Will you add the custom basemap option to Express Maps too?

[SPUGSI_Storymap_Editor]

I was thrilled to learn that the ArcGIS Storymaps team has added support for custom basemaps in Guided Tour maps.

While this feature is nice to see, it would be even more useful for me and my client if custom basemaps were enabled for Express Maps as well.

In my specific use case, I need to build a map that lets its users learn about 20-30 infrastructure sites that are part of a much larger infrastructure network (~500 sites). While I did briefly consider creating this as a Guided Tour, my client has explicitly requested that the users be able to choose which sites they want to learn about and that the map should not impose any sequence in which those sites are presented. Ideally, I would like to create an Express Map with the whole network shown on the basemap, and the important sites shown as individual points (created manually in the Express Map editor) with content-rich popups.

Are you planning to add the custom basemaps feature to Express Maps any time in the next 4-6 weeks?

Thanks Owen Evans and the rest of the Storymaps team for the great product!

[SPUGSI_Storymap_Editor]

I have added this feature request to the Ideas board: https://community.esri.com/ideas/18688 

[OwenGeo · Accepted solution]

Yep, we're working on it! 😄 I can't say for sure that it will make it in the timeline you mentioned, but this is in our short-term plans.

For express maps, the builder will bring in the basemap (the base and reference layers in the basemap group). But unlike guided tour, other raster or feature layers in the web map will not be shown. While this behavior is set for our first release, we'd like to hear your feedback about whether this meets your needs to inform any future enhancements we might make.