Wreck-it Ralph - Group Online Analysis

analysis
#9

The bad guys have their meeting in order to cope with being forced to be bad guys in order to avoid having their games unplugged. The citizens of Sugar Rush don’t remember who Vanellope is because Turbo invaded Sugar Rush because his game was unplugged.

If there was no possibility of the games being unplugged, then none of the other stuff would be an issue.

  • Ralph could be nice and stuff, and wouldn’t have had to go off into another game in order to be a “hero”.
  • Vanellope could race, and no one would worry about her being a glitch and how that would affect them.
  • Turbo wouldn’t have invaded Sugar Rush in the first place, so Vanellope wouldn’t be a glitch.
  • The other bad guys would be able to change their ways if they wanted to without having to fear the possibility of “going Turbo.”
#10

I can see the logic path, here, but never got the sense that this was related to the game being unplugged. The bad guys are tired of being thought of as bad guys whether playing the game or hanging out in Game Central Station, aren’t they? Being unplugged is a fear that is present, but it doesn’t seem to me to be what’s driving this story. If the Nicelanders are nice to Ralph while not playing the game, that part of the story is solved. Sugar Rush isn’t under any threat of being unplugged, but still has the issues of keeping Vanellope from racing. Being unplugged is the justification to keep her from racing.

Turbos game being unplugged isn’t the source of Sugar Rush’s problems. Because Turbo’s game was unplugged (justification) he goes to another game, brainwashes everyone by screwing with the code, and tells them not to let the glitch race. If he weren’t manipulating them, they wouldn’t have a problem because of his game being unplugged.

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#11

Okay. I see what you’re saying now. That makes a lot of sense. It’s justifications versus the actual source of the conflict.
This is especially useful, since I’m currently trying to plot a story with an OS Concern of Being. I’ll have to keep this in mind while I’m plotting/writing. Thanks!

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#12

For me, looking at the Future as the OS problem feels a lot like the line of thinking that put Belle in Future in the Beauty and the Beast thread. I still haven’t made my peace with the idea that her throughline is a well illustrated example of the Future, so I could be super wrong here, too.

@RailwayAdventurer, do you have other thoughts about the OS still being in Physics? Or do you, @Rachel_Blot?
@actingpower, am I on the same track as you with this? Do you have anything to add?

#13

Perhaps the Cy-Bugs attacking and Calhoun trying to prevent them could be an example, although I’m not sure it’s a strong one.

I’m leaning more and more toward Psychology for the OS, but I’m always open to counterexamples. I’m curious about what @Rachel_Blot and @actingpower have to say too.

#14

What’re the odds that Calhoun and Felix and working their own thinned down storyform?

#15

I often have troubles differentiating the OS from other throughlines, it’s easier with MC and IC.

So from what we have now, if we go with the idea that Ralph is in Universe and Vanellope in Mind, that leaves Physics and Psychology. We can agree that Ralph is the changed character, and that the story most likely is a Success / Good one. Often when I have troubles finding a storyform I look at the Issues to try to “plot everything out”. I’m a real newbie when it comes to analysis so I’m most likely wrong, however here’s how I see it :

The story, as @jhull put it in his article, says that “It’s not the superficial surface labels that count, but rather the programming within that truly defines who and what you are.” I would agree with a OS concern of Being especially regarding the Being goal / Doing consequence. “If we can’t be our roles in the games, then nobody would be able to play it anymore.” What with Ralph’s game being unplugged because the characters act strangely, the Sugar King (forgot his english name) playing the part of… well, king, to keep doing his stuff, etc. And that leaves a concern of Doing for the Ralph / Vanellope relationship : building a kart and having each other’s back at the end come to mind.

Which creates issues of :
• “Fact, Fantasy, Security, Threat” for Ralph (he struggles with the fact that he is a bad guy, fancying himself as a hero, having others feel insecure around him and ending up being a threat, indeed, for his own game)
• “Value, Worth, Confidence, Worry” for Vanellope (being devalued by others because of her glitchiness while finding self-worth by herself and with someone like her, being confident in her pilot skills and having that carefree attitude that drives Ralph crazy)
• “Knowledge, Thought, Ability, Desire” for the OS characters (the general knowledge of the characters in terms of who can be a good guy and who can be a bad guy, the “I’m bad and that’s good, I’ll never be good and that’s not bad” mantra that is given more or less considerations depending on the sides, each good guy and bad guy having a task to handle in the games that nobody else can, while still having desires on their own)
• And “Wisdom, Enlightenment, Skill, Experience” for their relationship (a lack of wisdom which makes Ralph misjudge Vanellope at first, and later on Vanellope assuming he’s a treator and him destroying her kart [again, lack of wisdom : doesn’t know how to apply the knowledge that the Sugar King gave him], almost destroying their relationship ; the illumination that Vanellope and Ralph are both more than what they thought, rekindling their relationship ; them bonding over improving Vanellope’s piloting skills and them sharing the experience of being ostracized in their respective games)

What do you think ?

