GURPS Tech Levels

Tech Levels describe the current technological capacity of a species (or state). There are 16 levels on the tech scale, with the majority on the Interstellar levels (TL 9 and up). The source for this is GURPS Prime Directive, page 133, and these may need to be adjusted for SFC.

• TL 0: Stone Age - Fire, levers, language
• TL 1 : Bronze Age (Athens) - Wheel, writing, agriculture
• TL 2: Iron Age (Rome) - Keystone arch
• TL 3: Medieval (pre-1450 Earth) - Steel weapons, math with zero
• TL 4: Renaissance/Colonial (1450-1700 Earth) - Gunpowder, printing
• TL 5: Industrial Revolution (1701-1900 Earth) - Mass production, steam power, telegraph
• TL 6: World Wars 1 & 2 (1901-1950 Earth) - Cars, airplanes, radio, early fission technology
• TL 7: Modern Era (1951-2000 Earth) - Launch-to-orbit travel, computer, laser, miniaturization, mature fission technology
• TL 8: Spacefaring Era (2001-2063 Earth) - Slower-than light (interplanetary) travel, advanced sublight

engines (impulse), AI (artificial intelligence), genetic engineering, longevity, micro-machines, early fusion technology

• TL 9: Uplifted Era (2063-2130 Earth) - Faster than light interstellar travel via early subspace warp engines, environmental engineering, mature fusion technology, matter transmission (transporters), gravitic technology (tractor beam, gravity compensator)
• TL 10: Exploration Era (2130-2161 Earth) - Antimatter power, early subspace radio, starship shields, intermediate warp engines
• TL 11: Early Federation Years (2161-2270) - Improved subspace radio, full tactical warp engines
• TL 12: Cold War Era (2270-2340) -
• TL 13: Modern Era (2340-) - Full terraforming of planets
• TL 14: Dysonian (Tholian) - Construction of ringworlds, nanomachines, sentient AI
• TL 15: xxxx (xxxx) - xxxx
• TL 16: xxxx (xxxx) - xxxx