I think that the "you can't tell how many charges are left" is something that was either accidentally omited or simply got cut becuase of space constraints, i don't think that making veemod googles show charges is too much, or you can say that anyone with the technologist feat can attempt a DC 10 (or 15) knowledge engeeniring (maybe with using a watt meter) to find out how much it has or something like that. But yes at least some of the devices (like weapons) should have power readouts.
On the batteries getting destroyed when recharged (with a 20% chance no less!), this might be either a fluff reason* or for game balance reasons or both.
On having portable generators, yes they should exist. After all robots have low yeild generators beilt into them in order to function so there can be smaller generators so i am lead to think that the no "small generators" part of the technology guide is there for game balance reasons.
There could at least be backpack sized batteries that can hold hundreds if not thousands of charges, i am pretty sure that this also a game balance reason for not being included in the technology guide.
*maybe those batteries are "normally" (in a technological advanced world) very cheap to produce and thus are meant for one use and then discarded/recycled
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A race that crafts starships and vortex guns but doesn't put power readouts on their gadgets like my cellphone has? Anyone that as Technologist or Weapon Proficiency with the tech weapon they are using can use a free action to look at the power readout to see how many charges are left in a device.
Maybe they DID, but perhaps the natives of Golarion aren't capable of recognising it. Much of the way we developed our numbering system, our styles of reading and making gauges is a succession of idiosyncratic development.
Maybe it's the consequence of all of the original tech being timeworn, and most of the present tech being inferior copies of timeworn tech. Maybe all the gauges functioned on a psychic link unique to the tech's creators so no visual guages would not be neccessary. Maybe it's a matter of clicks and whistles, as opposed to marks on a gauge. This is ALIEN tech, not Earth tech.
I'm not sure if this is meant to be a compendium where we all discuss our house rules or if it's supposed to be about the specific rules a particular table has come up with, but here's my addition. If it was meant to be the latter, please accept my apologies.
Overall, I really enjoy the Technology Guide and I think it will add a lot to our games. There are a few things that I don't see eye to book spine with and making a few house rules.
In ours, the tech is being adapted by an Earthling who has only read about it. Along the way, a few adaptations are being made, including the addition of power displays. We're also considering bio-locks to prevent enemies from stealing our weapons to use against us.
The first is Aetheric Batteries. These are built into the device and recharge once per day as long as you aren't in a null-magic zone. Still debating price, but leaning towards 10x the cost of a regular battery. This is to adjust for the fact that we don't really have access to generators.
The second is a spell accessible only to one character at the moment which allows the creation of temporary extra-dimensional technological crafting lab. It also allows for faster crafting of all magic or technological items since the GM for the campaign wants to allow crafting to be viable without adding in too much extra downtime in game.
The third is a whole new class of construct: Magitech constructs. Based on a hybrid of clockwork and robotic constructs, they're highly modular, allowing the implantation of numerous technological gadgets. This was purely for making an Iron Man suit, more or less.
Some of these might show up as artifacts when we run Iron Gods. The GM for that hasn't decided.
Out of curiosity, has anyone worked out a system for creating and pricing AI? We're leaning towards using Leadership as the way to get one, but constructing one has also been discussed, though we haven't come up with a pricing scheme we're happy with.