Tips for running an online Paranoia game

[Sitzkrieg]

I've just gotten a copy of the Paranoia XP rulebook, and I'm excited to run a game with some friends. However, we are all over the country, and play all our games online via PbP. It feels like a lot of the energy and spirit of the game relies on the humor and emotion of a tabletop, though. Does anyone have some advice for good ways to keep the game light and fun even though we're playing via post? I feel like posting tends to get weighty on roleplaying and light on humor and spontaneity.

[The Glyphstone]

Most online Paranoia games are done in IRC or something similar, I believe. As you mentioned, the spontaneity of being at a tabletop is part of the game's atmosphere...it's a lot easier to think of a response to Friend Computer's accusation of treason when you have hours between posts instead of seconds.

[Katana_Geldar]

He's right, Paranoia is also good with meta, like props and having an actual termination room. Half the fun is actually keeping information from players, and keeping them on their toes when notes are passed.

I'm not sure if Paranoia would even work in PbP. The game has so much spontineity and the nature of the "rules" mean that players could work it out when they see others and your dice rolls.

There's also the problem with character sheets, as the best way is to pre-roll them so you can coordinate behind the scenes better.

Best advice I can give is to try it out in person first. Find a photocopier and some friends (preferably six to fill up the MBDs) and play it. Its a game that's relatively easy to pick up and it's somehow not as long a session as with another system.

Playing Paranoia Straight, in the true Orwellian and Kafkaesque sense, could work. But I hardly see the point when half the fun is the random hijinks, which you won't get so much of online.