TL8 Computing

[AlexanderHowl]

TL8 (1980-2020?) experiences a dramatic change in computing technology that GURPS fails to capture. For example, a TL8 Magnetic Storage Devices cost $50 per 200 GB in High-Tech, but you can get a 1 TB device for $50 in real life while a TL8 Digital Storage Device is $25 per 1 GB in High-Tech, but you can get a 32 GB device for $25 in real life. In addition, late TL8 computers are one million times more powerful than late TL7 computers, meaning that they have gained +6 Complexity.

Because of this paradox, I suggest that we change the way that we address computing in GURPS. In order to reflect reality, I suggest that we have computer gaining +2 Complexity every fraction of TL8 (early, middle, and late), with early TL computer receiving the base level of Complexity. We would also increase storage by 100× per fraction of a TL8 (100 MB in early TL8 becomes 10 GB in middle TL8 becomes 1 TB in late TL8). What do you think?

[GodBeastX]

I don't think anybody is going to fault you for splitting your games techlevel. The campaigns book already says in practice TLs vary and different facets of society will advance at different paces.

If you are looking for everyone to adopt your methodology, I'd personally never bother with TL increments. TL to me is just so players have an idea of equipment lists and a few TL skill rolls.

In that sense 8.5 just tells my players "So I can buy TL8 crud but not TL9, got it". Which might as well still be TL 8.

But if I go "You can buy TL9 computers and TL8 everything else" then life becomes easier for them.

[Flyndaran]

There's a wonderful pyramid article about computers and split TLs. While I love it, it doesn't mesh very well with R.A.W. Gurps. Then again, that is one of the reasons why I like it.

The main "fix" I've seen before is simply have computer TL advance much faster than all others from early TL 8 to now and likely the foreseeable future. So we're late TL 8 for most things other than rocketry, but late TL 9 or so for computers.

[Icelander]

I strongly suspect that any future TL system will not put the 1980s and 1990s at the same TL as the 2000s and 2010s.

Too many basic assumptions about how society works, technology is used or how PCs use their skills are different. A case might be made that the ubiquity of computers, personal comminication devices, the Internet and constant data connection has already caused the biggest change to societies in recorded history. It's certainly up there with other change points that are rated as TL shifts, like the adoption of iron over bronze or the Industrial Revolution.

[malloyd]

Originally Posted by Icelander

I strongly suspect that any future TL system will not put the 1980s and 1990s at the same TL as the 2000s and 2010s.

I suspect the break point will end up being a little later - at the point computers are "fully developed". That'll probably be fairly soon as history goes, as hard limits physical limits have already started to bend some of the Moores's Law curve - call 2050 the start of TL6.

Sure, during the prior century of TL5, defined by the availability of nuclear weapons and rocket engines, pre-computer precursors of various sort are available, but their exact abilities are something only detail freaks worry about getting right - perhaps in the same way modern games scramble the history of armor.

[David Johnston2]

Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl

TL8 (1980-2020?) experiences a dramatic change in computing technology that GURPS fails to capture. For example, a TL8 Magnetic Storage Devices cost $50 per 200 GB in High-Tech, but you can get a 1 TB device for $50 in real life while a TL8 Digital Storage Device is $25 per 1 GB in High-Tech, but you can get a 32 GB device for $25 in real life. In addition, late TL8 computers are one million times more powerful than late TL7 computers, meaning that they have gained +6 Complexity.

Because of this paradox, I suggest that we change the way that we address computing in GURPS. In order to reflect reality, I suggest that we have computer gaining +2 Complexity every fraction of TL8 (early, middle, and late), with early TL computer receiving the base level of Complexity. We would also increase storage by 100× per fraction of a TL8 (100 MB in early TL8 becomes 10 GB in middle TL8 becomes 1 TB in late TL8). What do you think?

I think for tabletop gaming purposes the number of terabytes in your imaginary computers doesn't actually matter any more than the number of pettawatts the technical manual for your choice of science fiction franchise gives to the ship's main weapon. These numbers have no real meaning

[Ashtagon]

I tend to agree with David. While it's true that the raw disk space available has grown explosively, there is a law in computer science that the operating system will grow to fill the disk space available. My Windows 10 machine migt have prettier graphics, but for the end-user tasks (as opposed to the OS-generated tasks) assigned to it, it isn't literally 1000 times faster than my first PC (a 486 25 mhz, 1 meg ram, with a 20 meg hard drive running DOS 6.22 and windows 3.11 when I could be bothered to boot into that memory hog).

Relevant: http://www.totalgeekdom.com/?p=356

[whswhs]

Originally Posted by Ashtagon

I tend to agree with David. While it's true that the raw disk space available has grown explosively, there is a law in computer science that the operating system will grow to fill the disk space available. My Windows 10 machine migt have prettier graphics, but for the end-user tasks (as opposed to the OS-generated tasks) assigned to it, it isn't literally 1000 times faster than my first PC (a 486 25 mhz, 1 meg ram, with a 20 meg hard drive running DOS 6.22 and windows 3.11 when I could be bothered to boot into that memory hog).

I think it matters more for nontext content. Sound has greater bandwidth than text, and video has greater bandwidth than sound. I don't think my first Macintosh could have been a vehicle for watching television shows, still less for editing video, which I understand is a major application for some people.

[Flyndaran]

Early animated movies' computers took literally months to render ultra short scenes.
Computers have really grown significantly more in the creating rather than public end user department.

[DouglasCole]

Originally Posted by whswhs

I think it matters more for nontext content. Sound has greater bandwidth than text, and video has greater bandwidth than sound. I don't think my first Macintosh could have been a vehicle for watching television shows, still less for editing video, which I understand is a major application for some people.

Yah. My current computer cranked through a 3-min Kickstarter in minutes, where my last one, which was no slouch, took HOURS for the same length video. Specialized application, but pretty sweet surprise.