One problem I'm experiencing with VillageWorks is that a multi-levelled buildling doesn't seem to stack nicely - that is, you can often see a bit of white cardstock between levels if you don't get it exactly right, and then you have to deal with misalignment of building levels if you give it so much as a nudge.

I used a black marker to colour in the white cardstock black, but still looks disjointed sometimes.  I also affixed a couple of cardstock tab 'joints' between building sections to prevent marginal misalignment.  Any other recommendations to fix these problems?

A better method for joining building sections together might be in order in future VillageWorks products.

This was a concern from the get-go but it was a balancing act that needed to be dealt with. I needed to construct very simple building sections but with a stackable flexibility. Of course small cutting inconsistencies during construction can show up in obvious ways while stacking.

The problem is that it is nearly impossible to create a paper building section that is absolutely "level". There are just too many outside variables that make this an issue (humidity, glue warping, paper type, cutting precision and so on). I guess the only thing I can say here is that the more precise you are with your cuts, and the less moisture in your glue the better luck you'll have with building alignment. What I ended up doing was stacking my structures and then using scotch tape on the inside to hold them firm (as a secondary support to the building tabs). Scotch tape works great because it peals off later on without doing major damage to the model.

For future "builds" or additions to the VillageWorks line I am open to any suggestions that might solve this issue. Perhaps some kind of Clip-it system could be adapted to this issue...I'll have to think about it.

I think part of the problem is that since the building sections are essentially four walls with corner supports, it bows inwards or outwards sometimes, breaking the "seam" between multiple building sections.

I think that building "reinforced" sections that hold the shape between, combined with a clip-it system to hold multiple sections together (so the buildings don't get distorted with every nudge) would do wonders.

I think you may be onto something my friend. Your idea has spawned an inspiration...hmmm. Actually it gives me a great idea for future building sets THANKS!

My friend Brent Wolke (one of your new fans, Denny!) made a suggestion for fixing the misaligned building sections.  By adding paper clips to the inside of the buildings at the corner joins it makes a firm connection between sections and makes it very secure.  It works great!

Now thats a simple fix! Why didn't I think of that? Tell Brent I admire his brain

Uh oh, looks like Brent's brain is marked as a future Denny Dinner.

Yikes!

I also thought how about adding longish 'tabs' to the bottom edges of upper storey sections? Since they have no doors they will almost always be used upstairs, and the tabs would help keep the walls straight (or at least bowing the same way) when stacked with other sections. In fact, you could also colour these tabs either black or the same colour as the wall and then the seams would be almost invisible.

Right now for stacked buildings I use an off-cut strip of card to 'connect' levels and a black marker to colour in any white still showing; yes it means that I can't easily take apart a building after constructing it, but I'm curious as to how many people do that anyway.

Just had another idea, adapting Luthyr's friend Trent's idea - could you make the building sections more 'boxlike' ie instead of just having the corners, have a 1/2" border/rim all around the top edge, again possibly coloured black or wall-colours? That would make using a 'clip-it' method a cinch and would be more secure than just the corners; it would also allow the different levels some degree of 'shiftage' before starting to look bad.