What If?

Steampunk Intro

Invented, Retro-Futurism

I often describe Steampunk this way: What would the world be like today if electricity had never been developed and the steam power of the Industrial Revolution became the driving force of our modern technology? What would a computer look like if it were to run on steam power?

This description is not quite correct, because Steampunk includes a lot of fanciful technology using faux exotic energy - not just steam power. Furthermore, writers of old, now classified as Steampunk, actually did use electricity. E.g. Jules Verne's "A Journey to the Center of the Earth" used a "Ruhmkorff Coil" to power portable electric lights. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinrich_Daniel_Ruhmkorff) Electricity isn't forbidden in Steampunk, but it may take other forms. In "The Golden Compass", it is known as "anbaric" power.

Some of the technology that appears in Steampunk is a straight projection of Victorian technology and would be buildable, if not practical today: giant lighter-than-air airships, huge steam-powered land vehicles. Other inventions are fanciful, based on principles not yet discovered: time machines, teleportation devices.

When I describe Steampunk as "What would the world be like today...", I am engaging in an "alternative history." This is a common type of fiction.

• Randall Garrett's books about Lord Darcy take place in an alternate world where a joint Anglo-French empire is ruled by a twentieth century Plantagenet dynasty. In that world magic works and has been scientifically codified while "our" sciences like chemistry are considered the strange hobbies of eccentrics. You could call that "Magicpunk".
• Saturday Night Live mocked alternatives with several sketches based on a "What If?" show segment. One was, "What If Superman grew up in Germany, instead of America?" This included a headline, "Uberman Kills Every Person in England, U.S. Next" (http://snltranscripts.jt.org/78/78jwhatif.phtml) Another SNL sketch asked, "What if Eleanor Roosevelt could fly?"
• Harry Turtledove has written several series books exploring various alternate histories. Turtledove's output is prolific and imaginitive.

Steampunk can also be viewed as Retro-Futurism.

• A Journey to the Center of the Earth (Voyage au centre de la Terre, 1864)
• From the Earth to the Moon (De la terre à la lune, 1865)
• Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea (Vingt mille lieues sous les mers, 1870)
• Master of the World (Maître du monde, sequel to Robur the Conqueror, 1904)

Science Fiction can take many forms, but one of the most common is speculation about how the future might turn out. This is not limited to fiction, as many have tried to guess what our lives may be like in times to come. Disneyland once had a "House of the Future" exhibit. Popular Mechanics has speculated about the day that we would all have flying cars. Serial movies like Commando Cody thrilled our parents with an action hero who flew using a rocket backpack.

These visions of the future sometimes pan out and sometimes not. Bell Aerosystems built their Rocket Belt, but with a flight time of 20 seconds it was never practical. We have flat-screen TVs today, but no flying cars. We have a Roomba to vacuum the house, but no Rosie the maid robot from the Jetsons. See http://singularityhub.com/2011/07/19/hilarious-and-surprising-predictions-of-the-future-from-the-1960s-video/

My point is that the future that we envision is colored by the current world around us. If you own a TV, you imagine that the future holds a TV that is flat and has a large screen. When cars become common and airplanes possible, it is natural to think about flying cars.

The Victorian Era spanned 1837–1901. Verne wrote during that era, so the things that he imagined were colored by that era - steam, railroads, communications systems, massive engineering projects. He just imagined them as bigger, faster, more powerful, and involved in more areas. Verne's predictions did not come true in their precise details, perhaps because his projection into the future did not significantly anticipate new technologies and materials. He took what his age had and he projected that. When the future came, Verne's vision of submarines and flying craft came true, but without details like aluminum alloys, ubiquitous electricity, and atomic power.

Steampunk's central premise is an alternate history, where steam power was never eclipsed by other technologies. We reach that alternative by looking sideways at what our world would be like "if only things happened differently". Verne got to a similar place by looking forward.

To use an obvious example, some people envision a world where the Confederacy had won the American Civil War instead of the Union. Others decide that the Union enjoyed a quick and relatively bloodless victory. Still others like to believe that that war never happened. All of these things would result in a very different world today.

The key point is that this is an imagined world. You can shape it as you wish.

Goggles are _so_ Steampunk. Mandatory, right? Just add goggles to turn a Victorian outfit into Steampunk. I am coming to doubt that. If Steampunk were purely a fashion statement, assorted useless costume accessories could indeed be justified. But Steampunk has a strong element of role-playing in the Steampunk world. So I must ask why playing a role requires that one wear goggles.

The Victorians made significant advances in science and technology. The characters interesting enough to model were either users of technology or inventors of it. When the automobile started to gain popularity, it was still a finicky, messy gadget. Driving at high speeds on dirt roads guaranteed that you would eat dirt. Goggles and scarves would be a must. And the vehicle would eventually break down and require you to repair it - more goggles and perhaps gloves.

When considering an accessory like goggles, one must ask, "Why would my character have that? What would he do with it? How would he use it?" If you can't answer these questions, reconsider adding that accessory. If you can answer those questions, it will help you figure out what kind of accessory to get and how to wear it.

A botanist character might choose a trowel or spade as an accessory. Goggles, if any, would be used as protection against exotic plants that spit toxins or fling their thorns at you. If one were obsessed with detail, the botanist might specifically select a type of eye protection designed to protect against fluid splashes.

Steampunks seem to like brown cloth, brown leather, brass, and oak. One might even come to the conclusion that black&silver is Goth and brown&brass is Steampunk. I think that we are in danger of being distracted if we think too much of the brown and brass. Essentially, Steampunk is Victorian costumes plus gadgets and weapons appropriate to the character.

