Paranoia RPG Returns in New Edition

Allen Varney writes "The classic tabletop roleplaying game PARANOIA, originally published by West End Games in the 1980s, returns in a new edition this August from Mongoose Publishing. PARANOIA, the game of a darkly humorous future, is set in an underground Alpha Complex ruled by an insane Computer. I am writing and (re)designing the main rulebook, under direction from original PARANOIA co-designer Greg Costikyan, with contributions from novelist and game designer Aaron Allston. I'd be happy to answer questions from Slashdot's gamers."

There is a god! er I mean computer, dont shoot me!

I pulled out my old second edition Paranoia stuff one night with the group I played D&D with. They had never even heard of the game before, but got the hang of it quick enough. Within the first 30 minuets 2 players were already down 3 clones apiece, several others had lost a clone, and a major reactor leak killing several thousand citizens resulted from an over entusiastic attempt to retrive a bag of crunchy-time algea chips from a fission powered snack machine. Even if I never get the chance to play it, I will definately be buying the book.

In short, it's the best pen and paper RPG ever made. Not that I am biased or anything.

Stick to soilent green

killing several thousand citizens resulted from an over entusiastic attempt to retrive a bag of crunchy-time algea chips

You'd be a lot safer sticking to soilent green. In fact, there was a lot more of the stuff around after this accident. Not sure why.

Re:Stick to soilent green

You'd be a lot safer sticking to soilent green...

Not at my clearance level.

Eve-R-Dense

Re:There is a god! er I mean computer, dont shoot

Within the first 30 minuets 2 players were already down 3 clones apiece, several others had lost a clone, and a major reactor leak killing several thousand citizens resulted from an over entusiastic attempt to retrive a bag of crunchy-time algea chips from a fission powered snack machine.

Sounds about right to me. In a first-time Paranoia party, if they survive all the way to the mission briefing room, you are clearly doing something wrong. :)

Warning: The following text is classified ULRAVIOLET. Do not read if you are not a Game Master. Should you accidentally make out some of the words as you scroll by, terminate yourself immediately. Your clone will be commondated for your loyalty.

One campaign which I designed that I never get tired of running with new groups of players is a scenario where key high-level people in Alpha Complex who were members of the "trekkie" secret society conspired to have a fully-functional "Enterprise" built. The party is sent up to command the bridge. Lots of great conflicting interests from secret societies (The "Whovians" consider it blasphemous and want it destroyed, for example), lots of tech that can go wrong: There are the insanely dangerous transporters. All five clones are stored in stasis on board for faster activation from the captain's chair (now you know what all those buttons are for!) An android First Officer who suffers from MPD (fans of different eras of Star Trek wanted him to be like different "logical" characters from the series, so one moment he talks and acts like Spock, the next like Data.) Lasers are replaced with "Phasers," which penetrate reflective armor, but are prone to "overload" and violently explode.

I even wrote an element of the campaign where they actually encounter a "Klingon" opponent, but the one party that lived long enough to encounter them never even turned on the view screen. When they were detected by the ship's sensors, the conversation between me and the guy playing the Communication Officer went sort of like this:

"A red light starts blinking on your console."
"Does anybody else seem to have noticed."
"No, everybody else is too preoccupied"
"I ignore it then."
A few minutes later...
"The light has begun blinking again, faster this time."
"I unscrew it and pretend nothing is wrong." (Note: clearly an experienced Paranoia player, that one!)

The computer is your friend.

This is, essentially the motto of Paranoia, but there's an extended (and illegal) version of that

• The computer is your friend
• 
  The computer is your only friend
  Trust the computer
  Trust only the computer,
  and remember: in all likelihood the computer wants you DEAD

Basically, every player starts out with 6 clones, a couple of mutant abilities and membership in a small handful of secret societies.

You (usually) start at one of the lowest security ranges (InfraRed) and your goal is to climb to the highest security range (Ultraviolet -> programmer) -- mostly by fixing the damage done by secret societies, commies and mutants.

Oh, and did I mention that exposure of either your mutant abilities or your secret society membership is cause for instant termination??

In any case, my favorite mission occured with a couple dozen of us playing at a science-fiction convention (Orycon, if I remember corectly). Within 45 minutes we had about 8 dead and another dozen or so seriously wounded.

We hadn't made it out of the briefing room.

ahh

Mmm, hot fun.

I have a question...

Is the computer still your friend in this edition?

Re:I have a question...

Questioning Friend Computer is an act of treason.

*zott*

Re:I have a question...

Yes. And it's running a SCO kernel, too

Re:I have a question...

