Mr. Welch's Mad Musings: Paranoia

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  • Опубліковано 22 лис 2024
  • A look at the RPG considered possibly the funniest ever written. Combing the funniest parts of 1984, Marx Brothers and the United States Tax Code, this is the game that gave us Friend Computer to remind us Happiness Is Mandatory. A game where death is not only common and expected, but often times hilarious. Everything is lethal, nothing is safe and the most dangerous part of many adventures is just getting to the opening mission briefing. A must buy for anybody who laughs at death. Because there is a lot of death to laugh at in this game.

КОМЕНТАРІ • 74

  • @FiveofHearts1
    @FiveofHearts1 3 роки тому +27

    I had a shirt made once that just had Friend Computer on it, and the text "Happiness is Mandatory"
    It was a little worrying how many people didn't know what Paranoia was who identified with the sentiment.

  • @aspektx
    @aspektx 6 років тому +71

    So...how 'bout that Winona Rider?

    • @Zeithri
      @Zeithri 4 роки тому +16

      _Talking about Winona Rider is a Lv 5 Security Clearance._
      - sounds of electrical tazer-shockers firing up -

    • @ChibiKami
      @ChibiKami 3 роки тому +11

      fantasizing about Wynona Rider is restricted to security level RED and above
      meeting Wynona Rider is restricted to security level VIOLET and above

    • @Barquevious_Jackson
      @Barquevious_Jackson 3 роки тому +3

      Brought up way- way- too much. Not even that hot.

    • @superhetoric
      @superhetoric Рік тому +1

      ​@@Barquevious_Jacksonew

  • @irontemplar6222
    @irontemplar6222 Рік тому +7

    I remember Paranoia.
    I once wore a Red Army Commissars uniform and played the soviet national anthem. I also convinced Friend computer that I was the only non-communist which was hilarious, but also actually true. (Well that my character wasn't one anyway) My character was doing it for the lols, and basically had died so much he frankly didn't care anymore.
    My party also ended up driving Friend computer to drinking.
    Oh and after all of this friend computer tried to kill us so hard. That it caused all of us to band together like thieves, and succeed despite the active attempts to kill us. We even managed to get the body count down below the double digits.

  • @Winterydee
    @Winterydee 5 років тому +28

    I think someone has a little crush on Winona Ryder. Aaaaaaaahhhh... yeah I can understand.

  • @rosskwolfe
    @rosskwolfe Рік тому +8

    "They will be shot by the Death Star in self-defense." I burst out laughing every time I hear that.

    • @princecharon
      @princecharon 3 місяці тому

      That nearly happened to Luke Skywalker several times.

    • @rosskwolfe
      @rosskwolfe 3 місяці тому

      @princecharon Those were point defense towers. The implication of the sentence is "by the main laser".

  • @Dwarfman01
    @Dwarfman01 2 роки тому +12

    Published in 1984!?!?!

  • @AlainproFredric
    @AlainproFredric 3 роки тому +7

    My favorite item( Which I made myself) Scum Be Gone XL, Kills 99%. 99% of what is up to the GM.

  • @needmorecowbell6895
    @needmorecowbell6895 5 років тому +20

    Easily one of the greates RPGs ever written.

  • @halkyuusen8626
    @halkyuusen8626 2 роки тому +9

    After watching this I imagined a crossover between 2001 Space Odyssey and Paranoid, with Friend Computer playing the role of HAL9K and they're on a ship instead of a complex.

    • @b.s.864
      @b.s.864 Рік тому +4

      And that makes me think of the Game Metamorphosis Alpha and the show The Starlost. Although I don't think either had an A.I. . But Red Dwarf did and that ship's computer was definitely not right in the metaphorical head.

    • @Grizabeebles
      @Grizabeebles Рік тому

      Alpha Complex could be anywhere.
      The location of Alpha Complex is CLASSIFIED. The purpose of Alpha Complex is CLASSIFIED. All maps of Alpha Complex have been altered to conceal the CLASSIFIED rooms and corridors. All rooms and corridors in Alpha Complex have been altered to conceal the information on all CLASSIFIED maps. Alpha Complex is expanding to meet the needs of Alpha Complex. Alpha Complex is perfect.
      Creating your own map of Alpha Complex is espionage. Espionage is treason. Traitors will be executed.

