Here is a system I use for new characters to give them a bit of difference. Players get to draw a card from a normal card deck sometime during character generation. It has made for some interesting times.
Secret motivation cards
Ace Spade - Sorag undercover spy, mind controled by real Zhodani spy
King Spade - Military renown, destroyed overpowering enemy fleet
Queen Spade- Romance with Zhodani spy
Jack Spade - Friends in high places, Owed favor by Zhodani ambasador
10 Spade - Know location of hidden treasure, burried on enemy planet
9 Spade - Draw two more cards
8 Spade - Know location of hidden treasure, Pheonix weapons site
7 Spade - Experimental combat drug changed stats permanently, +2 Dex -1 Str -1 End
6 Spade - Known by all three names i.e. Lee Harvey Oswald
5 Spade - Vital information given to an enemy power
4 Spade - Trained Zhodani set to set up PSI institutes in Imperium
3 Spade - Slave born of slaves
2 Spade - Friends in low places, born in crime family
Ace Club - Sorag undercover spy, real spy
King Club - Military renown, Part of a very sucsessful deep penetration raid
Queen Club - Romance with 3D drama queen or ⌧ star
Jack Club - Friends in high places, Saved member of Megacorp dirctors family
10 Club - Know location of hidden treasure, abandoned ship in excentric orbit
9 Club - Wrote a well known book, Royalties set at 50K Cr per year
8 Club - Has full knowledge of Darrian Star Trigger
7 Club - Experimental combat drug changed stats permanently, +2 End -1 Str -1 Dex
6 Club - Same name as a famous assassin
5 Club - Was a P.O.W.
4 Club - Has psionic power to know when someone is using psionics nearby
3 Club - Sold into slavery by parents
2 Club - Friends in low places, romanced by crime lord
Ace Diamond - IBIS undercover spy
King Diamond - Military renown, resecued a royal family member
Queen Diamond - Romance with royal family member
Jack Diamond - Friends in high places, Saved member of Dukes family
10 Diamond - Know location of hidden treasure
9 Diamond - Was famous child 3D star, until puberty, all money gone
8 Diamond - Has full knowledge of how to counterfit Imperial currency
7 Diamond - Experimental combat drug changed stats permanently, +2 Str -1 End -1 Dex
6 Diamond - Nieghbors always describe you as "such a nice boy"
5 Diamond - Participated in a military massecre
4 Diamond - Know location of a Psionics institute
3 Diamond - Adopted/bought ou of slavery
2 Diamond - Friends in low places, saved crme lords life
Ace Heart - Spy for Grandfather
King Heart - Military renown, survived an alamo with honor intact
Queen Heart - True love is different spieces
Jack Heart - Friends in high places, related to sector Grand Admiral
10 Heart - Know location of hidden treasure
9 Heart - Raised on world with signifigantly different moral standards than imperial norm
8 Heart - Has full knowledge of how black globes works
7 Heart - Grandfather is following your exploits
6 Heart - Family member was famous traitor
5 Heart - Witness of massecre
4 Heart - Trained in secret in psionics by a parent
3 Heart - Slave born, escaped
2 Heart - Friends in low places, Hold evidence against crime lord
Big Joker - Known bastard child of Imperial Royalty
Little Joker - Unacknowledged bastard child of Imperial Royalty
Secret motivation cards
Ace Spade - Sorag undercover spy, mind controled by real Zhodani spy
King Spade - Military renown, destroyed overpowering enemy fleet
Queen Spade- Romance with Zhodani spy
Jack Spade - Friends in high places, Owed favor by Zhodani ambasador
10 Spade - Know location of hidden treasure, burried on enemy planet
9 Spade - Draw two more cards
8 Spade - Know location of hidden treasure, Pheonix weapons site
7 Spade - Experimental combat drug changed stats permanently, +2 Dex -1 Str -1 End
6 Spade - Known by all three names i.e. Lee Harvey Oswald
5 Spade - Vital information given to an enemy power
4 Spade - Trained Zhodani set to set up PSI institutes in Imperium
3 Spade - Slave born of slaves
2 Spade - Friends in low places, born in crime family
Ace Club - Sorag undercover spy, real spy
King Club - Military renown, Part of a very sucsessful deep penetration raid
Queen Club - Romance with 3D drama queen or ⌧ star
Jack Club - Friends in high places, Saved member of Megacorp dirctors family
10 Club - Know location of hidden treasure, abandoned ship in excentric orbit
9 Club - Wrote a well known book, Royalties set at 50K Cr per year
8 Club - Has full knowledge of Darrian Star Trigger
7 Club - Experimental combat drug changed stats permanently, +2 End -1 Str -1 Dex
6 Club - Same name as a famous assassin
5 Club - Was a P.O.W.
4 Club - Has psionic power to know when someone is using psionics nearby
3 Club - Sold into slavery by parents
2 Club - Friends in low places, romanced by crime lord
Ace Diamond - IBIS undercover spy
King Diamond - Military renown, resecued a royal family member
Queen Diamond - Romance with royal family member
Jack Diamond - Friends in high places, Saved member of Dukes family
10 Diamond - Know location of hidden treasure
9 Diamond - Was famous child 3D star, until puberty, all money gone
8 Diamond - Has full knowledge of how to counterfit Imperial currency
7 Diamond - Experimental combat drug changed stats permanently, +2 Str -1 End -1 Dex
6 Diamond - Nieghbors always describe you as "such a nice boy"
5 Diamond - Participated in a military massecre
4 Diamond - Know location of a Psionics institute
3 Diamond - Adopted/bought ou of slavery
2 Diamond - Friends in low places, saved crme lords life
Ace Heart - Spy for Grandfather
King Heart - Military renown, survived an alamo with honor intact
Queen Heart - True love is different spieces
Jack Heart - Friends in high places, related to sector Grand Admiral
10 Heart - Know location of hidden treasure
9 Heart - Raised on world with signifigantly different moral standards than imperial norm
8 Heart - Has full knowledge of how black globes works
7 Heart - Grandfather is following your exploits
6 Heart - Family member was famous traitor
5 Heart - Witness of massecre
4 Heart - Trained in secret in psionics by a parent
3 Heart - Slave born, escaped
2 Heart - Friends in low places, Hold evidence against crime lord
Big Joker - Known bastard child of Imperial Royalty
Little Joker - Unacknowledged bastard child of Imperial Royalty