The only way he can respond to that question and live is to say, "No! I was asking if the computer is still your friend, citizen! You look kind of suspicious to me..."

Re:I have a question...

Paranoia basically ruined all other games for
myself and my friends.

Even when playing D&D, at least one of the team
would start back-stabbing people, if it offered
the slightest touch of comedic value.

..ruled by an insane Computer..

Is there any other type?

Re:..ruled by an insane Computer..

Attempting to modify Friend Computer is an act of Treason. Please report to the nearest Termination Center. Failure to comply is Treason.

HAVE A NICE DAYCYCLE!!

One hasbro

i like this from their website. i found it quite humorous.

One Hasbro(R) to rule them all

One Hasbro(R) to find them.

One Hasbro(R) to bring them all

And in the darkness bind them

Parker Brothers(R), Milton Bradley(R), Selchow & Richter(R), TSR(R), SPI(R), Avalon Hill(R), and Wizards of the Coast(R) are registered trademarks of Hasbro, Inc. Their use here is not to be construed as a challenge to their trademark status.

Christ! That brings me back!

Paranoia! Late night playing sessions in the dormitory bathroom (helped the atmosphere of the game somehow). Jeez, what a game.

Of all the old roleplaying games, the only one I still own and cart with me when I move is Paranoia. I'll probably never play it again, but I can't bear to get rid of such an entertaining rulebook.

Good luck with the next edition. It will be hard to write a book that stands up well next to the original.

Re:Christ! That brings me back!

Human Occupied Landfill is definately a more interesting read - but I always found myself more interested in actually playing Paranoia. That game rules.

Re:Christ! That brings me back!

tenths of books, eh?

so you and your brother played a lot of Synnibar?

Re:Paranoia! Hoooorray!

If you had to "*smiles*" it implies that you were not smiling. Happy citizens are always smiling. Are you happy citizen? Only Commie Mutant Traitors would ever be in a non-smiling state.

Re:Paranoia! Hoooorray!

But only commies would know that! *BLAM!*

Wheel out Llywelyn_03 :)

Trust the computer

My previous clone tried to post in this thread, but my computer accused it of treason ...

- Dave #2

Purchase yours today, citizen!

Have you got your copy of the Paranoia RPG, citizen? What's that? The old version? SCRUBBERS!

so, uh....

what color paper is the book going to be published on?

It will be printed on black paper...

in black citizen, as befits your infra-red security clearence.

And its the basis for...

Its worth pointing out that the story/idea behind Paranoia was also the primary basis for Resident Evil. The original coders of Resident Evil had been playing Paranoia literally for weeks prior to writing the game. I know from personal experience. :)

Re:And its the basis for...

I thought you were going to say it was the basis for the current US Government's homeland policies.

Re:And its the basis for...

Actually, there's a little-known crossover mission between CoC and Paranoia called Call of Computer. It took me forever to find the requisite Pyramid magazine that had it (thanks ebay!).

There's original author has (or had?) a website up with supplemental mission information and scenarios. I can't seem to find it now; google's turning up 404s. I've got a hardcopy of it somewhere...

Haven't ran it yet, mainly because the people I game with don't follow Cthulhu and thus wouldn't get any of the jokes.

Ia! Ia! Ultraviolet programmer with a thousand clones!

SYB Notes

The most intriguing part of the game for me was the encouraged use of screw your buddy notes. AKA FYB notes, these were fun because you really did get the feeling that everyone was out to get you and this prompted you to scribble off another note the to GM to perfrom a preemptive strike on your team mate because he was obviously a communist.

Re:SYB Notes

I agree this was a great part of the game. It did make GMing a game more confusing than actually playing the game, though.

I mean, you've got 4 or 5 people doing stuff and you are trying to direct them along while at the same time dealing with notes from all of them coming at you as fast as they can write them.

Though, the fact that the game didn't really have any rules did compensate for the notes a bit. You didn't really have to roll dice if you didn't feel like it to determine outcomes.

ahh, great game. I hadn't even realized it was out of print.

Re:SYB Notes

Clearly, if this was a problem for you, you weren't paying adequate attention to the GM's guidelines.

The first guideline: KILL THE BASTARDS. (that is, the players). If you were overly swamped by notes from the players, the appropriate response would be to discourage further notes through the judicious application of death. Commies.

Re:SYB Notes

My favorite note went like this: "When you read this, nod at me and smile."

