[Basic] Tech Levels, Statuses, and Costs of Living

[Phantasm]

I was looking at some of the numbers in GCA the other day and noticed that a few of the characters I made with Struggling wealth could live at Status 0.

So I crunched some numbers....

The raw numbers for the monthly pay at various tech levels and the statuses they support:

Tech Level: 0
Status: -2; Cost of Living: $100; Poor Wealth Monthly Pay: $125
Status: -1; Cost of Living: $300; Struggling Wealth Monthly Pay: $313
Status: 0; Cost of Living: $600; Average Wealth Monthly Pay: $625
Status: 1; Cost of Living: $1.2K; Comfortable Wealth Monthly Pay: $1,250
Status: 2; Cost of Living: $3K; Wealthy Monthly Pay: $3,125
Status: 3; Cost of Living: $12K; Very Wealthy Monthly Pay: $12.5K
Status: 4; Cost of Living: $60K; Filthy Rich Monthly Pay: $62.5K
Status: 5; Cost of Living: $600K; Multimillionaire 1 Monthly Pay: $625K
Status: 6; Cost of Living: $6M; Multimillionaire 2 Monthly Pay: $6.25M
Status: 7; Cost of Living: $60M; Multimillionaire 3 Monthly Pay: $62.5M
Status: 8; Cost of Living: $600M; Multimillionaire 4 Monthly Pay: $625M

Tech Level: 1
Status: -2; Cost of Living: $100; Poor Wealth Monthly Pay: $130
Status: -1; Cost of Living: $300; Struggling Wealth Monthly Pay: $325
Status: 0; Cost of Living: $600; Average Wealth Monthly Pay: $650
Status: 1; Cost of Living: $1.2K; Comfortable Wealth Monthly Pay: $1,300
Status: 2; Cost of Living: $3K; Wealthy Monthly Pay: $3.25K
Status: 3; Cost of Living: $12K; Very Wealthy Monthly Pay: $13K
Status: 4; Cost of Living: $60K; Filthy Rich Monthly Pay: $65K
Status: 5; Cost of Living: $600K; Multimillionaire 1 Monthly Pay: $650K
Status: 6; Cost of Living: $6M; Multimillionaire 2 Monthly Pay: $6.5M
Status: 7; Cost of Living: $60M; Multimillionaire 3 Monthly Pay: $65M
Status: 8; Cost of Living: $600M; Multimillionaire 4 Monthly Pay: $650M

Tech Level: 2
Status: -2; Cost of Living: $100; Poor Wealth Monthly Pay: $135
Status: -1; Cost of Living: $300; Struggling Wealth Monthly Pay: $338
Status: 0; Cost of Living: $600; Average Wealth Monthly Pay: $675
Status: 1; Cost of Living: $1.2K; Comfortable Wealth Monthly Pay: $1,350
Status: 2; Cost of Living: $3K; Wealthy Monthly Pay: $3,375
Status: 3; Cost of Living: $12K; Very Wealthy Monthly Pay: $13.5K
Status: 4; Cost of Living: $60K; Filthy Rich Monthly Pay: $67.5K
Status: 5; Cost of Living: $600K; Multimillionaire 1 Monthly Pay: $675K
Status: 6; Cost of Living: $6M; Multimillionaire 2 Monthly Pay: $6.75M
Status: 7; Cost of Living: $60M; Multimillionaire 3 Monthly Pay: $67.5M
Status: 8; Cost of Living: $600M; Multimillionaire 4 Monthly Pay: $675M

Tech Level: 3
Status: -2; Cost of Living: $100; Poor Wealth Monthly Pay: $140
Status: -1; Cost of Living: $300; Struggling Wealth Monthly Pay: $350
Status: 0; Cost of Living: $600; Average Wealth Monthly Pay: $700
Status: 1; Cost of Living: $1.2K; Comfortable Wealth Monthly Pay: $1,400
Status: 2; Cost of Living: $3K; Wealthy Monthly Pay: $3.5K
Status: 3; Cost of Living: $12K; Very Wealthy Monthly Pay: $14K
Status: 4; Cost of Living: $60K; Filthy Rich Monthly Pay: $70K
Status: 5; Cost of Living: $600K; Multimillionaire 1 Monthly Pay: $700K
Status: 6; Cost of Living: $6M; Multimillionaire 2 Monthly Pay: $7M
Status: 7; Cost of Living: $60M; Multimillionaire 3 Monthly Pay: $70M
Status: 8; Cost of Living: $600M; Multimillionaire 4 Monthly Pay: $700M

