Dark*Matter vs. Delta Green vs. Conspiracy X

[Desdichado]

OK, if I'm looking for a modern conspiracy setting to use as source material for d20 Modern, which of the three of these do you recommend? I know they have a lot in common, I have Dark*Matter (and I love it) but I'm curious how they stack up against the other two "big guns" in the genre.

 

[Alzrius]

I'm just posting to say that I'll be absolutely no help here, since (that adventure in Polyhedron aside) I know nothing of Delta Green and even less about Conspiracy X whatever that is...is that a d20 game?

Oh well, long live Dark Matter!

 

[VorpalBunny]

I haven't played Conspiracy X so I'll chime in on Dark*Matter vs. Delta Green.

If you're looking for a conspiracy setting, go with Dark*Matter. Delta Green, while extremely cool, is not a "true" conspiracy setting, since the PC's (if they belong to DG) are part of the conspiracy. DG was created more as a plausible way for players to introduce PC's into a Cthulhu game than to be a "conspiracy" setting. Then again, if you like the Mythos mixed in with your paranoia, DG may be just what you're looking for - just don't expect a conspiracy-heavy game.

I've started converting some D*M material to d20M. I find it converts over rather easily - you should have no problem if you decide to go with D*M.

 

[Kenshiro]

Conspiracy X is published by Eden Studios, the same folks who made All Flesh Must Be Eaten and the Buffy RPG. It's a good game, and the character creation system is cool. But I found the system to be too clunky for me. I'm not a d20 fan, but I'd much rather use d20 than the Con:X system. Also, the setting and plot aren't that original. The Greys, government conspiracies, etc. are straight out of the X-Files. Delta Green and Dark*Matter did a better job in taking old material and making it their own.

I wish I knew more about Dark*Matter, but I only read a couple of things here and there. Still, I liked what I saw and I wish they could've done a lot more. Who knows, maybe they'll do a d20 conversion...But the Alternity system works fine, I think.

My suggestion: Find someone who knows the games well, make a character and you choose. Me, I'm going with Delta Green. It's not just good game material, but reading material in of itself.

 

[Desdichado]

Conspiracy X is also a GURPS book too, though. Really, I don't care much about the system, as I'd just be borrowing "fluff" to use in a d20 Modern or d20 CoC (or hybrid) game.

 

[Hastur]

I've been running a Dark*Matter game for the last two years that borrows liberally from both Delta Green and ConX (as well as Unknown Armies), both because each game has some gems and to keep players familiar with some of the settings guessing. I use the Hoffmann Institute as the agents' patron/assignment coordinator, but then use DG and ConX as sources for other "interested parties."

That said, if I were to do things over I would probably not buy the ConX sources again. Some of the books on particular alien races have some ideas for mining, but the system and gloss on the setting in the main book aren't particularly thrilling. Other than a few ideas, about all I use from ConX is the mechanic of having Zener cards govern success with psychic powers and allowing all characters to try making hunches or sixth sense checks.

DG, on the other hand, is simply brilliant. I am constantly going back to the book (and DG:Countdown as well) for inspiration for assignments and plot twists. Both DG books also contain excellent adventures that can be easily converted for some nasty fun. DG has heavily influenced my game for the better, adding depth to the opposition and Mythos elements to give the agents something to investigate besides aliens. You will not regret picking it up (if you can find it).

Hope that helps.

 

[Ascending Crane]

Delta Green, while extremely cool, is not a "true" conspiracy setting, since the PC's (if they belong to DG) are part of the conspiracy. [snip]

While you have excellent taste in avatars and gaming material, VorpalBunny - I must disagree with you here partly. There are just as many other conspiracies within the Delta Green universe to make sure that you never feel like you're on the inside. There are always people who know more than you, have better backing, and think you're but a wee bug. Delta Green isn't a conspiracy per se - more of a group of tired old men keeping secrets and trying to hide from those truly in power.

 

[VorpalBunny]

This is true - I admit to a poor choice of words on my part. What I was trying to convey was the fact that in a setting like Dark*Matter the PC's as a rule are pretty much in the dark. They may have an idea about the conspiracy(-ies), but they will probably never see the big picture. Hell, the head of the Hoffmann Institute is a grey, but the PC's will probably never know.

In a Delta Green campaign, the PC's not only are charged with finding and ending various Mythos conspiracies, they (as members of DG) belong to one - DG is supposed to be an illegal conspiracy within our own government. Experienced DG characters will, and probably should know all about the Karotechia, or MJ-12 or Pisces, or the bazillion other Mythos cults in the DG setting.

This, IMO is what sets DG apart from D*M - PC's belong to a conspiracy, and have (in most cases) proof and evidence of what the various Mythos cults are trying to do to the world. The fun is that DG are the only ones who do.

 

[Paradoxish]

Dark*Matter! Dark*Matter! Dark*Matter!

Seriously, though, I think it depends on what you're looking for. Dark*Matter is, in my opinion, the absolute best setting if you're looking to do an X-files kind of thing. This type of setting is my personal preference, which is why I prefer Dark*Matter over everything else. The setting is designed with the assumption that the PCs are in the dark and will probably remain so for most of the campaign, the focus of the game being a search for the truth.

In my opinion, Delta Green doesn't have this same feel. It's an excellent, excellent sourcebook that I love to mine for ideas, but I would never use it as the basis for a campaign. I think that conspiracy/paranormal flavored games lose something when the players know too much.

Finally, I'm not a huge fan of Conspiracy X so I won't really comment on it since I'm somewhat biased against it.