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Official development blog for the PARANOIA roleplaying game. No description is available at your security clearance. The Computer is your friend.

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

A Word From The Computer 

Friend Computer!
At your service, citizen. How may I help you?

I feel uneasy about the rumoured new editions of PARANOIA.
Fear and apprehension are not permitted. Joy is mandatory. If you not experiencing mandatory joy, report for chemical joy enhancement therapy.

Would you mind answering a few questions about the new edition?
Not at all.

I've heard there are going to be three books.
There will now be three core rulebooks in the PARANOIA line. These are the TROUBLESHOOTERS book, the INTSEC book, and the HIGH PROGRAMMER's book. Each of these books is self-contained and focusses on a different way to play PARANOIA.

The 2004 PARANOIA XP rulebo-
ATTENTION! ALL REFERENCES TO A PARANOIA EDITION DENOTED BY A TWO-LETTER CODE ALSO USED BY A CERTAIN WINDOWS-BASED OPERATING SYSTEM ARE TREASON. OR LEGALLY ACTIONABLE, ANYWAY.

Oops, sorry.
A note has been made on your permanent record. Continue with your question.

The, er, 2004 PARANOIA book was all about Troubleshooters. Isn't that the same thing as the new TROUBLESHOOTER book?
The upcoming TROUBLESHOOTER rulebook is indeed a new edition of the basic PARANOIA rules, and so is largely the same as the 2004 rulebook.

What's changed?
The new rulebook is organised to facilitate the core PARANOIA experience of running a mission. Extra support is included for the Gamesmaster. The Treason rules have reverted to the simpler, more direct system used in 2nd edition.

What about the variant playstyles?
The STRAIGHT and ZAP playstyles appear as an appendix in the TROUBLESHOOTER book. HORROR, OVERKILL and HEIST appear in the INTSEC appendix. The contents of the HIGH PROGRAMMER appendix have yet to be determined.

What if I already have the 2004 rulebook. Do I need to purchase the new edition?
No. However, as a long-term PARANOIA fan, you may be interested in the BLACK MISSIONS collector's edition, which includes a CD-ROM of bonus material including interviews with the original designers.

And if I don't have the 2004 edition...
Then the new TROUBLESHOOTERS book is an ideal entry point to PARANOIA!

Let's talk about INTSEC.
Certainly, citizen. In the INTSEC game, you play members of an elite Sector Security Team. Investigate crimes! Interrogate Commie Mutant Traitors! Keep that Happiness Index up! Meet your Termination Quota. INTSEC is designed for longer-term games with more plot development and intrigue.

That sounds suspiciously like the old HIL Sector BLUES supplement.
HIL Sector BLUES was indeed a significant influence on the INTSEC rules, and parts of the text have been repurposed and included in the new book, but there's lots more than just a rehash of Hil Sector+the basic rules. New secret societies! Surveillance rules! New ways to doom other characters!

How about HIGH PROGRAMMER?
In HIGH PROGRAMMER, you play an ULTRAVIOLET High Programmer. You control different factions and power bases in Alpha Complex. The other High Programmers may attempt to subvert your control - you must prevent this and crush their schemes. You crave the awe and fear of your peers, and must impress them with your culture, wit and social graces while plotting their humiliating downfall.

But what could possibly threaten a High Programmer? Surely there won't be any terminations or treasons in this game!
Ah, but you also have a retinue of servants, bodyguards and hangers-on. These characters are played by the other players when the action focusses on your High Programmer. Elements of your retinue may be terminated.

How does HIGH PROGRAMMER play?
The elevator pitch is Yes Minister with ray guns, but you could also say 'Wodehouse meets Illuminati'.

I have further questions about the new edition.
Please post them in the comments.

Labels:

Posted by: Gareth Hanrahan / 2:02 PM

Comments:
The new Troubleshooters rulebook is about fifty pages shorter than the 2004 all-encompassing rulebook. Can you tell us what has contributed to that - e.g. more concentrated writing style? Removal of less Troubleshooter-specific stuff? Less fluff? You've dropped the font size? :)
# posted by Anonymous Danforth : July 15, 2009 4:51 AM
 
(to continue Danforth's line) Maybe they just removed all pictures and quotes from the book.
# posted by Anonymous Anonymous : July 15, 2009 10:51 AM
 
Will these new editions be supported with clearance-level only books that can be purchased and thoroughly read by players without the risk of treason, such as The Traitor's Manual and The Little Red Book?

If so, will there be such materials available for each core rulebook?

Will each core rulebook contain UV-clearance only material for GMs?

If so, does that mean the entier High Programmer book is clearance levels for all players of High Programmer, even the GM only sections?
# posted by Anonymous Duane O'Brien : July 15, 2009 4:53 PM
 
Second Edition treason rules? You mean we now get to shout "Treason Point!" and actually mean it?!
# posted by Anonymous Zild : July 16, 2009 3:18 AM
 
@Danforth: Material excised from the book includes the Mr. Bubbles mission and the chapters on Service Firms and Sanity Tests, while other sections were made shorter. I'll try to get cut material made available as a .pdf download, but no promises.

@Duane: Unknown at this point; it'll probably depend on sales. All three lines will initially be supported by missions.

TROUBLESHOOTER and INTSEC both have UV Sections.

HIGH PROGRAMMER is all UV. Yes, this means the players can read the whole book (apart from the missions).
# posted by Blogger Gareth Hanrahan : July 16, 2009 4:46 AM
 
Can I have it right now?
Please?
# posted by Blogger Ragnorakk : August 02, 2009 6:58 PM
 
There are two issues in the book I noticed, both in the MBD chapter.

In the Happiness Officer description, one of the conversations did not have the Happiness Officer in Bold type.

However, the big mistake is that you wrongfully call Xanitrick "Wider Awake" in that same chapter instead of "Wakey-Wakey". Though the HO mistaking Pyroxidine 2 as Xanitrick would be pretty entertaining anyway.
# posted by Blogger Robbos : January 10, 2010 3:16 PM
 
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