Tech Level: 4
Status: -2; Cost of Living: $100; Poor Wealth Monthly Pay: $160
Status: -1; Cost of Living: $300; Struggling Wealth Monthly Pay: $400
Status: 0; Cost of Living: $600; Average Wealth Monthly Pay: $800
Status: 1; Cost of Living: $1.2K; Comfortable Wealth Monthly Pay: $1,600
Status: 2; Cost of Living: $3K; Wealthy Monthly Pay: $4K
Status: 3; Cost of Living: $12K; Very Wealthy Monthly Pay: $16K
Status: 4; Cost of Living: $60K; Filthy Rich Monthly Pay: $80K
Status: 5; Cost of Living: $600K; Multimillionaire 1 Monthly Pay: $800K
Status: 6; Cost of Living: $6M; Multimillionaire 2 Monthly Pay: $8M
Status: 7; Cost of Living: $60M; Multimillionaire 3 Monthly Pay: $80M
Status: 8; Cost of Living: $600M; Multimillionaire 4 Monthly Pay: $800M

Tech Level: 5
Status: -2; Cost of Living: $100; Poor Wealth Monthly Pay: $220
Status: -1; Cost of Living: $300; Struggling Wealth Monthly Pay: $550
Status: 0; Cost of Living: $600; Average Wealth Monthly Pay: $1,100
Status: 1; Cost of Living: $1.2K; Comfortable Wealth Monthly Pay: $2,200
Status: 2; Cost of Living: $3K; Wealthy Monthly Pay: $5.5K
Status: 3; Cost of Living: $12K; Very Wealthy Monthly Pay: $22K
Status: 4; Cost of Living: $60K; Filthy Rich Monthly Pay: $110K
Status: 5; Cost of Living: $600K; Multimillionaire 1 Monthly Pay: $1.1M
Status: 6; Cost of Living: $6M; Multimillionaire 2 Monthly Pay: $11M
Status: 7; Cost of Living: $60M; Multimillionaire 3 Monthly Pay: $110M
Status: 8; Cost of Living: $600M; Multimillionaire 4 Monthly Pay: $1.1B

Tech Level: 6
Status: -2; Cost of Living: $100; Poor Wealth Monthly Pay: $320
Status: -1; Cost of Living: $300; Struggling Wealth Monthly Pay: $800
Status: 0; Cost of Living: $600; Average Wealth Monthly Pay: $1,600
Status: 1; Cost of Living: $1.2K; Comfortable Wealth Monthly Pay: $3,200
Status: 2; Cost of Living: $3K; Wealthy Monthly Pay: $8K
Status: 3; Cost of Living: $12K; Very Wealthy Monthly Pay: $32K
Status: 4; Cost of Living: $60K; Filthy Rich Monthly Pay: $160K
Status: 5; Cost of Living: $600K; Multimillionaire 1 Monthly Pay: $1.6M
Status: 6; Cost of Living: $6M; Multimillionaire 2 Monthly Pay: $16M
Status: 7; Cost of Living: $60M; Multimillionaire 3 Monthly Pay: $160M
Status: 8; Cost of Living: $600M; Multimillionaire 4 Monthly Pay: $1.6B

Tech Level: 7
Status: -1; Cost of Living: $300; Poor Wealth Monthly Pay: $420
Status: 0; Cost of Living: $600; Struggling Wealth Monthly Pay: $1,050
Status: 1; Cost of Living: $1.2K; Average Wealth Monthly Pay: $2,100
Status: 2; Cost of Living: $3K; Comfortable Wealth Monthly Pay: $4.2K; Wealthy Monthly Pay: $10.5K
Status: 3; Cost of Living: $12K; Very Wealthy Monthly Pay: $42K
Status: 4; Cost of Living: $60K; Filthy Rich Monthly Pay: $210K
Status: 5; Cost of Living: $600K; Multimillionaire 1 Monthly Pay: $2.1M
Status: 6; Cost of Living: $6M; Multimillionaire 2 Monthly Pay: $21M
Status: 7; Cost of Living: $60M; Multimillionaire 3 Monthly Pay: $210M
Status: 8; Cost of Living: $600M; Multimillionaire 4 Monthly Pay: $2.1B