Alpha Complex and other tunes

Well, I don't remember the "official" Alpha Complex song, but there was one that got bounced around a bunch of my college buddies that was sung to the tune of the "Oscar Meyer Weiner" song.
Oh, I'm glad I'm not an Alpha Complex commie,
That is what I'd really hate to be
Cuz if I were an Alpha Complex commie,
All the citizens would shoot at me.

Or this one, to the tune of Billy Joel's "Piano Man":
It's 9 o'clock in Computer time,
A communist crowd shuffles in
There's a White-Class sitting next to me
But I'm not cleared to look straight at him...

Let's not go there, though. That was a silly time.

Re:NO!

Does anybody remember the Alpha Complex tune ?

Well there is this song:

I'm an Alpha Complex Dandy
(Sung to the tune of Yankee Doodle Dandy)

I'm an Alpha Complex Dandy.
Alpha Complex do or die.
A new clone version of my last five clones.
Like them I know I'll soon die.
I've got an Alpha Complex sweetheart.
Teela is my Alpha Joy.
Troubleshooters find the Commies.
Beat the mutants senseless.
I am an Alpha Complex boy!

I'm an Alpha Complex dandy.
Troubleshooter do or die.
A clone replacement of my former self.
Soon I will probably fry.
I've got to serve my friend Computer.
If I don't, I know I'll die.
Kill the Commie infiltrators,
Also Troubleshooters.
I am an Alpha Complex guy!

I'm an Alpha Complex Commie
(Subversive version of the above)

I'm an Alpha Complex Commie.
Alpha Complex do or die.
A new clone version of my last five clones.
Like them, I know I'll soon die.
I'm not an Alpha Complex sweetheart.
Girls are just the same as boys.
Commie mutants beat computers.
Troubleshooters, phooie!
I'm not an Alpha Complex toy!

You can find similar songs here [textfiles.com]

Re: Alpha Complex Dandy

I'm an Alpha Complex Dandy
(Sung to the tune of Yankee Doodle Dandy)

Those lyrics were written by Warren Spector, my collaborator on the early Paranoia adventure Send in the Clones. Truth! Warren has since become a well-known producer of computer games, including Deus Ex, and runs the game studio Ion Storm Austin.

The Computer decrees:

Anyone trolling this article must report to the nearest execution booth. Have a pleasant day, citizen.

you're in the know!

So tell us...

Does the computer REALLY love us?

Re:you're in the know!

Does the computer REALLY love us?

Reporting a Commie Mutant Traitor expressing seditious doubts of the Computer's benevolence!

Beta Testers old Module

As a long time Paranoia player (I love Randy the wonder lizard), is there going to be a beta testing program? Where can I sign up? And are the modules going to be updated as well? What mods to the tech trees are you going to add considering "pre-whoops!" developments like the Internet?

Re: Beta Testers old Module

Is there going to be a beta testing program? Where can I sign up? And are the modules going to be updated as well? What mods to the tech trees are you going to add considering "pre-whoops!" developments like the Internet?

My, citizen, you certainly do have a lot of questions! Such inquisitiveness suggests that your creche's teacherbots have been remiss in conveying Alpha Complex etiquette.

Mongoose will reissue a collection of classic Paranoia material, updated to match the new rules, within a few months after the main rulebook appears in August 2004.

We will certainly need playtesters (as beta testers are quaintly called in the backward paper-game business). No sign-up information yet, but keep checking Greg Costikyan's Paranoia blog [costik.com] for updates.

As for modifications to the "tech trees" -- that information is available only to Security Clearance ULTRAVIOLET. Thank you for your cooperation!

Re:Which system?

Will the new version have a brand new system, use an existing system (D20, GURPS, ad infinitum), or use a mod of it's original system?

PARANOIA XP will use an updated and simplified version of the rules from PARANOIA's much admired second edition. The extent of the revision is still under discussion. More precisely, I have to type up a draft of my proposed rules and let everyone involved pass judgement.

In any case, the fundamental precept will remain: Players are not allowed to demonstrate knowledge of the rules. Knowledge of the rules is treason.

Tinfoil hats

Will the tinfoil for hats come in blue?

Re:Matrix and Terminator

Not even close...see the PARANOIA Computer is completely and clinicly insaine, where the ones from Matrix and Terminator were only compulsive.

Praise the Computer

Can I get Ultra-Violet clearance now?

Oh wait, that's illegal...

(enter clone #2)

Can I get Ultra-Violet clerance now?

(enter clone #3)

(Happy Officer takes a core sample)

(enter clone #4)
Can I have a happy pill?

