Compiled by Arlo Ptolemy, Project Manager, Victory Garden 2022
Below are the various builds associated with the reconstruction of Stuart Moulthrop’s 1991 hypertext novel Victory Garden, published by Eastgate Systems, Inc. The new edition, Victory Garden 2022, was created by Stuart Moulthrop, Arlo Ptolemy, Andrew Thompson, with support from Holly Slocum, Dene Grigar, Sierra O’Neal, Greg Philbrook, and Austin Gohl. The information is drawn from the Github site on which the builds are retained (https://github.com/AndrewThompson1998/ell-victory-garden-reconstruction) and the archival Basecamp site where the files are permanently hosted.
X Builds
The X Builds signify the beginning of the project of rebuilding Victory Garden, as well as the start of the Lab joining the project. At this point, the updates were primarily built by Stuart, and uploaded as a collective build to Basecamp for the others to work with as he finished with them.
Build X01
- Developed on Moulthrop’s computer with Tinderbox, this original build was a simple incomplete re-creation of the original VG, with most of the Paths being converted into HTML format.
Build X02 – Uploaded to Basecamp on Jan 10, 2022
- Completed all 52 Paths.
- Added 30 special page arrays in a new format, to be called “Streams” and are separate from the previous Paths.
- Added the functionality of using “Ctrl and Enter” to traverse Paths and Streams.
Build X03 – Uploaded to Basecamp on Jan 13, 2022
- Added handlers to each page that when they load, and a JavaScript function called historicize() is activated. This code maintains a unique list of pages visited that prevents repeat visits.
- Fixed an issue when accessing a page without first opening index.html that caused some issues with how Paths were handled.
Build X04 – Uploaded to Basecamp on Jan 14, 2022
- Added a new landing page with a cover image graphic that then links to the previous title page, now called “titlepage.html.”
- The Path and Stream defaults, caused by pressing Enter or Ctrl before being assigned a route from the Labyrinth, now lead to the Big Tour path for Paths, and the List of Streams page for Streams.
- Removed previous setup scripts.
Build X05 – Uploaded to Basecamp on Jan 15, 2022
- Added special functionality to the cover graphic on the landing page, where clicking on specific targets will assign certain Path or Stream routes based on the locating clicked.
- Modified the Path and Stream handlers to allow a new feature in the “Labyrinth” where the reader can now hit Enter and the script will pick one of the two available links at random.
- Modified the defaults from the Title Page to lead to the start of the Labyrinth.
- Performed minor bug fixes.
Build X06 – Uploaded to Basecamp on Jan 16, 2022
- Rebuilt the graphical map as a single page and rewrote the image map.
- Replaced an older version of the Emily drawing with a new one that is set up for random selection.
- Fixed an issue with the “abw” Path where it wasn’t properly traveling backwards as it was supposed to.
Build X07 – Uploaded to Basecamp on Jan 17, 2022
- Added an all-paths page called Pathfinder that contains links to all the start points for the Paths and serve as a counterpart to the already existing Streamlines page.
- Added a visual loading bar to the landing page that then transitions to the title page if no interaction is made.
- Performed minor bug fixes.
Build X08a – Uploaded to Basecamp on Jan 21, 2022
- Added 12 Streams, bringing the total number of Streams to 42.
- Merged the pathSource.js and streamSource.js into one file called dataSource.js.
- Added a header that shows the current Path and Stream.
- Updated the title screen loading bar to move a little slower, allowing for more time to interact with the cover graphic.
- Changed the onload call to a method called pageStart(), which currently calls historicize().
- Performed minor changes to the visual HTML.
- Performed minor bug fixes.
Build X08b – Uploaded to Basecamp on Jan 21, 2022
- Fixed an issue where Paths weren’t working correctly.
Build X09 – Uploaded to Basecamp on Jan 25, 2022
- Performed minor changes to the Path and Stream headers.
- Created bug finding spreadsheet that organized the bug hunting and squishing process.
Build X10 – Uploaded to Basecamp on Jan 28, 2022
- Revised (heavily) Path data, resulting in some Paths reflecting their original versions from 1991, and others kept as the versions originally compiled in December 2021.
- Modified several existing pages to include new names to be used in the Paths.
- Performed minor HTML changes to center pages.
Build X11 – Uploaded to Basecamp on Feb 7, 2022
- Created page transitions from the JavaScript so that they go through a single function called transit().
- Updated all links and data references.
- Performed major bug fixes.
Build X12 – Uploaded to Basecamp on Feb 14, 2022
- Performed minor bug fixes.
Y Builds
The Y Builds signify the shift from Basecamp builds to a more constant stream of updates through Github. This allowed for quicker and easier access to the updates as they came through, and swifter communication. There are less numbered “Builds” at this time, as members had access to the changes as they were made.
Build Y01 – Uploaded to Basecamp and Github on Feb 14, 2022
- Added the prototype of the UI and adjusted page HTML for layout changes.
