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Hello everyone. Just a thought.... Has there been a Technology level created for Rifts Earth or the other games? I know that M.D.C. Equipment and weapons are high tech, but how does that stack against the Three Galaxies and Phase world tech? I was looking for the tech levels from Palladium Fantasy through the other games all the way up to RIFTS/ Phase world. I have been working on making a Tech/Progression level table but I don't have the time that I feel that it would take to get it right. I have looked at those charts from other games and they don't have the levels that I want to express.
Thanks for any and all help

Pharaoh XIII wrote:I can tell you that Phase World definitely has a higher tech level than the the standard fare on Rifts Earth. As far as locating an existing table that measures the tech levels of the different Palladium games, I cant help you . If you do end up putting one together on your own, please post it here. I would love to check it out.

Will do. While waiting I will ask this then. What could the tech ages be named???? The problem I have right now is getting past the medieval age..
Ok I will post what I have so far, Please keep in mind I have yet to cement what exactly goes into which age past TL 6
PL/Tl
0 Stone Age
1 Bronze Age
2 Iron Age
3 Middle Age/Medieval Age
4 Age of Reason/Steel Age
5 Industrial Age
6 Information Age
7 Polymer Age
8 Fusion Age/Nuclear Age
9 Digital Age/Early Robotics
10 Microtech/Nanotech Age
11 Robotics Age
12 Gravity Age
13 Energy Age
14 Star Age
15 Galaxy Age
16 Universal Age
17 Shift 0 Age
18 Shift X Age
19 Shift Y Age
20 Shift Z Age

The names can and possibly will be changed, just a placeholder on the Shift categories.
Any suggestions will be welcome.

Greetings!

I thought there was one in the Dimension Builder's Guide, am I mistaken?

Good Gaming, GaredBattlespike

GaredBattlespike wrote:Greetings!

I thought there was one in the Dimension Builder's Guide, am I mistaken?

Good Gaming, GaredBattlespike

Just looked through the Builder's Guide and nothing there. There are a few tables in the planet creation guides that have been written. I was inspired by the planet/Solar system creation guides already made to make my own, that is where the Tech level chart idea came from. The info is great in the Guides already made and I wanted to get more of a base line for the tech levels, something to run through all of the games.

I would cut that list down to size somewhat.

Stone Age
Bronze Age
Medieval Age
Industrial Age
Nuclear Age (early space age, satillites)
Compter Age (Early Space travel, Moon)
Solar Age (Full Space travel to other planets in solar system)
Intergalatic Space Age

You could even sum them up better.

Low Tech = Medieval and Earlier technology.1850 and before...
High Tech = Industrail age to Modern era technology
Ultra Tech = Portalble Energy Weapons Power Armors, Cyborgs, etc... Rifts
Super Tech = Technology that seems beyond Science possibilities or limits.

There is a random technology level table in the Rifts Dimension Book 2 Phaseworld pg 107, and Rifts Dimension Book 14: Thundercloud Galaxy, pg 135. they might be helpful.

There is not tech level chart in Megaversal Builder. There is just a magic scale and energy matrix which says nothing about tech just from what dimensions tech can come from and still function.

DB 2: Phase World, Pg. 107 has a chart for creating alien cultures has Tech level chart through with 8 options. This is pretty similar to what is in the Heroes Unlimited Aliens books and this is largely what I use in my games.

The old TMNT Transdimensional book, Pg.92 also has a technology chart that is far more detailed with 20 levels to it. I have to admit that is a little much for me in my games but it might help with what you are doing.

societies that rely on magic generally dont advance their other technology too fast, unless they encounter other civilizations and are forced to.
Most of the 3 Galaxies setting is more advanced than Rift Earth.
Terrans cant even leave their planet yet, though with all their goodies they should be able to. Rifters can go off on their own, but its dangerous.
Cool thing about the 3 Galaxies is you can have whole star systems with their own tech level and just slowly explore them at your leisure.

This thread is 11 years old.

