Visual Dramatica

a first attempt at visualization for Dramatica

by kino

(this is the synthesis of a few thought experiments inspired by Jeff Behnke in the list, but the fevered elucubrations are mine. Jeff is not responsible for any distorting done here ;-) )

If the Domains were described as a function of an "action/decision/point_of_view" "threespace" locator, the T-lines seem to be domains of variation: each one presents the action-decision range. If we take the cartesian model, the X could be action, the Y decision, and the negative/positive could be the internal/external dichotomy. Then the domains would be variation ranges, like in a "rosetta" equation, you know, the four loops or lobes with origin in 0,0 (darned if I recall the
name of the mathematician this thing is named after.)

That still leaves space for the subjective/objective thing, linking absolute -Z (the author's innermost) to +Z (the audience's innermost). Communication, then, could happen in a multilobed structure, not too far away from Zero (0,0,0) so there is still common ground, and not too great around that same Zero, so that there is enough divergence to have conflict.

The introduction of Z axis distorts the perfect arrangement of four T-line fields lying "flat" to the X/Y plane but would produce eight directions, easy to visualize if you imagine the "flat" model as a square with a T-line in each corner, and then inflate the square to a cube, with 4 "front" t-lines and 4 "rear" t-lines, that are dependent on the (not shouting) DISTANCE from total, boring, already-known, 0,0,0, to the moment the function approaches
infinity and becomes useless, going all the way on some axis.

This perception does not seem to be at odds with the analysis made in this list of what the domains amount to. The combinations would be:

Internal and External Action (-Y to +Y) & Internal and External Decision (-Z to +Z), from the unique view (-Z) of the writer and from the common view (+Z) of the audience.

-X,-Y,-Z
-X,-Y,+Z
-X,+Y,-Z
-X,+Y,+Z
+X,-Y,-Z
+X,+Y,-Z
+X,-Y,-Z
+X,+Y,+Z

 

Jeff: >Now if we can just figure out the way your drawing can be applied to
problems and solutions and the way these make the model 'spin'.

Ok, let me risk neck and limb:
The "weight" of the lobes seems directly relational with the storyform.

One must keep in mind that the lobes represent probability regions, zones where the interest (and therefore the conflict) are maximized. That means that by changing the equations that control the data ranges of the lobes, different deformations can be achieved. We are in a sense back to one set of lobes, since we can concentrate on the storyform, not the "real" process anymore (this because the complete process involves author-audience spectrum, and now we are considering the "neutral" storyform, which would be a choice of spectrum probabilities).

There are two basic kinds of deformations from the "flat" ideal model that can happen to these kind of radially symmetric structures:

The Changes can be in the distance from the Origin (0,0,0) to the maximum probability region would produce different vectors, and in the orientation, or angular rotation of those vectors in 3DSpace. The new facets produced are no longer necessarily defined within coplanar vertices, so deformations or distortions in 3D appear on the basic 2D state model. Let's reduce the lobate structures to just the regions of maximum probability for uncluttered view's sake, and look at the facet defined by the four regions focii, both at "rest" and in a point of its motion.

These distortions continue in the next level: the particular distortions applied from the outlook of the author to the outlook of the audience, would result not in a distorted face of non-necessarily coplanar vertices, but in a distorted volume of information space,

This volume is no longer defined by "flat" square facets of coplanar vertices, but more by lattices of 2 to 4 triangles per face: the edge lines continue to be straight, but the bound areas have their own topologies tangential to the center, not to the other edges. The primordial jello cube.

.k.