LOTE Systems Development

Submitting or Changing Rules

News

(08-10-2002) Nothing new.

Developing or Modifying Rules

With a vigorous community of players and game-masters, the LOTE system needs to control further development of the base system. While any GM may implement their own campaign-specific rules, many players find differences between campaigns to be distracting. Further, the fragmentation of the ruleset among many customized campaigns creates a barrier to easy movement of players among the campaigns.

To this end a process has been developed to guide the proposal and adoption of new rules into the Base Rulebook (or Supplements).

Nomenclature

  • Rulebook refers to either the Base Rulebook, or to the Supplement in which the modified (or new) rule is to be included.
  • Handbook refers to the GM's Handbook.
  • Author refers to the person or persons proposing the new rule (or rule amendment).
  • Designer refers to the primary system developer, Thomas Harlan.
  • GM's Team refers to the current roster of LOTE campaign license holders, and other appointees, comprising the LordsGM community. This voting community also includes the Designer.

Process

  1. [ Rule Preparation ] The Author proposing a new rule, or a rule amendment, must document the proposed rule. This document must provide the new (or modified) wording of the rule as it would appear in the applicable Rulebook and Handbook. (This means that there are two sections of the proposed rule, the Public portion and the GM's portion. The GM's portion must include the resolution mechanism and any appropriate formulas.) The Author must also indicate if the Rule is to be a Standard Rule or an Optional Rule.
  2. [ Rule Submission ] The Author then submits the Rule document , in HTML | Word | Text format, via email, to the Designer  (thomash@throneworld.com). The Designer will acknowledge receipt of the Rule, also by email.
  3. [ Designer Review ] The Designer will then review the proposed Rule and if he finds it to have merit, he will post the Rule for review by the GM's Team.
  4. [ GM's Team Review ] The GM's Team will bicker over the Rule in their usual fashion and provide revisions, concerns, and suggestions directly to the Author. The GM's Team will have a period of two weeks to consider a given Rule, from time of posting for Review.
  5. [ Rule Revision ] At the end of the two week Review period, the Author is to consider, revise and expand (as necessary) the Rule. This Revision period lasts for two weeks following the end of the Review period. At or before the end of the two week Revision period, the Author will provide a Final version of the Rule to the Designer.
  6. [ Adoption Vote ] The Designer then posts the Final Rule for the consideration of the GM's Team. At this time a Vote will be requested from the GM's Team concerning the adoption of the Rule. The Voting period will be one week.
  7. [ Voting ] At the end of the one week Voting Period, the Vote will be closed. In the case of an Optional Rule, 51% or more of the GM's Team must vote YES for the Rule to be adopted as part of the Rulebook. In the case of a Standard Rule, 75% or more of the GM's Team must vote YES for the Rule to be adopted.
  8. [ Rejected Rules ] If a Rule is rejected, the Author receives a second two week Revision period to adjust the proposal. The Rule is then submitted for a Vote again. If the Rule is rejected a second time, it may not be re-submitted for a period of six months.
  9. [ Accepted Rules ] If a Rule is accepted, the Designer will update the appropriate Rulebooks and program code. The players will be informed, and life will go on.

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