Speed Worldbuild: Designing a Sci-Fi Spy's Daily Routine
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
I’m sci-fi writer Casey Hudson, and I’m worldbuilding the everyday activities for a low-key spy. Here’s how I’m transforming worldbuilding questions and real-world innovation into a daily routine.
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How To Build Habits For Sci-Fi Characters
A fleshed-out sci-fi character is more than just what the story needs. They’re colored with mundanities that peek through the action scenes.
But how do you build ordinary activities and a regular routine?
Start by thinking about all the things you do automatically.
On any given day, you wake up. Shower. Brush your teeth. Get dressed. Probably, your character does too.
And once they’re ready for a typical day, where do they go? Work?
And then what?
Crafting the average day is about the ordinary details. But it’s important to remember the context of your sci-fi world. What unique tasks does the character perform because of this world’s oddities? And what technology helps them perform these tasks?
For one of my Drifting Amalgams characters, this means creating a double life and high-tech gadgets for a quasi-spy.
Sounds complicated. Guess I better get started.
What Does A Sci-Fi Spy Do Every Single Day?
A main character in my Drifting Amalgams universe is a spy. But not a two-dimensional action-story type. More like an everyday guy… who happens to inform on his nation.
To make him more relatable, I need to give him some mundane activities.
But first, the fantastical.
He lives in a stratocratic confederacy, so, for him, being an “everyday guy” means being an army ranger
Modeled after the US Army Rangers, my character’s military responsibilities have him regularly conditioning for action. So, he has a full day of physical training, weapons training, and medical drills on top of mission prep, gear maintenance, and operations rehearsals.
During some of this time he’s able to pass intel, but mostly, he’s maintaining cover.
Keeping an inconspicuous routine means daily showering, oral care, and meals. But his double life is stressful, so his meals are regularly spiced with ginger and peppermint to soothe his chronic indigestion.
In his personal time, he indulges in a few card games with his workmates. A great way to appear friendly while collecting useful information.
To glean more sensitive information? He’ll need a bit more technology.
Sci-Fi Worldbuilding: Tech In Daily Routines
Most of the cultures in my Drifting Amalgams universe are technologically advanced, and the Oomfr’crumf Nation is no exception.
So for one of my characters to maintain his cover as a spy, he’ll need to live the Prime Metropolis lifestyle.
This means he lives in a smart home with cleaning robots, a food ordering system in the fridge, and AI-driven preparation of showers and food.
Plus, he’ll have motion and sleep-sensitive lights and entertainment.
His spywork has turned him into an insomniac, though. So this character will reprogram his lights to be time-triggered instead. No reason to arouse notice with his abnormal sleep habits.
He’ll also need some espionage technology.
In the modern day, “Pegasus” software can allow access to everything on a smartphone. Plus, protected communications can be bypassed with counter-encryption.
As a trusted ranger in a stratocracy, I think my character can find a way to use these advancements to gain intel.
But, since this is sci-fi, I think he’ll use a much more intriguing surveillance approach.
Perhaps some nanobots.
Sci-Fi Spy Gadget: The Surveillance Insect
In a high-tech society, the everyday spy needs the right tools.
With its versatility and discrete appearance, the bugging bug is the perfect base class espionage robot.
Roughly four millimeters in length, this small but mighty device can be used to infiltrate electronics with a wide arsenal of implements attached to its back.
The vessel this one carries houses a solution of nanobots that are inserted into a computer system to hack files.
However, alternate payloads include surveillance, tracking, covert communications, or networking equipment.
Due to its stature and diverse technology, the bugging bug can facilitate instant, secure, almost untraceable communication.
Just one of the many instruments the Independent Ponga States equip their implanted spies with.
Until next time, keep creating.
