The Pursuit of Happiness: Nostalgia
The Pursuit of Happiness: Nostalgia Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
1. Components
90 Cards:
- 64 Nostalgia Cards & 1 Cover Card
- 19 Items & Activities
- 2 Partners
- 2 Child Traits
- 2 Life Goals
20 Wooden Check Mark Tokens (5 colors x 4)
5 Nostalgia Boards
1 Rulebook
2. Setup
The Pursuit of Happiness: Nostalgia expansion has been designed with experienced players in mind and makes the game a bit more challenging. If you have not played The Pursuit of Happiness before, we suggest that you play a few games first, just with the Base game, to become familiar with it prior to adding this expansion to your game.
In order to incorporate the Nostalgia expansion in your game, add the following Steps during the Setup of the Base game, just before proceeding with Step 9 ("Shuffle the Child Trait cards and deal 2 to each player."):
- Give each player the Nostalgia board and the 4 Check Mark tokens of their color.
- Shuffle all the Nostalgia cards and place them in a pile next to the Game board. As they are double-sided, you need to place the Nostalgia Cover card on top of the pile.
- Deal 8 Nostalgia cards to each player, drawing from the bottom of the Nostalgia card pile, and return the remaining cards to the game box.
At any time during the game, players may look at both sides of their Nostalgia cards.
3. Gameplay
3.1 Nostalgia Cards - Overview
This expansion introduces a new type of card in the game, the Nostalgia cards. These cards are double-sided; they vividly represent intrinsic aspirations and childhood memories on one side (Reminiscence side) and the opportunity to embrace them, transform them into something meaningful, and realize them on the other side (Realization side).
At any time during the Action Phase, you may choose one of the Nostalgia cards in your hand and place it on an empty card slot on your Nostalgia board, with its Reminiscence side facing up.
The printed diagram of a Nostalgia card labels its parts as: Nostalgia Card Name; Passive Trigger Name; Passive Trigger Requirement; Passive Trigger Reward; Active Trigger Name; Active Trigger Cost; Active Trigger Reward; Realization Name; Realization Reward; Realization Cost/Requirement; Realization Category; Reminiscence Side Indicator; Flip Card Symbol.
As soon as you place a card on your Nostalgia board, you may start making steps towards its Realization (see "Reminiscence Side - Trigger Activation & Card Actions" below).
If you are no longer interested in realizing a Nostalgia card already placed on your Nostalgia board, you may choose to lose 1 Short-Term Happiness (STH) to discard it and return it to the game box.
3.2 Reminiscence Side - Trigger Activation & Card Actions
The Reminiscence side of every Nostalgia card features two Triggers. In order to Realize a Reminiscence on your Nostalgia board, you must first activate both of them:
- The Passive Trigger features a Requirement that is associated with a specific action, and it is automatically activated as soon as you perform the specified action. However, note that if both cards on your Nostalgia board feature the same Passive Trigger Requirement, only one of them can be activated when the specified action is performed.
- The Active Trigger features a Cost that must be paid for it to be activated. On your turn, before performing a Board or Card Action, you may pay the Active Trigger Cost of either or both of the cards on your Nostalgia board as a Free Action.
Once a Trigger has been activated, receive the corresponding Trigger Reward and place a Check Mark token on it, to serve as a reminder of its activation. Triggers can be activated only once and in any order.
Realize a Reminiscence
Once both Triggers on a Nostalgia card have been activated, the card can be realized. To do so, you must perform the Realize a Reminiscence Card Action: Check if you meet the Realization Requirement (if any), pay any Realization Cost depicted, and receive the Realization Reward. Then, remove the card from your Nostalgia board, flip it over to the Realization side, and place it in your play area. Finally, place a Level indicator on the first Level of the card (L1), to serve as a reminder that it has been fulfilled.
Important: A realized Nostalgia card does not occupy any slot in your play area, and there is no limit to the number of realized Nostalgia cards that you can have.
3.3 Realization Side - Realization Categories & Card Actions
Nostalgia cards are divided into four Realization Categories based on their function, the options or the bonuses they provide, and the number of Levels they feature on the Realization side.
Realization Category - Life Goal
A personal Life Goal that, if you meet its Fulfillment Condition, will grant you some additional Long-Term Happiness (LTH).
The printed diagram of a Life Goal card labels its parts as: Nostalgia Card Name; Level Name; Level Number; Life Goal Type; Life Goal Fulfillment Condition & Reward; Realization Side Indicator.
This Realization Category features just a single Level, and no additional Card Actions are required for the card to be considered completed; the personal Life Goal comes into effect as soon as you realize the Nostalgia card, and it can be fulfilled and awarded multiple times (Ongoing) or only once either during your in-game Lifetime (Mid-Game) or at the End of the Game (Game End).
Realization Category - Ability
An ongoing Ability that will provide you with additional Free Actions, capabilities, or bonuses.
The printed diagram of an Ability card labels its parts as: Nostalgia Card Name; Level Name; Level Number; Level Cost; Level Reward; Ability Name; Ability; Realization Side Indicator.
This Realization Category features two Levels, and a single Progress in the Realization Card Action is required for the card to be considered completed; thereafter, you permanently unlock the card's unique Ability.
