A place for all our participants to introduce themselves to one another.

Greetings, all!  I am your humble host, known here as the Automaton.  My name is Rob and I'm 25, hailing from the good ol' USA.  I'm in the active duty Air Force and have been for six years, serving first as a military police officer (known in the AF as Security Forces) and now as an investigator.  I'm currently stationed in New Mexico but will be relocated to North Dakota by the end of April.  So how did I first get interested in the steampunk genre?  Admittedly, it was when I first played the computer role-playing game Arcanum: Of Steamworks & Magick Obscura.  I'm still very much a newbie when it comes to the genre, as I've had a difficult time pinning down what I should be reading, writing, viewing, etc. in order to become as well-versed as I'd like to be.  My main goal is to pick the brains of the experts that will (hopefully) gather here, as well as to create a place where people of all interest levels can gather and discuss all things steampunk to their hearts' content.

For the record, I'm also hoping to write a series of steampunk/fantasy novels set in a world I'm developing from scratch.  I will most definitely be asking for input and advice once we get going, especially when it comes to the overall atmosphere, science, etc. that drives a successful steampunk setting.  I thank you all in advance for your patience, but more importantly, I thank you for joining me in this endeavor.  I look forward to interacting with you all!

Hi.

I'm Alcuin.

I'm fifty years old and I live in England.  My job is very boring, I'm an office clerk, and the only thing that helps me pass the time away is knowing I'll be back in Echo Beach someday.

Sorry?  I seem to have a little recursive meme creeping in there.

Anyway, I've been a fan of science fiction since I was a hop in my father's beer.  I learned to read from Gernsback to Campbell era science fiction and I've been a fan of Steampunk since before the genre existed for me to be a fan of.  The first I remember was Too Many Magicians by Randall Garrett, which I loved at the time because it was Alternative History - which I also love, but with technology retarded by the existence of magic, proved also to be an early example of Steampunk with Lord D'Arcy as a Sherlock Holmes for the Angevin Empire.

I'm 28, regrettably from Michigan, with twins on the way very very soon.  I have a very rich history with RPGs, from paper to digital, developing all along the way for TSR, WoTC, Sony, Microsoft, Origins, and others.  I've made and played over 14 thousand characters at this point.  I have an engineer's mind at the heart of all of this so my fantastical efforts have often resulted in devising mechanical means in fantasy settings which would naturally yield very steampunk'ish results.  So, my steampunk interests, I suppose, are organically self made.  As of the past few years though, the massive surge in the global community has lead to the production of endlessly compelling content from cosplay to leatherworks, to fullblown remodelings of vehicles, machines, and houses.  If I weren't doomed to a cycle of poverty, I'd gladly deck out my digs in 19th century fashion with a Victorian den, for starters.

Howdy.

22, from the middle of America, Illinois to be exact.  I've always been a fan of fantasy and sci-fi works.  I fell in love with the fantastic creations and brilliant designs in steampunk, though I have been having trouble finding steampunk specific concepts... which is why I'm here.  For discussion and some steampunk rp.

Name's Marko (with k), soon to be 34 from Belgrade (Serbia). I have to admit I don't recall exactly when and how I got into steampunk, but I'm pretty sure it was through Warhammer 40K. (Actually I've just remembered. I always wanted to see the City of Lost Children, but considering it was French I never got to. Since that time I was a fan of post appoc / dirty tech movies) Although it's not strictly steampunk 40K has the atmosphere and approach that drew me to steampunk. Admittedly I'm not a steampunk puritan, but rather a fan of broader dirty tech / future noir genre.

What else, I'm a programmer by trade and in spare time roleplayer, writer, translator, journalist and a former revolutionary. Needless to say I never have enough spare time.

Yo. I'm Drew. I'm 25 from Atlanta GA, USA. I've always been a fan of science fiction of most varieties but I gotta say the Iron Kingdoms setting and Warmachine is what got me into my most recent like of Steampunk. Final Fantasy 6 also pretty much qualifies (although it would be more steam-magi-punk.)

