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.:Technology:.
Humanity may not have made technological achievements worthy of science fiction novels, but they have certainly come a long way since the dawn of the old reckoning second millennium. Aside from the arcology supercities, much advancement has been made in fields such as computers, transportation, medicine, and weaponry.
.:Computers and Microprocessors:.
As is to be expected, computers have grown extremely powerful through years of perfection. In most instances, the base unit of measurement has become the terabyte; that is, one thousand gigabytes. In addition, home computers are smaller and more convenient than ever, though hackers, software engineers, graphic designers, and hardcore gamers tend to use bulky boxes that allow for maximum modification.
The modern world revolves around computers, namely due to the internet. Now more than ever, each and every denizen of Earth is connected to billions of others through the internet, which, like the world itself, is monopolized by large corporations. Each arcology also houses its own intranet, an enormous network to which computers of the arcology can connect and exchange information. Intranets prove vastly useful in such fields as security and programming…not to mention hacking. With more powerful firewalls come more adept hackers; there is yet no foreseeable end to software piracy and cyber-terrorism. The only defense of any real use that the corporations can muster is hired hackers and imprisoned cyber-terrorists forced to work against their former comrades.
Nearly everybody carries palm-sized computers known as communicators, or simply coms. Coms can be simple, mass-produced, standard-issue corporate gear, or can be heavily modified to perform a wide variety of (often illegal) tasks. These small computers are used to handle tasks such as email, net surfing, phone calls, and other general communication tasks, but are capable of much more when modified.
The vast improvements in computer technology inadvertently led to the discovery of technomancy, the modern magic.
.:Transportation:.
The world faces a severe shortage of fossil fuels. However, processes have been developed for the creation of organic oils, and the transportation industry still serves some purpose. Electric cars are utilized in the major non-arcology cities of the world, though not widely; with the advent of efficient public transportation and arcologies, automobiles are becoming increasingly useless. Those who live in arcologies generally utilize exceedingly fast trains and electric hover vehicles to reach their destinations. World travel is still achieved with planes and ships, though these vehicles utilize a combination of organic oils and electricity to move from place to place.
.:Weaponry:.
Unfortunately, humanity’s need to destroy itself has not yet come to an end; it likely never will. Though the nations of the world are at peace and generally leave one another alone, large corporations are known to raise militias and do battle with one another; thus, the arms industry has thrived.
Laser-based weaponry is unreliable at best; it is used very sparingly, as the few models that exist tend to do more damage to the environment than to a foe, and overheat after one or two shots. Bullets have become more effective than ever, however; nearly every type of gun can fire powerful explosive shells, and highly effective (but highly expensive) “smart shells” have been developed that can divert their course slightly, making them dangerously accurate.
Heavy assault vehicles, such as tanks and fighter planes, have been largely replaced by vaguely humanoid mechs, which are able to travel through arcologies far more easily than any tank. These mechs vary from two to five times larger than their pilots. In instances when mech use is impossible, heavy assault soldiers are outfitted with advanced body armor with built-in weaponry.
.:Medicine:.
Unfortunately, many diseases that have plagued humanity for ages remain incurable. Viruses are still predominantly impossible to eliminate; however, certain previously terminal illnesses, such as cancer, are almost entirely curable through vast advances in technology.
The most prominent advancements in the field of medicine come in the form of non-essential surgery. An uncountable amount of bodily enhancement techniques have been developed, ranging from simple cosmetic repair to the implantation of robotics. In this day and age, one can replace a lost limb with a near-perfect prosthetic limb or a weapon, should they desire to do so.
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