Duplicate Variations as Story Points

questions
#1

I’m curious why some storyforms have a different Variation for each of the 16 possible Story Points (4x Issue/ Counterpoint, 2x Catalyst/ Inhibitor, 2x Unique Ability/ Critical Flaw, unless I have my terminology confused), while others have only 8 or 12 and duplicate the others?

For example, if you choose Change, Start, Be-er, Intuitive, Action, Option-Lock, Success, Good, OS: Activity, Problem: Control; that gets you down to one Storyform where 8 variations appear twice each. So, the OS Counterpoint is the same as its Catalyst, and its Issue is the same as the RS’s Inhibitor–and vice versa. Issues, Counterpoints, Unique Abilities, and Catalysts similarly overlap in the MC and IC throughlines.

But if you answer all the questions the same except put the OS in Situation, twelve Variations appear, 4 appearing twice and 4 appearing only once. Repeat the experiment with Determination as the problem and you get 12 with OS: Activity and 16, a unique Variation in each slot, for OS: Situation.

It seems odd to me that this doesn’t appear to be determined by the MC/ OS Dynamics. It’s as if some combinations of Problems and OS Domains are just inherently more limited in scope.

Is it related to the differing positions of the Elements in each Domain?

#2

Some things to keep in mind:

  • Picking OS Issue locks SS Issue and vice versa (they’re in the same relative position), while MC Issue and IC Issue are somewhat free.
  • If MC Resolve is Change, MC Issue is the variation above the OS Problem in the MC Domain
  • so if OS Domain is Activity and Problem is Control, then MC Problem is also Control
  • if MC Domain is Mind, then the Variation above Control is Hope
  • if MC Domain is Situation, then the Variation above Control is Preconception
  • If MC Resolve is Steadfast, MC Issue is the variation above the OS Symptom/Response in the MC Domain
  • so if OS Domain is Activity and Symptom/Response is Pursuit/Avoidance, then MC Symptom is also Avoidance
  • if MC Domain is Mind, then the Variation above Pursuit/Avoidance is Closure
  • if MC Domain is Situation, then the Variation above Pursuit/Avoidance is Delay
  • On the other hand, once you pick a Catalyst/Ability, all the other catalysts/abiltiies are locked.
  • OS Catalyst is determined by MC Resolve, MC Growth, MC Problem-Solving Style, Outcome/Judgment, OS Domain, OS Issue
  • OS Inhibitor is determined by MC Resolve and OS Catalyst
  • That means the Issue/Catalyst relation can be different for OS/SS and MC/IC.
  • Meaning, you can have
  • 8 Variations appearing twice each
  • 12 Variations, with 4 Variations appearing twice and 8 Variations appearing once
  • 16 Variations appearing once each

So yes, it is related to the differing positions of the Elements in each Domain, but also MC Resolve, Problem-Solving Style and Outcome/Judgment and maybe others.

Using your examples:

OS Activity/Control:

  • OS Issue is Self-Interest and MC Issue is Hope; they’re in the same relative position within their domains.
  • That means that wherever the Catalysts/Abilities are, they affect all the Issues the same way.
  • OS Catalyst is Morality; diametrically opposed to OS Issue.
  • That means all Catalysts/Abilities are the same as the counterpoints. (at least 4 Variations appear twice)
  • Since you have a MC Resolve of Change, that means the Inhibitors are diametrically opposed to the catalyst of the opposing throughline (SS Catalyst is Responsibility, so OS Inhibitor is Commitment)
  • Therefore, you get Issue and Counterpoint twice for every throughline. 2 x 8 Variations.

OS Situation/Control:

  • OS Issue is Preconception and MC Issue is Responsibility; they’re not in the same relative position within their domains.
  • That means that wherever the Catalysts/Abilities are, they do not affect MC/IC Variations the same way they affect OS/SS Variations
  • OS Catalyst is Openness; diametrically opposed to OS Issue
  • That means OS and SS Catalysts are the same as the respective counterpoints (at least 2 variations appear twice)
  • MC Unique Ability is Rationalization; not diametrically opposed to MC Issue
  • That means the Unique Abilities are not in the Issue/Counterpoint pairs (at least 4 variations appear once only)
  • Since you have a MC Resolve of Change, that means the Inhibitors are diametrically opposed to the catalyst of the opposing throughline (SS Catalyst is Closure, so OS Inhibitor is Denial)
  • The OS/SS Inhibitors are the same as the Issues (at least 2 variations appear twice)
  • The MC/IC Critical Flaws aren’t in the Issue/Counterpoint pair (at least 2 variations appear once)
  • So now we have 4 OS/SS variations appear twice and 8 MC/IC variations appear once.

OS Activity/Determination:

  • OS Issue is Experience and MC Issue is Worth; they’re not in the same relative position within their domains.
  • That means that wherever the Catalysts/Abilities are, they do not affect MC/IC Variations the same way they affect OS/SS Variations
  • …

OS Situation/Determination:

  • OS Issue is Threat and MC Issue is Desire; they’re in the same relative position within their domains.
  • That means that wherever the Catalysts/Abilities are, they affect all the Issues the same way.
  • OS Catalyst is Fact; not diametrically opposed to OS Issue
  • That means the Catalysts/Abilities are not in the Issue/Counterpoint pairs
  • Since you have a MC Resolve of Change, that means the Inhibitors are diametrically opposed to the catalyst of the opposing throughline (SS Catalyst is Value, so OS Inhibitor is Worth)
  • The Inhibitors/Flaws aren’t in the Issue/Counterpoint pair
  • So now we have 16 different variations appearing once each
#3

Thank you for that explanation (and for responding so quickly!).

I wonder how a story with 8 variations feels compared to a story with 12 or 16. Since that’s the level most resembling theme, does a story with 8 variations feel less thematically rich or complex but more focused than a story with 16? It feels a lot like one of the audience story points. Like how a do-er will be a willing or unwilling participant in an action or decision story, respectively.

#4

Just because you choose one variation as your OS Issue doesn’t mean that the other variations in the same quad can’t appear in the story without appearing as Catalysts/Inhibitors/whatever. Take a look at Jim Hull’s article on Ratatouille for example. You can easily explore all of the other variations within the quad, though we’re looking at the others from the Issue.

Catalysts, Inhibitors, Unique Abilities and Flaws aren’t as Theme relevant as Issue and Counterpoint, I think. And maybe having these things not appear in the Issue/Counterpoint pair helps to differentiate them. As in, showing that this display of a flaw is not an exploration of theme, but just showing the flaw in action. Or something like that.

#5

I’ll definitely check that article out. It sounds similar to how the Plot Sequence Report uses variations. I think it actually uses all of them, now that I think about it.

It does seem like a story with much overlapping of Issues and Counterpoints with Inhibitors, Flaws, etc. would feel different than a story without any overlap. I’m curious in what way they might feel different. I imagine it’s a matter of finding stories with similar storyforms and studying how those specific differences play out.