In-character

The Computer: You are mistaken, citizen. No Fifth Edition was published by West End Games in 1995, nor did West End show pages from a projected "Long Lost Third Edition" at GenCon in 1997. Note that there also has never been a Crash Course Manual, nor any "Secret Society Wars," "MegaWhoops," or "Reboot Camp" adventures. These products never existed. They are now un-products. Are you absolutely clear on this, citizen? Do you still doubt The Computer? Perhaps you need to visit the Bright Vision Re-Education Center.

I think this is the only time I've ever seen a product-existance-denial actually be in-character.

Excellent

I recently forked over $75 for a set of the original first edition Paranoia because our local gaming group was getting way too obsessed with their stats and game mechanics. The ensuing pandemonium and infighting didn't solve the problem, but at least it entertains the game master, which is the point of it all, right?

I'm especially happy to hear that the new edition won't be using d20. I've been using Active Exploits [pigames.net], a free, diceless game system, and it has worked very well for keeping the game fast and simple -- an essential for Paranoia.

There are also some excellent resources for individuals who want to play Paranoia online; Paranoia-RPG [paranoia-rpg.com] is probably the best place to start.

And, finally, if Paranoia tickles your fancy and you want to try a different comic genre, check out Atlas Games' Over the Edge [atlas-games.com], a lightweight conspiracy game that makes Fox Mulders' wildest guesses seem tame.

My kind of MMORPG

Now I know that the article is mainly about an update to the RPG rules themselves, but I can't help but think how awesome a computer game set in that universe would be. One of the great points of Paranoia is that you go in knowing you're probably going to die a number of times, so you get really attached not to the clones, but to the game play. There are levels of sorts, but not in such a way that the game is about leveling up, so it would still be fun for new players (and/or yourself when you've run through your clones). With the "unseen enemy" angle, you can constantly have the goals of a troubleshooter changing so it would never get stale. The article states rights have been sold for a text version, but if someone wants to make a killing they should snap up rights for a graphic version.

Re:My kind of MMORPG

i also think this would be an amazing computer game concept...

but how would the game implement the GM directive to reward players for original, extraordinary and spectacular actions?

Minsky

As I recall from one of the source books, The Computer has the following displayed on one of its terminals:

If only Marvin Minsky could see me now.

I can't wait.

This is going to be fun!

Like Slashdot with dice!

Looking forward to it.

I may have heard of Paranoia once or twice in the past, but this is the first real discussion I've read of it, and it sounds like something worth looking into.

I used to be a hardcore tabletop gamer, but I stopped several years back for a whole heap of reasons. The only gaming supplies I still have are a set of stock DnD dice, a couple of first edition DnD books (my ex roommate needed money), the Lunch Money* CCG (best. CCG. EVAR.), and the HOL** manual and expansion.

If the Paranoia rulebook is even HALF as entertaining as the HOL manual, I'm buying two- the article links paint the game up into a similar category, which is good- this is the first I've even thought about tabletop gaming in months.

Good thing there's a gaming store about three blocks from work. :)

* Lunch Money : You play a catholic schoolgirl on a playground. You beat the crap out of your opponent(s). Suggested to use consumable items such as M&Ms as life counters. You buy the deck and you get the whole game- none of this Endless Diarrhea of Expansions that other CCGs suffer. Also an excellent card based hand-to-hand combat system. :)

** Human Occupied Landfill. The most heinously WRONG gaming manual ever written.

Re:Looking forward to it.

Lunch Money : You play a catholic schoolgirl on a playground. You beat the crap out of your opponent(s). Suggested to use consumable items such as M&Ms as life counters. You buy the deck and you get the whole game- none of this Endless Diarrhea of Expansions that other CCGs suffer. Also an excellent card based hand-to-hand combat system. :)

It's not a CCG, it's a card game. There's no "collectable". There will be expansions - Lunch Money: Sticks and Stones is coming out soon, and Beer Money (a seperate game that can be combined with Lunch Money) was just announced.

What I loved about Paranoia

The Paranoia rule book (2nd Edition) actively encouraged the gamemaster to ignore the rules. It was one of the few RPGs I played (AD&D, Mechwarrior, various GURPS) that emphasized having fun above all else. I hope the new edition stays true to this spirit!

That - and I loved the wry satirical and self-referencing tone in which 2nd Edition was written. Sometimes I would sit and just read the rulebook for fun! Reading it as a teenager, I learned a lot about both pop-culture and serious political thought ("Imagine a world designed by Orwell, Sartre, Kafka, Stalin and the Marx Brothers...")

Basically, if The Onion did a sci-fi RPG, it would be Paranoia.

