Favourite method of world generation

[Lapthorn]

What are people's favourite methods of world generation, and why?

The two broad families are CT and its spin-offs, or some flavour of GURPS. T5 and MGT are both probably far enough away from their CT root to count as separate choices. GURPS First In (3rd Ed) is much closer to CT than GURPS: IW (4th Ed).

My own preference varies depending what feel I'm after. For harder SF, GURPS: IW. For a more gonzo CT-original approach, Book 3 (with the odd manual tweak) is hard to beat as a spare, simple system that can be extended at leisure.

 

[aramis]

My own hybrid of MGT and T20.

 

[JimMarn]

I make random worlds using Profantasy's Fractal Terranis, export the map and png. I add a new planet name, editing the map file and then saving the new png.

Add it to a Arm and Sector updating those maps.

I then look at the png, and using CT UWP pages from the FFE CD, write up the UWP, then post it to my web site.

I have to be careful... otherwise I wind up with a sub-sector full of one type of planet. All islands, all massive one continent, etc.

 

[mike wightman]

I use GURPS Space for 4th edition and then convert to Traveller UPP.

 

[rancke]

I use a mixture of World Builder's Handbook and First In.


Hans

 

[Timerover51]

I simply use Book 3, and toss out the odd results. For mapping, I have been thinking of using the editor for Civilization 3 to generate the world map for Terran-type world. Right now, I am working on a map using that for the Space: 1889 campaign, and also one for an Eyeball Earth/Space: 1889 Mercury with my own additions.

 

[Hemdian]

In the past it’s been CT Book 3, then CT Book 6 ‘Continuation’, then flesh out with WBH.

But I’ve been thinking lately that the UWP is supposed to be a potentially inaccurate guide representation (except it’s often been pushed beyond that). Plus if I ever get Universe2 finished I can use the same output as WBH but not use the same algorithms. So I’ve been considering using something like Tyge Sjöstrand’s half finished World Generation system and then convert the final data into Traveller terms. Some of the probabilities might be different but as long as any canon system is still creatable then this should be okay. At least for the physical data, the cultural data I’m still stuck on (though I can use some of T5).

 

[Lapthorn]

I like GURPS Space (4th ed) too. Thinking of using it as the base for a Rule of Man subsector I'd like to do next. It's clearly "Traveller Inspired" eg the 5-fold starport classification system.

I need to do my own tech level generating table though. The one in the book clusters results very tightly around the "default" for the setting. I don't think that's any more "realistic" than the variance you get with Bk3 - after all, there are a wide range of TLs among economies on the single planet of Earth, so I have no problem at all with seeing a wide variety of TLs across a subsector.

 

[Ulsyus]

WBH is great for generating the detail that I want for leading into scenarios. I've also used the 2300 system for smaller worlds when detailing what development and infrastructure they've got (needs a bit of tweeking given the time spans can be quite different).