This is by no means a “must have” book for Paranoia, but neither is it bad.

I’m not going to argue with that. The blog contains numerous other reviews on all manner of books, games, films and other sundries – so, well worth surveilling.

However, I’m happy to say, for PARANOIA fans, that the whole range (almost every sort of treason in word and deed) from the original XP rules to the present day likes of IntSec has some sort of discount (with the odd exception here and there). In many cases, Mongoose has discounted by as much as 50% (or thereabouts), which can’t be sniffed at. Handy for anyone who wishes to avail themselves of the recent Forms Pack (which certainly lends itself to the PDF format for each of GM access – just print and terrorize!).

I have been flicking through ‘Black Missions’ over the weekend, because I haven’t, as of yet, familiarised myself with the changes (around Treason Points, for example). Alas, I hoped to read a lot, but managed to read only a smidgeon before other matters distracted me. As it happens, some distracting material may land up on this site in the near future; but, I dare not make any promises about what, when or how.

Alas, fickle fate has interceded. I have teenage sons to contend with and no wife to keep them distracted (as she stayed at home nursing a broken toe). My time has not been my own and the apartment only has one room with an inspirational sea view. On top of the that, I’ve been plagued with headaches and sleeplessness, which contribute to a general lack of concentration. Just writing this blog entry involves a considerable act of will.

To add insult to injury, I also intended to run some roleplaying sessions in the evening, simply to keep my oar in. Alas, I have struggled here, too. I’d rather watch a DVD or play a boardgame after getting home dog-tired from walking and preparing dinner.

More pep-pills for me, please!

Having been quite involved in the game for the last five years, I take an interest in these things. My contributions may have been small… But that doesn’t mean that I stop caring. Indeed, I have been working hard on my own mission this weekend – keen to keep my oar in so as not to forget exactly how it is done. I like the creative process, though I’m not especially quick or decisive about it. I do have my moments, but they’re woefully unpredictable.

I’ll try to lay off taking too much interest in what other people are doing, and concentrate a little harder on my own projects. I’m sure Gareth will get the job finished just fine…

So, if you want a print copy, get over to Mongoose and buy one. Or, you could always depend on the perennially reliable online auction sites for secondhand copies.

And there are always PDF copies if you’re keen on preserving precious shelf space…

Bill’s fine Criminal Histories injected a wonderful thrill to PARANOIA character generation that had been missing from the system all these long years. Why should Traveller players be the only ones perched on the edges of their seats with each and every dice roll on yet another character generation chart? I know Allen Varney – writer and designer of PARANOIA (2004 edition) – relished the opportunity to format and layout dozens upon dozens of pages containing nothing but tables.

For my part, I wrote The Underplex as my first full-length project – me and my laptop against the world (or, more precisely, the ever approaching deadline). I appreciate the opportunity to add a little something to PARANOIA lore and hope that the passing of this book will not see ‘The Underplex’ forgotten like it’s namesake.

In 1446, Wales perched on the precipice, faced with the prospect of a new rebellion by restless natives. Complacent English nobles, entrusted with expansive domains, stretch themselves all too thin, leaving stewards to run much of their lands and properties. In many instances, these stewards come from the local population, swayed by misplaced loyalties and the corrupting influence of power.

In the midst of this, a simple merchant requests the assistance of travellers in Swansea to drive, and provide escort, to a cartload of goods, bound for Pembroke. It seems a simple enough task, providing payment and transport for a couple of days on the road. However, how often do games present simple tasks that stay simple. Mixing legendary stones, agents of the Crown, bandits and stray sheep, ‘The Sward and The Stone’ is a new adventure for the classic ‘Maelstrom‘ role playing system.

You can download The Sward and the Stone now from Drive Thru Stuff and RPGNow. A 27-page adventure plus two maps, the booklet provides background, NPCs and a gazateer of the character’s route through the craggy, troubled landscape of south Wales in the mid-15th Century.

Fueled on CoffeeLyke and Doctor Bot, frenzified with an cascade of bile and imagination, both books streamed forth… hundreds of entries from a multitude of Traitors. Eric Minton quite probably didn’t sleep for days, typing until his fingers became bloody stumps, his swollen eyes weeping crimson tears. All who tried to match his productivity failed miserably…

While you might think the sheer weight of content means that some of the material might fall short of the quality mark, you probably haven’t taken account of the fact that we created many more entries than finally made it into the books. Many many more.

STUFF comes to mind, because I hadn’t noticed the extra material on Mongoose Publishing before. If you combine the Page Template and STUFF graphics you can create your own gear in an authentic C-Bay format, plastered with motivational slogans like ‘Non-Treasonous’, ‘Live The Adventure’ and ‘Entirely Funky’… Which discerning citizen could refuse offers like that?

I’m happy to say a lot of my own material made it into both books (like the refreshing taste of Doctor Bot). I’m also happy to say, both volumes of STUFF far exceed the accomplishments of the old R&D Catalog, which provided lacklustre detail of a dozen or so items. You can feel the love flicking through STUFF volumes… knowing that willing and eager Traitors hand-crafted every item…

I have taken to ordering a lot of books recently through this source, largely because I find reading off my laptop rather comfortable. Open Acrobat, hit Ctrl+Shift+(minus sign) to spin counter clockwise 90 degrees and Ctrl+L to go full screen (I think) – voila! Big screen reading in a format that isn’t a hassle. A lot easier on a laptop than a desktop… but, you could always tip your monitor on it’s side! Having a PDF of the rules or an adventure means I can Search out what I need without flicking through pages or scanning the index – and I can add my own notes to the text onscreen (as I have an old, but serviceable, copy of the full version of Acrobat). I can sit back on a comfy seat, or out in the sun in the backyard, perch the laptop on my legs and read until the battery goes flat without hassle. Highly recommended.

I would like to think that the general atmosphere of the end of the film – a claustrophobic trip through a locked down facility full of infected scientists hungry for blood ending with a showdown with the super-powered ex-commander of your team – could be translated over to my first PARANOIA mission, ‘Patch Job’. I would hope that over time my writing has improved – and that I still have a long way to go after PARANOIA: The Underplex – but my ‘Crash Priority‘ mission did leave a lot to be desired. I read the reviews – and, to be honest, when you’re sharing mission book space with the likes of ‘Stealth Train’, then what hope do you have? I would dearly like to try again from scratch and make it more memorable – and could probably take it in different directions.

A riff on the ‘Doom‘ ending would certainly be one direction. The Troubleshooters have been sent to repair the systems in the underground station and find what at first seem to be ordinary citizens and tech crews trapped down there. However, Rex-I’s condition has spread – like the Black Oil from ‘The X-Files‘ or some similar horror film parasitic invader – and the ordinary citizen start turning against – and ultimately attack – the characters. You need to add a few more corridors, ducts and maintenance gantries to offer tantilising options to reaching the goal, and the chance injury of the players to plant the seed of uncertainty about infection within the team… Then, end the whole thing with a Rex-I who fights like The Rock and looks like a metallic Auric Goldfinger.

Well… it works for me.

Now, I’m not disputing this is an excellent book, but you’re seriously wrong if you imagine that reading this will bring you kicking and screaming into the know regarding the seamy underbelly of modern underworld society.

Still, maybe I’m wrong – maybe you should buy it anyway (and get one for each of your family, too) and see what you think…