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StoryServer late alpha/early beta release is (finally) here ....
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Posted by airchecklover
Mar 1, 2019 at 07:12 PM
Greetings to everyone at OutlinerSoftware. I’ve read through comments and it’s great to see so many names from the old days of EccoPro at Yahoo.
I am honored & excited to announce the first public showing of a late alpha version of StoryServer. Sorry it has taken longer than anticipated to reach you. I have looked at it for a couple days and I think “yes, this is the real deal” and “this is a dream come true”. Looking forward to seeing what you think.
But first, I see there is skepticism whether someone/anyone could reproduce a modern, 64-bit version of EccoPro - one without memory limitations and one with modern web interfacing. And there is debate as to whether something like this is even needed/wanted/warranted in 2019. Understandably so. We’ll have to let the ‘market’ decide if StoryServer is needed. As to the claims .... most of us have gotten excited only to be frustrated one too many times. Do you remember back in 2010 a developer posted something that looked promising, and then nothing? If I recall, it was rumored the developer had gotten sick from trying to replicate Ecco, it was so impossible. Well, let this be a lesson to us all…
Perseverance pays off.
Read the StoryServer story here for inspiration next time you get stuck.
https://storyserver.polywickstudio.ph/ss/briefhistory.html
Yes, this software really has been in development for 10 or more years.
- - - - - - - - -
StoryServer could have been released in skeletal form in January. If you program, you know the concept of “feature creep”. It has been the developer’s desire to make ver. 1 of StoryServer robust and to that end has studied not only EccoPro, but the great add-ons including Walter Hendle’s early Ecco stuff, YSWT’s EccoMagic apps, Cold Mountain’s ideas, and of course Slang’s EE. Figuring out new ways to do old routines takes time. I have been in touch with developers at Polywick for a few months offering “old fart perspective” and I can tell you these people do not sleep. They are “on fire” to make an incredible new piece of software that honors an old tradition, and with a path forward. I see the progress and can honesty say I am proud and amazed of the work being done. Please download the alpha, look through the menus and I think you will too be amazed.
Keep in mind this alpha is ‘read-only’. Please note StoryServer writes *no data to the registry*, the install path is user definable, and SS can be installed ‘portable’ on USB stick. Also note there is an Ecco32.exe in the package. This is a ‘DDE dummy’ allowing Ecco & StoryServer to talk to each other and the rest of the DDE world.
Installation is straight forward. Installer should place a shortcut on your desktop. If not, find “storyserver.exe” in the install folder and launch from there. Documentation is still WIP but installation section is fleshed-out. If you need more info…
https://storyserver.polywickstudio.ph/ss/installation.html
Get your alpha copy now at ...
https://my.pcloud.com/publink/show?code=kZILad7ZepgrlvregNfvngavAztwtfxIkJjV
Looking forward to your reactions and I’ll check back to answer questions.
Cheers,
Mark/MD/airchecklover/EverEcco guy
Posted by Paul Korm
Mar 1, 2019 at 08:53 PM
I think I’ll wait until someone virus-checks the download.
Posted by tightbeam
Mar 1, 2019 at 10:25 PM
What happened to the other guy?
Posted by airchecklover
Mar 1, 2019 at 10:30 PM
Hi tightbeam. Are you asking about the other poster from Polywick? I think either coding or taking a nap.
Posted by airchecklover
Mar 1, 2019 at 10:31 PM
Good idea. FWIW, I’ve got Bitdefender and it passes.