SERVE THE COMPUTER. THE COMPUTER IS YOUR FRIEND!The Computer wants you to be happy. If you are not happy, you may be used as reactor shielding. The Computer is crazy. The Computer is happy. The Computer will help you become happy. This will drive you crazy. Being a citizen of Alpha Complex is fun. The Computer says so, and The Computer is your friend. Rooting out traitors will make you happy. The Computer tells you so. Can you doubt The Computer? Being a Troubleshooter is fun. The Computer tells you so. Of course the Computer is right. Troubleshooters get shot at, stabbed, incinerated, stapled, mangled, poisoned, blown to bits, and occasionally accidentally executed. This is so much fun that many Troubleshooters go crazy. You will be working with many Troubleshooters. All of them carry lasers. Aren’t you glad you have a laser? Won’t this be fun? There are many traitors in Alpha Complex. There are many happy citizens in Alpha Complex. Most of the happy citizens are crazy. It is hard to say which is more dangerous, traitors or happy citizens. Watch out for both of them. The life of a Troubleshooter is full of surprises.
Stay alert!
Trust no one!
Keep your laser handy!
Paranoia is a tabletop RPG that came out around 30 years ago. It was revolutionary for its time, and holds up very well today. The basic premise is that some unknown calamity has wiped out humankind -- at least as far as you know -- leaving only the sealed underground environment known as Alpha Complex. Alpha Complex is ruled by the Computer, an omniscient and omnipotent entity that has everyone's best interests at heart. Trust Friend Computer.
As you may have gathered, Paranoia is a comedic game. There are rules, but these are largely visible only to the GM (me) who will ignore them regularly. Knowledge of the rules is considered treason, and is punishable by termination. Termination is actually a pretty common punishment, but your saving grace is that every player has six clones. When a clone is terminated, or misplaced, or goes rogue then another clone is immediately activated to take their place. The effect is that you have six lives, so death isn't as big of a deal as it might be in other games. It is not uncommon at all to lose one or two clones prior to or during the initial mission briefing.
This thread is an interest check. My plan is to run a single Paranoia adventure. In real life this might take a couple of hours. On the forums I'd expect to go for about a month or two, depending on how responsive players are.
Important Points:
- In my role as GM / Computer I will lie, cheat, steal and ruthlessly god-mode in service to the game. It's just that sort of game, and if that's not your cup of tea you probably won't be interested in what's being served.
- There will be backstabbing and PvP conflict. Everyone's primary mission, after all, is to root out traitors. Mutants are traitors. Members of Secret Societies are traitors. I can guarantee there will be at least one of each in the party. Think of this much like a Mafia/Werewolf type game and try not to take it too seriously -- your fellow players are all out to get you, but ideally the result should be comically tragic rather than dark and bloodthirsty.
- In the original Paranoia game sex isn't even an issue. Thanks to cloning technology, it's quite possible that no one in Alpha Complex has had sex in hundreds of years. This being Elliquiy, however, it's possible that the reintroduction of this lost art might form part of the plot of the adventure. Of course, engaging in the act would be considered high treason. Engaging in the act repeatedly without really understanding the mechanics of how its supposed to work, using extra equipment that you strongly believe must fit in somehow... well, that's just high comedy right there, folks.
- We'll use some kind of mostly randomized system to make characters, and you'll have your little sheet with your little numbers and abilities and so forth. I might even ask you to roll dice at some point. But most of that's just for show. If you're not the kind of person who likes system-based games, you'll do just fine in here. If you're the kind of person who gets upset that your +7% flanking bonus was computed incorrectly, then you're liable to get quite frustrated.
If you'd like a little more information about Paranoia and Alpha Complex, please visit your local library. Or read this link:
http://io9.com/5973846/why-the-paranoia-rpgs-alpha-complex-is-the-greatest-dystopia-of-all-time Reading is Fundamental!
Feel free to ask questions or express interest here, because that keeps the thread a-bumpin' up to the top of the sludge pile.
