The PhD Game

0.
BEGINNING
Throw away sanity to start

 

The Ph.D Game

 

 

1.
Your supervisor gives you project title. Go on 3 spaces.

2.

[-->]

3.
You are full of enthusiasm.
Have another turn.

4.
Realise supervisor has given nothing but project title.

5. Go to Library -you can't understand catalogue!
Miss one turn.

6. The important reference has gone missing in the lib. Back 2 spaces.

7.

[down]

14.

[down]

13.
Things don't go well. You become disillusioned
Miss one turn

12.
END OF FIRST YEAR
[<--]

11.
Examiners not impressed by first year report.
Throw 1 to cont

10.
Do extra work on first year report.

Extra turn.

9. Supervisor makes a comment you don't understand. Go back two spaces

8.
Need supervisor's help.
Miss one turn finding her.

15.
You become depressed.

Miss 2 turns.

16.
You become more depressed.

Miss 3 turns.

17.
Change project.

Go back to beginning

18. Change supervisor.
Throw 6 to cont
Otherwise go back 6 spaces.

19. Do lab demonstra -tions to get some dosh.
Go on 2 spaces.

20.

[-->]

21. Lab demos take up too much of your time.
Back 4 spaces.

28. You begin to think you will never finish. You are probably right.

27.
Beer monster strikes.
Spend 1 turn recovering.

26.
Work every weekend for two months. Go on 6 spaces.

25.
END OF SECOND YEAR
No results. Who cares?

24.
Experiment are working.

Go on 4 spaces.

23.
Specimens incorrectly labelled. Go back to 20.

22.
[<--]

29.
[-->]

30. You spend more time complaining than working. Miss 1 turn.

31. You realise your mates are earning 5 times your grant. Have a good cry

32. You are asked why you started a PhD. Miss a turn finding a reason

33. You are offered a job. You may cont. or retire from game.

34. Start writing up. Now you are really depressed.
Miss 5 turns.

35.

[down]

42. Your PhD is awarded.
Congratula -tions
now join dole queue!

41. You are asked to resubmit thesis.

Back to 33.

40. You decide PhD isn't worth the bother.
Withdraw now.
Game over.

39.
Harddisk crashes.

Back 3 spaces

38. It proves impossible to write up and work.
Go to 33.

37. Your thesis will disprove external examiners work. Go back to 28.

36. Your data has just been published by rival group.
Go back to 28.

*Matrix by somebody at the Jenner Institute, who deserves the copyright with minor modifications by Kohei Watanabe.