Can't wait to see the new edition!

and remember...THE COMPUTER IS YOUR FRIEND! ALL HAIL FRIEND COMPUTER!

Re:What I loved about Paranoia

people are way too obsessed with developing uber characters and empire building to actually remember that they are supposed to be enjoying themselves.

Argh...that's what really turned me off to AD&D...I always ened up gaming with these dorks that would basically arrange for the DM to *give* them all sorts of magic items, gold, experience points...then they would sit in a huddle giggling about their "awesome" characters. It was really pathetic.

Contrast with Paranoia where "ambitious" players have their character killed off double quick and the very concept "leveling up" is non-existent. Meanwhile, powerful weapons usually blow up on the guy wielding them, having a lot of credits can be used as evidence of treasonous behavior, and players invariably try and push the deathtrap-like "magic items" (R&D experimental equipment) onto each other.

I think the GM manual put it something like this: "Be boring and you're dead." Also "Kill the bastards."

Cyrano-V-ARG

Re:Political correctness ?

Back in the 80's, it was OK to make fun of people and organizations. I wonder if the publisher will have to tone down the game because of the prevalence of political correctness today.

So far no one involved has raised that as a concern. PARANOIA co-designer Greg Costikyan has been inalterably opposed to such thought control for many years, as have I. I'll be writing the rulebook with the attitude that it's better to ask forgiveness than permission.

Ok, I have a question...

Is there any point in asking questions?

We all know we won't have a high enough security clearance for the answers.

From the article

Player: Are you using the d20 rules system?

The Computer: No. PARANOIA is fun. D20 games are not fun. The Computer says so.

And we all know Friend Computer is always right.

I was also wondering, what does the "XP" stand for? Though...with my clearance, I probably shouldn't even ask.

-Car-O-LYN

Re:From the article

what does the "XP" stand for?

It's a jab at Windows XP, but when Microsoft originally announced Windows XP, they explained that XP stood for "experience." This nod to roleplaying game terminology ("experience points") warmed my heart.

In any case, PARANOIA XP may not be the final title. None of us could think of anything better. We're certainly open to better ideas.

Character Generation

Long live Pax Computer!

That said one of the things I most enjoyed about playing paranoia was the lack of character generation. You could generate a chracter if you wanted, but what was the point? It was going to be dead soon. This got rid of the four hour character generation marathons caused by people taking 20 minutes to decide if they wanted to buy an extra flask of oil or a ten foot pole with the last of there money. More games ended before they started due to the fact that character generation bogged the night down so bad the adventure never got started and no one was hooked to come back the next night. Paranoia was great, people got together, you handed them a character, they read it for ten minutes and bam you were playing and having a good time.

So I guess the question inherent in this babbling is. Are you going to keep the preferences for pre-generated characters in the new edition?

Re:Character Generation

Are you going to keep the preferences for pre-generated characters in the new edition?

Yes, very strongly so. I personally favor giving GMs pregenerated "six-packs" of Troubleshooters, all with ready-made reasons to kill one another.

There will be a character generation system for those times when you run out of clones and can't afford new ones. (In PARANOIA XP you'll be able to buy indefinite numbers of clones to fill out a depleted clone family.) Ideally I'd like to keep the character generation process under four minutes, plus whatever time the GM requires to explain all the reasons you want to kill the other Troubleshooters.

XP?

They're calling it "Paranoia XP", which I hope is a thinly-veiled dig at Windows XP. I hope the new game comes with a shrink-wrapped license and pages of bilious marketing screed, detailing just how much better Paranoia XP is over Paranoia 3.1 or even Paranoia 95. It won't mention Paranoia Me though - I hear it was a complete disaster.

Re:Are commies still the computer's nemesis?

Given that the cold war seems to have passed us by, who is the computer's main nemesis?

I'm surprised at you, citizen! Don't you see that traitors are everywhere? The Department of Unspecified Threat Assessment has recently raised the Unfocused Anxiety Index to THREE, and I don't have to tell you what that means.

We will keep the Communists -- that is, the absurdist PARANOIA flavor of Communists established in past adventures -- but we'll also add plenty of new and subversive secret societies, new "service firms" (privatized service groups) in bitter commercial rivalry, and weirdly altered bot behavior provoked by zealous open-source bot-liberation advocates. Among many other things. Trust me -- enemies are everywhere!

Fear and Ignorance! Ignorance and Fear!

That was printed on the GM side of the screen just to remind me who was boss in the game.

My poor players never knew what they were in for when I ran that game. Hot fun and happy pills!

I always broke out Paranoia when my CoC or Champions players started getting a little too big for their britches with five hour character generations and rules lawyering.

