Paranoia

[Crothian]

*blink*

Your party *allows* the comm officer to film things? To actually gather evidence that could be used against them?

That is... insufficiently paranoid. Are they... actually working like a team?

They did work together at times like a team. One group actually followed Team Leaders orders. It was a different strategy (actually listening to each each other) and worked at times. Honestly, as long as the group is having fun I just let them go as they want.

 

[MerricB]

Paranoia was the first game where a new edition disappointed me greatly, and I didn't play it much after that. And no, I'm not talking about the retconned-out-of-existence 5th edition... I'm talking about 2nd edition. The game went from a percentile system to a d20 system, and made a few other changes that meant it never quite felt "right" to me again.

Back in my 1E days, the funniest adventure I played in saw one of the PCs vaporizing themselves with a ricochet from a laser blast *within the briefing room*, and then being executed for not reporting to the briefing as they were now locked out!

Cheers!

 

[Storminator]

Back in my 1E days, the funniest adventure I played in saw one of the PCs vaporizing themselves with a ricochet from a laser blast *within the briefing room*, and then being executed for not reporting to the briefing as they were now locked out!

Cheers!

I was in Piratecat's GenCon game many years ago where we killed 17 clones before the end of the briefing . . .

PS

 

[Crothian]

Here was something fun that had not happened to me before. A player who was new to the game had the following items on her character sheet. These are standard issue items that all Troubleshooters have always had in games I run and I just copied them from sample characters from the books.

Laser pistol body
3 Red Barrels

The barrels are for the gun, but she didn't realize that. She thought her character was carrying around actual large barrels. During one of the combats she wanted to throw it at the enemy Donkey Kong style. Her husband, and experienced Paranoia player, quietly corrected her. I cut in and thought it was a funny idea and let her have barrels to throw at the bad guys. The next game I played the Equipment Guy was requisitioning a new weapon for a character and so I gave him large sized red barrels instead.

 

[Umbran]

They did work together at times like a team. One group actually followed Team Leaders orders. It was a different strategy (actually listening to each each other) and worked at times. Honestly, as long as the group is having fun I just let them go as they want.

I'm all for having fun. But... there's something to be said for finding the fun by embracing the intended experience, as well. I mean, you can play Paranoia like a normal, cooperative adventure game, but... why?

 

[Crothian]

I'm all for having fun. But... there's something to be said for finding the fun by embracing the intended experience, as well. I mean, you can play Paranoia like a normal, cooperative adventure game, but... why?

In the character write ups I do mention not trusting the others and usually pointing one in particular not to trust. But players either don't seem to read it or don't act on it. If you have suggestions for making a Paranoia group more paranoid I'd love to hear them.

 

[Enkhidu]

I'm all for having fun. But... there's something to be said for finding the fun by embracing the intended experience, as well. I mean, you can play Paranoia like a normal, cooperative adventure game, but... why?

You've never read "Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Shot," have you?

 

[Nytmare]

In general, I find that a group of people playing a new game are going to test the waters by playing it the same exact way they play other games. Stressing that this game is different from the get go is important.

Introducing Paranoia to people almost always needs a ringer in my opinion, to show people how to point the gun at their friends and pull the trigger. If you can't do that I'd make sure that everyone has personal agendas and secret society goals that contradict each other and leave as many casualties as possible. If all else fails, handing out a very limited amount of R&D equipment with a blast radius is a safe bet.

 

[Umbran]

If you have suggestions for making a Paranoia group more paranoid I'd love to hear them.

The usual way to turn them into backstabbing freaks is to force the issue. You have mounds of NPCs - briefing officers, PL&C drones, anyone of higher clearance they run into, as well as Friend Computer itself, to force the PCs into throwing each other under the bus.

For example:

Briefing Officer: Friend Citizen! Your regulation jumpsuit has a smudge upon it!
PC: Um. Oh. Sorry!
BO: Why, citizen, is it smudged?
PC: Well, we were in a bit of a scuffle before we got into the briefing room.
BO: And your Hygiene Officer? Where was he in this scuffle?
PC: Um, well... he was in the scuffle, sir.
BO: So, your Hygiene Officer was derelict in his duty, committing unsanctioned violent acts (we shall have to review the tapes from the Communications Officer) and has not been keeping your troubleshooting team up to regulation standards of cleanliness?
PC: Oh, no, sir! It isn't his fault...
BO: Then, you maintain the smudge, and the resulting failure to comply with regulations is all your own fault? Of course, I need not remind you, who are the Loyalty Officer, that failure to comply with regulations is treason! So, citizen, which of you is responsible?!!
PC: ...

They learn, very quickly, that trusting others is a good way to die.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Plus there's the whole loading the party with incompatible secret societies, etc.