Planetary Life Profile Generation System(vers 2.0)
Overall Goals :
A quick but somewhat realistic system for generating the presence and complexity of native lifesystems on a given planet, the presence of sentient native life (and it’s population and tech), and the impact of the settled population.
Design goals
-have a minimum number of factors to use as for generation
-generate them using use traveller dice where possible
-generate them only using the basic LBB2 codes (no star type, etc)
(not a political decision - I didn't own LBB6 for years and years, and even now, hardly crack it.)
-reflect the distribution of sentient life forms shown in the OUT, specifically the spinward marches.
Results:
I have two ratings for a given planet, and an optional third. These determine the existence of life, complexity of life , sentient life, (plus tech and pop if so), and the remaining native life post settlement.
Caveat Mentor:
I call local life and inhabitants "native" to distinguish them from the settlers reflected in the POP code (imperial Solomani,Vargr, hiver, etc), and to keep the proper "colonialism in space" attitude and flavor.
As far as basic life goes, an atmosphere of 3-9 always has life of at least rudimentary level (to create the oxygen).
I treat type 2 ATM as either a pre-reducing, collapsing 02, or exotic low pressure atmosphere.
(Yes I know its supposed to be a Very thin 02…but you have to wear breathing gear and can have pressure problems, so the difference is minimal with regard to OUT canon and player experience…basically a SCUBA planet, either way. )
Note that ATM 2 worlds CAN have life, it’s just not likely or guaranteed even assuming canonical free O2..
Type A –C worlds can generate life –but not as we know it. So, I’ve stayed a fairly assumption free about what it may be like or its likelihood, other than they don’tt get the guarantee of life that oxygen indicates.
Type C+ worlds are still Megatraveller and non-LBB types/MonG trav, so I’ve ignored them. (not a shot at EDG, I assure you)
I assume that the high complexity of life determines the presence of sentient life past a certain cutoff . (this uses the Mongo Mean Scale of Animal Life)
There is an average of about 1.4% chance of sentient life across all planets. Note : the crappiest planets have a 0% chance of life, better planets have more. 1.4 is the average expected races per 100
This generates about 10 native races per sector; with about a 55% chance of getting one or more per subsector.
This is also unlikely to generate any major race homeworlds if natives do exist. This is intentional.
This shouldn't be used on a major species actual or effective homeworld(s). Examples: Terra, Vland, Lair, Hiverhappymoplandplanetplace..
It will generate native populations of from 2-6 most frequently, with outliers (less than 5% probability) of pop 1 or pop 7-8.
Populations will have a TL of 0 50% of the time. Otherwise, the likely TL is 3 or less, with values up to 6 occurring at less than 5% probability .
Okay, so what are these
magical,
wonderful ratings ?
LifePotential (LP), Biocomplexity (BC) and Native Biomass(NB).
They are ideally coded after the standard UWP and PBG values, but before the trade codes , as five Hexatraveller digits, and called the PLP (planetary Life Profile)
Thus: A657555-B 721 C5007 The last five arethe PLP , in order : LP,BC native population, native tech level , BM).
So. What are they ?
Life potential
This is an abstract measure of how life friendly a planet is. Higher values imply a rich differentiated ecosystem, with just enough challenges to promote speciation and general advancement towards greater complexity and sentience;
Assumptions:
Either ATM or HYD must be >0; (you’ve got to have something to start somewhere)
Balanced HYD/ATM is generally better and more of both is better,
ATM 3-9 are a marker for life existing, otherwise ATM/HYD composition is irrelevant.
IF ATM + HYD =0, Life potential (LP) =0*
[Stop here, Biocomplexity =0 ]
Otherwise,
Life Potential = 2d6 -7 the lesser of ATM or HYD.
If ATM is in 3-9, and LP =0, set LP =1
*(Note: if you ignore this modifier, and I almost decided to do so, the only real change is that Biocomplexity and Life Potential increases a bit towards 0 mostly at the low end. There are about 7% less lifeless planets. Finally, this has a minimal, but real, change in the distribution of native TL and Populations towards slightly higher counts; additionally, the Max native pop goes to 9 (1 out of 10010 planets )
This gives a range of 0-15 which fits the UWP hexetraveller format of 0-F nicely.(F)
Code as the first digit in the PLP
Biocomplexity
Esentially a rating of how long and/or how much complex change has been occurring in the ecosystem.
Assumptions:
-Development time is unscaled as to actual duration or across different planets.
1 = less developed, A = more; may represent 10 billion years of development , may be a million; could be ten minutes in ultra mega extreme cases. ("Do not drink that water.....oh hell". Ecocide the easy way)
-longer development time correlates with more complex life, butis not a guarantee (remember actual timespan is unscaled and unstated, and start times may differ)
- General evolutionary trend assumed similar to earth : simple -> complex organisms defined by number of, unification , specialization , and integration of cellular makeup).
-Actual nutritional sytems, speciation and habitat types ignored.
-Sentience is the result of high complexity
-the UWP pop figure is the non-native population.
IF LP =0, BC =0. (Stop here, move to the next planet.)
Otherwise,
Biocomplexity (BC) = 2d6 -7 + LP
IF BC <0, BC =1
Now, here’s the YMMV subjective bit: the cutoff intelligent life.
if BC >13 (D), intelligent life exists. If so,
Native Tech (NTL)is BC -14,
Native Population (NPO) is (2d6 + tech)/2
For UWP coding, where no sentient life exists the max value of biocomplexity is D. If sentient life exists, it is coded as S.
Code NPO and NTL as the next two digits of the PLP.
Now, the somewhat optional one:
Native Biomass (NB)
A generalized rating of the impact that settlement has had on the native biosphere for replacement
or stress extinction by foreign life forms. Higher =
more native life.
It is probably the most chromey of the three - I like it for descriptive uses, YMMV.
Assumptions:
-More imported population puts more stress on the native life
-The focus is on the remaining native life, replacement essentially equating to extinction without replacement.
Native biomass = 2d6 - POP.
Note that the POP
is the UWP code pop - the settlers ("imperials" or whatever), NOT the natives. Although, if there is no POP it would be reasonable to use their numbers for generating NUWP, I guess.
An optional (and harsh) rule is that the native population (NP) cannot exceed the NB code. *
Treat it similarly to HYD as a 0-100% rating. Code it in the last digit of the PLP
*Unless there
are no settlers, and the NB was generated by using the NP population. You just have to be difficult, don’t you ?
Summary
Code:
1. [b]Generate Life potential (LP) [/b]
[b]LP =Roll 2d6 + the lesser of ATM or HYD[/b]
LP <0 = 0
If ATM +HYD =0 , LP=0
2. [b]Generate Biocomplexity (BC) [/b]
LP 0 = BC 0 & [b]Stop[/b].
Otherwise,
BC =[b]2d6 -7 + LP[/b]
LP <0 = BC 1
a. if result >13,sentient native life exists
1. native TL (nTL)= BC -14
2. sentient population (nPop)= (2d6 + NTL)/2 (rounded up)
a. Add trade code "SN" with nTLV and nPop thus: SN03 and/or
b. Code PLP second digit as S, code third as per NP and Fourth as NTL and NPOP
b. If BC <14, no sentient life currently. Code BC in PLP second digit.
3. [b]Generate Native Biomass (NB)[/b]
NB = [b] 2d6 -POP. [/b]
(Optional) If NPOP > NB, NPOP = NB-1.
In some campaigns, all three (LP, BC and NB ) would make useful trade codes - or general descriptors.
<edited to include feedback>
<edited to include version two>
roughly covering: Imperium,Consulate,Julian,solomani & all mixed human client states areas).