Tech levels; what do they mean?

[Blue Ghost]

Alrighty. In the LBBs and TTB (or essentially CT) Tech Levels were a game mechanic used to describe the predominant technology used on a world. At least that's how our group read the rules. It was meant as a guideline for Refs/GMs to show the players what a world was like, in addition to all the other world data.

However, I seem to recall in MT, the Tech Levels became actually in-game "laws" delegated to worlds by the Imperium. That is the Emperor or local high nobile would delegate what worlds could make what things. Is that right, or did I read that wrong?

Thanks for any enlightenment.

 

[Ben W Bell]

A tech level is basically a quick way of judging the maximum average tech level on a planet. A TL 9 planet isn't expected to have fusion power plants and interstellar travel common place for example. However it is a lose definition as you can have pockets of high technology and pockets of low tech on the same world, just like Earth currently has TL9 countries and TL4 countries.

 

[mike wightman]

I don't remember the Imperium imposing TLs on worlds, I think they left that to economics and the megacorps
One of Dulinor's reasons for making his attempt for the throne was he believed the Imperium should take a more active role with the member worlds to do things like raise TLs, provide benevolent government models etc.
There was a policy of deliberately fixing some TLs while advancing others within the Regency during the MT-TNE period.

 

[Blue Ghost]

Thanks Sigg

That's what I thought. Our group always saw tech levels as just an indicator of what the predominant technological capability of a planet was. Then comes MT, and I remember reading in passing the fixing or mandating of tech levels, just like you said. When I read that I scratched my head and said "huh?"

It just didn't seem right to me. And I thought we had goofed with the world generation rules during our CT days. I didn't think we had, but I was worried all the same. Thanks for the reply!

 

[mike wightman]

You're welcome.
If you ever get the chance,check out the TL rules in DGP's Grand Census (copied for MT Referee's Companion and DGP's World Builder's handbook).
As Ben says, it allows worlds to have different TLs in various categories (some may be lower than the world average, some may be higher), and the TL charts are excellent.