Progress in the Realization
A realized Nostalgia card can be advanced to its next higher Level by performing the Progress in the Realization Card Action: Move the Level indicator onto the next Level of the card, pay the depicted Level Cost, and receive the corresponding Level Reward.
Realization Category - Outcomes
Two different Outcomes that you get to choose from.
The printed diagram of an Outcomes card labels its parts as: Nostalgia Card Name; Level Name; Level Number; Level Cost; Level Reward; Outcome Name; Outcome Reward; Outcome Number; Outcome Cost; Realization Side Indicator.
This Realization Category features two Levels and two Outcomes; after you have performed a Progress in the Realization Card Action (as described above), a Determine the Outcome Card Action is also required for the card to be considered completed.
Determine the Outcome
As long as a Nostalgia card featuring two possible Outcomes has been advanced to the second Level (L2), you can choose one of them by performing the Determine the Outcome Card Action: Move the Level indicator onto the Outcome of your choice, pay the depicted Outcome Cost, and receive the corresponding Outcome Reward. Thereafter, the card is considered to be completed.
Realization Category - Repeatable
A Repeatable Level that you can make use of as many times as you want.
The printed diagram of a Repeatable card labels its parts as: Nostalgia Card Name; Level Name; Level Number; Level Cost; Level Reward; Repeatable Level Cost; Repeatable Level Reward; Realization Side Indicator; Repeatable Level Symbol.
This Realization Category features four Levels, and it can be progressively advanced by performing the Progress in the Realization Card Action (as described above); the final Level can be repeated by performing the Dedicate Time to Your Passion Card Action.
Dedicate Time to Your Passion
Once you have advanced a Nostalgia card featuring a Repeatable Level to that point, you can keep making use of the card by performing the Dedicate Time to Your Passion Card Action: Pay the depicted Repeatable Level Cost and receive the Repeatable Level Reward once more.
4. Additional Cards
This expansion also comes with additional Items & Activities, Partners, Life Goals and Child Traits. To include them in your game, just shuffle them in their corresponding piles.
5. FAQ
Card-Specific Questions
Herbarium / Saving Up / Stone Pet / Storytelling
- I want to pay a cost but I am missing a few Resources/Money. Can I take 3 of them from the card to cover the difference?
- No, you cannot. In order to pay any cost you must have the required Resources and/or Money in the first place. You can take Resources/Money from the card only if you run out of the corresponding type of Resources/Money after completing a transaction.
- If there are any Resources/Money left on the card, do I add them to my remaining Resources/Money at the End of the Game?
- Yes, you do. During Inheritance, any Resources/Money left on the card are also taken into consideration.
Family Heritage
- Do I score the 3 LTH mentioned on the card in addition to the LTH scored during Inheritance?
- Yes, you do.
Keeping A Diary
- Are the LTH scored using the Never Miss a Day Ability in addition to the LTH scored during Inheritance?
- No, they are not. The Never Miss a Day Ability is an alternative way to score LTH during Inheritance. If, for example, you have 6 Knowledge, 2 Creativity, and 1 Influence (i.e., 9 Resources in total) remaining at the End of the Game, you gain 3 LTH instead of 1 LTH.
Bookworm / Freestyle Dancing / Stepping Out
- When I Take, Advance, or Participate in a Project, how does STH affect meeting the Fulfillment Condition of my personal Life Goal?
- In order to meet the Fulfillment Condition of your personal Life Goal and gain the Reward, you must pay at least 5 Resources of the corresponding type. If, for example, you had to pay 6 Knowledge to Advance a Project and you chose to get the full benefit from your +2 STH and pay 4 Knowledge instead, you would not meet the Fulfillment Condition of Bookworm. However, if you chose to not get the full benefit and pay 5 Knowledge, you would gain the Reward.
- Note: The same also applies the other way around. If, for example, the Level Cost to Take a Project was 4 Knowledge, but you had to pay an additional Resource because of your -1 STH and you chose that additional Resource to be a Knowledge, you would meet the Fulfillment Condition and gain the Reward.
"Happily Ever After"
- If I take a Partner card as part of a reward (e.g., Summer Fling or Everlasting Love) and develop the relationship into L3 during the same round, do I fulfill the personal Life Goal of "Happily Ever After"?
- No, the Fulfillment Condition of your personal Life Goal requires you to perform the Start Relationship Board Action before developing your relationship into L3.
Caregiver / Family Gatherings
- Is activating the card's Ability considered a Card Action that concludes my turn?
- No, although the Ability requires the use of an Hourglass token, which you place on the card to serve as a reminder that you have activated the Ability for this round, it is considered a Free Action; therefore, you can perform it on your turn, before a Board or Card Action.
Time Management
- If the L4 Cost of a Basic Project depicts more than 1 Hourglass token (e.g., Jogging) can I use the SMART Goals Ability to substitute all the depicted Hourglass tokens with Resources?
- No, the SMART Goals Ability can be used to substitute only 1 of the depicted Hourglass tokens.
- Can I get the benefit of a positive STH and pay less Resources when I use the SMART Goals Ability?
- Smart, but no. STH does not affect the SMART Goals Ability in any way.
6. Solo Game
For a solo game incorporating the Nostalgia expansion, the same rules as in the multiplayer game apply along with the solo game rule changes explicitly described in the Base game's rulebook. The sole difference is that in order to win you must now have +5 LTH when finishing the game.