GURPS uses a point system to build characters. Nothing is random; characters are designed. You can read about it here:
http://www.sjgames.com/gurps/lite/
The official GURPS software, called "GURPS Character Assistant" (GCA) runs on Windows and costs about $15. If you want to create your character yourself, this is the best way:
http://www.sjgames.com/gurps/characterassistant/
You can create a character using paper, pencil, and a simple calculator, but it is harder and you will need some lists from me (Advantages, Disadvantages, and Skills). If you don't want to buy GCA, then I would use option 2 below.
General Info for GCA users:
Tech Level is 10.
Data files are GURPS Basic 4ed, GURPS Space 4ed, and GURPS Interstellar Wars 4ed.
(in that order)
Getting Started
There are three ways to create a character for this adventure.
- First, you can answer the questions listed below, and then use that information to create a 140 point character.
- Second, you can answer the questions listed below, and email them to me, and I will create a draft 125 point character for you, and then we go back and forth refining it into a final character.
- Third, you can do nothing, in which case you will find a 110 point character waiting for you at the start of the game (or maybe get two to choose from).
Questions
Question #1: Choose one of the following shipboard jobs that your character will have the skills to do (at level 13-16, or so):
- Pilot
- Navigator
- Operations Engineer (or two): Comm, Sensors, Drives, Shipboard electronics, etc.
- Repair Engineers (or two): Drives, Shipboard Electronics, Shipboard Mechanicals, etc.
- Doctor / First Aid
- Gunner (need two)
- Boat pilot
Question #3: Choose at least one of the following planet side jobs that your character will have the skills to do (any level from 11-17):
- Merchant
- Political Liason
- Xenorelations / Cultural Anthopology
- Terran Biology (Plants, Animals, or Microbes)
- Xeno Biology (Plants, Animals, or Microbes)
- Geology / Mining
- Archeology
- Metorology
- Oceanography
- Anthropology
- Psychology / Sociology
- Crook (Confidence man, B&E, Fence, Pickpocket, etc.)
- Astrophysics
- Climatology
- Ecology
Question #5: Give a one paragraph summary of one or more enemies your character has made who ranges over one star system. One paragraph, means you need to give a name, age, basic description, and at least one sentence on each of these things: why you hate each other, what he is doing now, his personality, his family and basic living situation.
Question #6: Give a one paragraph summary of two different friends/supporters/lovers that your character has, that range over an entire sector. One paragraph, means you need to give a name, age, basic description, and at least one sentence on each of these things: how you know each other (your previous relationship), what he is doing now, his personality, his family and basic living situation.
Question #7: Give a one paragraph summary of two different friends/supporters/lovers that your character has, that range over one planet. One paragraph, means you need to give a name, age, basic description, and at least one sentence on each of these things: how you know each other (your previous relationship), what he is doing now, his personality, his family and basic living situation.
Question #8: (Optional) Choose an animal totem to describe your character's basic personality and/or physical traits. Or, if you prefer, choose a Tarot card (any deck) that represents your personality. Or, choose a psychological category from a well known scale, such as Meyers-Briggs, Ennagram, etc.
Question #9: (Optional) Choose a service that your character joined in his/her youth. You can use any Traveller, MegaTraveller, or GURPS service, such as: navy, scouts, marine, planetary army, wet navy, air force, merchant, crook, etc. And/Or choose a GURPS template that your character should be built from. (These are listed starting on page 86 of GURPS: Traveller, or I can email them to you.)
Question #10: Choose at least one alma mater or society that your character belongs to. It could be a University, a specialized training school, a religious or spiritual group, a secular "service" club, a secret or not so secret society. If it is something valuable and helpful (such as the Traveller's Aid Society) then it will cost you character points to join.
Question #11: Are any close friends or relations (or yourself!) noble? (This may use up some character points.)
Question #12: Are you, any close friends or relations in the Imperial Navy? Or retired from it.
Question #13: Is your character an early riser, or a late riser?
Notes on Advantages / Disadvantages / Skills
Consider getting "Sense of Duty to Fellow Adventurers" or a similar disadvantage (loyalty, etc.)
Area knowledge is unlikely to be helpful, so I would avoid it.
Humans use an almost universal language, and computer translators are available, so knowing other languages is unlikely to helpful. Avoid.
Gunner skill needs a specialization, such as "beam", "missile", or "sandcaster".
Electronics Operations also needs a specialization. People who use this skill on a starship often specialize in "communications", "sensors", or "shipboard electronics".
When Done
Once you have finished, please send me a paragraph that I can put in the "Characters" tab. Use the existing ones as a template, and remember this: I think describing your character's personality, by writing a paragraph and integrating some of your characters advantages, disadvantages, and skills is just brilliant! If anyone else is having trouble describing your character's personality in a paragraph, please try to use this technique.
History of Guns
I assume that most (all?) characters have at least a favorite pistol and rifle in the ship's locker.
If your character has such, and you have a free minute or two, pleas write up a few sentences or a paragraph or two on how you came to own this weapon. Do rifles before pistols (if you have both).
If you are bereft of ideas, feel free to expand on one of these seeds:
1. I can't remember that far back.
2. Mustered out with it.
3. Gift from family member, friend, co-worker, etc.
4. They were selling it surplus.
5. "Fell off truck".
6. Part of a cargo that was left behind in our ship.
7. Bartered for something else (or services).
8. Some armed group gave it to me when we were working together or I was working for them. (Police, Military, Mafia, Guards, etc.)
9. There were a lot of them, so I figured no one would miss one.
10. Someone had an extra. Or, someone had an extra on their ship / truck / station / whatever.
11. It was a prototype / experiment / early factory test.
12. Found in an abandoned (alien ruin, ship, station, building, fort, home, factory, prison, gun range, store, hunting lodge, ...)
13. I knew a guy who built these things, or I knew a guy worked at the factory.
14. Bought it in a store.
15. Bought it off a disreputable looking ...
16. Bought from a reputable dealer.
And if you want to add a "mix in":
A. The previous owner... (was famous for, won't be back, will finish his sentence, never got caught, etc.)
B. It's in some database because of ... and so I occasionally have trouble with customs.
