A Question About Paranoia

[RayGallade]

Hi guys.

I was wondering, is it possible to participate in a game of Paranoia without ever having even looked at any of the books? I've been thinking about possibly joining one, but I have absolutely no experience in the game.

[TheCountAlucard]

Hi guys.

I was wondering, is it possible to participate in a game of Paranoia without ever having even looked at any of the books? I've been thinking about possibly joining one, but I have absolutely no experience in the game.This question is above your security clearance, citizen.

Of course you can play without looking at the books - in fact, knowing the rules of the game is treason.

[DontEatRawHagis]

Hi guys.

I was wondering, is it possible to participate in a game of Paranoia without ever having even looked at any of the books? I've been thinking about possibly joining one, but I have absolutely no experience in the game.

If your GM reads the book, then he'll have a few pregens ready. The Basics of it are easily understood without the book. Player's handbook for Paranoia is useless

[Arbane]

You'll be fine. Just let the GM know you'll need help making a character.

You're providing the Ignorance, the GM provides the Fear, you're all set for a short and happy life as a Troubleshooter!

[turkishproverb]

Hi guys.

I was wondering, is it possible to participate in a game of Paranoia without ever having even looked at any of the books? I've been thinking about possibly joining one, but I have absolutely no experience in the game.

That's probably for the best.

[Katana_Geldar]

All the information that is appopriate for your security level, citizen, will be provided for you by the Ultraviolet clearance level representative of the computer, the Game Master.

Do not worry, citizen, worry makes you unhappy and Friend Computer does not want you to be unhappy. Happyness is mandatory. Have a nice daycycle.

[supermonkeyjoe]

I jumped into a game of Paranoia for a one-shot game with a pre-gen character and had no trouble with it, in fact I'd say not knowing the rules or anything about the system made it more enjoyable.

[The Glyphstone]

In fact, knowing the rules is specifically against the rules, so unlike 90+% of players, you are doing it very right.

[Tyndmyr]

Hi guys.

I was wondering, is it possible to participate in a game of Paranoia without ever having even looked at any of the books? I've been thinking about possibly joining one, but I have absolutely no experience in the game.

This is good! Knowledge of the rules is treason, citizen! If you note your fellow citizens violating this rule, please inform them that they are commie traitor scum, and need to report to the local incineration chamber for processing! Have a nice day!

[Bearpunch]

In fact, knowing the rules is specifically against the rules, so unlike 90+% of players, you are doing it very right.

... how does that work?

[Mono Vertigo]

... how does that work?

This question is also above your security clearance, comrade citizen.
No, I never get tired of that running gag either.

[TheCountAlucard]

...knowing the rules is specifically against the rules...


Knowledge of the rules is treason, citizen!

Uhh, I believe I beat you guys to it.


Of course you can play without looking at the books - in fact, knowing the rules of the game is treason.


... how does that work?Very well, thanks. :smallsmile:

[Bearpunch]

I have to play this game.

[Friv]

... how does that work?

In slightly more seriousness, how it works is that the Computer, in the form of the GM, tells you to roll a die, you tell him what you rolled, and he tells you what happened. Some GMs will be kind enough to give you rough guidelines for what usually constitutes success, but it's not actually required of them.

All hail the most glorious Computer!

Seriously, though, I've run a lot of games for people who hadn't read the rules, and they always worked out well.

[Jayh]

I grabbed this off of something awful a few months ago. Hilarity ensues

"For many years, my local gaming con ran a Paranoia LARP in the last session. As you can guess, this resulted in a lot of hilarity and quite a bit of madness. (One prize moment was when the entire game - about sixty people - marched through the Student Union dressed in red, singing 'If You're Happy And You Know It' as loud as they could. We had to, the GMs were watching us like hawks and several clones died for not being enthusiastic enough with the song.) It was all in good fun, and there was the occasional bad player. But none ever topped Brad.

Brad was, to put it mildly, an rear end in a top hat. He was (and still is) a narcissistic, self-important goth with a serious drug habit and a love for violence against other players. He attended the LARP but once, and it was glorious.

First, he showed up to the session ten minutes late. The GMs were lenient and gave him a treason point.
Then he sat down in one of the blue chairs, set up to catch the unwary. Treason point.
A GM asked him if he was familiar with the game. He commented confidently "Yeah, I've read the rules." Treason point.
Starting the big talk again, the GM loudly asked the players, "Okay, so who here is a mutant?" Brad raised his hand. Treason point.
"And who here is a member of a secret society?" Brad again raised his hand. Treason point, and the GMs calmly described as a laser turret dropped from the ceiling, vaporized Brad's character, and his next clone showed up.

Yes, this man had managed to have a clone die before gameplay even started.

Over the next four hours, he got into a ridiculous amount of trouble, including breaking the con's safety regulations twice. He eventually ran away from his team and basically hid from the game for two hours. Then a GM killed off his last clone when he caught Brad outside having a smoke.

So yes - you can't have a bad Paranoia player if it's run even half-correctly. They just turn into sources of humor for everyone else."

http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3198150&userid=0&perpage=40&pagenumber=24

[Katana_Geldar]

I have to play this game.

Of course you do, citizen! Paranoia is fun! Other games are not fun! Play Paranoia!

In Paranoia, if the players aren't killing each other ten minutes into the game you are doing something wrong.
My favourite Paranoia death was'at a con, when a player drowned another using Doom Magnet.

[Vassago]

On a somewhat related note I have been wanting to run/play paranoia for awhile now. I bought the handbook and read through it but still can not seem to figure out where to begin when running a game. Any helpful information on DMing a game of paranoia would be greatly appreciated.

[turkishproverb]

Of course you do, citizen! Paranoia is fun! Other games are not fun! Play Paranoia!

In Paranoia, if the players aren't killing each other ten minutes into the game you are doing something wrong.
My favourite Paranoia death was'at a con, when a player drowned another using Doom Magnet.

...

You are awesome.

[Katana_Geldar]

Of course I am, citizen. I am your friend, The Computer. :smallbiggrin:

[big teej]

On a somewhat related note I have been wanting to run/play paranoia for awhile now. I bought the handbook and read through it but still can not seem to figure out where to begin when running a game. Any helpful information on DMing a game of paranoia would be greatly appreciated.

well, I just started a recruitment thread trying to get a paranoia game going, maybe you should have a looksie