[Gullivers] New version in the works: comments sought on rule change.

[karl at rpgreview.net]

Hi all,

Recently returned to working on GTC. As well as further proofing to  
improve the writing and remove typos there has been some rules changes  
and additons. This version is not yet released but I thought I'd give  
you all a sneak preview and solicit comments.

I have added a rule for interlude parts. These cover periods of time  
where the characters remain in dull safety for a year or more as  
Lemuel did when he tried to establish his own practice between voyages.

Another series of alterations relate to something Jay pointed out  
during play testing and has been in the back of my mind ever since.  
The number of points allocated to a conscience indicates the degree to  
which it influences the characters personality and habits. For example  
a character with 5 Corruption is quite corrupt and driven by greed,  
cruelty, lust, and other failings. If this character spends a  
corruption point to improve his roll to seduce a married woman his  
corruption is reduced to 4, he actually becomes less corrupt after  
achieving this lusty goal! As Jay pointed out all those months ago  
this really doesn't make sense.
The new rule adds a little more complication but corrects this problem  
and therefore is somewhat more intuative.

Here is the altered rule:
Conscience of any type may spent on any of the following effects  
provided the expenditure is in keeping with the type of conscience used.
Players may spend a Conscience point to receive +1. This may be spent  
before or after the roll, or even after any aspects have been invoked.  
Only one point may be spent in this fashion, unless it?s countered  
(see below). This is the only possible way to increase the outcome ofa  
roll to +5 without Scale. You may not raise a roll by more than +1 by  
spending multiple points. Unlike aspect boxes, no more than one  
conscience point may be spent on a roll.
If the point is spent before the roll and the roll achieves a good  
(+2) or better MoS the characters habits are reinforced and she  
recives two more points in that conscience (i.e. the spent point is  
restored and another is gained). If the roll is a success but of a  
degree lower than good the spent point is restored. If the roll is a  
failure the character reflects on the how their habits led to failure  
and takes a step toward changing her ways, the point remains spent.
If the conscience is spent after the roll to turn failure into success  
or improve a success deemed insufficient in degree the character  
reflects on the how their habits nearly led to failure and takes a  
step toward changing her ways, the point remains spent.
[end new rule]

This does add some complication but I have also removed the ability to  
use conscience to cancel out another players use of conscience and the  
ability to use conscience for small narrative effects. Only aspect can  
be used for small narrative effects now. Removal of these rules  
reduces complexity and is in line with changes to ensure that using  
corruption (or other conscience) to succeed tend to increase  
corruption (or other conscience) not reduce it.