Paranoia: Happiness is Mandatory - isometric RPG based on the tabletop game

[LESS T_T]

https://www.epicgames.com/store/en-US/product/paranoia/home

Spoiler

Developed by Cyanide and Black Shamrock (new-ish Ireland RPG studio helped development of a few Cyanide games), for PC and consoles. No details yet.

Good news, Citizen! For the first time, your friend The Computer, has authorized a digital version of Paranoia

Cyanide and Black Shamrock are fervently loyal to The Computer and therefore proud to announce the development of Paranoia: The Official Video Game, a darkly humorous RPG adapted from the critically acclaimed pen and paper game created by Dan Gelber, Greg Costikyan, and Eric Goldberg.

Paranoia is set in Alpha Complex, the last remaining human city. Alpha Complex is a paradise. The Computer tells you so. Of course, The Computer is always right. Questioning or challenging The Computer is likely to result in termination, or possibly long-term commitment to a Re-Education Gulag and Spa.

In Paranoia, you’ll play as the leader of a Red Clearance Troubleshooter team. As a Troubleshooter, your job is to find trouble. And shoot it. Though Alpha Complex is a paradise, it is unfortunately beset by all kinds of enemies. Terrorists. Mutants. Members of secret societies. Even – shocking though it may be to say – even Troubleshooters who somehow doubt The Computer’s benevolent wisdom, and the evident truth that Alpha Complex is a paradise.

Lies, double-cross and backstabbing will be your best allies for survival in Alpha Complex, as betrayal is a constant threat. Sometimes your team mates, and even yourself, are more of a threat to your survival than the ostensible mission baddies.

On top of that, the Computer is always watching your actions, judging you, and rewarding you fairly… or not. But should you be defeated or terminated (incinerated is more accurate), you have 5 replacement clones in reserve to try again! Not always faithful copies of the original… but that's another problem.

To demonstrate your loyalty to The Computer, please circulate these posters! Thank you for your cooperation!

Unreliable narration; explosions, laser blasts, insane robots; technology-based environments to explore; a role-playing team you can’t rely on: Paranoia takes the conventions of the CRPG and turns them on their head, creating a world and a gaming environment that will frustrate, surprise, and delight players of the genre with something both familiar – and something that defeats their expectations.

The above information is Clearance Violet. If you are below Clearance Violet, please report to the nearest Termination Booth immediately. Thank you.

Paranoia: The Official Video Game is co-developed by Cyanide, from Paris Complex, and Black Shamrock, from Dublin Complex. The game will be released on PC and Console when the Computer decides that the time is right.

Not published by Focus Home?

 

[Saduj]

Sounds pretty cool.

I hope it doesn't turn out to be a first person shooter.

 

[Infinitron]

Where'd you find this, LESS T_T?

 

[Darth Roxor]

I hope they remember that fun is mandatory.

Also, this is hilariously out of the blue.

 

[Darth Roxor]

Uh-oh, on second read, the announcement doesn't name commies as enemies of Friend Computer.

So it'll probably be shit.

 

[LESS T_T]

Well it's not like I expected otherwise, but job postings indicate this is an action RPG, eh no, "immersive kick-ass action RPG": http://www.black-shamrock.com/senior-level-designer

Where'd you find this, LESS T_T?

Press release? One thing I can find on web: http://www.allgamesdelta.net/2018/03/paranoia-official-video-game-announced.html

 

[buffalo bill]

As a Troubleshooter, your job is to find trouble. And shoot it. Though Alpha Complex is a paradise, it is unfortunately beset by all kinds of enemies. Terrorists. Mutants. Members of secret societies.

Sometimes your team mates, and even yourself, are more of a threat to your survival than the ostensible mission baddies.


But should you be defeated or terminated (incinerated is more accurate), you have 5 replacement clones in reserve to try again!

A proper Paranoia cRPG would be great (and incredibly hard to make well), but from the description this sounds like it'll be a FPS. Hopefully I'm wrong.

 

[Jaedar]

First impression on seeing thread title


First sentence "Developed by Cyanide"
REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

Uh-oh, on second read, the announcement doesn't name commies as enemies of Friend Computer.

So it'll probably be shit.

Yeah. I mean it is a press release, so it was likely written by some marketing shite who doesn't even know what a d20 is, but this press release has the stink of bethesdas fallout.

No mention of commies, no mention of treason, mangling "fun is mandatory" to "happiness is mandatory". Calling Friend Computer just "the computer".

 

[Trans-Financial-Man]

First impression on seeing thread title


First sentence "Developed by Cyanide"
REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

Uh-oh, on second read, the announcement doesn't name commies as enemies of Friend Computer.

