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<blockquote data-quote="Celebrim" data-source="post: 7642891" data-attributes="member: 4937">I've long held that the typical D&amp;D setting is basically the 19th century stripped of some of its technology, so all you have to do is put the normal technology back.&nbsp;&nbsp; For weapons that means - flintlock rifles, muskets, and pistols, bayonets, and primitive black powder grenades.&nbsp; In equipment that means pocket watches, compasses, binoculars, telescopes, magnifying glasses, microscopes, acetylene and kerosene lanterns.&nbsp;&nbsp; Possibly also thermometers, tape measures, and primitive cameras depending on what sort of problems you are trying to solve.&nbsp;&nbsp; For vehicles that means bicycles, balloons and zeppelins.&nbsp;&nbsp; Keep an eye on the level of firearms you want to use, as early 19th century firearms are much less capable than mid-19th century or late 19th century firearms, particularly when it comes to rates of fire.&nbsp; Do you want flint lock pistols or black powder revolvers?&nbsp; Real 19th century technology was not particularly portable, so most of the things that make something steampunk are large industrial devices.&nbsp; A perusal of a Sears Catalog from the later part of the century will show much stuff of very practical use but which is hardly romantic or of much interest to adventures.&nbsp; All the really cool stuff that shows up in the fantasies is going to shade off into magic, as it will be experimental, prototypes, and the product of mad scientists, so unless you are running the equivalent of a high magic campaign, much of that will be stuff that the party will have to find or manufacture themselves.&nbsp;&nbsp; IMO, true Steampunk tends to stick to more realistic consequences of a world were Babbage engines replace Jaquard looms and you have comparatively sophisticated automation going on during the industrial revolution and a number of inventions which didn't really become practical until electricity and diesel were around are invented before those power sources are really mastered.&nbsp;&nbsp; That is to say I tend to see true Steampunk as a plausible alternate history genera.&nbsp;&nbsp; What mostly you see these days under the guise of &quot;steampunk&quot; is a fantasy setting where magic wears industrial revolution garb in much the same way that Star Wars is a fantasy setting wearing far future garb.&nbsp;&nbsp; The thing about fantasy settings is that they need neither plausible nor internally consistent technology.&nbsp; If you want a 'steampunk' setting where lots of people are cyborgs wearing crude looking but entirely effective cybernetic implants and somehow the &quot;miniature steam powered furnaces&quot; that power those things don't actually get hot and cook the wearers or the things are all powered by &quot;springs (don't think about it)&quot; and yet the all metal mechanical arm doesn't weigh as much as a lawnmower, then go for it.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Celebrim, post: 7642891, member: 4937"] I've long held that the typical D&D setting is basically the 19th century stripped of some of its technology, so all you have to do is put the normal technology back. For weapons that means - flintlock rifles, muskets, and pistols, bayonets, and primitive black powder grenades. In equipment that means pocket watches, compasses, binoculars, telescopes, magnifying glasses, microscopes, acetylene and kerosene lanterns. Possibly also thermometers, tape measures, and primitive cameras depending on what sort of problems you are trying to solve. For vehicles that means bicycles, balloons and zeppelins. Keep an eye on the level of firearms you want to use, as early 19th century firearms are much less capable than mid-19th century or late 19th century firearms, particularly when it comes to rates of fire. Do you want flint lock pistols or black powder revolvers? Real 19th century technology was not particularly portable, so most of the things that make something steampunk are large industrial devices. A perusal of a Sears Catalog from the later part of the century will show much stuff of very practical use but which is hardly romantic or of much interest to adventures. All the really cool stuff that shows up in the fantasies is going to shade off into magic, as it will be experimental, prototypes, and the product of mad scientists, so unless you are running the equivalent of a high magic campaign, much of that will be stuff that the party will have to find or manufacture themselves. IMO, true Steampunk tends to stick to more realistic consequences of a world were Babbage engines replace Jaquard looms and you have comparatively sophisticated automation going on during the industrial revolution and a number of inventions which didn't really become practical until electricity and diesel were around are invented before those power sources are really mastered. That is to say I tend to see true Steampunk as a plausible alternate history genera. What mostly you see these days under the guise of "steampunk" is a fantasy setting where magic wears industrial revolution garb in much the same way that Star Wars is a fantasy setting wearing far future garb. The thing about fantasy settings is that they need neither plausible nor internally consistent technology. If you want a 'steampunk' setting where lots of people are cyborgs wearing crude looking but entirely effective cybernetic implants and somehow the "miniature steam powered furnaces" that power those things don't actually get hot and cook the wearers or the things are all powered by "springs (don't think about it)" and yet the all metal mechanical arm doesn't weigh as much as a lawnmower, then go for it. [/QUOTE]

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