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Background:

My question is not "how-to" but "why is it that way" so that I can discuss the concepts of Dramatica Theory with others.

The Question:

When using the StoryGuide or Dramatica Query System, there are two characters that are built-in to the system:
The Main Character and
The Obstacle (Impact) Character

Why are those characters built-in as defaults?

Comment:

Now, at some point in my past I ran across the answer to that question and now have forgotten it. It may have been in the Theory book, it may have been in the Dramatica Tips section, it may have been somewhere in Melanie's Dramatica Unplugged lectures. I've been unable to re-locate where I originally got the answer.


Thanks

The Main Character and the Obstacle (Impact) Character are built in to the Dramatica Pro software because they are the subjective characters, reprsenting the more personal perspectives of a story: Main Chracter Throughline ("I"), Obstacle (Impact) Character Throughline ("You"), and their Relationship Throughline ("We").

CREATE CHARACTERS refers to the characters in the Overall Story ("They"). They are the objective characters. In your example above, the 8 objective character archetypes are shown.

To tie the four story perspectives together, Dramatica requires you to assign the two subjective characters roles as objective characters in the Overall Story. In your example, the Main Character (a subjective character) has been assigned the role of the Protagonist (objective character), and the Obstacle (Impact) Character (the other subjective character) has been assigned the role of the Antagonist (objective character) in the Overall Story.

You can designate any two of your Overall Story characters to be the Main Character and Obstacle (Impact) Character. You can make these changes in the Characters window. For example, you could assign the Main Character the role of the Contagonist. Select the Contagonist, and in Character Info change SPECIAL IDENTIFICATION from NONE to MAIN CHARACTER. You can change the objective role for the Obstacle (Impact) Character similarly.

Perfect. That was exactly what I needed.

Thank you.