Re: Tech advances

[email removed] says:
>[email removed] writes:
>>Subject: Tech advances
>>
>>I'm working on a framework for technology developments in Traveller (and
>>SF games in general).  First, I'm trying to come up with the general
>>categories available for advancement with tech level.  So far my list
>>contains the following:

[deleted]

>The problem about a rigid hierarchy is that it isn't the way these things
>really happen.
>...
>I wonder how many research projects died because the technology level in
>a related field wasn't high enough and now that it is high enough have
>they gone back to the original project or is it dead forever?

(BTW, the situation which piqued my interest in technology development
was a trip to the National Air and Space Museum.  There was a display
of a steam-propelled flying top which had been developed by Classical
Greeks.  I also remembered the Incas using wheels for toys, but not for
any other purposes.  It just makes one wonder what we have today which
seems mundane but may be the basis for future technological advances.)

>Back on the point again, do you intend to show cross relationships be-
>tween items (eg "gene splicing"-BIOLOGY without "Microscopes"-PHYSICS-
>ENGINEERING).

What I had originally envisioned was the categories would be exhaustive
for tech-as-we-know-it.  Then extrapolated technology (fusion power,
anti-grav, etc.) could be represented as consisting of the various
constituent categories.  For example, fusion power would require a
certain level of PHYSICS and a certain level of ENGINEERING.  Societies
that had the requisite levels could have fusion, and societies with
greater levels could have fusion plants which were cheaper, smaller,
and more efficient.

Mainly, I'm trying to nail down categories so that "cheaper", "smaller"
and "more efficient" can be quantified and uniquely determined from
the various development levels which a society has obtained in its
tech development categories.

>An important aspect that I think is overlooked in many games is the amount
>of detail really needed to achieve the objective of a game.  In an RPG you
>can overwhelm players with detailed equipment lists down to the smallest
>item (eg a comb) which when you get down to the real playing probably
>isn't ever used in play.

Hmmm, yeah I suppose tech development really isn't relevent to Traveller,
which has a rich background of technology and devices.  But it sure is an
interesting thought exercise.

Well actually, wouldn't it be useful for Traveller to have some sort of
rule-of-thumb for how an increase in TL affects price, size, and
efficiency/effectiveness?  For example, how a Rhylanor-produced gauss
rifle (TL15) is "better" than one produced on Regina (TL12).

I remember Mercenary has a short quip on price discounts due to TL along
with price discounts for quantity purchases.  Does anybody out there
use a similar rule-of-thumb for improvements in size, etc.?

- - Chuck

Chuck Hamilton                                           [email removed]

"Crew or frozen watch casualties are replaced free at any naval base."

                                     - Trillion Credit Squadron, p. 35