This game was truly a masterpiece of catharsis for overworked gamemasters. I am so glad it's getting a rework, I could just implode with delight.

Thank you Greg! The computer is the bomb!

No wait! It's just an expression! I didn't really mean bomb! I just...ZZZZZZZZZZZZAAAAAPPP!

Mike-O-Phile2...you are lucky enough to have been activated for duty in service of the Great and Benevolent Computer! You are to report to Mission Room 5 in Slashdot Sector immediately for briefing.

My Paranoia experience

In high school, my friends and I would play all sorts of things. I ran a Shadowrun campaign, another ran a Star Trek RPG, another ran a Rifts campaign, etc. We'd switch it up pretty regularly, keeping it all fresh.

One of the guys decided to do a one-off Paranoia game. Here's how it started:

COMPUTER: Troubleshooters! Report to briefing room B-X-37-Y for your mission briefing!

ME: Friend computer, where might one find riefing room B-X-37-Y?

COMPUTER: What is your clearance?

ME: Red, friend computer.

COMPUTER: You are not cleared for that information.

Analiese: [sarcastically, momentarily channeling her D&D character] Well, I cast a spell to locate the briefing room.

ME: Argh! Mutant powers! Shoot her shoot her shoot her!

[Much expendature of Red lasers into Analiese.]

Analiese Clone #2: [arriving] You guys all suck.

ME: Argh! Questioning the wisdom of Friend Computer! Commie traitor! Shoot her shoot her shoot her!

[Much expendature of Red lasers into Analiese's second clone.]

COMPUTER: Well done, citizen! You are now cleared for Orange access.

And things degenerated from there. I don't think we made it out of the briefing room.

Re:My Paranoia experience

I think one of the funniest things I had happen in one of the games I ran:

It was a group new to the game, and so I played the old "briefing room is 30 feet away down a violet clearance hallway" gags. There were of course heavily armed guards and lots of security cameras so it was impossible to just sprint down it. One of the characters jumped onto the back of another character and started choking him for no particular reason. Another player takes out his laser pistol to shoot the attacker off the back of his friend and scores a critical hit killing both of them. The other players start accusing the shooter of deliberately killing and arguments/pleading ensues. Another player notices that the guards let a Bot pass no questions asked, so he rounds the corner and finds a trash barrel, puts it over his head and starts to walk down the hall. When the guards ask what the hell he thinks he is doing he just replies: "I am a Robot beep beep boop" The guards let him pass. The rest of the group notices by now that the ruse worked so they start running around looking for more trashcans.

When they try to cross the hallway the guards are not fooled this time and ask each one to prove that they are in fact robots and not just troubleshooter scum with trash bins on their heads. The best way to tell if they are robots it's decided, is to make them all dance "the robot" The resulting dance contest forced us to stop the game for 10 minuets before we could stop laughing.

first time players

Paranoia is one of the few RPG games that new players do the best.

If you are a regular player, you care about your character. Newbies go for broke.

I once knew a cop that attended a Nancon convention here in Houston (back in the day) who had never played Paranoia, but threw himself into the role and won the tournament.

I always wondered if being a cop gave him an edge in that game....i.e. maybe he is a professional Paranoia player...

Is Paranoia a joke between GM and author?

I like Paranoia, but I like it in much the same way I like HOL [rpg.net] or Orkworld [rpg.net]. Great read, fascinating ideas, but is it actually playable? The best summary of Paranoia's problems I've seen amounted to basically, "Paranoia feels too much like a private joke between the author of a given adventure and the gamemaster." To players things (notably death) seems a bit arbitrary. The jokes often aren't comprehensible if you don't have context that only the GM has. (The "disco" scene in Yellow Clearance Black Box Blues comes to mind).

If Paranoia is just social commentary and satire, well, that's and interesting read, but it's a basis for a game I play more than once. If it's about humor than the jokes need to be visible to everyone; I'm not going to play a game to amuse my GM. I think that the core game play of Paranoia is supposed to be about the struggle to survive in a bureaucratic nightmare, but that's not the feeling I've gotten from the games I've played. It's unfortunate, because it's such an appealing premise.

I see a lot of potential, but I've never seen it pay off in actual game play. Maybe I've just been unlucky and didn't have GMs up to the task (I've been in love with Shadowrun since the second edition, but only recently actually played in a game I enjoyed), but Paranoia seems like a fundamentally difficult game to get right. The only "famous" module I've played was YCBBB. YCBBB is is generally held to be one of the best modules for the game. What I saw wasn't terribly impressive and appeared to have a strong "private joke between the author and the GM" element. (To be fair, given that the players weren't haven't alot of fun, we stopped playing after only a few sessions.)

