D&D General D&D is now Steampunk (poll)

[Crimson Longinus]

To be fair, most folks can’t tell their Victorian from their Edwardian from their turn of the century American, etc. It’s all just “post-industrial old-timey.” And most folks treat “steampunk” as meaning scifi/fantasy with a post-industrial old-timey aesthetic.

Which perhaps is a level of conflation that is fine in a fictional context. But I feel these days in D&D anything pre-WWII gets conflated into "olden times" and thrown in the mix without rhyme or reason.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Which perhaps is a level of conflation that is fine in a fictional context. But I feel these days in D&D anything pre-WWII gets conflated into "olden times" and thrown in the mix without rhyme or reason.

The wheelchair is post-WW2, in design and technology required to make it.

And it bothers me less than the impractical lack of trousers in early D&D.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

I literally live in Victoria, BC

That’s in America, right?

I have a friend who is a hardcore steampunk cosplayer.

Anyway the reason you should use the correct labels is because if you actually want to run a medieval or steampunk D&D campaign, people won’t know what you mean.

Also, steampunk enthusiasts and medievalists are offended.

 

[TiQuinn]

That’s in America, right?

I have a friend who is a hardcore steampunk cosplayer.

Anyway the reason you should use the correct labels is because if you actually want to run a medieval or steampunk D&D campaign, people won’t know what you mean.

Certain people may not know what he means. I think you’re being a bit dogmatic in pinning down what is and is not the steampunk aesthetic, particularly when it comes to accurately defining what is Victorian vs Edwardian or Late Georgian.