Version 1.2.3

An extensive update has been made to COGS and is now available for download.

The changes are, in order throughout the book:

-The general formatting has been improved (with boxed text now larger and the unneeded indents removed from paragraphs). The revisions to existing sections and additions of new ones have also increased the page count from 8 pages of rules to 13, which should hopefully make the flow of the rulebook more enjoyable.

-A bit more information on deciding the difficulty of actions has been added, with difficulty levels now being described through target numbers and a bit of information on what might increase them. In addition, sample actions have been added, giving a frame of reference to what types of actions characters might take and a bit about what traits may help or hinder various rolls.

-The focus rules have been expanded a bit to explain how they are used (they increase the points on an action roll or contested roll), as well as a little advice that they shouldn't be abused too much.

-The "Conflicts and Turn Order" section has been expanded and split into separate sections. "Conflicts and Goals" now talks more in-depth about the sides of a conflict, and how these can change during combat or change its nature. Additionally, the section now explains how conflicts are ended. The new "Rounds and Turn Order" section now exclusively handles rules relating to turn order in conflicts.

-Following the changes to the damage rules from 1.2.2, the damage rules have been further clarified, and rules on character death have been added. In short, the damage rules simply state that characters die when the group agrees for them to, and the rest of the section's text explains what might influence the group's decision regarding their survival.

-A specific issue came to my attention, which was the main cause for this current update. As Techniques were not contested by default, it was possible to use large amounts of focus on attack techniques that opponents would not be able to contest. This would allow the user to deal enough damage to theoretically knock out an enemy in a single hit without any resistance (or give their foe a multitude of harmful traits at once).

Because of this, I clarified the text in the focus rules (as stated before) and made it so Technique rolls can no longer be improved with focus. However, I added a Technique mod that restored this ability, with a recommendation included urging for it only to be used on Techniques that require a roll.

-speaking of Techniques, the Technique modification list has been overhauled into a 2-page spread, with each Technique now having a proper name and in some cases a bit of explanation on ways they might be used. Additionally, clarification has been added to the Area of Effect Technique modification explaining when a Technique additionally requires the Long Range Technique modification.

Additionally, I would like to mention (or perhaps remind, if I mentioned it before) that COGS has an official discord server now, at https://discord.gg/jqXAsFB4MS. There's essentially nothing there at the moment, though I will post work-in-progress screenshots and updates to the announcement page there as I work on new release updates. Hopefully, COGS should soon be ready to prepare for a print version, fitted with art for once (I know, shocking).