The story goal can be assigned to any throughline, along with the other plot points. Can it be assigned to more than one? Or does each storyform have only one goal-class or goal-throughline? For example, if the goal is obtaining, would you only assign it to one of the four throughlines?
In the current version of Dramatica Theory, the Story Goal (notice the capital letters) is always in the OS. However, you can add other story goals (notice, the lower case letters) by emphasizing goals that exist in other Throughlines.
So, if your Story Goal is Obtaining, then your OS Concern will also be Obtaining. But, in this same story, if it were say a romance, then you’d likely have a large emphasis on the RS. Thus, the goal would look like Becoming in regard to the relationship. And, even though this looks like the goal, it is not the Story Goal. Of course, because of the emphasis put on the goal in the RS, the audience is likely to see and feel that as the goal.
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In the theory book, it mentions that the Story Goal can arbitrarily be assigned to any throughline, so I was a little confused by the software implementation. Thanks.
In the software Story Engine, under Additional OS Story Points, if Story Goal is can be arbitrarily applied to any throughline, what other OS Story Points can be transferred to other throughlines? All of the Driver and Passenger Plot Points? (Consequence, Cost, Dividend, …)
I think this is an area where the theory book is mixing Dramatica terminology with “normal” terminology, and confusingly, at that. I also suspect that there are hints of additional layers of the theory mixed in there, too. These are layers that have only been touched upon by Melanie, Chris, and Jim, and are not part of the current theory.
A more direct answer: The way the model works currently, Story Goal is not arbitrarily assignable, and will be in the OS. However, what the readers label as the goal of your story can be arbitrarily assigned (based on what you most flesh out in the final product), but any “changes” to other such points will have to be done through your muse.
I only have the Windows version, so I’m unaware of a capability to reassign the Story Goal to another throughline. However, if such a feature exists, I would suggest ignoring it. Instead, determine where the emphasis in your story should be, and use that as the goal. Let the Story Goal remain in the OS Throughline, and encode the structure based on that. Use your Storytelling to change the focus.
Also, a little anecdote: When I first read that portion of the theory book, I tried to do exactly what you are now. I tried to figure out what the quads were for those points, if there were any, and how they would rotate or be affected by changing the Domain of the Story Goal. It turned out to be a futile effort. The model used by the software is too biased toward the Story Goal being in the OS, so it’s better to leave it there and focus on Storytelling emphasis. The greater the emphasis on a throughline, the more it will feel like the goal lies there.
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