steampunk anyone

[Hunter In Darkness]

i just got down reading whitchaple gods by s.m peters and its really got my steampunk juices flowing so to spex\ak so what books or resorces would any of you recomend .
and have any of u ran a steampunk game and if so what was it . what rules did u use or worlds . i recall a steampunk dragon mag from early 3e 270's something i think did anyone use any thing from it. sorry i seem to be rambling its late and cant sleep so im in good form tonight

 

[Aeric]

If you like a good dose of gothic horror to go with your steampunk, check out Unhallowed Metropolis by Eos Games. I haven't had a chance to play it yet, but I read it from cover to cover when I was sick earlier this year, and it is a richly-detailled world. Even if you don't like the system, it would still make for a great sourcebook.

Etherscope is another good steampunk setting, and it's d20.

Iron Kingdoms is another richly-detailled setting, not strictly steampunk but with some definite steampunk-y elements in it. It's also d20.

Victoriana mixes traditional steampunk (Victorian London, Jules Verne/H.G. Wells' style of technology) with fantasy elements (dwarves, elves, magic, etc.). It uses the Fuzion system, which was derived from both HERO and Interlock (Cyberpunk/Mekton).

Deadlands is mostly western/horror, but it does have some steampunk elements in it as well. Think Wild Wild West with zombies.

If you can find it, GURPS Steampunk is an excellent resource for steampunk games regardless of what system you're using. Unfortunately, the last time I checked it was out of print.

Hope that helps!

 

[Masquerade]

I can't recommend Etherscope enough. I haven't actually used the setting, but the rules themselves are a fantastic variant of d20 Modern perfectly suited for any steampunk game. Cybernetics, airships, fencing--everything you'd expect is well-covered.

 

[Stormborn]

Wayback when I used GURPS Steampunk+Steamtech to run my first game ever. Wasnt a huge success.

Etherscope is an excelent resource for running a "etherpunk" game. It has its own system and setting. Even thought I have never run it as is I have cannibalized it to add elements to many of my own games. Fighting styles, for example, are excellent.

Imperial Age Adventures from Adamant is a series of Victorian supplements for d20 Modern. IA Engines is the main resource for adding steampunk, but if you dont have a lot on the victorian era you are going to want to pick up the GMs book as well. Depending on what you want to add there is also the IA Magick and IA Grimoire (both by yours truly) which are adaptable to multiple different levels and types of magic.

 

[Khairn]

I can't recommend Etherscope enough. I haven't actually used the setting, but the rules themselves are a fantastic variant of d20 Modern perfectly suited for any steampunk game. Cybernetics, airships, fencing--everything you'd expect is well-covered.

Ditto

Etherscope was IMHO one of the more underrated D20 variants that came out.

 

[John Q. Mayhem]

Check out Girl Genius! It's a great little steampunkish webcomic with a nice Savage Worlds conversion floating around online. Enjoy!

 

[HeavenShallBurn]

Last time I heard there was supposed to be a GURPS supplement for it coming out sometime in the near future. Need to check again and see what happened to that.

EDIT: Here's the linky GURPS Girl Genius

 

[Michael Dean]

I think most of the really good rpgs have been discussed above (GURPS Steampunk, Etherscope, and Adamant's Imperial Age are really useful and well done imho), although I haven't seen Space:1889 mentioned.

For reading inspiration, I can't recommend Peshawar Lancers by S.M. Stirling enough. It's got a great alt history/post-apocalyptic/steampunk setting with a great twist on the British Empire that I would love to see a game writeup for.

Of course, for great adventure ideas, any of the Flashman papers by George McDonald Fraser would be great. Not so much for steampunk, exactly, but to get you into the feel of the time period of the mid-1800's. Well, I guess with a little tweaking you could add steampunk elements.

 

[HeavenShallBurn]

For reading inspiration, I can't recommend Peshawar Lancers by S.M. Stirling enough. It's got a great alt history/post-apocalyptic/steampunk setting with a great twist on the British Empire that I would love to see a game writeup for it.

If you liked Peshawar Lancers I'd recommend The Two Georges by Turtledove and Dreyfuss. It's a very good novel and can give some decent pseudo-Victorian detective plot ideas. Also I think the sequel to Peshawar Lancers is going to be out soon. Beyond that Two Georges is a very nice "what if?" with well thought out background and showcases the differences between America and Britain.

 

[jdrakeh]

I recommend ScreamPunk for SJG, a small-sih, comic-sized, booklet specifically dedicated to blending Gothic Horror with Steampunk.