Former Score Employee and Card Game Designer/Play Tester Israel Quiroz "IQ"

I sat down the other day with an old friend of mine Israel Quiroz or as we all know him IQ. IQ was the lead card designer and play tester/game developer for Score entertainment from 1999 - 2003. He worked on such games like Dragon Ball Z and Yu Yu Hakusho among others. In 2003 Score and IQ had a falling out and he retired from the world of trading card cams, however he still enjoys playing many card games for recreation.

Robert: Hey IQ it's been awhile, how have you been?

IQ: Not bad at all, so what's up?

Robert: What was it like to work behind the scenes of a major trading card company?

IQ: Stressful at best. It was really great working for Score entertainment We had a lot of fun and I had a great time visiting local hobby shops around the country. It was however a lot of hard work. We had deadlines to meet, tons of paper work to fill out and file, and the executives of Score are always breathing down your neck.

Robert: Sounds tough, speaking of tough, what do you think the hardest part of your job was?

IQ: Well there were a lot of challenges to face, but I would say the toughest part was coming up with ideas for a new set, then the play testing involved. We were always having to come up with new an innovative ways to make each game interesting and fun. We had about three to four months from concept to print to come up with a new set. This would include coming up with new game mechanics, and new powers and abilities for the characters. Then we have to check back from previous sets of the game to make sure nothing is too strong, or too weak in the upcoming format. It was always hectic when you get down to the last weeks or two before release.

Robert: Wow, sounds like a lot of work, did you ever get tired of playing?

IQ: Yeah, sometimes I would. When we have to play test a new set or a whole new game even your get stuck assigning people certain kinds of decks, and then you're stuck with those decks for months. Like with Dragon Ball Z, I got stuck with a Blue Styled deck, and now I can't stand the color blue. However that being said, it is so much fun playing with a new idea or concept that you could never truly hate the job.

Robert: What if the set goes into print and there are mistakes in the cards, like what of people come up with decks that are way too powerful or something?

IQ: That's why the banned and restricted lists were created. You have played Yu-Gi-Oh right? Well they have a list that tells of all the cards that can't be used anymore for just such reasons. Once a game becomes really popular and branches out into multiple expansions then it becomes very hard to keep up with all the cards in the game, and how they can effect one another. Card players are also great strategist, and will always find new and inventive ways to use specific cards.

Robert: Has anyone ever beat you in a card game you created?

IQ (laughing): You already know the answer to that, of course they do! If I remember correctly you and I had a few encounters during my time at score right? I never won every match, but I will say it is easier if you know the cards. I used to have special events where I would play anyone at a local card store, if I won, they got a cool promotional card just for playing, I they beat me then they were allowed to reach into my "cookie jar" and pick out an allotted amount of very rare and valuable cards

Robert: Cookie jar? Was that the lunch box with the Cookie Monster from Sesame Street on it?

IQ: One in the same. It kind of became a trademark of mine to carry that old thing around with me. It added some humor to the events that we attended, and trust me, humor was in short supply after working for 24 hours a day 7 days a week and traveling around the country promoting a new product.

Robert: What was your favorite game that you helped create?

IQ: Hmm, now that's tough. Dragon Ball Z was probably my most favorite game because it was so popular, had a huge fan base, and I had so much control over the creation and production of cards. Most card games rely on stiff office executives to come up with cards and combinations they could be used, while on the flip side of that I could ask fans and actual players their advice and opinion about how the cards played and what they wanted to see in upcoming sets. I always tried to get feedback from our public; after all they are the ones who are most important when designing a game or expansion of a game.
Robert: Did any of the players of this game ever assist in the development of any cards?

IQ: Oh yes indeed. The first world champion of the Dragon Ball Z card game was a man by the name of Aike, you remember him right? Well after he won the top spot in the worlds competition he was hired by score entertainment to help in the production of upcoming sets, and was instated as a judge at regional events.

Robert: These games aren't around anymore, whatever happened to Dragon Ball Z and Yu Yu Hakusho?

IQ: Well for one competition in the form of the Yu-Gi-Oh card game become apparent in 2000. Upperdeck is a great company that really knows what they are doing in terms of card games, so this is one thing that led to the downfall of our games. The other reasons are because the two games in question, Yu Yu Hakusho and Dragon Ball Z were based on television shows, and every series comes to an end. So when the TV shows ended, we were out of luck, where as Yu-Gi-Oh comes from the imagination of the creators of the game, so in theory it could last forever, or until people quite buying the cards.

Robert: So what do you do now, as a profession?"

IQ: Well I work odd jobs, but my family and I are pretty well set.

Robert: What happened between you and Score Entertainment that made you quite? Or did they fire you?

IQ: Well to make a long story short, they really messed me up. It was all about money and I know I sound like a disgruntled employee while explaining, but oh well. It was during the third expansion of the Yu Yu Hakusho game, I finished up concept designs and ideas for the entire life span of the game. I had everything from card concepts to potential deck types and so on. I went ahead and got all of that done because I wanted to focus on the actual playing of the game, you know making sure the fans like the cards, I wanted to get into the trenches to make sure this game was the best it could be. So I turned my work into the offices of the higher-ups and within two weeks I was "let go" Why? Because why pay a guy to come up with concepts and play test when you have all his work for the next three years worth of cards in your possession? So that's what happened, make sense?

Robert: Yeah, sorry to hear that, well I only ask you one last thing

IQ: Sure no problem

Robert: What card games, if any, are you interested in now?

IQ: Well I don't really play all that often, but I do keep in touch with my friends from the trading card game world, so obviously I can't abandon it all together. Personally I like games that involve a lot of strategy to p