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Storybook 3.0 review
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Posted by Alexander Deliyannis
Oct 1, 2011 at 10:18 AM
I’m also running Windows 64-bit and had no trouble installing.
The problem might have been with Java alright, but not Java 64-bit. I assume that Storybook is a 32-bit program so it would require 32-bit Java (an older version of which is probably lying around in your PC already, that’s why Storybook has no trouble running via the bat file). If you update your 32-bit Java installation, chances are the shortcut will work too, as the installation will set the proper environment variables.
64-bit Java is required by programs such as 64-bit Internet Explorer. In a 64-bit PC, both 32-bit and 64-bit Java environments should be installed, as the majority of programs will be 32-bit anyway.
To avoid sounding smart undeservedly, I should add that I read of the above only recently, after the Sun Java website refused to install 64-bit Java for me (which I believed was my PC’s unalienable right to have!) unless I did it through the 64-bit IE.
Posted by Pavi
Oct 3, 2011 at 09:22 AM
Hi, since there was some trouble installing it, I would like to point the developer Martin here, if that’s okay. Others probably have the same problem and it would be a shame if that interfered with people trying it out.
How do you like the software?
I also realized that it can be used to keep complete chronological histories for characters, even for parts on in the book/film/etc. For example, in my story, a main character has not seen his father in 15 years, and we see how they drifted in flashbacks and see the father in the present time. However, we don’t see what happened to the father in those 15 years, which I like to plot out anyway to have complete motivations and character development. It also helps me plan things, ie. “You didn’t come to my retirement 7 years ago.” I am doing this now by having one part at the end, called “Unused”. Thus, all scenes that aren’t in the book go here, and they are very basic one sentence description of key events. I asked Martin if he can include a checkbox “Do not include” for this purpose.
It really adds to the potential of this program as a story creation and plotting tool as opposed to a writing environment.
Best, /Pavi
Posted by Pavi
Oct 3, 2011 at 09:47 AM
Sorry, I meant for parts NOT in the book/film, etc.
Best, /Pavi
Posted by Alexander Deliyannis
Oct 3, 2011 at 12:48 PM
Pavi wrote:
>I meant for parts NOT in the book/film, etc.
Like everyone, I have a novel inside me, but I purchased Storybook with something much more radical in mind. I believe that such a tool can be valuable in project management, with its ability to provide different viewpoints to the story (projects?), including scenes (tasks?) and characters (human resources?) etc.
In fact, I have always resented the mechanistic approach of classic project management tools, more suitable for construction work (no offence) than modern service-oriented projects. At the same time, social network oriented solutions seem quite unsophisticated and can easily lead to chaos with complex projects.
I know that StoryView (now renamed Outline4D) has been used in this way. I wonder whether there are exmples of Storybook in some kind of project management setting.
Posted by Pavi
Oct 12, 2011 at 11:03 AM
Hi, although I have no connection with the program, in talks with the developer I got the impression that Storybook was designed to be for story creation only.
However, after some thought, I now believe that you may be on to something:
“Parts” could be major sections of a project, ie. phases
“Strands” could be projects
“Chapters” could be subsections of a project
“Scenes” could be individual tasks
“Characters” would be assigned persons
“Locations” might be actually locations, or required infrastructure
“Tags” and “Items” could be used flexibly for requirements
The ability to navigate all of these individually as well as have visual overviews by phases (Parts) or by project (Strands) is very powerful, as is the internal cross referencing. The ability to right click on an item and change the view moving directly to that item in a new view is extremely useful as well.
The author would need to change the charting a bit, ie. the Gantt charts are currently hard coded for a character’s lifetime, but the author did mention possibly changing this. Adding a few options would open up the possibilities considerably.
I also am considering using this for personal goal planning, which would take advantage of the use of dates as well as the other features. Another option would be as a nicely indexed journal. In conclusion, the program is so useful, that there seem to be many unintended applications for it which I hope the author takes into consideration!
Best, /Pavi
Alexander Deliyannis wrote:
>Pavi wrote:
>>I meant for parts NOT in the book/film, etc.
>
>Like everyone, I have a
>novel inside me, but I purchased Storybook with something much more radical in mind. I
>believe that such a tool can be valuable in project management, with its ability to
>provide different viewpoints to the story (projects?), including scenes (tasks?)
>and characters (human resources?) etc.
>
>In fact, I have always resented the
>mechanistic approach of classic project management tools, more suitable for
>construction work (no offence) than modern service-oriented projects. At the same
>time, social network oriented solutions seem quite unsophisticated and can easily
>lead to chaos with complex projects.
>
>I know that StoryView (now renamed Outline4D)
>has been used in this way. I wonder whether there are exmples of Storybook in some kind
>of project management setting.
>