Technological Levels

A classification of civilizations based on their technological capabilities and development.

Technological advancement defines the development of civilizations and their ability to expand beyond their homeworlds. The Technology Level (TL) classifies societies based on their mastery of scientific knowledge, the sophistication of their infrastructure, and their integration into the interstellar network. From primitive cultures to galactic empires, every civilization exists within a technological spectrum that determines their opportunities, challenges, and relationships with other entities.

With no faster-than-light communication systems, civilizations that have not yet developed interstellar jump travel remain confined to their own star systems. Without a way to travel between the stars in reasonable timeframes, these societies must find ways to sustain themselves within their immediate environment — managing their resources and expanding their knowledge until they reach the threshold of galactic exploration.

More advanced societies have overcome these limitations and built entire economies based on mobility between star systems. Technological development not only affects a civilization’s capacity for expansion but also defines its place within the interstellar order. Societies at TL-9 may be on the verge of an interstellar revolution, while worlds at TL-5 still rely on fossil resources and terrestrial telecommunications. The existence of multiple technological levels creates asymmetric power dynamics, where the most advanced civilizations can decide the fate of less developed ones.

Corporations play a key role in this equation, acting as catalysts for development by providing technology and resources in exchange for strategic concessions. Likewise, they can also hinder the progress of certain worlds to maintain a commercial or political advantage. In a universe where access to information and mobility defines power, a society’s technology level is the determining factor that shapes its influence in the galaxy.

TL	Development Stage
0	Primitive societies with no writing or advanced technology. Fully dependent on rudimentary tools and empirical knowledge.
1	Early civilization. Development of metallurgy, agriculture, and the first writing systems.
2	Expansion of trade and navigation. Early engineering advancements and bureaucratic structures.
3	Gunpowder usage, mechanical development, and global terrestrial and maritime exploration.
4	Industrial revolution. Steam and electricity, early experiments in mechanical flight.
5	Fossil fuel era. Early telecommunications, computing, and initial space exploration.
6	Nuclear energy development. Advanced space exploration within home systems. Emerging automation and biotechnology.
7	Limited planetary colonization. Advancements in nuclear fusion, computing, and early artificial intelligence.
8	Sustainable space infrastructure. Industrial expansion beyond the homeworld, development of artificial gravity systems.
9	Emerging interstellar economy. Experimental technologies pushing civilization toward jump travel.
10	Mastery of interstellar travel. Jump drive development enables transport and communication between star systems.
11+	Civilizations with highly advanced technology, fully integrated economies, industries, and societies at an interstellar level.