- Added prototype version of arrow key movement through the work.
- Started to shift build development from Basecamp to Github.
Build Y02 – Uploaded to Basecamp on March 5 and Github on Mar 14, 2022
- Made small changes to the U Turns Stream.
- Randomized the cover graphic so that it changes between 10 different options.
Build Y03a – Includes changes on Github up to Mar 22, 2022
- Added the functionality of using the arrow keys to traverse through the work.
- Removed duplicate and unused images.
- Rebuilt the UI and added functionality.
- Performed minor bug fixing
Build Y03b – Includes changes on Github up to Apr 6, 2022
- Created the Read Me page.
- Started to add Stream graphics to their pages.
- Altered the HTML for the new fonts.
- Updated the UI, adding icons.
- Added swipe navigation functionality for touchscreen devices.
- Performed major bug fixes.
Build Y03c – Includes changes on Github up to Apr 26, 2022
- Added a color indicator to the Path-Stream header, which now indicates if you are currently following the Path or the Stream.
- Updated the Victory Garden title graphics.
- Performed minor changes to the Read Me and Streamlines pages.
- Performed minor changes to the HTML for page positioning.
- Performed minor changes to the responsiveness of the UI.
- Performed major bug fixes.
Build Y04 – Includes changes on Github up to May 13, 2022
- Added special graphics to each of the Stream pages.
- Added thumbnails of the Stream illustrations to the Streamlines page.
- Increased the width of the landing page loading bar for better visibility.
- Added additional cover graphics that replace many of the previous ones.
- Altered many image-based pages with updated versions of those images.
- Performed minor bug fixes.
Z Builds
The Z Builds signify the nearing of the end of the project, and the lab’s main work being mostly complete at this point. Any polishing or smaller changes to the work happen more often during this phase as the project would “Build” up to release.
Build Z01 – Includes changes on Github up to May 22, 2022
- Altered the appearance of a few Stream graphics and their respective thumbnail versions.
- Re-sequenced the order of arrays in the dataSource.js and Streams on the Streamlines page to be more chronological and narratively consistent.
- Added links to the “Mac-style” graphics on their respective pages.
- Made small changes to the Acknowledges and “Janespace” pages.
- Performed minor changes to the positioning on the landing page.
- Performed minor bug fixes.
Build Z02 – Includes changes on Github up to May 24, 2022
- Added Persons, a new character gallery Stream with additional pages and images of the characters within Victory Garden.
- Performed major bug fixes.
Build Z03 – Includes changes on Github up to May 25, 2022
- Split the “Dreamtime” stream into two separate Streams, the new Stream is now called Floater. This brings the total to 45 streams, counting the Persons Stream and the link to the Labyrinth.
- Made typographic and layout changes across many pages.
- Altered the appearance of the Capitol Steam graphic.
Build Z04 – Includes changes on Github up to May 26, 2022
- Altered the appearance of the Fugitive graphic.
- Replaced the default Path of “Grand” with a new one called “Garden” that sequences all the Streams together in one large path.
- Updated a few issues with page layouts.
- Performed minor bug fixing.
Build Z05 – Includes changes on Github up to May 30, 2022 before the official launch
- Made small edits right before the actual 1.0.0 launch of Victory Garden 2022. Technically, this build doesn’t actually exist as we never named a “Z05” and any edits are part of the following Ver 1.0.0. release build, but thought it would help to clarify these as “before launch” edits.
- Made small edits to the Acknowledged and Arcana pages.
- Altered the graphics for the “Hot Place,” “Fugitive,” and “Couplings” streams.
- Performed minor bug fixes
Launch Builds
Build Ver. 1.0.0. – The launch of Victory Garden 2022 on May 30, 2022
Version 1.0 of Victory Garden 2022 is launched!
Build Ver. 1.0.1. – Includes changes on Github up to June 2, 2022
- Made slight updates to the Arcana stream, altering some of the text.
- Made slight update to the typography on one of the cover images.
Build Ver. 1.0.2. – Includes changes on Github up to June 21, 2022
- Altered the layout of the Pathfinders page
- Made adjustments to the main Garden Path, re-ordering the Streams for clearer chronology.
- Adjusted some of the text of the Demo stream and it’s corresponding Stream graphic.
- Adjusted the Ten Thousand Heroes image slightly.
- Adjusted typography on one of the cover images.
- Updated the “Norman Coordinate” image.
- Made small text adjustments in the dataSource.js file.
- Performed minor bug fixes.
Build Ver. 1.0.3. – Includes changes on Github up to June 22, 2022
- Updated the Preface with some additional text and an image graphic.
- Made minor Text Fixes
- Updated the Properties Page
- Removed some temporary files from the GitHub
- Performed very Minor bug fixes
Build Ver. 1.0.4. – Includes changes on Github up to June 25, 2022
- Made small adjustments to various images
- Polished and refined text of the Preface
- Performed minor bug fixes