I like grand stuff. I like enormous steam powered sky navies with WWI dogfights. I like enormous cannons. I like entire cities built onto the sides of a mountain which can stand up on steam legs and relocate.

I also don't know much in the way of Steampunk literature and the like that I should check out. ^^;;

Hello everyone, the names Charles, 17 till the 6th and cant wait till then, Im in the U.S.A but my ancestors where german moved here for some unkown reason...

I dont really remember why I like steampunk, most likely beacuse of my forementioned ancestors, but my favorite about it is problly the massive zeplins or airships.

I hope we can all have a fun time together here. :D
This message was last edited by the player at 04:04, Mon 28 Feb 2011.

*waves*

Hey y'all.  I am Keerith, Doktor of Forbidden Science (for serious, I have a diploma in my basement somewhere that says that ^^;), 28 year old accountant/Steampunk fan. :D

I like Steampunk because it's just freakin' awesome, of course. ^^  Hard to say what my first exposure to the genre was, possibly FF6, with their Magitek, maybe some other stuff around there.  Arcanum and Fallout definitely had big impacts as well.  I've always been a fantasy nerd, and a science fan, and an even bigger fan of Science!.  And yes, that is "Science!" with a capital S and an exclamation point, not the boring old science we have in our modern life. :D

Not sure if any of you played the Old World of Darkness 'Mage' series, but the Sons of Ether were pretty hard-core steampunk, and very obsessed with Science!, the aether, and grand theorums; they had their own private dimension/reality shard with airships and everything.  Lots of fun.  The Tradition Book for them has some great steampunk material in it.

Another SotE fan over here. I cant remember when I first encountered steam punk, it was early on, but I only got really into it when I found Girl Genius. It is to my mind the quintessential manifestation of the concept.

Hi everyone! I am Drew from Texas. I have really just got started into steampunk, but I love it so far.

Perhaps I should have added to my introduction that I'm by now more than a decade long Mage: the Ascension fan.

Cheers to everyone,

I'm Michael from good old germany, 23 years old, I just got into steampunk some time ago, 2 or 3 years. My first contact was classical Jules Verne, 20000 miles under the sea in the age of 10 or 11. But I just started to become really interested in Steampunk when I played Arcanum. I started to build a RPG System based on Arcanum by the name of Zipango. I'm still working on it and will sometime ask you for advice. Just know I#m learning to become a mechatronic, a mixture of electrician, mechanic and a little bit of computer scientist. I do not know what the future holds, so I do not know how much time I can spend here.

  Hello I'm Carl a Missourian, I'm over 50, have always loved to read. A long time Role-player and archaicist also now into general historical [and near] reenactment.

Greetings and salutations!  My name is April, I'll be 29 on April 21st, and I live in the state of frigidness that is the state of Michigan. I've been a history buff since I was old enough to begin retaining knowledge, and in highschool became a avid history re-enactment buff and renaissance faire entertainer/volunteer/vendor helper. Though drawn to things medieval, I've also been quite obsessed with all things victorian, and then did some research and discovered the wonderment that is steampunk. (It also helped that I once saw a patron at a renaissance faire decked out in rather amazing steampunk attire). I am now full on obsessed, with the assistance and ideas of Digital Mastermind to aid me, I even managed to once acquire a steampunk themed romance novel from Barnes and Noble(liked the steampunk part, wasn't as keen on the romance novel part). My career goal and options are that of pharmaceuticals. Right now I am a pharmacy technician, independently studying to take the national pharm tech certification exam, then some day hopefully a full-fledged pharmacist. Having all of that knowledge, I am hoping to incorporate that into my steampunk persona, along with my love for hoelistic remedies, and mayhap create a hoelistic alchemist persona. I have a few patterns to design some steampunk garb, but lack of funding and a sewing machine to follow through with the projects. I've also become quite infatuated with a few bands and artists associated with the steampunk genre, such as Abney Park and the Clockwork Quartet, and even a bit of Emilie Autumn(she is more victorian than steampunk, but they listed here on a genre list of steampunk bands as well as goth bands). Hoping that Digital Mastermind and I can relocate somewhere warmer and mayhap someday, have a dreamhouse fully decked out steampunk. That is me for now. Cheerio all!