The Phase World chart isn't bad, but I'd prefer more divisions between the categories Atomic Age/Early Space Age, Mature Space Age, and Advanced Space Age. Other games using Tech Levels, such as GURPS and D20 Modern similarly fall short, although GURPS does include the notions of Split, Divergent, and Equivalent Tech Levels to fine tune a setting's specifics and interactions with magic and/or superscience. For my druthers I'd like a Tech Level chart with 20 steps, or perhaps one which parallels palladium's character levels and goes to 15.

the strategy game Stellaris uses:

Stone Age - This civilization is currently in the equivalent of a Stone Age. They have mastered fire and developed a rudimentary spoken language, but we have yet to see any evidence of metallurgy or written communication.
Bronze Age - This civilization is currently in the equivalent of a Bronze Age. Primitive metalworking and the first written languages have appeared, while cities and larger communities are taking shape.
Iron Age - This civilization is currently in the equivalent of an Iron Age. They have spread across most of their homeworld, while iron smelting and forging techniques have enabled them to forge crude but effective tools and weaponry.
Late Medieval Age - This civilization is currently experiencing the equivalent of a Late Medieval Age. They have a firm grasp of metallurgy, and the invention of the printing press has started to benefit the spread of knowledge.
Renaissance Age - This civilization is currently experiencing the equivalent of a Renaissance Age. Scientific knowledge is increasing at a rapid rate, and the invention of gunpowder has revolutionized warfare.
Steam Age - This civilization is currently in the equivalent of a Steam Age. The invention of the steam engine has had far-reaching effects on their society and they stand on the cusp of an industrial revolution.
Industrial Age - This civilization has advanced into the equivalent of an early Industrial Age. Electricity and internal combustion engines are gradually coming into widespread use, while urbanization increases at a rapid pace.
Machine Age - This civilization has advanced into the equivalent of a Machine Age, considered a later part of the Industrial Age. Their factories are mass-producing goods and vehicles, and air travel is becoming commonplace.
Atomic Age - This civilization has advanced into the equivalent of an Atomic Age. They have harnessed the power of the atom, but not yet made it into space. Nuclear weapons may be prolific, and could result in a sudden extinction event.
Early Space Age - This civilization has entered an Early Space Age. Primitive satellites are orbiting their homeworld, and the first manned space missions have been concluded in low orbit. They will soon be ready to leave their world. (a space station appears in orbit of the planet, implying regular orbital missions)

IRL earth would be in the "early space age" by this scale.

the game jumps right from early space age to full FTL polity, but you could insert a 'late space age" with things like missions to other planets and simple offworld (but in system) colonies/bases easily enough.
and then perhaps an "interplanetary age" for stuff like the expanse where sublight travel around an inhabited the solar system is common, but FTL doesn't exist yet. (would also include slowboat missions to other stars, ala the Nauvoo in the expanse, or the cryosleep ISV trips in James Cameron's Avatar. )

tmk2323 wrote:

Pharaoh XIII wrote:I can tell you that Phase World definitely has a higher tech level than the the standard fare on Rifts Earth. As far as locating an existing table that measures the tech levels of the different Palladium games, I cant help you . If you do end up putting one together on your own, please post it here. I would love to check it out.

Will do. While waiting I will ask this then. What could the tech ages be named???? The problem I have right now is getting past the medieval age..
Ok I will post what I have so far, Please keep in mind I have yet to cement what exactly goes into which age past TL 6
PL/Tl
0 Stone Age
1 Bronze Age
2 Iron Age
3 Middle Age/Medieval Age
4 Age of Reason/Steel Age
5 Industrial Age
6 Information Age
7 Polymer Age
8 Fusion Age/Nuclear Age
9 Digital Age/Early Robotics
10 Microtech/Nanotech Age
11 Robotics Age
12 Gravity Age
13 Energy Age
14 Star Age
15 Galaxy Age
16 Universal Age
17 Shift 0 Age
18 Shift X Age
19 Shift Y Age
20 Shift Z Age

The names can and possibly will be changed, just a placeholder on the Shift categories.
Any suggestions will be welcome.

Why not just use the order used in Empire Earth 2 or Traveller RPG? Empire Earth 2 mostly uses actual historical eras.