Li Po's Alternity Page

MS-DOS Character Generators

Li Po is pleased to offer a MS-DOS character generator and a spaceship generator for players of TSR's fantastic new science fiction game, "Alternity". He and I hope that this helps generate interest and sales for this wholesome, masterfully-prepared gaming system.

You must run the program from an MS-DOS prompt, and it must be in a directory with eight or fewer letters in its name.

Since this is an ongoing project, Li Po still needs testers. The current version offer "Star Drive", "Dark Matter", and independent options.

"Alternity" is the lawful trademark of TSR hobbies. We all must respect copyright. It's not just the law -- it's what's right.

If you would like a free copy of the generator, and to receive updates, send your request to scalpel_blade@yahoo.com. Mention "Alternity" on your subject line.

If you prefer, you can download directly...

Versions:

alter.exe has now been divided into alter_c.exe for characters, and alter_vs.exe for spaceships (plus vehicles soon).

alter_vs versions:

    1.00a Hatches handled properly
    1.01 Vehicles other than spaceships
    1.01b "Hi-powered engine" available multiple times for increasing cost
    1.01c Costs not lost if first compartment initially not okay
    1.01d Weapons listed as such for non-spaceship vehicles. Sorry about the error!

alter_c version:

    1.01 Deleterious mutations handled properly
    1.02 "Observant" and "Photo Memory" no longer reversed!
    1.03 New careers, perks and flaws
    1.03a Corsairs package handled appropriately
    1.04 Rules 2A-2B, and 2C introduced as options
    1.05 (5/11/99) Dataware professions added
    1.06 (5/19/99) Remaining cybertolerance for cybergear shown; Approve / disapprove cybergear final selections; Hatire can buy "faith-plus", remaining broad skill number (Thanks Axel)
    1.07 (5/23/99) Minor fix for AD&D races
    1.07a (7/19/99) Tech ops get proper discount on "bargain"
    1.08 (8/4/99) Psionicist constitution requirement (9) waived for Riglia and Rakon. Edanweir race and Dreth nation added.
    1.09 (9/26/99) Biologists package is fixed. 1.10 (10/17/99) Mutants are not all listed as "Human" (sorry!); crossbow rolls handled for crossbow skill level rather than bow skill level

    2.00 (11/11/99) "Dark Matter" and "Mindwalking" books added. I though that the non-mindwalker types should add +1 to the cost of psionics knowledge, psionics law, and psionics biology, rather than as stated in "Mindwalking". I ran out of programming space for the high-level careers in "Dark Matter", and all "Mindwalking" careers. 2.01 (11/21/99) Motivations, character traits, and moral attitudes made optional. Able to choose a variety of options for "Dark Matter" and "Star Drive" campaigns (oops!)
    2.01a (11/23/99) Bug in generation of monotheist-visionary eliminated ("Divine Guidance" and "Fraal Guidance" caused the confusion!) Thanks Chris House.
    2.01b (11/23/99) Pointed out that each modification of the program that adds new specialty skills messes up saved special campaign races' skills. I think I have fixed this. Thanks Dylan B.

    2.01c (11/23/99) Periods in the character's name will not crash the character sheet. Telekinesis and Psychoportation are two separate broad skills. Dark Matter special races (referee's invention) with psionic abilities can be mindwalkers.
    2.01d (11/23/99) If "Mindwalking Book" is not in use, "Psychoportation" broad skill is unavailable, and "Psi Flaws" and "Psi Perks" are not offered.
    2.01e (11/25/99) "Achievement benefit: Increasing psionic energy points" brought into conformity with "Mindwalking" for non-Dark_Matter campaigns
    2.02 (12//2/99) Robots are back. Some FX material has been added from the "Gamemaster Guide".
    2.03 (12/7/99) Errors in 2.02 fixed. You can once again increase skills normally using achievement points. Skill points are returned for rejected cybergear.
    2.04 (1/21/00) Defensive martial arts skill listed properly, as dexterity rather than strength (thanks Heiko).
    2.05 (2/18/00) "FX Guide" material added.
    2.06 (6/14/00) Error in making "improved fists of iron" available has been fixed.


