← Previous revision | Revision as of 09:32, 12 February 2023 |
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| |date={{Unbulleted list|1984 ''(1st edition)''|1987 ''(2nd edition)''|1995 ''(5th edition)''|2004 ''(Paranoia XP)''|2009 ''(25th Anniversary edition)''|2017 ''(Mongoose Kickstarter edition)''}} | | |date={{Unbulleted list|1984 ''(1st edition)''|1987 ''(2nd edition)''|1995 ''(5th edition)''|2004 ''(Paranoia XP)''|2009 ''(25th Anniversary edition)''|2017 ''(Mongoose Kickstarter edition)''}} |
| |system=Custom | | |system=Custom |
| |genre={{hlist|[[Humor]]|[[Science fiction]]}} | | |genre={{hlist|Humor|Science fiction}} |
| |web={{url http://www.mongoosepublishing.com/rpgs/paranoia.html
}} | | |web={{url http://www.mongoosepublishing.com/rpgs/paranoia.html
}} |
| |isbn=978-0-87431-025-2 | | |isbn=978-0-87431-025-2 |
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| ===Setting=== | | ===Setting=== |
| The game's main setting is an immense, futuristic city called Alpha Complex. Alpha Complex is controlled by the Computer, a [[civil service]][[Artificial intelligence|AI]] construct (a literal realization of the "[[On the Origin of the "Influencing Machine" in Schizophrenia|Influencing Machine]]" that some schizophrenics fear). The Computer serves as the game's principal [[antagonist]], and fears a number of threats to its 'perfect' society, such as the Outdoors, [[mutant (fictional)|mutant]]s, and [[secret societies]] (especially [[Communists]]). To deal with these threats, the Computer employs ''Troubleshooters'', whose job is to go out, find trouble, and shoot it. [[Player character]]s are usually Troubleshooters, although later game supplements have allowed the players to take on other roles, such as High-Programmers of Alpha Complex. | | The game's main setting is an immense, futuristic city called Alpha Complex. Alpha Complex is controlled by the Computer, a civil service [[Artificial intelligence|AI]] construct (a literal realization of the "[[On the Origin of the "Influencing Machine" in Schizophrenia|Influencing Machine]]" that some schizophrenics fear). The Computer serves as the game's principal [[antagonist]], and fears a number of threats to its 'perfect' society, such as the Outdoors, [[mutant (fictional)|mutant]]s, and [[secret societies]] (especially [[Communists]]). To deal with these threats, the Computer employs ''Troubleshooters'', whose job is to go out, find trouble, and shoot it. [[Player character]]s are usually Troubleshooters, although later game supplements have allowed the players to take on other roles, such as High-Programmers of Alpha Complex. |
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| The player characters frequently receive mission instructions from the Computer that are incomprehensible, self-contradictory, or obviously fatal if adhered to, and side-missions (such as Mandatory Bonus Duties) that conflict with the main mission. Failing a mission generally results in termination of the player character, but succeeding can just as often result in the same fate, after being rewarded for successfully concluding the mission. They are issued equipment that is uniformly dangerous, faulty, or "experimental" (i.e., almost certainly dangerous ''and'' faulty). Additionally, each player character is generally an unregistered mutant and a secret society member (which are both termination offenses in Alpha Complex), and has a hidden agenda separate from the group's goals, often involving stealing from or killing teammates. Thus, missions often turn into a comedy of errors, as everyone on the team seeks to double-cross everyone else while keeping their own secrets. The game's manual encourages suspicion between players, offering several tips on how to make the gameplay as paranoid as possible. | | The player characters frequently receive mission instructions from the Computer that are incomprehensible, self-contradictory, or obviously fatal if adhered to, and side-missions (such as Mandatory Bonus Duties) that conflict with the main mission. Failing a mission generally results in termination of the player character, but succeeding can just as often result in the same fate, after being rewarded for successfully concluding the mission. They are issued equipment that is uniformly dangerous, faulty, or "experimental" (i.e., almost certainly dangerous ''and'' faulty). Additionally, each player character is generally an unregistered mutant and a secret society member (which are both termination offenses in Alpha Complex), and has a hidden agenda separate from the group's goals, often involving stealing from or killing teammates. Thus, missions often turn into a comedy of errors, as everyone on the team seeks to double-cross everyone else while keeping their own secrets. The game's manual encourages suspicion between players, offering several tips on how to make the gameplay as paranoid as possible. |
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| ==Paranoia-related software== | | ==Paranoia-related software== |
| ''JParanoia'' is [[freeware]] fan-made [[software]] specifically created for playing Paranoia over the Internet. It runs on the [[Java Virtual Machine]] and consists of a client and a server with built-in features for character and gameplay management. In September 2004, both attracted some mainstream attention when the UK edition of [[PC Gamer]] magazine ran an article about Paranoia as one of their "Extra Life" columns and showcased ''JParanoia'' and Paranoia Live; coincidentally the publicity came right before the site was poised to celebrate the launch of the new Paranoia edition from Mongoose.{{cite magazine | | ''JParanoia'' is [[freeware]] fan-made software specifically created for playing Paranoia over the Internet. It runs on the [[Java Virtual Machine]] and consists of a client and a server with built-in features for character and gameplay management. In September 2004, both attracted some mainstream attention when the UK edition of [[PC Gamer]] magazine ran an article about Paranoia as one of their "Extra Life" columns and showcased ''JParanoia'' and Paranoia Live; coincidentally the publicity came right before the site was poised to celebrate the launch of the new Paranoia edition from Mongoose.{{cite magazine |
| | last = Cobbet | | | last = Cobbet |
| | first = Richard | | | first = Richard |
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| }} | | }} |
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| Paranoia was also made into a [[video game]] called ''[[The Paranoia Complex]]'' released in 1989 by [[Magic Bytes]]. It was available for [[Amiga]], [[Amstrad CPC]], [[Commodore 64]] and [[ZX Spectrum]]. It took the form of a top-down maze shooter dressed in a Paranoia plot and trappings; reviews of the game from hobby magazines of the period pegged it as mediocre to poor. | | Paranoia was also made into a video game called ''[[The Paranoia Complex]]'' released in 1989 by [[Magic Bytes]]. It was available for [[Amiga]], [[Amstrad CPC]], [[Commodore 64]] and [[ZX Spectrum]]. It took the form of a top-down maze shooter dressed in a Paranoia plot and trappings; reviews of the game from hobby magazines of the period pegged it as mediocre to poor. |
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| A ''Paranoia'' mini-[[gamebook]] was published in issue #77 of [[The Space Gamer|SpaceGamer/FantasyGamer]] magazine in the late 1980s. Unauthorized automated versions of the story (a Troubleshooter's assignment to undermine the subversive activity known as Christmas) have circulated via machine-independent ports to [[C (programming language)|C]], [[Python (programming language)|Python]], [[Go (programming language)|Go]] and [[Inform]] as well as to [[Adventure Game Toolkit]] and for [[Applix]], [[CP/M]] and the [[Cybiko]]. | | A ''Paranoia'' mini-[[gamebook]] was published in issue #77 of [[The Space Gamer|SpaceGamer/FantasyGamer]] magazine in the late 1980s. Unauthorized automated versions of the story (a Troubleshooter's assignment to undermine the subversive activity known as Christmas) have circulated via machine-independent ports to [[C (programming language)|C]], [[Python (programming language)|Python]], [[Go (programming language)|Go]] and [[Inform]] as well as to [[Adventure Game Toolkit]] and for [[Applix]], [[CP/M]] and the [[Cybiko]]. |