So it'll probably be shit.

Yeah. I mean it is a press release, so it was likely written by some marketing shite who doesn't even know what a d20 is, but this press release has the stink of bethesdas fallout.

No mention of commies, no mention of treason, mangling "fun is mandatory" to "happiness is mandatory". Calling Friend Computer just "the computer".

Friend Computer is disappointed in such blatant communism. Submit Cyanide to the nearest suicide booth for mandatory recycling.

 

[Count Grishnak]

Highly original imagery on those posters.

 

[LESS T_T]

Facebook post by one of the creators of the tabletop RPG, Greg Costikyan: https://www.facebook.com/costik.g/posts/10156212232867938

The Paranoia computer game was announced today.

It's being developed by Dublin-based Black Shamrock Studios for Paris-based Cyanide Studio. One of the conditions of the license was that the developers work with a writer Eric Goldberg and I approved who understood Paranoia; luckily, Gareth Hanrahan who has done excellent Paranoia work and contributed meaningfully to all three Mongoose editions of the tabletop game, was into it. It helps that he's also in Ireland, so getting to the Black Shamrock offices is pretty easy for him.

I spent a week in Dublin a few months ago, sitting with the dev team and helping them to 'get' Paranoia and think about how to turn it into a PC game; I've been encouraging them to -not- be slavishly adherent to the tabletop experience, and instead to focus on why Paranoia was unique in tabletop RPGs: It turned many conventions of the form on their head. Cooperate with the other PCs? No, backstab them. The GM is a neutral arbiter? No, the GM is the embodiment of a totalitarian tyranny. Adventures should be fair and balanced? No, adventures should be hose jobs.

Similarly, I encouraged them to think about how to turn the conventions of the CRPG upside down. Like: You can trust that fulfilling your mission objectives is actually what you need to do. Subordinate characters on the team will do what you tell them to. Your equipment actually does what the info dialog says it does. And so on.

It's early days, and there's many a slip twixt cup and gold master, but I'm encouraged by the builds I've seen.

"It's being developed by Dublin-based Black Shamrock Studios for Paris-based Cyanide Studio."

This sounds like Cyanide is publisher and co-developer and Black Shamrock is the main development team.

Humza Kazmi Gareth 's the writer? That's all you had to say.

Greg Costikyan I'm not saying he's =sole= writer, but he's involved, and we felt it very necessary to have a writer who gets Paranoia involved. He also has not been involved in an interactive project before, which is a problem, but also an opportunity to learn. And I hope and trust that between the Black Shamrock Team, who -do- get CRPGs, and Gareth, who does get Paranoia, that they'll find a way to make it work.

 

[Alex]

Space Station 13 will probably always remain the closest thing to an actual Paranoia CRPG. Which is a pity. SS13 is great, but there is lots of room for improvement, as well as making it more akin to the P&P game.

 

[LESS T_T]

An article about this Irish studio Black Shamrock from May: http://www.thejournal.ie/black-shamrock-games-2-4032367-May2018/

• The studio was co-founded by French man Olivier Masclef in late 2015. In 90s he was producer at Infogrames, and later, this is the funny part, he was the founder of Widescreen Games. (Yes, the French studio that was responsible for the canceled console version of The Witcher which almost tanked CD Projekt.)
• Last year they've acquired by Virtuos, Chinese gaming company founded by another French man (see a pattern here?) and his acquaintance or friend Gilles Langourieux.
• The studio currently employs 40 people, and it will be expand to 70 by the end of the year.
• They have two major projects, Werewolf game and Paranoia.

(edit: Come to think of it, "immersive kick-ass action RPG" from job postings could be referring to Werewolf game, which probably is more deep into production than Paranoia. Well, or both.)

 

[Latro]

im expecting a fps that just tries to be a kookier fallout 3. would have preferred an isometric shadowrun returns/x-com type rpg, with a focus on random missions and replacing your dudes like x-com.

now that I think about, x-com apocalypse would have been a great paranoia game.

 

[Ranarama]

Honestly I think an fps with certain provisions would fit Paranoia alright. I'm thinking along the lines of GMod-esque mods. Player interactions in TTT in particular copies sessions of Paranoia closely already.

Actual gameplay would probably best ape Streets of Rogue levels of interaction but using a physics engine. Maybe have some meta-game upgrades between clones in your six-pack.

I don't know that Paranoia necessarily lends itself to turn-based gameplay, but it'd probably allow more complex actions.

 

[Theldaran]

Uh-oh, on second read, the announcement doesn't name commies as enemies of Friend Computer.

