Tech Level Comparison Chart
Tech Level Comparison Charts were developed by all of the Imperiums have recognized the importance of technology and, in relationship to this, have developed a comprehensive system of classifying technology.
Please refer to the following AAB library articles for related information:
- Technology
- Technological Research
- Technological Systemics
Description (Specifications)
Technology Comparison Tables: These Tech Level ratings are described in the three tables below. The TL's cover three different systems:
- TL or TTL: Traveller Technology Level = For Classic Traveller and most successors.
Quality of Life Technology
TTL | Energy | Computers/Robotics | Communications | Medical | Environment |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
0 | Muscles | Fingers and sticks | Runners | Mystics/Herbology | Natural (Caves, Huts) |
1 | Water | Abacus / Geometry, Trigonometry | Long Distance Signaling | Diagnosis | Settlements, Towns (Irrigation) |
2 | Wind, Clockwork | Algebra | Printing press | Internal Anatomy | Cities (Canals, Roads) |
3 | Coal / Steam | Calculus | Telegraph, Audio Recording | Surgery | Cement Structures |
4 | Electricity | Mechanical Calculators | Telephone | Vaccination, Antiseptics, Anesthetics | Cities in Rugged/Desert Terrain, Crude Terraform |
5 | Petrochemicals, Internal combustion | Electric Calculators | Radio, Radar | Mass Vaccination, X-Ray | Sealed/Conditioned Cities |
6 | Nuclear Fission | Electronic Computers (Large Model/1 bis) | Television / Advanced Audio Recording | Virus, Crude Prosthetics | Skyscrapers, Weather Predict, Underground Cities |
7 | Solar energy, early Fuel Cells | Desktop Computers, Expert systems, Model/2 | Early Satellite, Video recording | Organ Transplant, Slow Drugs | Cities in Jungle Terrain |
8 | Geothermal | Massive Parallel / Low Data, Model/2bis | Fibre optics | Artificial Organs, Metabolics | Orbital Settlements, Early Weather Control |
9 | Early Fusion, Improved Batteries | Non-Volatile / High Data, Vocal I/O, Model/3 | Video Telephone, Flat Screen | Limb Regeneration, Cryogenics, Fast Drugs | Arcologies, Orbital Cities |
10 | Fusion Plants | Early Synaptics, voice transcription, Model/4 | Holovision, Text Transcription | Antiviral Vaccines, Cancer Cure, Growth Quickining | Under-Sea/Under Ice Cities |
11 | Fusion Plants | Synaptic Learning Processors, Hand Computers, Model/5 | Personal Global Communications | Nerve Refusion, Artificial Eyes | Gravitic Structure Support |
12 | Fusion Plants, Advanced Fuel Cells | Low Autonomous Robots, Model/6 | Real-time Multilingual Translators | Broad Spectrum Anti-toxins, Enhanced Prosthetics | Major Terraforming, Advanced Weather Control |
13 | Fusion Plants, Miniature Super-Batteries | Holocrystal Storage, High Autonomous Robots, Model/7 | Holovideo Recorders | Cloning of Replacement Parts, Reanimation | Non-mobile Gravitic Cities |
14 | Fusion Plants | Computer/Brain Implants, Model/8 | Early Meson Communicators | Genetic Engineering, Memory Erasure | Mobile Gravitic Cities |
15 | Pseudo-Reality Computers, Pseudo Robots, Model/9 | Meson Communicators, Pseudo Reality Communications | Anagathics, Advanced Pseudobio Prosthetics | Complex Terraforming Possible | |
16 | Low Artificial Intelligence, Robots in all Facets | Personal Meson Communicators, Personal Holovideo | Brain Transplants, Crude Memory Transfer | Global Terraforming, Hostile Worlds | |
17 | Early Antimatter Plants | High Artificial Intelligence, Self-Aware Robots | Pocket Meson Communications | Selective Memory Erasure, Intelligent Anitbodies | Total Terraforming to 800Km worlds |
18 | Robots become Society's Basic Workforce | Permanent Memory Transfer | Total Terraforming to 4000Km worlds | ||
19 | Elemental/Limited Matter Transport | Total Terraforming | |||
20 | Global Matter Transport | Total Memory Transfer | Mobile Worlds (Sublight) | ||
21 | System-wide Matter Transport | Early Total Rejuvenation | Mobile Worlds (Jump Space) & Rosettes | ||
25 | "Capsule" Dyson Spheres | ||||
27 | Ability to create Ringworlds, access pocket universe | ||||
