Hello, new fan here. Haven’t read the book, but have already complaints :). I have however read through the free paragraph of the BIT system and earning Artha bonuses. I really like what this system wants to empasize and the Gold edition is already on it’s way to my collection. I have already tested the BIT system with a D&D game few years ago (there was one fan-made add-on, which was taken straight from this game) and this is what my criticism is based on.
I say once more, that I really like what this game makes us do: for players come up with clear motivation and beliefs and for GM to challenge these aspects.
What totally makes me feel uncomfortable is the end of a session judgment (voting) of other players. It is meant to provide extra bonuses for great roleplay (isn’t a good game enough of a bonus?), but it ends up putting people in difficult situation and be judged for not so good roleplay. Basically for doing it wrong. I play voluntarily, for myself and I try to do my best - I don’t want them to say I suck or am stupid (because that’s what one is for failing these simple goals). May be the guy is more quiet, new in the group or hobby and needs a session or two to feel comfortable to roleplay more. Nothing is more counterproductive, than a public therapy session about how bad one sucks.
Our group liked it when we read the rules, but I refued to participate after the second session.
Meanwhile I have played Savage Worlds for the past year and I really like the bennie system which is similarly small bonus for good roleplay (whether for great moment, moving story forward, playing hindrances well, etc). In SW the bennies get resetted at the end of every session, but for BW I would keep them from session to session. But other than that I would give Artha bonuses only during the game session, just after the awesome moments like in SW and drop the end session bonus voting.
It seems it would work fine and not break anything in BW or will it make the characters too weak? I might give few Artha points for everybody for free like group experience points (in SW).