The ability to create a division of labor was one of the earliest marks of an advanced society. Rather than every person in a settlement needing to learn every skill, people could focus on their own strengths, and then the group as a whole would benefit. While this process grew more complicated as civilizations matured and became both technologically and sociologically advanced, the idea that different people would do different jobs only grew stronger.
If your games take place in the sci-fi future, whether it’s in the neon fallout of a cyberpunk dystopia, or in the deep black of a starfaring setting, people likely still have jobs. And while some of those jobs may be recognizable as the descendants of many of the careers people have today, others will be completely unique to the needs of a world that doesn’t yet exist. While the following professions may describe the careers (or former careers) of player characters in your game, they can also be used to diversify the NPCs those characters come across throughout their adventures.
However you choose to use this supplement is up to you!
To use the list, either roll d100 for a random result or select appropriate ones manually.
Here are some sample results:
46. Beta Tester: A term typically used for those working in the gaming industry, beta testers are actually employed in a variety of industries. Some of them are industry professionals who understand the issues and functionality of the products and programs they’re given, while others are meant to fill a kind of “everyman” role to gauge how well a program works in the hands of someone without the necessary training and background to deeply analyze the experience. The former tends to be better paid, but both are often necessary to ensure a product is ready for the open market. More importantly, testers are often told to try to break the program so that any gaps or glitches can be fixed before the public sees them.
47. Vox Caster: Whether they’re heard on a local network, or they’re the voice of system-wide channels, V.C.s are the personalities on talk channels and music stations that help set the tone for exactly what a particular station’s culture and personality will be for the listeners. While many locations have switched to procedurally-generated casters, or they use the pre-recorded voices of casters who’ve long since died, these strategies often get a lot of pushback from listeners. Some of that pushback is due to anti-corporation political stances, while some comes from superstitious views about the voices of the dead being sent out into the void, but regardless of the reason, this profession has endured far longer than most people thought it would.
48. Voice Over Specialist: From storytellers for audio books, to those who breathe life into animated productions, to people who lend their voices to the command consoles of starships, these unique performers are everywhere once you start really listening for them. While this job is often filled by those who have achieved fame elsewhere, there are quite a number of jobbing performers whose voices are part of the core memories for millions who will never know the actors’ names or faces.
Released: 18th May 2024 Pages: 21
PDF ($1.99): DriveThruRPG
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