I think I am slightly insane...considering a Paranoia LARP

[Katana_Geldar]

Well, I'm heading home from a con and at the after-con party a few of us got talking about my long term plans: to run a Paranoia LARP.
I love Paranoia, run it a number of times with my old gaming group and had multiple sessions at two cons, and I have heard stories and knew that if I could find the right people, I could do this.

Here is what we discussed.
We have enough players in the game for multiple troubleshooting teams. 24 with 4 teams of 6 for instance. Each team would have their own GM that would stay with them with a roaming GM that would settle contests and disputes between teams. Players would be assigned to a team at random when they come in.
The initial premise is similar to the module I've seen in Flashbacks called Clone Camp...I think. Characters have been awarded official red level status by Friend Computer and are made to go to a camp where they learn about troubleshooting in a simulated environment. Unfortunately, several secret societies and perhaps a few service groups have decided to make it real and deadly as any regular troubleshooting mission.

I understand that there will be things that don't work in Paranoia in a LARP that do work at the table. MDBs, individual conferences. But what I would like to hear are any hints or tips from players or GMs of Paranoia LARP games.

One thing I would like to have is an actual Friend Computer terminal. Have a PC monitor set up with the eye, speakers and a microphone and on the other side of a screen someone would sit and speak through another microphone through a voice modulator. Probably need more than one.

[TroubleBrewing]

I understand that there will be things that don't work in Paranoia in a LARP that do work at the table. MDBs, individual conferences. But what I would like to hear are any hints or tips from players or GMs of Paranoia LARP games.

Individual conferences can work just fine; just pull the player in question aside, or slip them a note. Inform the players ahead of time that the passing of notes from GM to player is considered "out-of-game" and should not be referenced or noticed in-game.

[Yuki Akuma]

Individual conferences can work just fine; just pull the player in question aside, or slip them a note. Inform the players ahead of time that the passing of notes from GM to player is considered "out-of-game" and should not be referenced or noticed in-game.

And then promptly pass some notes in-game to confuse matters.

[TroubleBrewing]

And then promptly pass some notes in-game to confuse matters.

Brilliant. Deliberate disinformation is what Paranoia is all about.

Heck, make some of the notes say "One of your companions has received a transmission from the Communists!" Occasionally distribute a round of notes that is nothing but this message.

[Aidan305]

I started writing one of these last week. Myself and a friend were in the local chinese and we started wondering what an Alpha Complex recreation of a pre-reckoning pub would be like. We've already got a fair chunk of it written.

[Katana_Geldar]

Ok, the module is called Pre-Paranoia, but Flashbacks gave me a better name: My First Treason. All the same, lots of ideas.

[Fouredged Sword]

Set up some insane tasks that would be simple, but are made imposible by the computer, alla painting a white hallway red to make the area a red clearence zone, but the hallway is white, so anyone who enters to paint it is shot at as a comunist spy.

Also tell everyone OOC that the larp is secretly divided into two goups, communist and loyalists. The group that exterminates the other wins the larp. Tell everyone individualy (and secretly) that they are a communist.

Don't forget equipment. Provided dangerous and badly named equipment for anyone brave enough to use it.

[Mono Vertigo]

And then promptly pass some notes in-game to confuse matters.

In addition, also pass out-of-game notes as usual... to as many players as possible... where said notes don't give out any information.
There, everyone will be suspicious and confused, just the way it should be.

[Beelzebub1111]

Also tell everyone OOC that the larp is secretly divided into two goups, communist and loyalists. The group that exterminates the other wins the larp. Tell everyone individualy (and secretly) that they are a communist.

Or give each one a different secret society. that are all enemies of each-other. Because if the secret gets out you know that they'll all ally against friend-computer together.

[TheLARPER]

I am not sure if you are serious but if you are be sure to list your LARP on the LARPLIST at http://www.thelarper.com

[Kurald Galain]

I've played several Paranoia LARPs and can attest they are great fun.

Obviously this starts with mandating all the players to dress in red and black, and have all the game masters dress in blue, violet, and white. It also starts with printing lots and lots of forms (including the all-time-popular Form Request Form). And of course waterpistols as laser weaponry.

I don't recall any of those LARPs using strict six-person troubleshooter teams; there were smaller groups with lots of contradictory missions, and go from there. You can keep people busy with something simple, like giving three people the secret mission that a certain bucket has to be placed on the ground floor, and giving three other people the mission to move the same bucket to the second floor.