When outside of immediate action, the players will find themselves hunting for clues, rumors, tracking down a particular person or place, getting equipment, fixing broken stuff etc., before the next action within an adventure takes place.

THE TURN

This time should be broken into “Investigative Turns”, using 4 hours each as a default, but some adventures could be as short as 10 minutes, or as long as a day. 4 hours is the default because that is enough time to get anywhere in the city, do some business of appreciable length, and get back to any other place in the city.

Once the GM establishes the turn-time, the PC's can HURRY, taking half the normal turn-time and drawing 2 complication cards, being affected by the worse of the two (for them). Maybe even SUPER-HURRY, quartering the time and taking 4 cards, being affected by the worst 2.

Each investigative Turn, each player or group of players can attempt one scheme, plot, action or check of some sort. If they are looking for a clue important to the plot, the GM should allow them to find one if they have the correct skill (Investigation, Streetwise, Knowledge), he should call for a check/roll only to determine quality of the clue.

COMPLICATIONS

each turn they must also draw a complication card. These might be different from adventure to adventure, but as a default:

Spade: Hassled by the cops, if under a Dragnet then the cops come in guns-a-blazing.

Hearts: pre-emptively attacked or otherwise hassled by the primary villain

Diamonds: accidently stumble into a scheme by another villain entirely

Clubs: no consequence, or, if it's a face card, deal with a nosey reporter

Joker: Surprise event, or Doctor Valiant steps on your toes.

The Essential Question

I realised that this is just adventure design, not campaign set up. Is it really just moot, a guideline for particular sorts of adventures?

Yeah, this is something for the GM. Kind of like the “lightning rounds” we did for ACKS. We can boot this if you wish. Also, I would like to add the old “montage scene” rules as well. We'll have to get appropriate montage music.