The Year in Hegger Matrix Game is intended to track the characters' development through a year of their lives in the city of Hegger. It differs from previous Matrix games in two ways. First, it is small-scale, focusing primarily upon the lives of the characters, and not upon the larger issues of society. Second, it uses playing cards to replace both voting and random die rolls to determine final argument strength.
The Year in Hegger game is intended to have upwards of five players, each backing the actions of a single character drawn from the Fading Word campaign. Because the game is intended to have a large number of players, none of whom are necessarily in conflict with each other, several changes have been made to the normal Matrix Game structure. These changes are intended to both limit the scale of possible changes allowable within the game, and to introduce a measure of conflict that might otherwise be lacking.
Each player will have one other randomly-drawn player as their Nemesis. The purpose of the Nemesis is to provide some conflict among the players. The identity of each player's Nemesis should remain secret. If a player is able to gain one or two Black Strikes against their Nemesis, his character will gain certain rewards at the end of the game. However, if the player's Nemesis gains three or four Black Strikes, his character will suffer penalties instead.
The game is one year long, lasting from the beginning of the High Cold Season of 855 to the end of the Low Hot Season of 855. Each turn corresponds to one half-season, for a total of six turns:
| High Cold Season (Turn 1) | High Wet Season (Turn 3) | High Hot Season (Turn 5) |
| Low Cold Season (Turn 2) | Low Wet Season (Turn 4) | Low Hot Season (Turn 6) |
The referee deals two cards to each player, one face-up and one face-down. First player in the deal is determined randomly on the first turn. Every turn thereafter, first player passes to the next player to the right.
Starting with the player who led the deal, each player makes two Arguments. Arguments may be of any type listed below, though only I DECLARE Arguments may begin an Argument Tree. All Arguments must involve either one or two characters, and may not involve more than two characters (though additional characters may be added to an Argument through appropriate modifying Arguments).
If any player has gained additional Arguments through previous actions, they are made as part of this phase, after all other players have completed their Arguments.
Starting with the player who led the deal, the referee deals two more face-down cards to each player. If any player is entitled to more than two additional cards (due to successful arguments or modifiers from the previous turn, for example), they will normally be dealt in this phase.
The player who led the deal starts the Resolution Phase. In turn, each player must play one card upon any Argument. This process continues clockwise, until no players have any cards remaining. Cards may be played to either increase or decrease an Argument's strength, as described below, but the player must state which he intends when the card is played.
The first card played to modify an Argument is referred to as the Primary Card, and is placed horizontally. Subsequent cards are placed on top of the Primary Card, and are referred to as Secondaries. Secondaries are limited by the suit and intent of the Primary Card. Note that the Primary Card may be played to either increase or decrease the strength of the underlying Argument. If it is played to increase the Argument's strength, then Opposing Cards (Primary and Secondary) will decrease the Argument's strength. If it is played to decrease the Argument's strength, the reverse is true. "Opposing" cards do not necessarily have to decrease an Argument's strength: they merely act opposite to the Primary Card.
The point value of the Primary Card changes the strength of the Argument, and is equal to the number of pips on the card, with face cards continuing the progression from ten (thus, Jack = 11, Queen = 12 and King = 13). It may be set to augment or decrease the Argument's strength.
The effect of any Secondary Card played depends upon the suit of the Primary Card. Only cards with color matching that of the Primary Card may be played to increase the effect of the Primary Card (either to strengthen or weaken the Argument). Only cards with color opposing that of the Primary Card may be played to oppose the effect of the Primary Card.
The point value of Secondary Cards is usually much less than that of the Primary Card. All Secondary Cards played to enhance the Primary card have a value of two points if they match both color and suit, and one point if they match only color.
