Generators Guide

Science Fiction Random Generators Guide [Updated]

Duncan Thomson

Feb 24, 2020 • 7 min read

Generators for spaceships and aliens, star-systems and planets, plots and tech. For your game in the future or a galaxy far, far away...

Non-Fantasy Gen Guides - Science Fiction | Horror | Post-Apocalypse | Cyberpunk | Star Wars

[First Published Jan 2019] Disclaimer: I'm an affiliate for DriveThru RPG

Sci-fi Roleplaying Games

Science fiction games range from old school of Traveller to the more recent Mothership RPG or an option in flexible systems such as Savage Worlds. Then there are quirky universes such as Warhammer 40K and science-fantasy such as Starfinder and Star Wars. If you're here you might like guides for Cyberpunk or Star Wars.

For many the magic of sci-fi is in the spaceships they fly and aliens they meet or fight. For others it is travelling among the stars and discovering strange planets.

Every rpg needs characters and the plots that entangle them

Lastly you may prefer pdfs, tools for specific RPGs or assorted bits and pieces

Space Characters

Cotterr-499: Exploration Robot. Cotterr-499 has a tracked chassis and a pair of heavy arms, and is equipped with various sensors and survey tools. It is programmed to be courteous and inquisitive.

...from Space NPC generator at Donjon.

Every game starts with characters, and a name can make or break a character. The Sci-Fi Character Name Generator from Sci-Fi Ideas is a place to start.

Many sci-fi characters are in need of a gadget to use or a weapon to wield.

Spaceships

Name: UFS Summertime. Type: Mid-sized dreadnought. Weapons: kiloproton canons, Defence: V2 Photon anti-attack fighters. Condition: Leaking plasma gas from a damaged hull section

...from Starship Generator at SciFiIdeas.com.

Spaceships will be used for transport, space battles, daring escapes and to define some characters. Adding to the tool above you can get a general description or a little more depth. And then there is a <a href="https://springhole.net/writingroleplayingrandomators/spaceships.htm target="_blank">Spaceship Generator with descriptions like "This moderate-sized ship is shaped vaguely like a frog with spoilers"

The spaceship model creator can help visualize some spacecraft.

If bits fall off your ship then the Futuristic Spare Parts Generator might help you out.

Or spaceship becomes space dungeon with maps of a sci-fi ship, add space traps and use some creatures from the next section.

Aliens and Space Monsters

Teyincer. Appearance - A familiar quadruped with a peacock head covered with bony ridges. It has the body of a dragon, dragon wings, a dolphin tail, four medium-length ostrich legs and broad, round feet. The Teyincer's body is covered in delicate feathers, while its front is covered in snake scales. It is completely blue.

...first part of a detailed Species Generator from RanGen.co.uk. Contains more information on stats, family life and general information.

Aliens and space monsters fill space games, sharing societies, providing trading partners, galactic enemies and cosmic hazards.

You can get a basic alien description or lots of lots of alien ideas at once. Or choose a broader lifeform generator

Flesh it out with a graphical model or some alternative alien names.

Stars and Systems

"A monolithic ship, nearly as black as the space around it, suddenly appears out of warp and hails the party in a strange language. The design is unlike anything the party has ever seen. They don’t seem hostile…"

...from 75 sci-fi encounters at DnD Speak

Stars and the systems they inhabit are the cities and nations of the space world, providing place of interest to explore.

For a quick map here is a Sector Generator which also gives basics of worlds, npcs, corporations and more using a system from Stars Without Number.

You can use more generators to detail the stars or expand on a solar system

Crossing the galaxy you might need a sci-fi encounter or encounter a space phenomena. Or try a Scifi Encounter Concept

Planets

"The planet Mondas, which is a name which is still disputed, is an ice planet in a fairly large solar system with twelve other planets. Mondas is about 1.5 times bigger than Earth and its gravity is about 0.63 times that of Earth. A single day lasts 48.23 hours and a year lasts 129 days. The planet is made up of 13 continents, which make up 35% of the planet's landmass. 3 moon(s) orbit the planet and Mondas itself orbits a white sun in anarrow, elliptic orbit. Obviously this planet cannot sustain life, the conditions on this planet are far too violent and..."

...from planet descriptions at Fantasy Name Generators

Planets in science fiction act as home worlds for characters and civilisations, mysterious places to explore and points of reference throughout the galaxy.

To get a map and more information try the SciFi World Generator and you might want multiple planets with short descriptions.

Last is my favourite planet Generator with choices including Earth Like, Water World, Frozen Planet and No Atmosphere.

Plots and Quests

"After doing battle with an enemy spaceship in a remote star system, the ESS Lone Star crash-lands on a planet with no atmosphere. When the surviving crew scout the area around the crash site, they are surprised to discover that the enemy vessel has also crashed. The two crews will have to work together if they are to survive."

From the sci-fi story idea generator at SciFi Ideas

Sci-Fi plots span from a couple of characters to intergalactic conspiracies. They might include robots, time-travel, aliens or new branches of science.

For plots and stories you can try a book and film title creator or see if a Space Quest can give you some creative direction.

PDFs of Random Tables

If you like pdfs and random tables then...

Dicegeeks has The Book of Random Tables: Science Fiction and The Book of Random Tables: Science Fiction 2 have many d100 tables. There is a more focused one on Sci-Fi Facilities
The Sci-fi Bundle Collection has several pdf tables for alien race names, rumours and starship names.
Ennead Games has Space & Sci-Fi Encounter Concepts using two 2d100 tables for a quick encounter. Has two similar pdfs for SciFi objects and Space Vehicles

Star Wars, Starfinder and Stars Without Number

Star Wars has it's own Generators Guide. and Starfinder has Starfinder Tools for all things Starfinder providing a broad range of generators for helping your space fantasy.

Stars Without Numbers has a collection of tables at Chartopia. Generate characters and starships for SWN at Iron Arachne.

Space Cities, 7th Sanctum Tech & Scifi Ideas

Welcome to Zinki's Spacefood Restaurant. All the food on our menu is randomly generated. Starters - Klorgian Vegetable Soup…..5.60c, Jawadan Fruit Soup…..6.50c, Creamed Altusian Pinefruit…..6.50c. Main Courses - Smoked Arethusan Snorkelfish with Cardeveran Pulse-Beans…..6.99c...

... from an alien restaurant menu at Obscure Hub

Finishing off our space gens journey is tech generators at Seventh Sanctum. ideal for ideas, including the robot maker, and med tool. Round that off with weird particles and arcane technomancy

Robots could do with their own section, but here is decent robot generator from Springhole.net

Finally I've mentioned a couple of their generators already but SciFi ideas.com is full of more generators, inspiration and ideas for everything Science Fiction related...

Your Generator Recommendations

If you like the Generators Guide then send me a space coffee.

I'll keep this guide updated so please suggest Sci-fi generators in the comments or on my Discord server