Paranoia: Ultraviolets only! Have a few very secret questions

[Katana_Geldar]

Ok, just a warning that if you aren't a Paranoia GM you will probably be spoiled as I want to discuss missions.

You have been warned!

http://www.friendcomputer.com/fc.png

Okay, I run Paranoia at cons and recently I've had to cut up a mission as I really wanted to run it, Orcbusters from Redux. Now I have Redux Redux and the next mission I want to run is one of the Commie ones in there. And they're long too.

Now I have always run Paranoia as a one-shot self-contained mission, a sort of break from gaming for the week if you will. This is why it's a brilliant game to run at a con as it it's short.

But what is with these longer missions? Are they a remnant of other editions? As I have noticed that these older missions are just reprints, not updates.

[Mustard]

Unfortunately, I can't help you with your question on what's up with the longer missions (the one in first or second ed looks quite long, for example). But maybe I can help you customize it for time?

Edit: More commentary on the length of missions. As I said, the sample mission in first edition (or might have been second?) looks quite long. That said, some of the missions in Crash Priority, which is relatively recent I think, have suggested run times of 1-2 sessions. I ran Stealth Train in one session, but it was a little longer than usual.

Also, I re-read your post and it seems like you already had a handle on managing the mission length. Perhaps my advice may become useful to someone else, then. :smalltongue:
(End Edit)

A quick interjection: Do you recommend those books? Good missions? Please do come back and report how it went! Anyway, back to the topic at hand.

This is tough advice to give because I get the impression that, more so in Paranoia than non-fun RPGs, every group is vastly different. So, YMMV.

I can simply suggest maybe cutting out parts for time. Pregenerated characters obviously save time, and is pretty much a given when I run a game, except sometimes I allow players to pick their own specializations.

Starting at the briefing room can shave a few minutes. The pre-mission time is a decent place for backstabbing shenanigans, but if the mission is long, you don't really need it. All you lose out on is tradition. I like tradition, but sometimes it just has to go.

You can also save a little time by providing the gear in the briefing room. "That's your mission. Anyquestionsno? Okay, you can find your assigned equipment in the lockers behind you."

Now, I am not familiar with the mission(s) you mentioned, but you may be able to cut out a few unimportant parts. One possible idea is to set time goals, and if that timeline isn't met, elite troops do the job for the PCs, and then the PCs start on track at that point.

Maybe cut the debriefing very short. I personally find them hard to do anyway, because I don't do well in keeping track of what troubleshooter did what, and I haven't (until very recently) figured out how I want to answer the question, "if a troubleshooter dies, is the replacement clone free of the taint of treason?" So because of that, I usually would skip debriefing and generally just get feedback from the players and do a review with the players, not the characters.

[Kurald Galain]

I'm not sure what your question is. Yes, there are longer Paranoia adventures, campaigns if you will. Some of these are from older editions (e.g. the Yellow Clearance Black Box Blues) but they also come from newer editions (e.g. WMD).

I don't have much experience running them, I feel Paranoia works better as a one-shot, even after reading through these. They're fun to read, but I feel they would get tedious in play.

[Mustard]

If you ask this question over at paranoia-live.net, there is a decent chance Allen Varney may be able to shed some light on the subject, as he seems pretty active there. He didn't write the old editions, of course, but this question is probably right up his alley. Or if not him, someone very familiar with the game's history. The forum is fairly dead (at least, the GM Meeting Room is), but there is still activity there.

One slight caveat: You have to apply to get permission to use the GM Meeting Room subforum, and I had to argue that I should be let in despite having been a brand new member with 0 posts when I asked for access. I don't see the dependency there, but whatever. I guess that's what it feels like to be a player in Paranoia? Anyway, I digress. Point is, it could take a while to get approved for it. If you want, I could try and ask for you (I'll just copy your OP here) if you don't feel like making yet another internet account, or if your request involves Paranoia levels of red tape.

On the other hand, I don't think your questions are strictly UV, so your question is likely answerable in whatever subforum is appropriate for that type of thing.

[Analytica]

How about... start in medias res, right in the action. Give every player a written summary of what happened before that, what they each said or did during the briefing, mission specs, descriptions of each other character etc. Only make sure crucial details differ between these accounts. :smallbiggrin:

[DontEatRawHagis]

I ran Mr. Bubbles in about 5 hrs, but my players became bored towards the end. I have stopped using premade modules and have gone straight for the home brew.

I ran the Letters mission which is by far a more fun intro to Paranoia than most what the developers think. Simple mission, deliver a letter from point a to point b. All players have a mission to kill someone else and to do something to the letter, like deliver it without fail or to destory it, or replace it. I ran that one in about 2 hrs with a complete success. 2 out of the 6 players disliked it, but then again I killed off all 6 of their one shot clones. :smallsmile:

My next mission is a self made one that should run close to 2hrs if the players aren't too fast or slow. I call it "Where in the Alpha Complex is Jack-O-BOT?"

Simple mission:

Find Jack-O-BOT, a undercover agent in the treasonous Bot Assembly plant in BOT sector
Complication: The entire Assembly facility is operated by several Jacks. Jackie-O, Jack-R, Jax-O, Jack-Y, and Jack-B
Complication: Jack-O-BOT, thinks that he is actually a Jackobot. His buddy Jackobot have a hard time telling who is asking who as to what to do.
Added Chaos: The Computer will ask them to split up the party into teams of two when inside the factory, with all it's dangerous equipment.
PreGens: There are two communists, one is part of IntSec and has been tasked with discovering the Commie Traitor in the group. I hope he turns his friend in, his security clearance goes up for every traitor he finds.