29 | Rigid Dyson Spheres | ||||
31 | Create Pocket Universe |
Transportation Technology
TTL | G3TL | G4TL | Land | Water | Air | Space |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
0 | 1-3 | 0 | Foot - Animals | Raft / Canoe | - | - |
1 | 1-3 | 1-3 | Wheel - Carts/Chariots (GTL 1) | Rowed Galleys, Crude Sailing Vessels | - | - |
2 | 2-4 | 2-4 | Advanced Wheel - Moveable Axle, Replaceable Rims | Early Multi-Mast Sailing (GTL 2), Oceangoing sailing ships (GTL 3), Crude Navigation (GTL 2), Stagecoachs | - | - |
3 | 2-5 | 2-5 | Extensive Road (GTL 2) - High-Speed Coach | Multi-Mast Sailing (GTL 4), Navigation (GTL 4) | Manned Hot Air Balloons | - |
4 | 5 | 5 | Trains | Ironclads, Steamships | Dirigibles (GTL 6), Early Gliders | - |
5 | 6 | 6 | Ground Cars, Tracked Vehicles | Personal Self-Propelled Boats, Steel hulls, Early Submersibles | Airplanes, Seaplanes | Early Rockets (unmanned) |
6 | 6 | 6 | Amphibian Vehicles, ATVs, AFVs | Submersibles, Scuba, Amphibian Vehicles | Early Jet, Helicopters | Early Manned Rockets (GTL 7), Unmanned Rockets |
7 | 7 | 7 | Hovercraft, High-Speed Trains | Hydrofoils, Hovercraft | Supersonic Jet, Hang Gliders | Deep Space Probes (Unmanned), Maneuver-1/2 (non-gravitic) |
8 | 8 | 8 | Triphibian Vehicles | Triphibian Vehicles, Early Artificial Gills | Triphibian Vehicles, Hypersonic Jet | Space Shuttles, Space Stations, Maneuver-3-5 (non-grav) |
9 | 9 | 9^ | Early Grav Vehicles, Ultra High-Speed Trains | Early Grav Vehicles, Artificial Gills | Early Grav Vehicles, Rocket Assist Suborbital | Jump-1 possible (GT4 ^), Sublight Stellar |
10 | 9 | 9^ | Grav Vehicles | UH Grav Modules | Gravitic Maneuver | |
11 | 9 | 9-10^ | Personal G-Tubes, HV Grav Modules | Jump-2 (GT4 ^), Thruster Technology[1] | ||
12 | 10 | ^ | Personal Grav Belts (GT4 ^), LT Grav Modules (GT4 ^) | Jump-3 (GT4 ^) | ||
13 | 10 | ^ | Grav Vehicles Merge with Orbital Spacecraft (GT4 ^), Jump-4 (GT4 ^) | |||
14 | 11 | ^ | Jump-5 (GT4 ^) | |||
15 | 12 | ^ | Jump-6 (GT4 ^) | |||
16 | 13 | ^ | Raw Material Only Short Range Matter Transport (GT4 ^) | |||
17 | 13 | ^ | Inanimate Only Short Range Matter Transport (GT4 ^) | |||
18 | - | ^ | Self-Aware Starships, living being portal based Matter Transport (GT4 ^) | |||
21 | - | ^ | Multi Parsec Range Starship-Sized Matter Transport Portals (GT4 ^) |
Military Technology
Non-Canon Technologies
News Media and Information Dissemination Technology
History & Background (Dossier)
Technology is the distinguishing feature of advanced civilizations. It underlies what being a sophont is.
Technology Comparison Chart
The Scout Service is responsible for categorizing the technological ability of a society. They rate this ability by the assigning of Technology Levels.
References & Contributors / Sources
GURPS Traveller Notes: An array of notes regarding the similarities and differences between Traveller TL and GURPS TL can be found here: Tech Level Comparison Chart/meta
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- Marc Miller. Worlds and Adventures (Game Designers Workshop, 1977), 7-8, 14-15.Marc Miller, Robert Eaglestone, Don McKinney. Worlds and Adventures (Far Future Enterprises, 2019), 7-8, 14-15.
- Citation Missing - Imperium Staple 7
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- Marc Miller. Referee's Companion (Game Designers Workshop, 1988), 28-29.
- Geir Lanesskog. World Builder's Handbook (Mongoose Publishing, 2023), .Joe Fugate, J. Andrew Keith, Gary L. Thomas. World Builder's Handbook (Digest Group Publications, 1989), .
- Frank Chadwick, Dave Nilsen. Fire, Fusion, & Steel (Game Designers Workshop, 1994), 7.
- Periodical: Imperium Staple 07
- Periodical: Signal-GK 13
- K. David Ladage, "Alternate Technological Paths", JTAS Online (2001)
- K. David Ladage, "Alternate Technologies II: Relativity", JTAS Online (2001)
- Martin Dougherty, Hunter Gordon. The Traveller's Handbook (QuikLink Interactive, 2002), 378.
- Marc Miller. T5 Core Rules (Far Future Enterprises, 2013), 502-507.
- Author & Contributor: Lord (Marquis) and Master of Sophontology Maksim-Smelchak of the Ministry of Science