VIPER Watch

[ChaosDrgn]

For those intreasted GamersAttic.com has just put Viper up for sale.

[Killer Shrike]

I got my copy yesterday at Game Empire in San Diego. It looks very kewl.....

[hawkfu]

My copy of Viper is in the mail but I'm dying to know what's inside. Anybody want to share?

-hawkfu

[BishopofB&W]

I got mine yesterday and read through everything but the base descriptions. I like "Nest Leading for Dummies"!:D
The idea of an immortal patron keeping VIPER on track through the centuries is much better than relying on selfish, fractious mortals to do so, IMO. Great job!

Steve--
I caught the hint that the Death Dragon is manipulating VIPER. Do you anticipate elaborating on this in the future?

[Mark Rand]

Just bought it today at Phantom of the Attic in Pittsburgh. Very well done.

[specks]

I preordered mine from FRP games and it's still in the pre-order area!!! GRRRR!!!!!!!!!!! :mad:

[Steve Long]

I caught the hint that the Death Dragon is manipulating VIPER. Do you anticipate elaborating on this in the future?

Hint? What hint? Surely you're mistaken. Move along, nothing to see here, just a hedge.

All will be revealed in the fullness of time. ;)

[HeroTina]

we got our office copies Monday and will be sending out review and artist copies tomorrow.

T.

[GestaltBennie]

Originally posted by HeroTina
we got our office copies Monday and will be sending out review and artist copies tomorrow.

T.

Wahoo! :-)

Can't wait to see it.

Scott Bennie

[Lord Liaden]

Hey, Tina: Now that is an avatar for a goddess! :D

[Wildcat]

OK just got home from the FLGS with my copy of Viper: Coils of the Serpent and just from lookign through it I'm very impressed. am runnign my Game tonight and won't be able to fully look at it tonight but will do so tomorrow... Will give you an update soon.



WC

PS Quetzalcoatal Aerial Gunship - Nuf Said

[Redmenace]

For the poster who wanted to know what is in the new Viper SB-

Chpt.1 A history of Viper, origins to today, opens up some interesting new eras to run into Viper in and much improves, imhop, the backstory.

Chpt.2 current projects, agents outlook, recruitmrnt and training, viper's hierarchy, internal politics and viper's operation currently running throughout the world. (that's as far as I've read so far)

Later in the book it goes extensively into agent types, equipment, supers on the payroll, bases with sharp maps, scenarios and vipers outlook on it's super enemies both heroic and villainous. Then more and more and more.

I've been delighted with every Hero product that has come out and this one keeps the trend alive. If any one cares about my oppinion, go get it this is one of the must haves for a 4 colour Champions campaign. (Once reality storm and its translation rules come out it would be a good buy for Silver Age Sentinels to.)

Scott and Steve, et all, just great work on your part.

[misterdeath]

First: Ha! Got mine last friday. Already read it. It's, IMO, a better book than the first VIPER book, which was one of my most used 4th edition products.

Second: Love the artwork, the Keith "what's the A stand for?" Curtis images of the badging really adds to the agent section.

So...

I'm staring at the badging while making an ex-VIPER npc, and I realize that there are three primary badges. Moccasin, Constrictor, Adder.

(Adder for the Science guys is too funny a pun, BTW).

But the list of Agent Divisions list's Cobra (combat), Constrictor (intelligence), and Adder (the aformensioned Sci/Tech guys)

So, what does the Cobra patch look like, and what are the Moccasins? :)

Hmmm, Moccasins sound ... young to me. So, how about the Moccasin as the "VIPER scouts" junior division.

Put them in all the schools, as an alternative to "Boy/Girl Scouts." Start training the kiddies early, bring 'em up right.

Alternately, just pretend that Moccasin was really Cobra. I think the patch would work either way. I suppose that you could use either division name, depending on whether you feel a Shoe a or Blue Clad Incompetant correlation for your combat guys is better. ;)

D

[Lupus]

*tosses the bones to see when it'll be released in Australia*

"Answer unclear. Try again later."

Bum.

[keithcurtis]

Originally posted by misterdeath
Second: Love the artwork, the Keith "what's the A stand for?" Curtis images of the badging really adds to the agent section.
...

D

Thanks!

"Artist":p

Keith "A?" Curtis

[HeroTina]

Originally posted by Lord Liaden
Hey, Tina: Now that is an avatar for a goddess! :D

Thanks, it's me as drawn by Nate Barnes

T.

[Lord Liaden]

Originally posted by HeroTina
Thanks, it's me as drawn by Nate Barnes

T.

