Making Aliens

[Thanatos]

So I recently picked up the Pocket Player's Guide and after a while of just looking through it I've decided to make my own campaign and well I've noticed that the book doesn't really have any rules for making your own aliens. So I was wondering if there is a book new or old for making new aliens, or maybe even direct me where I might find rules for it online.

 

[AKAramis]

Nope. No "science" to it... just feel.

However, a good starting point is the animal generation tables.

T5 has a "science" to it, but you need the T5 preview to get that.

 

[rust]

GURPS Space 4e has an excellent system for the creation of aliens and
their cultures, and it is comparatively easy to convert the aliens from
GURPS to Mongoose Traveller.

 

[phild]

If you're in the market for "general" advice, then Star Hero by Hero Games is the best generic sci-fi rpg supplement I've ever seen.

 

[Yogah of Yag]

If you're in the market for "general" advice, then Star Hero by Hero Games is the best generic sci-fi rpg supplement I've ever seen.

How does the "Hero system" work compared to MGT or CT?

 

[phild]

If you're in the market for "general" advice, then Star Hero by Hero Games is the best generic sci-fi rpg supplement I've ever seen.

How does the "Hero system" work compared to MGT or CT?

Er, with a lot more numbers

I've never used Hero for sci-fi, and don't think I ever would. The relative complexity inherent in its flexibility means it's a lot of effort. I'd rather pick up Traveller, where everything is already there for me. But Star Hero is worth it just as a general "How to set up a sci-fi game" book, the vast majority of which is non system specific.

 

[AKAramis]

If you're going to use Hero System, get the Traveller books for it. There are 2 volumes, and they provide all the races, and the ship design system. I've only seen PDFs, and only on drivethrurpg.com, but YMMV.

For a numbers heavy, high crunch system, it's remarkably flexible.

BTW, for Hero System, 4th and 5th are VERY compatible; the guide for racial packages in either is useful, and can be found in 4th ed Fantasy Hero, 4th Ed Star Hero, and 5th Ed Core, plus I expect advice in 5th ed Star Hero and 5th Ed Fantasy Hero.

 

[EDG]

GURPS Uplift 2e has some very good rules for creating alien races (apparently they were adapted into GURPS Space 4e?)

 

[Infojunky]

Heck I still pull out the Anything but Human Article from Dragon #58.

Though Gurps: Uplift and the Gurps:Space 4th ed. Both have rules also.

So the real question is how many Aliens do you include in your games?

 

[phild]

So the real question is how many Aliens do you include in your games?

None. I rather like a humanocentric universe, leaving aliens to be these weird NPCs who pop up every now and then and freak you out with the familiar-yet-strange ways.

 

[Thanatos]

So the real question is how many Aliens do you include in your games?

Well I want large selection for players to choose from (presuming they don't want to play as Hu'mon) without overwhelming them with choices. Probably 5 to 7.

None. I rather like a humanocentric universe, leaving aliens to be these weird NPCs who pop up every now and then and freak you out with the familiar-yet-strange ways.

Technically the "Aliens" I'm planning to make are Hu'mon. Just different courses of evolution since the Homo Sapiens Sapiens.

[If anyone is at all interest in my Campaign Setting; I'm the Egyptian Pantheon as its motif, naming each of the Star Systems after one of the gods (Thoth is going to home the Mega Library ^^). I've even decided to name the great "lost" Sol System (the origin of all life) Amun-Ra (the main god that resulted when they combined Horus and Ra together making Ra-Herakhty and then combined that with Amun).]

 

[rust]

GURPS Uplift 2e has some very good rules for creating alien races (apparently they were adapted into GURPS Space 4e?)

Yes, the rules in Space 4e are basically the rules from Uplift, they only
left out the rules for the uplift process itself and clarified and expanded
the remaining system somewhat.

 

[Flynn]

I have an old article I wrote for Traveller T20 that I am thinking about revising for Traveller OGL and putting out there. It provides a rather detailed Alien Generation System that could be of use to you. Would this be something worth me doing?

With Regards,
Flynn

 

[Infojunky]

Does anyone else think that this thread has a rather Unfortunate title?

 

[kristof65]

I have an old article I wrote for Traveller T20 that I am thinking about revising for Traveller OGL and putting out there. It provides a rather detailed Alien Generation System that could be of use to you. Would this be something worth me doing?

For me that's a qualified "yes". The qualification being the lower in price it is, the more likely I'd find it useful. I could probably justify spending $5, maybe even $10 on a PDF for something like this, but beyond $10, it has to be something pretty darn special.

Obviously, if you make it OGC, and offer it for free, then I'd have to say a definite yes.

 

[Anonymous]

I have an old article I wrote for Traveller T20 that I am thinking about revising for Traveller OGL and putting out there. It provides a rather detailed Alien Generation System that could be of use to you. Would this be something worth me doing?

With Regards,
Flynn

Another hardy, YES!

 

[qstor]

Heck I still pull out the Anything but Human Article from Dragon #58.

Is this article for Classic Traveller?

Mike

 

[GypsyComet]

Heck I still pull out the Anything but Human Article from Dragon #58.

Is this article for Classic Traveller?

Mike

Yes.

 

[Flynn]

I have an old article I wrote for Traveller T20 that I am thinking about revising for Traveller OGL and putting out there. It provides a rather detailed Alien Generation System that could be of use to you. Would this be something worth me doing?

For me that's a qualified "yes". The qualification being the lower in price it is, the more likely I'd find it useful. I could probably justify spending $5, maybe even $10 on a PDF for something like this, but beyond $10, it has to be something pretty darn special.

Obviously, if you make it OGC, and offer it for free, then I'd have to say a definite yes.

I'm only thinking $3-$5-ish, since it'll be less than 40 pages (unless I fill it out with some examples to bring the page count up to 48 pages). I might also make it available in print for about double that, if you wanted a softcover version, too.

With Regards,
Flynn

 

[rust]

For up to 5 ,- USD I would buy the PDF to see whether it includes some
interesting ideas to add to my setting.