Abusing the Kardashev Scale For Fun and Profit: Difference between revisions

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== Multiple: For the upwardly/downwardly mobile. ==
== Multiple: For the upwardly/downwardly mobile. ==
=== Literature ===
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* In the ''[[Master of Orion]]'' games you can arguably build a civilization from a borderline Type I to a well developed Type II civilization.
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** In ''Master of Orion 2'' the weapon ''Stellar Converter'' is capable of destroying planets in matter of seconds (debatable as it takes a turn to do so), meaning their energy output has to be in order of 10<sup>30</sup>J - give or take few magnitudes - in order to overcome the gravitational binding energy of a planet sized object. Also, you can also construct Earth-like planets from asteroid belts and gas giants. This would suggest mid to high Type II power use.
* Civilization in the ''[[Lensman]]'' novels progresses from what's probably a low Type II (a significant portion of the Milky Way colonized, FTL travel, 'super-atomic' and energy weapons) at the beginning of ''Galactic Patrol'' to a probable Type III (two galaxies colonized, travel between parallel universes, faster-than-light planets used as weapons powerful enough to cause supernovas) by the end of ''Children of the Lens''. The Children of the Lens themselves are near-godlike beings.
* Civilization in the ''[[Lensman]]'' novels progresses from what's probably a low Type II (a significant portion of the Milky Way colonized, FTL travel, 'super-atomic' and energy weapons) at the beginning of ''Galactic Patrol'' to a probable Type III (two galaxies colonized, travel between parallel universes, faster-than-light planets used as weapons powerful enough to cause supernovas) by the end of ''Children of the Lens''. The Children of the Lens themselves are near-godlike beings.
* Each portion of [[Isaac Asimov]]'s science fiction short shorty "The Last Question" takes place in a human civilization at a different point on the scale—each time the Last Question is asked, man is so much more advanced yet still powerless to answer it. It finishes by outlining a possible Type ''V'' scenario: ''reversing'' entropy even after the apparent heat death of the universe.
* Each portion of [[Isaac Asimov]]'s science fiction short shorty "The Last Question" takes place in a human civilization at a different point on the scale—each time the Last Question is asked, man is so much more advanced yet still powerless to answer it. It finishes by outlining a possible Type ''V'' scenario: ''reversing'' entropy even after the apparent heat death of the universe.
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** An update is published online as [http://tmp2.wikia.com/wiki/Main_Page The Millennial Project 2.0].
** An update is published online as [http://tmp2.wikia.com/wiki/Main_Page The Millennial Project 2.0].
* Michio Kaku talks about the Civilization Levels a fair bit. Might want to look up his books.
* Michio Kaku talks about the Civilization Levels a fair bit. Might want to look up his books.

