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| Jan-U-ARY-31 |
 Posted: Mon Nov 22, 2004 5:18 pm Post subject: Scenario Creation - Help Needed! |
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YELLOW
Joined: 02 Aug 2004
Posts: 216
Service Group: PLC
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I'm running Paranoia XP tonight (fingers crossed, 6th time I've tried to get a game together), and of course I'm unprepared... I suppose that I didn't really think it would actually happen.  Does anyone have any general, rock-bottom suggestions for planning out a simple, straightforward Classic adventure?
I've run Amber for these people before, so they're good with rules-light, and they say they've played earlier editions of Paranoia before, so there shouldn't be much need to set the stage. I also want to showcase lots of experimental tech, as I'm currently working on a bunch of new items for [DELETED FOR SECURITY REASONS].
What are the key things I should be thinking of during game preparation?
- Eric |
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| Takyn-U-RUN |
| Posted: Mon Nov 22, 2004 5:45 pm Post subject: |
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UV Master Programmer
Joined: 16 Jan 2004
Posts: 2368
Service Group: Power Services
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Sounds like a perfect situation for the PARANOIA XP Mission Blender!
Failing that, I just trawl the GM Forum for ideas until one really grabs me or something strikes me on my own.You could probably elaborate my GenCon mission that I described somewhere on the forum into a full game, if you wanted. If the highlight of the mission is experimental tech, then the mission body itself doesn't need to be as polished, just a good foiil for the tech to show off against.
Also make a quick run out to Staples or some office supply store or some dollar/discount store and pick up barrels of props. Sticky notes, Name badges, red hats if you can find them, nifty things like a bell or a can of compressed air or something... I suppose I'm a little prop-biased, but they can help liven up a session that might otherwise feel "same ol' same ol'". |
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| saulres |
| Posted: Mon Nov 22, 2004 5:50 pm Post subject: |
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UV Master Programmer
Joined: 18 Oct 2004
Posts: 5681
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One suggestion is to use the Mission Blender. You can use this on the fly if you're not too worried about consistency or can improv connections between seemingly unrelated events very quickly.
If you want them to create their own characters, you'll buy time to do the rolling while they're doing theirs, giving you a little more prep time on what to expect.
Or, if you've got time to read and prepare (I don't want to give any details away) the Mr. Bubbles adventure, then you're set w/pregens and a storyline. |
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| saulres |
| Posted: Mon Nov 22, 2004 5:51 pm Post subject: |
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UV Master Programmer
Joined: 18 Oct 2004
Posts: 5681
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| Sorry, Takyn, I was composing my post while you posted yours so we've double-suggested the Mission Blender. Hopefully someone else did the same thing so we've got triple redundancy going. |
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| Jan-U-ARY-31 |
| Posted: Mon Nov 22, 2004 6:02 pm Post subject: |
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YELLOW
Joined: 02 Aug 2004
Posts: 216
Service Group: PLC
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Thanks for the advice!
I tried rolling up a mission with the Mission Blender last night, but I couldn't get the results to gel. I'll probably poke around in it again later today if I have time before the game.
My general thoughts right now are to go with a simple core idea and then improv around it based on how the players react. A standard no-win hosejob seems ideal; perhaps the PCs are assigned to transfer some experimental equipment from one R&D installation to another and it gets stolen from them en route (or turns out to be the wrong equipment or whatever), or they have to escort a vidstar to an interview but she gets killed five minutes into the mission, hopefully leading to a Weekend At Bernie's kind of situation.
The good thing about a hosejob, methinks, is that it should work wonderfully to prevent any impulse toward teamwork. Once it's clear that the mission is FUBAR, they'll be less interested in success and more interested in finding a scapegoat to cover their own asses.
- Eric |
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| Costin-U-MOR-6 |
| Posted: Mon Nov 22, 2004 6:19 pm Post subject: |
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Tech Services Supreme Nut Tightener
Joined: 29 Mar 2004
Posts: 667
Service Group: Technical Services
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| Jan-U-ARY-31 wrote: |
| A standard no-win hosejob seems ideal; perhaps the PCs are assigned to transfer some experimental equipment from one R&D installation to another and it gets stolen from them en route (or turns out to be the wrong equipment or whatever) |
Better still they have it stolen, fight it back and then find out its the wrong equipment. Then they either have to fob it off and blame someone else seamlessly, or try and track down the people who stole it to see if they won back the wrong thing... or maybe go with the easy option and just get themselves killed in the most glorious way possible. With a few tweak, obstacles and red herrings thrown in the from the Mission Blender.
_________________
Check out The Underplex at your local store now!
I'm a Recycled Traitor waiting for you in Omega Complex |
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| Jan-U-ARY-31 |
| Posted: Mon Nov 22, 2004 6:27 pm Post subject: |
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YELLOW
Joined: 02 Aug 2004
Posts: 216
Service Group: PLC
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| Costin-U-MOR-6 wrote: |
| Jan-U-ARY-31 wrote: |
| A standard no-win hosejob seems ideal; perhaps the PCs are assigned to transfer some experimental equipment from one R&D installation to another and it gets stolen from them en route (or turns out to be the wrong equipment or whatever) |
Better still they have it stolen, fight it back and then find out its the wrong equipment. Then they either have to fob it off and blame someone else seamlessly, or try and track down the people who stole it to see if they won back the wrong thing... or maybe go with the easy option and just get themselves killed in the most glorious way possible. With a few tweak, obstacles and red herrings thrown in the from the Mission Blender. |
I like!
