Module description

*** To enlarge the ship in its maximum quality we recommend to open the image in a new tab or save it by right clicking on it. The print button will reduce the size to A4 so it will have lower resolution.

This is the Sci-Fi Spaceship Generator. From deck plans to full random descriptions of your engine, generator, hull and armament. This module is intended for Role Playing Games, based on the most iconic ships from Star Wars, Star Trek, Alien and many more. In any futuristic story, space travel is a fundamental aspect, so much so that even today's science draws from science fiction. There are several iconic spacecraft that have left their mark and have served as inspiration for this module, such as the U.S.S. Enterprise. In short, this module is a spaceship creator for role-playing games.

In this tool you will find a lot of randomly generated information, from its name, type, weight, reactor, engine and autonomy to a complete description of its main use, crew, computers and sensors or the maximum load it is capable of carrying or how many passengers. The hull, shields and armament of the ship will also be described for each case, giving an approximate idea of how it behaves in combat. 

This module is not intended for any specific game, but rather as a generic tool to serve the Game Master to improvise and as a source of resources. It is intended to be used in role-playing games such as Traveller, Starfinder, Star Wars without Number, Ultramodern5, Eclipse Phase, Warhammer 40K Dark Heresy, Dune Adventures, Star Treck Adventures, Star Wars the Roleplaying Game, Alien RPG, StarGate, Terminator, Fallout and others. 

We would like to thank Pearce Design Studio, LLC for expressly allowing us to use their content for the creation of the spacecraft.. Here you can visit his blog and enjoy all his content. This content is not official from Traveller or any other RPG, but an approach for Game Masters based on this universe. This is not an official generator, just one inspired and compatible with role playing games set in Science Fiction.  There are also designs created by Pearce but modified by Sgrichards. Here you can see if pinterest with all the ships we have used. 

If you want more information about spaceships in science fiction you can read this post of our blog.

How does this module work?

Just choose a type of spacecraft and press "Generate". If you do not have any priority you can select "Random" and a spaceship will be generated without preferences. Below we show all the content that this module will display and how to interpret it:

Types of Spaceships 

- Starfighters: They are small spacecraft, of less than 100 metric tons, with effective armament and prepared for security, patrol and military tasks. They may or may not have engines that allow them to travel at light speed.

- Shuttles: These ships do not usually have jump engines and weigh less than 100 metric tons, as do starfighters. Their main function is to transport goods or travelers between planets and ships within the same system. They are also used to transport troops in orbital assaults or to board other spacecraft.

- Systems Ships: These are ships of more than 100 metric tons that do not have jump engines. They usually perform logistical, security or communication functions around important planets. Since they do not have powerful generators, they have more space for transportation or armament.

- Spacecraft: These are the typical spacecraft of the movies, capable of traveling at superluminal speeds to cross the universe. Depending on the science fiction and its background these ships will travel through space in different ways. Below we show some of the most common engines and generators.

- Military Spacecraft: Spacecraft can be armed, but military spacecraft are specialized in it. They have better armor, armament and military technology. In addition, these ships are large, to the point of having their own hangars with fighters inside.

- Community Ships: These ships are designed by the community. They are intellectual property of Pearce Design Studio, LLC but designed by Sgrichards. Here you can see if pinterest with all the ships we have used, if you want your spaceship to appear in this generator too let us know through our social networks!

The Weight of Spaceships in Science Fiction

There are many ways to catalog spacecraft. In this module we have used the Metric Ton. It is the displacement in any loading condition and includes crew, passengers, cargo, fuel and others. These metric tons correspond to 1000kg or 14 cubic meters which is the equivalent volume of one ton of liquid hydrogen.

Energy Generators and Reactors in Science Fiction Ships

There are as many types of reactors as there are energy sources in science fiction worlds. Sometimes the energy source itself is the Psi force of living beings, while in others it is a super precious and limited substance in the universe. In this generator we have not taken into account what the energy source is, although the most common is liquid hydrogen, used by Star Wars in their hyperdrives. In Star Trek it is Dilithium, in Avatar Unobtainium. Next we show the Reactors of this module:

- Fission Reactor: This source generates power for the ships through induced fission, but also produces harmful nuclear waste.

- Fusion reactor: Nuclear fusion processes generate a large amount of energy for the ships, but without many of the risks associated with fission energy.

