Free Time

The Time Allocation feature is found on the Character Profile screen of every character in your Organization. With this you can specify how each character is to divide his (0-36) Time Points in future, one of which is ''Free Time''. Any time available to this character which is not given over to either ''Business Operations'' or ''Orders'' is automatically deemed to be ''Free Time''. As the Boss you have total control over how much Free Time you allow each Character (beyond time needed to sleep & eat, which is excluded from the 0-36 points available), but this is not something you can disregard as unimportant. After how much money he personally pockets, Free Time is the most important factor governing the morale - and therefore, the Loyalty - of each character in your employ. Too little Free Time will result in him becoming increasingly unhappy in his Attitude (and therefore potentially disloyal), while extra Free Time will likely improve his Attitude and make him a more productive member of your gang. Striking the right balance can be important in the long term. It is however possible to not give a particular Character any Free Time at all for quite a lengthy period of time, should you feel the need, provided that his Attitude is not already too low. Not being given any Free Time will simply constantly lower his Attitude, but it won’t immediately make him treacherous or potentially disloyal - provided that he’s still earning good money. However it does make him more likely to accept the friendly overtures of a rival hoodlum, should one approach him... A Character who is simply not content as a member of your gang might also choose to desert you, by simply refusing to continue paying Tribute to the Character above him. If those below him are also unhappy, they might leave with him, together forming a small, rival gang in your own neighbourhood. This is more likely to occur where there are additional factors affecting the Attitude of these guys, not just limited Free Time. Such factors might include prolonged wars with rivals, heavy losses among fellow members, and your Boss having caused dangerous vendettas against him by either too many rival Bosses or by much higher-ranking Bosses in the underworld. The other main consideration for Free Time availability concerns a character’s ten Skills. If enough Free Time is allowed then a character may well choose to spend some of his time practicing his Skills, which he will do automatically if his Attitude is ''Content'' or better and if enough Free Time is made available. You can even suggest to each character which Skill(s) he should concentrate on developing: see the section on ''Skill Development''. Skills will only ever increase slowly if you never allow a character sufficient Free Time to practice or study them as these do not improve through experience as fast as do natural Abilities. With enough Free Time, however, a Character’s Skills will improve faster and will more quickly make him a better & more efficient member of your Organization.