=== Tabletop Games ===
* There's another scale as well, though of course it's rather less scientific...that found in ''D20 Future''. In it, there are Progress Levels, at least eight or nine.
* There's another scale as well, though of course it's rather less scientific...that found in ''D20 Future''. In it, there are Progress Levels, at least eight or nine.
** Level 1 is stone age, prehistoric...Basic stone tools, agriculture, and so forth.
** Level 1 is stone age, prehistoric...Basic stone tools, agriculture, and so forth.
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** The PL scale being lifted wholesale from TSR's defunct RPG [[Alternity]] which Wizards of the Coast inherited and then let die.
** The PL scale being lifted wholesale from TSR's defunct RPG [[Alternity]] which Wizards of the Coast inherited and then let die.
* ''[[GURPS]]'' also has its own Tech Level scale, and may have been one of the first games to quantify progress thus. [http://www.omnology.com/gurps-levels.html This list] is from the Third Edition, but later editions don't change it much, other than the addition of "superscience" for things that blatantly break the laws of physics. Present-day (early 21st century) Earth is TL8.
* ''[[GURPS]]'' also has its own Tech Level scale, and may have been one of the first games to quantify progress thus. [http://www.omnology.com/gurps-levels.html This list] is from the Third Edition, but later editions don't change it much, other than the addition of "superscience" for things that blatantly break the laws of physics. Present-day (early 21st century) Earth is TL8.
* In 2000, Steve Jackson Games [http://www.sjgames.com/pyramid/sample.html?id=1861 officially announced] that we had reached TL8 and that they were forced to rewrite the old Tech Level scale from the 1985 rulebook because science had progressed faster in some fields (like biotech) than expected and slower in others, which affects the Tech Level descriptions in the current 4th Edition rulebook. [http://www.sjgames.com/ill/a/2006-03-21 This article] from March 2006 lists another example that modern bio-science is close to breaking through to TL9.
** In 2000, Steve Jackson Games [http://www.sjgames.com/pyramid/sample.html?id=1861 officially announced] that we had reached TL8 and that they were forced to rewrite the old Tech Level scale from the 1985 rulebook because science had progressed faster in some fields (like biotech) than expected and slower in others, which affects the Tech Level descriptions in the current 4th Edition rulebook. [http://www.sjgames.com/ill/a/2006-03-21 This article] from March 2006 lists another example that modern bio-science is close to breaking through to TL9.
* Interestingly, even a TL 12 civilization doesn't have much in the way of technology above Type II. This is likely a problem of game balance (when handguns can take out a planet it doesn't really matter what Advantages characters have).
** Interestingly, even a TL 12 civilization doesn't have much in the way of technology above Type II. This is likely a problem of game balance (when handguns can take out a planet it doesn't really matter what Advantages characters have).
* The current ''[[GURPS]]'' tech level scale:
** The ''[[GURPS]]'' tech level scale, as of the first printing of the Fourth Edition rules:
** TL 0 -- Stone Age: Clubs and loincloths.
*** TL 0 — Stone Age: Clubs and loincloths.
** TL 1 -- Bronze Age: Alphabet and the wheel.
*** TL 1 — Bronze Age: Alphabet and the wheel.
** TL 2 -- Iron Age: Waterwheel and iron working.
*** TL 2 — Iron Age: Waterwheel and iron working.
** TL 3 -- Medieval: [[High Fantasy]] is set here. Steel invented. Sailboats.
*** TL 3 — Medieval: [[High Fantasy]] is set here. Steel invented. Sailboats.
** TL 4 -- Age of Exploration: Guns invented. "High-Tech" begins.
*** TL 4 — Age of Exploration: Guns invented. "High-Tech" begins.
** TL 5 -- Industrial Revolution: Steam engine.
*** TL 5 — Industrial Revolution: Steam engine.
** TL 6 -- Mechanized Age: (c. 1900-1950) Very first TVs and mechanical calculators.
*** TL 6 — Mechanized Age: (c. 1900-1950) Very first TVs and mechanical calculators.
** TL 7 -- Nuclear Age (c1951-2000): Computer invented. Lasers, miniaturization, mature fission technology.
*** TL 7 — Nuclear Age (c1951-2000): Computer invented. Lasers, miniaturization, mature fission technology.
** TL 8 -- Microscience (c2001-2050?): Gengineering, longevity, micromachines, early fusion technology. Beginnings of AI.
*** TL 8 — Microscience (c2001-2050?): Gengineering, longevity, micromachines, early fusion technology. Beginnings of AI.
** TL 9 -- Nanoscience: Environmental engineering, nanomachines, intelligent AI, mature fusion technology. "Ultra-Tech" begins.
*** TL 9 — Nanoscience: Environmental engineering, nanomachines, intelligent AI, mature fusion technology. "Ultra-Tech" begins.
** TL 10—Robotic Age. "True" AI. Hand held lasers, particle beam weapons. Gravity control.
*** TL 10 — Robotic Age. "True" AI. Hand held lasers, particle beam weapons. Gravity control.
** TL 11—Exotic Matter. Altering atoms. FTL technology (with superscience). [[Space Opera]].
*** TL 11 — Exotic Matter. Altering atoms. FTL technology (with superscience). [[Space Opera]].
** TL 12—Age of Miracles. Near total control of time and space. People can buy pocket universes.
*** TL 12 — Age of Miracles. Near total control of time and space. People can buy pocket universes.
* GURPS is also notable among RPGs because it gives rules for mismatched tech levels. An enlightened and peaceful civilization might have figured out bodily immortality (TL 11) yet have no weapons more advanced than "mere" 20th-century nukes (TL 7).
** ''GURPS'' is also notable among RPGs because it gives rules for mismatched tech levels. An enlightened and peaceful civilization might have figured out bodily immortality (TL 11) yet have no weapons more advanced than "mere" 20th-century nukes (TL 7).
** GURPS also allows fantasy/alternative technology forms, For example, a Steampunk world like ''[[Girl Genius]]'' would be [[TL 5]]+4 (Steam engine/victorian with flight, death rays, and mechanical AI), while ''[[The Flintstones]]'' would be [[TL 0]]+6 (Stone age with TV and cars! )
** ''GURPS'' also allows fantasy/alternative technology forms, For example, a Steampunk world like ''[[Girl Genius]]'' would be [[TL 5]]+4 (Steam engine/Victorian with flight, death rays, and mechanical AI), while ''[[The Flintstones]]'' would be [[TL 0]]+6 (Stone age with TV and cars.)
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* [http://www.orbitalvector.com/Essays/TECH%20LEVELS%20OF%20SCIENCE%20FICTION%20GROUPS%20AND%20CULTURES.htm This page] has a list of [[Sci Fi]] civilizations ranked by tech level. You could disagree with at least a few placements, but it's there.
* Human civilization in ''[[Warhammer 40,000]]'' merits mention here. Humanity's technology level is ''ridiculously'' schizophrenic thanks to tens of millenia of war and upheaval. At its height, humanity had true AI, rapid interstellar travel, controlled the vast majority of the galaxy, is implied to have mastered matter-energy conversion, and bent the laws of the universe to its whim. Twenty thousand years of devastating galactic war later, scraps of technology from that era are worth destroying star systems over. Though the Imperium of Man and Adeptus Mechanicus don't understand how much of their most advanced technology works anymore, they still show hallmarks of a borderline Type III civilization, notably whenever the technologies of war come into question. Meanwhile, any given Imperial planet can range from the Stone Age to high type II. [[Schizo-Tech]] at its finest, folks.
* Human civilization in ''[[Warhammer 40,000]]'' merits mention here. Humanity's technology level is ''ridiculously'' schizophrenic thanks to tens of millenia of war and upheaval. At its height, humanity had true AI, rapid interstellar travel, controlled the vast majority of the galaxy, is implied to have mastered matter-energy conversion, and bent the laws of the universe to its whim. Twenty thousand years of devastating galactic war later, scraps of technology from that era are worth destroying star systems over. Though the Imperium of Man and Adeptus Mechanicus don't understand how much of their most advanced technology works anymore, they still show hallmarks of a borderline Type III civilization, notably whenever the technologies of war come into question. Meanwhile, any given Imperial planet can range from the Stone Age to high type II. [[Schizo-Tech]] at its finest, folks.

