Mongoose Publishing

Reveille

I am curious to know why I should buy Paranoia and the perks and flaws about the system. Why should I purchase it and be playing it?

Allen Varney · Posted: Wed Nov 16, 2005 5:27 am Post subject:

For your easiest introduction to the game's virtues, read some of the reviews online, starting with the RPG.net review by Evan Waters (http://www.rpg.net/reviews/archive/10/10725.phtml ). The sidebar of the PARANOIA development blog (http://www.costik.com/paranoia/ ) lists many more reviews of the rulebook and its supplements.

Then, if PARANOIA sounds like your kind of game, check the introductory articles on the leading fan site, Paranoia-Live.net (http://www.paranoia-live.net/content.php?article). One called "Beginner's Guide to Life as a Troubleshooter" is a good start (http://www.paranoia-live.net/content.php?article.6).

After you have a sense of the setting's rudiments, you can get a lot of the game's flavor from the postings on Bill O'Dea's fan site, FriendComputer.net (http://www.friendcomputer.net/ ). And don't forget the free .PDF downloads here on the Mongoose site, such as Gareth Hanrahan's "Social Clubs" chapter deleted for space from the PARANOIA supplement The Traitor's Manual (and then shoved into the later supplement Extreme PARANOIA).

We hope you enjoy your sojourn in Alpha Complex. Remember, citizen, the laser emplacements are for your own safety, and there are absolutely NO bioengineered mind-control microorganisms in the water supply no matter what anyone tells you. None at all.
_________________
-- Allen Varney
PARANOIA (2004 edition) writer and designer
PARANOIA development blog:
http://paranoiarpg.blogspot.com/

Reveille · Posted: Thu Nov 17, 2005 6:06 am Post subject:

Thanks for the info Allen!

Dave Buehner · Shrew Joined: 12 Sep 2005 Posts: 19

because the computer told you to play it! : )

lastbesthope · Posted: Fri Nov 18, 2005 1:14 am Post subject:

Paranoia is fun! Other games are not fun! Buy Paranoia!

Laughing

LBH
_________________
I'll live forever, heaven won't let me in and hell's afraid I'll take over!!!

Mongoose Accolades

Allen Varney · Posted: Fri Nov 18, 2005 2:55 am Post subject:

Tut, tut, citizens. If a prospective player asks a reasonable question, it's impolite to resort to routine Alpha Complex info-denialspeak. The more sensible information you can convey in answering a sensible question, the likelier it is that the questioner will look into PARANOIA. And that's the goal, right?
_________________
-- Allen Varney
PARANOIA (2004 edition) writer and designer
PARANOIA development blog:
http://paranoiarpg.blogspot.com/

PaulB · Posted: Fri Nov 18, 2005 9:14 am Post subject:

It's possibly the only game (that I know of) that provides a range of game styles rather than backgrounds. You can find games that say you can use them for fantasy, science-fiction and modern horror (or whatever combination), but few systems offer the choice of serious and dark, backstabbing and fun, or hilarious and madcap. PARANOIA offers play options to suit your mood, both Gamemaster and players, rather than suiting your GMs urge to play a science-fiction campaign. That's why PARANOIA has acquired something of a reputation as a great game to slot between other games, because it provides a change of pace and mood, rather than just another alternate setting. With the new edition - simple, streamlined and packed with background detail - you also have the option to pursue the game as a long term effort as well as an occasional relief from overly serious and complicated roleplaying. I thoroughly recommend it.
_________________
Traitor Recycling Studio member
Omega Complex blog
Author of PARANOIA: The Underplex

Biggles · Cub Joined: 19 Nov 2005 Posts: 2 Location: Illinois, USA

Some other reasons why PARANOIA is a fantastic rpg, although I am biased:

1. It doesn't take itself seriously. This rpg isn't trying to enlighten players on the duality of good and evil (though it does happen) or trying to craft a truly authentic, consistent world full of Shakespearean-level drama. PARANOIA just wants to entertain people--and isn't that what a game should do?

2. You character dies and you can still play. Remember that time you took an hour to create a cool character, complete with a secret-ridden backstory and lots of nifty quirks and mannerisms, and then you were killed by a kobold and spent the rest of the night watching TV? Me too. In PARANOIA, dying is fun because you can come back and get revenge!

3. The game concentrates on fun, not record keeping. No one in PARANOIA worries about encumbrance modifiers or number of meters per minute a character could run--unless that would be entertaining for some odd reason. People do not bow down before the rulebook in PARANOIA--the rules are bent, broken or ignored if they would interfere with having fun.

4. Backstabbing is a good thing in this game. Ever play online deathmatches? Wasn't it fun to take out your buddy with a well-placed shot? Now you can do that in an RPG. Gone are the days when you are forced to play nicey-nice. Hell, PARANOIA actively encourages you to play dirty!

Do you see the emphasis above on the word 'fun'? PARANOIA is just plain fun to play. So I'd highly recommend giving it a try--at the very least, go to Paranoia-Live and download JParanoia, the java application that lets you play PARANOIA online. Best of all, you don't need to know any rules!

darth_azabrush · Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2005 11:06 pm Post subject:

Playing Paranoia makes you a better co oprative roleplayer as you get all the needless violence out of your system!

lastbesthope · Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2005 2:14 am Post subject:

darth_azabrush · Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2005 2:24 pm Post subject:

But it can be problematic in some games!

lastbesthope · Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2005 11:48 pm Post subject:

darth_azabrush · Posted: Wed Nov 23, 2005 11:38 am Post subject:

Ok. Just so long as I have made my point. Even games like Macho Women With Guns have a violence threshold!

Cristo Meyers · Banded Mongoose Joined: 21 Oct 2005 Posts: 228

Why play Paranoia?

Paranoia is the one game where the mission can be to take a message down the hall and yet still be hilariously fun.

Paranoia is the one game where a character can die before the game even starts...gotta love registration forms.

Paranoia is the one game where you can kill another player for ANYTHING (including not playing Paranoia).

It requires no teaching, no experience, and best of all, no intelligence (though the intelligence usually helps).

And, of course, the final reason to play Paranoia:

so you'll actually understand the joke when I say "because the Computer said so!"

Jeremy757 · Cub Joined: 04 Feb 2006 Posts: 1