So, is the accusation that Paranoia is a private job between the creators and the GM fair? Is there any truth too it? Is Paranoia fundamentally an extremely difficult game to run? Are you changing anything to address these concerns (including possibly working to clarify incorrect perceptions)? What do you feel is the key attraction to playing for players?

Re:Is Paranoia a joke between GM and author?

Is the accusation that Paranoia is a private job between the creators and the GM fair? Is there any truth to it?

Yes, historically. Too many adventures were written solely to be fun to read, as opposed to fun to play.

Is Paranoia fundamentally an extremely difficult game to run?

No. PARANOIA is generally an extremely easy game to run. Players aren't allowed to demonstrate knowledge of the rules (no rules-lawyer arguments). The Gamemaster has absolute and unquestioned authority. Players generally entertain themselves by busily plotting against one another.

That said, good gamemastering does call for a sharp sense of humor and a willingness to improvise. This can alienate certain prospective Gamemasters.

Are you changing anything to address these concerns (including possibly working to clarify incorrect perceptions?

The PARANOIA supplement line will have to do this. I'm just writing (most of) the basic rulebook. I hope the Mongoose line editor will avoid the trap of PARANOIA's adventures from the latter 1980s and early 1990s, which had The Computer deliberately setting up traps to kill its Troubleshooters. This is all wrong. The Computer means well; it wants loyal Troubleshooters to survive and thrive in its service. The problem is that The Computer is totally nuts and inevitably finds treason even where none exists.

I will certainly include campaign advice along this line in the rulebook, which may help Gamemasters detect and correct errant supplements.

What do you feel is the key attraction to playing for players?

In every other RPG on the market, you're supposed to cooperate with everybody, be a team player, know the rules, and generally behave. In PARANOIA you are specifically enjoined against any of this. You aren't allowed to behave. For players this can be an exhilarating and genuinely liberating experience.

Anyone remember InFiNiTy CoMpLeX for Galacticomm?

There was a fantastically fun game based on Paranoia called InFiNiTy CoMpLeX ... I think it could best be described as sixteen player text-based Quake Deathmatch...

It was largely based on Paranoia, there were up to twenty-six "Commies" running around the complex who would occasionally take potshots at characters, or group together and start behaving silly (if three or four of them grouped together, they would start singing "Twist and shout", etc).

The game had one of the more innovative solutions to handle players quitting the game that I've seen -- if you quit, outside of the allowed "savepoint" type room, you became an NPC and the computer would make you behave like a commie...

You could build up your own 3-dimensional structures by blowing holes in walls, fling grenades into roomfuls of people and then slam the door and glue it shut, etc... All back in the 1200/2400 baud modem era...

A quick skim of Google / Google Groups [google.com] shows that the game's been being saught after for quite some time...

Ah, looks like at least a few telnettable majorBBS' have it! telnet://grnet.com [grnet.com] and telnet://onix.com [onix.com]

Y'all kids owe it to yourselves to check it out. :)

You're in Briefing Room 34, which resembles nothing so much as an employment office. The walls are covered with recruiting posters which state with much authority that "MASTER CONTROL wants YOU!.
Exits: North, south, and west
Eternalloy walls: East, ceiling, and floor
A ladder joins the ceiling and floor.
North : Damaged wall. Hole.
South : Hole.
West : Hole.
On the floor are:
0: M2 laser 1: M1 laser 2: nothing
3: nothing 4: nothing 5: nothing
There are no other people in sight
-

Extreme Paranoia

In 1991 West End published a book named Extreme Paranoia: Nobody Knows the Trouble Ive Shot [amazon.com] that is set in the Paranoia universe. It is hilarious, and I highly recommend it.

Re:Extreme Paranoia

In 1991 West End published a book named Extreme Paranoia: Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Shot, that is set in the Paranoia universe.

The novel was written by Ken Rolston, PARANOIA's original line editor at West End during the game's golden period. Ken later went on to design the Morrowind computer game and is still involved with the expansions and future games in the series. Ken has provisionally agreed to contribute new material to PARANOIA XP, time permitting.

I'm turning you all in!

As the only white clearance troubleshooter of the bunch, you are all in direct violation of your security clearance by reading this white backgrounded forum!
Computer, I request immediate authority for summary execution of all fellow forum readers! I'll fill out the termination vouchers in triplicate later.

Damn I love Paranoia!
- OrbNobz

Are you going to fix it?

