IYO should Tech Level, have a point value when creating races in SM:P for races with different Tech Levels?
Thanks
MDC
This depends on how you want to handle TLs. In my FtF SM campaign, each of the interstellar empires have a different TL for each major component that can be put into a vehicle. Table below gives a small example.
Empires
- UHF = Urgon Hegemonies Federation
- CIE = Confederation of Inorian Emirates
- TSE = Terran Star Empire
- SD = Snekra Dynasty
- KC = Khryshyn Concordium
- NIP = Nebulonic Interstellar Potentate
- EI = Enigman Invaders
Categories
- SbD = Subluminal Drives
- SpD = Superluminal Drives
- Arm = Armaments
| | SbD | | SpD | | Arm |
| UHF | | 25 | | 24 | | 27 |
| CIE | | 25 | | 23 | | 25 |
| TSE | | 27 | | 27 | | 25 |
| SD | | 24 | | 24 | | 24 |
| KC | | 29 | | 29 | | 28 |
| NIP | | 29 | | 29 | | 29 |
| EI | | 30 | | 30 | | unk |
The above values are actually the average across several different systems under each catagory. Read further...
The "unk" for the EI means unknown. Enigman armament technology seems almost god-like to the others.
Of course, doing it this way means a lot more work for the GM. However, I have always felt that a single, all-encompassing Tech Level was wrong. I also apply a decimal portion to each TL (i.e. - TL 26.83). I use this decimal equivalent to show how close an empire/species is to gaining the next TL.
An example I always used is a species that never had a major competitor on their homeworld, nor invaders from elsewhere. They live in a near utopic cohabitation with the world. Their technology focuses on agriculture and society. Thus, their entertainment and agriculture technology are second to none. In fact, they may be so far advanced compared to others that their entertainment and agriculture technology may seem god-like (TL 31+). However, their armaments technology may still be no better than sticks and stones.
Thus, I feel each tech category should have its own TL for each empire/species. Yes, it means a lot more work, but I feel it is more accurate. For example, the TSE's superluminal drive TL is far more advanced due their discovering a First Comers artifact. And the UHF's Armament technology is superior to the TSE due to their early war just for survival before the Urgons even reached for the stars.
Furthermore, I even give a TL for each type of drive in the subluminal and superluminal categories. I also do this for each type of armament (since one empire/species may be more advanced in Phaser technology than others who may be focusing into different types of weapon systems).
Drives examples: The TSE has a TL of 27.47 in Ion Impulse Drive where the UHF has a 22.71 (still not high enough to build such a drive). Another good example of this is the Warp Drive. When the TSE discovered that the Warp Drive was actually destroying the space-time continuum (leading to possible irrepairable tears), they released this information which caused all others who used the Warp Drive to abandon it for an alternative drive system. The TL for Warp Drive for each was TSE = 26.58, CIE = 23.12, UHF = 22.34. The SD never used Warp Drive and the KC, NIP, and EI long ago abandoned Warp Drive for better alternatives. As can be seen, the TSE had a higher TL for Warp Drive technology, but since it was abandoned, the TL has never changed.
Another good example is vessel Landing Gear technology. The UHF has a TL of 26.89, CIE = 24.14, TSE = 22.56. Since the UHF is fond of invading/conquering other planets, they have excelled in Landing Gear technology and can land much larger vessels on a planet than the others. The TSE is falling far behind since they discovered another First Comers artifact that gave them Matter Energy Rectification Transceiver technology.
Sorry for such a long post, but you asked.
rmfr
