your characters!)
Player 1
Player 2
Player 3
Player 4
Cut along the lines to prep your game kit
Design Excellence Rubric Design Excellence Rubric
Career Quest Evaluation Framework
Criteria Master Studio (4) Indie Studio (3) In Development (2-1) Zone Architecture
The Path & Career Logic
| Path clearly distinguishes all 3 zones; education choices significantly impact starting options. | Zones are present; education paths exist but have limited impact on gameplay. | Zones are unclear; paths are linear with no real career-based choices. |
|
Scenario Realism
Card Content & Impacts
| 12 cards total; effects are realistic and tied to learning targets (Pivot, Life, Edu). | 10-12 cards; effects are mostly realistic but some lack clear career connections. | Fewer than 10 cards; scenarios feel random or unrelated to career choices. |
|
Choice Mechanic
Energy & Strategy
| Energy mechanic creates a clear risk/reward strategy; players must make difficult trade-offs. | Energy is used, but strategy is simple or obvious; mechanics work but aren't challenging. | Mechanic is confusing, broken, or doesn't influence the game outcome. |
|
Craftsmanship
Visuals & Playability
| Components are neat, legible, and professional; game is ready to play out of the box. | Components are readable; board is functional but lacks polish or detail. | Messy or illegible; pieces are missing or game falls apart during play. |
Feedback Log
___ / 16
Total Studio Rating
Evaluator: ____________________
Studio: ____________________
Date: ____________________
Career Post-Mortem Reflection Career Post-Mortem
Post-Gameplay Reflection & Analysis
Reflection Guide
Game Played
Final Career Status
The Winning Strategy
Briefly describe the choices the winner made. Was it luck, education, or resource management?
ANALYSIS 01: THE DEBT TRAP
How did players who took on heavy student loan debt fare in the "Early Career" stage versus those who didn't?
Record observations about financial flexibility...
ANALYSIS 02: RISK VS. REWARD
Was it better to stay in a "safe" job or take the risk of a promotion that required moving or retraining? Why?
Analyze the long-term payoff of career pivots...
ANALYSIS 03: THE UNFORESEEN
How did a "Life Happens" or "Pivot" card change your strategy? Could you have prepared for it better?
Discuss the importance of an emergency fund or adaptable skills...
The Big Takeaway
Based on this game, what is one "Real World" lesson you will take with you about planning your own career path?
Career Quest Studio Post-Mortem Form CONFIDENTIAL STUDENT RECORD
