Custom Move: Heart in the Machine

I was driving to work today and thinking about custom moves. It hit me that one thing that happens in BSG is people find out the ones they love are Cylons. It happens go Chief (with Boomer), Adama (with Boomer), Helo (with Boomer/Athena), Gaius (with Six), Cain (with Six), etc. It happens, and people react differnently to it.

So here is what I’m thinking:

I still mean something to you (Cylon move): When you remind a human of the good times you spent together roll +hot.  On a ten plus, then remember the time as you describe it. On a 7-9, the remember the time but question if it was real or deception. On a miss, you’ve hit a nerve. Take -1 going forward when interacting with them until they cool down or forgive you.

Michael’s version:

I still mean something to you (Cylon move): When you remind a human of the good times you spent together roll +hot. On a 10+ hold 3, on a 7-9 hold 1. Spend holds 1 for 1 to make them pause and remember you with fondness.  On a miss, you’ve hit a nerve. Take -1 going forward when interacting with them until they cool down or forgive you.

Heart in the Machine: When you accept a Cylon into your heart, roll +faith. On a 10+ Choose 2, on a 7-9, choose 1.

  • Those close to you forgive them for their deception.
  • Others believe they have feelings, and are more than just a weapon.
  • They aren’t thrown in the brig.

On a miss, they are just a frakking toaster. An enemy to humanity.

9 thoughts on “Custom Move: Heart in the Machine”

  1. Hm, I’d be careful with moves telling players how their characters feel. I would view that as an imposition. Maybe that’s how the restof the ship/culture feels about the newly unveiled Cylon?

  2. I think you are on to something, but it seems weird that you have to make a roll to have your own character react.

    Maybe make it a Cylon move that targets former friends/lovers (“I still mean something to you”)

    I would also put at least some of the choices in the target’s hands. This also reinforces the interplay between the two characters. So the Cylon makes a bid to play on those old feelings, but they can’t be sure what they will get. 7-9, target must choose 1, 10+ you choose 1 and then the target chooses 1.

  3. I like the idea, though. Can you love a machine? does it matter to love? I like Michael’s idea of “I still mean something to you.” That puts the choice of feelings in the players hands. But those residual feelings of love for someone who traumatizes/betrays you are frequently out of our hands, so having the move decide that is resonant.

  4. Nice, I think I still mean something to you would be a good precursor move to this one. Roll +hot and on a hit they are reminded of the moments they shared.

  5. Maybe the roll generates holds to spend on influencing the target.

    “Please, just help me this once, for old time’s sake.”

  6. Yeah, I like the new one a lot more. It got me thinking about instinct and emotions. As primates, the feelings of connection we have for each other are instinctual, and come from the ancient part of the brain, as a reward for working together and increasing survival chances. In a modern context, we get that rush of reward from seeing someone we’ve committed to, regardless of how we feel about them. If it’s negative feelings, that rush produces anger/sadness. The key being that the feeling of connection is of our control, and therefore perfect territory for a move to exploit.

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