So, after the mission briefing they receive a large autocar with an unlabeled crate in the back, and they drive it to their service service... and as they come walking out of R&D with their arms full of dangerously unpredictable experimental weapons, they see that someone is driving off with their autocar! Cue chase scene and gratuitous property damage.
Should there be a traitor-apprehending quota? "You will be expected to apprehend between 3.7 and 9.1 traitors during this mission. Failure to comply is treason. Have a nice mission!" |
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| Costin-U-MOR-6 |
| Posted: Mon Nov 22, 2004 6:47 pm Post subject: |
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Tech Services Supreme Nut Tightener
Joined: 29 Mar 2004
Posts: 667
Service Group: Technical Services
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| Jan-U-ARY-31 wrote: |
| Should there be a traitor-apprehending quota? "You will be expected to apprehend between 3.7 and 9.1 traitors during this mission. Failure to comply is treason. Have a nice mission!" |
Oh yes... a seasonally adjusted fractional number of traitors would be great. Perhaps, while giving chase, Troubleshooter HQ provide this very precise information. Then the chase and the mission provide a number of traitors falling short of the requirement, necessitating some creative accusations amongst the team or targeted at innocent bystanders.
_________________
Check out The Underplex at your local store now!
I'm a Recycled Traitor waiting for you in Omega Complex |
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| Jan-U-ARY-31 |
| Posted: Mon Nov 22, 2004 6:55 pm Post subject: |
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YELLOW
Joined: 02 Aug 2004
Posts: 216
Service Group: PLC
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| Costin-U-MOR-6 wrote: |
| Jan-U-ARY-31 wrote: |
| Should there be a traitor-apprehending quota? "You will be expected to apprehend between 3.7 and 9.1 traitors during this mission. Failure to comply is treason. Have a nice mission!" |
Oh yes... a seasonally adjusted fractional number of traitors would be great. Perhaps, while giving chase, Troubleshooter HQ provide this very precise information. Then the chase and the mission provide a number of traitors falling short of the requirement, necessitating some creative accusations amongst the team or targeted at innocent bystanders. |
I suspect that it would have to be a very high number of traitors for them to fall short.  This would also depend on whether we're going for more of a Straight or Zap feel; I think the Straight / Classic attitude of actually requiring something vaguely resembling evidence would be in order. For Zap, shooting someone solely to meet your quota might well be legal! |
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| saulres |
| Posted: Mon Nov 22, 2004 7:08 pm Post subject: |
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UV Master Programmer
Joined: 18 Oct 2004
Posts: 5681
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| Jan-U-ARY-31 wrote: |
| I suspect that it would have to be a very high number of traitors for them to fall short. |
Not necessarily. Troubleshooter HQ could coincidentally adjust the number required by one for every traitor they execute. Then they'll always be short the original number. So set it low, to something like two. They'll get all excited when they think it's easy, until they've executed two and now they need four. Two more, now they need six. At the debriefing, they'll have to come up with two more... |
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| Jan-U-ARY-31 |
| Posted: Mon Nov 22, 2004 7:17 pm Post subject: |
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YELLOW
Joined: 02 Aug 2004
Posts: 216
Service Group: PLC
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| saulres wrote: |
| Jan-U-ARY-31 wrote: |
| I suspect that it would have to be a very high number of traitors for them to fall short. |
Not necessarily. Troubleshooter HQ could coincidentally adjust the number required by one for every traitor they execute. Then they'll always be short the original number. So set it low, to something like two. They'll get all excited when they think it's easy, until they've executed two and now they need four. Two more, now they need six. At the debriefing, they'll have to come up with two more... |
Oh yeah... Troubleshooter HQ! Forgot about them... I need to come up with a really annoying NPC to act as their team handler at Troubleshooter Central.
- Eric |
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| saulres |
| Posted: Mon Nov 22, 2004 7:38 pm Post subject: |
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UV Master Programmer
Joined: 18 Oct 2004
Posts: 5681
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| Jan-U-ARY-31 wrote: |
| I need to come up with a really annoying NPC to act as their team handler at Troubleshooter Central. |
Think through all the TV shows or movies you've seen, books you've read, politicians you despise, and people you know. Pick one who has a lot of annoying tendencies, or combine the most annoying qualities from several of them, and BOOM! Instant annoying PC.
Jarjar-B-NKS?
Omar-O-SAH?
Barn-Y-DSR?
Elm-O-MPT?
etc. |
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| Jan-U-ARY-31 |
| Posted: Mon Nov 22, 2004 8:25 pm Post subject: |
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YELLOW
Joined: 02 Aug 2004
Posts: 216
Service Group: PLC
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| Takyn-U-RUN wrote: |
| Failing that, I just trawl the GM Forum for ideas until one really grabs me or something strikes me on my own. |
Do you mean the "GM Meeting Room" forum? I don't have access to that forum... how do I go about getting to see it?
- Eric |
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| Takyn-U-RUN |
| Posted: Mon Nov 22, 2004 8:35 pm Post subject: |
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UV Master Programmer
Joined: 16 Jan 2004
Posts: 2368
Service Group: Power Services
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| You ask Jazzer very politely. See what Politeness and Civility can accomplish? |
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| Jan-U-ARY-31 |
| Posted: Mon Nov 22, 2004 8:57 pm Post subject: |
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YELLOW
Joined: 02 Aug 2004
Posts: 216
Service Group: PLC
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| Takyn-U-RUN wrote: |
| You ask Jazzer very politely. See what Politeness and Civility can accomplish? |
Do I have access to Politeness and Civility at my security clearance?
I've PM'd Jazzer, though I don't know if he'll read it before I have to go off to the game.
- Eric |
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