I knew that; it was meant as a dual compliment. ;)

[CrosshairCollie]

VIPER watch? Has VIPER finally hired agents smart enough to tell time? :)

[Killer Shrike]

Originally posted by CrosshairCollie
VIPER watch? Has VIPER finally hired agents smart enough to tell time? :) These are not your Grandfather's VIPER Agents.....

[HeroTina]

Originally posted by Lord Liaden
I knew that; it was meant as a dual compliment. ;)

Thanks buddy

[GestaltBennie]

Originally posted by CrosshairCollie
VIPER watch? Has VIPER finally hired agents smart enough to tell time? :)

Nope. But when VIPER finishes building its time manipulator, VIPER agents won't need to tell time, because time will become whatever VIPER tells it to be! Mwahahaha!

::ahem::

Scott Bennie
.

[Jeff T.]

Ummm, how much does Halfjack weigh?

Cuz if he weighs, like, a ton...how does his human side support his mechanical side, or even move for that matter?

[death tribble]

Transatlantic shipping may mean next week or the week after before we see it in Europe.

[misterdeath]

Originally posted by Starlord
Ummm, how much does Halfjack weigh?

Cuz if he weighs, like, a ton...how does his human side support his mechanical side, or even move for that matter?

How did Steve Austin pick up a car with his bionic arm without breaking his non bionic spine?

Same way probably.

D

[CrosshairCollie]

Originally posted by Starlord
Ummm, how much does Halfjack weigh?

Cuz if he weighs, like, a ton...how does his human side support his mechanical side, or even move for that matter?

Superhero Physics. The same reason people can pick up buildings and battleships and they don't collapse under their own weight, speedsters don't catch fire from friction, and people with Growth don't break their own legs at maximum size. :)

[BoloOfEarth]

Originally posted by CrosshairCollie
Superhero Physics. The same reason people can pick up buildings and battleships and they don't collapse under their own weight, speedsters don't catch fire from friction, and people with Growth don't break their own legs at maximum size. :)

I think I'll draw up the ultimate master supervillain, Real Physics Man. With a wave of his hand, he makes superhero physics go bye-bye. ;)

[Jeff T.]

Originally posted by CrosshairCollie
Superhero Physics. The same reason people can pick up buildings and battleships and they don't collapse under their own weight, speedsters don't catch fire from friction, and people with Growth don't break their own legs at maximum size. :)

Obviously. I just wondered if an explanation was given as to how he moves. I was just curious. There are some things in the superhero world that are accepted as normal, and for some things there are wacky, yet interesting explanations given.

[lemming]

Originally posted by Starlord
Obviously. I just wondered if an explanation was given as to how he moves. I was just curious. There are some things in the superhero world that are accepted as normal, and for some things there are wacky, yet interesting explanations given.

Hops on one leg

[GestaltBennie]

Erik Roman's posted a few pieces of his VIPER art here, for those who are interested..

http://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=75474

Nicely done, Erik!

Scott Bennie

[CrosshairCollie]

Originally posted by Starlord
Obviously. I just wondered if an explanation was given as to how he moves. I was just curious. There are some things in the superhero world that are accepted as normal, and for some things there are wacky, yet interesting explanations given.

Good point.

[Armitage]

Originally posted by Starlord
Obviously. I just wondered if an explanation was given as to how he moves. I was just curious. There are some things in the superhero world that are accepted as normal, and for some things there are wacky, yet interesting explanations given.

From Halfjack's Background/History:
"The cyberneticists...replaced Jack's right-side skeletal structure with carbon steel, using the same substance to reinforce his remaining bones to handle the load."

So his flesh-and-blood half is enhanced, but not enough to give it actual powers.

[Starcorp Man]

Hmm I really like the 4E Viper book better, the hoards of agents is cool and all but I don't know. I really DO NOT like the new Ripper, way too beefed up IMOP.

[Isaiah_26_4]

Chello!

I for one am glad to see the Boys in Green yet again. I can't wait to compare the new book to 4e....sounds like there are some interesting ideas in there.

Tony

[death tribble]

Well on a first look I like what I see. Some old faces back and you can see where one particular thread is going.

I can mix this with the old 4th edition version.

[Storn]

I like the Viper 5e.

I got a chance to look over my swag copy late last night.

The characters are kind of not important to me/us. RDU has had 17 years to do all kinds of changes to those published dudes. Some are incarcerated, some are dead. So redux have less impact, and a name change, viola! new Viper super.

And while the history might not work in RDU, I really liked reading it. The international outlook as opposed to America-centric was logical and welcomed. Especially since when I co-run, I use Viper and I use in an internat'l context.

