Ad Hoc Writers
Ad Hoc, Ad Astra, Ad Draconus

Alien Character Builder Outline

from Jim Van Scyoc
Copyright (C) 1991 & 1993, Ad Hoc Writers, Hayward, California
Revised May 11, 1992 and January 9, 1993
(Use in conjunction with applicable items in humanoid outline.)

1. Description.
   1. Shape.
      1. Consistent.
         1. Bilateral.
         2. Radial.
         3. Asymmetric.
         4. Irregular.
      2. Changeable.
         1. Completely.
         2. Partially.
      3. Dimensions occupied.
         1. Two (flatlanders).
         2. Three (as we perceive things).
         3. Four or more.
   2. Size.
   3. Consistency.
      1. Solid.
         1. Firm (Exoskeletal?).
            1. Chitinous.
            2. Metallic.
            3. Stony.
            4. Woody.
         2. Soft (Endoskeletal?).
            1. Fleshy.
            2. Pulpy.
      2. Liquid.
         1. Viscosity.
         2. Boiling/freezing temperatures.
         3. Miscible with?
      3. Gaseous.
      4. Plasma.
   4. Temperature as perceived by humans.
      1. Warmer?
      2. Cooler?
      3. How much so? (slightly, considerably, unbearably.)
   5. Color.
      1. Solid.
      2. Spots or stripes.
      3. Mottled.
      4. Iridescent.
   6. Surface.
      1. Scales.
      2. Skin.
      3. Feathers.
      4. Fur.
      5. Shell.
      6. Dry or moist?
      7. Smooth or rough?
   7. Clothes or lack of same.
      1. For protection.
      2. For modesty.
      3. For vanity.
   8. Human reaction to appearance.
2. Physiology.
   1. Basis for life.
      1. Chemical.
         1. Carbon.
         2. Silicon.
         3. Other chemical reactions.
      2. Energetic.
         1. Nuclear.
         2. Electrical.
         3. Plasma.
   2. Type of atmosphere required or preferred.
   3. Temperature range required or preferred.
   4. Rate of life.
      1. Compared to human.
      2. In own terms.
   5. Length of life.
      1. Compared to human.
      2. In own terms.
   6. Mass/volume ratio.
   7. How do you kill it?
      1. Weaknesses.
      2. Vulnerable points.
   8. How do you keep it alive?
      1. Heal it.
      2. Take care of needs.
3. Locomotion.
   1. Type.
      1. Fly/glide.
      2. Walk/run.
      3. Swim.
      4. Crawl.
      5. Burrow.
      6. Teleport.
      7. None (sessile).
   2. Preferred method(s).
   3. Less desirable (but possible) methods.
   4. How is movement accomplished?
      1. Physical means.
         1. Legs.
         2. Pseudopods.
         3. Flippers.
         4. Wings.
         5. Number of appendages for this purpose?
      2. Other means (levitation? teleportation?).
         1. Mental powers.
         2. Energy fields.
   5. Additional aid/equipment required for which methods?
      1. Underwater breathing apparatus.
      2. Artificial wings.
      3. Roller or ice skates.
      4. Special clothing.
      5. Electronic circuits.
4. Manipulation of environment.
   1. Accomplished physically, mentally or with energy fields?
      1. Done by individual itself?
      2. Done through control of other individuals?
   2. Appendages for manipulation (if any).
      1. Hands.
      2. Pincers.
      3. Tentacles.
      4. Pseudopods.
      5. Prostheses.
      6. Number of appendages.
      7. Multipurpose appendages combining two or more:
         1. Movement.
         2. Manipulation.
         3. Sensory input.
         4. Ingestion.
         5. Reproduction.
5. Sensory apparatus.
   1. How are its sensory organs comparable to humans?
   2. How are its organs different from humans?
      1. Can it sense that which humans can't (directly)?
         1. Electromagnetic energy.
         2. Gravity waves.
      2. Does it sense things differently?
         1. Hearing colors.
         2. Seeing sound.
   3. Which of its sensory organs are most important to it?
   4. What frequency range does it see and/or hear?
   5. Can it communicate with humans?
      1. Easily or with difficulty?
      2. Unaided.
      3. With the aid of machine or translator.
      4. How are its communications perceived by humans (untranslated).
         1. Sounds.
         2. Colors.
         3. Smells.
         4. Heat.
         5. Mentally.
         6. Music.
      5. How well do humans understand the translated messages?
         1. Can we understand their thought processes?
         2. Can we understand their cultural background?
6. Living conditions required.
   1. Temperature range.
   2. Type of atmosphere.
      1. Pressure.
      2. Liquid or gas.
      3. Components.
      4. Moist or dry.
      5. What is poisonous?
      6. What is disagreeable?
   3. Gravity limitations.
   4. How much protective clothing does it require?
      1. In its native conditions.
      2. In human conditions.
      3. In story conditions.
   5. How do they respond to extremes in environment?
      1. Hibernate.
      2. Sporulate.
      3. Estivate.
      4. Burrow into mud.
      5. Become aggressive.
      6. Increase sexual urge.
7. Energy (food).
   1. Source.
      1. Carnivore.
      2. Herbivore.
      3. Omnivore.
      4. Photovore.
      5. Nuclear (self-contained).
      6. Other, such as electricity, heat, sound, emotions, life force.
   2. How obtained.
      1. Go to food.
         1. Gather.
         2. Chase.
      2. Grow food.
         1. Farm.
         2. Herd.
      3. Wait for food to come to it.
8. Reproductive system.
   1. Number of sexes.
      1. Comparable to human?
      2. Function of each?
      3. Change sex?
         1. Based on age?
         2. Based on external conditions?
         3. How many times?
            1. Once.
            2. Twice or more.
      4. Is there any intelligence difference in the sexes?
   2. Method of producing young.
      1. Live birth.
      2. Eggs.
      3. Buds.
      4. Seeds.
      5. Fission.
         1. Two new individuals?
         2. One adult and one (or more) children?
   3. How many young, how often?
   4. Does it die after reproducing?
   5. When in life cycle does it reach sexual maturity?
9. Rest.
   1. Does it sleep?
   2. Dream?
   3. How often and how long does it sleep?
   4. How responsive to outside stimuli is it when sleeping?
   5. What happens when it is deprived of rest?
10. Survival capabilities.
    1. Aggressive tendencies.
       1. Pronounced.
       2. Some.
       3. Passive.
    2. Cooperation.
       1. Within its own species.
          1. Super cooperative.
          2. Cooperative.
          3. Uncooperative.
          4. Does it prefer groups or solitary action?
             1. All the time.
             2. During certain activities (hunting, etc.)
       2. With other species.
          1. On its home world.
          2. With humans or other species from elsewhere.
11. History of species.
    1. Evolution.
       1. Natural.
       2. Engineered.
    2. Ecological niche.
       1. Predator.
       2. Prey.
       3. Pack.
       4. Solitary.
    3. Mental capacity.
       1. Why did it evolve intelligence?
          1. Ecological pressure.
          2. Competition with its prey/predator.
          3. Population pressure.
       2. Less or more than human?
12. Notes
    1. Consider human reactions to the form and functions of the alien.
    2. Look at humanoid character builder and consider which items are applicable to the alien.

Basic outline contributed by Ad Hoc Writers member Jim Van Scyoc. Additional material suggested by Ad Hoc Writers members Mike Van Pelt, Gerald Perkins, Raymond (Buzz) Nelson, Reba Leon and Shirley Dickensheet. Information on energetic life forms contributed by Gerald Perkins.

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Copyright ©1996-2007 by Jim R. Van Scyoc