From: tagg@hg.uleth.ca (Nathaniel Tagg)
Subject: Re: WANTED: 1st Edition Paranoia (and discussion)
Reply-To: tagg@hg.uleth.ca
Organization: University of Lethbridge
Date: Fri, 21 Aug 1992 04:57:10 GMT

In article <1992Aug19.090842.20031@hellgate.utah.edu>, summers%asylum.cs.utah.edu@cs.utah.edu (Jim Summers) writes:
>
>I am interested in finding/purchasing any 1st edition Paranoia modules
>anyone has around (especially the gamemaster's screen).  I have been
>comparing the 1st and 2nd Editions, and find the first edition to be
>much more...well, paranoid.
>
>While I am so grossly cross-posting, I would like to ask others who
>have run either 1st or 2nd Edition paranoia what they have found works
>well with their players.  Do they do better if you force them into
>situations where they must kill each other (a la Secret
>Society/Service Group orders)?  Or do you just let nature and the
>adventure take it toll without pre-arranged player/player setups?

    Personally, my problem is to keep players from just shooting each other
outright.  They get so hyped for the game, they want action and start popping
off shots, knowing that there characters are expenable.
     Example: I sent them on a mission. Go onto the roof of A.Complex and close
a hatch.  They are given the nessesary papers to use Blue clearance Vertical
Momentum Reconfigurers (elevators).  I providied one obsticle (a chasm), and
one problem (the hatch was coloured violet, so touching it could be construed
as treason.)  This was supposed to be an introduction, but it took hours. 
600mm clone insertion rounds thudded all over.  Mutant powers.  Fired birds. 
Sabotaged weapons.  Multiple people falling into the chasm.  Fireballs.

   The two best experiences I had GMing Paranoia were these:
1.  Not really my doing.  I used the mandatory bonus duty from 2nd ed, and
choose the best god damn happiness officer to come down the pike.  "Okay, guys, 
we're happy, right?"  (Groan.)  "Come on, citizens, happiness is mandatory! 
OK, lets show everyone just how happy we are.  I'll ask 'Are you happy?", and
everyone will reply 'Yes, we're happy!'  Ready?... ARE YOU HAPPY?" (Through
clenched teeth) "YES, WE'RE HAPPY!!!!".  Never even needed drugs.

2.  I gave them an experimental weapon: the Gatling Laser.  The equivalent of
six laser pistols, can be fired up to four times a combat round.  Imagine a set
of laser barrels on a rotating drum, hooked up to one gawd awful power
generator.  Mount it on a steady-cam mount (ala Aliens) and strap the sucker
in.  A couple of big switches are clearly labelled on the front. One starts it
up (big whining motor starts up; takes a round) and a BIG trigger. No safety.
    I let him start to blow people away. Brack! The players loved it. Then,
when things started getting interesting, start rolling for jams.  Every so
often he would have to stop to unjam it. Then, finally, it jams for real.  The
whining builds in intensity (ala phaser overload). He scrabbles for the straps. 
They won't come off.  BOOM! Can you say "Vaporized"?
   The Gatling Laser is my absolute favorite.  The drawbacks are stupendous
(requiers Heavy Weapons to use effectively, bulky, heavy, can't be removed
under fire, jams easily, overloads easily, goes through laser barrel refils
like slugthrower fire through thick yellow spray) but the players love it
anyway.  Built in amusement.

Say, where does one discuss Paranoia ideas, anyway?  FRP is obviously wrong,
but...


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
          Nathaniel Tagg               The U of Hell,  Lethbridge, AB
    "It's just a matter of putting one point seven nine five three seven two
and two point two oh four six two eight together."     --The Doctor 
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