- Cold fusion reactor: The ability to maintain a fusion reaction at relatively low temperatures gives rise to a new generation of fusion reactors.

- Antimatter reactor: By harnessing the energy produced by matter/antimatter annihilations, the efficiency of power generation for spacecraft is orders of magnitude better than fusion.

- Zero-point reactor: These generators extract energy from the vacuum, providing an almost unlimited supply of power for ships. There is no more efficient way to generate power.

- Dark Matter Reactor: These generators seem to somehow extract energy directly from dark matter, providing more energy for the ship than should be possible according to the laws of physics.

- Solar Reactor: This is an alternative or complementary propulsion method to the use of engines. These devices use solar sails that capture thrusts produced by sources external to the spacecraft itself, so that it does not need to carry with it neither engine nor fuel, considerably lightening the weight of the spacecraft, and thus being able to reach higher maximum speeds although they take longer to do so.

Spaceship Engines (Light Speed and above)

There are two types of engines: those that allow reaching speeds greater than or equal to light; and those that do not. Both are very important and necessary in a spacecraft. While the main engine (the engine that allows to reach superluminal speeds) allows to travel between the stars quickly, the secondary or maneuvering engines (sub-light engines) allow to dock at astroports, fight in space, travel in atmospheres and other essential tasks such as refueling in gas giants or stars by means of fuel tubes. Depending on the number that accompanies the engine, it will be faster or slower, depending on the background being used.

Superluminescent motors (allowing speeds greater than light):

- Jump Engine: This engine activates a portal to cross vast interstellar distances in less time by entering hyperspace, where the space-time relationship is different. They allow 1-2 jumps per tank of fuel unless they are very large ships.

- Warp Drive: This engine manages to distort the space around the spacecraft, obtaining speeds greater than light.

- Fold Engine: The ship folds space, transporting from one point to another instantaneously. This consumes a large amount of energy and has a recharge time.

- Hyperdrive Engine: Ships equipped with Hyperdrives travel rapidly between the edges of star systems along interstellar hyperplanes. They are impulse propulsion system that allows them to reach the speed of light and cross the void between stars.

- Warp engine: Allows access to another dimension where space-time is different and bypass the light-years of real space by reappearing in the new coordinates. The dimensions are hostile and unpredictable places.

- Light Engine: Allows the ship to convert matter into waves that travel at the speed of light, disintegrating and rebuilding at the destination.

- Psi engine: The psychic jump engine harnesses the psionic potential of the ship's crew to warp the local space-time continuum, eliminating the distance between the point of origin and destination. Supposedly.

- Bridge Engine: This hyperdrive generates a transit corridor, but unlike traditional jump engines, it also allows one to float in hyperspace indefinitely and alter the route at will. A prolonged stay in hyperspace is dangerous for the psyche of living organisms.

Sublight engines (which have speeds below the speed of light):

- Solar engine: This engine takes advantage of the particles emitted by the stars (solar winds) to provide propulsion. It does not require energy or reaction mass, but they do not reach the speed of light, so they are too slow to navigate beyond a system.

- Impulse engine: High combustion thrusters that give very high speeds but do not exceed the speed of light. Good for navigating between planets or systems, but are slow to navigate the galaxy.

- Ion engine: These electric thrusters use ion beams to generate thrust without the need for propellant.

- Plasma engine: An engine that uses ionization-induced air plasma to produce jet propulsion. Plasma thrusters allow ships to achieve greater sub-light speed and maneuverability.

- Dark Matter Engine: These advanced fusion-powered thrusters provide ships with unmatched maneuverability and speed in sub-light conditions.

- Combustion Engine: Simple but moderately efficient chemical thrusters that rely on a combustible propellant to generate thrust.

- Photon Sail: Surface composed of one or more very light reflective sheets capable of harnessing the light pressure of solar radiation for thrust. 

Computers, Sensors, Hull and Shields in Science Fiction Ships

The same computers are used today in military air and naval services as in futuristic science fiction. The only difference is the power and technology used, but the purposes are the same. Electronic warfare, launch calculations, maneuvering computers and others are the most usual, although in science fiction it is also common to find Conscious Artificial Intelligences, virtual crews, etc. Sensors are machines that help to collect information and process it. They are usually antennas, although there are also scanners, arrays or extension networks. The most common are Radars and LIDARs. 

