As the title says, I am in need of some feedback for some game rules I am working out. Normally I would turn to my players for this kind of thing, but they are all busy either with exams or work. And so I instead turn to you, the Eclipse Phase forum readers! A few of these are developments of old ideas that I have tried, others are entirely new ones. Any feedback at all would be useful, they haven’t even gone through basic playtesting so I am unsure how they would actually work during play. This particular grouping focuses on the social/reputation side of Eclipse Phase. What we have right now is fine, but I find some optional depth always useful for games. I am not going to lay stuff out all pretty like I sometimes do, just a straight type up of my notes so far. The ideas are not fully developed. [size=16][b]Patronage[/b][/size] [collapse]Allows famous players or NPCs to extend patronage to others, immediately boosting that persons reputation within a network, but also making the patron liable for any mistakes made. • Usable by Rank 4/5 reputation holders (60+) • Only usable on lower reputation ranked individuals (Rank 1-3? Maybe Rank 5s can use it on Rank 4s?) • Referred to as Endorsements for rules purposes, Endorsed and Endorser. • Endorsing someone costs (burns) 5 reputation, the Endorsed immediately gains 10 reputation. • Endorsements may be withdrawn at any time. The Endorsed immediately loses 10 reputation, however the Endorser does not regain the burned reputation used to endorse that character. • Only one endorsement a month. Possibly two endorsements a month for Rank 5 individuals? • As long as someone is Endorsed all reputation changes they experience also affect the Endorser, although to a lesser degree. See below. Only applies if the Endorser was not involved in the actions that led up to the reputation gain/loss. • Reputation gained from Endorsements cannot be burned, to prevent the spamming of favours? Would require that reputation be written as Personal Reputation[Endorsed Reputation Total], so someone with a reputation of 34 being endorsed would write their new reputation as 34[44]. • The source of each endorsement would need to be tracked somewhere. Endorser Reputation Gains/Losses Endorsed character gains reputation – Endorser gains reputation equal to half the reputation gained (Note, Fame Tax (See Below) applies to this gain). This reputation gain can NOT be affected by Social Engineering (See Below). Endorsed character losses reputation – Endorser losses reputation equal to half the reputation lost (Note, Fame Tax does NOT apply to this loss). This reputation can be affected by Social Engineering (See Below). [/collapse] [size=16][b]The Fame Tax[/b][/size] (Based off http://www.eclipsephase.com/changing-reputation-system-stabilize-economy) [collapse] The higher an individuals reputation, the harder it is for them to gain more reputation within that network. However, it is also harder for them to lose reputation within the network as well, to the point where minor social gaffs will have no affect at all. Whenever a character gains or losses reputation within a network, unless otherwise noted, their current fame modifies the amount of rep gained or lost. The table below shows the modifier applied. These changes are applied before any others, including Social Engineering (See Below). Example Below 0-19 rep gain/loss = No Modifier Applied. 20-39 rep gain/loss = 1 Reputation Modifier to all Gains/Losses 40-59 rep gain/loss = 2 Reputation Modifier to all Gains/Losses 60-79 rep gain/loss = 3 Reputation Modifier to all Gains/Losses 80-99 rep gain/loss = 4 Reputation Modifier to all Gains/Losses This modifier is known as their Fame Tax, and is used in other rules below. Example: James has a rep of 62 with Firewall (i-Rep). His current Fame Tax is -3. He performs a simple favour and would normally gain 2 rep, however his Fame Tax reduces this down to +-0 rep (2-3 = -1, round up to 0). No change. Later, he has a minor screw up. He loses 3 rep, however his Fame Tax reduces this down to +-0 rep (3-3 = 0). No change. Fame Tax is calculated separately for each different network, which means that it might be easier to simply have it next to each different rep value on a character sheet. For example, i-Rep 50 [Tax 2]. [/collapse] [size=16][b]Fading into Obscurity[/b][/size] [collapse] This one is nice and simple. Any 30 days (Or a month) during which an individual does not gain or lose reputation with a network they are known in, their reputation automatically falls by their Fame Tax for that network. To stave off this loss, the character must actually have their reputation change. If their Fame Tax reduces a change to 0, it does not count.[/collapse] [size=16][b]Social Engineering[/size][/b] (NEW SKILL) (Not well written yet, bit of a shamble) [collapse] Social Engineering Type: Active, Social Linked Aptitude: SAV What is it: Social Engineering is the characters ability to manipulate social networks to their benefit. This includes how well they can maximise reputation gains, as well as minimise reputation losses. When you use it: You use Social Engineering whenever you use the Social Engineering action, as described below. Specializations: Reputation networks. Whenever an individual gains or loses reputation they, or any knowledgeable party, may attempt to use their Social Engineering skill to attempt to maximise or minimise that change. A character can only influence a network so much, as such the reputation modifier that can be applied is limited by the initial reputation change (after Fame Tax). The character making the roll also gains a modifier depending on the initial reputation change, as detailed below. The reputation modifier is determined by a normal Social Engineering check. Each level of MoS allows the the character to increase or decrease the rep change by 1 (limited by the chart below). 1-2 rep gain/loss ~ Change limit = +-1 ~ +10 modifier 3-4 rep gain/loss ~ Change limit = +-2 ~ +00 modifier 5-6 rep gain/loss ~ Change limit = +-3 ~ -10 modifier 7-8 rep gain/loss ~ Change limit = +-4 ~ -20 modifier 9-10 rep gain/loss ~ Change limit = +-5 ~ -30 modifier Only one roll may be made for each reputation change. If multiple individuals attempt to use this action to the same affect (attempting to maximise a reputation gain, or minimise a reputation loss) on a single reputation change, one must be declared the primary actor, with each additional individual providing a teamwork bonus as normal. If multiple individuals attempt to use this action on a single reputation change to opposite affects (one is attempting to maximise the gain, while the other attempts to minimise it), an opposed test is made, with the winners MoS being applied. [/collapse] [size=16][b]Memetic Warfare (Persuasion Rules)[/size][/b] [collapse] Memes are added as equipment like knowledge that players and NPCs can use while rolling persuasion tests to gain modifiers. Each meme is represented by a field name, and a modifier value. For example, Meme[Field] – Modifier Value Meme[AGI Rights] - +20 Memes range in modifier value from +10 to +30. Whenever a character makes a persuasion test to attempt to convince another character, and the discussion involves a memes field, they may apply that memes modifier to their roll. Memes can also be used defensively during persuasion attempts to gain a modifier to resist someone else’s persuasion check (either on the WIL+WIL+SAV check, or the Opposed Test). Again, this modifier may only apply if that meme is pertinent to the discussion at hand. Whether or not a meme may be used is decided entirely by the GM. Memes can be gained and improved in one of two ways, either at character creation using CP, or afterwards by rolling a Research check. At character creation a meme costs 2CP for every +10 modifier. For example, Meme[AGI Rights] +20 would cost 4CP to buy at character creation. During play memes may be learnt and improved with a Research Task action, with a timeframe of 1 month. A success on this roll increases a memes modifier value by 10. A failure on this roll has no affect on a memes modifier value. A critical failure on this roll reduces a memes modifier value by 10. (A memes modifier is supposed to represent how well educated the character is in that particular memes arguments. The better they know the arguments, the better their modifier, the better they are at convincing others that their arguments are true.) [/collapse]