How would I assign a Tech Level to something like Star Wars or Star Trek?
Simply put, not every depiction of the future is going to mesh perfectly with the Tech Level system presented in GURPS. However, with a little fudging, one Tech Level can usually be found that will cover the majority of a given fictional setting. What still doesn’t fit can be considered a “wild-card” technology that the setting just happens to be much better (or worse) at than would be expected. For instance, the setting in the movie 12 Monkeys might be considered vanilla TL 7, with the exception of prototype time travel (TL 15 or so). That having been said . . . Star Wars: TL 12 (Hyperdrive on an X-Wing, Force Fields on everything fighter-size and up), with TL 13 in the more advanced areas. TL 13 Contragravity. Star Trek: TL 15 (Disintegrators, Tachyon Communicators, etc.), with TL 16 Teleport Projectors and TL 9 AI (Data and Lore are just about the only ones).
