Reaching orbit with Air-raft

[thrash]

Originally Posted by MrBackman

Various historical inventions appear all the way up to TL 7. After that they invent fusion, grav etc at TL 8, jump at TL 9 and from then on only small increment in capabilities occur.

At least GDW was relatively consistent about it: per capita GNP doubled between TL5 and TL6, TL6 and TL8, and TL8 and TL12, and arguably wouldn't have doubled again until TL20 (Striker, Book 2, p. 38, under "Integration with Traveller"). This implies that the differences between TLs become finer the higher one goes on the scale.

[MrBackman]

Originally Posted by thrash

At least GDW was relatively consistent about it: per capita GNP doubled between TL5 and TL6, TL6 and TL8, and TL8 and TL12, and arguably wouldn't have doubled again until TL20 (Striker, Book 2, p. 38, under "Integration with Traveller"). This implies that the differences between TLs become finer the higher one goes on the scale.

True. GURPS way of making each TL a separate culture works better but then maybe the different Traveller societys (Imperium, Zhodani, K'Kree etc) should have a TL rating and the planets should instead have a more fine grained production rating than the standard sequence: Low pop -> Non Industrial -> Regular -> Industrial.

I have been toying with the idea to have the population limiting what one can produce: 1 million inhabitants and they can produce items that cost 1 MCr in local currency, everything more expensive has to be imported or 'hand built' ie much more expensive. The population limit would not apply to Industrial planets, they are the heavy lifters of industrial production in Traveller.