This isn't, as I see it, a House Rule as much as an interpretation. In the "Options, not restrictions" vein, I've run into an issue with players saying, "Okay, it's 4:00, and I have to get to the warehouse by 6:00, so I can only research stuff at the library. What can I find out in an hour?"
Going by the existing rules, there's nothing listed. If you want to disable a device, research something, or gather information, it takes as long as it takes. However, there's a decent engine in the movement rules. Normal Hiding Speed is one-half normal. To move up to your normal speed gives you a -5 penalty, and to charge or run gives you a -20.
So, what do folks think of "Halve the time it takes" for a -5 penalty, or "Decrease the time it takes by 75%" for a -20 penalty. Honestly, I'd been thinking of -5/-10 for Half/Quarter, but -20 appears to be by the book. This would let a pretty good researcher (+15 to check) take 10 and get DC 5, meaning that he can pretty much discover common-knowledge information about something in a little under an hour. Too harsh? What do you guys think? What would be closest to by the book, what would be fair?
Going by the existing rules, there's nothing listed. If you want to disable a device, research something, or gather information, it takes as long as it takes. However, there's a decent engine in the movement rules. Normal Hiding Speed is one-half normal. To move up to your normal speed gives you a -5 penalty, and to charge or run gives you a -20.
So, what do folks think of "Halve the time it takes" for a -5 penalty, or "Decrease the time it takes by 75%" for a -20 penalty. Honestly, I'd been thinking of -5/-10 for Half/Quarter, but -20 appears to be by the book. This would let a pretty good researcher (+15 to check) take 10 and get DC 5, meaning that he can pretty much discover common-knowledge information about something in a little under an hour. Too harsh? What do you guys think? What would be closest to by the book, what would be fair?