The word Generation is used to refer to the process of creating a character for a game. (Also refered to as Character Creation). There are two main methods for doing this:

1. Randomly
   The player uses some sort of system of dice rolls to determine a set of charcteristics for the character, and then uses the figures generated to come up with a concept for the character. e.g. a character with a low Strength and a high Intellegence might be a cunning dwarf minister. In some cases skills will also be rolled at random, otherwise the player may select his skills.

2. Purchase
   The player purchases the skills and charcteristics of his character with some sort of points. The more average the character created the less points its costs. Most such systems allow the player to get more points by accepting some kind of disadvantage, such as blindness, Body odour or albinism. Many new games have gone for points systems, following on from GURPS, which has the largest known set of possible advantages, skills and disadvantages.