By the fans, For the fans

Monthly archives for March, 2009

Council Update for 3/27

Mar27
2009 1 Comment Written by carlostdwarf

OK – to make up for the lack of an update last week, we have two interesting pieces of news for you this week. It’s a lot to digest, so let’s dig in…

#1. Goin’ Rogue. A couple of weeks ago, we told you that we wanted to try to go above board with future fan sets. In other words, we wanted to get permission from Marvel/DC to repurpose their art so that anyone in the community could blantantly display their fan sets and no one would get in trouble.

After talking to some “inside sources”, we learned that this is probably NOT the way to go with this. To heavily paraphrase the lesson we got: Marvel/DC probably wouldn’t mind the idea of us using their art, but they would never give us permission because if they let US do it for free, they’d start down a slippery slope of “who gets it for free/who has to pay?”. And since they are first and foremost “businesses”, they’ve gotta go where the money takes them.

That said, our sources don’t think our fan sets are going to be a problem. We even asked “what if we wanted to run a public fan-set event at some point?”. As long as we’re not making any money off of these fan sets, we should be cool. And, if for some reason we get Marvel/DC’s attention and they want us to stop, the most they’ll do is “cease and desist” us.

#2. DSM-2. With “fan set issue #1″ now taken care of, we’ve got a clearer vision of what we want to do with DSM-2 (announced a few weeks back…this is the “reimagining” of the Superman Set that Patrick Yapjoco is leading). Here’s a quick sketch of how we see things shaking out…dates to be announced:

+ We need your input! Patrick has made rough drafts of each of the 4 DSM teams (Team Superman, New Gods, Revenge Squad, Darkseid’s Elite). The council has gone over these drafts for obvious errors (“Patrick, why is Lois Lane an 35/35 invulnerable 8-drop?”) and now Patrick needs to know what to work on first. Which team would YOU like to see first? We’ll put a poll up on Monday along with the themes of each team. For now, start lobbying for your choice!!

+ Patrick wants everyone to help design a few of the cards. We’re going to do it by voting, Nyssa-style! We’d love to see the community help build cards based on the team themes Patrick will discuss on Monday. It sounds like Patrick as picked some key characters to get input on, so get your thinking caps warmed up.

+ Once DSM-2 is a reality, we’ll add it to the appropriate online programs and we’ll likely have some kind of release celebration. (More on all that later…)

Let us know what you think of all this, gang! We value your feedback because…well, the council exists to keep this game going for all us die-hards. We think these are some pretty exciting happenings and we hope you agree.

(Phew!! With all that going on, we didn’t even have time to mention that we’re still working on council guidelines and a “voting for council members” timeline. We assume we’ll have a voting process in place by the end of April, with power changing hands in May. We also didn’t have time to remind you to add your hobby league to Dragon’s list…so we’ll have to do it next time.)

Posted in Vs System news

Clandestine Contemplations – Random Punks

Mar27
2009 Leave a Comment Written by clandestinecontemplations

Clandestine Contemplations

 

You Looking At Me Punk?

 

               Well as I mentioned last week, I intend today to talk a little about my thoughts for the second of the formats for the UK Nationals – Silver Age Random Punks. The problem is that whenever I try to think about things in any detail my mind goes kind of blank, and I think that I have finally hit the reason why. I tend to build decks around particular themes. I think everybody does to some extent. In my own case I tend towards more controlling decks, using effects like exhaustion or direct KOing. These are the sorts of effect tends to be more concentrated in rare cards. Random Punks decks in contrast are more likely to be either straight combat decks, or based around some particularly powerful interaction, such as Lady Deathstrike and Wolverine – Covert Operative in some sort of SHIELD direct attack/burn deck. Either of these would be a departure from the kinds of deck I would normally play with, making coming up with a deck rather tricky.

READ MORE »

Posted in Articles, Felix Hughes

The Ring Has Chosen Epidose 74

Mar26
2009 12 Comments Written by admin

Cliff and Squire return to tell you what they've been up to, and ramble away for a couple of hours.

