Introduction

One Robot...One Computer...One Spaceship is a low concept game of high adventure (or misadventure) in Outer Space. If you have the desire to plunge yourself into certain Uncertainty (including death by asphyxiation, death by sudden depressurization, and death by horrifying alien menace), armed with exotic futuristic weaponry, assisted by a robot sidekick, guided by a helpful supercomputer, and trekking the farthest reaches of the galaxy in a genuine interstellar spaceship, but you have neither the time nor the inclination to make serious preparations, then get ready to be randomized!

The origin of 1R1C1S, as I have quaintly chosen to abbreviate it, is in the random generators I have designed for the Omnium-Gatherum page at Fudgery.net. These, in turn, were inspired by the lists I have been compiling for my Odd Reference page at Cuparius.com. I started compiling the first list when I saw a survey of robots I considered woefully inadequate. The robot list has been growing ever since, and lists continue to be added. Well, now I have a use for some of them, and I am happy to share the results.

As you might guess, 1R1C1S is not a serious game. I suppose it could be, but its real purpose is to provide an instantly playable game at the click of a hyperlink. What you get is... one robot... one computer... and one entire spaceship. BUT THAT'S NOT ALL! You also get your very own crewman! Your crewman comes complete with pertinent sci fi skills useful for coping with the fun-filled hazards of space exploration (some additional details may be required). BUT WAIT! THERE'S MORE! Concerned that some crewmen may be redundant? You can generate an entire crew with a single click! Select the crewman you want! Does someone else want the same crewman? Easy! Flip a coin; play Rock, Paper, Scissors; have a duel — I don't care! It's your ship to destroy as you please! BUT WAIT! THERE'S MORE! Your crewman comes fully armed with both a primary and secondary futuristic Space Age weapon! Eliminate threats to the universe with high technology! BUT WAIT! THERE'S MORE! Act now and we'll even throw in a fully stocked weapons locker for your luxurious spaceship! This grab bag of sci fi goodies is absolutely free! DON'T WAIT ANY LONGER!

1R1C1S is a series of random generators cunningly combined to form an instantly playable role-playing situation complete with characters, weapons, transportation, and a suggestion of possible settings. Use these results with any game system or none at all. Crewmen are generated ready for use with Fudge rules and are easily adapted to any other system.

The point of 1R1C1S (other than pointlessness) is that entertaining conflict can be driven not only by crew vs. hostile Other, but also by crew vs. spaceship, crew vs. computer, crew vs. robot, or crewman vs. crewman. The conflict may not necessarily be violent, but any conflict can be fodder for role-playing. And even though the crew may have a clearly defined mission, much of the adventure may lie in how crewmen interact with one another, their toys, or their environment. Now, out of that airlock, space cadet!