Paranoia | Treason Computer

About the adventure

Paranoia, the role-playing game that's less about saving the day and more about trying to survive your own allies. Imagine a world where trust is a currency more volatile than any precious metal, and loyalty is a rare gem buried beneath layers of suspicion. Welcome to Alpha Complex, citizen, where happiness is mandatory, and ignorance can be be both bliss and lethal. The Setting: Alpha Complex In the not-so-distant future, a massive underground complex called Alpha Complex serves as the last bastion of humanity. The world above is a mysterious wasteland, and inside the complex, citizens are protected by the benevolent guidance of the Computer. All citizens are assigned a color-coded security clearance, from the prestigious high-ranking Ultraviolet to the lowly Infrared. The Computer watches over everyone, ensuring harmony, productivity, and most importantly, happiness. However, this utopia has a dark side. The Computer's operating system hasn't been updated in centuries—it sees treason everywhere and trusts no one, but for good reason. Secret societies run rampant, mutants hide their abilities to avoid execution, and even High Programmers undermine the Computers authority. Rules: The Computer is Always Right (Even When It's Wrong) The rules are intentionally convoluted and contradictory, adding an extra layer of chaos to the proceedings. In Paranoia, the only constant is the Computer's insistence that it is always right. Players are encouraged to think on their feet and embrace the unexpected. The Computer might issue bizarre commands that make no sense, but questioning its wisdom is treasonous. The more absurd the situation, the better. Don't be surprised if you find yourself on a mission to find the legendary "left-handed screwdriver" or facing off against a rogue vending machine. Gameplay: Trust No One (Not Even Yourself) Paranoia thrives on the tension created by a lack of trust. As a Troubleshooter, your team is supposedly united against a common enemy, but in reality, everyone is a potential threat. The Computer encourages players to report on each other, rewarding loyalty and punishing dissent. In any situation, players must balance their own goals with the need to maintain the illusion of loyalty. Humor: Laughing in the Face of Doom Paranoia is a dark comedy, a satire of dystopian tropes that revels in the absurdity of its own premise. The game encourages players to embrace the humor in their inevitable demise. Death is not the end; it's a punchline. The constant threat of termination becomes a running gag, and the more creative the demise, the better. From malfunctioning equipment to bureaucratic nightmares, every element of Paranoia is designed to elicit laughter. The game's tone is a delicate balance between the grim reality of life in Alpha Complex and the slapstick humor of a Three Stooges routine. It's a game where failure is not just an option; it's the expected outcome, and the joy is in the journey, not the destination.

Additional Details

How to prepare

You will need either a PC or Mac-compatible PC with broadband internet access and electricity to play in this game; a mouse with left and right buttons, as well as a third button and mouse wheel is optimal for online use of Foundry VTT. You will need a Discord account to access the game chat. The Foundry VTT runs on a modern web browser, so there is nothing to install if you have a browser on your computer. If you have an older computer, you might consider using the Foundry Lightweight Client, which is a free lightweight web browser that gives you the most bang for your machine's capabilities. You can get it for free here: https://flc.ruleplaying.com/ If you intend to speak in the voice channel on Discord, you should have a headset with a microphone. *You will be required to set up a push-to-talk button*; you are, however, free to communicate to the group using text only in Discord, but you will then need speakers to hear their chat and the game sounds. Special text-only sessions are available for the deaf and hard of hearing. Don't hesitate to get in touch with me if you'd like to schedule one. Bringing a friend or two would help ensure we don't need to recruit additional players. While text-only is actually my preferred method of play, it does seem difficult to organize those games. Instructions for setting up the push-to-talk button and installing all the needed software are available on my Discord channel (#getting-started), to which you will be supplied a link when you join. Hydrate and do some stretching exercises, this game can get pretty intense!

What I provide

I provide a custom built ruleset on a professionally hosted Foundry VTT server. All the rules and reference material a player needs is built into the ruleset, so you don't need to purchase any rules or accessories to play.

Gameplay details

In 1984 the world was celebrating 30 years of being in constant fear of thermo-nuclear annihilation. The promises of capitalism and technological progress were starting to show cracks as wages stagnated, automation took millions of jobs, and proxy wars flared across the globe. Coupled with the realization that political rhetoric of the Cold War was starting to sound increasingly like the double-thinking propaganda from George Orwell’s masterpiece 1984. Civilization seemed perfectly primed for Greg Costikyan, Dan Gelber, and Eric Goldberg to produce a satirical masterpiece of their own, the Role Playing Game “Paranoia.” Billed as a darkly humorous look at a dystopian future where citizens were merely drones and all true power was held by a handful of oligarchs in command of an omnipresent surveillance apparatus, in the form of “The Computer.” Paranoia highlighted political and cultural tropes of the time to comedic effect, placing the party in the role of troubleshooters, working to ensure the machine of civilization continued working. The troubleshooters where constantly lied to, under-prepared, under-trained, under-appreciated, and generally under suspicion as well. In other words, they were millennials. This is why, as we move beyond 2020, it seems to be a perfect time to dust off the Paranoia Role Playing game and get ready for a few more rounds of group therapy as we try to make our real lives more tolerable by zapping some traitorous scum in the glorious name of “Friend Computer.” If you are uncomfortable with these themes and don't wish to participate in satirizing them, or if any of the topics listed in the Content Warnings, this campaign will not be good for you, as these topics are integral to the game setting.

Content warnings

(none)

Safety tools used

Debriefing
Open Door
X, N, and O Cards

How will character creation work

All first time players will be supplied with a choice of officially prepared troubleshooter clones to participate in their first mission. If you decide to continue for more missions, you'll be invited to make your own character, or you can continue using the totally perfect character the Computer has supplied for you.

Players can expect

What's StartPlaying?

Tabletop Roleplaying Games Run by Game Masters