Posted in Realms Radio, The Ring Has Chosen

The Pull List podcast: Episode 70

Mar25
2009 Leave a Comment Written by admin

The Pull List podcast: Episode 70
This week Craig and Sean check out what's going on in Peter David's hush-hush action in X-FACTOR #41 and the epic "Image-verse" action of INVINCIBLE #60. Also Sean reminds us once again why ACTION COMICS was so cool as he talks about the SUPERMAN: BRAINIAC hardcover from DC.

Running list:

0:00:00 – show ID
0:00:06 – music: "Give It To Me" by The Cocktail Slippers
0:00:42 – introductions

0:03:22 – X-FACTOR #41: Um, we're not supposed to tell you what happens in this comic… It's good, but we're still not subscribing to X-FACTOR. Sorry!
0:11:23 – INVINCIBLE #60: The big Image crossover throwdown is here! Evil Invincibles from alternate dimensions are here to take over the Earth! Sound the rallying cry!!

0:22:56 – The Stacks
0:23:11 – YOUNG X-MEN #12
0:24:38 – AIR #7
0:26:55 – UNCANNY X-MEN #507
0:29:03 – HELLBLAZER #253
0:30:17 – X-FORCE #13
0:31:58 – SUPERGIRL #39
0:33:20 – TINY TITANS #14
0:34:27 – AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #588
0:36:46 – WOLVERINE #71
0:37:59 – ZOMBIES THAT ATE THE WORLD #2
0:39:17 – Top of the stacks: Sean – UNCANNY X-MEN #507; Craig – INVINCIBLE #60

0:40:46 – Trade Ins: SUPERMAN: BRAINIAC hardcover from DC

0:50:00 – wrap-up
0:52:11 – music: "Give It To Me" by The Cocktail Slippers
0:52:39 – end

Posted in Realms Radio, The Pull List

Where is the council update?!?

Mar21
2009 Leave a Comment Written by carlostdwarf

It’s coming. I think “real life” got in the way of our round-up. Keep your eyes peeled though.

Posted in Vs System news

The Pull List: Episode 69

Mar18
2009 Leave a Comment Written by admin

The Pull List podcast: Episode 69
(0:45:54) It's a Verti-go-go week as Sean and Craig spend a good deal of time talking about YOUNG LIARS #13, and SCALPED #26. Later Craig talks about the Mexican Wrestler goodness that is the STRONGMAN graphic novel from SLG.

Running list:

0:00:00 – Show ID
0:00:06 – Music: "Give It To Me" by The Cocktail Slippers
0:00:42 – Introductions

0:03:05 – YOUNG LIARS #13: Danny's mind-expanding experience also opens his eyes to what's been going on around him.
0:10:56 – SCALPED #26: Diesel is a bad man, and he's not sorry about it; this issue shows you just how he got that way…

0:19:29 – The Stacks:
0:19:44 – BATMAN CONFIDENTIAL #27
0:20:31 – NORTHLANDERS #15
0:22:04 – BOOSTER GOLD #18
0:22:55 – EX MACHINA SPECIAL
0:24:16 – FABLES #82
0:25:29 – WALKING DEAD #59
0:27:15 – GREEN LANTERN CORPS #34
0:28:05 – BPRD BLACK GODDESS #3
0:29:37 – THE ODYSSEY #7
0:31:18 – GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY #11
0:33:23 – Top of the stacks: Sean – WALKING DEAD #59; Craig – THE ODYSSEY #7

0:34:38 – Trade Ins: Craig talks about the STRONGMAN graphic novel from SLG

0:43:45 – Wrap-up
0:45:25 – Music: "Give It To Me" by The Cocktail Slippers
0:45:54 – End

Posted in Realms Radio, The Pull List

Council Check in: 13th March

Mar13
2009 Leave a Comment Written by admin

Welcome to this weeks update from your (temporary) player’s council. We’re committed to keeping in touch with the player base so we aim to put an announcement out every week, regardless of what we have to say. Today it’s my turn.

