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| Biggles |
 Posted: Wed Apr 19, 2006 12:23 am Post subject: Brainstorming a plot |
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IntSec Goodwill Ambassador
Joined: 26 Jul 2004
Posts: 923
Service Group: Internal Security
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Hello citizens! Welcome to a soon-to-be confusing, messy, and divergent discussion about the plot of MCM2!
Did you read the word 'plot' in there? We're not looking for a title yet. Neither do we need pregenerated Troubleshooters, neat R&D gadgets, fun secsoc plots, or any of that. This is the beginning.
We need a plot - a general story that carries our brave and loyal Troubleshooters through exciting but safe locales in their quest to rid Alpha Complex of Commies, mutants and traitors! Remember that this is a Classic mission, and it's supposed to be fun for players and GMs. Don't be afraid to toss out some comments, even if it's just a theme.
No parody!!! We are not doing Troubleshooters-meet-Star Trek or anything like that!!! But even if someone suggests parody, remember MCM2 Rule #1: Be nice to everyone's ideas, even 'stupid' ones.
Um ... you guys got anything? I'm drawing a blank here.
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IC note: Wields a laser pistol that talks to him through a tiny wireless earpiece. No, really. |
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| Thom |
| Posted: Wed Apr 19, 2006 2:13 am Post subject: |
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GREEN
Joined: 20 Oct 2005
Posts: 1172
Service Group: Technical Services
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Well I'll throw out an idea that came to me in a dream (no really, stop laughing.  ). The Troubleshooters have to guard a beautiful leisure pool for some INDIGO or VIOLET citizen. The catches are (and there are many) as follows.
The "Beautiful Leisure Pool" is in actuality a toxic waste dump of the highest order, I mean it makes Love Canal look like a spilled beaker of vinegar in a kiddie pool.
Despite or because of the toxic waste the local Mystics , treat the place as almost a holy shrine of non-stop hallucinogens. Normally peaceful Mystics become rampaging PURGE types if this place was cleaned up.
Pick A Secret Society, uses the place as a meeting ground because nobody else will touch it.
And for some reason, Sierra Clubbers thought that this was a lovely site for raising wolves. Yes Wolves. This was in the dream directly so it can't be removed. I keep envisioning them slaughtering the full grown wolf children and then Wolfzilla emerges laying waste (hah I kill me) to all the TS'ers.
Anyway that was a kernel for an adventure, for a local gaming convention I was playing with. So whatta ya think sirs?
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IC Notes:
Full Name: Thom-G-OTT-4
Wearing: GREEN Jumpsuit.
Position: Pfffft, there's a head of Technical Services?
Status: He's back baby! And now 125% overmedicated!
Does have a PDC.
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| Slypher-U-PCS |
| Posted: Wed Apr 19, 2006 3:59 am Post subject: |
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BLUE
Joined: 23 Aug 2003
Posts: 1070
Service Group: Technical Services
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*Starts up brainstorming juices...*
Hmm... I'm thinking something like...
[Crazy Idea! Watch out!]
A factory goes into overload, making loads of warbots which happen to go on rampage. Troubleshooters have to fix it. Hilarity Ensues.
...and, I don't know, maybe the warbots happen to have only paint rollers as weapons. Mrh.
[/Crazy Idea!] |
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| Zach-O-RLY |
| Posted: Wed Apr 19, 2006 6:10 am Post subject: |
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YELLOW
Joined: 18 Oct 2005
Posts: 221
Service Group: R&D
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Service Service:
Power Services is reporting an abnormal power drain coming from one of the outlets in the sector. TS team must take a "very special multimeter" and check every outlet they find to see if there is a change in current that would suggest a "misuse of the juice". The device itself is an IntSec-planted tool that also picks up radio frequencies coming from nearby transmitters when it touches the outlets. Perhaps in performing this service, some interesting information is picked up?
The multimeter itself is a finicky thing - perhaps it is a new model which has a bot brain and speech synthesis to indicate exact measurements and recommendations. |
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| Zild |
| Posted: Wed Apr 19, 2006 1:00 pm Post subject: |
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GREEN
Joined: 09 Sep 2004
Posts: 1812
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A panic-stricken HPD&MC clone (a vidshow exec - roughly BLUE clearance?) acquires one Troubleshooter team to help him make the next (very far behind schedule) installment of either:
1: "What's My Confession?", the gameshow where loyal citizens get big big prizes and traitors get big big clone numbers.
2: "Friend Computer's Mandatory Shopping Show" (or whatever), where loyal citizens of Alpha Complex are inspired to purchase the lastest crap to hit the streets. Possibly through subliminal messaging.
3: The latest Tella-O vidshow.
Our loyal troubleshooters are very excited at the prospect of appearing in front of the whole of Alpha Complex (and not for censure, unlike last time...), and perhaps even of appearing next to the legendary Tella-O.
Even B3 cannot wipe away their frowns once they find out the truth... They are not going to star in the shows (unless you want them to - that could also work!) Instead, they have to write the scripts, create the props, and anything else that needs to be done to make a high-quality vidshow to please the population. And anything else the vidshow exec wants them to...