Tick tock!

Name's Jordan, I'm a Canuck hailing from the Great Lakes area of Ontario. I'm 21 and presently in school for the energy systems design technology and I split my time with that and my job on an assembly line. I read a lot, the most recent series I've finished I'd recommended is "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins an excellent post-apocalypse Sci-fi. I enjoy riding bikes and playing soccer when the weather permits me to, and am also an avid Milk-drinker, Two percent being the best. :P

I was drawn to this forum based off the fact that I have always had an interest in learning more about steampunk because quite frankly, I really don't know much about it. >.<

So here I am, hoping to participate and learn as much I can from you steampunk fans. Looking forward to our discussions. :D

-Clock.

 Greetings all! I'm 21 and from Wisconsin.

 Can't really say when I got into Steampunk and it's derivatives. I play Exalted, DnD, Mutants and Masterminds, as well as Starcraft and other assorted videogames (please note though, that I hate WoW with avid fury).

 Once the book for Autocthonia comes out, I plan on running an Alchemical campaign..

Noted :P

Me too. I guess everyone does.

Forgot to say hello here myself.

I am a Canadian currently in the megacity of Toronto, north of the Great Lakes.

I've done some writing in the 90s game industry for Dream Pod 9 including the USA part of the allied sourcebook for their Dieselpunk game Gear Krieg.

Favorite Steampunk game is Space 1889. Gotta love the air ships.

Hello to one and all.  My name is Craig and I hail from the Great White North.  I've been gaming for 30+ years (yes I am an old coot) and have been a fan of steampunk since my first game of Space 1889, lo those many years ago.  I've played Etherscope, Victoriana and Iron Kingdoms, and used GURPS and Rolemaster in a couple of homebrewed steampunk games.

Thats it for now ... hopefully I'll find (or run) a game in the near future as I'm suffering withdrawl

Hi hi, my name is Jen. I currently live in New York but am originally from Michigan. I was all of five years old when I had my first roleplaying experience, as the small but vicious dog of my dad's halfling ratcatcher in a Warhammer FRP game. In the 18+ years since, I have played a lot of Call of Cthulhu, Pendragon and Space 1889, and GM'd a bit of Space 1889, Spirit of the Century and Trail of Cthulhu. I attend grad school full-time, in a combined Masters and Doctoral program, and work part-time for a locally-owned and -run tobacconist. Just before New Year's, I flew to Ontario and married my same-sex partner of several years. Thank you, Canada! ^_^

hi all,

My name is Michael and im from the netherlands. Been a roleplayer for ages and rolled from tabletop into Larp. I am up for most things that are cool dark and gritty and creative. Me and my fellow GM's came to the bright conclusion our High fantasy LARP event could use some steampunking and id hope to get some hints/tips and ideas here.

Mort.

Hi there! I'm Cindy and new to Steampunk. Found this forum and thought this would be a great place to learn more. Relatively new to steampunk, it seems, as several favorite TV shows and movies could be classified as at least minor Steampunk. Anyway, I became fascinated after watching the episode of Castle entitled Punked, which focused on a Steampunk society. And now, here I am.

I saw that episode, twas shweet :)

I'm Michael, and I'm a writer and screenwriter based in Chicago. I've written and published an ebook series of steampunk mystery novelettes currently available on Amazon, Smashwords, and Barnes and Noble. I'm starting a spin-off series, and there's also a novel in the works.

I'm working on a kickstarter to get a print version of the series collection together.

Awesome.

I've wanted to transition from gaming sourcebooks to novels/screenplays for a long time. Having similiarly minded intelligent people to talk to is always a boon.

What a twist! I've been thinking of going from fiction/screenwriting to gaming supplements. I have no backing in technical writing, though.