The gear and uniform stuff was a lot of fun to look at. This looks like an organiszation that is much more serious than G.I. Joe's Cobra. One can always run it like Cobra... but it is nice to not have to. I liked the training facility section, which finally answered the question for me why anyone would join Viper in their right mind... they AIN'T right minded! (they're drugged and brain washed to become fanatical).

Visuals are SO much better than 4th ed. The worst art in 5th is better than my best pic in 4th. My work was so crude back then. The layout was one of the best, if not the best, I've seen from Hero so far. It really was the most accessible book i've flipped thru.

My only complaint is that pictures would have been nice with the archtype write ups in the back. No big whoop.

This is a Hero Designer disc, with all its gear, that I would really be interested in acquiring.

[SirViss]

I'm new at GMing (though I have played Champions since the early '90s), and picked up VIPER as soon as it came out at my FLGS. Love this book, plenty of good ideas that spark the imagination for the future of the campaign.

The illos I really liked:
p17: "VIPER: Living the Dream" (followed by)
p18: "VIPER: The unpleasant Reality"

ROFL...
:D

[death tribble]

I also just noticed one of the Call Signs in Commando Viper.
Sioux Banshee.

This is a reference to Siouxsie and the Banshees, the Tribble's favourite group.

{goes off and sobs happily}

[GestaltBennie]

Well, I got my author's copies yesterday, and I'm very, very happy. Andy and Allen did a fantastic job with the layout - this looks as solid and professional as any Hero product I've ever seen. The artists did a fantastic job; some of the grey scale art didn't reproduce as well as I'd have liked, but for the most part, the illustrations are well above the standard of the 1993 book. Storn's grown tremendously as an artist since that book (I love the armory section, there's some really impressive pieces there), and I think I've gotten a lot better at asking for an art list that illustrates and supports the text. The chapter headers, the weapon and equipment illos, and the agent technical drawings go a long way toward supporting a serious mood for the agency.

My chief complaint? It's pretty silly, actually: too many of the pictured male VIPER personnel have goatees. Yeah, it's trivial, and understandable (it's the sort of thing that accidentally happens when you have a lot of artists working independently on the same project) but it can interfere with the individual brand of a character, and that's unfortunate. I guess subconsciously everyone's trying to look like the Supreme Serpent. You have to love those cults of personality. :-)

I think I hit about 90-95% of my goals for the project. The campaigning section looks a little small, (my fault), and it would have been nice of we had room for a few more agent templates. But overall, I wanted to do a book that was noticeably superior to the 1993 book and which meets the current Hero standard, and I?m confident we did that. Thanks go to everyone involved, especially to Steve, who was a pleasure to work with.

Scott Bennie

[Erik Roman]

Originally posted by GestaltBennie
Erik Roman's posted a few pieces of his VIPER art here, for those who are interested..

http://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=75474

Nicely done, Erik!

Scott Bennie


Scott!

I'm glad you liked my work for your book. It was a blast.

I was disappointed that they only used half the art they commisioned from me for the book. In my humble opinion they left out the best pieces. (two of which can be seen at the above link!) I was also disappointed to discover, when I got my comp copies, that there was a new Viper logo used that was never given to me as reference (or even mentioned!) by the AD and I was, instead directed to use the logo designs in the previous Viper book, so mine are the only pieces to use the old design and it looks kinda wierd!

All the art for the book was awesome and the writing was really tight as well!! Great job all around and I hope all you players enjoy it!!

~e. :D

[lemming]

Originally posted by Erik Roman
Scott!

I'm glad you liked my work for your book. It was a blast.
Nice work. A fairly apropo for Bucket of Lizards Studio. :)

And is the Eye of Horus with a snake an old logo, or something new? I like it.

[Erik Roman]

The eye logo was another one of those things that I was surprised at when I recieved my comp copies. (as well as the pentagram logo in the same illo!) I was given a written description of it being 'an eye with a snake around it' for the logo. I did what I thought was cool and had NO IDEA that the logo had been designed already and that I just didn't get a copy for reference. The 'Watch' patch on page 69 was what was being used but, again, I was given no reference so what I did by a written description didn't match what was used.

I'm glad you liked my work though and hope you get to see more of it sometime in the future.


~e.

[lemming]

Originally posted by Erik Roman
I'm glad you liked my work though and hope you get to see more of it sometime in the future.
I'm sure I will. I checked out your site after I wrote the above. I hadn't known it was you that did the goofy cow picture in Fantasy Hero. For some reason, I really like it and it's very memorable. :)

I still need to pick up Viper though.