Cyborgs in Hommlet: Face It, You're a Cyborg

Despite the simplicity of the experience and the inability to capture the dynamic essence of live role-playing, the snippet of interaction was enough to develop a relationship, or an understanding of how one could arise, between the system and player. Cyborc was presented with particular options when he was given the chance to insert agency, and the system gave him results based on his numbers. The options available in this experience were a few among many; the player could have went through every situation trying out every skills possible, although this would be counter-productive and unlikely in an actual role-playing session. However, there isn't much (besides a unsatisfactory experience) that stops a player from choosing arbitrary actions without paying heed to how their character is represented to the system. I

f this is so, how does anyone ever finish a game? By the end of this story, the player most likely noticed a pattern between the starting information that made up Cyborc, what would have went on his character sheet, and the results of each choice; he has paltry strength in traits relating to Charisma and Persuade, neither is he especially Dexterous or Stealthy. Because of the constant negative results the player will get if they continue to use these skills, they anticipate situations according to what they are actually capable in doing. Looking at Cyborc's information, a player would go into the game looking to use their investigation skills and their brute strength and fighting skills. In turn, the game adapts its narratives to the outcomes produced by the interaction of Cyborc's statistics; these weren't dead-end choices like those found in static mediums such as the beloved Choose Your Own Adventure books, but results of the system adapting. The bartender could have been smooth talked, that suspicious stranger's room lock picked, etc. In turn, the player adapts by going into the narrative with tools they know they can use; when playing with Cyborc, they will be ready to use physical force over subtlety, and not consider options that require persuasion. By anticipating the system and integrating its rules into the player's logic, the difference between player and Cyborc, and therefore the relationship between the player and the system, becomes indeterminable and what Harraway calls a Cyborg.

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