Random Generators

[TyCaine]

I know there are some random generators in the Rules of Engagement sourcebook, but does anyone have any home spun generator tables?

I usually plan things out, but like to have random generator tables to be able to respond to the unknown that the players throw at me...

Thoughts?


T.C.
_________________
"For every person with a spark of genius, there are a hundred with ignition trouble."

[DougRed4]

I don't have any for SW, but one game I've regularly played for over 30 years (a supers game called Villains & Vigilantes) has tons of wonderful, random charts. Not only do they have them for super powers (when you randomly roll up PCs), but there are ones for random adventure ideas and other stuff (like rolling morale for followers).

They really are helpful for the GM to come up with an instant answer. Of course the GM can choose to change or amend a random result that doesn't make any sense. But it's oftentimes nice to have this to give you ideas and provide a framework, as sometimes you just want to let fate decide.

[Luwingo_Spince]

There has been a lot of random generators made through out the years. Looking at my collection I have about 30 or so different files. Though some probably overlap. What were you looking for in particular?

A list of some: Encounters, cargo, city events, data pad entries, pirates, creatures, pickpocket, personal gear, plus more.

I have been compiling them for an eventual sourcebook, that is when i complete the other 3-4 i working on at the moment.

[TyCaine]

oh awesome, I'd be interested in any and all of those!! or a finger pointed in the direction they can be found (if available from a sourcebook or adventure book)

the main thing I was after though to cover a particular case I was recently faced with is enemy forces. the RoE book has a 2D6 table of enemy forces, but some of the entries are somewhat arbitrary, i think 2 is Imperial Army Troopers for instance, 3 is Imperial Navy Troopers, with no further details.

I can extend from that to say they stumbled upon a fire team or squad, if somewhere generic, or a platoon if somewhere strongly defended, and so on, but something a little more random can sometimes add flavor.

Not saying the PCs would survive if rounding a corner to find a Stormtrooper Ground Assault company with AT-ATs & ground support vehicles (if, for instance, a particularly 'lucky' roll dropped them in front of such a thing), but then perhaps allowing the PCs a reaction roll to jump back out of sight and have to find another way to where they were going?


T.C.
_________________
"For every person with a spark of genius, there are a hundred with ignition trouble."

[Luwingo_Spince]

Here's a link to the first one. The rest are on my account. I uploaded about 6 or seven different charts. Hope they help!

http://www.4shared.com/office/hs_tFGZu/Cargo_Sub_Charts.html

[TyCaine]

Thanks Luwingo_Spince!



T.C.
_________________
"For every person with a spark of genius, there are a hundred with ignition trouble."

[Luwingo_Spince]

no problem glad to help!

[Mojomoe]

Sorry to dredge up an old thread, but I figured it was better than starting an entire new one .

I've recently started GMing again after 15 years or so, and I found that in all that time technology had really become my friend as far as preparedness for an adventure goes! Since my players (the same ones as nearly two decades ago, mind) delight in asking me for tons of on-the-spot, niggling details about their universe (how many aliens in the bar? Describe each one and what they're wearing...), I figured a random generator wouldn't come amiss! I used to use hand-made tables (rolling tables), but I've since upgraded to... EXCEL! (which is unfortunately the most advanced tool I've found, go figure.)

I've worked up a comprehensive Randomizer, mostly culled from the D6 Holocron and Wookiepedia that will give me:

*Random names (human, male female, Rodian, Wookiee, etc.)
*Random planets
*Random NPCs (clothing, species, motivation, armament, goals)
*Random bar names
*Random cargo containers
*Random starships (make, model, modifications, condition, color, accessory, name)
*Random pickpocket charts
*Random cargo/smuggling jobs (destination, cargo, payment)
*Random rumors you'd hear at a spaceport ("Did you hear that a Gand corvette disappeared near Galactic Deep?")

...and more! All in one handy-dandy .xls file. It was actually invaluable when I got to use it in a recent game. Really lent some credibility to the world, rather than "uhh, there's an alien. He looks mad. I guess he has a gun."

Can anyone think of something that would come in handy in a random generator? I'm starting to look into random room generation/detail, but that quickly gets into dungeon/geomorph territory, which is its own can of worms...

[Bigkrieg]

I am currently at work but will post some stuff when I get home. I would be interested in seeing what you created. Any chance you could share?

[Mojomoe]

Oh sure, I'd be glad to.

The only thing I should warn is that... well, I've been a bad internet boy. A lot of my table data I've stolen from other sources, some of them mentioned upthread ^.

When I was making this for myself, I basically grabbed randomizer data from whichever sources I could find. Not wholesale, mind you, but lots of algorithm stuff like Donjon's excellent DnD generators, or some of the pirating lists mentioned here, or good descriptors from Triumph & Despair.

I'm happy to share, in fact I'd love it if it grew with community help! I just need to do a crash course in crediting the things I've found in the actual randomizer data lists so I'm not a horrible person.

