Plot Sequence Report ... Getting Under the Hood

[Peter]

So I’m developing a new story idea and tinkering with the (much maligned?) Plot Sequence Report… its seems to have great potential as an outline tool, but I have a question about its mechanics.

Specifically, how each Throughline Signpost (which are Types) gets paired with 4 Scenes (which are Variations … but of a different Class).

For instance my OS Signpost 1 is “Conceiving An Idea” which is a Type of Psychology/Manipulation Class, the Domain of my OS. Good so far.

But OS Signpost 1 Scenes 1-4 deal with Prerequisites-Preconditions-Strategy-Analysis … which are the "Learning Variations of the Physics/Activity Class (which is the Domain of my Relationship Story)

Can I assume that Dramatica is forcing my Objective Story to “take on issues” of my Relationship Story as a way of integrating them? Is there a “formula” for these interactions between the 4 Throughlines when using the Plot Sequence Report?

Perhaps a firmer grasp on these interactions could inform my approach to this process. Wondering if anyone else out there has used this tool and can shed light on the logic of its story mechanics.

Cheers! Peter

[bobRaskoph]

… Please use the Search Function.

Plot Sequence Report

We recently analyzed The Wrath of Khan and as we argued points we would look below the appreciations to back our argument for it, i.e. when choosing a concern we would look below to the issues to see if they ‘felt’ right. and so on down to the problem/solution. So I question the wisdom in using the plot sequence report to argue a storyform. Unless, you specify that you are using the PSR and arguing from a purely subjective POV (what it feels like to be inside the story) In this link to a …

Far End of the Black script creation

The following are the original posts from G+ some who are just starting out with Dramatica may find useful; this was the very first script I wrote with the help of the software after having read up on the theory for a few years prior (and waiting for the new release of Story Expert on Mac.) I had an idea for the story in my mind for some time prior - knowing specifically how it began and ended and put it off until I had the software. The posts are broken down as I wrote them on various days, t…

Why are Signposts sometimes explored with Variations from other Domains?

The Plot Sequence Report gives us the Variations to be explored for each Signpost. But those Variations sometimes don't belong to the Domain for that Throughline. As an example, my MC's domain is Situation, with a Signpost order of Present, Past, Progress, Future. Yet, for each signpost, I'm to explore the Variations under the Fixed Attitude Class... My OS is Physics, yet its Signposts are explored using Variations from Situation. MY IC is Fixed Attitude, yet his SIgnposts are explored usi…

Why are Signposts sometimes explored with Variations from other Domains?

The Plot Sequence Report gives us the Variations to be explored for each Signpost. But those Variations sometimes don't belong to the Domain for that Throughline. As an example, my MC's domain is Situation, with a Signpost order of Present, Past, Progress, Future. Yet, for each signpost, I'm to explore the Variations under the Fixed Attitude Class... My OS is Physics, yet its Signposts are explored using Variations from Situation. MY IC is Fixed Attitude, yet his SIgnposts are explored usi…

Fun and simple way to use PSR! (well, it seemed simple...)

I stumbled on a kind of simple (and fun!) way to use the Plot Sequence Report, kind of unorthodox perhaps but it has been working for me. Or maybe people do it this way all the time? Obviously it works best if you are working on a particular throughline on its own, encoding signposts for a throughline, or asking yourself e.g. "what happens in the MC Throughline in Act 3"? If you know which throughline and act/signpost, you know where to look in the PSR. Step 1: Don't use the PSR! That's rig…

PSR which issue is explored when

I just (re)discovered the Plot Sequence Report, which I have tried to use month ago but couldn't figure at this time the purpose at all. For any one interested I can recommend to read on this topic Jim Hulls post on narrativefirst.com and the book Jim is mentioning from Armando Mora. Using the PSR its really enlightening and gives you a much better grip on a scene having an outside (plot) and inside (theme) view. But as usual with dramatica, if 1 question has been answered a bunch of new o…

But, in general:

1. We do not discuss the underlying mechanics of how the plot sequence report does its thing, because that is part of what you pay for if you buy the software.
2. It’s not really that, in your case. the Objective Story “borrows” from the Relationship Story. It’s been mentioned that a beginning story is kind of like an unsolved rubic’s cube.
3. You can view it as how the characters view their issues subjectively. For instance, you as the author know in the first Signpost the characters have issues with Permissions, Needs, Expediencies, and Deficiencies. The characters, on the other hand, might see their issues as problems of Prerequisite, Precondition, Strategy, and Analysis.