Alien generation

[Bill Coffin]

Hey, all. Back in the day, my group used to love making its own alien races for th game. one set of tables we used quite often came from Dragon #51 ("Make Your Own Aliens"). But there was another set of random rules we used, and darned if I can't find them. I don't tink there were any alien generation rules in the JTAS, and I don't know if any other alien generation rules ever appeared in Dragon. Has anybody run across any other alien generation tables for CT? If you could point me to them, I'd be most obliged. Thanks!

 

[Bill Coffin]

Hey, all. Back in the day, my group used to love making its own alien races for th game. one set of tables we used quite often came from Dragon #51 ("Make Your Own Aliens"). But there was another set of random rules we used, and darned if I can't find them. I don't tink there were any alien generation rules in the JTAS, and I don't know if any other alien generation rules ever appeared in Dragon. Has anybody run across any other alien generation tables for CT? If you could point me to them, I'd be most obliged. Thanks!

 

[jchurchill]

I don't tink there were any alien generation rules in the JTAS, and I don't know if any other alien generation rules ever appeared in Dragon. Has anybody run across any other alien generation tables for CT? If you could point me to them, I'd be most obliged. Thanks!
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I happened to pick up the reprint of the Aliens 1-4 this weekend and there is a good essay in the introduction that states that GDW [policy of not having random alien generation tables to avoid Bug Eyed Monster syndrome ---e.g with random rolls for tentacles, fangs, or a propensity to sell life insurance or other hideous and demeaning stereotypes. It sort of made sense that if you were going to create intelligent aliens that they should have a well thoughtout purpose. Of course the disadvantage is that well thought alien races do take time and effort...

 

[jchurchill]

I don't tink there were any alien generation rules in the JTAS, and I don't know if any other alien generation rules ever appeared in Dragon. Has anybody run across any other alien generation tables for CT? If you could point me to them, I'd be most obliged. Thanks!
=================================================
I happened to pick up the reprint of the Aliens 1-4 this weekend and there is a good essay in the introduction that states that GDW [policy of not having random alien generation tables to avoid Bug Eyed Monster syndrome ---e.g with random rolls for tentacles, fangs, or a propensity to sell life insurance or other hideous and demeaning stereotypes. It sort of made sense that if you were going to create intelligent aliens that they should have a well thoughtout purpose. Of course the disadvantage is that well thought alien races do take time and effort...

 

[EvilDrGanymede]

Get GURPS Uplift 2.e (out this month). There's a hefty chunk of the book devoted to making an alien race from the bottom up (like, from its ancestral form millions of years ago to the intelligent/uplifted version). With a bit of tweaking you could easily adapt it to any sci-fi background.

You might even have been using the original GURPS Uplift first edition rules earlier...

 

[EvilDrGanymede]

Get GURPS Uplift 2.e (out this month). There's a hefty chunk of the book devoted to making an alien race from the bottom up (like, from its ancestral form millions of years ago to the intelligent/uplifted version). With a bit of tweaking you could easily adapt it to any sci-fi background.

You might even have been using the original GURPS Uplift first edition rules earlier...

 

[Richard]

Some were printed in an early issue of White Dwarf - as I recall, the Dragon article referenced the WD article. Andy Slack wrote it, and the PDF of the article is available on his website. Halfway Station

Richard Tongue

 

[Richard]

Some were printed in an early issue of White Dwarf - as I recall, the Dragon article referenced the WD article. Andy Slack wrote it, and the PDF of the article is available on his website. Halfway Station

Richard Tongue

 

[Bill Coffin]

Originally posted by Richard:
Some were printed in an early issue of White Dwarf - as I recall, the Dragon article referenced the WD article. Andy Slack wrote it, and the PDF of the article is available on his website.

Thanks, Richard!

 

[Bill Coffin]

Originally posted by Richard:
Some were printed in an early issue of White Dwarf - as I recall, the Dragon article referenced the WD article. Andy Slack wrote it, and the PDF of the article is available on his website.

Thanks, Richard!