This week we’ve been talking at great length about how we proceed with regards to “fan sets”. The issue surrounding use of copyrighted images is something that worries many. So we intend to investigate our options thoroughly.

There are two basic option open to us. If we follow the model set by the very successful [url=http://www.swccgpc.com/]Star Wars TCG players council[/url] we could re-use existing cards and generate new card text, whilst the names, versions, identities and team-affiliations remain the same. We could change the card text, ATK/DEF values and Flight/Range attributes. We have contacted industry execs and UDE officials to ask if this would be an appropriate path to take and the feedback has been very positive. With that in mind I am very pleased to announce that Patrick “Majestic” Yapjoco will be leading a team to redesign the Man of Steel expansion (DSM) under the working title of DSM-2. Further announcements regarding the design team and community involvement will follow but the basic idea is to produce a PDF document with new text boxes that players can download and slip over their exsisting DSM cards. Stay tuned for further details.

With regard to other “fan sets” and the use of copyrighted material (in other words – art) the council have agreed to attempt to make contact with the comic companies to try and come to some agreement about using art in future fan sets. The council is understandably nervous about any legal ramifications that could arise from “sanctioning” any fan sets that do not use existing card art. We will keep you all updated with any news.

On top of these new initiatives, Matt “Dragon” Wishart is heading up an initiative to nurture something that’s been with us since the beginning. At the end of the day, this game thrives because people come together at their local Hobby League. To ensure that old, existing a new players can still find a place to play, please take a moment to check out the thread Matt started about this very topic and be sure to leave your Hobby League details:

http://s11.zetaboards.com/vssystem/topic/7116969/

Well that’s it for this week. Be sure to check in next Friday for another update.

Steve “kamiza” Garrett

Posted in Vs System news - Tagged ,

The Pull List: Episode 68

Mar11
2009 Leave a Comment Written by admin

The Pull List: Episode 68
(0:52:40) It's the big Kirby Krackle interview! Tune in as Craig and Sean talk to Kyle Stevens and Jim Demonakos of Kirby Krackle, "The World's First Comic Book Rock Band"! Also the guys take a look at a couple of Image books this week with MADMAN ATOMIC COMICS #14 and KILLER OF DEMONS #1.

Running list:

0:00:00 – Show ID
0:00:06 – Opening music ["Give It To Me" by The Cocktail Slippers]
0:00:42 – Introductions

0:03:15 – MADMAN ATOMIC COMIC #14: Two stories for the price of one! Allred, Bone, and Cooke tell fun little stories of Madman's crazy life.
0:10:24 – KILLER OF DEMONS #1: Chris Yost ventures out of the X-universe to give us a tale of a mild-mannered office worker who one day wakes up to be charged by God with the task of hunting down demons disguised as humans!

0:18:41 – The Stacks:
0:18:56 – ECHO #10
0:20:05 – WAR OF KINGS #1
0:22:17 – JERSEY GODS #2
0:23:34 – HELLBOY: WILD HUNT #4
0:25:17 – SECRET SIX #7
0:26:35 – SUPERGIRL: COSMIC ADVENTURES IN THE 8TH GRADE #4
0:28:12 – Top of the stacks: Sean – HELLBOY: WILD HUNT #4; Craig – JERSEY GODS #2

0:30:00 – Kirby Krackle interview!

0:46:52 – Wrap-up
0:49:35 – Ending music ["Up, Up, Down, Down" by Kirby Krackle (www.kirbykracklemusic.com)]
0:52:40 – End

Posted in Realms Radio, The Pull List

100 Ideas: Check-In

Mar10
2009 Leave a Comment Written by scottkthompson

If the council can check-in, so can I!  :)

It really is time for an update though.  It’s been a couple of weeks since I’ve posted anything on the 100 Ideas.  Well, I guess that’s not entirely true.  If you’ve been following the Sub-Forum in the Decks and Strategy area of Vssystem.org’s forums, you’ve seen all my updates. They’re all on display in the bottom of a locked filing cabinet stuck in a disused lavatory with a sign on the door saying Beware of the Leopard.