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#16

@Rachel_Blot, as a fellow newbie, I’m very impressed. I’ve forgotten that you can look down to the Variations to figure out/confirm the Types. I also really like how you described the Goal and Consequence.

Now that we’ve all come to a consensus on the throughlines, should we discuss the Dynamic Story Points now?

#17

I wouldn’t be surprised.

Definitely. Jim has confirmed it too, according to this article. I feel confident about Success/Good as well, with everyone fulfilling their roles in their games, and Ralph being happy with Nicelanders’ newfound kindness and his friendship with Vanellope.

Since Ralph’s Domain is in Universe, that would make him a Doer, which is easily supported. Whenever he’s angered, he breaks something, whether it’s a cake, jawbreaker, or a building. To change Gene’s mind on him becoming a “good guy,” Ralph leaves to get a medal, culminating in breaking into the Hero’s Duty tower. When Vanellope takes off with the medal, Ralph chases after her. He destroys the kart. Finally, he causes Diet Cola Mountain to erupt, even at the risk of his own life.

With an OS of Psychology, Ralph’s Growth is Start, which seems fit to fit him better. I would expect that Ralph is Linear, but I can’t come up with any examples. Anyone see any illustrations for Problem-solving Style or Growth?

#18

“If I want to be treated like a hero, I need to bring back a medal to show everyone that I can do it.”

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#19

Fantastic example.

Moving on, what do everyone think the Driver would be and why? Or the Story Limit?

#20

I don’t know on this one. Does the story end when Ralph accepts his role as a bad guy—and then promptly does the good guy thing of sacrificing himself for Vanellope? What do you think?

#21

It could be, or maybe it’s when Sugar Rush resets (and the citizens get their memories back) or when Ralph goes back to his game afterward and continues playing his role as the “bad guy.” Maybe identifying when the story begins would provide insight into when it ends. But when does the inequity begin? When the 30th Anniversary party is held? When Ralph leaves (or decides) to get a medal? When he flies into Sugar Rush?

#22

How about when Turbo took over Sugar Rush? That seems to be what’s behind everyone’s issues with game jumping.

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#23

Seems like a Storyform was uploaded ! https://app.narrativefirst.com/storyforms/wreck-it-ralph#/

#24

Can’t see it. Were we on track?

#25

Not exactly. We figured out that Ralph is a changed, Universe MC ; and Vanellope a steadfast, Mind IC. However we were wrong about the Psychology OS and the Physics RS, it’s the contrary.

The OS goal / concern is Learning, and the OS / MC problem Reduction. It kind of goes with what we were thinking, only we were looking at it the wrong way. The Narrative Argument is, as it stands : “Stop letting people pigeonhole you, and you can show them how to beat the game.” So it still fits with the “you are more than your label” theme, but on the element level : being reduced to your role in the game creates problem both in the OS and for Ralph. Only when the characters will be able to Learn otherwise (Learn how to beat the game) will the inequity be solved ; otherwise it will remain something unconceivable for everyone.

At least that’s my take on it with what has been published.

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#26

Well, I was wrong. I was the one pushing for Os Psychology. I don’t get OS physics at all.

#27

Two reasons: Ralph is his own worst enemy–he’s trying too hard to show everyone what he’s capable of doing. His status as a villain is a huge chip in his shoulder.

Secondly, you have a world of video game characters doing whatever they have to in order to avoid being “unplugged”.

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#28

Sorry for the late response.

Like Rachel, identifying the OS for analysis isn’t a strong suit for me, so I’m glad that the right storyform has been found. I’m seeing an OS of Physics and a growth of Stop now. Also, Reduction (being pigeonholed) for Ralph’s problem is fantastic.

I’m still trying to figure out illustrations for the RS Concern of Conceiving though. @jhull, do you have any examples?