The hull of the spacecraft is what separates life from death in space. Suffering hull damage means exposing life support systems and the possibility of fire, malfunctions, fuel leaks or internal depressurization of the spacecraft. The hull is often reinforced with armor or alloys that provide resistance to specific damage such as laser weapons (in the case of reflective hulls for example). Finally, there are energy shields and deflators, which are technologies capable of mitigating damage in exchange for the ship's energy consumption. Once these systems are saturated or the ship does not have enough energy to power them, they are deactivated and the shielding/casing is exposed.

Spaceship Armament and Defenses in Science Fiction (Weapons and Turrets)

There are many ways to catalog spacecraft. In this module we have used the Metric Ton. It is the displacement in any loading condition and includes crew, passengers, cargo, fuel and others. These metric tons correspond to 1000kg or 14 cubic meters which is the volume equivalent to one ton of liquid hydrogen.The weapons of the spacecraft depend on their size and the background of the story. In the case of Star Trek the most famous are the phasers, evolution of the laser weapons that we see for example in Star Wars. In the same way we find other specialized weapons such as photon torpedoes, turbolasers or rail guns that are currently used in the navy. Below we show some of the most common weapons:

- Turrets: Depending on the size of the ship they can be single, pop-up or fixed point turrets. The biggest ones can mount double, triple or even quadruple turrets. These weapons are the most traditional in any spacecraft to defend against the dangers hidden in the universe. The most common are laser turrets, although plasma launchers or automatic rail guns are also popular. Larger turrets are often located on the decks, allowing for larger caliber armaments.

- Bays: A bay is a facility on the ship that has several turrets congregated together. Bays allow more ammunition to be available and more advanced fire control systems. These spaces also allow for more sophisticated weaponry and depending on how big the bay is it can have more firepower. Some common bay armaments are: Blaster cannons, ion cannons, missile launchers, torpedoes, or even meson cannons, antimatter, or vortex cannons in the larger bays.

- Spinal mount: These are weapons of mass destruction that need a lot of space on a ship to be fired. They are usually oriented in the heart of the ship and extend all the way to the hull. Examples of these weapons are solar pulse generators, tachyon lances or the death star superlaser.

To defend against missiles, torpedoes and laser weapons, spacecraft have active and passive defense points. Passive defenses range from jammers and electronic warfare to hull alloys to protect against specific weapons, such as anti-radiation hulls or superdense hulls to prevent damage from quantum weapons. The active ones range from the deployment of fighters to neutralize threats to point defense turrets, sand and shrapnel projectors, searchlights or Flak batteries. 

List of Science Fiction Spacecraft Types

- Light fighter
- Motorboat
- Ferry
- Lifeboat
- Auxiliary shuttle
- Slow shuttle
- Pinnace
- Slow pinnace
- Cutter
- Heavy fighter
- Troop transporter
- Shuttle
- Passenger shuttle
- Express Ship
- Mail scout
- Mining ship
- Explorer
- Distant freighter
- Civilian distant freighter
- Independent freighter
- Safari ship
- System defense launcher
- Yacht
- Asteroid ship
- Close escort ship
- Mail ship
- Patrol corvette
- Subsidized merchant ship
- Reconnaissance scout
- Heavy system defense launcher
- Commercial Nova
- Subsidized cruiser
- Mercenary cruiser
- Destroyer escort
- Interceptor destroyer
- Express carrier
- Colonial cruiser
- Merchant cruiser
- Destroyer
- Fleet escort ship
- Light carrier
- Light cruiser
- Armored cruiser
- Heavy Asteroid Ship
- Attack cruiser
- Border cruiser
- Heavy cruiser
- Attack carrier
- Fleet carrier
- Dreadnought
- Heavy Dreadnought
- Interceptor Corvette
- Heavy Corvette
- Picket Corvette
- Artillery Destroyer
-Destroyer Gunboat
- Picket Destroyer
- Artillery Cruiser
- Battle Cruiser
- Fleet Cruiser
- Torpedo Cruiser
- Battleship Gunnery Cruiser
- Fleet Battleship
- Battleship Heavy
- Dreadnought Gunner
- Juggernaut
- Death Star

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Science Fiction

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