The Collective Technological Advancement Classification System

Within the Nexus, there are an infinite number of civilizations. Some are stuck in the stone age, some pre-agricultural age. Yet on the other side of the scale, some civilizations have managed to surpass the upper bounds of development for a typical Earth Replica. A famous astrophysicist on E--arth named Nikolai Kardashev created a scaling system for civilizations back in the earthen year of 1963, which was dubbed the Kardeshev Scale. This scale was entirely based on energy consumption. Kardeshev believed it was impossible to get beyond what he called a Type 3 civilization, which utilized energy on the scale of its own galaxy. Since that time, many different proposals to expand the scale were proposed before the Origin Timeline Earth's eventual demise. After discovering a previously unknown element with an energy output that rivaled the original Big Bang, the Collective decided that the Kardashev model and its subsequent revisions back in the origin timeline are now hilariously outdated. Colonizing other galaxies or even other planets became entirely unnecessary thanks to the invention of mass replication technology and an extremely shortsighted requirement in the eyes of the Collective. Nevertheless, the Collective realized the usefulness of a scale such as the Kardashev Scale and decided to take Kardashev's scaling system and overhaul it to better match our modern era. Thanks to cataloging efforts done by the MDA to help gather data on current civilizations. The Collective is proud to present...

The Collective Technological Advancement Classification System

The Collective Technological Advancement Classification System, or TCTACS, classifies civilizations and organizations based on the advancements they have made in relation to other groups with similar or identical levels of development. Each civilization/organization is classed based on a tiering system that's strikingly similar to the Kardashev Scale, but without using energy consumption as the sole indication of their development.

Type 0/K0 Pre-Planetary

Quite similarly to the Kardeshev Scale, a K0 civilization extracts energy, information, and raw materials solely from planetary resources. It is usually highly-dependent on some form of nonrenewable fuel before they discover more renewable resources. Humanity hailing from Earth Replicas following the unaltered "Origins" timeline would reach about Type 0.82 by the year 2030, what is known as the Fifth Industrial Revolution. Pressures via natural disasters, resource exhaustion, and societal collapse would create an extreme risk of extinction for a K0 class civilization. As such, most K0s tend to wipe themselves out before they can make it beyond this point in the scale. The MDA and its enigmatic board of directors, known simply as "Management," forbid direct interference in the development of K0 classes except when given prior authorization, as stated in the Butterfly Accords. For more info on Type 0, see Type 0

Type I/K1 Planetary

Just like in the Kardeshev Scale, a Type I can use and store the energetic equivalent of every scrap of energy inside or reaching their home planet, allowing them to become interplanetary. They are true masters of their home planet, harvesting the energy of all sunlight that strikes their planet, as well as perhaps harnessing the power of volcanoes, controlling the weather and other natural occurrences like earthquakes, and even building cities on the ocean itself. Their primary energy sources are fission and fusion-based power and renewable resources. Because they have yet to leave their home planet, existential threats still threaten to wipe their civilizations out. The MDA and its enigmatic board of directors, known simply as "Management," forbid direct interference in the development of K1 classes except when given prior authorization or under very specific circumstances, as stated in the Butterfly Accords. For more info on what a Type I is capable of, see Type I Humanity in the "Origins" timeline reach this stage by the year 2060.

Type II/K2 Stellar

A Type II class has complete control over their stellar origin system and are very likely capable of harnessing the power equivalent of a single star safely. At this level of development, a civilization is capable of evolutionary development, interstellar travel, interstellar communication, stellar engineering, terraforming, and influence on a star-cluster scale. Because of the resulting proliferation and diversification, extinction becomes highly unlikely because of how unlikely it is for a natural disaster to strike multiple planets simultaneously. They have complete control over the fate of their own planet, with threats like ice ages and global warming becoming completely avertable. This class of civilization is capable of interstellar travel across galactic sectors, with rudimentary FTL(Alcubierre/White Warp Drive) and the discovery of natural wormholes. Humanity, back in the Origins timeline, had reached this stage of development shortly before their complete demise. While the Butterfly Accords do not forbid direct interactions with a K2 Class, they do forbid giving them technology that is rated above a K3 class. For more info on what a K2 class can do, see Type II

