Steve Jackson Games - Site Navigation
Home General Info Follow Us Search Illuminator Store Forums What's New Other Games Ogre GURPS Munchkin Our Games: Home

Go Back   Steve Jackson Games Forums > Roleplaying > GURPS

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 06-18-2022, 11:49 AM   #1
Tom Mazanec
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Default TL 9 prototypes

Basic Set p512:
I believe there are prototypes for robot cars, combat robots, human genetic engineering, cybernetic implants and heavy laser weapons.
Am I misunderstanding the terms? Robot cars could almost be said to be in field testing. Or are all these still R&D?
Tom Mazanec is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-18-2022, 11:57 AM   #2
Refplace
 
Refplace's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Yukon, OK
Default Re: TL 9 prototypes

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tom Mazanec View Post
Basic Set p512:
I believe there are prototypes for robot cars, combat robots, human genetic engineering, cybernetic implants and heavy laser weapons.
Am I misunderstanding the terms? Robot cars could almost be said to be in field testing. Or are all these still R&D?
Not sure where your going with this but guessing your wondering if this makes us TL9.
Prototypes are experimental and not mass market items. They are expected to go through more changes and redesigns before they hit that level. Also some are simply too expensive to produce in sufficient quantity.
TL measures what is widely available or accessible, even if individuals cannot afford it the tech in question has a noticeable effect. For example hydroelectric dams are beyond individual ownership but benefit many through the power grid.

I would rate heavy laser weapons as still experimental as they are not adopted for general use by even the richest militaries.
Self-driving cars are getting real close to a mature technology but perhaps not there yet.
__________________
My GURPS publications GURPS Powers: Totem and Nature Spirits; GURPS Template Toolkit 4: Spirits; Pyramid articles. Buying them lets us know you want more!
My GURPS fan contribution and blog:
REFPLace GURPS Landing Page
My List of GURPS You Tube videos (plus a few other useful items)
My GURPS Wiki entries
Refplace is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-18-2022, 07:17 PM   #3
KarlKost
 
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Brazil
Default Re: TL 9 prototypes

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tom Mazanec View Post
Basic Set p512:
I believe there are prototypes for robot cars, combat robots, human genetic engineering, cybernetic implants and heavy laser weapons.
Am I misunderstanding the terms? Robot cars could almost be said to be in field testing. Or are all these still R&D?
We will be TL 9 when those things are being sold at the Wallmart.

But yeah, we are close, very close.
KarlKost is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-18-2022, 07:24 PM   #4
Willy
 
Join Date: Dec 2020
Default Re: TL 9 prototypes

Quote:
Originally Posted by KarlKost View Post
We will be TL 9 when those things are being sold at the Wallmart.

But yeah, we are close, very close.
They donīt need to be available at walmart or your local supermarket. Itīs enough if anyone with enough money can freely buy them at a specialized shop and the stuff reaches the normal customers.

End of TL 8 rapidly approaching TL 9 I would say, in some parts we have now TL 9 technology in others we are well behind. Itīs the genral problem to make a educated guess about the future. The far future is just Sci Fi, but near future / TL is another matter and GURPS be it 3rd or 4th Ed makes a far better job in it than some future schientists I could name.

Last edited by Willy; 06-18-2022 at 07:25 PM. Reason: spelling error, added example
Willy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-18-2022, 08:29 PM   #5
Fred Brackin
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Default Re: TL 9 prototypes

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tom Mazanec View Post
Basic Set p512:
I believe there are prototypes for robot cars, combat robots, human genetic engineering, cybernetic implants and heavy laser weapons.
Am I misunderstanding the terms? Robot cars could almost be said to be in field testing. Or are all these still R&D?
To my knowledge there was one copy of one laser weapon deployed on one ship for a limited period of time and that one was brought back in and taken out of service. I don't even know if that program is still in existence. I certainly haven't heard of phase 2 of field testing taking place.

Combat robots (and not remote piloted rones) I don't think have had even that much field testing.

Human genetic engineering would very much still be R&D. It just barely exists in any form.

Coclear implants would be the technology that's farthest along but they're mch more limited than any "cybernetic implants" in UT.

So no (again) We're still not TL9.
__________________
Fred Brackin
Fred Brackin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-19-2022, 01:59 AM   #6
Gold & Appel Inc
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: One Mile Up
Default Re: TL 9 prototypes

Quote:
Originally Posted by Willy View Post
They donīt need to be available at walmart or your local supermarket. Itīs enough if anyone with enough money can freely buy them at a specialized shop and the stuff reaches the normal customers.

End of TL 8 rapidly approaching TL 9 I would say, in some parts we have now TL 9 technology in others we are well behind. Itīs the genral problem to make a educated guess about the future. The far future is just Sci Fi, but near future / TL is another matter and GURPS be it 3rd or 4th Ed makes a far better job in it than some future schientists I could name.
+1. I place us at late TL8 now, with a lot of early TL9 toys that will seem quaintly dysfunctional and inconvenient in 20 more years (Remember early cellphones?) available to those with the appropriate pocket size. The specifics may vary because this is all speculation, but the GURPS publications have been accurate enough for jazz; you can adjust it in your own game anyway.
Gold & Appel Inc is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-19-2022, 04:59 AM   #7
Balor Patch
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Default Re: TL 9 prototypes

Quote:
Originally Posted by Fred Brackin View Post
To my knowledge there was one copy of one laser weapon deployed on one ship for a limited period of time and that one was brought back in and taken out of service. I don't even know if that program is still in existence. I certainly haven't heard of phase 2 of field testing taking place.
After a one year deployment in 2018 the USN moved the first AN/SEQ-3 Laser Weapon System to a different ship and ordered two more, one for a ship and one for land based testing. The follow up system is the 60kw HELIOS which will be operational on DDG-88 Preble this year.

So some progress.
Balor Patch is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-19-2022, 08:00 AM   #8
sir_pudding
Wielder of Smart Pants
 
sir_pudding's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Ventura CA
Default Re: TL 9 prototypes

Quote:
Originally Posted by Refplace View Post
I would rate heavy laser weapons as still experimental as they are not adopted for general use by even the richest militaries.
The USAF just retired their chemical laser weapon. The systems being deployed now by e.g. Isreal aren't chemical lasers.
sir_pudding is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-20-2022, 12:20 PM   #9
Tom Mazanec
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Default Re: TL 9 prototypes

So basically we seem to be following the Fast as opposed to Accelerated Technological Progression? Or even just Medium? (p8 Ultra-Tech)
Tom Mazanec is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-20-2022, 12:35 PM   #10
Fred Brackin
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Default Re: TL 9 prototypes

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tom Mazanec View Post
So basically we seem to be following the Fast as opposed to Accelerated Technological Progression? Or even just Medium? (p8 Ultra-Tech)
We can't be on the tech path that has use reach TL9 in 2020. We're probably not on the path that has it happen in 2025 (2.5 years from now). 2030 is a better probablitity just becase it's farther away. Farther away than 2030 might be more likely than that.
__________________
Fred Brackin
Fred Brackin is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Fnords are Off
[IMG] code is Off
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 02:27 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.