Sorry, couldn’t resist the Hitchhiker’s reference!

Here’s the skinny (and the links):

34 of 100 decks are done.  Rejoice with me as one third of this momentous undertaking is complete.  I want to send a very sincere thank you to those who have been diligently helping me with this project.  Bliven and Insanity have even taken it that extra mile and posted a couple of decks for me!  I really appreciate it guys, keep it up.  The rest of you need to get off your laurels and help me!  I’m a desperate man with a lot of grading to do!

I’ve also made a sticky at the top of the forum that houses a list of all 100 decks that need to be made.  If you go there, you can not only see what’s left to be done, but you’ll find that we’ve conveniently linked all the started deck threads to this sticky.  This kind of makes it a one-stop shop; a Wal-Mart thread.  When you go to the sticky you’ll notice that DC and Marvel are split into two groups.  DC has 40 decks while Marvel has 60.  This is not favoritism.  Marvel just has way more sets/teams/cards.  MOR was bigger than DOR; Marvel had two more full sets that racked up an extra 605 cards; and while DC had DCX, Marvel got MAA, MEX, MCG, MEQ, and MUL!

The 60/40 split also helped me with tournament brackets.  Since I plan on playing these decks against one another in a tournament, it’s important to have the numbers work towards that goal.  A 50/50 split would be a bracket nightmare.  There’d be byes every round!  As is, the DC side will be in four divisions with ten in each division.  The Marvel side will also be divided into four divisions, but with fifteen teams in each division.

Once the decks are all built, we’ll set up the brackets thematically (i.e. Doom vs. Fantastic Four) and play the weeks away until we have a DC and Marvel champion.  Then, of course, we’ll have them smash each other!

But we’re getting ahead of ourselves.  First things first… Help me build these decks!

That is all ;)

Posted in Articles, Scott Thompson - Tagged , ,

Council Check-in – 3/6

Mar06
2009 Leave a Comment Written by carlostdwarf

Hello Vs. System fans,

Carlos here. This is the first of the weekly check-ins to let you know what the council has been up to. We want to keep communication up and we don’t ever want to go “all UDE on you” by disappearing behind a curtain. (Not that I’d ever let that happen. I mean, would YOU feel safe disappearing behind a curtain with Kamiza? I thought not.)

Here we go:

+ Discussion. A lot of it. There are many things to tackle and we’re trying to make a master list. I think, once we’ve narrowed it down a bit, we’re going to come to You Guys and let you vote on where we should be spending most of our energy. Look for more on this next week.

+ Patrick’s “Secret Project”. Kamiza and Patrick talked about putting together something cool for the masses to vote on and then enjoy. Going to keep this one under wraps for just a little bit longer, as we want to have our ducks in a row.

+ Endorsing The Format Poll. After a brief discussion, the council thinks it’s way cool what Kariggi put together. We think it’d be great if vs. players used this is as a guideline for the next three months. Which, according to Kariggi, would mean:

BYOTTG in March
DC Golden Alter Ego in April
Golden Age in May

+ Hobby League Round Up – Dragon is looking to collect info on all the Hobby Leagues around the world in an effort to put a bit more “organized” in “Organized Play”. Look for posts from him on Monday.

+ Council Guidelines – When do you get to vote us out? What does the council REALLY stand for? What are council thoughts on an official potato chip for Vs.? All things we’re grappling with.

So there you have it. Week 1. Most of the stuff listed above isn’t quite ready for prime time, but we’re getting there. Feel free to leave comments/thoughts/ideas/love letters here.

Happy gaming,
Carlos (on behalf of The Council)

Posted in Carlos The Dwarf, Vs System news, Vs. System Events
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