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Author: kjnoren

Dec 7th 2013 at 2:21:04 PM

Tier systems are quite common in tabletop RPGs (see character level with associated weapons and equipment, and opponents and adventures), and should be treated as a core part of the trope, not as an add-on. I remember early D&D adventures usually had a note like "suitable for player characters level 4-6" and similar.

The trope can also appear in non-interactive fiction, though there it's usually more ad-hoc and not as well defined. But I assume it's the rather structured system you're after here?

* VideoGame/SwordOfTheStars used several different tiers, usually with three tiers.
** Planets have a size and a climate hazard, both with numerical values. Size were grouped into small (1-3), medium (4-6), and large (7-10), where each new size allowed larger platforms and more stations. Climate hazard was grouped into nice (easily colonisable), unfriendly (colonisable, but expensive), and prohibitive (not colonisable).
* Ships are tiered by propulsion and size. Propulsion went from fission, fusion, to antimatter, each one not only giving higher speed and range but also unlocking several other techs. Size went from destroyer, cruiser, to dreadnought. New ship sizes also opened up several new uses for ships.
* Weapons were also tiered, by the mount size (small, medium, large, and special), and by the propulsion era.