Random Ship Generator

This page depicts several attempts (with varying degrees of success) I made to generate randomly designed ships. All of these programs require QBASIC to run.

Attempt #1

This is the silliest (and least useful) first attempt to make random ships. The ships are COMPLETELY randomly generated; they don't start from a standard ship design and modify. I called the ships "Randomites", and decided later to make them a race.

All the program does is randomly determine a bunch of systems, then list them. The program does not make actual SSDs, it's just a list of what each ship has.

Here's some sample output.

Here's the program.

Attempt #2

This involves taking an existing .SSD file from SSDPRINT, then going through and randomly replacing labels with similar systems. Thus, APR could be replaced with AWR, LAB with NWO, PHTN with DRN-G, or whatever. Systems replaced are available to the .SSD file's race (it won't give foreign technology). The program then turns the .SSD into a .BMP (just like SSDPRINT). It can be set into "repeat mode" so you can generate a whole host of random ships.

To save time, I have simply listed some sample .BMP files here. The program is NOT clever, and several errors may occur:

The Ship Data Table is inaccurate, the program does not recalculate BPV.

The Weapons Tables might not be the right ones, as the program does not replace weapons tables as it replaces weapons.

TNG designs might have gotten picked and converted as if non-TNG designs. This isn't so bad, it's just strange.

Argh, I just noticed you may have to save these BMP files first to your hard drive in order to see them. (Right click on it and "save as")
They look like garbage on my Netscape. :(

002-0001.BMP
002-0002.BMP
002-0003.BMP
002-0004.BMP
002-0005.BMP
002-0006.BMP
002-0007.BMP
002-0008.BMP
002-0009.BMP
002-0010.BMP
002-0011.BMP
002-0012.BMP
002-0014.BMP
002-0015.BMP
003-0001.BMP
003-0002.BMP
003-0003.BMP
003-0004.BMP
003-0005.BMP
003-0006.BMP
003-0007.BMP
003-0008.BMP
003-0009.BMP
003-0010.BMP
003-0011.BMP
003-0012.BMP
003-0013.BMP
004-0001.BMP
004-0002.BMP
004-0003.BMP
004-0004.BMP
004-0005.BMP
004-0006.BMP
004-0007.BMP
004-0008.BMP
004-0009.BMP
005-0001.BMP
005-0002.BMP
005-0003.BMP
005-0004.BMP
006-0001.BMP
007-0001.BMP
007-0002.BMP
008-0001.BMP
009-0001.BMP
010-0001.BMP
011-0001.BMP
011-0002.BMP
012-0001.BMP
012-0002.BMP
012-0003.BMP
013-0001.BMP
013-0002.BMP
013-0003.BMP

You need the big file of .SSDs I provided as a supplement (the program needs ship designs to modify).
Here's the program.
You'll need this "Systems Location" file in the same directory too.

Attempt #3

This is the actual Random Ship Generator. It takes pieces from SSDs, modifies them (changing which systems are there) and then combines the pieces into a new ship design. The program then places the appropriate weapons tables and such on the ship, and even calculates its explosion strength and BPV. (!) It outputs a new SSD and BMP file (which can then be converted to a GIF).

Here's some samples. Right now the program only works for Feds and Klingons. The code is there for the other 10, but it's a lot of typing to make the .SSD template files.