Thanks to these testers:

  • Costa Andrea

  • Rodney Barnes

  • Phillip Battisson

  • Linda Baxter

  • B. Bendriss

  • Mike Bettin ("Crow")

  • Randy Bisig

  • Bondman

  • Marc Boucher

  • Adam Bradley

  • Dylan Brooks

  • David Brossard

  • Craig Brain

  • Phelix Bruner

  • Casey Burge

  • Kelsey Calderon

  • CJ3

  • Jim Clunie

  • James Cook

  • Ed Corcoran

  • Bob Crichton

  • Aaron Dale

  • Pete Demestihas

  • Christian Dessau

  • Reese Dorycott

  • Swift Drean'tre

  • Gene Flack

  • Greg Frantsen

  • Scott Friedmeyer

  • Jeff Gavett

  • Al Gordon

  • Cecil Grant

  • Grimscale (Winn Muller)

  • Adam Gross

  • John William Grigsby IV
  • Grendel

  • Grayswandir

  • Joe Hamrick

  • Ross Hewitt

  • Axel Hjelm

  • Jason Hobson

  • Chris House

  • Allister Huggins

  • Jali da Mechi Techi

  • Erik Jerks

  • Bobby Jennings

  • Jonathan Jochum

  • J J Jacobson

  • Steffan Johansson

  • Jonas Karlsson

  • Patrick Kinsella

  • Kamill Kiss

  • Steve Koch

  • Kwyndig

  • Gary Lane

  • Matt Lewis

  • Charles Linthicum

  • Benjamin Loebick

  • John Machielsen

  • David McMahon

  • Mournblade "Mees the tsa"

  • Hollis McCray

  • Malcolm J. McDonald

  • Ryul Mimbran

  • Michael J. Moch

  • Cameron O'Sullivan

  • Rich Ostorero

  • Tony Pacheco

  • Robert Patera

  • Darren Pearce

  • Jamie Powell

  • Luka Rejek

  • Simon Renshaw

  • Robert Richey

  • William J. Rollins

  • Russ Scherker

  • Dan Schwaninger

  • Bai Shen

  • Allen Shock

  • Ken Silverman

  • Scott Sostack

  • Grey Spacer

  • Steven Sparkman

  • John Stevens

  • Mike Stram

  • Jimmy Strube

  • Dale Thurber

  • Robert E. Trub Jr.

  • Adam Tetz

  • Mark Triant

  • Draxon Verrandami

  • Cherry Walker

  • Carl Walter

  • Jamie Wentworth

  • Donny Wilbanks

  • Don Williams

  • Mike Wills

  • Tom Woods

  • John Zaborowski

  • Dave Zinn

  • D.M. Zwerg

  • Zyden

Avoiding Character Deaths

I've written elsewhere about alternatives to character deaths in fantasy role-playing. In "Alternity" as in other games, players identify with beloved characters.

If a character is killed according to the rules, it seems reasonable to let the other player decide whether the outcome is actually death, permanent disability, temporary disability, being removed from play for a time, or simply embarrassment. The original constitution is the maximum number of times this can happen prior to mandatory retirement.

Try this. It's the best for fun.

Links

Alternity Mailing List
Alternity RPG Net
Timbuctoo -- poet Alfred Tennyson's vision, in 1829, of humans living with aliens throughout outer space

Evan Williamson, physician, special friend, and "Alternity" fan.

All TSR trademarks and copyrights TSR, Inc. All rights reserved.

Li Po's AD&D page

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New visitors to www.pathguy.com
reset Jan. 30, 2005:

Programmers: Here is SOME of the source code for alter.exe, mostly the stuff taken over mechanically from the game books. It will save you time typing when you are putting together your own routines.

Try one of Ed's chess-with-a-difference java applets!