The Lifepath

Creating depth for starting characters is a difficult task.  Characters that are anything more than their race and class/career only start forming after a few sessions are under a player's belt.  R. Talsorian's Cyberpunk 2020 aimed to change that by developing a new form of character creation -- one that developed fully a character's background before they have a career.  The lifepath adds a quick level of depth not otherwise found.
CP2020 (Or CP202x) had a series of tables that you rolled on for every year of your character's life, bringing in events and changing them.  You had the option to guide the rolls if you had a preference, but a completely random character often brought surprising and rich roleplay effects.  You could roll, and influence, sure, or you could throw up your hands and say, "Fate, bring me a role!"
 I've found a lifepath generator online that covers cyberpunk, post-cyberpunk, classic science fiction, and other sorts of characters.  Here's a sample of the output:

Name:    Janne -Sugar- Neumann
Data:    Human female, age: 31 [heterosexual]
Roots:    Jovia of the Civitas culture's Political middle class
Major Career:    Military Officer
Hair:    Red long and in a flattop
Desc:    Average height with golden tan skin and killer brown eyes
Fashion:    Nude showing full body gang tattoos with cyber-nails
Persona:    Calm and Suave. Also is addicted to the news
Values:    Wen-Feng Voronin was/is most important. Value getting drunk and cherish a secret
People:    Only trust the lower class
Cyberware:    Neural Jack, Cyber Eyes (Camera), Cyber Tail (Spikes)

    Mother: Giuseppina: Born 48 years ago, passed away killed in war 29 years ago
    Father: Yuri -Finger-: Born 56 years ago, passed away killed by terrorists 20 years ago
    Brother: Kirill: Born 28 years ago, passed away in industrial accident 8 years ago
    Brother: Indraneel -Ice-: Born 25 years ago, living and distant

6  Childhood Contact: Milena -Candy- Garcia[Toy Bioroid (Four armed / breasted) female, was age 5]-knows where to get the fringe benefits
14 Teen Event: you couldn't get a date to the dance
19 Contact: Ottavia Morales[Human female, was age 22]-she is a pimp-she is a good friend
20 Trouble: a simple contract for a score that big; but if they ever find out...
22 Pregnancy: it was an accident. child: Mio -Cool-[male] kept the child(ren)
23 Contact: Wen-Feng Voronin[Human-Anthro (Squirrel) male, was age 20]-you were indentured to him-he is a good friend
24 Romance: Masakazu Langat[Human male, was age 22]-cheated on his lover with you-disappeared
25 Trouble: Competing corp agents attempt to recruit you
26 Fortune: Promotion into management
27 Romance: Jabir Ayasha[Human male, was age 31]-he was insane-living and distant
28 Trouble: You discover someone has been bugging you
29 Pregnancy: it was an accident. children: Shunichi[male], passed away naturally 2 years ago and Lila[female] passed away in industrial accident 5 years ago
30 Trouble: you escaped from a cannibal cult
31 Trouble: for some reason the police kept questioning you about that thing