In my case I always highly researched my games and developed complex notes. Years ago a starting publisher made a call for submissions. My proposal included the stack of existing notes offering: "would you like me to write this up?"

In my examination of the market there are a few Intellectual Properties (IP) you can make a living from. By living I mean being able to keep on doing it full time so others enjoy it to. They are:
- the setting
- the characters
- a ruleset for gaming

If you are producing support works, as I was with supplements, you have a job. You will be paid once and then tomorrow have no money. Much rather get into a royalty situation.

Of the above setting and characters are transferable to movies, books, boardgames etc. As much as I love and work in role playing games there are tons of rulesets out there including several "universal" ones that someone could adapt your setting for. (d20, Gurps etc).

Hi W byrd here, well i guess you knew that :D

I'm a big fan of steam/diesel/arcano punk genres, and anything that mixes, fantasy science and magic into one nice juicy packet.

I love to tinker with rules, create gadgets, and develop worlds that are as detailed as my deranged mind can make them. with as much detail, history, and story as possible.

w byrd, your game ad posting didn't have a link nor game name that I can tell in a quick scan.

D'ohhhh will fix that.

I was thinking along the lines of self-publishing OGL compliant campaigns and settings for Fate, ORE, WaRP, etc. I'm not sure there's a huge market, but I can cross promote it with my fiction.

Where do I find your fiction? Is it available as eBook? rMail me if you're shy about a shameless plug here...

Well, if the mods are against plugs just delete this:

You can buy my stuff in different places, depending on the e-reader you use:
http://www.amazon.com/Michael-Coorlim/e/B006J8ZARA/ = Amazon Author Page
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Michael-Coorlim/e/B006J8ZARA/= Amazon UK Author Page
https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/coorlim = Smashwords Author Page
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/michael-coorlim = Barnes and Noble Author Page
This message was last edited by the player at 15:38, Thu 30 Aug 2012.

Hey all, I'm new to steampunk.  Have loved the concept for ages, but haven't been pursuing it in favor of other interests.  Now's the time, though, and I'm excited!

Hope to have some fun with y'all.  :)

Hi all.
My name is Josh, and my wife's name is Yasmin, but online we go by Xaviien and Yizzimindi.

We are from Australia, and find ourselves becoming more and more Steampunk every day.
We are currently involved with a soon to be released MMO, City of Steam, and I'm branching out into PbP and PnP in general because we received the New Epoch (the PnP CoS was originally based on) as a gift for supporting (donating to) City of Steam.

I am a hobgoblin, and my wife is a sky gypsy (a type of halfling)
Need I say more? :p

Check out my posts in the game and IC threads, and keep an eye out for some pictures sometime soon.

Thanks for reading,
Xav & Yizz.

Hi! Just joined but I've had a great interest in Victorian Lit for a long time and just recently have gotten interested in Victorian RPGs and Steampunk. Thanks for having me and I hope to learn more from you all.

~Dottie

Hi.

Hello all. I'm Michael, and I'm a steam-aholic...

Twas too good to resist. In any case, I'm from New Mexico (That state that most people think is still a part of Mexico. The two are totally different). I have recently come to the realization that I am into Steampunk, and am in a bit of an exploratory phase about it to see what suits me and what doesn't. I've gamed a few Victorian-esque characters, although I have never had the chance to go full blown Steampunk yet (The closest I got was a Deadlands Mad Scientist. Hard to call that Steampunk officially, since the character was, simply put, 100% insane).

Anyway, I'm hoping that being here with this community can help me scarcth the Steampunk itch I got. Currently I'm trying to pull together (Very slowly) some ideas for a Steampunk game here on RPOL using Savage Worlds, and am certainly open to input.

Ask away.

The concept of this group is 100% voluntary and we don't even require joining to read. hence why so much is in group 0

There are resources already up.

Due to the nature of the dicussion format if you want to read thing kinda need to post something to start some chatter.

