Science Fiction Random Generators Guide

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

Disclaimer: I'm an affiliate for DriveThru RPG

Sci-Fi Starting Points

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 looking for PDFs then there's a PDF Guide for Science Fiction.

If you're here you might like guides for Cyberpunk, Star Wars.

Stars Without Numbers has a collection of tables at Chartopia. Generate characters and starships for SWN at Iron Arachne. And Traveller has a Random Subsector Generator at the Zhodani Base

There are also more futuristic tools articles on Rand Roll.

May 2024: added lots of gens and refreshed everything.

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.

Glumdark has all the tools with Backgrounds, Drives, First Impressions, Looks, Past Allegiances, Personal Trinkets, a Space NPC Name Generator and Traits.

Many sci-fi characters are in need of a Gadget to use or a Weapon to Wield from 7th Sanctum

Lazarus at Itch has pay-what-you-want Sci-Fi Random Tables, which includes names, professions, drives & motivations, as well as other useful tables for adventures.

For space pets there is a Pet Alien Name Generator from Fantasy Name Generators or a small selection of Space Pets at Chartopia, based on Mothership tables. For something bizarre then the Random Robot Generator from Springhole might make a suitable companion.

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 General Description from donjon. And then there is a Spaceship Generator from Springhole.net with descriptions like "This moderate-sized ship is shaped vaguely like a frog with spoilers"

Over at Role Generator there is an awesome Spaceship Generator which includes a deck map layout.

The spaceship model creator can help visualize some spacecraft. At Curufea is a Ship Vessel Map generator with options for grid, hex and text.

Glumdark has a Ship Name Generator, such as "Egret" and "Venture Mark II". Make unique with Ship Quirks and Spacecraft Backgrounds. They also have Station Backgrounds for stationary(ish) structures.

Iron Arachne has a Spooky Ship Generator for something different

Unorthodox Creativity has a text-based Spaceship Generator with lots of information.

For smaller ships, Deep-Fold at Itch.io has a Spaceship Generator with a 2d appearance

The Frugal Autochef Randomizer is created at Perchance, giving cuisines you might not enjoy on a commercialised starship journey.

Or spaceship becomes space dungeon with maps of a sci-fi ship from Dave's Mapper. Add 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 Basic Alien Description from SciFi Ideas or lots of Alien Ideas at once from Seventh Sanctum.

If you're looking for tools for the Alien RPG then donjon has you covered with a Name Generator, Job Generator and System Generator and collection of random alien generators.

Flesh it out aliens with Graphical Model. Or some Alternative Alien Names from donjon.

Stars and Systems

The United Republic of Sruummuo is a republic. Its capital is Puleeng in the Sliippai system. There are 96 systems under its sway, with 199 inhabited worlds and a total population of 368.329 billion.

Their primary goal is to bring order...

first part of Star Nation generator from Iron Arachne. As well as a separate Star System Generator.

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. There is an alternative SWN Sector Generator at Emichron.

An outstanding generator is the Vintage Star Map by Arkimedz at Itch

Fuzzwork has a Star Map Generator which shows constellations (and no more info)

Unorthodox Creativity has a text-based Solar System Generator with lots of information.

There is a Planets and Star System Generator at Role Generator which has a useful option for forcing a habitable world. And a similar one to expand on a Solar System at RanGen.

For a colourful universe, Deep-Fold at Itch has a Starscape Generator and a Background Generator including stars, dust, planets and nebulae.

Crossing the galaxy you might need Sci-fi Encounter from donjon or encounter a Space Phenomena from 7th Sanctum. Or try a Scifi Encounter Concept from Ennead Games.

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 from donjon

There is also an older Planet Map Generator with lots of options and biome legends.

Try Things Found on a Forsaken Planet from Glumdark for a darker tone.

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

For a pixel-looking world, Deep-Fold at Itch.io has a Spaceship Pixel Planet Generator, with op

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.

The Space Hulk Generator by LordFckHelmchen has maps for Wrath and Glory adventures set on massive ship-dungeons in space.

The Space and Sci-fi One Shots at Chaos Gen (one of mine) creates adventures suitable for a few hours play but which might spiral out of control into something longer.

For plots and stories a Space Quest from donjon can give you some creative direction. There is also a Temporal Adventures for time-travel themes.

For a space company, try Future Space Capitalist Company Generator at Perchance.

To give some atmosphere, Glumdark has Things Found in a Derelict Space Ship.

Tech and Robots

'dingy box of plasteen dominoes, roll of duct tape"

from Trash, Tech and Trinkets at Glumdark

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

There is a decent robot generator from Springhole.net

Iron Arachne has an Arms Manufacture Generator with models of weapons.

For how a droid may appear there is a Droid Maker from Meiker

PDFs for Science Fiction

If you like pdfs and random tables then the following are taken from the Full PDF Guide for Science Fiction.

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
For an oracle, gm helper and random generator in one, The GameMaster's Apprentice: Sci Fi from Larcenous Designs is a deck of cards for your solo game.
The Sci-fi Bundle Collection from Grinning Skull Studios 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
Ironsworn: Starforged from Mophidius is the sci-fi version of the Ironsworn solo rpg. It has story-driven mechanics using Powered by the Apocalypse rules.
For many quest ideas with maps, Inkwell Ideas has Sidequest Decks: Science Fiction, containing a deck of 50+ cards.