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| - Tech Levels, indicate how technologically advanced an object is, with levels going from 1 to 10. A station with a Tech Level of 1 usually has weaker weapons to sell and minor stock, while a station with a Tech Level of 10 usually has more powerful weapons on sale along with lots of stock. A station's Tech Level also affects how much an item sells for in a certain place. For example, such stations as Wolf-Reiser pay a lot for Organs because it is listed as having a Tech Level of 10. The Kaamo Station is the only exception to this because, while it is listed at Tech Level 1, the merchants in the Space Lounge sell the most advanced technologies in the entire game.
- The Technology level, or Tech Level, of a given group, or character, describes (and limits) the techs available to that group or character.
- Tech Levels are a crucial part of GURPS system, and of the Infinite Worlds setting. Very simply, they can be listed on a scale from Tech Level 0 (Stone Age) through Tech Level 8 (Digital Age) to Tech Level As High as the Game Master wishes (sci-fi). This is however complicated somewhat by a special nomenclature for split technologies (if a world is more advanced in some fields), and different technologies (psi, magic, science). This page will attempt to provide a brief overview. For full overview, see references.
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| abstract
| - Tech Levels, indicate how technologically advanced an object is, with levels going from 1 to 10. A station with a Tech Level of 1 usually has weaker weapons to sell and minor stock, while a station with a Tech Level of 10 usually has more powerful weapons on sale along with lots of stock. A station's Tech Level also affects how much an item sells for in a certain place. For example, such stations as Wolf-Reiser pay a lot for Organs because it is listed as having a Tech Level of 10. The Kaamo Station is the only exception to this because, while it is listed at Tech Level 1, the merchants in the Space Lounge sell the most advanced technologies in the entire game.
- The Technology level, or Tech Level, of a given group, or character, describes (and limits) the techs available to that group or character.
- Tech Levels are a crucial part of GURPS system, and of the Infinite Worlds setting. Very simply, they can be listed on a scale from Tech Level 0 (Stone Age) through Tech Level 8 (Digital Age) to Tech Level As High as the Game Master wishes (sci-fi). This is however complicated somewhat by a special nomenclature for split technologies (if a world is more advanced in some fields), and different technologies (psi, magic, science). This page will attempt to provide a brief overview. For full overview, see references. Please note that tech levels have somewhat changed between editions. The below edition is intended to represented the newest, 4th Edition. The biggest change from 3rd ed was the elimination of ending dates. For an older version (3rd ed.) see "Note that TLs have start dates but not end dates. The innovations of a given TL fade as those of higher TLs displace them, but they rarely vanish completely. A blacksmith in 1850s England uses TL3 techniques to shoe the horses that pull the carriage the gentleman rides to catch his TL5 train to London – and those techniques might still exist in TL8, albeit as a quaint hobby." B511 Borderline technology: TLOld-TLNew. Example: TL5-6. For societies in transition from one tech level to another. Split technologies: TLPrimary (fields, TLSecondary). Example: TL8 (Communications TL7, Medical TL9). For societies more or less advanced in some fields. Borrowed (familiar) technologies: TLKnown/Familiar. Example: TL1/2 (Bronze Age society familiar with Iron Age technology). For societies familiar with other level of technologies but not able (or willing) to replicate them. Divergent technology: TL(Historical+Divergent). Example: TL(5+1) is a TL6, with historical Earth-like TL5, but somewhat different TL6 (same effects, different form). For alternate worlds which "look" different. Characters not used to divergent technology suffer a -2 penalty. The closet real world example is Edison's 1896 Kinetophone (called a Speaking Mutoscope in SteamTech pg 52) at TL(5+1) when contrasted to Lauste's 1907 sound on film method at TL6. (The first use mechanical means so common to TL5 to sync picture and sound while the second uses electrical means that would be common in TL6) Outside the normal TL scale (superscience): marked by ^. These are technologies that violate our current understanding of physical laws (relativity, conservation of energy, etc.). For this reason any TL assigned to them is arbitrary. So FTL travel can be TL6^, TL(6+4)^, TL10^ or something else entirely depending on the setting. This is why broadcast power has two totally different TLs: TL6^ (Infinite Worlds, Gernsback) and TL10^ (Ultra-Tech). Tech level modifiers (for characters using technology more / less advanced): if based on IQ -5 for each +1TL, -2 for each -1TL, -1 if not (it is assumed that non-IQ skills don't require that many things to figure out). The change in the TL scale between GURPS 3e and GURPS 4e resulted in many future TLs being classified as Alternate technology and many divergent technologies (such in Steampunk) being folded into the standard TL scale or becoming superscience. As a result many of the future TLs in GURPS 3e books don't quite line up with 4e TLs causing problems. Pyramid™ Themes Pyramid groups TLs into three 'themes' which it alternates between with each issue[1]. These themes are a useful way of roughly describing the time period,
* Fantasy/Past TL0 through TL4 (up to 1700 AD)
* Modern TL5 through early TL8
* Space/Future TL8 and beyond These are 'rough' because for example Modern goes from the 1700s through to early 2000s, so Modern includes everything from cowboys in the wild wild west to Neil Armstrong and the first moon landing.
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