=== Video Games ===
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* In the ''[[Master of Orion]]'' games you can arguably build a civilization from a borderline Type I to a well developed Type II civilization.
⚫
** In ''Master of Orion 2'' the weapon ''Stellar Converter'' is capable of destroying planets in matter of seconds (debatable as it takes a turn to do so), meaning their energy output has to be in order of 10<sup>30</sup>J - give or take few magnitudes - in order to overcome the gravitational binding energy of a planet sized object. Also, you can also construct Earth-like planets from asteroid belts and gas giants. This would suggest mid to high Type II power use.
* ''[[Star Ruler]]'': You start at star-faring. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJJEMmzKzR4 Galaxy-sized ships are possible, if ridiculously lategame.]
* ''[[Star Ruler]]'': You start at star-faring. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJJEMmzKzR4 Galaxy-sized ships are possible, if ridiculously lategame.]


== Web Original ==
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* [http://www.orbitalvector.com/Essays/TECH%20LEVELS%20OF%20SCIENCE%20FICTION%20GROUPS%20AND%20CULTURES.htm "TECH LEVELS OF SCIENCE FICTION GROUPS AND CULTURES"] is a list of [[Sci Fi]] civilizations ranked by tech level. You could disagree with at least a few placements, but it's there.


== [[Schizo-Tech]]: For cases that appear contradictory. ==
== [[Schizo-Tech]]: For cases that appear contradictory. ==
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