Paranoia old vs new.

[darth_azabrush]

Well thats the great thing about out of print systems. Any new content is fan approved and I must say Journies is a wonderful suplement and that drama points are such a cool idea.

 

[Allen Varney]

Why do they (I mean republishers/editors), have to always change the original game mechanics?

In the case of the new PARANOIA edition, I saw opportunities to make the game more like what it really is -- that is, to refocus the systems to support the kinds of player interactions that people remembered most fondly from the original game.

When you ask a longtime PARANOIA fan to recount his favorite memories from old second-edition games, he immediately launches into stories of memorable calamities, backstabbings, and hose jobs. Never at any point have I heard one of these players say, "I loved that character because he had a really high Moxie score and terrific Endurance." These character aspects never figured in their recollections of the game's high points. The memories were always, always about setting and mutual player betrayal.

I (re)designed PARANOIA to heighten those kinds of interactions and reduce the non-essential rules clutter of the older versions.

 

[xombie]

My group is comprised of three types of gamers when it comes to Paranoia.

Noobs - They've barely played DnD let alone graduated to other games.
Veterans - We've been gaming for far longer than we can remember.
Paranoid Veterans - These guys have played a lot of old school Paranoia.

The one common factor here is that we all like the system. New stuff, old stuff it doesn't matter. They all seem to like the rules in XP.

 

[Clangador]

I could use Paranoia for a whole host of post apocalyptic type adventures.
The one thing I don't like is the lack of rules for fighting critters. I'm in the process of writing down my house rules for the game.

 

[PaulB]

The one thing I don't like is the lack of rules for fighting critters.

What do you find lacking in the current system that makes you feel you need additional rules for critters?

You give the critter a Violence score and a specialty check of 'Poke with stinger' or 'Rend with claws' - voila. You might make a note to say how the critter reacts to damage levels (like 'Ignores snafu' or 'Tends to bleed profusely if maimed'... whatever), along with it's weapons and natural armour. Then you set the PCs against one of them, or a hoard, or a swarm.

Paul

 

[Clangador]

There is just nothing in the rules about fighting critters. Not that that is really a bad thing. It's just a thing.

 

[Allandaros]

Well, that's like pointing to D&D and saying "You don't have any rules for fighting critters, just a generic combat system which you can use for anything." :wink:

 

[xombie]

I really don't think a "monster combat system" is necessary. Your house rules are a better idea than some published system because they're yours and you'll know them well enough to run them well.

Why memorize charts that someone else wrote, when it's easier to remember ideas you've designed on your own.

Oh and post those house rules if you feel like it when they are done.

 

[Clangador]

I really don't think a "monster combat system" is necessary. Your house rules are a better idea than some published system because they're yours and you'll know them well enough to run them well.

Why memorize charts that someone else wrote, when it's easier to remember ideas you've designed on your own.

Oh and post those house rules if you feel like it when they are done.

The other night when I was GM Paranoia I mentioned the AC doesn't have any animals in it and the PCs don't know what they are. The players looked at me odd. Now I'm wondering if I should have said that.

 

[Mark Dunder]

I (re)designed PARANOIA to heighten those kinds of interactions and reduce the non-essential rules clutter of the older versions.

You misunderstood me. I think this redesign is better than all the other versions by far. I don't think it can get much better. I meant to say all the other RPGs didn't need a redesign. The old Paranoia had that skill tree that you actually brought back to a certain degree. I just wasn't paying attention.

I have the original TSR Conan RPG. It has Talents (skills, abilities, etc.) grouped much like in Paranoia. It has no characteristics like Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence, Wisdom, etc. Like Paranoia's Skills, it just has what are collectively called Talents. It's why I think the game is by far more superior than other RPGs. Like Paranoia, it's simple but when you step back, it's not.

Clangador is right, Paranoia, like my talent game, can easily be used to run any other type of genre. All you have to do is add skills, perhaps different skill catagories, and you are up and playing.

As far as critters are concerned, just give them the skills they need. Action skills: Stealth and Violence is all they really need. If you want, you could give them a mutant power: Rat, Matter Eater. Give them tics: Bird (sings, chicka-dee-dee-dee, all the time). If size is important, give them Management: Intimidation.

Or make up a new skill if you have to.

I think this game has powerful concepts, and Allen Varney did it all. Go go go.

 

[darth_azabrush]

This my favourite critter! The 80foot Commie Teddybot!

Teddybotski
Unarmed Combat: 24
Field Weapons: 13
Equipment: Twin Flame Throwers, Reflective fur (Armour: E1), Solid construction (Armour: 2), Killer hug (W3K)
[/b]

 

[Allen Varney]

Well, I did it with a ton of help from the PARANOIA fan community and the writers who would, in the happy fullness of time, become the Traitor Recycling Studio....

The other night when I was GM Paranoia I mentioned the AC doesn't have any animals in it and the PCs don't know what they are. The players looked at me odd.

This is correct for the canonical Alpha Complex setting. There are no animals, except some rats in the sewers and food vats. Citizens do have a weird conception of some of the dangerous wildlife Outdoors, because they see it every night on HPD&MC action-adventure shows -- radioactive bears with poison fangs, hideous vampire bats in swarms that darken the skies, ticks that burrow into your body and explode, etc.

 

[Mark Dunder]

radioactive bears with poison fangs, hideous vampire bats in swarms that darken the skies, ticks that burrow into your body and explode, etc.

That's exactly why I stay indoors.

Those rats wouldn't have survived those food vats, I'm sure.

I change many of the RPG games I play (not all), and I'm really sick of that. They never seem to do it up right. I'm glad Paranoia came along, cause I can just play it like it is. Makes life fun, finally.

 

[Cristo Meyers]

I wasn't aware Paranoia had rules to be honest. The first time I played it I thought we were all just screwing around trying to kill each other.

"Why is your shoe untied, citizen?"

Yes, that question ended up in my demise.

 

[Neo]

I wasn't aware Paranoia had rules to be honest. The first time I played it I thought we were all just screwing around trying to kill each other.

"Why is your shoe untied, citizen?"

Yes, that question ended up in my demise.

heh, it has a fairly good ruleset actually nice and simple..but the nature of the game is one of high mortality.

So long as you remember the Computer is your friend..you can't go far wrong citizen

 

[Mark Dunder]

The first time I played it I thought we were all just screwing around trying to kill each other.

That's actually the real ruleset. Boy, are you smart or what?

 

[Gwaihir]

The cool thing about paranoia is that since it's treasonous for the players to know the rules, you can pretty much make 'em up, and take em or leave em as you see fit. If any players question you, then they have knowledge of treasonous information, and therefore need to be 'dealt' with.