So it'll probably be shit.

Of course, we can't offend our communist overlords. The main enemy will be Trump, I guess.

This political correctness is as stupid as removing swastikas from Call of Duty... sigh.

 

[LESS T_T]

Looks like this is an isometric RPG using Unity.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/luizgosantos/

Worked as a Programmer using Unity3D and C# for RTS and CRPG games based in well-known IPs such as Paranoia and Blood Bowl. Games are set to be released in PC/Steam, Xbox and PS4.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronmeaney/

I was recently employed as a Game Programmer Intern for Black Shamrock, where I worked on Paranoia: The Official Video Game with Unity and C#. My responsibilities included bugfixing, refactoring major game systems, writing unit tests and documenting code changes.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolas-pankowiak/

☐ PARANOIA - PC, PS4, Xbox One
[...]
➭ Managing a team of 30+ people (all departments)

https://www.linkedin.com/in/braxifen/

• Lead the design of mechanics, systems, and narrative for a 3D isometric RPG.

http://maximedroin.com/paranoia/
http://maximedroin.com/level-design/

I am currently working at Black Shamrock Studio as a Level and Game Designer on the adaptation of the pen and paper game Paranoia. I arrived early on in the preproduction when the team was small, up until now as we are in full production moving towards release.

I started working on the 15th of May, 2017 and I am still working here to this day. Screenshots of my work to come as soon as they become available to public.

I worked with the Design team and attended daily meetings, but I also worked on the Game Design side of things such as coming up with new, innovative but within-scope gameplay mechanics and specifically Boss Design where I was asked to come up with good and interesting mechanics that still fit our Game’s style, and drive the designs all the way to the prototype. I have also worked on system design for our game, design systems such as environmental interactions, dialogues and AI. I also learnt to work with NodeCanvas, a Unity Tool that allows for easy dialog integration and that I also used to do visual scripting for events in the levels.

 

[LESS T_T]

Official reveal. It's an isometric CRPG with RTwP combat:

https://steamcommunity.com/games/858030/announcements/detail/1773763876476377798

Paranoia: Happiness is Mandatory | Announcement

You can follow us Facebook[www.facebook.com] or Twitter for more news about the game.

In a show of benevolence, Friend Computer has declared that it is authorising BIGBEN to be part of a project that will make life more perfect for you and your fellow citizens! The company has just joined the ranks of willing servants of Friend Computer alongside Cyanide and Black Shamrock, and together they are announcing the development of Paranoia: Happiness is Mandatory: a darkly humorous CRPG, adapted from the tabletop role-playing game created by Dan Gelber, Greg Costikyan and Eric Goldberg.

If you are reading this, Citizen, then you are a person Friend Computer officially trusts. In fact, you must be one of its favourites. And it wants to show you how much it cares – by officially appointing you Troubleshooter with Red clearance! Your mission is to unearth traitors of Alpha Complex and to neutralise them. Friend Computer will definitely maybe reward you for your loyalty!

Stay alert! Trust no one! Keep your laser handy because Alpha Complex is not an entirely safe place, despite Friend Computer's unquestionable kindness. During your missions, you will be tasked with fighting Terrorists, treasonous Mutants and Secret Societies.

You must deceive and scheme to survive because even members of your own team can be a threat! Be warned, you are constantly being watched and it may be proved necessary to terminate you without notice at any moment. But don't worry! If that happens, at least you have clones available to try your luck again. Just don't expect the new clone to be completely the same as the original...

Despite everything you've just heard, be assured that Alpha Complex is and always will be a utopia. Thanks to Friend Computer, you will be happy every day. What's that look? Do I detect some doubt? Are you happy, Citizen? Be warned, not agreeing with Friend Computer is tantamount to treason, and treasonous actions are punishable by death...

The game will be released on PC and consoles in 2019, when Friend Computer feels like it.

Paranoia is a CRPG that takes place in humanity's last idyllic refuge, Alpha Complex, which is controlled by Friend Computer. All citizens enjoy a life of joy, cheerfulness and cleanliness. Questioning the benevolence of Friend Computer is an act of treason. Having access to information beyond your security clearance is an act of treason. Refusing to drink your daily dose of Bouncy Bubble Beverage is an act of treason. Treason is punishable by summary execution.

Stay alert! Trust no one!
Traitors are everywhere, plotting to destroy The Computer, Alpha Complex itself, and our precious way of life. Identify them, report them – or eliminate them as the treasonous scum they are. Keep your laser handy!

