diff --git a/Packages/.vscode/tasks.json b/Packages/.vscode/tasks.json
index 00ce7f9f..ec93423d 100644
--- a/Packages/.vscode/tasks.json
+++ b/Packages/.vscode/tasks.json
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 
 			//"problemMatcher": "$tsc-watch",
 			// The below are needed so that tsc's errors (as shown in Terminal and Problems panels) are resolved properly. (caused by our unusual usage, of opening vscode window #1 in "./Packages")
-			// It's needed here only because tsc requires working directly to be "./Packages/client". (because it doesn't allow specifying both "--build" and "--project")
+			// It's needed here only because tsc requires working directory to be "./Packages/client". (because it doesn't allow specifying both "--build" and "--project")
 			"options": {
 				"cwd": "${workspaceRoot}/client"
 		  	},
@@ -80,5 +80,26 @@
 			"isBackground": true,
 			"group": "build"
 		},
+
+		// wvc
+		{
+			"label": "wvc.tsc (for external wvc users)",
+			"type": "shell",
+			"command": "npm start wvc.tsc",
+			
+			//"problemMatcher": "$tsc-watch",
+			// The below are needed so that tsc's errors (as shown in Terminal and Problems panels) are resolved properly. (caused by our unusual usage, of opening vscode window #1 in "./Packages")
+			// It's needed here only because tsc requires working directory to be "./Packages/client". (because it doesn't allow specifying both "--build" and "--project")
+			"options": {
+				"cwd": "${workspaceRoot}/web-vcore"
+		  	},
+			"problemMatcher": {
+				"base": "$tsc-watch",
+				"fileLocation": ["relative", "${workspaceRoot}/web-vcore"]
+		  	},
+
+			"isBackground": true,
+			"group": "build"
+		},
 	]
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/Packages/web-vcore/package.json b/Packages/web-vcore/package.json
index 9afd2c4f..2e617fe3 100644
--- a/Packages/web-vcore/package.json
+++ b/Packages/web-vcore/package.json
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 		".yalc"
 	],
 	"scripts": {
+		"start": "cd ../.. && npx nps",
 		"@comment_postinstall": "Behavior of the node-js subscript below: if '.git' doesn't exist under web-vcore, it's installed as a dep, so do nothing -- else, return error-code 1, causing patch-package to run.",
 		"postinstall_old": "node -e \"let wvcAsDep = !require('fs').existsSync('.git'); if (!wvcAsDep) process.exit(1);\" || patch-package",
 		"postinstall_old2": "node ./Scripts/@CJS/ApplyPatches.js",
@@ -101,7 +102,7 @@
 		"html-webpack-plugin": "5.6.0",
 		"immer": "^7.0.7",
 		"ip": "^1.1.5",
-		"js-vextensions": "1.0.77",
+		"js-vextensions": "1.0.78",
 		"lodash": "^4.17.15",
 		"mini-css-extract-plugin": "^1.6.0",
 		"mobx": "^6.3.2",
diff --git a/package-scripts.js b/package-scripts.js
index 81ce6da8..db8e0f3e 100644
--- a/package-scripts.js
+++ b/package-scripts.js
@@ -88,6 +88,14 @@ Object.assign(scripts, {
 	},
 });
 
+// these scripts are currently only needed when working on external (ie. non-debate-map) projects that user the web-vcore package
+Object.assign(scripts, {
+	wvc: {
+		tsc:         `cd Packages/web-vcore && ${pathToNPMBin("tsc", 2)} --build --watch`,
+		tsc_noWatch: `cd Packages/web-vcore && ${pathToNPMBin("tsc", 2)} --build`,
+	},
+});
+
 const appNamespace = "default"; //"app";
 const KubeCTLCmd = context=>`kubectl${context ? ` --context ${context}` : ""}`;
 const GetPodInfos = (context = "", namespace = "", requiredLabels = [], filterOutNonRunning = true)=>{