My roleplaying group is talking about taking a break from our 4e D&D campaign for a bit, and doing some one-offs. We are planning on doing a few sessions with a GURPS game of some sort, and the prospect of playing a session or three of Paranoia came up. I love the setting of Paranoia, and am planning on running something with it.

I have attempted to run it in the past, and it failed miserably. Some of that was my fault, I am certain, for not explaining enough of what was going on to the players. Some of that was that the players were taking it too seriously, and trying to work together too much. Some of it was ... who knows?

Anyway, I would like this to be as good an experience as possible for this group. None of them, except my wife, have played Paranoia before, and she played with me the previous time I tried to run it. I ran the introductory scenario, the Scrubbing Bubbles scenario in the back of the book, the last time, so that scenario is out. Any ideas or recommendations for getting people into the mood/spirit of the game? I am planning on giving them pre-genned character sheets, and probably doing some of the initial "surveys" and what-not that are recommended at the back of the book.

Also, I am using Paranoia XP, for anyone who cares, and I was planning on running it in a Classic style with some Straight elements, although if there are good suggestions as to why I should move it in a different direction I am really interested to hear them.

My roleplaying group is talking about taking a break from our 4e D&D campaign for a bit, and doing some one-offs. We are planning on doing a few sessions with a GURPS game of some sort, and the prospect of playing a session or three of Paranoia came up. I love the setting of Paranoia, and am planning on running something with it.

I have attempted to run it in the past, and it failed miserably. Some of that was my fault, I am certain, for not explaining enough of what was going on to the players. Some of that was that the players were taking it too seriously, and trying to work together too much. Some of it was ... who knows?

Anyway, I would like this to be as good an experience as possible for this group. None of them, except my wife, have played Paranoia before, and she played with me the previous time I tried to run it. How do I get people into the mood/spirit of the game? I am planning on giving them pre-genned character sheets, and probably doing some of the initial "surveys" and what-not that are recommended at the back of the book. (I ran the introductory "Scrubbing Bubbles" scenario in the back of the book that previous game with my wife, so that scenario is out.)

I am using Paranoia XP in case it matters, and I was planning on running it in a Classic style with some Straight elements, though if there are good suggestions as to why I should move it in a different direction I am really interested to hear them.