Type III/K3 Galactic

A Type III has gained complete mastery over their origin galaxy and is capable of intergalactic travel based on stabilized wormholes. They become capable of influencing on a galactic scale. Once they hit this stage, it becomes very hard for the civilization to go extinct, as the saying "too big to fail" begins to apply here. While the Butterfly Accords do not forbid direct interactions with a K3 Class, they do forbid giving them technology that is rated above a K4 class. For more info on what K3 classes can do, see Type III
When originally proposed, this stage was the upper limit of the Kardashev Scale, as Kardashev believed it was impossible for a Type IV civilization or above to exist. Carl Sagan believed that was a bit shortsighted, and after studying the civilizations of the current modern-day metaverse, we have come to agree with his belief there. So, what constitutes a Type IV, then? Well, what is larger than a galaxy?

Type IV/K4 Universal

A Type IV civilization is capable of exerting influence over their entire supercluster of galaxies, and eventually, even the whole universe they originate in. They could tap into the enigmatic capabilities of dark matter and dark energy and manipulate the basic fabric of spacetime. They may also be capable of instantaneous matter-energy transformation, teleportation, and very rudimentary time travel. Civilizations around this level of development sometimes also discover the sea of quanta and begin to experiment with it. Though rarely, a civilization could discover the sea at as early stages of K0, though this requires accidental or intentional tampering with forces the civilization in question does not understand the nature of. The Butterfly Accords do not explicitly forbid interactions or trade with a K4 class, though they do strongly advise not to hand a K4 class technology rated above K5. For more info on what a K4 class is capable of, see Type IV

Type V/K5 Multiversal

A Type V civilization has gained the capability to escape their universe of origin and begin to explore their native multiverse. At the pinnacle of this classification, they would have mastered the technology to a point where they could simulate or build fully custom universes. At this point, a civilization is basically impossible to destroy by its own inhabitants, as they would be far too spread out to make it even remotely possible for them to erase themselves. The Butterfly Accords have no explicit guidelines when handling a K5 class, though the MDA does still strongly advise not to hand over technology rated above K6 to a K5. For more info on what a K5 class can do, see Type V

Type VI/K6 Realm

A Type VI civilization has gained complete control of their multiverse and anything inside their home realm and has begun to breach their way into the Shadow Zone. The Collective would like to clarify that a civilization discovering the Shadow Zone via established relays or the Nexus does not inherently classify them as a Type VI, as these gateways are most often than not discovered by a civilization as early in their development as a Type I, depending on where Management has decided to place the relay for a realm. In reality, Type VI no longer needs these pre-established gateways and can breach into the Shadow Zone of their own accord, creating their own gateway into it. Civilizations at the peak of this development tier can create their own multiverses, and maybe things even larger than a multiverse, but cannot create their own realms. It is likely that civilizations at this tier may begin experimenting with the barriers of reality and accidentally discover the Astral Planes and the planes above, though individuals can discover them from even a Type 0 civilization by discovering astral projection. For more info on what a K6 class can pull off, see Type VI

Type VII/K7 Metaversal

A Type VII civilization has entirely escaped their homerealm and have mapped out a large chunk of the Shadow Zone. By the time a K7 class reaches their pinnacle, they likely will have mastered every law of both science and magic and rewrote those laws at least a 100 times thanks to new discoveries. They would have mastered the enigmatic quantum sea and begun to understand the imaginary realm, wrote the book on both concepts, and became near godlike in the power they wield over the metaverse and every realm within it. K7 classes are not protected classes by the Butterfly Accords, but they are required to abide by the Butterfly Accords when it comes to interacting with lower classes. For more info, see Type VII
While the Collective could just stop here, as it seems it would be impossible to go beyond this stage of development. If there is one lesson the Collective feels they can learn from Carl Sagan and Kardashev, it's that predicting a hypothetical ceiling for how far one can advance is a fool's errand. But no organization or civilization within the metaverse has breached beyond the K7 class. So at least for now, this is where the TCTAC System caps out at. But even now, whispers can be heard within the enigmatic quantum sea, speaking of things beyond comprehension, beyond understanding.

Classification Type

Technological Development

Created by

The Collective

Utilized by

The Collective
The MDA
The PKT