clarence

Yes, I also enjoyed Stars Without Number's planet/society rules. The tagging system works surprisingly good. To fill all those randomly generated planets with life, rules like that are perfect time-savers. In fact, using a handful of different rules for creating societies would probably go a long way to create the right kind of heterogeneity.

I have recently tried some of the planet generators that's floating around the web. Here are the ones I found most useful. http://topps.diku.dk/torbenm/maps.msp Quite simple web-based generator. Not so many parameters to change, but it's still one of my favorites. Images can be in a multitude of projections and color schemes, and the land masses look good. With a bit of photoshop adjustments the end result can get very good. "Bump map on land only", "Non-linear altitude scaling" and coastal contour lines are fine additions to the images. Planetary Generator 4 (for Filter Forge) For photo-realistic blue planets, this is the best planet generator I have found. It has a lot of parameters, but never feels difficult. Optional cloud layer looks very good, and is highly tweakable. Photo-realism, as is often the case, takes some time to render though. The biggest drawback is that it's not free: The generator itself is free, but you need Filter Forge 4 to run it. The good thing is that you can try Filter Forge free for 20 days. It would also have been very useful to be able to export a rectangular map of the entire planet - hopefully it will appear in version 5. http://wwwtyro.github.io/procedural.js/planet1/ Web-based generator with a lot of controls. With this one you see the resulting planet directly as a rotating sphere, and the resolution goes up to 4000 pixels. You also get four different image maps, if you know how to utilize them (in a 3d program for example). My two biggest problems are that the GUI is a bit difficult, and that the actual maps just doesn't look very good. I might have to spend some more time with it, but so far I've not been very lucky with this. I would also have liked to try AstroSynthesis (as it is supposed to be very good), but as there is no Mac version, it wasn't possible.

I'm very much looking forward to this. I hope you find the time to finish it soon. How is it going to be presented? You mentioned a spreadsheet - will you make that public too or is it just a working tool? It almost sounds like you could turn this into a small app or program...

It looks very promising!

I think I will pass on a point based system for alien creation (at this time at least), but the bestiary project sounds intriguing. Any chance you will make it public? It seems to be a very useful tool in almost every genre. And just by adjusting size, weaponry and perhaps add a chaotic feature, a steady stream of monsters can be created.

Very interesting suggestions. Especially the connection between STR, INT and other traits. I will try to incorporate your ideas and make the part about characteristics a bit more agile. I'm not so sure if I want a point-based system - or rather, I haven't even thought about it so far. What are the benefits do you think? And what is that bestiary project you mention?

I made a few changes and clarifications to the creation process, and pasted the new text in the first post in this thread. Changes: - Strangeness is now ranging from 1-10 and comes first in the creation process. - Tactile, Detached and Poison added under various headings. - Art added as an Advantage. I'm still having tremendous fun with this system! I think it works quite well with the world creation rules too, for adding cultural aspects to the aliens, and combined with a planet generator (http://topps.diku.dk/torbenm/maps.msp) is my preference at the moment) it's quite easy to populate space.

Excellent SketchUp modeling! It looks like you have had good practice. Looking forward to hearing how your world creation will proceed.

Dead Names looks very interesting! I think I will have to buy it right away. I agree, there are too many one dimensional aliens (and sci-fi shows are not helping in this regard). The problem to overcome with an "everything is possible" approach to alien creation, is the absurd complexity of the subject. We really need to free our minds from at least the worst predetermined images of living beings, but building the alternatives in a good way without being overwhelmed is difficult. It's too easy just piling strange powers and weird looks on top each other, ending up with a patchwork not really relating to it's environment. Finding a good balance between randomness and structure I think is crucial. I will take a look at mutations and super powers and see if there are any useful additions! I'm also considering Art (defined very widely) as an advantage, inspired by the Swedish biologist Svante Pääbo. I heard him say that art might be the biggest difference between us and the neanderthals - and not intelligence as we traditionally like to think. Do you think that would work?

Excellent additions, Ethereal! I will definitely add those. Poison should definitely be under natural weapons as well. "Detached" feels like the perfect behavior for intelligent/elitist beings and "Tactile" is a fine addition to the different forms of communication that I hadn't thought of. I have had great fun developing various aliens with this system for the last two weeks for my own BRP Starships campaign (The Weaver). Creating several ingredients for an ecosystem at once, using a few universals, I think makes it so much more logical, believable and easy to create the aliens. Let me know how it works for you in your campaign, and if you find any more omissions.

