Many players in both the wargame and RPG had difficulties with taking this form of corruption in. Our group always viewed that the equipment could be ultra modern as befitted the time line, with the provision that computer type tech, in particularly joined computers, ultra linked weapon systems for missiles etc. When attacked by the Dark Legion, the living dark tech merged with the mechanical systems of man and that was the end of man's golden age. Like a virus sweeping all that had electronic thought aside. The retrograde use of tech for safety after the event is logical, but that tech does not have to be old in style, ( if our war machines were killed off so as to speak), I doubt if we would fall back to W.W.2. machines. So to sum this piece up, the vehicles can be as modern as Prodos wishes as befits the game's time line thousands of years in the future. As for the men/women they can be as fluid as the new models allow.
Cheers all.
Praise the Cardinal but pass me a Gehenna Puker.

I see the tech level as almost Cold War era to be honest, though what's interesting is that Mankind once had advanced AI and all of the advances that brought about, but then had to revert to older tech when anything more advanced than a digital pocket calculator failed. Because of this, we see advanced systems and materials that could only have been attained with very powerful processing to drive their invention, but that processing has itself gone, leaving behind a 'high water mark' of advanced materials but very regressed systems.

Andy

I always saw the tech level as a mix of WW1ish and WW2ish in nature, and maybe with a sprinkle of some cold war stuff. As has been stated already, primarily in regards to a threat by the Dark Symmetry, not much has seemingly advanced and the part of the fluff that represents those items that "look" advanced are just holdovers from what previously was. Now having that said I also agree that the possibility of ,let's say, new armor construction(declination of hull, armor thickness, new armor composition, etc.) could be possible but may just take more effort in the current world fluff due to not being able to use A.I.'s or even super computers.

Now having all that said(and not sure if I'm making any sense at all) my only hope is that Prodos absolutely NOT have anything to do with steampunk in any way, shape, or form. Always was a fear of mine. Other than that I'll still be happy probably with whatever they come out with and what they have come out with so far looks awesome!! Just my two cents!!

Yeah - Captain Future + LEXX + Mutant C. ftw.!

Well, fluffwise technology was quite advanced till the Dark Legion came along. The AIs and high level computers practically went mad and turned upon mankind.

They switched off / sealed off / destroyed most of the high-tech and fell back to Cold War level. The megacorporations found some way to shield the influence of the Dark Symmetry, but they could not make it portable. They still use computer systems very well hidden and shielded but no way they are connected to the outside world.

The Brotherhood forbid the creation of machines "that could think for themselves" which edict Cybertronic broke deliberately. They also use some special construction or shielding to resist the effect of Dark Symmetry and the way they use AIs in the battlefields mean they are kind of successful.

They are slowly advancing again in technology, but none have the resources to equip the whole army to the highest level of technology (just like today). The special forces get the creme, and the Doomtroopers the experimental stuff..

Just my 2 cents

I like the dark symmetry holding back the technology there are plenty of games out there that is pure sci-fi.

It is also possible that the corruption of technology also led to information stored electronically being lost, so the only information sources available are books that date back to before the digital age. Also since the majority of manufacturing prior to the corruption would have been done by machines humanity has had to re-learn how to make things using only those books, which might well explain the retro look of some of the equipment.

There is also the possibility that maybe the 1920-1950's style is just back in vogue from a fashion point of view.

Like computer in Rollerball...

"Misplaced some data?"

"The whole of the 13th century."

Starting at 1:50
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmTWhvWgST0

Sounds like battlestar galactica. All computer systems were stand alone and not networked. The cylons couldn't hack the ship like the newer ones.

umm well according to the novels they still have computer systems and even virtual cyberspace units and internet but mostly just for data storage and communications.