Re: How about "situations" as a plot abstraction?

[Peter Weyhrauch <peter@zoesis.com>]

> Maybe you will recoil in horror from what I'm suggesting as it is basically
> a data-driven approach.  But my point is, the table of possible deals should
> be small in a medium that resembles a movie or play.

Data driven may be an okay approach.  However, if we can build a
system that has a rudimentary understanding of deals this may lead to
more flexibility.

Suppose you have a plot like this:

1. Evil character makes small pleasant deal with user
   (to gain trust of user)

2. Evil character makes big deal then double crosses user.
   (major plot point)

Now #2 may be data driven, as you suggested, since the exact details
of the deal might be important to the story.

But, from an author point of view, it doesn't really matter what the
first deal is made of, as long as it happens.  Ie, its existence is
more important that the exact details.  A system that can (in a sense)
fabricate many forms of #1 will be more successful at achieving the
more complete plot (#1 + #2).

Peter Weyhrauch
Zoesis Studios