I don’t think that’s a failing. It might be better to write as you’ve gotten used to and are more comfortable with first, before branching out and diversifying. I think that applies for more things than just male/female differences where appropriate. I’m sure that if I ever wrote something, not only would I do so initially from a male and gay perspective, but since I tend to like grey and gray morality I could easily see myself writing the morally ambiguous and neutral options first, before delving into the branches that would either qualify one for sainthood or a war-crimes trial in the Hague. 
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Now that is exactly what I was hoping for!
How far will the underling system go, too? Can I have a bodyguard, maybe a bouncer or two so Lou and I don’t have to do all the heavy lifting at Gina’s? What about henchmen?
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Just because you raised the topic 
today’s sample ‘Reputation Opportunity’ posted to Vendetta’s Facebook page is the first possible, significant step into the bootlegging side of things.
The whole Organization / gang members side of things has also expanded in a number of different ways (made possible by oh so useful arrays being added to ChoiceScript’s feature list), so much so that “your gang” will the be the main subject of a News Update in the near future.
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Really hope you open up that new thread soon, I don’t like reading on Facebook with its constant, annoying pop-ups and unders virtually ordering me to sign over all relevant information pertaining to everything in my life for the glory and profit of Mark Zuckerberg. 
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Yeah. Personally, I block Facebook precisely because I want nothing to do with its endless tracking functions that don’t respect “do not track.” So for the moment I’ll be staying away from the FB page.
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Same. And this is coming from a guy who actually uses it. I just can’t stand it anymore, honestly.
@Vendetta Last question, then I’ll stop pestering you. 
Will members of La Mano Nera see that background play into the narrative more? I loved the bit in Chapter 2 where that bomber turned out to be another member trying to step in on my territory, and just find the background so interesting.
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I am so with you guys on this one. When I view my own page I am inundated with tips on how to boost this, that or the other – usually either at a direct cost to me or for the purpose of storing more data on visitors to better target their advertising or sell data to marketeers. What at one time made FB cool has (d)evolved into something much more insidious.
Now, I notice, they’re threatening to cut off my access to / admin control of the Vendetta page unless I also set up a personal FB page, give them all my own private and personal data, and then link to the Vendetta page as admin there… This is all for the purpose of “enhanced security”, of course. Yeah, right. It’s been sat there for years with no “security” problems! (Hell, I have trouble remembering my own extremely varied and wacky passwords – good luck to anyone else trying to guess!)
/rant
Here we’re getting into the territory of (yet another) fundamental change in the latest development version of Vendetta–the differences between a “Primary” Background and a “Secondary” one. Needless to say, it’s a topic I’ll be covering in another News Update in the near future, but in short: with eighteen different backgrounds now possible in Vendetta (nine female, nine male, although some of them do share the same title and very similar actual Background – e.g. Street Gang Leader) I have had to come up with a way to better focus my attention, otherwise this thing will never be finished!
“Primary” Backgrounds will receive the full attention you’re alluding to there, of which the initial ones will be the WWI Veteran Nurse and Veteran Soldier respectively.
Speaking of News Updates, the series continues with #3 posted today to Vendetta’s Facebook [mutter, mumble, groan] page, discussing the other five new Overall game Settings (in addition to Gender choice), as well as Vendetta’s optional new Cheat Mode.
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Upon seeing @Vendetta back on the forum and soon returning his WiP
First of all, I want to say welcome back to the forum. You may not remember me ( used to go under the name MIGHunter ) and I don’t fault you for that . Regardless, when I first entered the forum, your story was one of my absolute favourite and to hear that it’s returning makes me happy. Now, I don’t want to rush you whatsoever, you are a busy person, I understand. With that said, I will be waiting patiently. Ok, enough fanboying. Once again, welcome back.
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Makes total sense to me. 
You focus on one branch at a time, and you can keep focus, make it the best it can be. You divert your attention and . . . well.
I’m glad you’re putting in the work for everyone, and probably yourself, to give as authentic an experience as you can for as many types of people that you can realistically include. It should be very rewarding for both readers and for you as the writer, as well as for Choice of Games and Hosted Games in general.
Finding the expected word count to be in the ballpark of Havenstone’s, Allen Gies and Jim D’s work? I can imagine it being of that scope.