Cards may also be played to oppose the intent of the Primary Card. These cards must have opposite color to the Primary Card. The first Secondary Card played to oppose the Primary Card is referred to as the Primary Opposing Card. This card is played with full value. Subsquent opposing cards are played at a value of two points if they match both color and suit with the Primary Opposing Card, and a value of one point if they match only color with the Primary Opposing Card.
| Card Type | Point Value |
| Primary Card | Full |
| All Supporting Secondary Cards | 2 if suit matches, 1 if color matches |
| Primary Opposing Card | Full (color must oppose) |
| All Subsequent Opposing Cards | 2 if suit matches Primary Opposing Card, 1 if only color matches. |
Alphonze, Marco, Diedre and Zephraim are attempting to influence Argument 1.1.1, which has a Base Strength of 4. Alphonze leads by playing Diamonds 6 to enhance; this is now the Primary Card, and increases the Argument's Strength to 10. On his turn, Marco attempts to derail Alphonze by playing Spade 8. He can only play this card to oppose Alphonze, as the color opposes that of the Primary Card. The Argument's Strength is reduced to 2, as shown below.
On her turn, Diedre plays Hearts 3. This card's color matches the Primary Card, so she can play it to support Alphonze, but it's suit does not so the card is worth only one point. The Argument's Strength is increased to 3.
Zephraim plays one final card upon the Argument, Hearts 4. This card also enhances the Argument's Strength, but it is worth two points because it matches the suit o the Primary Card. At any time later in the round, additional cards could be played to further modify the Argument strength, but at this point Alphonze, Marco and Diedre do not wish to play any additional cards upon the Argument, so it's strength stands at 4.
There are four types of Arguments, as described in the basic Matrix Rules: I DECLARE; YES, AND; YES, BUT; and NO, ACTUALLY. Arguments fit together in trees, each of which is supported by a single I DECLARE Argument.
| Argument Type | Strength Modifier | Comments |
| I DECLARE | 4 | Required to start Argument Tree |
| YES, AND | +2 | Must not contradict any aspect of the underlying Argument. Adds some additional effect. |
| YES, BUT | +1 | May contradict a minor part of the underlying Argument, replacing it with something different. |
| NO, ACTUALLY | +0 | Completely reverses the underlying Argument, replacing it with something else. |
All Arguments include four components: a Title, an Action, an Effect, and three Reasons. The Title is a descriptive phrase intended to convey the intention of the Argument (this is helpful in the final resolution phase, when upwards of a dozen Arguments must be considered). The Action is a sentence-long (possibly paragraph-long) description of what happens. The Effect is a short explanation of the effects of the Argument (specifically, of the Action). Any mention of Black Strikes, point gain,or monetary gain must be explicitly stated in the Effect. The Reasons are supporting reasons why this Argument might happen. The best Arguments (Strong Arguments, as noted below) will draw Reasons from previously-successful Arguments.
An Argument tree starts with an I DECLARE Argument, and may contain several branches. Once a tree has been started, any of the Arguments within it may be affected by additional modifying Arguments.
All Arguments are identified by a numeric key, composed of a series of integers separated by periods. The first integer is the turn number, and will (obviously) be the same for all Arguments proposed that turn. The second integer shows the number of the I DECLARE Argument the Argument descends from (the first I DECLARE of the turn is 1, the second is 2, etc.). A sample Argument tree with accompanying identifiers is shown below.
Due to the nature of the Year in Hegger game, the scope of allowed Arguments must be somewhat more limited than in other, more traditional Matrix Games. There are two primary limits upon Arguments:
Basic Argument strength is determined by three factors: the Argument type, the Base Strength of the underlying Argument, and whether or not the Argument is Strong. The strength modifiers for the various types of Arguments are listed above under "Argument Types". This modifier is added to the strength of the underlying Argument to determine an Argument's Base Strength. If the Argument is supported by a Reason that draws directly from a previously-passed Argument or from a Referee Argument, it may be declared a "Strong" Argument. Strong Arguments gain an additional +1 bonus to their Base Strength. For an Argument to be declared Strong, one player must propose that the Argument be Strong. If all players, with at most one dissenting player, agree, then the Argument is Strong.
In no case, however, may the Base Strength of an Argument exceed eight. If an Argument's Base Strength would exceed eight with normal modifiers, it's Base Strength is reduced to eight. Note that this limit does not apply to the point modifiers caused by card play in the Resolution Phase.
After all cards have been played in the Resolution Phase, all Arguments must be considered to determine which are "IN" and which are "OUT". Arguments that are IN are considered to be true, and their effects occur immediately. Arguments that are OUT are false, and never happen.
