Paranoia: (Title Deleted for Security Reasons)
Paranoia:  They Really Are All Out to Get You is based on the comic Sci-Fi RPG game Paranoia.  If Douglas Adams had written "1984" instead of George Orwell, you might have gotten something like this game, where Troubleshooting adventurers in a dystopian future run missions for the all-powerful "Computer" and try to catch traitors while simultaneously trying to hide the fact that they too are, in fact, traitors themselves.


WHAT ARE THE RULES?

WARNING!  WARNING!
Knowledge of the rules is treason and will be punished by summary execution.

In Paranoia, you don't know the rules.  You don't know who your enemies are.  You don't know how your equipment works.  You're not sure why you're doing anything except to serve the almighty Computer.  (But one thing you can bet on:  Everyone is out to get you.)

You only have Infrared Clearance; you hardly have security clearance to know even this much.

HOW DO I CREATE A CHARACTER?

What is this, a democracy?  You think you get to pick who you are?  The all powerful, all knowledgeable Computer does that, and you serve the Computer.

THE COMPUTER IS YOUR FRIEND.

In its infinite kindness and mercy, however, the Computer will allow you to choose a first name for your character, and perhaps a gender if you vow your absolute and abject obeisance.

AT LEAST TELL ME THE BACKGROUND!

Okay, okay, settle down, young Infrared.  You do know something about the world around you since you came out of the clone vat.  You are a Troubleshooter in service to the Computer.

TRUST THE COMPUTER!  THE COMPUTER IS YOUR FRIEND!

Those who do not serve the Computer are traitors and subject to summary execution.  You, however, are the trusted agent and protector of Alpha Complex, the Computer's underground city of the future.  (Well, let's not kid ourselves, you're still only at Infrared Clearance.)

How did you get to be a Troubleshooter?  Did you forget already?  That's the problem with Infrareds.  You turned in a friend for treason.  The Computer had him executed and rewarded you for your loyalty.

Now, as a Troubleshooter, your job is to root out all traitors and apprehend or execute them.  You uncover corruption among the Computer's servants and turn them in to Internal Security, that is, if you don't have good reason to just shoot first.

WHAT ARE TRAITORS?

Traitors are malevolent and evil human citizens who have betrayed their friend, the Computer and Alpha Complex, and thus life as we know it.  Traitors are everywhere, so you must watch out.

Mutants are traitors.  These genetic freaks have uncontrollable abilities they selfishly use for their own advancement, rather than to serve Alpha Complex.  You must subdue or eliminate them.

Members of Secret Societies are traitors.  In organizations unsanctioned by the Computer, they conspire irresponsibly to undermine the good order of Alpha Complex.  Destroy them!

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Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
By the way...you are a mutant, and a member of a secret society.  You are a traitor.

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WAIT!  I'M A TRAITOR???

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Shhhh!  Not so loud.  Your fellow Troubleshooters would be eager to unmask you as a traitor and execute you.  They all carry powerful and painful-looking weapons, especially that Brazilian waxing battle axe!  You must convict them of treason first if you think they suspect something.  Maybe the Computer will have them executed and you will survive.

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GOOD!  I'LL JUST EXECUTE ALL TROUBLESHOOTERS.  BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY!

Not so fast there, cowboy (a.k.a. processed beef of the male gender)!  False accusations of treason, without substantial proof, are themselves treason.

Just remember:  Dead traitors cannot testify to their own innocence, or to your guilt.

On the other hand...Troubleshooters routinely get shot, stabbed, incinerated, mangled, poisoned, blown to bits, and sometimes stapled or tortured with paper cuts, so...(wait, what was my point there?)

Oh, yes, cloning.  If you die, you will have a fresh clone come forth from the vat thanks to R&D's amazing MemoMax technology.  Memories can sometimes be spotty with clones, and they seem to be more prone to wedgies.  Luckily, though, your memories and DNA were installed in the MemoMax circuitry before you were decanted.  Sometimes, however, citizens of Alpha Complex must wait for Computer resources to become available to grow a new replacement body.  As a Troubleshooter, you enjoy the Computer's fullest consideration, although you are still just an Infrared.  The Computer, in its infinite wisdom, has already ordered five backup clones for you and a MemoMax Constant Realtime Update Priority link.  There is a cost to you if you must obtain more clone replacements.  The Computer does not like wasteful citizens.  However, lucky for you, clones are sold in bulk!  You can get a set of six.

(If you find yourself in the clone tanks, please don't make bubbles.)

WILL THIS BE FUN?

Of course, silly Infrared.  Fun is mandatory.  The Computer says so.  Do you doubt the Computer?  Doubting the Computer is treason.

THE COMPUTER IS YOUR FRIEND!

NOW, ARE YOU READY TO RECEIVE TRAINING FOR YOUR PROMOTION TO RED CLEARANCE?

Of course you are.  The Computer requires your readiness at all times.
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:53, Mon 02 June 2008.

WARNING! SERIOUS POST COMING.

There are three styles of play in Paranoia.  For each adventure, I will tell you the style.

Zap is anarchic slapstick with no claims to making sense and little effort at satire. Zap represents Paranoia as popularly understood: troubleshooters who open fire on each other with little to no provocation.

Classic is the atmosphere associated with the 2nd edition. While conflict inside of troubleshooter teams is common, it is less common and less frequently lethal.

Straight represents a relatively new style for Paranoia. Straight Paranoia is more serious and focuses more on dark, complex satire. In Straight Paranoia, players are punished for executing other characters without first filing evidence of the other character's treason.


Some further basic information can be found here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paranoia_(game)

I suggest reading this (just don't let the Computer find out, you traitor).

WARNING!  ANOTHER SERIOUS POST!

This game is comedic in nature.  Therefore, your character interactions should be as important as pushing the plot forward.  If the Computer is on sleep mode (i.e. the GM is out of town or delayed), or at any place in the game, please have your character interact and talk to each other.

After all, if you don't know who your fellow traitors patriots are, how will you determine if they are really traitors...and how will you ever achieve the level of paranoia this game is meant to engender?
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:53, Fri 13 Feb 2015.

YET ANOTHER SERIOUS POST!

Your GM is returning to this game after about 20 years of absence from it.  I will try to spoon feed you the rules a little at a time (for those newbies), but if I ever overlook a rule, PLEASE LET ME KNOW!  Let's learn it together.

...That's not to say that the Computer will turn back time and correct your GM's mistake.  No, the Computer will probably summarily execute your GM for the rules mistake and replace him with a GM even more bizarrely inexplicable.

(There are also theories that this has already happened.)