Template:SophontData/doc

This template is used for articles about races, or alien creatures who are considered Sentient (sophonts).

Parameter: Name

Please insert the name of the alien species (race), intelligent sophont creature.

• Whenever possible, article names for alien species (races) should be in singular form, not plural. (e.g. Aslan, not Aslans)
• It is understood that many names for alien species only come in a collective, plural form, or that some words are the same in singular or plural forms.

And that sometimes, the best known form of the name of an alien species (race) is in the plural.

Parameter: Alsosee

Any other piece of cogent information not mentioned elsewhere.

Parameter: Canon

The following entries are suggested for this category:

• Yes
• No
• Unknown
• Or other entries as appropriate.

parameter: Caption

The following entries are suggested for this category:

• Please write a brief caption, that describes the image (e.g. A typical Hiver).
  • Please do not over-describe the image. There is limited space.

Parameter: Code

The internal code used for this sophont creature. For the Canon creatures this is the first four characters of their name (e.g Huma for Humaniti, or Droy for Droyne). For the non-canon creatures, used the same code, but may be changed for if the code overlaps with an existing canon one.

• 4 letter abbreviation
• Any punctuation or empty spots are filled in with a capital X. e.g. Zit'huari = ZitX
• Two word names capitalize the beginning of each word. e.g. Mon Kalamari = MoKa

Parameter: Confluence

Confluence (human likeness: i.e. semi-humanoid) = Appearence, not biochemistry

• Human = Head, 2 arms, 2 legs, torso, abdomen, etc.
• Humanoid = (...minor deviation from humans)
• Semi-humanoid (...major deviation from humans)
• Non-humanoid (...radically different from humans)

Parameter: Environ

Sophont's native, originating environment.

• Clear
• Desert
• Exotic (include note) e.g. Exotic (Gas giant), Exotic (Ammonia)
• Forest
• Mountains
• Ocean
• Ocean Depths
• Polar
• Rough
• Waterways
• Wetlands

Note: also known as Terrain.

Parameter: Era

Default is Imperial Year 1105.

• Other eras may be chosen.
• Add others with a comma. e.g. 900, 1105, etc.

Parameter: Extinct

The following entries are suggested for this category:

• Yes (Extinct)
• No (Extant)
• Unknown
• Or other entries as appropriate.

Parameter: Footnote

The following entries are suggested for this category:

• Please enter any necessary footnotes.
• Or other entries as appropriate.

Parameter: Gravity

Sophont's originating gravity at which it is most comfortable:

• No Gravity
• Microgravity: 0.01 G or less
• Very Low Gravity: 0.02 to 0.10 G
• Low Gravity: 0.011 to 0.49 G
• Standard or Average Gravity: 0.50 to 1.49 G
• High Gravity: 1.5 to 1.89 G
• Very High Gravity: 1.90 to 2.00 G
• Macrogravity: 2.01 G or higher (2.01-G+)
• Black Hole

Parameter: Homeworld

Use one of the two following values for this parameter:

• The Template: World with their homeworld: {{World|<world>|<sector>|<subsector>|<hex>}}
• The text "Unknown"

Parameter: Image

The following entries are suggested for this category:

• Insert an image of the alien species (race).
  • Please ensure that the image is used legally by permission of the user, an open copyright, a free-use image, or other legal means.

Parameter: Lang

Sophont's most common language.

• Several languages can be added with a comma if desired. e.g. Anglic, Trokh, etc.

Parameter: Limbs

Total number of limbs used by a sophont: Arms, legs, or otherwise.

• (Tails not included unless used for locomotion or dextrous manipulation. Non-permanent pseudopods not included)
• Rendered in T5 script as 7-ped e.g. a sophont with 7 total limbs. A hexapod is 6 limbs. A tripod is usually 3 limbs.
• Proper notation is three part: 1. Number 2. Dash 3. Ped
• Ped is short for foot. The Latin root word ped and its Greek counterpart pod both mean “foot.” These roots are the word origin of many English vocabulary words, including pedal centipede, podium, and podiatrist. Humans, for instance, are bipedal because they walk on two “feet,” whereas a tripod is a stand for a camera that has three “feet.”
• Even though ped means foot, it counts for any limb, whether ending in a foot, hand, or otherwise. e.g. Humans are quadrupeds (2 arms + 2 legs), but walk bipedally (...on 2 feet attached to 2 legs).
• In conventional (realworld) scientific usage, there is a difference between a Quadruped and a Tetrapod. In T5 usage, both are 4-peds. Humans are 4-peds too.

Parameter: Locomotion

Sophont's bodily means of personal locomotion:

• Amphibian
• Aquatic
• Brachiator
• Diver
• Drifter
• Exotic (include note)
• Floater
• Flyer
• Flyphibian
• Roller
• Static
• Swimmer
• Triphibian
• Walker (Ambulatory)

Parameter: Multi-world

The following entries are suggested for this category:

• Yes
• No
• Unknown

Parameter: Psi

Psionic potential of the race, relative to the standard set by Humaniti. Values are:

• None (no psi manifested)
• Null (negative)
• Low
• Standard
• High

Parameter: Ref (Reference)

The following entries are suggested for this category:

• Single definitive source of information from the source entries - Recommend using the {{Ludography cite|name=xxx|page=yy}}
• Unknown
• Or other entries as appropriate.