  • @thedocklighter
    @thedocklighter 3 роки тому +12

    Ah, R&D was always fun: thermonuclear hand grenades (with a blast radius greater than your throwing distance) and wheeled rocket motor personal transportation boots.

    • @thesynthpub6511
      @thesynthpub6511 Рік тому

      Why not combine both, throw the grenade and run out of the blast radius?

  • @cthulhupthagn5771
    @cthulhupthagn5771 3 роки тому +8

    For the longest time I only had 5th Edition. It does sort of emphasize slapstick, but to me more via its art (which was very Toon like). It still hit the same notes.
    Recently I've picked up the Mongoose boxed sets (core, Acute, Black box) and at a glance, it seems more old school

  • @ShiceSquad
    @ShiceSquad Рік тому +1

    I knew this would be good when I saw the box. But that was back in 1991. Now I KNOW it's gonna be my favorite game.

  • @g3xe49
    @g3xe49 6 років тому +17

    Reminds me of Portal and Aperture Laboratories. Will need to check this out

    • @userfriendly2737
      @userfriendly2737 5 років тому +4

      G3 XE Indeed, citizen, you do. PARANOIA is fun, and fun is mandatory. Please expect erasure of your clone template should you fail to comply in a sufficiently timely and enthusiastic manner. Thank you and may your daycycle, as always, be filled with servility and satisfaction.

  • @ss-oq9pc
    @ss-oq9pc 5 років тому +15

    Your channel is a real hidden gem. You caused me to discover so many games I never heard of. Thanks.

  • @drjohndee4322
    @drjohndee4322 3 роки тому +3

    Lol.... back in the old days we would play paranoia when many of the players could not play for the day. It was fun and a blast.

  • @reminder9146
    @reminder9146 4 роки тому +14

    So the game was called... Winona Rider's Paranoia?

  • @GolobulusJohnson-ti9vn
    @GolobulusJohnson-ti9vn 10 місяців тому +1

    Only played once and it was a blast.

  • @shallendor
    @shallendor 3 роки тому +5

    Paranoia is all about creativity, setting up everyone else to save yourself! Felicia Day's laser pen death with Kegals is the best death of Paranoia, EVER!

  • @scottjones6860
    @scottjones6860 6 років тому +7

    For more of a mind-twist I want to place Alpha Complex on a level of the gargantuan Starship Warden, the drifting generation ship from Metamorphosis Alpha. Probably because of the "Alpha" connection. Winona!

    • @Mr_Welch
      @Mr_Welch  6 років тому +6

      Scott Jones the best part about Alpha complex is it goes exactly where you needed to go. So if one door opens out into a vast Wilderness and later another door opens into the cold vacuum of space nobody's even going to think twice about that

  • @tukkek
    @tukkek 6 років тому +6

    My problem with games like Paranoia is that you either need people to read the book or have a few sessions under their belts to fully play it as intended. Don't get me wrong: it must be a blast playing it as an unsuspecting first-timer too but you're not going to get the full experience until everyone sitting at the table "gets it".
    And sure, back in the 80s it might not be too much to expect at least a few of the players to read the book before starting but with the pace of life nowadays, most people don't even read a book per year, let alone a RPG rulebook... And, maybe other groups will differ, but my experience with comedy RPGs are that you play a one-shot once in a while, not an entire comedy campaign in a row to get players acclimated with the complex, unique setting and style.
    There's a reason why many of the more lore-intensive RPGs always start you off as a complete clueless bloke. In World of the Darkness and Kult, the world *seems* to be exactly like our world and is only through passing sessions that you, bit by bit, discover it's not at all like that. In Planescape most first-time players are going to be typical D&D heroes who are as confused by being teleported to Sigil (willingly or not) as any random person on the street would be.
    Paranoia is not alone in this regard: other settings also expect a lot from people before they can start playing "right" - and that doesn't make them bad games, necessarily.. it just bothers me that I'll probably never get to play it "as intended" or to its fullest potential because... it's just no small feat to actually get to that point with a band of RPG players that are anything less than full-hardcore dedicated to the hobby.