It seems all the paranoia games I've played in have lead to charges of treason even before getting to the mission briefing. Its a gag game, and as long as you take down your fellow citizen, who cares if you get vaporized as well? Is there going to be an attempt to address this problem, or are the people we play with just curs?

Re:Are you going to fix it?

It's a gag game, and as long as you take down your fellow citizen, who cares if you get vaporized as well? Is there going to be an attempt to address this problem, or are the people we play with just curs?

First, it's not a problem if the players are having fun. Second, the frenzy you describe, recognized among experienced PARANOIA GMs as "Phase 1" play, usually subsides after players play a few (or many) sessions. "Phase 2" play sees players get more into the spirit of the setting, though they die almost as often. By "Phase 3" you see canny political skills emerge. These players somehow manage to wriggle through every deathtrap and succeed in the mission, while disposing of all opposition and ending with commendations and a promotion. They're really something to see, those Phase 3 players.

Favorite Paranoia Gags

Always invite someone someone "inferior" to the session, and make them mission leader.

For example, if you are a group of high school seniors, invite a freshman kid over to play. He will try way too hard, and will be way gullible. If he's not, then congratulations, you actually found one worth keeping.

Always make sure that nobody knows more than one other person present (excluding gamemaster).

It's a lot easier to fear the unknown.

Always take each individual aside and assure them that you are on THEIR side against everyone else.

Everyone wants to feel special

ABOVE ALL ELSE: Don't forget the tactical nuclear hand greandes.

Boom ---- Yeah, way cool about the continuation of this game. This literally made growing up bearable. Reading and grocking paranoia makes it a lot easier to understand the world, and try to keep going. BTW, anyone ever read the six part comic series? Beautiful work, I miss my copies.

Shameless plug: Paranoia-Live

Just thought I would bring something to the attention of anyone interested in playing Paranoia over the net.

Paranoia-Live [paranoia-live.net] is a site dedicated to organizing and carrying out games of Paranoia over the internet, using a neat li'l Java app known amazingly enough as JParanoia.

Classic Moments in Paranoia Gaming

1. One of my players realizing the full, evil power of his role as Hygene Officer, in a roomfull of "Real Role Players". He brought along some old bottles of cologne, Listerine, and, soap for the washing of commie, mutant traitors. The poor bastards even went along with it.

2. A paranoia mission known as "Whitewash", wherein players were tasked with painting an Ultraviolet-clearance hallway Black. A Code-7 masterpiece, it was fully capable of killing dozens of clones with literally no prompting on the part of the GM.
Experienced players don't even bother with that one.

3. Telescopalmine. Visomorpain. Rolactin. ...and the side-effects that happen when you take 'em all at the same time.

4. Invisible Commies, sub-bots and Plaid-clearance rooms in "Alpha Complexities".

5. The sheer, character destroying joy of "Me and My Shadow", in which characters are tasked with guarding a Mark IV Continental Siege machine.
Anyone remember the simple joy of "A Piece Falls Off"?

Paranoia computer game!

Available here. [mit.edu]

The game dates from far back in the mists of time; it was originally adapted from a CYOA published in a magazine in 1977. It's a suprising amount of fun for something so small.

I use this to test new compilers and the such; it's a much more interesting variant on 'Hello, world!' (and not a lot more complicated).

File header follows:

/* This is a solo paranoia game taken from the Jan/Feb issue (No 77) of
* "SpaceGamer/FantasyGamer" magazine.
*
* Article by Sam Shirley.
* Implemented in C on Vax 11/780 under UNIX by Tim Lister
*
* This is a public domain adventure and may not be sold for profit
*
* $Source: /mit/softbone/source/src/paranoia/RCS/paranoia.c,v $
* $Author: tjcoppet $
*
*/

Memorable slashdot comment from way back

Paranoia: Like Logan's Run crossed with a Microsoft Ad.

(At least I think I remembered the wording correctly)

Re:yay first post!

Knowing about the game is FORBIDDEN. Not knowing about the game is RESTRICTED.

Please report to the nearest termination center.

Thank you!

Re:Be careful

I'm sure the graphics will be quite a bit degraded from the original, as back in the 80s we had vivid imaginations driven by hormones and angst at what seemed like an inevitable nuclear confrontation. Now that young people thing with their thumbs I'm sure the graphics will take quite a hit.

-dameron

Re:Be careful

Thanks to the vast improvements in modern graphics capabilities, it'll now be a side-scrolling platform game, a la "Super Mario Brothers." Other than that, however, no major changes are planned.