Parameter: Size

The following entries are suggested for this category:

• Please enter a height, using SI metric notation (e.g. 1.6 m).
  • It is acceptable to also enter an Imperial height as additional information to the SI metric entry (e.g. 1.6 m / 5'2"). The Imperial measure may be rounded to the nearest whole number.
  • It would be ok to use unit of volume as well.
• Unknown
• Or other entries as appropriate.
  • Please see the GURPS Traveller book for information on the cribbed version of the SI metric system used for GURPS Traveller.

Parameter: Socstrct

Social structure.

• Category still under construction.
• will probably use UWP government types.

Parameter: Status

The following entries are suggested for this category:

• Major Race (...no new major races may be added to the OTU per canon)
  • Major Human Race
  • Major Non-Human Race
• Minor Race
  • Minor Human Race
  • Minor Non-Human Race
• Chimera
• Ethnic Group
  • An Ethnic group is a large group of Sophonts classed according to common racial, national, tribal, religious, linguistic, or cultural origin or background. This may include divisions within a Race, e.g. Vargr have many different cultural groups. Or an ethnic group may include members of several races with a shared cultural background, like the Darrians.
  • Please see the Ethnic Groups entry, for more information.
• Terragen
• Unknown
• Variant Race
  • Variant Human Race
  • Variant Non-Human Race

Note: It is possible for multiple types to overlap, Venn0diagram style. Please add using commas. e.g. Minor Race, Minor Human Race, etc.

Parameter: Symmetry

Alignment of physiology:

• 0-ial = Asymmetrical (not solid ...blob, amoeba, etc.}
• 2-ial = Bilateral symmetry
• 3-ial = Trilateral symmetry
• 4-ial = Quadrilateral symmetry
• 5-ial = Pentilateral symmetry
• etc.
• A-ial = Asymmetrical (solid, e.g. Asym)
• R-ial = Radial symmetry
• S-ial = Spherical symmetry

Note: Larger symmetries are typically equivalent to radial, but are still mentioned by number if known and consistent. Symmetries beyond four are rare unless radial.

Parameter: TL

This represents the technological mastery of a sophont on an applied level. It is possible for a species to have various levels of TL's, but the overall average is this rating.

• Proper notation consiste of three parts: 1. TL 2. Dash 3. Number. e.g. TL-1, TL-27, TL-0, etc.
• The range is between 0 and 33.
• 34 or greater (34+) represents a post-singularity existence and is not measured.
• A few earlier publications used rating that were 34 or higher. These publications are considered retconned.

Parameter: TLrange (TLepoch)

This is a grouping of three TL's or an epoch. It is a kind of Chronological Periodization. It represents an extended development period according to conventional technologies and expectations.

• Please see Technology Level for more information.

Proper notation is five part: 1. TL 2. Colon 3. Number 4. Dash 5. Number e.g. TL:1-3, TL:31-33, etc.

• They are sequenced in three-TL sets starting with TL:1-3 and ending with TL:31-33.
• The exception is TL-0, which is a transition level.
• TL-0 are proto-sophonts capable of using found tools.
• Negative TL's levels exist (pre-sophontic life, creatures, animals, etc.), but this has not been canonized yet.

Epoch (this is from the T5 rules)

• TL-0 Found Tools
• TL:1-3 Tool Making
• TL:4-6 Mass Production
• TL:7-9 Processors
• TL:10-12 Gravitics
• TL:13-15 Biologics
• TL:16-18 Artificials
• TL:19-21 Matter Transport
• TL:22-24 Transformations
• TL:25-27 Psionics
• TL:29-30 Stellar
• TL:31-33 Pocket Universe
• TL-34+ Singularity

Parameter: Type (Classification)

This is the trophic category (consumption strategy) for the intelligent lifeform.

The following entries are suggested for this category:

• Carnivore
• Carnivore/chaser
• Carnivore/killer
• Carnivore/pouncer
• Carnivore/siren
• Carnivore/trapper
• Ergivore
• Ergivore/parasite
• Herbivore
• Herbivore/filter
• Herbivore/grazer
• Herbivore/intermittent
• Omnivore/eater
• Omnivore/gather
• Omnivore/hunter
• Omnivore/hunter-gatherer
• Scavenger
• Scavenger/carrion-eater
• Scavenger/hijacker
• Scavenger/intimidator
• Reducer
• Reducer/autotroph
• Reducer/chemotroph
• Reducer/scavenger
• Reducer/phototroph
• Reducer/plasmosynthetic-autotroph
• Reducer/radiosynthetic-autotroph
• Unknown

• Or other entries as appropriate.
  • Please see Animal classification for more information.

Parameter: Weight

The following entries are suggested for this category:

• Please enter a weight, using SI metric notation (e.g. 6.0 kg).
  • It is acceptable to also enter an Imperial weight as additional information to the SI metric entry (e.g. 6.0 kg / 13 lbs). The Imperial measure may be rounded to the nearest whole number.
• Unknown
• Or other entries as appropriate.
  • Please see the GURPS Traveller book for information on the cribbed version of the SI metric used for Traveller.