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Blog: [DELETED FOR SECURITY REASONS] Is A Compliment |
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| Adam-R-LON-1 |
| Posted: Wed Apr 19, 2006 5:36 pm Post subject: |
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INDIGO
Joined: 23 Aug 2004
Posts: 3851
Service Group: HPD&MC
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Secret Society:
I was thinking the other day about secret society contacts. Who are those mysterious clones who wait in the shadows, specifically for the benefit of the PCs? How did they get such a job? And - why not make the players some?
Such orders would have to come from secsoc command when the Troubleshooters are on night shift, guarding something. "Wait for our minion to pass by. He'll give you the secret signal." Of course, all the secret signals are the same. Once this nervous clone does turn up and performs the gesture for all to see, all of the Troubleshooters hesitate over whether he should be terminated for secret society membership, or whether he is actually their contact and must be protected.
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For the Glory of Friend Computer! |
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| Grov-R-LER |
| Posted: Wed Apr 19, 2006 5:48 pm Post subject: |
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BLUE
Joined: 28 Jul 2005
Posts: 2575
Service Group: Armed Forces
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Are we looking for a single mission, here, or a background for a series, like last time?
A couple of ideas:
Romantics have found a copy of "The Big Book of Cults." Hilarity ensues.
One troubleshooter is a member of PSION, but doesn't have a mutation. All the other troubleshooters are members of PSION, aswell. Everyone's secsoc mission is "There is another member of PSION on your team, but he isn't really a mutant. Find out who it is, and end their clone family." Including the non-mutant. None of them knows that ant of the others are also from PSION.
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IC Notes for Grov-LER-4:
Wearing: Trenchcoat, hideous CPU Satisfactory Citizen sash, IR 'pants'. Hair is tied back.
Location: Out of this sector.
Status: Injured. |
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| Elm-R-FUD |
| Posted: Wed Apr 19, 2006 6:50 pm Post subject: |
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VIOLET
Joined: 22 Mar 2006
Posts: 2425
Service Group: Armed Forces
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If I may put my head on the chopping block, so you can kick it around for a bit, here's a couple of ideas:
1. Troubleshooters are ordered to find and retrieve an experiment R&D bot that went frankenstein on its creators. However, there's a catch. The bot in question looks and sounds exactly like an average Complex citizen.
2. A new Free Enterprise group has been formed and is rapidly gaining power in a certain sector. Normally, this wouldn't be of major concern to the higher clearance citizens (it's always a concern to the Computer), but this new group is bumping off too many of its rivals. The Troubleshooters are sent to investigate this new group and bring its leader to justice.
3. HPD&MC wants to make a new documentary for the RED's demonstrating the dangers of the Outdoors (so that they won't be tempted to go). The Troubleshooters must act as both bodyguards to the film crew and on-screen examples to the horrors of what lies beyond the walls of Alpha Complex. In other words, they have to go and irritate the local wildlife and any natives they come across.
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Name: Elm-V-FUD-6
Service Group and Title: Armed Forces, PLN Sector General
Head Adjutant: Sigmund-I-DNO, Director of LIMB
Wearing: Violet two piece suit with boots, green officer's beret, violet cape, leather-lyke; holsters, ID tag; carrying a SynthSilver-topped cane |
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| Biggles |
| Posted: Wed Apr 19, 2006 8:43 pm Post subject: |
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IntSec Goodwill Ambassador
Joined: 26 Jul 2004
Posts: 923
Service Group: Internal Security
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| Grov-R-LER wrote: |
| Are we looking for a single mission, here, or a background for a series, like last time? |
Single, stand-alone mission.
So far this is exactly what we're looking for, so keep it up! Don't forget, you're welcome to comment on each other's ideas in this brainstorming session--just remember Rule #1. 
_________________
IC note: Wields a laser pistol that talks to him through a tiny wireless earpiece. No, really. |
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| Zild |
| Posted: Wed Apr 19, 2006 9:17 pm Post subject: |
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GREEN
Joined: 09 Sep 2004
Posts: 1812
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| Elm-R-FUD wrote: |
| 3. HPD&MC wants to make a new documentary for the RED's demonstrating the dangers of the Outdoors (so that they won't be tempted to go). The Troubleshooters must act as both bodyguards to the film crew and on-screen examples to the horrors of what lies beyond the walls of Alpha Complex. In other words, they have to go and irritate the local wildlife and any natives they come across. |
Ooh - very much the 'Red Shirts'. I wonder if a little joke could be made, something along the lines of the Romantics telling their man on the team that it's always REDs who die (according to certain Old Reckoning artefacts - e.g. episodes of Star Trek TOS, for those who didn't already get what I'm talking about!), so it is even more crucial that their man make it to ORANGE or higher. Alternatively, it might just be the people in RED clothes who always die, so if they could perhaps acquire some higher-clearance (or, given this is the Outside, even non-clearance) clothes...
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Blog: [DELETED FOR SECURITY REASONS] Is A Compliment |
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| Grov-R-LER |
| Posted: Wed Apr 19, 2006 10:16 pm Post subject: |
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BLUE
Joined: 28 Jul 2005
Posts: 2575
Service Group: Armed Forces
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Now that's interesting...
