How do I make steampunk work?
It's a decent enough idea.
Just glue some gears on it.
>>46829690
I don't think that's how it's supposed to work
>>46829724
this is what the refrance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFCuE5rHbPA
>>46829737
So the answer is to glue tesla coils on everything.
>>46828966
Emphasize the socio-politics over the tech.
Arcanum did steampunk really well, with its subtle emphasis on class warfare and new ways ushering in and replacing the old. Too bad playing a technologic character fucking sucks
Generally, since it's a -punk genre, steam punk should emphasize low quality low life. Set the story in a place where we can see characters being exploited by the noble classes; pointless wars, colonialism, awful factory conditions, dying empires trying to keep everything together, xenophobia and superstition surrounding technology, shit like that. Or you can go the Jules Verne route and just have brass adventures and go full cog fop
>>46828966
Okay, this is something I've wanted to ask /tg/ for a while now:
I really like how Arcanum executed it's 'Magic vs. Technology' thing. Have you found another system (tabletop or otherwise) that executes this idea well?
Violent labor uprising in a distant colony is put down by the wealthy elite using their fancy technology, highlighting the disparity between classes and actually making it a fucking -punk genre.
>>46828966
Fallen London/Sunless Sea does a steampunky setting pretty well making the steampunk part more about having steam based technology that beyond the time period and less about goggles with cogs on em and that sort of bullshit.
>>46828966
Your pic answered your own question brah.
>>46830273
I love arcanum, but I don't want to rip it off.
>>46828966
Just make a cool setting and use steam power as the macguffin to make it go.
One of my favorite action-y games, hammerfight, has steampunk technology as its core conceit, as it powers the hammer-copters the game is named after.
The storyline is actually something of a strange and grand hero's journey affair, about the death of your clan and revenge.
Punk doesn't really need to be involved to do steampunk in a cool way.
>>46829971
>I really like how Arcanum executed it's 'Magic vs. Technology' thing. Have you found another system (tabletop or otherwise) that executes this idea well?
Actually, due to it being rushed out the door before being finished, magic was still far FAAAR superior to technology in power level. Spells did the same thing as you technological things but they were cheaper and easier to learn and required no materials. While if you play a technology focused character beneficial magic like healing will fizzle on you, potions will no longer work. You will need to search high and low to fine schematics and buy expensive materials to build your gadgets which are often one use only and it will consume your materials.
The only powerful thing it can give you is the looking glass rifle which is only good because it is bugged and always deals it's maximum damage no matter what. The Tesla Rifle that is the upgrade to LGR is actually far worse because it is not bugged.
With magic you just summon ogres and sit down to sip tea while your enemies get wrecked. If there is any lock or door or chest or NPC blocking your way just cast disintegrate to remove it from reality and move on with no hassle like dialogues or keys needed.
>>46830034
Fuck off, tripfag.
>>46830366
Not to mention almost all of the random loot is MAGICKAL. Which means you'll get swag magick armor and weapons, which a technologist can't use.
There are no drops for like Machined Plate.
>>46829958
This is good advice; build on the idea that the technology is mostly there to make the lives of the wealthy landowners and factory owners even better, and have player characters be the heroic working class who steal and subvert technology for their own use.
>>46830366
Yes well, arcanums difficulty was rather low at any rate.
What I found fun was playing as a tech with high social skills and basically gearing the entire crew up in machined plate with excellent weaponry.
This includes but is not limited to dragging virgil into the woods and having him killed and replaced with people with actually worthwhile stats. Why wasn't there any tech related characters with actual plot? I mean, the sane-evil gnome assassin from cumbria was good but not quite what I was looking for. Virgil and raven were great but useless to my techie.
Then again, having Sogg, whatever Bates bodyguard was named and the other high strength characters just lug my shit around and then spend a small fortune on bandages was interesting.
As in "STOP HUGGING THE FUCKING FIRE ELEMENTAL YOU STUPID SHIT!"
>>46830385
Magical loot was only in "random assassin encounters", afaik. But there was also "random tech encounters" with technological loot - after Gilbert Bates's death.
>>46830385
Yeah that too, oh gawd the frustration that you find the epic magic items and shit and you can't use them.
Frankly my best memory of Arcanum was when I had the dwarf NPC companion have craft a Pryokinetic Axe for himself.
>Gather Materials to craft pyrotechnics axe
>give it to dwarf
>go find some giant rats to try it out.
>combat starts
>DIS GON BE GUD!
>Dwarf swings the axe
>Scores critical miss
>His body explodes into chunks of meat and bones
>My sides launch to the final frontier
>After 5 minutes of laughter realize I didn't save the game for 2 hours
It was still hilarious and one of the best moments I had with Arcanum.
>>46830488
I meant in treasure chests. Of which there is an abundance.
In any case, playing a small or large character is suffering. But that's where I find technologists shine.
>>46830497
That sounds hilarious.
>>46830497
The pyro axe is a tool meant for skilled practicioners, not dabbling fools like magnus.
>>46830528
I'm a skilled practitioner when I get 5 manuals
>>46830472
>As in "STOP HUGGING THE FUCKING FIRE ELEMENTAL YOU STUPID SHIT!"
>he doesn't know about the follower commands
I just told the little shits to back off when I attacked and as long as the enemy (usually golem or elemental) didn't reach me they didn't switch target from me.
>>46828966
>How do I make steampunk work?
Just copy Arcanum exactly you fuck
>>46830264
N THE SUN THE SUN THE SUN THE SUN TH
>>46828966
Ah, the pic looked like a realistic chibi before I expanded it.
>>46828966
>How do I make steampunk work?
Don't listen to the trolls on /tg/ who tell you steampunk is irredeemable crap.
Most of them don't even have friends, let alone groups to game with.
>>46828966
What do you mean "work"?
In what sense? It's an established setting, are you saying it's no fun to play?
