Assessment and Codex Entries

Through personal experience and fromfeedback (from here, on Story Games and general correspondence), I feel that I have not yet hit the sweet spot for the "find out about a thing" Move. Additionally, Codex Entries really aren't gelling the way I hoped; despite being quite strong, they rarely get used. I had moved away from DW's style of Discern Realty, because even in that game, I found that players greatly overused it. I went the other way with the last implementation of Assessment, but I probably went too far. Here's a new proposal, which swings back a bit, but still has a bit of the broader scope (i.e. this is a meaningful, active assessment, not a "Knowledge: Whatever" or "Spot" check)

In this version, a Codex Entry can be expended to give a +1 to any one roll directly leveraging the knowledge in the Codex Entry (better than +1 forward, not quite +1 ongoing). There are no limits to the number of Codex Entries a character can have, but they expire when the information is no longer immediately relevant/useful/up-to-date.

I'm also trying a different templating, phasing out the Roll+[Stat] in favor of examples for each stat.

ASSESSMENT
When you collect critical information about an important, dangerous or mysterious subject…
… using stealth, fear or cunning, Roll+Mettle
… using research, knowledge and logic, Roll+Expertise
… using hard work or strenuous activity, Roll+Physique
… using informants or gossip, Roll+Influence
… using the SectorNet or electronics/devices, Roll+Interface

On a 10+, you gain significant information about the subject, and earn a Codex Entry about it as well.
On a 7-9, the GM will divulge interesting, potentially useful information about the subject. Or they might ask you to do so.
On a 6-, the GM will reveal facts about the subject you probably wish were not true.

I encourage you guys to give this a whirl, even in a 'simulated' game; I'd like to know how it feels. Any thoughts or feedback is always appreciated.

I like it, and I'm going to use it next time.

Last time I understood as a "hold +1, if you are lucky (in fiction) you can reuse it again"; I guess new way how to handle it would work.
I think there is no need to dismiss idea of limited codex entries, as it says that some person can use more strategic informations then others.
What I forgot last time - we found a minor problem with this though - if two characters have same/similar Codex entry and one of them finds his Codex entry outdated, second one still keeps it and in fiction it may be hard to describe how it is possible.

A friend of mine noted that it was cool to make assessment by seducing someone and now "using hard work or strenuous activity, Roll+Physique" doesn't mention it :-)

I like it, and I'm going to use it next time.

Last time I understood as a "hold +1, if you are lucky (in fiction) you can reuse it again"; I guess new way how to handle it would work.
I think there is no need to dismiss idea of limited codex entries, as it says that some person can use more strategic informations then others.
What I forgot last time - we found a minor problem with this though - if two characters have same/similar Codex entry and one of them finds his Codex entry outdated, second one still keeps it and in fiction it may be hard to describe how it is possible.

A friend of mine noted that it was cool to make assessment by seducing someone and now "using hard work or strenuous activity, Roll+Physique" doesn't mention it :-)

Oh I don't know, being so gorgeous, irresistable and sleeping with someone so well that they spill all their secrets sounds like hard work and strenuous activity... if you're doing it right >_>
The Cylon chick at the beginning of Battlestar Galactica? Totally made an Assessment using Physique, hehe :P



So, I've got a feeling that the term 'Codex Entry' has too much... permanence, I guess. I wanted to come up with a term that sounded like an information resource, something to be earned, then spent when useful or discarded when out-of-date. So, with that in mind, I present:

Data Points
Data Points are small but critically useful bits of information about a subject, which can be leveraged to tip the scales during a particularly tense moment.

Data Points are earned by making particularly successful Assessments, from certain skills, from Acquisitions or as rewards. There are no limits to how many Data Points a character can have, but they quickly expire if they are no longer pertinent or are rendered obsolete/out-of-date.

Each Data Point concerns a specific topic or subject, and can be spent to grant a +1 to a roll that directly involves or leverages the information in that Data Point. Only one Data Point can be spent per roll, no matter how many would apply.




They're not intended to be big game changers, they just give an informed character a little edge, allowing them to 'save up'

A few skills would need minor tweaks, (Interrogation, Cosmopolitan, Survival, etc: Skills that used to give a Codex Entry now give 3 Data Points about the subject), and Learning would need to change to take advantage of the new system

Learning (Academic Skill)
When you make an Assessment, on a 10+ you gain 3 Data Points about the subject, and on a 7-9 you gain 1 Data Point. As long as you spend part of your downtime educating yourself about a subject, Data Points associated with that subject don’t expire.