In the AWD Universe, one of the primary things which distinguishes one culture from another is technology. While science - an understanding of the universe's natural laws - is the undercurrent of all technology, how different people have adapted that understanding to their particular environments is often very unique. There are six general classifications for the types of technology used on Planet M, also known as the "tech level".


Heavy Industrial
Heavy industrial technology involves the near ubiquitous use of heavy machinery, often to the deteriment of the natural environment. It ranges from the more archaic, such as fuel-driven systems, to highly advanced cybernetics. The Laconian Federation is a prime example of a nation that uses heavy industrial technologies, especially in its capital - Aeon City - a technopolis devoid of any natural presence.


Eco-Industrial
Eco-Industrial technology, also known as light industrial involves the use of environmentally sensitive machines. Eco-industrial societies preserve the natural ambience of the region, and the installations are sometimes "invisible", meaning that they lack the omnipresence of heavy industry, and are instead well-integrated into the ecosystem. The Anzier Empire is the best example of a nation that uses Eco-Industrial technology, and is arguably even more "advanced" than Laconia.


Bright Future
"Bright Future" technology involves installations that are clean, sterile, smooth, ergonomic, and streamlined, with mostly curves instead of hard edges and corners. Digital interfaces and LEDs are common, as are abstract structural designs. Bright Future installations are built to be efficient, both in technical terms, and in preserving resources.


Steam Power
Steam power was originally the predecessor to heavy industrial, but continued to develop as a separate and parallel branch of technology. It relies upon the use of steam-powered engines, which although they may look unsophisticated, are often every bit as efficient as their cybernetic counterparts. The discovery of new fuels, such as etherium crystals, have greatly enhanced the productivity of steam engines, making them an environmentally safe alternative in the same vein as Eco-Industrial. The most well-known users of steam technology are the Steel Barons, who use it for their airship convoys and strange junkwork gadgets.


Elemental Engines
Created through collaboration between the Ancient Elven Empire and the Elemental Clans, elemental engines are powered by the eight classical elements to perform a variety of complex functions. Although these installations have fallen out of use since the Elves dismantled their empire, they are starting to be revived by archaeologists studying the many ruins scattered across the planet.


Ethertech
Ethertech, or Etherium Technology is recognized as the most highly advanced technology to ever exist on Planet M. Not much is known about Ether-tech, since there are no longer any functional installations. It was known only to the legendary Phaedrian civilization. Ancient records claim that ether-tech involved the widespread use of pure etherium, which at the time existed in greater abundance throughout the Material Plane. It is said that most ether-tech installations themselves were composed of energy instead of physical structures, such as "light tunnels" and "force-fields". This explains why there are so few Phaedrian artifacts, because once the civilization fell, the etherium was no longer contained and regulated, causing the installations to be reabsorbed into the surrounding environment. One of the primary initiatives of the Renazent Corporation is to revive Ether-Tech and place themselves on the cutting edge.


Biotechnology
Biotech is yet another kind of technology that has been long lost to time, after the fall of the once-dominant Harken race. It involved the use of "living machines", installations which were genetically engineered to serve specific purposes within the highly structured Harken societies. Since biotech was organic, it was well-integrated into the environment, eliminating the usual conflict between nature and artifice. Like the Harken themselves, their biotechnology was connected by way of a telepathic network, channeled through a massive "organic computer" known as the Prime. Because of this, Harken societies were incredibly efficient, and able to maintain their dominance for centuries. Without regulation, however, biotech installations become parasitic, sapping energy from other living things in their proximity. Those discovered in modern times are usually destroyed in accordance with international law.