You lead a team of Troubleshooters with RED security clearance. Your job is to find trouble – and shoot it. Friend Computer monitors your every move, alert for any sign of treason, and will undoubtedly reward you for prompt and heroic action in defence of Alpha Complex – or punish treasonable acts, possibly by assigning you to be used as reactor shielding.

• A retro-futuristic world filled with technologies as wondrous as they are deadly
  
• Create and lead a team of four Troubleshooters working for Friend Computer
  
• Choose your specialisations from 16 available skills
  
• Unique character progression through cloning (if you die, you progress!)
  
• Tactical combat system with active pause inspired by classic CRPG games
  
• Original enemies, including malfunctioning robots, aggressive drinks dispensers and defective clones

 

[Infinitron]

No official website, just a Facebook page?

http://bigben-group.com/?file_upload_media=615&post_id=614&fileshare_name=fileshare

Paranoia: Happiness is Mandatory

Mad, sardonic, and a cult favourite: Paranoia is becoming a video game!

Lesquin, April 3rd, 2019: Bigben is happy to announce that Paranoia: Happiness is Mandatory, an adaptation of the cult role-playing game of the ‘80s, is currently being developed by Black Shamrock’s teams, and will therefore join Bigben’s extensive catalogue of games.

Created in 1984 by Greg Costikyan, Dan Gelber, and Eric Goldberg, Paranoia was inspired by the works of Kafka, Orwell, and Huxley. It tackles the idea of a population controlled by technology, a subject which is central to our current day society.
Such was its success that several re-releases were produced, turning the game into a veritable touchstone for role-playing gamers of all ages. And its fame hasn’t diminished any in recent years: recent crowd-funding campaigns have made it possible to successfully release a French re-release of the game called Paranoïa: l’édition post-post-post Moderne.

Paranoia: Happiness is Mandatory plunges players into an oppressive universe where The Computer, an artificial intelligence, controls and watches over Alpha Complex, a human city where an inhabitant’s social standing is determined by colour-coded security clearances. In this mad universe, the player will learn through off-the-wall dialogues that happiness is mandatory, that anyone can turn out to be a traitor, and asking too many questions is treason against The Computer.

“With Paranoia: Happiness is Mandatory, we wanted to bring together video games and role-playing games, two universes that are vastly different yet complement each other perfectly. Players will learn more about the universe while role-players will discover, controller in hand, the playful aspect of the adaptation. We’re thrilled to be able to adapt this unique and crazy universe as a video game!” declares Benoît Clerc, Bigben’s Head of Publishing.

“As fans of Paranoia’s very original, complex, and sardonic universe, we’re proud to be able to contribute to its adaptation alongside Bigben and thus offer a unique experience to lovers of video game and tabletop role-playing games,” proclaims Olivier Masclef, Black Shamrock’s Managing Director.

“Stay alert! Trust no one! Keep your laser handy!' Those catchphrases announced a game that surprised and delighted tabletop role-players, by gleefully subverting the play style of D&D and other Very Serious Games -- and introduced dark humor that married the tone of Monty Python with Quentin Tarantino films and humor aimed at adults to the genre. Now Paranoia is set to upend your RPG expectations in a computer game that's more fun than you can stand." Says Eric Goldberg, co-designer of Paranoïa.

Paranoia: Happiness is Mandatory is faithful to its pen and paper progenitor. The player, leading a squad of 4 Troubleshooters, is tasked with tracking down traitors. Serving The Computer can be very risky, but it lets the most tenacious Troubleshooters rise quickly through the hierarchy. And since death is waiting for the player just around each corner, they have access to 5 clones which allows them to develop their character in order to accomplish their goals and unmask their enemies.

 

[Deleted Member 16721]

This will be incline. Thank you for reading this post.

 

[Darth Roxor]

Should be regular real-time, not rtwp. Pure real-time clusterfuck would fit the chaos and craziness of Paranoia much better - can you react fast enough to stop your troubleshooters from going outside their security clearance zone while chasing a commie mutant traitor?

 

[Nifft Batuff]

I had a deja-vu, for a moment.

 

[CryptRat]

Create and lead a team of four Troubleshooters working for Friend Computer

If you create your party as suggested then I'm likely going to play the game.

 

[Zombra]

As always, Bigben Interactive as the publisher is an ugly red flag.

Still, I like what I'm actually reading about the concept. With a high priority placed on your own team being unreliable and untrustworthy this could actually be interesting. RTWP is fine, even ideal in this context; Paranoia was never supposed to be a hard core tactical RPG. Flying lasers and lots of blood suits it. (The blood won't be sanitized out, will it?)

 

[Lord_Potato]

Very fallouty presentation. Mostly the posters but also the humor and retrofuturism.