Tech Level: 8
Status: -1; Cost of Living: $300; Poor Wealth Monthly Pay: $520
Status: 0; Cost of Living: $600; Struggling Wealth Monthly Pay: $1,300
Status: 1; Cost of Living: $1.2K; Average Wealth Monthly Pay: $2,600
Status: 2; Cost of Living: $3K; Comfortable Wealth Monthly Pay: $5.2K; Wealthy Monthly Pay: $13K
Status: 3; Cost of Living: $12K; Very Wealthy Monthly Pay: $52K
Status: 4; Cost of Living: $60K; Filthy Rich Monthly Pay: $260K
Status: 5; Cost of Living: $600K; Multimillionaire 1 Monthly Pay: $2.6M
Status: 6; Cost of Living: $6M; Multimillionaire 2 Monthly Pay: $26M
Status: 7; Cost of Living: $60M; Multimillionaire 3 Monthly Pay: $260M
Status: 8; Cost of Living: $600M; Multimillionaire 4 Monthly Pay: $2.6B

Tech Level: 9
Status: -1; Cost of Living: $300; Poor Wealth Monthly Pay: $720
Status: 0; Cost of Living: $600; Struggling Wealth Monthly Pay: $1,800
Status: 1; Cost of Living: $1.2K; Average Wealth Monthly Pay: $3,600
Status: 2; Cost of Living: $3K; Comfortable Wealth Monthly Pay: $7,200
Status: 3; Cost of Living: $12K; Wealthy Monthly Pay: $18K
Status: 4; Cost of Living: $60K; Very Wealthy Monthly Pay: $72K; Filthy Rich Monthly Pay: $360K
Status: 5; Cost of Living: $600K; Multimillionaire 1 Monthly Pay: $3.6M
Status: 6; Cost of Living: $6M; Multimillionaire 2 Monthly Pay: $36M
Status: 7; Cost of Living: $60M; Multimillionaire 3 Monthly Pay: $360M
Status: 8; Cost of Living: $600M; Multimillionaire 4 Monthly Pay: $3.6B

Tech Level: 10
Status: 0; Cost of Living: $600; Poor Wealth Monthly Pay: $1,120
Status: 1; Cost of Living: $1.2K; Struggling Wealth Monthly Pay: $2,800
Status: 2; Cost of Living: $3K; Average Wealth Monthly Pay: $5,600
Status: 3; Cost of Living: $12K; Comfortable Wealth Monthly Pay: $11.2K
Status: 4; Cost of Living: $60K; Wealthy Monthly Pay: $28K; Very Wealthy Monthly Pay: $112K; Filthy Rich Monthly Pay: $560K
Status: 5; Cost of Living: $600K; Multimillionaire 1 Monthly Pay: $5.6M
Status: 6; Cost of Living: $6M; Multimillionaire 2 Monthly Pay: $56M
Status: 7; Cost of Living: $60M; Multimillionaire 3 Monthly Pay: $560M
Status: 8; Cost of Living: $600M; Multimillionaire 4 Monthly Pay: $5.6B


continued next post

[Phantasm]

Tech Level: 11
Status: 1; Cost of Living: $1.2K; Poor Wealth Monthly Pay: $1,620
Status: 2; Cost of Living: $3K; Struggling Wealth Monthly Pay: $4,050; Average Wealth Monthly Pay: $8,100
Status: 3; Cost of Living: $12K; Comfortable Wealth Monthly Pay: $16.2K
Status: 4; Cost of Living: $60K; Wealthy Monthly Pay: $40.5K; Very Wealthy Monthly Pay: $162K
Status: 5; Cost of Living: $600K; Filthy Rich Monthly Pay: $810K
Status: 6; Cost of Living: $6M; Multimillionaire 1 Monthly Pay: $8.1M
Status: 7; Cost of Living: $60M; Multimillionaire 2 Monthly Pay: $81M
Status: 8; Cost of Living: $600M; Multimillionaire 3 Monthly Pay: $810M
Status: 9; Cost of Living: $6B; Multimillionaire 4 Monthly Pay: $8.1B

