Paranoia XP

Standards and practices

Allen Varney — 2004-09-02T22:01:55Z

The newly released PARANOIA XP edition from Mongoose Publishing has met with good response, even in such far-flung venues as this Hero Games thread. But then again, this distressing account on Paranoia-Live.net gave me pause. This experienced Gamemaster, who is running PARANOIA for the first time, has found it impossible to induce his players to backstab each other. They're all working (shudder) together. The thread includes valuable suggestions from other GMs on how to sow dissension.

Evidently these disgustingly cooperative players are still having fun, which after all (I remind myself) is the whole point. But I see a need here for proper education of the gaming public in correct PARANOIA standards and practices. Do you agree? If so, how should this happen?

Paranoia-Live chat posted

Allen Varney — 2004-08-31T22:45:39Z

This past weekend I bloviated, entirely by permission for once, in a two-hour online chat with the loyal citizens of Paranoia-Live.net. Paranoia-Livemeister Andy "Jazzer" Fitzpatrick has now posted the transcript of that session.

Smoothing?

Allen Varney — 2004-08-31T18:50:43Z

Perhaps you were unaware that Alpha Complex, in addition to its many other virtues, offers serious smoothing power.

Crash Priority

Allen Varney — 2004-08-27T19:50:04Z

In an earlier post I prematurely announced Toxic Schlock Syndrome, a PARANOIA mission by my good friend and Famous Game Designer Aaron Allston. I have entered an Official Reprimand in my own permanent record for jumping the gun. Inexplicably, Aaron decided to write a certain-to-be-bestselling Star Wars novel instead of earning a flat-fee pittance in Alpha Complex. Go figure! Though no Toxic Schlock looms in the foreseeable future, the parting was amicable, we wish Aaron well, and we'll certainly welcome him back when his schedule permits.

In Toxic's stead we have a new 64-page mission collection, Crash Priority. To write this and several future supplements I have recruited veterans of the Toothpaste Disaster Lexicon game into an informal confederation of subcontractors, the Traitor Recycling Studio. An extract from the proposed back cover copy:

The finest (and fastest-working) Famous Game Designers in PARANOIA-dom bring you five short yet hysterical missions in the Classic, Straight and Zap play styles:

'Traitor Backup' by Beth Fischi: Serve drinks to traitors in the Termination Center? Isn't that, uh, treason?

'Stealth Train' by Dan Curtis Johnson: Guard a super-vehicle so incredibly advanced, it barely even exists!

'Down the TUBE' by Paul Baldowski: In Alpha Complex, walking through a subway can kill you. Repeatedly.

'Hello Yesterday, Goodbye Tomorrow' by Andy Fitzpatrick: Stop the addictive Commie software virus T3tr.1s.

'Nyuk Nyuk Nyuk' by Jeff Groves: Huh? You think we’d rip off an Old Reckoning comedy trio? Oh, a wiseguy! Why, I oughta....

Crash Priority also includes three time-saving sets of six-shooters, instant Troubleshooter player characters, all with built-in rivalries and suspicions about each other. Just hand them out to your players, drop them into any mission and they'll start backstabbing in mere moments. (Anything that saves time is good. Trust us.)
Crash Priority, which betrays no sign whatever of hasty composition or tight deadlines, should hit the shelves in October.

Forum update

Allen Varney — 2004-08-26T05:36:17Z

Mongoose Publishing has marked the release of the new PARANOIA XP edition by starting a PARANOIA forum. Meanwhile, the ceaselessly active RPG.net has a PARANOIA XP Love-in Thread. (There's also an entertaining play-by-post PARANOIA game in progress; it uses second-edition rules.) Anyone found other XP discussions elsewhere on the Web?

I have returned home from visiting my mother, who made a stunningly quick recovery from her minor surgery. (How did this tough woman give birth to me, a total wuss?) With the help of my wife, Beth Fischi, I'm finishing up layout on the first XP supplement, Gareth Hanrahan's The Traitor's Manual, the comprehensive treatise on Alpha Complex secret societies. We're expecting the interior illustrations from Jim Holloway soon. The Traitor's Manual should appear in September. I'll post extracts from the book in the lead-up to publication, and I hope Mongoose will make available a chapter cut from the book as a free download.

After Traitor's Manual comes another PARANOIA supplement -- something no one has announced yet. I'll talk about it here later this week, unless some traitorous fink gets a scoop on the story elsewhere.