Hello. My name is starchaser (nyarlathotep was taken - damn you mr. multiface) and Ive been playing and running games on rpol off and on for quite some time. I'm far more well known for my ADULT horror games with elements of eroticism and I have a presence on Elliquiy (as nyarlathotep - it wasn't taken there).

About a year ago I stumbled upon  fantasy / steampunk game that piqued my interest and I joined it. About a month later the GM underwent some life changes that meant she had to give up the game so I took over. I recruited a friend as a co gm and then had to leave rpol myself. I have recently returned now and my friend now runs that game and I co gm in it.

So in a nutshell I'm a steampunk newbie who wants to discover more about the genere so he can help run a steampunk game that he co gms in.

Take a look

Ask questions!

Most of the old timers already know what we know and don't know what the new don't know.

Hullo!

I'm Blood Orchid.

New to the genre, as it were. I have a few anthologies I have been meaning to read to further well verse myself, but if you type in steampunk into tumblr, you can see how gorgeous the costumes for the genre are, which is what I did ... I like Abney park, and I read His Dark Materials, which is young adult fiction but it has some Steampunk elements in it, however light.

I am eager to actually game in a perhaps 7th Sea Steampunk Homebrew type world. or maybe a D20 Past Steampunk World? If I break out of my d10 comfort zone. Heh. Or even, if we're feeling experimental a World of Darkness Steampunk world, Golems, Jinn and Leviathan, oh my!

Just tossing a few coppers into the fountain, as it were ....

~ Blood Orchid.

Welcome

Occurred to me one of the best ways to describe this group is a discussion group as an archive of Q&A. We thrive on the questions be asked. So folks ask questions!

Us old hacks know what we know and don't know what you'd like to know. So ask.

I shall do my personal best to ask and ask and inject new blood into the forum! ^_^

Though, they may end up as more rambles than questions sometimes. but I eagerly welcome replies to my rambles ^_^ And as I read more, I shall have more questions! Hurrah!

This group rocks my socks! And thanks for the welcome!

Hi there everyone,

I was just recently added. I'm currently running a steampunk game with GURPS and, when I saw this group, I figured it would be a great resource for me to plunder :D. I'll happily contribute too, though, whenever possible.

A bit about me: I'm in my mid 20s, relatively new to GMing, but not PbP or RPGs. I live in the Washington DC area with my wife and an attack dachshund
This message was last edited by the player at 20:28, Tue 03 Sept 2013.

Oh! I love attack dachshunds! is he standard or mini?

He's standard size, but on the smaller end at 14-16lbs. Short hair red/brown coat.

I say attack Dachshund because he was a rescue and not socialized well in his youth. He's about 9 or 10 now, we think, and hates all other humans besides the wife and I with the fiery passion of a thousand suns.

Hello all. I am 'The Tyler', but you may also call me Sam. Whichever.

I've not been around RPoL very long. I've enjoyed steampunk for many years, possibly before it was even a thing, but I'm sort of a fringe introvert, so I can't really say I'm involved in steampunk. I'm ADD and my focus and attention sort of drifts amongst varied interests.

That said, I'm a romantic at heart and steampunk certainly appeals to that. And with a hint of favorable winds and the hopeful dawn of a brighter future, I may become more involved with the whole of steampunk soon.

Also, I can have a tendency to ramble on.

On the subject of dachshunds, even well socialized ones can be temperamental. My wife and I have one That's 8 years old now. She was born six months after my wife and I started dating, long distance. The year after, we moved in together, and the dog would not let me in the bedroom when my wife wasn't home for the first several months.

This is my third dachshund, so I can tell some stories. My favorite kind of dog though. I'm not really a dog person. And I'm rambling.

I am reminded of Johnny Bravo and a sound bite I used to use for when windows got an error message:

"Runaway wieney dog!"

It would be particular obscure to find the video on it. ^_^

Greetings!

I am TheBlockist. My interest in Steamunk and Victorian Science Fiction aesthetics goes back several years, but I am just now getting together a set of costume pieces and props. My current project is built on an actual wooden mosin nagant stock. I intend for it to be a gun that removes small chunks of the target and transports them randomly to other points in the time stream.

