Using ArcGIS Server Maps with the Storytelling Template

[UWSPCottonville_Fire_Project]

So I know ESRI doesn't really support using non-ArcGIS Online maps with the storytelling template...but...theoretically... if a motivated user were interesting in using layers that exist as public ArcGIS Server services where in the template code should this person start looking to change where the template finds its maps.
Just an academic question. Hopefully an answer would (complete theoretically) save any such (completely fictitious) user a lot trouble in code tracing and javascript breaking with uniformed hackish solutions.

[RupertEssinger]

Hang on, ArcGIS server services are fully supported in ArcGIS Online. If you can add a map or service from ArcGIS Server into an ArcGIS Online web map, it will work fine in Story Maps, because Story maps are just apps that display ArcGIS Online web maps.

[UWSPCottonville_Fire_Project]

Alrighty then. Never used Arc Online before and I guess I was just hoping I wouldn't have to since I have all my URLs that I would want to point to. I wouldn't want to make things more complicated for myself if I didn't have to...
Thanks!

[RupertEssinger]

It's definitely simpler to just add those services into an ArcGIS Online web map! You can combine them with other data in ArcGIS Online and choose one of our basemaps (or use one of those services as your basemap), etc. etc.

[StephenSylvia]

Yes, it is technically possible to bypass ArcGIS Online and reconfigure the storytelling templates to use an service from ArcGIS Server instead of building a web map. However, this requires the user to have JavaScript developer on hand to construct the map definition within the code of the app. Within every app, there is a function that loads the web map, if you switch this function to use a standard map through the JavaScript API and it matches the app required layers, it should just work.

Loading a web map through the API is basically the same as loading a standard map except the web map will bring across all the layer definitions, popups, etc. that were configured through ArcGIS Online.

We have decided to make all of our apps use web maps because they allow our users to configure various layer types without having to know JavaScript.