davew wrote on Mar 7^th, 2010 at 8:59am:


You have a very nice approach to the maps, as others have said. I agree that the Van Gogh-painting approach to map design actually makes the maps harder to use. The cleaner, b/w style that you use is much better.

Best of luck with grad school.

Majestic wrote on Mar 13^th, 2010 at 6:03pm:


The facility he works at isn't your "normal" mental health facility, as you have to be a long term "guest" of the state of Virginia before you can get an appointment.

I want to thank everyone for my work on mapping... honestly, its Paint... nothing but standard Paint available with anyone that has some version of Windows for their operating system. I hand draw because it gives me more flexability. Granted, its not the best of methods, and Jeff Dee has personally been helpful as to help me better the techinque thus far... but not with very good results thus far (my end of the deal, not his). I have been a bit sheepish about my maps, because they are more of the talents that I grasped in the 80's working with the Commodore family of computers, but it works for the project at hand.

Majestic wrote on Mar 13^th, 2010 at 6:42pm:


Actually the first mental hosptial I worked at wasn't all that bad... the one I'm interning on the side now is a correctional treatment center so its a prison and mental hospital combined...
the first one, however, really wasn't terrible... and they have two beds per room so I could keep you up all night with my snoring, talking in my sleep, droning on about ideas ("and really, why don't they have butternut squash with brown sugar and butter flavored ice cream... is that so wrong!?!")... until you suffocate me with one of those crappy gray-blue pillows.... 

Hi, folks, just a quick update for you: not long now on the playset.  It looks great and will have some new things in it, so stay tuned! 

So Dave, any word on updates?

davew wrote on Mar 27^th, 2010 at 10:14am:


Dave, thanks for the preview. I see you too have experienced scratch ticket lottery hell. I annoys me to no end to stand in kine waiting to pay for my stuff, while some idiot, buys one scratch ticket at a time.

On that note... my writing style changed a small amount on the 5th one... a bit more sarcastic at times. I figured a gas station is a good way to vent... so its also intended to be a fun read... not silly to the point that it can't be used as a legit product... but fun.

I'm thinking that by usual release times for these that Diamante's should be up by the end of next week... that would equal out to about the normal stretch for finish up, going overs, approval, and launch. I figure Any Mart will probably be out by the end of the month.

At this point I'm experimenting with doing a test mini adventure or two to see how I do with creating a small adventure in a short page count format. Also Stacy and I are now gearing up on the technoshamanism/rave club project. Druid Audio will be re-envisioned with the tools of a new artist that we've been working with... the same one that is doing the art specs for Citizen Report. This will be a very different adventure style of V&V in some ways... in many ways not.

In the meanwhile, I'm actually pondering what to work on next for the next upcoming freebies... I have half a dozen options in my head so I'm kinda open for a small push of a suggestion in certain directions.... [hint] if there's something that you people would like to see detailed as a freebie that would fall into a workable format that's comparable to a normal freebie... hence it has to be somewhat smallish... no military bases covered as a freebie- that would be a commercial release... but something of workable size... speak up now or forever hold your peace... I'm going out of town today and on Thursday so I'll probably get inspired so here's your chance to beat me running off on a tangent......[end hint]

davew wrote on Mar 27^th, 2010 at 10:14am:


Hey, as a GM, I would *totally* find a way to use the menu! Maybe as a way to slip something into a certain character's food... or create a scene with a complaining customer... and I'm not just saying that because I wrote it. Honest. 

ssmith wrote on Mar 27^th, 2010 at 10:46am:


Tony "Firebug" Stevens, not happy with his steak, casually strolls into the kitchen, and explains what medium rare means to the chef, before incinerating him with a handful of Fire Pellets.

...plus, what better place to get your old dusty references on the occult....
which leads into an adventure or two in itself....


Yeah, and I can get images today for that.

As for the antique store... yep, already got images for that one too! Had about half the idea myself... and took some photos a few months ago.

ssmith wrote on Mar 27^th, 2010 at 10:48am:


Me too - outstanding idea!!!   

I'm almost finished with the map as it really didn't take alot of time for this one... but have a question:
Should I leave out the parking lot on this one?
The reason that I'm thinking I should is that a small shop like this might actually be nestled in with other buildings... such as in a shopping center or along a downtown sidewalk... thus in this case its not very likely that the shop would have its own parking area.
If the shop was to have its own parking area... this amount of space could be easily improvised.

I can still always do a parking area, if desired, but personally don't see quite the need for one for a place of this particular type.

dsumner wrote on Mar 28^th, 2010 at 9:57am:


That's what I'm envisioning myself. The only area external that I've numbered is the front door... which allows me to give a brief description to the front entrance.

Just mentioned the project to Scott Bizar after me and Stacy got started and he wanted everyone to know that in addition to this freebie there will be a bookstore/comic shop in an upcoming commerical adventure (will be also slated for one of the early "Giant" books... which should start rolling out the door in the near future)... as such, we are working this one up to be complimentary, not competitive to, the bookstore to be featured in the commerical adventure. I was thinking that in addition to being most anything that a GM would want... a shop that privately sells occult literature, a front for a more criminal pursuit, a legit bookshop, etc... the freebie bookstore that Stacy and I are working on right now could also be an effective diversion for the planned bookstore in the upcoming adventure... as in "Oops! Sorry guys, raided the wrong place... uh, yeah, sorry about that... here you go... uhm... yes, I think we should be leaving now... sorry again....."

I am probably in the minority here when I say that I don't care for the freebies.  I hope the real to purchase products have more, how do you say, substance to them.    I am not a map person so these really hold no interest for me. 
  What I want from V&V products is more characters, more powers,  cool rules like From the Deeps of Space.     In a game where characters fly through space and lift tanks, a map of a book store really doesn't get me too excited.

Sorry.

John... I didn't have a chance to type up everything on my mind this morning when I wrote the first part (well, that and I was waking up) but I want to thank you again for your honesty on this because you bring up a good topic that is something that I've been wanting to let people know in case there are others like you out there...

the V&V freebies, though part of the V&V family line of products, are not necessarily reflective of things to come in the core commercial line. Citizen Report will contain many of the similiar vein elements (though much, much more... weapons, gangs, vehicles, etc.), but most all of the products will be more in toe with the standards of the classic V&V lineup. That's our goal, to continue producing V&V as V&V for V&V... if that makes sense.
I am whole heartedly glad that there are many people that do enjoy the freebies, however, as they do fill very important areas for those that like to further flesh our their cities or need a good battle spot for a lower to medium powered campaign... granted, high powered campaigns are a bit above and beyond what these products primarily offer.
But... there's always room perhaps to provide a few things here and there that would appeal to such a campaign, hence why we are always open for suggestions from the fans.

But ultimately, the V&V freebies serve the purpose in giving a little something extra to the gamers and fans while also generating renewed interest and giving everyone a reason to keep going back to the website from time to time until the new products start rolling out the doors. But, these products are made a wee bit different than the commercial products and serve different functions in the realm of V&V gaming than most of the commercial products do.