d20 Steampunk Settings

[Carnifex]

Von Ether - I think you're getting slightly confused between steam tech and steampunk. The two are different, though of course usualyl heavily connected to one another.

Steampunk is not just about steam tech. For example - the Iron Kingdoms is *not* steampunk, and if you disagree with me on that, talk to the people who are making it. They have said several times before that the steampunk tag is not really applicable to the IK, hence why they like to call it 'Full Metal Fantasy'.

Steampunk usually relies on one important facet of steam tech - the process of industrialisation - as its central foundation. Like cyberpunk, steampunk is in part defined by the technology level of the setting (steam or cyber, respectively) but it is also, importantly, about society and the changes affected on it by technology. Social pressure, class struggle, oppression, smog-ridden cities full of downtrodden workers wasting their lives away labouring amidst mighty industrial structures for the profit of others - these are as much what makes steampunk steampunk as the steam technology itself. A blimp or demolitions team in a setting doesn't make it steampunk, though enough of such things and it might well be worth classifying as a steamtech setting (a direction Warcraft seems to be increasingly heading in).

Now extremely advanced steam tech also plays a role in many steampunk settings and texts, and also a steampunk setting can provide quite different styles of campaign out of dystopian cities and suchlike, in the manner of pulp novels with wild adventure as the boundaries of civilisation are pushed back by the development of technology. But don't mistake just steam tech as being the same as steampunk.

 

[Desdichado]

Carnifex has it right. Steampunk minus the punk is not still steampunk.

 

[Von Ether]

Besides Iron Kingdoms*, what published or upcoming Steampunk settings are there?

*presuming it ever comes out

Steampunk is not just about steam tech. For example - the Iron Kingdoms is *not* steampunk, and if you disagree with me on that, talk to the people who are making it. They have said several times before that the steampunk tag is not really applicable to the IK, hence why they like to call it 'Full Metal Fantasy'.

As a side note, in the early days of IK, the creators said they avoided the “steampunk” label more for marketing reasons (fear that the label would drive D&D players away) as compared to accurately defining their game world. In fact, with the success of their steamtech wargame, Warmachine, they might be “coming out of the closet” on their steampunk since the game touches on how magic and steam tech are changing warfare in the IK universe. At the very least, the creators are doing a turn around on the amount of steamtech in the world.

According to the old RPG material, warjacks were rare. Now in the wargame, there is steam powered power armor and a lot more Jacks to the point that merc squads have them and local tribes of barbarians look to steal them and use them for their own raids. Jacks are now a coveted resource. In fact, “mecha-jacks” in the past turned the tide of war and kicked the Romanesque conquers off the continent.

… A blimp or demolitions team in a setting doesn't make it steampunk, though enough of such things and it might well be worth classifying as a steamtech setting (a direction Warcraft seems to be increasingly heading in).

Carnifex has it right. Steampunk minus the punk is not still steampunk.

I can appreciate that Carnifex has the truer definition of Steampunk, as evidenced in the novels of Difference Engine and Parshaw Lancers [/]. (I’m lazy and just lump the two togther, I’d admit)

Though you have to admit, if someone thinks IK is "steamX" then WC III would also be a good fit.

 

[malladin]

Actually, we're not calling Etherscope 'Steampunk'. Not that it has much difference in meaning, we're actually calling it 'Victoriana Cyberpunk'. It probably counts as a subgenre, but there is a key difference here: most 'Steampunk' operates in a world where the world doesn't deviate too far from a vitorian period of history and the tech tends not to be higher than analogues to present day technology. With Etherscope we've wanted to go for a game that has a feel of modern cyberpunk novels in a victoriana setting. We wanted analogues of net running and cyberware that you don't often see in true steampunk. Not that means we're not sticking true to the victoriana themes to - I think we've managed to really successfully intertwine these two concepts into something that is very different to anything else out there (particularly when we add in a whole cthulu element too ). Ask Carnifex; he's seen our working documents (btw Chris, I've sent you an email).

Cheerio,

Ben, Malladin's Gate

 

[qstor]

I was looking for the stats for SPECIFIC Victorian era firearms, something more akin to Ultramodern Firearms for the Victorian era. I have Deadlands D20 but I was looking for something more specific. I was interested in the the Martini Henry and the Mauser 1896. I know there's a few .pdf products on firearms. Any good ones.

Mike

 

[d4]

Steampunk usually relies on one important facet of steam tech - the process of industrialisation - as its central foundation. Like cyberpunk, steampunk is in part defined by the technology level of the setting (steam or cyber, respectively) but it is also, importantly, about society and the changes affected on it by technology. Social pressure, class struggle, oppression, smog-ridden cities full of downtrodden workers wasting their lives away labouring amidst mighty industrial structures for the profit of others - these are as much what makes steampunk steampunk as the steam technology itself. A blimp or demolitions team in a setting doesn't make it steampunk, though enough of such things and it might well be worth classifying as a steamtech setting (a direction Warcraft seems to be increasingly heading in).

that's the way i see it, as well. by that definition, Space 1889 isn't steampunk either, because it doesn't really get into the dystopian social aspects of the genre for the most part.

 

[Desdichado]

that's the way i see it, as well. by that definition, Space 1889 isn't steampunk either, because it doesn't really get into the dystopian social aspects of the genre for the most part.

And it never intended to be. It was more an extension of the Jules Verne, H.G Wells "planetary romance" type of genre.

 

[d4]

AIt was more an extension of the Jules Verne, H.G Wells "planetary romance" type of genre.

which i think i prefer better than regular steampunk.

hey JD, have you ever seen any of the "Forgotten Futures" games from Marcus Rowland?

 

[Hoodooman]

d4, check out the website www.forgottenfutures.com

hey JD, have you ever seen any of the "Forgotten Futures" games from Marcus Rowland?[/QUOTE]


d4, check out www.forgottenfutures.com. You can read about all 8 settings. They are now online. They used to be in print by Heliograph, but I think you can find print modules in used bookstores or Amazon.com.

The online settings at forgottenfutures.com has all the modules. I think the downloads link is down, but they are all online. Most of the rules part of the modules is a couple of pages, with stories and adventures rounding out the rest of the modules.

-Hoodooman

 

[Desdichado]

I have, but not recently. I wasn't aware they were still around!