I call it The Focused Traumatic Temporal Displacement Apparatus.

I still need some bits and bobs, like a small vintage clock face, but I think it'sll turn out nicely.

Just in time for the Steampunk event my wife and I are running this January in CT!

http://www.brassringct.com/

Some of the dollar store knock off clocks try to look vintage

Might also ask a high school shop teacher where he gets parts. They often do clock projects.

Hello all, new guy here.

I've been interested in Steampunk for years though from a aesthetic and artistic standpoint.  That means, I really appreciate Steampunk creations and fiction and especially RPGs, I've never gotten into the dress up and party aspect of Steampunk.  About the closest I've ever come in my life is doing CAS (Cowboy Action Shooting) where you have to dress up in old west wear and fire replica weapons, though my character always had a bit of a Victorian aesthetic.

That said, I have been tempted by the multiple Steampunk themed conventions that seem to be getting around the East Coast.  I live in PA and I've seen at least half a dozen in the last six months.  I keep promising myself I'm going to hit one of these but haven't pushed myself yet.

I am sadly not that crafty to build my own.  I just write about it.

When in doubt, buy your way out... http://www.steampunkemporium.com

Hi all.  I got into steampunk about 7 or so years ago and I participated in a big annual steampunk event my hometown area put on for a couple years.

I've been living in Asia for a couple years now, so I haven't had a lot of opportunities to be involved in steampunk events.  I look forward to being a part of the discussions on here.

Hey everyone. I hope you guys can help me, Ive been looking for the "pure steampunk campaign setting" core book... does anyone have a copy of the pdf they can send me? I am specifically looking for tye gearhead class and feats.

Distributing paid for pdfs is a no no across rpol.

Any reply needs to be for legally free downloads. Not sure of one myself.

I'm not looking for anyone to distribute "paid for pdfs". I'm only looking for the gearhead class. (and the calibration feats if I can).

The Gearhead class is available on the Pathfinder d20pfsrd website.

That's only the playtest version, It doesn't have all of the class on it.

Hello fellow Steampunks. My name is Mightyjake and I have joined as I wish to share and develop my love of all things Steampunk. Victorian Steampunk has always appealed to me, but I also want to experience a little bit of wild west Steampunk.

Hi, I'm a huge fan of really old scifi, Jules Verne, H.G. Wells, Lovecraft, and Mary Shelley. Steampunk and related genres offer the closest avenue to exploring these kinds of fiction.

Recently I've been interested in Industrial Punk and Disel Punk, I'm not sure if this crowd is interested in those.

Anyway, I'm new to rpol.net and thought I'd cut my teeth here.

Welcome to the forum!

I've heard of Diesel Punk, but I'm not really sure how it differs from regular Steampunk.

And I've never heard of Industrial Punk before. Sounds a bit like what they do on the Game Show Network's contest show, Steampunk'd.

I first associated Steampunk with Victoriana, but have since discovered the subgenre of Fantasy Steampunk. I appreciate the concept, but have yet to run across a game that is actually fun.

Please tell me you haven't seen the one I'm running, then. If you have, please PM me with suggestions.

There is a diesel punk thread here:

link to a message in this game

You are welcome to praise, expose and question there on the related genre

Thanks everyone for the welcomes.



If you're talking to me,no I haven't seen it. I'd love to share some ideas.



Industrial Punk is the place were Diesel Punk and Cyberpunk meet. It focuses on tje working class within a world were they're worth less the products they make. Heavy emphasis on class power distances and industrial factory aesthetics. The difference between Industrial Punk and Diesel Punk (and cyberpunk) is the aesthetics are not period influenced, so they can be high texh or steam powered. It just has to be stark, dirty and factory like.

I am, and that would be wonderful! Shall I PM the link to the game?

You shall if you wisheth, as I am intrigued.

You can also do an advertisment openly here in this thread:

link to a message in this game

If you have a prior ad in there just please delete the old one to help manage our post traffic

Reminder to folks old and new to ask questions or give comments. We are a user driven group here.