    • @userfriendly2737
      @userfriendly2737 5 років тому +4

      tukkek There was once a magical paradise called P-live that sprang up around a modified IRC program that was specifically designed to facilitate realtime play-by-chat PARANOIA entitled JParanoia, and it did the job marvelously.
      Sadly, though I am sure if you dig you can still find the client, the wonderful community and domain that formed around scheduling missions with it is now defunct.
      Still, having nudged you in a direction whereby remote play is possible, mayhap you will one day find the group of dedicated players you and I both seek.

    • @midshipman8654
      @midshipman8654 2 роки тому +2

      eh, I dont think it would be too hard to get people into if they dont have a hard preconception of what a rpg “has to be”, like a dungeon crawl or something.
      just go “this is an overbearing surveillance dystopia with a godlike psycho ai you have to appease. with both comedic and thriller tones”. then give some references like Portal or I have no mouth and I must scream. That seems like it should do it. the general premise is pretty well known. IDK if “lore” is all that necessary.

  • @JayHova4x4
    @JayHova4x4 Рік тому +2

    I ran the Paranoia LARP at OwlCon years ago. I hated the Vampire LARP and wanted something opposite, an anti-vampire LARP.

  • @tssteelx
    @tssteelx 3 роки тому +2

    Ooofff... wait a second 10:25. Is that the 1981 marvel successes chart? Nice.

  • @stephenclements6158
    @stephenclements6158 5 років тому +9

    You and your Winona fetish! A sign of your good taste.

  • @fsgtadZ
    @fsgtadZ 2 роки тому +2

    I died trying to give a (very cooperative) grandfather nurgle a dental exam

  • @Zane-It
    @Zane-It 2 роки тому +1

    take a shot every time he says winona rider.

  • @RobCrowley85
    @RobCrowley85 Рік тому +2

    So in this game, you just play to see how many ways you can die? Sounds like a night of absolute mayhem and laughs.

  • @peterjanssen5901
    @peterjanssen5901 Рік тому +1

    So, basically the Netherlands in the Future.

  • @paulvalentine4157
    @paulvalentine4157 9 місяців тому

    Paranoia XP is on Humble Bundle Feb 2024.

  • @whitethunderclap451
    @whitethunderclap451 6 місяців тому

    Things Mr. Welch is Not Allowed to do During an RPG Video #6,409: I will not make a video with one hand.

  • @endlessboardgame985
    @endlessboardgame985 3 роки тому +4

    Did you receive a defective batch of hormone blocking chemicals?

  • @squatchhammer7215
    @squatchhammer7215 3 роки тому +1

    Paranoia, improv rpg.

  • @RPGGamer
    @RPGGamer 6 років тому +3

    Great bit of nostalgia, I love me some Paranoia, back in the 80's-90's I picked up absolutely everything I could for it, even if I didn't really play it that much, the books were hilarious just to read. I've put up a video about it myself over on my channel along with a bunch of other Retro RPG's. ua-cam.com/video/k-vEHh3MEps/v-deo.html The computer is your friend, trust no one and keep your laser handy.

  • @byronswain7569
    @byronswain7569 3 роки тому +1

    Nice Lucas reference :D

  • @notbloodylikely4817
    @notbloodylikely4817 11 місяців тому +1

    I enjoyed this review of Winona Ryder but what's with all the weird references to Paranoia?

    • @Mr_Welch
      @Mr_Welch  11 місяців тому +1

      Needed to 0ad run time

  • @thomasdiener9068
    @thomasdiener9068 6 років тому +2

    I've had a Yen to mash this up with Necromunda,
    Where your entire Gang is your Clones....
    (ala Bennett/Guinan 's Dark Horse Comic series"Heartbreakers")
    www.bigredhair.com/books/heartbreakers/about/
    I'm two steps Closer since purchasing the French Company
    "Raging Hormones" figs 'The Toughest Gurls in the Galaxy'
    One of these Years...... Tank Girl meets Paranoia via Necromunda...
    Oh, Yes, my precious !!

