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Forums » RP Discussion » On the Subject of Steampunk and You

Steampunk.

We've heard of it at least once in our RP journeys, and everyone who's witnessed this element has a different take on it. Bleak columns stained with the grime of rusted metal and the remnants of dystopian warfare, shining pillars of gears scratching the sunset skies, mind-bending mechanical creatures roaming quiet streets scattered with glimmering bits and bobbles from old electronics of a time past... And that's not even touching eras when it happens and what kinds of character archetypes are involved!

So I want to ask everyone: what's the first thing that you think of when you hear the word "Steampunk?" Have you participated in the steampunk genre via RP or writing? Or use a steampunk element or setting? Do you think it can mesh well with other genres, or is it best as a standalone? What do you think steampunk means? Not just in the technical definitions of it, but what it means from a subjective point of view.

Light's Answer: With me, when I hear steampunk, I think... objects. Objects made with bronze gears that whir and grind behind polished glass-like panes. TVs, MP3 players, 3D printers, statues, and buildings... All made with old-fashioned gears, pulleys, and oil to keep the parts moving.

I've yet to participate in a RP that has the element in full, but I do have a world and a character based on the concept that's part of a larger universe of worlds. I think it can mesh well with any genre or setting provided you develop the idea well enough and do research where needed.

And what do I think steampunk means? ...In two words: Modern antiquity. Bringing the technology of the modern day and downgrading it to a style that may have been seen in the Industrial Revolution era or earlier. I love the old-timey innovation of steampunk and hope to incorporate it more into my stories and art.

But that's my answer. What about everyone else?
It's one of those subjects that I haven't delved very far into, honestly! I like the idea of taking modern conveniences and attempting to find a more direct way to link everything to steam power, though. I usually think of Victorian era morals and ethics paired with zepplins and brass-bound golems. I haven't found that my characters tend to fit in any compelling way into that kind of setting, yet, so I haven't had a chance to explore more deeply!
I work annually at a steampunk/Victorian culture festival, so I've seen just about every interpretation under the sun, lmao. Although I have to say my two favourites are the bronze-and-gold-art-deco kind of steampunk and the grimy, urban, clockworks and automatons sort. The latter setting has made for some really interesting monster-hunting D&D campaigns.

To answer your other question, I think that steampunk easily meshes with other 'punk'-type genres (biopunk, dieselpunk, solarpunk, etc). Games like Bioshock Infinite and Dishonored incorporate elements of it well.

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