More Words, Deeper Hole

Been waiting for this review for a long, long time, because I recognized James' LJ icon on first sight. (It's an informal portrait of a clone family member from the original player's book of Paranoia) 8-)

Despite having a temperament totally unsuited to the mindset for the game, I managed to enjoy several sessions at Carnegie-Mellon in the mid 80s, where some gaming club members were module playtesters for Paranoia, and an alum worked for West End games, Paranoia's publisher.

Some choice quotes:
"How's your Paranoia playtest going?"
"Well, they're still being issued equipment, and two players are already on their third clone."
"So, pretty well?
"Yup"

Advice I was given by the driver of an APC I was in, when I was contemplating the ejection seat button after he threatened to use a flamethrower to stop an incipient fight in back.

"Do you know what will happen if you press that button? If you're *really* lucky, nothing. Most likely the rockets will go off but the roof panel won't blow and you'll get squashed against the roof. But if you do make it out, you'll be an 'unauthorized flyer' to all the air defenses. If you live through that, and the parachute actually opens and works, you'll either land in the road and get run over by the rest of the column, or to the side. In the minefields.

I think you're better off taking your chances in here."

I didn't press the button.

Highly recommended, if you can appreciate the mindset. I couldn't, really, but I knew style when I saw it.

Riderius