The Struggle, and the aspects on each side

[Hans]

I think these are very simple questions, and I am embarrassed that I cannot find the answers in the book:

* Other than giving a thematic center for a session of WGP, does the struggle, or the fact that apects are associated with each side of the struggle, have any mechanical effect?

* Does the fact that aspects will be listed across from each other on the character sheet have any mechanical effect, or is it simply a space saving feature of the sheet?  Specifically, is the tracking of aspects that share a single aspect track somehow connected?

Assuming these things are listed in the rule book, page numbers would be greatly appreciated.

[Eero Tuovinen]

As far as I remember stone cold, the main rules features in this regard are:
- You have to pick one side for any given aspect, necessiating a choice of thematic orientation.
- Other players will have the same Struggle, and the same choice.
- Your character has to have aspects on both sides.

[Hans]

As far as I remember stone cold, the main rules features in this regard are:
- You have to pick one side for any given aspect, necessiating a choice of thematic orientation.
- Other players will have the same Struggle, and the same choice.
- Your character has to have aspects on both sides.

Thanks Eero.  Does the choice of side mean anything mechanically?  For example, you can only use one side in a particular conflict?  I ask because there doesn't seem to be anything in the text about this.  I wish I had the PDF, so that I could do a word search for "Struggle" and see where it shows up, but as far as I can tell its only mentionedin the Origin Process section, and nowhere in the Enrichment or Conflict sections.  Also, the big comic-form conflict example doesn't seem to mention which side of the struggle the aspect Stephen is considering assessing is on.  Finally, there is no discussion of the implications of, for example, putting two aspects across from each other, and how that affects their utility.

The only reason I ask is that all other thematic choices I see in the game are very tightly bound into the rule mechanics, and therefore it would come as a surprise to me if the Struggle is not.

[Michael S. Miller]

The only reason I ask is that all other thematic choices I see in the game are very tightly bound into the rule mechanics, and therefore it would come as a surprise to me if the Struggle is not.

Surprise! The Struggle only figures into the Origin Process and the Letter Column. The intended flow of player attention goes from the big and broad (deciding on the Struggle itself) to putting specific details in place (creating Aspects and positioning them on the sheet). When you're in the midst of the story, it's the details that matter. It's the details that promote engagement. The players choose to shelter some Aspects and make others Suffer. Then, when all is said and done, you pull back and evaluate the choices you've made in the Letter Column. If the choices in the middle were constrained, they'd be less meaningful.

[Hans]

Thanks, Michael.  After reading through the rules a couple more times, I figured I wasn't missing anything, but it was worth checking. 

Playing next week Saturday for the first time, and looking forward to it.