Paranoia

Well I bet you're happy now. You better be. Happiness is mandatory.

I'd be happy even if it wasn't mandatory. I'm going to ask if my name is going to be put in a "special thanks" with my backer level in it. Because I think it'd be hilarious to metagame that to absurd degree. "Hey, you're not cleared for that!" "Yes I am; see, I'm listed in the book as having Violet clearance!"

I suspect that someone would take white-out to their book shortly thereafter, but it'd be a hilarious argument moment.

When it comes time to get input, I'm going to make sure that the chart for calculating damage for falling, all the way up to "Orbital Re-entry" is kept in the new edition. It really needs to be in there.

Ha. Bribing Your Way to Victory!

More seriously issue with kickstarter has been with fans as backers it can let to Pandering To The Bases rather than necessarily making the best product. Keeping poor elements design in games for the sake of tradition and the pleasing the fans to the detriment of the whole. Sometimes you've got to Murder Your Darling

Anything from the older Editions you really don't think work and should be left on the cutting room floor?

Bribing My Way To Victory? I'd like to think that it's perfectly in line with Paranoia playstyle.

As for the fact that some stuff from older editions will have to be left behind... yeah, that's true. And other stuff will have to be changed. I'm not necessarily caring whether or not the damage numbers for falling stay the same. In fact, those numbers probably could stand to be tweaked. However, it makes perfect sense to have a "falling damage" chart, and it's just funny to list it all the way up to "falling from orbit." It's those small touches that make it so enjoyable.

For stuff from older editions that probably should be left out... well, I suspect that one area where we're going to see huge overhaul is regarding secret societies and Friend Computer's biggest bugaboo, communism. To some extent, Paranoia was a product of its time, and many of the overarching themes are evident of that. If we're doing a true revamp of the game, I think it would be best (although I know how controversial this might be for some) to revamp just how things work. A world where Computer's biggest threat isn't Communists but Terrorists would make it relevant to today, plus would tie into the secret societies as "cells of treasonous activity" pretty well.

Relatedly, many of the secret societies would need overhaul. Communists could still be around, and just as misguided as before, but I expect that they wouldn't be nearly so high on the list of targets (which could result in them amusingly being insulted and trying to figure out how to get their old prominence back). I think Death Leopard would need a drastic overhaul; it didn't age well. There's still room for "anarchic frat boy behavior," of course, but I think it'd need to be much different (particularly the name). I suspect the Computer Phreaks are due for an overhaul; maybe throw in a bit more online culture. PURGE in particular is probably going to be really monkeyed with; I'm just not sure in which direction.

I also would expect new secret societies. Maybe one obsessed with surveillance. Another could be obsessed with blogging. And then there's the one that's taken shape in my mind - DOOMstep, the party kids obsessed with having fun on their terms, not The Computer's. They like loud music, powerful drugs, and the state of mind known as "wub". Their obsession with messing with everyone's brain chemistry (more than sometimes resulting in a bad combination), distracting citizens of all levels from their work, the implication that The Computer isn't making people happy enough, and worst of all, their loud late night parties has resulted in Friend Computer ready to crack down on them.

EDIT: As shown by Project Update #5, they are in fact going with terrorism and not communism as the numero uno threat, though they promised to keep the communists. I'm not sure if this means I'm on the same thought wavelength as the publishers, or if I secretly have mutant telepathic powe-THIS USER HAS BEEN TERMINATED FOR BEING A SUBVERSIVE MUTANT. HAVE A NICE DAYCYCLE!

edited 31st Oct '14 10:29:14 AM by 32_Footsteps

I've never played Paranoia, but I very much want to.

...I'm a little disappointed that Communists are being supplanted; it kind of doesn't seem like it should be necessary. The fact that Communism is just a nebulous threat feared by the Computer with remote at best connections to actual communist ideology is part of the humour. Terrorism is just a method; it reduces the contrast between reality as portrayed by the delusional Computer and reality as understood by the players. :P

I ad the same thought, but ya know, the more I think of it the more I like it.

A Terrorist can be so much more nebulously defined than a communist, which fits the whole Paranoia "Accuse your teammates" "Always looking over your shoulder out of fear of accusations".

edited 31st Oct '14 1:50:49 PM by CobraPrime

Also, I don't think you lose any humor. Think, one of the ironies of the original Paranoia was that Friend Computer runs a communist state, yet is really worried about communists. Similarly, many objectives would end up counting as terrorism, yet Friend Computer sends you out to perform them. And even for the ones that aren't, the game practically encourages terrorist behavior from its players even in the old editions.

Plus, there is the metacommentary about how "communism" became such a nebulous term as to become almost meaningless political doublespeak in the 1980's, whereas there's a strong argument that "terrorism" has hit that point today.

Besides, they did promise that communists will still be around.

And of course, terrorism is literally "forcing political change or compliance through fear."

What do you think IntSec's purpose is, exactly?

Hey I realised that according the the wiki and the other wiki, the Infrared clearance is visualaly represented by the 'colour' black while ultra violent is repressed by white. Not the other way a round as I assumed (that explains why the GM was so big on killing me).

Wouldn't it make more sense both (thematically and scientifically) that white is lower then black? (Think Black Ops and Black belt) or is that meant to part of the joke?

It means that INFRARED clearance areas appear dark and dingy, and represents the comparatively inefficient surveillance and maintenance (frequent blackouts), while the scrupulously maintained ULTRAVIOLET areas appear clean and sterile. It also gives a bit of a clinical feel to the area, appropriate for the manipulators who have come to view all other clearances as expendable pawns.

Think of white's connotation with the divine and godly, and think what High Programmers (Them dudes with UV rank) are like in the eyes of infrareds. They are allowed to reprogram Friend Computer. They are allowed to have treasonous thoughts without repercussion (If the fill in the proper form)

It's also a spectrum think: Black is the absence of color. Infrared have no rank (Being even below the Reds) White is all the colors combined, and a High Programmer is above all the other ranks but also commands countless minions and henchmen of every rank beneath them part of the personal programming group (Read: Legal Secret Society).

Also, Gamma Rank (which totally doesn't exist and is treason to talk about!) would be transparent or clear. Meaning there might be the world's most powerful nudist living in a glass house inside alpha complex.

edited 4th Nov '14 1:33:08 AM by Ghilz

I honestly love Paranoia, and I think the system could be used to build an RPG based on Welcome to Night Vale. Anyone with me?