I remember the first time I read the rules for alien creation in Traveller - I had so high expectations and was so disappointed. Warning - Long Post! So, now I have been working on my own system for creating alien life forms, and here is the first draft of it. Or rather, the fourth complete system. It proved to be much more difficult than I expected. First of all I wanted to avoid aliens shaped after earth's animals - quite easy to come up with, but very unlikely. Reading up on what we currently know about the principles of alien life (next to nothing), extremophiles, self-replicating systems and evolutionary concepts opened up way too many possibilities. Returning to some of my favorite sci-fi games, I found inspiration to trim away the surplus complexity. This is the framework that remains. All feedback is very welcome. Rules updated and included in BRP Starships 2.2 (see Download section). Universal life form parameters 1. Strangeness: 1-10, where 1 represents Earth-like, 5 Alien and 10 Really strange. The strangeness parameter adds a good over all picture when interpreting the results in the creation process. 2. Define something about the biosphere, and the universals that apply to all beings on the planet due to their hereditary to each other. Environmental characteristics: Write down 1-3 main parameters in the ecosystem, either from a world already created, or make some up. Biodiversity: Define how rich life on the planet is. Default is 1 sessile (plant) group, 2 motile (animal) groups. High biodiversity: +1 sessile, +1d4 motile. Low : 1 of each. 3. Body plans: Working as a generic blueprints for all beings, with separate body plans for the different motiles and sessiles. Roll these five for each group: - Size: Sub-1, 1-6, 7-15, 16-20, 21-30, 31-50, 51-75, 75-100, 100+ - Frame: Endo Skeleton, Exo-skeleton, No frame - Symmetry: Bilateral, asymmetrical, radial, spherical - Limbs: 0-100+. 0-10 zero 11-30 two 31-50 three 51-80 four 81-90 five to eight 91-00 1d100 - Segmentation: 1-4 segments. In body, limbs and/or organs. Universals (1d3): Roll or pick some traits that are general to all beings in a body plan group. (Use Advantages lower down if more variation is needed). Fur Intelligence Defensive weapons Flight Sense organs (often close to the brain) Stages of life, 1d4+1* Sexes, 1d4+1 Mouth (for intake of energy) Sun light or heat converted into energy *=create one being for each stage (more or less similar to each other). Life forms With universals defined, the actual alien is to be detailed. It is recommended to create a handful of beings, filling different roles in the ecosystem. Decide which body plan group the being belongs to, the primary motile group is probably the one most commonly encountered by characters. Define the role it plays in the ecosystem: Classification and habitat (forest trapper for example) Producer (plant), Herbivore (Grazer, Filter feeder) Omnivore (Gatherer, Scrounger), Carnivore (Ambusher, Chaser, Pouncer, Raider, Stalker, Trapper) Habitat (roll multiple times for interesting combinations): Water/Pool/Lake/Sea Stream/River Shore/Reeds Plain/Meadow/Open Tundra Semi-open Bushes Forest/Tree Underground/Cave Desert/Dunes/Arid Wetland Ice/Snow/Glacier Mountain Rocky Size modifier: +/-1d2. Here on earth, elephants and mice belong to the same body plan group, with size being perhaps the most striking difference. Advantages (1d3): These are the specifics that have kept the being alive through the ages. Perception: Choose 1d3 senses that are heightened. Fast: High DEX and/or Movement Flight: Gas bag, wings, glide Camouflage/Hide/Stealth: Appearance or Skill Climb: Natural ability (like sticky feet) or Skill Second habitat Second atmosphere Tool user Fine Manipulation: Fingers, toes, lips, ears, tails, tentacles Sharp: Thorns, teeth, claws, beak, horns. Armor Poison Builder Communication: Simple, Complex (ape, whale, dolphin, bee), Language Psionics/Psionic Immunity Extra Sense: 1d3 extra. Heat, bacteria, movement, electricity, magnetism (compass), specific chemicals High Intelligence Art (the drive to tell others about their experiences in various forms) Disadvantages (1d3): Some of the problems the being are struggling with, or that makes it more vulnerable. Immobile Fragile Slow Rare/Vulnerable habitat Hunted Disease-ridden Affected by pollution Eggs/Cubs Internal Conflicts Hierarchy/Obedient Missing one of the senses Hibernation Behaviour: In Harmony, Curious, Patient, Watchful, Suspicious, Hiding, Afraid, Easily Angered, Aggressive, Detached. Social: Single, Pair, Small Group, Herd (small to swarm), Special (Parasite, Symbiotic). K-strategists or R-strategists (producing only a few off-spring and caring for them, or producing many and not caring for them). Forms of communication: Sound, scent, sight (light, color, signs), tactile, psi, chemical. Natural weapons (default damage): Bite (1d6+/-db) Claw (1d6+/-db) Punch/kick (1d3+/-db) Grapple (1d3+/-db) Crush (1d3+/-db) Throw (1d3+/-db) Horn (1d3+/-db) Sting (1d3+/-db) Electricity (from Surprised to 3d6) Poison (from rash to 4d6) Base chance: Primary weapon: Easy 20%+DEX, Medium 40%+DEX, Hard 60%+DEX. Carnivores +10%. Secondary/Third weapons at 20-40%. Calculating characteristics: STR: Roughly equivalent to SIZ. If fragile, half of SIZ. CON: Two thirds of SIZ. If fragile, one third of SIZ. SIZ: see above INT: Animal 3-7, High 16+, Mindless feeder/producer 0-2 POW: Animal 10, Psionic 16+, Mindless feeder/producer 0 DEX: Slow 1-5, Immobile 0, Fast 20+ APP: >3d6 striking, awe-inspiring, beautiful. <3d6 ugly. APP is always at -10 at first contact. EDU: Animal/Plant 0, Intelligent primitives 5+, Organized society 10+. Movement: Normal 8-12, Slow <5, Fast 18+. Two values if the being can move in two different atmospheres (air and water for example) Appearence (Optional): Hopefully the above process has given enough insights to make it possible to conjure an image of the alien being. If further input is needed, roll or pick on the tables below. Start with descriptive terms for the whole being, and if needed, continue with specific body parts or even sense organs. Go through Posture and Surface in the same way. Keep the overall picture of the being (from the results above) in mind all the time, to find interesting combinations. Descriptive: Massive Slender Pear-shaped Long Flat Bent Split Bulbous Hammer-shaped Boxy Ridged Crystalline Slithering Fat Wedge-shaped Spindle Retractable Hollow Bony/Angular Posture: Upright Horizontal Diagonal Bent Crooked Surface: Fur (short, long) Skin (smooth, coarse AC 1-2) Scales (AC 1-5) Chitinous (AC 1-3) Transparent/semi-transparent Patched Feathers Ornamented