TL,DR; I stole a lot of the data without crediting it, so if I've swiped something of yours just yell at me and I'll credit it.

[Mojomoe]

Huh, ok. I'll be able to share it soon, had some minor HDD failures at home.

At the very least, I'm able to open up a read-only copy and paste in some sample returns. It's actually quite useful, not so much for stats (that would be a monster to include), but for rapidly coming up with names, places, and world descriptors on my toes to keep the world feeling alive.

Some sample spacer jobs (all following entries are from the randomizer):

*30 containers of Negative Capacitors, to Besero, 1769 credits
*42 containers of Emergency Equipment, to H’nemthe, 2808 credits
*25 containers of Magnon Spirograph Nebula Mapping Sensors, to Svolten, 2496 credits

Cantina drinks menu, with prices:

*Ne'tra gal, 4
*Crème D'Infame, 6
*Ambrostine, 6

Cantina food menu (mixed plates, randomly generated):

*Sufar greens over Roast Galma, 2
*Reconstituted Frezgel with mixed Twin Suns Special, 7
*Grilled Slime yeast in Kibi sauce, 9

Some spacer characters (all generated):
*Oso Burnforce (Male spacer. Neutral). He is thin, with long shock white hair and sharp brown eyes. He wears plastoid armor. He is looking to sell a starship.

*Vint Covo-Lag (Male drifter. Evil). He has straight graying hair and hooded gold-gray eyes. He wears a black spacesuit. He is on the run from the authorities.

*Khania Ronekork (Female spacer. Evil). She has straight white hair and hooded green eyes. She wears a tan spacesuit and is armed with a IR-5 blaster pistol. She is trying to hide from bounty hunters.


Some newly-generated species, to spice things up (planets/species are also random, with name algorithms):

*Vissk (Female Shoaldian smuggler. Good). She is Squid-like, with a complex mouth and mandibles. She wears fine raiment. She is trying to hide from bounty hunters.

*Mod (Female Geedoan assassin. Neutral). She is Plant-like, with large ears. She wears simple clothing. She is on the run from the authorities.


New planets:
*Tanavin
*Toshaal
*Bolloine
*Rutant
*Salanderoth
*Halisaal
*Copaaan
*Mawrvin
*Cov Blyn


Out-there galactic locations (bring some space opera back into the games!):

*The Glittering Moon of Kidron
*The Fire Spaceport of Den Molo
*The Burning Wreckage of Rasaal
*The Ice Rings of Piroket
*The Star Cliffs of Tyeeine
*The Storm Caverns of Tono Tavers


Come Cantina names:

*The Diamond Outlaw
*Pendal's Spaceport
*The Great Demon


Some legendary characters to sprinkle into conversation (or campaign baddies?):

*The Storm Brigand of Kathol
*The Fire Lord of Boden
*The Aleenn Outlaws of Voorlach

And what I've found most useful, quick starship generation:

*Pondut Station VII (private yacht), a well-kept barely-functional Nyubba Cargo Barge Driver with faded burnt-orange accents.

*Palaquin III (mercenery ship), a heavily-pitted vintage A-24 Sleuth Scout Vessel with an unpainted hull.

*Fiery Sprinter (mercenery ship), a blast-pitted vintage MC-18 Light Freighter with hull damage to its underside section.

*Celestial III (mercenery ship), a blast-pitted vintage Lurker Scout Ship with thin red stripes.


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As you can see with all that, it's basically a big spew of random data to help me populate my campaigns and spaceports. The biggest trouble so far has been finding a good way to organize it .

[Dromdarr_Alark]

I want this generator!
_________________
"I still wouldn't have a roll for it - but that's just how I roll."

[Luwingo_Spince]

Me too!

I don't know if you have seen my Beverages of the galaxy or alien Names sourcebooks, but you can use the info from them if you want. Not sure how extensive your alien names section is but mine covers basically all aliens in the star wars galaxy.

Super excited to see this randomizer!

http://www.4shared.com/office/h4jd8uO4/Beverages_of_the_Galaxy.html#

http://www.4shared.com/office/_EPz4JUQ/Final_Name_2.html[url]

[Ral_Brelt]

I wouldn't mind having it either. It will most certainly help with running, and even as a catalyst for writers block.

[Mojomoe]

So cool! Glad there's so much interest!

I've got it just about cleaned up - out of curiosity, does anybody have a spare place to host the file once it's ready?

As I mentioned, I'd love it to be a living document, being able to be added to and modified as people find new things they'd like to have randomly generated!

Can anyone think of anything off the top of their heads that they've felt "damn, I could really use this" in the middle of a game?

I know one that I've felt (but haven't implemented) is a random inventory for weapons and equipment shops - i.e., a list of available equipment from merchants, drawn from the galactic list, possibly taking rarity into account?