Hello, I am new here. Saw the ad in player's wanted, and since I've taken up a recent casual interest in steampunk I figured I would take advantage of the wealth of genre subject matter that is here in this community. I run three games on RPOL now, all fairly new ones.

Been doing RPG since before they invented the hex grid. Okay maybe not that long. But a while. I still have my beat up old copy of the Greyhawk Gazetteer.

Started getting into steampunk only recently, however. I'm not even really sure what the "punk" is supposed to mean. Which is why I'm here, I guess. I'm going to read some of the threads now.

The "punk" comes from the term "steampunk" being a play on "cyberpunk." However, the Industrial Revolution era where most steampunk fiction is set does include a lot of very punk themes:

1. Rapid social change.
2. Class struggle.
3. Rise of the anarchist movement and "Propaganda of the deed"
4. Rise of global communism in the 'Workers of the World.'
5. Civil rights struggles, notably Suffrage.
6. Massive wealth disparity between the wealthy and the poor.
7. Riots
8. Cutting edge social commentary via new and poorly respected art movements
9. The inexorable march towards global war

So unless steampunk glosses over the very real struggles of the late 18th and early 19th century, it will be very "punk."

Interesting and insightful. When you put it that way, the late 19th and late 20th century had a whole lot in common with each other. Cyberpunk being a product of the 1980's (like me :)), and 90's, was a reaction to similar social issues. Victorian era gaming was around then too, we had Space 1889, which I read a little of but never got to play, and Castle Falkenstein, which most gamers just didn't get, at the time, maybe a bit ahead of itself. I played a few sessions of that and it was very cool.

Yes, extremely good summary!

Fortunately (or perhaps sadly depending on your point of view), Steampunk took on a life of its own. The gritty realism of the 'punk' part often gets pushed aside for cool retro-tech inventions, fashion and art, steam powering everything from toasters to flying ships, and having fun adventuring in the Age of Steam.

Also, Fantasy Steampunk usually includes magic, fairies, elves, dwarves and other traditional fantasy elements. I've always thought of it as just adventuring in the Victorian Era, with wild and crazy inventions, liberally infused with a touch of the fantastical (Jules Verne, H. G. Wells, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Mary Shelley, etc.). Atlantis, Mu, Lemuria and Shangri-La could be real, not to mention a Hollow Earth.

Dinosaurs, lost cities, Amazons, Martians... all can find a place in a Steampunk game.

Mysticism was also a very popular theme of the time.


So, basically, Steampunk is about weaving all these things into your game. You pick and choose what you want to include.

Greetings folks.

   42 year old camp maintenance man here.  Have enjoyed some of Japanese interpretation of steam punk, and am especially interested in lighter than air craft.

   Looking for a thread to discuss the viability of hydrogen fuel cells as a steam punk concept.

Moved to:

link to a message in this game
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:34, Mon 06 June 2016.

Moved to

link to a message in this game
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:34, Mon 06 June 2016.

Keep in mind that Steampunk is more about how things were the way we imagined them rather than the way they really were... dinosaur bones = dragons, Martian canals built by ancient Canal Martians, the planet Vulcan must be there somewhere, and lets not forget the Hollow Earth and Atlantis.

So, real world physics may not fully work they way we now know that they do (predates Einstein's General Theory of Relativity), and there could be other factors that come into play. For instance, I'd never heard that fact about need water for the sails to function properly, but if you posit liftwood or cavorite existing, then there's no reason they couldn't have that same effect.

And let's not forget turbidium, felicium, Byzantium, vibranium, suspendium, ukrainium and the old stand-by, unobtainium.


Doesn't the fuel cell combine hydrogen and oxygen to generate electricity and water? But where does the electricity come from to separate it?

That would be over here for the science

link to a message in this game

or possibly for the ships under Military Navy

link to a message in this game

But for now probably the first once, science fits best

Question plus 2 posts moved to the Science thread
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:35, Mon 06 June 2016.