Delta Green⁚ Need to Know Overview

This document serves as a quick-start guide, providing an introduction to the Delta Green role-playing game. It offers a streamlined rule set and is designed to get players started quickly. It is readily available in PDF format.

Quickstart Rulebook and its Purpose

The Delta Green⁚ Need to Know quickstart rulebook acts as an accessible entry point into the world of Delta Green, a role-playing game focused on investigating cosmic horrors and conspiracies. Its primary purpose is to provide a complete, playable experience with simplified rules, allowing new players to quickly grasp the core mechanics of the game without needing the full core rulebooks. This document serves as a demonstration of the game’s unique investigative gameplay, encouraging players to explore the dark secrets and dangers that define the Delta Green setting. It includes all essential rules for running investigations, handling combat, and character interaction, alongside a pre-written scenario for immediate play. By offering a free, downloadable PDF, it significantly lowers the barrier to entry, making the game accessible to a wider audience who may be curious about the setting and system but hesitant to invest in the more extensive core materials. Its designed to be a taste of what the full game experience offers, including the role of the Handler (game master) and the agents.

Free Availability of the PDF

A significant aspect of Delta Green⁚ Need to Know is its free availability as a downloadable PDF document. This accessibility is a key factor in its wide adoption and popularity. By offering the quickstart rules without cost, the creators of Delta Green have made it remarkably easy for potential players to try out the game. This is not just a demo; it’s a complete, playable experience that includes all the rules necessary to run a game and engage in the setting. The free PDF format allows for immediate access, enabling players to quickly download the document and begin their first session without any financial commitment. The purpose of this free distribution is to introduce new people to the game. It also allows for easier sharing and distribution among gaming groups, promoting the game. This is a big advantage for those who might be on a budget or who are just curious about the game.

Contents of Delta Green⁚ Need to Know

This quickstart includes a complete ruleset, pre-generated characters, and the introductory scenario, “Last Things Last”. It also contains briefing documents for convenient gameplay and references during sessions.

Rules, Characters, and Scenario “Last Things Last”

The core of this quickstart is its streamlined rules, designed for fast-paced gameplay, allowing players to jump directly into the action. It presents a condensed version of the full Delta Green rules, focusing on the essentials for investigation and combat. This section also introduces pre-generated characters, offering a diverse set of agents with unique backgrounds and skill sets, ready to tackle the unknown; The included scenario, “Last Things Last,” serves as the ideal starting point, guiding players through their first Delta Green operation. This introductory adventure provides a glimpse into the horrors and challenges that await, immersing new players into the game’s unique atmosphere. The combination of core rules, ready-to-play characters, and a gripping scenario ensures a cohesive and engaging experience for beginners.

Pregenerated Characters and Briefing Documents

The pregenerated characters offer a diverse cast, each with distinct skills and backgrounds, allowing players to immediately engage in the narrative. These characters are not only ready for gameplay but also provide a sense of the different roles within a Delta Green operation. Complementing these characters are the briefing documents, concise reference sheets that provide essential in-game information, including agent professions and character sheets. These documents are not just aids; they’re designed to help players quickly immerse themselves in their roles and understand their capabilities. The briefing documents also provide a brief overview of the world, allowing players to better understand the context of their missions. This combination ensures a seamless transition into the game, allowing for a focus on narrative and gameplay over character creation and rulebook navigation.

Overview of Delta Green Systems and Roles

This section of the document provides a general understanding of the core mechanics of Delta Green. It explains the roles of the agents, who are the player characters, and the Handler, who serves as the game master. The Handler guides the game, presenting the narrative and managing the non-player characters and environment. The agents take on the roles of investigators tasked with confronting the unnatural and the conspiratorial. This section explains the interplay between the agents and the Handler, highlighting how they work together to create the narrative experience. Further, it touches on the core game system, offering a brief look at how tests and conflicts are resolved. This overview establishes a foundational understanding, preparing players and Handlers for the challenges and complexities of Delta Green scenarios.

Delta Green⁚ Need to Know as a Starting Point

This document is designed as an entry point into the Delta Green universe. It’s a fully playable rulebook intended for new players and those unfamiliar with the system, providing a gentle introduction.

Delta Green is a role-playing game where players take on the roles of agents investigating cosmic horrors and conspiracies. It is a supplement for the horror roleplaying game Call of Cthulhu, and revolves around a secret US government organization. This setting focuses on investigating paranormal events, blending horror and investigation. The game is designed to be a tense experience, where agents face both external and internal threats. It often involves morally grey choices and the constant fear of the unknown. Agents are tasked with protecting humanity from the unnatural, even if it means sacrificing their own well-being. It uses a skill-based system where the success of an action is determined by rolling dice. It is designed to create stories where the mundane and the cosmic collide. The game’s focus is on the psychological toll it takes on the characters.

Relationship with Core Rulebooks and Agents Handbook

The “Need to Know” quickstart is designed to be a starting point for the Delta Green role-playing game. It provides a simplified version of the rules found in the core rulebooks and the Agents Handbook. While “Need to Know” contains everything needed to play a basic game, it lacks the detailed rules found in the core rulebook. The Agents Handbook is a rulebook that includes only material necessary for players. The core rulebooks contain more in-depth information on character creation, combat, and the game setting. “Need to Know” is meant to introduce players to the basic game mechanics and setting, then encourage them to explore the full rules. The core rulebook and Agent’s Handbook provide expanded options, more character creation choices, and advanced rules. It is a great introduction to the game before purchasing these more extensive resources.

Delta Green⁚ Need to Know Release and Recognition

This quickstart guide was initially released on February 26, 2016, as a free download. It later received the Gold Ennie Award for Best Free Game in 2016, recognizing its quality and value.

Initial Release Date

The initial release of Delta Green⁚ Need to Know occurred on February 26, 2016. This marked the first availability of the quick-start rulebook to the public. It was made available as a free downloadable PDF, allowing easy access for those interested in trying the game. This free release was a strategic move, designed to introduce new players to the world of Delta Green, setting the stage for the later release of other core rulebooks and materials. This date is significant as it represents the starting point for many players’ journeys into the dark conspiracies and cosmic horrors that define the Delta Green universe. The availability as a free PDF also ensured a wide distribution and immediate accessibility, contributing to the game’s growth and popularity within the role-playing community. The release date is also important in the chronology of Delta Green’s publications.

Gold Ennie Award for Best Free Game in 2016

Delta Green⁚ Need to Know received significant recognition within the role-playing game community by winning the Gold Ennie Award for Best Free Game in 2016. This prestigious award highlights the quality and impact of the quick-start rulebook. It underscored the value and accessibility of the product, solidifying its place as a top choice for those new to the Delta Green setting and system. The award celebrated the game’s ability to deliver a compelling and immersive experience without any cost of entry. This award served as an endorsement of the game’s design and presentation. The award also brought even more attention to Delta Green, making it accessible to many more players who might not have known of it otherwise. This award helped establish the game’s reputation early on. This award is a significant milestone in the game’s history.