Is this Failure or Success?

questions
#1

I have a Change MC - a cop looking for a kidnapped boy - who doesn’t find the kid: someone else does. Is this a Failure or a Success?

I want to say Failure but I want to see what you think.

#2

I believe it is a success, because the story outcome isn’t just about the MC.
But, I strongly urge you to ensure that it doesn’t become a Deus ex Machina.

#3

Thanks!

This is a parallel story to my main series, where the protagonist is the private detective who finds the boy. My MC cop is also looking for the kid, and he and the series protagonist meet up a few times during the story. At the end he doesn’t know who found the kid, or who kidnapped him, which is why it felt a bit like a Failure.

At the end, he believes the kidnappers are still out there (which they are). He sets off after a name which has come up (someone making inquiries who clearly knows more than they should) to find some clue to bring these people to justice. As it turns out, this happens to be the alias of my protagonist… :wink:

#4

Depends on the goal. If the goal is ‘to find the child’, then it’s a success.

Those will probably be your costs. Some stories can feel bittersweet despite being a ‘success’ outcome because the costs are so strong. In this case, the ‘uncertain elements’ of the mystery will continue to haunt the world of the story.

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#5

This was really helpful, thanks - it helped me pinpoint the cost as Changing One’s Nature (which he does - another reason it felt like a Failure as he’s one of the few good cops on the force in a city controlled by the mob).

Now I think I can nail down this storyform! :+1:

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#6

If the OS story is to find the kid, Success.
If the OS story is for the MC player to find the kid, Failure.
If the OS story is for someone to find the kid before the character that finds him found him, Failure.
If finding the kid is part of the MC throughline rather than part of the OS, then it’s neither Success nor Failure.

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#7

If the OS Goal is “find the kid”, then the MC’s Unique Ability will somehow enable the other character to find the kid.

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#8

I hadn’t considered this! Really interesting idea.