The “Curve Type” determines the application of change. Think of Curve/Polarity/Ratio/Parameter as the application or Depth of change.

For example, if your Motion Sequence is based on the “Big Triangle 4” Motion Sequence... basically, this is a ramp down/ramp up movement.

If the “Curve Type” = Standard, and the “Polarity” is Uni... then, in general, the application of change will start at the stored value and change in the direction of the “Ratio” and then back. Say, the MS LANE is controlling “Cutoff” and the Ratio is a positive number. Then the Cutoff Frequency will begin as stored and increase and return to that original stored value before increasing again — movement will be limited to never closing beyond the original setting. The distance the filter opens is determined by the Ratio setting... the bigger the number, the more the Cutoff Frequency will move. If 0, then no movement at all.

If, however, Polarity is Bi, then the Cutoff will increase, return to the stored value and then dip below the stored value before returning to the stored value, and so on — movement will proceed into the negative, or filter closed region, which could mean a period of silence before Sound returns.

If Ratio = +0 then the Cutoff Frequency will not move at all... because Curve/Polarity/Ratio/Parameter are used to define the application (Depth and Shape) of the Motion Sequence’s parameter change.

If the parameter in question is Pan... then you can see that this could be used to move signal between Center, Left and Right. To gain a fuller understanding of this...
Curve Type = Standard
Polarity = Uni
Ratio = +32
Param = 5
The sound could be set Pan from Center to Right and back to Center...over and over again

Curve Type = Standard
Polarity = Bi
Ratio = +32
Param = 5
The sound could be set to start in Center move Right back through Center to the Left and back to Center...making the full sweep, over and over.

If you set Ratio = +0 no movement will be applied.
If you increase the Ratio toward +63, the wider the stereo movement
If you decrease the Ratio to negative values, you reverse the initial direction the signal travels... going Left first, instead of Right..

The exact movement will depend on the selected Motion Sequence selection and the parameter settings you make... it is incredibly flexible.

Extra Credit
The graphic next to the Curve Type is always going to represent the increase in the controller as you move left-to-right (called the x-axis)... and the increase in the value as you move bottom-to-top (called the y-axis). Controller position/Parameter value

The MS Lane area has a graph that's called a "Pulse". It deals with time on the "X" axis (left-to-right). An MS Lane is a virtual controller. Like the Ribbon is a controller (or mod wheel, etc). If you were to describe how to turn a knob or press your finger on the ribbon cable - you would want a way to say "for so much time, place finger here on the ribbon controller - hold your finger there for so much time, then slide - so fast - to the the right". You'd want a way to describe how this controller "acts" over time. This is what a PULSE does. It assigns the movement of a virtualized controller over time.

The CURVE (in the Mod/Control-> Control Assign section) does not deal with time at all. It is instantaneous. The "X" axis in an input value (tied to a SOURCE controller) and the "Y" axis is the output value (tied to some DESTINATION parameter). The "Y" axis is the value to assign to the destination.

Thanks again guys! I love how deep this instrument is and your help in figuring it out is appreciated.

Take your time... actually a Motion Sequence is used to describe the movement of a parameter. You use the Motion Sequence grid to construct this parameter movement. The Pulse is used to help shape that movement — you can, for example, reverse the shape. You can describe up to 16 points to a Motion Sequence — a Pulse is what takes place in this movement between these points... Instead of a ramp up, you can reverse it to a ramp down... or instead of a convex shape you can flip a segment to concave.

A Motion Sequence is to parameter change as Arpeggiator is to a note phrase. It is Sequence of controller movement. Say you build a MS that starts upward, then downward, back to the original start point. If applied to values it might reflect all values between minimum and maximum and back. This could be 0 to 127 and back... it could be -64 to +63 and back... or movement between any start point toward a maximum and back.

If this MS LANE is assigned to control PAN... then the signal could head right and return to center
If this same MS LANE is assigned in another Control Set to CUTOFF... then the signal will open (raise) the Cutoff Frequency and return it to the start point.

The CURVE, CURVE TYPE, POLARITY, RATIO, PARAMETER (found on the “Mod/Control” > “Control Assign” screen) allow you to refine each of these movements at the destination. It determines the DEPTH of application at the point of assignment. It can even determine the DIRECTION of application...

The same Motion Sequence data can now be interpreted at the target... say you want that “up and back” Motion Sequence to Pan the signal left first instead of right... the Control Set that links the MS LANE to Pan as the Destination can be manipulated to what you desire in response to that MS... the same Motion Sequence Data will arrive in a separate Control Set to control CUTOFF... within the Control Set you can define exactly “how much” this MS will be applied...

When you start to see that the “Standard” Curve is just up or down... it is linear, it is straight increase, straight decrease... linear, but you can additionally define your own degree of DEPTH per target destination. ...to a dizzying degree... the movement between minimum and maximum can be redesigned at the target destination...it does not have to be linear. Imagine a knob that did more than just steadily increase or steadily decrease the change, that’s what’s really happening here.

The fun begins when you recognize what this means and just how far you can extend this control. At first you think up and down, left and right, and very linear movements. But if you listen to many of the more complex Motion Sequences applied to a variety of parameter destinations... the movement can be very, very, very complex.

You could, for example, have the distance of Pan change over time from a very narrow movement to an extremely wide movement. And that change could happen many times in the one turn from minimum to maximum... the one gesture can be non-linear in the extreme!

Extra Credit:
Mastering MONTAGE: Motion Sequence