Well, it's a bit confusing. The rules are at 2.1, the character sheet is at 1.1.

Corrected a slightly embarrassing error on the character sheet (the text box with all perception skills had fallen out…). Sorry about that. Version 1.1 is hopefully more useful.

Comparison with computer games: The latest [insert your favorite computer game] is superior in graphics, realism, controls, number of levels and so on. Still many people love playing Pac Man, Space Invaders and Marble Madness. And I don't think there is a simple answer why they/we do that. But I think we're slowly realizing that computer games, as well as role playing games, are a new part of our Culture (with a capital C). We need new games, new ideas, new images - but we also need to look back, take care of the old games/ideas/images, see what we lost along the way, appreciate simplicity, and see what we can learn from the pioneers.

This looks like a very interesting sourcebook. I will have to check it out. What is the best place to get a pdf?

@nclarke: How is your work proceeding? Have you found a good combination of the different systems?

I'm very much looking forward to this. A good step towards making rpg:s less combat oriented. Will it be tied to RQ6-specific stats?

BRP Starships 2.1 Updated version of the generic sci-fi rules for BRP. Changes in 2.1: - Hit Locations for starship combat added. - Re-arranged the rules to have everything related to characters in a separate chapter. - New entry for world building called Foreign Policy. - Character Sheet included. I'm especially interested in what you think about the hit location system. It's a bit fiddly to set up, but I think it runs quite well in play. Any comments welcome as usual!

Thank you Daniel! I'm very happy to hear that. I'm adding the final details to a hit location system for starships, and will hopefully post it later today or tomorrow.

A character sheet is now available in downloads. Let me know what you think about it. I have also added a second download site for BRP Starships 2.0 in the first post of this thread, in case the file is still broken in downloads. http://ge.tt/9acymz12?c

Sorry for the delay, but I hope the download is working now. Please try it (in Downloads, Science Fiction) and let me know if there are still any problems. The tag "Broken" in the file list can hopefully be removed, but I'm not sure how. I'm also to add a two-page, rather minimalistic, character sheet that I have been using for galaxy explorers recently. I hope you'll enjoy it.

I finally went ahead and deleted the surplus files. Hope everything works fine now with downloads.

Ok. I will try again in a few days. Thanks for your help!

That's what I thought too. How do I send Triff a message in this new system anyway? I tried yesterday, but the only response I got was that he can't receive messages. I'm sure I miss something obvious.