Paranoia. New. Stay Alert. Keep Your Laser Handy.

MongooseMatt

MongooseMatt

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When there's a whisper that Mongoose Publishing is rebooting one of its classic RPGs with the biggest overhaul it's ever had, that's not really news-worthy. But when the whisper says that the multi-award-winning maestro of humour and narrative games James Wallis is assembling a superteam of up-and-coming writers to give the reboot a kick up the backside, that's a different matter.

We're not at liberty to say more at this stage, as there's mountains of paperwork to be filled out, briefings to be debriefed, and experimental mechanics from R&D to be thoroughly tested before we can go public, but we can advise you of two things...

1. You may find some more information at http://bit.ly/YwbIWZ
2. You should stay alert and keep your blaster handy.
 
YES! YES! YES! TAKE ALL OF MY MONEY! I have the full XP line of releases and the limited anniversary books as well! Always a good day cycle when I hear news like this!
 
A couple of things occur to me for, basically, any idea of a new edition of Paranoia:

1) Make the mechanics and rules even simpler. Based on d6s, preferably.

…and…

2) Support the Core Rules through a series of security clearance supplements. That is Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet. Include character and societal level tweaks, secret societies, history and a few scenarios for each.
 
Citizens! My longtime friend James Wallis, designer of the Baron Munchausen RPG and former doyen of Hogshead Publishing, has made this announcement:

"For the last six months I've been making references to an ongoing something in development that I've called 'X Project'. With ten days to go until the Kickstarter launches, I can officially announce that I am lead designer on a reboot of the classic tabletop game Paranoia, an RPG of 'a darkly humourous future'. It's a tale of brave Troubleshooters working to keep their home Alpha Complex and the beloved Computer who looks after them safe from mutants and terrorists who may very well be themselves. It's THX-1138 meets the Marx Brothers, in a world where a paranoid machine is watching everything you do.

"We're giving Paranoia a complete post-9/11 post-Snowden post-Google Glass update, my RED-clearance co-designers are Grant Howitt and Paul Dean, and we are having an approved weight measurement of fun with this. Playtests are going fantastically well. And in ten days the Kickstarter will hit and you won't be able to shut me up on the subject for the next month.

"Remember, stay alert! Trust no-one! And keep your laser handy!"

I urge all loyal citizens to support James and this project wholeheartedly, both in the upcoming Kickstarter campaign and with subsequent organ and blood donations as required.
 
And stand by for regular updates leading to the launch of the Kickstarter at 9:30am GMT on Friday 24th October!
 
Kickstarter date noted - check.
Credit card at the ready - check.
Excited by developments and development team - check.

Any new info appreciated! :D
 
"bring its tone and setting up to date", "cards and fast-paced tactical action and cascading chaos"

Hmmmmmmmmm, suddenly I'm less excited :(
 
finestgreen said:
"bring its tone and setting up to date", "cards and fast-paced tactical action and cascading chaos"

Hmmmmmmmmm, suddenly I'm less excited :(
Click to expand...

I hear you, but there's no point releasing an edition that doesn't update things. People are still playing 2nd ed and the 2004 (1st Mongoose) edition, let alone the 25th Anniversary books. A new edition has to offer newness.

Other than Paranoia, the only two RPG products I've bought in the past decade have been Baron Munchausen about five years ago, and Goblin Quest the other month (a Kickstarter which will be delivered next year). Given that the writers of these two games are two of the three writers on the new Paranoia, I am very interested to see what they're doing with cards and counters. And if I want a game about Commie Mutant Traitors instead of Terrorists, I can just run an earlier edition!
 
Danforth said:
finestgreen said:
"bring its tone and setting up to date", "cards and fast-paced tactical action and cascading chaos"

Hmmmmmmmmm, suddenly I'm less excited :(
Click to expand...

I hear you, but there's no point releasing an edition that doesn't update things. People are still playing 2nd ed and the 2004 (1st Mongoose) edition, let alone the 25th Anniversary books. A new edition has to offer newness.
Click to expand...

Don't get me wrong, they're still getting my money :) I'm just a little more nervous than I was
 
finestgreen said:
Don't get me wrong, they're still getting my money :) I'm just a little more nervous than I was
Click to expand...

I can understand that, but swing by the site on Friday and give it a chance - it really is a good 'un!
 
finestgreen said:
"bring its tone and setting up to date", "cards and fast-paced tactical action and cascading chaos"

Hmmmmmmmmm, suddenly I'm less excited

...

Don't get me wrong, they're still getting my money :) I'm just a little more nervous than I was
Click to expand...
My thoughts are pretty much the same. Not a fan of custom dice and cards that generate more requirements for convenient play. Do I have to make cards for everything I make up? :(

As a fan of Paranoia, I'm still likely to buy a copy unless it looks completely unworkable. (Perhaps from my FLGS instead of a Kickstarter?) I might not be switching to it any yearcycle soon, though. We'll see.

It is unfortunate that the other two Mongoose editions have disappeared as if they never existed. It's always nice when you can point people to the closest or exact version you're using. Ah, well.
 
My feeling is, having played it a few times now, that the old roll-a-d20 system was actually a mechanical overkill for what we were trying to achieve at the game table. We actually shifted it to a version of the old Ghostbusters system when I last played it as the system was a bit faster we felt.

I’ve no experience of the new system as it stands, so I can’t comment, but I’d be willing to try it.

In my view the essence of Paranoia as a game isn’t found in the way you roll dice or resolve tasks at all - but the comedic aspects of the situations you push players into. If you have a simple system that either allows that to happen or, indeed, enhances the chances of it happening, then it is worth checking out at least.
 
I have a question regarding the Character Creation skill selection we were given a sample of in KS. If I were the 5th person to choose a skill, am I required to take the +5 or can I chose to take the -5 and pass the +5 to another player? WillI be allowed to select Computer Hacking -5 giving another player Computer Hacking +5

Why yes friend computer, you are always right. Computer errors are definitely the work of a traitorous saboteur. If only I have the clearance needed to access Troubleshooters Database I may be able to point out who might be capable of such a traitorous act!
 
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