Difference between revisions of "Technology Level"
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| − | [[Technology Level]] or '''Tech Level''' is a measure of technological capability. Usually this is used in the [[UWP|Universal world profile]] to indicate the overall [[technology]] of the [[planet]]. A planet may have large sections, and/or [[population]]s at a more primitive level than listed. | + | [[Technology Level]] or '''Tech Level''' is a measure of technological capability. Usually this is used in the [[UWP|Universal world profile]] to indicate the overall [[technology]] of the [[planet]]. A [[planet]] may have large sections, and/or [[population]]s at a more primitive level than listed. |
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Please refer to the following [[AAB]] library articles for related information: | Please refer to the following [[AAB]] library articles for related information: | ||
Revision as of 04:11, 19 February 2017
Technology Level or Tech Level is a measure of technological capability. Usually this is used in the Universal world profile to indicate the overall technology of the planet. A planet may have large sections, and/or populations at a more primitive level than listed.
Please refer to the following AAB library articles for related information:
- Technology
- Technological Research
- Technological Systemics
Description (Specifications)
Technology does not imply standard of living as workers in a high tech industrial world can have a poorer quality of life (perhaps not having the money to pay for high-tech health care), than a medieval farmer. The tech level does impact the economic exchange rate for a world's goods, but it has a very significant effect on its economy and the extent of its interstellar trade.
Technology can be a tremendous multiplier for economies of any size as well as a source of enormous prosperity. However, while many technologies have the capacity to bring great prosperity and economic wealth to planet, technology also has the capacity to be tremendously disruptive of local cultures, societies, and peoples.
Metrics
The Technology Levels of the Third Imperium are measured in the range 0-15 (0-F), with 0 representing extreme primitive levels (hunter/gatherers), and 15 the height of Imperial technology.
- However, there is technology beyond that of the Imperium as evidenced by ancient sites (e.g. Rosette worlds are TL–21 and Rigid Dyson Spheres TL–27). This kind of technology, more advanced than the present, are represented by TL's 16 to 33.
- Traveller5 aka T5 has introduced a new theoretical maximum to the TL System of TL–33.
Epochal Technological Periods
Epochal Technological Periods Overview Period Name TL/s Technology Remarks Proto-Sophontic (Emergent)
TL-0 Proto-tech Very early societies and basic tools with a planetary (world) scope. (Alpha Period)
Low Sophontic (Foundational)
TL-1-9 Ur-tech Foundational technologies with planetary-systemic (intrastellar) scope. Meso-Sophontic (Stellar)
TL-10-18 Stell-tech Interstellar technologies with an polystellar (intragalactic) scope. High Sophontic (Galactic)
TL-19-27 Ultra-tech Galactic technologies with a polygalactic cope. Ascendant (Astrodeific)
TL-28-30 Dei-Tech Astrodeific technologies with a universal scope. Transcendent (Bhodhisattivan)
TL-31-33 Omni-tech Bhodhisattivan technologies with a polytemporal, trans-dimensional scope. (Omega Period)
History & Background (Dossier)
The Third Imperium's most advanced technologies in common use are (TL-15) technologies. Some cutting-edge have achieved a (TL-16) rating, but are not yet in wide usage. Average technologies in common use within the Third Imperium are very often considerably lower than the high end of (TL-15).
Technological Level Conversion Table
The TL system differs between different versions of the Traveller game. The following table shows conversion between different TL systems of the various Traveller editions.
- Most Traveller game editions default to the original Classic Traveller Traveller TL technology levels.
.
| Traveller TL | GURPS 3e TL | GURPS 4e TL | Historical Era |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | Stone Age (fire) |
| 1 | 1 | 1 | Bronze Age (3500 BC) |
| 1 | 2 | 2 | Iron Age (1200 BC) |
| 1 | 3 | 3 | Medieval Age (600 AD) |
| 2 | 4 | 4 | Age of Sail (1450 AD) |
| 3 | 5 | 5 | Industrial Revolution (1730 AD) |
| 4 | 5 | 6 | Mechanized Age (1880 AD) |
| 5 | 6 | 6 | Circa 1910 AD |
| 6 | 6 | 7 | Nuclear Age (1940 AD) |
| 7 | 7 | 7 | Circa 1970 AD |
| 8 | 7 | 8 | Digital Age (1990 AD) |
| 9 | 8 | 9 | Early Stellar (2050 AD) |
| 10 (A) | 9 | 10 | Early Stellar (2120 AD) |
| 11 (B) | 9 | 10 | Average Stellar |
| 12 (C) | 10 | 11 | Average Imperial |
| 13 (D) | 10 | 11 | Average Stellar |
| 14 (E) | 11 | 12 | High Stellar |
| 15 (F) | 12 | 12 | Imperial Maximum |
| 16 (G) | 13 | 13 | Darrian Historical Maximum |
- In Standard GURPS 4th, the maximum TL is 12, but in the GM's permission there can be more TLs. It's assumed to be the maximum tech level that present human can imagine is TL 12.
References & Contributors (Sources)
|
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- Marc Miller. Worlds and Adventures (Game Designers Workshop, 1977), 14-15.Marc Miller, Robert Eaglestone, Don McKinney. Worlds and Adventures (Far Future Enterprises, 2019), 14-15.
- 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.
- Citation Missing - Traveller D20
- 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