Tech Level: 12
Status: 1; Cost of Living: $1.2K; Poor Wealth Monthly Pay: $2,120
Status: 2; Cost of Living: $3K; Struggling Wealth Monthly Pay: $5.3K; Average Wealth Monthly Pay: $10.5K
Status: 3; Cost of Living: $12K; Comfortable Wealth Monthly Pay: $21.2K
Status: 4; Cost of Living: $60K; Wealthy Monthly Pay: $53K; Very Wealthy Monthly Pay: $212K
Status: 5; Cost of Living: $600K; Filthy Rich Monthly Pay: $1.06M
Status: 6; Cost of Living: $6M; Multimillionaire 1 Monthly Pay: $10.6M
Status: 7; Cost of Living: $60M; Multimillionaire 2 Monthly Pay: $106M
Status: 8; Cost of Living: $600M; Multimillionaire 3 Monthly Pay: $1.06B
Status: 9; Cost of Living: $6B; Multimillionaire 4 Monthly Pay: $10.6B


Summary:
For Tech Levels 0 through 6, the Wealth Levels line up with the Status levels nicely. From Tech Level 7, Status 0 can be supported on a lower wealth level, with the negative status levels slowly disappearing as the tech level goes up, until at TL11 Status 0 disappears completely as you can support Status 1 on a Poor income.



Conclusion:
A new Wealth level set between Poor and Dead Broke may be necessary to represent those in sci-fi TL10+ settings living in abject poverty, as by RAW if they had an income they'd be living roughly at what we today would consider a luxury apartment. I recommend naming it Very Poor [-20], and having it give 1/10 the Starting Wealth. This would support Status -2 at TL7 (Monthly Pay $210), Status -2 at TL8 (Monthly Pay $260), Status -1 at TL9 (Monthly Pay $360), Status -1 at TL10 (Monthly Pay $560), Status 0 at TL11 (Monthly Pay $810), and Status 0 at TL12 (Monthly Pay $1,050).

For TL11 and TL12 settings, Dead Broke [-25] may need to be reworked to give 1/20 of the Starting Wealth rather than a flat $0, which will support Status -1 at these tech levels (Monthly Pay $405 at TL11 and $525 at TL12).


Thoughts? Anything I missed?

[Heart Song]

I can't think of anything PDF it and slap a Fan GURPS suppliment on it and send it out into the internet?

Maybe describe what each of those Status/Wealth combinations could buy?
I mean fluffing it out a bit is a good idea, but I love it its a good at a glance type stuff in 'todays money'.

[Anthony]

The general formula is that status 0 has a CoL of $600 and income of $600 + 10% of starting wealth for an average character, and this gets multiplied by the wealth multiplier for a wealth level equal to status. If starting wealth is more than $6,000 or so, it will tend to be possible to afford to live above your status.

The CoL rules are, however, a horrendous abomination and should just be thrown out, not massaged to try and fix their quirks.

[Peter Knutsen]

Originally Posted by Anthony

The general formula is that status 0 has a CoL of $600 and income of $600 + 10% of starting wealth for an average character, and this gets multiplied by the wealth multiplier for a wealth level equal to status. If starting wealth is more than $6,000 or so, it will tend to be possible to afford to live above your status.

The CoL rules are, however, a horrendous abomination and should just be thrown out, not massaged to try and fix their quirks.

What do you intend to replace them with, then?

[PTTG]

How do you get Status 8 at TL0?

[Nereidalbel]

Originally Posted by PTTG

How do you get Status 8 at TL0?

Be the only person in the tribe who knows "magic." Whether it's actual magic in the setting, or just knowing the right herbs, you pretty much get to do what you want. And if you find the right plants, your tribe can take over all other tribes in the area.

Clubs wrapped in gympie gympie are certifiably cruel and unusual punishment, and any warriors who don't kill themselves will surrender REAL quick.

[David Johnston2]

Well you do make it sound as if it being possible to afford the cost of living for a certain status automatically means that you will be that status and will in fact spend the money on that status rather than, say, status un-related things like drugs, weapons and entertainment, which isn't true at all of course.

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by Peter Knutsen

What do you intend to replace them with, then?

Realistically, either CoL is not based on status at all, or CoL is equal to the amount a person of that status is assumed (by society) to be able to afford. In neither case is this constant across TLs.

[David Johnston2]

Originally Posted by Anthony

Realistically, either CoL is not based on status at all, or CoL is equal to the amount a person of that status is assumed (by society) to be able to afford. In neither case is this constant across TLs.

Realistically people do have more disposable income as TL increases.