PARANOIA XP released!

Allen Varney — 2004-08-20T18:19:36Z

My mother's surgery went well and I am now finding time to get online, albeit in a hobbled laptoppish way. Mongoose Publishing has released PARANOIA XP and the accompanying Gamemaster Screen at Gen Con in Indianapolis. Loyal High Programmer and demo master Takyn-U-RUN is chronicling the event day-by-day on the front page of Paranoia-Live.net. The first review has already appeared on Gaming Report -- five stars. Congratulations and/or thanks to all as appropriate.

Update on Paranoi.be, the Belgian social networking site based on Alpha Complex security clearances: Everything is working out famously, we're all friends, we wish the site and its programmer all the best, and we still wish we spoke French.

Unpropitious time to leave town

Allen Varney — 2004-08-17T15:26:01Z

With the return of PARANOIA to print after a ten-year absence -- in a brand-new 256-page hardcover XP edition, no less, and a Gamemaster Screen! -- due this Friday at Gen Con in Indianapolis -- mere days away! -- and with Gareth Hanrahan's The Traitor's Manual secret-society supplement barreling toward its final production deadline for publication in September -- 96 pages, all great stuff! -- what better time, really, for my mother to have minor surgery for a hiatal hernia? While I care for her in her convalescence, I must unfortunately bow out of here (and out of the active forums at Paranoia-Live.net) for one week, until August 25th. You good citizens stay loyal while I'm gone, all right?

Incredibly cool copyright violation

Allen Varney — 2004-08-14T02:55:25Z

As long as everyone is clear that this post in no way condones, accepts, tolerates, or permits blatantly illegal infringement on the copyright and trademark of the PARANOIA setting, nor abrogates or limits our right to prosecute to the fullest extent of international law, let me just point out that this Belgian social-networking site, which brazenly rips off the Alpha Complex security-clearance color system and its secret societies, reeeeally makes me wish I spoke French. Can anyone provide a translation and a review in the comments? --On the clear understanding, of course, that in so asking, we still steadfastly deny anyone's right to heist our game concepts.

(Can anyone confirm that this felonious-but-nonetheless-neato site was programmed by one Jean-Charles Nades?)

Mystic society duties?

Allen Varney — 2004-08-13T16:33:17Z

This weekend my wife, Beth Fischi, and I are finishing up Gareth Hanrahan's The Traitor's Manual for its release next month by Mongoose Publishing. This first PARANOIA XP supplement describes the recruiting and initiation practices, propaganda, meeting sites, typical missions, and much other useful stuff about all 16 secret societies revealed in the PARANOIA rulebook.

One subsection for each group describes the duties typical members have, based on their degree (rank) in the society. Lowly player characters usually start play at degrees 1-4, but can aspire to rise to the powerful degree 20. Their duties vary by degree. For instance, here's the duty description for the secret society Pro Tech:

Degree 1-5: Make the coffee. Photocopy the blueprints. Recover the blueprints from the IntSec office after you accidentally left the original on the glass. Steal the photocopier, as it can be converted into a matter duplicator with the application of a little Science!

Degree 6-10: At this level, members are expected to be the lead designers and researchers in their cell's projects, even if they have no clue about how to make the project actually work.

Degree 11-15: Assemble different society cells into Special Project Groups, often by finding and infiltrating them first.

Degree 16-20: Hide all evidence of the Special Project Group disaster.

Longtime PARANOIA players might, through sheer deductive brilliance, determine the society that requires the following duties:

Degree 1-5: Protect bots from abuse or destruction. Encourage citizens to love, respect and obey bots. Purge emotion and organic weaknesses, like sweating or digestion. Food is for meat!

Degree 6-10: Members of this level serve as cell leaders and coordinators. One major ongoing society goal is curtailing or destroying the efforts of rival organizations like the Frankenstein Destroyers or PURGE.

Degree 11-15: To continue advancing beyond this level, a human member will have to prove his dedication to the cause through cybernetic alteration or uploading.

Degree 16-20: Plan for the mathematically certain domination of the universe by machines.

The Traitor's Manual is a delightful read, full of stimulating and funny ideas. But at one point Gar's inspiration flagged -- the duties at different degrees required of the Mystics. Perhaps the general society goals of "Find new drugs and get high" don't really lend themselves to diversification across different ranks. But I'll ask just the same -- any ideas?