 CITIZENS, YOUR MISSION IS TO DIE IN HORRIBLE NASTY UNNATURAL WAYS IN THE OUTDOORS. CLONES LOST WILL BE REPLACED.
Unless, ofcourse, the death isn't scarey enough to make it onto the show, or the cameras weren't on. Maybe the troubleshooters get a credit bonus for each death of theirs that is used in the show. And obviously, they won't be told that there is only one death scene in the vid, and HPD&MC has already taken care of that. I likey. |
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| Gor-R-ILA |
| Posted: Wed Apr 19, 2006 10:33 pm Post subject: |
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YELLOW
Joined: 29 Sep 2004
Posts: 578
Service Group: Technical Services
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One idea I've been kicking around for a while is that the standard "Can't find the briefing room" scenario becomes the basis for the mission. After bumbling around for a bit the troubleshooters come upon a briefing room and are given a mission to locate a troubleshooter team who failed to report for their briefing (ie themselves). I couldn't figure out how to stop the players from sussing out what was going on right away, though.
Another idea was inspired by one of the entries in the light bulb joke thread, in which inter-service conflicts turn a blown bulb into the destruction of a sector. Power Services and Tech services are fighting over the contracts for installing and servicing security cameras, leading to worrying gaps in the footage as the groups sabotage each others' efforts. IntSec has buried the contracting in so many layers of beauracracy that IntSec officials simply don't consider that as a source of problems, and recruit the troubleshooters to investigate the obvious Commie saboteurs. |
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| Laughing Penguin |
| Posted: Thu Apr 20, 2006 1:09 am Post subject: |
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YELLOW
Joined: 03 Mar 2004
Posts: 126
Service Group: HPD&MC
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A rough idea that came to me at work:
A certain sector (let's call it QQQ for now) has fallen into a bit of chaos because currently two rival service firms are are in competition with each other to win the contract for security services for the sector. Since the current contract has expired, crime and treason has risen sharply since security services are at a minimum, and the two rival service groups are actively battling each other instead of the traitors. So, teams of troubleshooters are dispatched to help keep the peace in the interim.
Sources of conflict are obvious: the players will be dispatched on various freelance police-style missions, potentially in competiton with other troubleshooter teams. Various SecSocs will take advantage of the situation, and players will need to deal with these plots. The rival IntSec service firms will naturally get themselves involved, trying to skew outcomes to look more favorable to their own interests to win the security contract. And...
The main source of the rivalry should come from something higher up. Some high-ranking citizen with a lot of influence is holding up the paperwork to keep attention away from his own plans. Since the idea isn't even hours old, I haven't worked out what that Big Thing would be yet, though many of the classic responses (including ones mentioned above) could be the key:
- Something big and weird found while excavating space to expand the sector
- Powerful R&D device around, and the high ranking citizen is trying to get his hands on it / destroy it / protect it
- a large-scale SecSoc plot that needs just a *little* more time to develop
- time to cover up a really big mistake *he* made, using the chaos as both a distraction and a scapegoat
- etc
Lots of rival factions, lots of conflicting interests, many no-win situations for players... and could potentially be tailored to any of the three "flavors" of Paranoia. Still needs the specifics, of course, but we're still on page one of this thing, right?
=]
_________________
Actual game transcript, circa 1993:
Player: "Everyone, hold on, I want to use my mutant power..."
[awkward pause as everone turns and stares at the non-registered mutant]
Player, remembering the 'no OOC' aspect of the game: "Oh, crap." |
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| Citron-R |
| Posted: Thu Apr 20, 2006 1:26 am Post subject: |
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YELLOW
Joined: 08 Dec 2004
Posts: 2085
Service Group: PLC
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I've had an idea for a mission with Acidophizz.
It's vague, but basically an old cache of Acidophizz (likely stored from Project Infinite Hole) exploded, sticking something very explosive and large, to something vital and fragile, and Troubleshooters are sent to dismantle said vital and fragile thing. Or guard it while techs show up. Or something.
Anyway, the reason Acidophizz would be important is that they would find some sort of thruster underneath, and *THINK* it is the vital and fragile thing. The real thing would be, like, a vendor management system or something. |
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| Elm-R-FUD |
| Posted: Thu Apr 20, 2006 3:00 am Post subject: |
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VIOLET
Joined: 22 Mar 2006
Posts: 2425
Service Group: Armed Forces
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Here's another idea I've had in the back of my mind. Could be highly entertaining
On the eve of the highly promoted Alpha Complex Funball Championship Game, the favored Funball team is completely wiped out in an unexplained explosion. The Troubleshooters are rounded up and issued a two prong mission:
1. Find out what happened to the now deceased Funball team.
2. Sub in for the Funball team in the Championship game.
Lots of Troubleshooter mortality in this one, I wager.
_________________
Name: Elm-V-FUD-6
Service Group and Title: Armed Forces, PLN Sector General
Head Adjutant: Sigmund-I-DNO, Director of LIMB
Wearing: Violet two piece suit with boots, green officer's beret, violet cape, leather-lyke; holsters, ID tag; carrying a SynthSilver-topped cane |
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