Villains and Vigilantes comes back

[billd91]

Here's a press release I never expected to see:

VILLAINS AND VIGILANTES™ RETURNS!

THE CLASSIC SUPERHERO RPG IS NOW PUBLISHED BY MONKEY HOUSE GAMES™

June 27, 2010 is the release date for “VILLAINS AND VIGILANTES™ 2.1″ from MONKEY HOUSE GAMES™. Virtually unavailable for the last two decades, VILLAINS AND VIGILANTES™ is back!

In 1979, JEFF DEE and JACK HERMAN created the original VILLAINS AND VIGILANTES™, the game that brought classic comic book style superheroes into the world of role-playing games. It inspired thousands of crossover fans between comics and gaming, and spawned dozens of imitations.

VILLAINS AND VIGILANTES™ is legendary among role-playing games for its random super-powered character generation system, its accessible, open and fast-paced rules, and the imaginative, far-ranging campaign universe created by Jeff Dee and Jack Herman.

This latest version of the game- dubbed version 2.1- revives the popular 1982 Revised Edition with some rules additions. It also features brand new illustrations from co-creator Jeff Dee, whose RPG game art has developed a longtime following.

“Jeff Dee and I are Monkey House Games.” announced Jack Herman, “Effective immediately, V&V is back in the hands of its creators, right where it should be. We’ve both dreamed of this opportunity for a very long time, and we can’t wait for you to see what we’ve done with the old place.”

Dee and Herman both credited the “ferociously loyal legion of online fans and players” as a driving force in the revival. “You carried the torch for decades and never faltered. This is a testament to your power and your will. You effectively brought our game back from the dead. We are in awe and we thank you.”

According to Herman, there are currently new adventures and campaign material in the pipeline. “This is the perfect time for new players to jump in, but the hardcore that have been following V&V since its earlier incarnation will be right at home. You’ll get to reconnect with the very same game world Jeff and I previously ran, drew and wrote about- only this time it’ll be bigger, better and more. If players have even half as much fun playing it as we’re having working on it, this will be something you won’t want to miss.”

VILLIANS AND VIGILANTES™ 2.1 will be available June 27, 2010 from rpgnow.com

VILLAINS AND VIGILANTES™ is the classic tabletop role-playing game of comic book style costumed crime fighters created by Jeff Dee and Jack Herman.

MONKEY HOUSE GAMES™ is the game company created by Jeff Dee and Jack Herman for the release of all material relating to the VILLAINS AND VIGILANTES™ Universe.

For further information, please visit Monkey House Games Home Page

V&V became the superhero game of choice for my friends and me back in the 1980s. It was less complex than Champions for teaching the new players, but it was less annoyingly designed than Marvel Super Heroes that came after it.
I think V&V probably suffers a bit as far as having a table-oriented combat resolution system when compared to more modern games. But I'm feeling pretty enthusiastic about this. Kudos to Jeff Dee and Jack Herman for getting V&V back from FGU!

 

[Princesskeyblade]

Qualidar is probibly going to want this. We have all the old modules for V&V.

Who am I kidding?

It is superhero related... We will own it!

 

[Festivus]

Virtually unavailable? I thought you could get V&V on RPGNow for a while there from Fantasy Games Unlimited... am I wrong?

RPGNow.com - The leading source for indie RPGs

I'll be curious to see if the simplfied anything (not that it was hard to begin with, I just recall flipping back and forth in the book a lot when we played that)

 

[Doug McCrae]

not that it was hard to begin with

What about the part where you divide your strength by 10 and then cube it?

The full formula for determining carrying capacity is:

[(S/10)^3 + (E/10)] * W/2

 

[Festivus]

What about the part where you divide your strength by 10 and then cube it?

The full formula for determining carrying capacity is:

[(S/10)^3 + (E/10)] * W/2

It was right there, on a table for you somewhere in the book

 

[billd91]

And it's not that hard. It's fairly simple arithmetic, easy to perform on a calculator.

 

[Evilusion]

Wow I never thought I would see VnV come back.

So glad it is and in the hands of the original owners.

Evilusion

 

[Plane Sailing]

In 1979, JEFF DEE and JACK HERMAN created the original VILLAINS AND VIGILANTES™, the game that brought classic comic book style superheroes into the world of role-playing games.

Hmmm. IIRC it was preceded by Superhero 2044 from 1977... A much more interesting game IMO

(only kidding with that last clause... apart from their 'handicap system')

Cheers

 

[juboke]

Good news indeed.

V&V was our number two game back in the 80's (after AD&D), and it still is today.

 

[Hussar]

And it's not that hard. It's fairly simple arithmetic, easy to perform on a calculator.

If it requires a calculator, it's not easy math.

To me, this is my baseline as to whether to play or reject a game now. If I can't make a character and calculate everything on the character sheet in my head, I don't play anymore.

That being said, I did love me V&V back in the day. Great character gen system. Broken as all hell, but lots of fun.