The proceduring for determining final status is fairly straightforward. The individual Argument with the highest Final Strength (Base Strength plus any modifiers from cards) is automatically IN. All Arguments directly beneath this Argument in it's Argument Tree are also IN. Then the next-highest Final Strength Argument from those still pending is considered. If it does not contradict any Argument that has already been determined to be IN, it is also IN, along with all Arguments directly beneath it in it's Argument Tree (that do not contradict any Argument already determined to be IN). If the Argument does contradict an Argument that is IN, it is OUT, and the next-highest Argument is considered.
This procedure continues until no remaining Argument has a Final Strength of greater than six. Arguments with Final Strength of six or less are to weak to succeed, and are automatically OUT unless they have already been made IN by a stronger Argument further down on their Argument Tree. The diagram below shows two Argument trees after their Final Strengths and final IN and OUT status have been determined. The diagram assumes that Arguments in one tree do not contradict Arguments in the other tree.
Each turn, one Argument will be presented by the Referee. This Argument will typically modify the structure of the game or the society within in, and will automatically become effective at the beginning of the turn. These Arguments will all be determined in advance by the Referee, but will be hidden from the players until the appropriate turn.;
The characters in the Matrix Game may bring several types of rewards away. These rewards likely to be in the form of character points and money, though they may also include new allies or associates within the city of Hegger. Penalties are also possible, either loss of money, loss of allies (or new enemies), or in extreme cases loss of character points (through injury or disease).
Black Strikes are intended to limit the extent to which single Arguments can harm the characters. A character can gain up to three Black Strikes; once a character reaches three Black Strikes there is no limit to the harmful effects a single Argument can have against him. A character can gain no more than one Black Strike per Argument. Black Strikes must be declared as a specific effect of an Argument, as a part of the Effect. The character only gains a Black Strike if the Argument is successful. A character can gain more than one Black Strike in a turn, provided that more than one Argument is made to give that character Black Strikes.
The first Black Strike represents a minor misfortune, no greater than a severe beating, the loss of up to 200 challock, a minor sickness or a new minor enemy. Effects of this magnitude may also be inflicted upon a character without also carrying a Black Strike, but Referee Arguments requiring that characters suffer Black Strikes will only be satisfied if the Black Strike is specifically inflicted.
The second Black Strike represents a more significant misfortune, including major injury, serious disease, the loss up up to 2000 challock (or the acquisition of debts up to that amount), or a major new enemy.
The third Black Strike represents a misfortune sufficient to bring the target character to the point of death. Such misfortune can be anything that does not bring permanent disfigurement or death to the character, including banishment from Hegger, induction into the Skirmishers, a crippling illness, the loss of up to 10,000 challock, or an enemy with phenomenal resources.
Once a character has gained three Black Strikes, he can be killed or permanently disfigured by a single Argument. However, no character may gain more than three Black Strikes. Also, once a character has gained three Black Strikes, that character's Nemesis is penalized at the end of the game.
Black Strikes cannot be removed through Arguments, except when allowed by special Referee Arguments.
To maintain a leash upon the players' ability to reward their characters, there will be four separate reward limits in effect every turn. These limits will be upon: individual monetary gain, cumulative monetary gain, individual point gain and cumulative point gain. In both cases, the individual limits apply to the gain any character can achieve in a single turn, while the cumulative limits apply to all gains achieved by any character in a single turn.
Limits are revealed and applied only after all Arguments have been made and all cards have been played in the Resolution Phase. The limits are revealed, and Arguments are examined starting with the highest-strength Argument that is IN and proceeding to the lowest. If any Argument violates one of the limits, any component of that Argument providing a point or monetary benefit to a character is eliminated. If there are other components of the Argument, they are not invalidated. For example, an Argument that provides a benefit to one character while giving another character a Black Strike could still provide a Black Strike, even if the reward component of the Argument was invalidated by a Reward Limit.
At the end of the game, all chararacters whose players' Nemeses have gained Black Strikes (regardless of whether or not the player was responsible for the Black Strike) will gain a monetary and point reward, according to the table below:
| Number of Black Strikes | Reward |
| One | 500 challock, 1 point to any existing skill |
| Two | 1000 challock, 2 points to any existing skill |
| Three | lose 500 challock and 1 point gained in the Matrix Game |
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