seventeenth issue - RPG Review

In the last issue of RPG Review a table describing the tech levels of Diaspora appeared. Due to an error the introduction
and description of the table was omitted.
Introduction
Diaspora is a FATE based game for hard science fiction roleplaying. The authors of the game however are however not
particularly knowledgeable about real­life physics (as described by the Standard Model) or likely progression of
technology, essential components of good hard science fiction. I have not given references to further reading here. This
table was intended to be the centrepiece of a larger review of Diaspora, please refer to that article when it is published.
In the meantime a internet search for any of the scientific terms used in the table should provide some insight.
The following table lays out a summary of what I imagine is a ‘hard SF’ progression of technology based on current
real world sources scientific (2011). Note that this progression has personal beam weapons like lasers appearing later
than the authors of Diaspora imagined at their table. This is no problem except the personal beam weapons in the book
need to be relabelled or not used.
Description of the table.
T: the technology level of a system in Diaspora. T levels are very
broad and separated by capabilities in the core technology of space
travel. For these reasons all the other columns are general
guidelines only.
Approx. historical period: the period of Earth history or predicted
future progression of technology the T most resembles. Note due to
limitations in this authors knowledge the historical periods have a
Fertile Cresent/Western Europe bias. The author is aware of the
uneven advancement of technology across the Earth.
GURPS Hard SF TLs (see Ultra Tech 2 p6): GURPS 3rd Edition
technology levels adjusted away from the core ‘space opera’
descriptions of the GURPS Basic Set as described in Ultra Tech 2
for that edition of the game. The author of this article does not have
access to the 4th edition of GURPS but is aware that the TLs are
very different in the newer edition.
Suggested (only) technologies: These are a range of achievements
that cultures in this T might have. All these items are arguably
allowed under the current standard model of physics. An internet search for some of the keywords used here will
inform players on the incredible technologies that may really be possible in the distant future. Often these are more
fantastic than the lazy worn­out and utterly impossible science fiction ideas you see in the cinema.
Karl Brown
4 RPG REVIEW ISSUE SEVENTEEN September 2012