It struck me that no matter how cool the cards are in play for MasterBook and Shatterzone, many people don't understand why until they play. So here's the deal...
Players get a handful of cards for each adventure. There are two types: enhancements and subplots. Enhancements mostly affect task rolls, but also do other things like swapping cards. These are kept in your hand and can be played or traded to other players during non-turn-based situations. When a conflict breaks out and the turn sequence is utilized, these cards can only be played when in a character's pool, not in his hand. So no one has any cards in their pool at the onset. After each task is made whether successful or not, the player can move one card from his hand to his pool - it is placed on the table face-up for everyone to see. Any card in a pool can now be traded to other players or used. As the turns progress, the pool grows larger unless cards are played, so the characters actually get more powerful as the conflict continues. Now I've heard people mention some games that have escalating turns and how novel that is. Well, I don't know about any older games, but MasterBook/Shatterzone did this way back in the 90s via the cards.
Subplot cards are either placed face-up or discarded as soon as they are drawn. The gamemaster then decides when they come into play. They basically add new plot elements like getting help from an ally or being suspected of things.
We're not done. There are two other uses for the cards: critical skill resolution and initiative. Sometimes, a series of tasks are required to accomplish a goal, like analyzing a bomb, getting through it's protective shell, and then disarming it. The cards can be used to determine which of these tasks can be performed in a given turn and under what conditions.
Initiative can also be determined by drawing a card each turn - it describes whether the players go first or the NPCs, and under what conditions. And approved actions for the turn, typically steering characters away from pure violence, can net you more cards.
Finally, my previous blog post describes how plot development cards have also been added to the mix. These are available in PDF, but expect a printed version to match the remastered MasterDeck cards shortly.
In summation, these cards do a lot to enhance play and I can't imagine playing MasterBook or Shatterzone without them. I am also designing a deck of these cards for the StoryMax rules.
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