Technological Levels

Though civilizations progress technologically at different speeds with innovations coming at varying times relative to others, all civilizations demonstrate eventual achievement of certain technological inevitabilities (provided they survive enough Great Filter events to do so). Some inevitable innovations are unique to certain techtype phyla due to environmental constraints, but others are universal. The scale evaluates a civilization's technological capability based on these inevitabilities. Technological prowess with certain innovations is evaluated as "rudimentary" or "mastery" based on the socioeconomic and cultural effects of the technology as observed.

Table of Contents

1. Terminology SHOW
   • Rudimentary
   • Mastery
   • Tiers of Mastery
2. Tech Levels SHOW
   • Tech Level 0
   • Tech Level 1
   • Tech Level 2
   • Tech Level 3
   • Tech Level 4
   • Tech Level 5
   • Tech Level 6
   • Tech Level 7
   • Tech Level 8
   • Tech Level 9
   • Tech Level 10
   • Tech Level 11
   • Tech Level 12
   • Tech Level 13
   • Tech Level 14
   • Tech Level 15
   • Tech Level 16
   • Tech Level 17
   • Tech Level 18
   • Tech Level 19
   • Tech Level 20
   • Tech Level 21

Terminology

Rudimentary

"Rudimentary" technology is new and experimental, based on very little knowledge of the subject. The civilization in question is still developing the science behind this particular technology, and may only have one working prototype. As such, "rudimentary" technologies generally have little to no impact on the civilization's society and economy.

Mastery

"Mastery" over any level of a certain inevitable technology indicates that the civilization in question has a complete or almost complete understanding of the technology and principles behind it, and the social and economic effects of the technology are profound enough that removal of the technology would have a significant negative effect.

Tiers of Mastery

For some clades of technology, there are different tiers of mastery due to the compounding complexity of the associated knowledge and the breadth of the technological applications of said knowledge based on the complexity. Basic constructive engineering, for example, is inevitably achieved much earlier in a civilization's lifespan than advanced constructive engineering because of the knowledge that is required for advanced constructive engineering.

Technological Levels

Tech Level 0

• No technology or rare tool use

Tech Level 1

• Rudimentary tool use

Tech Level 2

• Mastery of fire (or analogous heat and light sources)
• Mastery of basic tool construction and use

Tech Level 3

• Mastery of basic constructive engineering (building large-scale objects e.g. dwellings)
• Mastery of intermediate tool use

Tech Level 4

• Mastery of advanced tool use
• Mastery of (relatively-)low-temperature metalworking
• Mastery of medium-distance surface travel

Tech Level 5

• Mastery of medium-temperature metalworking
• Mastery of long-distance surface travel
• Mastery of basic chemical power

Tech Level 6

• Mastery of advanced chemical power and electrical distribution
• Rudimentary short-distance air travel
• Rudimentary electromagnetic transmission

Tech Level 7

• Mastery of high-temperature metalworking
• Rudimentary non-chemical planetary power
• Mastery of medium-distance air travel
• Mastery of electromagnetic transmission
• Rudimentary CES (Complex Electrical Systems)

Tech Level 8

• Mastery of intermediate constructive engineering
• Mastery of non-chemical planetary power
• Mastery of long-distance air travel
• Mastery of basic CES
• Rudimentary nuclear fission

Tech Level 9

• Mastery of intermediate CES
• Mastery of nuclear fission
• Rudimentary orbital travel

Tech Level 10

• Mastery of advanced CES
• Rudimentary artificial intelligence (AI)
• Mastery of nuclear fusion
• Mastery of intermediate orbital travel
• Rudimentary molecular engineering

Tech Level 11

• Mastery of basic AI
• Mastery of advanced orbital travel
• Rudimentary interplanetary travel
• Mastery of advanced molecular engineering

Tech Level 12

• Mastery of advanced constructive engineering
• Mastery of intermediate AI
• Mastery of intermediate interplanetary travel
• Rudimentary interstellar travel
• Rudimentary FTL communication
• Rudimentary atomic engineering
• Rudimentary antimatter energy
• Rudimentary CQS (Complex Quantum Systems)
• Rudimentary quantum engineering

Tech Level 13

• Mastery of advanced AI
• Mastery of advanced interplanetary travel
• Mastery of basic interstellar travel
• Mastery of basic FTL communication
• Mastery of intermediate atomic engineering
• Mastery of basic antimatter energy
• Rudimentary FTL travel
• Mastery of basic CQS
• Mastery of basic quantum engineering

Tech Level 14

• Rudimentary megastructure engineering
• Mastery of intermediate FTL communication
• Mastery of advanced atomic engineering
• Mastery of intermediate antimatter energy
• Mastery of basic FTL travel (advanced interstellar travel)
• Mastery of intermediate CQS
• Mastery of intermediate quantum engineering

Tech Level 15

• Mastery of basic megastructure engineering
• Mastery of advanced FTL communication
• Mastery of advanced antimatter energy
• Mastery of advanced FTL travel
• Mastery of advanced CQS
• Mastery of advanced quantum engineering
• Rudimentary stellar engineering
• Rudimentary singularity engineering

Tech Level 16

• Mastery of intermediate megastructure engineering
• Mastery of basic stellar engineering
• Mastery of basic singularity engineering
• Rudimentary CHLS (Complex Hardlight Systems)
• Rudimentary spacetime engineering

Tech Level 17

• Mastery of advanced megastructure engineering
• Mastery of intermediate stellar engineering
• Mastery of intermediate singularity engineering
• Mastery of basic CHLS
• Mastery of basic spacetime engineering

Tech Level 18

• Mastery of advanced stellar engineering
• Mastery of advanced singularity engineering
• Mastery of intermediate CHLS
• Mastery of intermediate spacetime engineering

Tech Level 19

• Mastery of advanced CHLS
• Mastery of advanced spacetime engineering
• Rudimentary nullspace energy
• Rudimentary nullspace travel

Tech Level 20

• Mastery of nullspace energy
• Mastery of advanced nullspace travel

Tech Level 21

• Multiversal transcendence (Drifter stage)