I asked this question myself back over on the old forum - for probably the same reasons! I WANT TO SEE A REAL "THIRD EDITION"!
It did not occur to me that Power Points were so intrinsically V&V until now. The do a lot and can help equal the playing field between the Super strong and the super smart, for instance.
V&V is a high-maintenance car, that you HAVE to tune-up for each GM, each PC.
The formulas, the 15 second turn, the 4.4 calculation for converting useless inches per turn into real-world mph, all of these make the system 'feel' legitimate. There are no 'generalities' in V&V measurements, but there are in 'powers.' That's a great way of grabbing the 'comic style', that OHOTMU verisimilitude you want.
[For an example of what I mean, the OHOTMU would tell you PRECISELY how much force Cyclops optic blast had - but the explanation of
how Scott Summers had this power was a bit wonky - power from an extra-spatial dimension??? WHA????(IIRC)]
But the fact is, once gameplay begins, esp. combat, detail bogs it down. So he looks great on paper, my beloved PC, but he is hard to use!
V&V also allows multiple Mega-Powers or "package deals" on a single roll. This is pretty cool but can be a terror to the unsuspecting GM.
Player: "Hey! I just rolled Animal/Plant Powers, Bionics, Ice Powers, Absorption, Armor B and Mutant Power!" Whaddaya think?!"
GM: "I think you ain't playing in
my campaign...."
However, I think that making ALL powers/abilities
a la carte choices would be a mistake.
I think Random Creation is essential (with modification to fit the PC as the rules suggest). Far too often we can get in a rut as creatives. Random Generation is often inspirational.
Lastly, I think V&V should have Hit Points. It seems obvious, but other systems don't use them and I can see that, but V&V is - well - "D&D with superpowers" - and an old dog like me enjoys that.
Oh - on the same note: HP modifiers are DEFINITELY "V&V" to me!
peace
justice