  • @jameskosakoski2992
    @jameskosakoski2992 2 роки тому +1

    So funny…

  • @bstrange4685
    @bstrange4685 6 років тому +2

    Had a blast with with this game. Was hoping you would cover it. Thanks.

  • @manarayofhope2374
    @manarayofhope2374 5 років тому +2

    For me it was Lohan

    • @TobeWilsonNetwork
      @TobeWilsonNetwork 5 років тому +2

      Probably Ana Torv or Jessica Chastain for me oddly enough , at least in the early years.

    • @jeffweskamp3685
      @jeffweskamp3685 3 роки тому +2

      @@TobeWilsonNetwork In my early years, my crush was Alyssa Milano. Now it's Taylor Swift and Natalie Dormer

  • @bookwormbryan
    @bookwormbryan 4 роки тому +3

    Great video! Do you have any thoughts on the more recent Paranoia: Red Clearance Edition?

    • @Mr_Welch
      @Mr_Welch  4 роки тому +4

      Unfortunately I haven't had a chance to take a look at it

  • @MrCheshireify
    @MrCheshireify 4 роки тому +4

    I think you failed to denote Paranoia XP, Paranoia's 25th Anniversary, and the New Paranoia game.

  • @DonzaDJN
    @DonzaDJN 2 місяці тому

    So, Space Station 13 the TTRPG~

  • @mistery8363
    @mistery8363 Рік тому +1

    what's your opinion on the kickstarter edition?

  • @Morachnyion
    @Morachnyion 6 років тому +2

    i didnt know you had your own musings channel Glen.. you are now subscribed.

  • @alexanderk1206
    @alexanderk1206 3 роки тому +7

    Too much of Wynona Ryder.
    Otherwise great video thx.

  • @Melvinshermen
    @Melvinshermen 4 роки тому +1

    This is basic Brave new World meet brazil

  • @Morachnyion
    @Morachnyion 6 років тому +4

    you also need a REALLY creative game master to run this.

    • @userfriendly2737
      @userfriendly2737 5 років тому +5

      Brian Dean Or just the one for whom this setting lands. I'm a middling GM at best, and apart from this system, the only reason I ever run is lack of someone better.
      But, when it comes to PARANOIA the demands and nature of the setting just click for me, and I'm suddenly on another level as a storyteller.

    • @WeWillAlwaysHaveVALIS
      @WeWillAlwaysHaveVALIS 5 років тому +3

      @@userfriendly2737 I feel that, Paranoia is just my jam.

    • @userfriendly2737
      @userfriendly2737 5 років тому +2

      We'llAlwaysHave VALIS
      As per CPU proclaimance 17-9-FU-18.17, you have been censured for improper presentation of Computer related materials. The appropriate representation of the title of our reality to communist outsiders is well-defined as full capitalization. Have a pleasant daycycle, citizen.

  • @qazwer333
    @qazwer333 5 років тому +1

    Oh boy, GM Powertrip simulator. This game is garbage. I said it. My first major problem is it actively try's to hide main rules from the players(Even asking how to roll things can cause the gm to just kill their character suddenly.) The gm has zero rules and is expected to run the game like a meat grinder. Zero role playing, zero stakes. It encourages the players to act like Immature, selfish children.It has a terrible setting which is summed up as "fuck if i know".Asking questions or revealing you read the other parts of the book means the gm can kill you. Why get invested when you can die from asking the wrong question. In addition, every other player wants the other player's dead. Messing with the gm will cause unavoidable death #201,234,000. It is almost as terrible as Via the new legends with how evil and perceive everything is. 0/10 i would rather try to play phoenix command again.

    • @Grizabeebles
      @Grizabeebles Рік тому

      I've been at one or two tables where Paranoia is run more like "Logan's Run" or "THX 1138".
      As Mr. Welch said, Friend Computer has betrayed its original mission (maybe?) and created a communist society of mutants - which makes FC a traitor.
      Thus, following FC's instructions is aiding and abetting treason. Which is also treason.
      That's why rules-lawyering is pointless -- claiming you followed the rules is an admission of guilt.