Jesus. Things are getting out of hand, if they’re not already so. I have an author page there, but I don’t use it these days.
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I do, actually – although in fairness I should add that a few months ago I went through all (sheesh, that took some reading 
) the old Vendetta feedback, making extensive notes along the way. There were lots of cool suggestions and ideas which never made it into the game back then, either due to time constraints or an inability on my part to bend ChoiceScript to suit! These days I have more time, and CS is way more… flexible, so much of that great feedback is finally being put to very good use.
We’re definitely on the same page there… no pun intended. 
I sincerely doubt it will threaten Tin Star’s crown for sheer size (I remain in awe of that supreme effort on Allen’s part), nor will it rival Havenstone’s epic and imaginative scope for Rebels, or Jim’s unrivaled expertise in so effortlessly hammering ChoiceScript into doing precisely what he envisions!
But, yes, I expect it will be somewhere up there in final word count, at least.
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I think you’re selling yourself short, from all the new features you describe you may rival @Havenstone for code complexity and engaging story. Fortunately your works and worlds are also very different so it is not a direct competition as I don’t think I could choose between Vendetta, Xor, or (presuming it will be resumed) the Myrmidon as my absolute faves.
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I’d say the same as idonotlikeusernames.
Try not to be too humble. I remember reading the demo a few years ago and it was well-written, it’s a passion project for you and you seem willing to take as much as time as you need to get the project as good as it can be, so I have no doubts it’ll be up there with those works. I should have perhaps asked about complexity instead of word count though.
Mostly, it was the new features and all of the background choices that prompted me to ask that anyway, as it does seem like it’s going to be a lot of work on your end.
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Feature-creep has been the bane of Vendetta, to be perfectly honest. I’m a great believer in more “game” behind the “story” (although I appreciate this approach doesn’t suit everyone, by any means), which stems from my background in systems and strategy game design.
Choice Games already attract lots of “reader” types and most of our offerings are aimed at them, but I feel that as a whole we can (and need to) do more to attract more “gamer” types. If something like Vendetta can suck more (e.g.) typical Steam players into our hobby, I think many of them would be entranced by all the many wonderful stories this community produces, and they’ll stick around – but we have to nudge their interest in our (“sheesh, it’s only text!”) offerings in the first place… That’s the real driving force behind my design principles.
That’s the rather less humble side of me… now I’ve just gotta actually finish the darn thing!
And on that note, News Update #4 has just been posted to Vendetta’s Facebook page, including a good example of the more “gamey” stuff I’m blathering on about here!
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Pretty please, just make a Vendetta news thread/dev blog on this forum too, for the social dinosaurs like me who don’t like “social” media.
Or just let one of your fans, like me make a shiny new and exciting Vendetta news thread around here.
So excited for the new demo and hopefully the beta-testing too right now.
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Spoken like a true Mob Lawyer … 
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I don’t suppose it would hurt to start the new WIP thread a little earlier than planned, if enough people are interested in discussing stuff or have any particular questions. I could perhaps place the series of “News Updates” in summaries –
Dev Blog #1
so they’re available to peruse without swallowing the thread. It’s an awful lot of text though…
All considered, it might be best to have a ruling from a moderator on this possible (ab)use of the forum?
On the positive side, earlier today ‘News Update’ #5 was posted to the Facebook page, so that just leaves one more after this.
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Heh, the thought of the super-cute Adamo being displayed among a list of hardened criminals made me laugh out loud when I read it. 
Please do, it would be a huge relief to me and presumably the other digital dinosaurs who don’t (like to) read Facebook too.
Indeed, what do you think @Havenstone ?
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He’d probably just charm them all with his fashion advice. If nothing else, yours would be the sharpest-looking gang in town.
I’m reliably informed that we’re good to go, so that’s great news. I’ll give some thought to this over the next day or two while I do some editing to those pieces, then get something underway before the end of the week.
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AND to round things off, the sixth and final (for now) ‘News Update’ has been posted to Vendetta: Rise of a Gangster’s Facebook page. This time the emphasis is on the story itself, rather than the more “gamey” stuff pushing it along.
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Sorry if I’m reviving a dead topic but does anybody know if vendetta is okay