Elite Universe
The Elite Universe is a term to describe the whole fictional universe of the Elite series. Every Elite game and media takes place in the same universe. There are some disparities such as timeline events, but it's generally the same universe.
Kardashev Scale
The Kardashev scale measures a civilization's level of of technological advancement based on the amount of energy a civilization is able to use for communication.[1]
- Type I civilization - a planetary civilization capable of utilizing all of the energy of a single planet. Earth, circa 2015, sits at 0.724 (circa 1960, 0.7), just under Type I.
- Type II - a stellar civilization is capable of utilizing all the energy of a star
- Type III - galactic civilization can control energy on the scale of the entire host galaxy; Type IV is essentially God.
- Type IV - a civilization that can control or use the entire universe.
- Type V - a civilization that can control or use a collection of universes.
Type II Civilization
Based on this scale, human civilization is firmly a Type II civilization in the Elite universe. At least 2.4.
- With the Frame Shift Drive humans can travel many times the speed of light between star systems
- Corporations control countless companies which farm, mine and use entire planets and star systems for resources and food. This is done to produce basic goods which trillions of people use for their survival. Corporations have the technological capability and actively harness the energy of entire star systems.
- With faster than light travel (FTL) being commonly available, Dyson spheres are inefficient compared with harnessing energy (and resource) at a smaller scale over more stars and systems.
- The Middle-classes can afford spaceships like cars in the 20th century.[2]
- Humans can travel to almost any point in the whole Milky Way galaxy on a mass scale
- Humans have the ability to harness power of thousands of star types in the galaxy.
- Humans have expanded heavily on an interstellar level. Primarily in The Bubble and some other regions like Colonia. Human settlements and asteroid bases are scattered in deep space.
- Thousands of systems have been colonized so far so I believe that fits us in the realm of type two.
Humans don't yet control or use the energy of the entire Milky Way galaxy which is a requirement for being a Type III civilization.
A Dark Universe
Societies
Societies in the Elite Universe can be very diverse, because star systems can have many different government types and customs. This is mostly the case in the Alliance and independent systems where each system is governed independently with their own culture, values and government.
The Federation is less diverse than the Alliance due to having common values, regulations and government types among all their systems. The Empire is the least diverse due to having an imperial monarchy with more strict regulations.
Dystopian
Little has changed for those in the bottom of society since the old-'s dark ages. The planet-spanning mega employ entire nations and rule unchecked over vast sections of the galaxy. Weapons are readily available and people are inclined to shoot first. The general lawlessness of space, inequality, greed of the galactic elite, navigational hazards and fierce creatures on make it a dangerous galaxy.