Why gadgets and guns? Why not just wear Victorian clothing? Well, you could - especially if your character is somebody who stays in town. Take a look at
http://www.Steampunkemporium.com/steam.php
Half of their sample characters lack goggles. Who has them: motorists, and the aviator. Who lacks them: museum curator, share promotor, man of science. There are some unexplained goggles, like the natural philosopher and the Egyptian explorer; but perhaps they have reasons, like blowing sand in the Egyptian desert.

Well, then, why don't we all just dress Victorian and call it Steampunk? I think that the answer is "you can", but such characters are a little less interesting. Having asked myself if a plain Victorian outfit qualifies as Steampunk, I have come to the conclusion that it does. It's just a little less interesting/standout than some other costumes. Thus fewer pictures are posted and fewer such characters show up on Google Images. They are out there, but not particularly photogenic.

Brass or silver? Doesn't matter too much. Here we have "Men's Victorian Pocket Watches"
http://www.gentlemansemporium.com/store/watches.php
Many are gold or brass. Plenty of chrome/silver.

I have come to the conclusion that most of the interesting characters aren't just sitting in Victorian drawing rooms - they are men and women of action; or at least activity. They go on safari, explore the unknown, hunt for treasure, drill for oil, explore distant regions in the name of the Queen. They are rugged individualists in search of adventure. And sometimes adventure is dangerous.

I have no doubt that many people add weapons for the same reason that they add goggles - unthinkingly assume that they are required for the genre. My answer must be the same as for the goggles - If your character is such a person as would need or want protection or is supposed to act aggressively (e.g. airship pirate), include a fanciful weapon of an appropriate type. If the character does not face danger, forget the weapon.

Note that Steampunk's Victorian age also covers the American old west. Overlap is fairly common: railroad engineers, the aeronaut in "The Golden Compass", Jim in "The Wild Wild West". Carrying guns in the old west was common, but not mandatory. Once again, think about the character and what reason, if any, they would have to carry a weapon and what kind it would be. E.g. a Steampunk gambler would probably carry a fanciful derringer.

The Victorian era was a time of great advancement in science, natural history (e.g. Darwin's "On the Origin of Species" in 1859), and medicine (anesthesia). Victorians were comfortable with their advancing technology in the same way that we have embraced our cell phones (their telegraph) and MP3 players (their phonographs).

If you are going to reenact something that is a futuristic vision of Victorian times, your character should be equally accepting of the technology that would be developed.

Steampunk requires some level of technology. Your character can invent technology or use technology, but don't ignore it completely - that would be boring and ultimately not Victorian in mindset.

Steampunk is very different in that playing roles is an important part of the genre. Or at least having roles. From what we heard, attendees at Steampunk events spend a lot of time discussing their "lives" as characters and asking other characters about their lives. Even those who are really new or poorly prepared have at least a name, even if they haven't yet constructed an elaborate back-story.

I actually came to the back-story through a different route. Originally I ignored stories as a part of cosplay. I seized on the back-story as a means to refine costume design, insuring that the clothing and accoutrements are appropriate to the genre and the character. By composing a unified back-story, I could provide my partner with appropriate costume ideas, while somehow fitting her in with my funeral director attire.

• Dieselpunk

  Not really related to Steampunk, but if you want to think "Steampunk 100 years later", feel free to do so.

  Includes elements of film noir, Art Deco, militaristic. Set after WW I and through the beginning of WW II.

  Trenchcoats, fedoras, uniforms, stainless steel.

  See movies like "Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow".

  https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Dieselpunk#Dieselpunk

• Clockpunk

  A retro-futurism similar to Steampunk.

  Technology is based on springs and clockwork. Usually set during the Renaissance.

• Western

  It shouldn't be surprising that the American "old West" crosses over a lot with Steampunk. A lot of what was going on in the West happened in the Victorian era, just in a different country.

  Since Steampunk can be looked at as an alternate history, things other than technology might be different, including national boundaries. I think that the aeronaut in "The Golden Compass" referred to himself as a Texican.

• Victorian This is pretty much the _setting_ for Steampunk.

• Goth

• Cyberpunk

  Not much of a match, really. Cyberpunk is post-modern and usually dystopian.

  See movies like "Blade Runner".

  https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Cyberpunk

Just for fun, I imagine a world where members of the early Mormon church resisted the pressure that drove them further and further west. For the most part, they stayed in Illinois, in their beloved city of Nauvoo.

Some parties of Latter Day Saints chose to move west throughout a region stretching from Illinois to Utah.

The American Civil War dragged on, eventually cooling down to armistice.

The Mormons stayed officially neutral in this conflict by separating from the United States of America and the Confederacy. They formed the United States of Deseret.

Apart from that big picture, certain individuals continued to make great contributions to the world.

Longer answer...

It is a fascinating intellectual exercise to ask yourself "How might our world be different today if some pivotal decision were made differently?"

Would our world be better, worse, or just plain different?

How many of us remember the history lessons that we got in High School? And how many of our teachers told us the unvarnished truth?

• Did you know that the "American Civil War" wasn't really fought to abolish slavery? Lincoln prosecuted that war for the sole purpose of preserving the Union. If you visit the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC, you will find chiseled into the building several quotes, including part of this one:

  My paramount object in this struggle is to save the Union, and is not either to save or to destroy slavery. If I could save the Union without freeing any slave I would do it, and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing some and leaving others alone I would also do that. What I do about slavery, and the colored race, I do because I believe it helps to save the Union; and what I forbear, I forbear because I do not believe it would help to save the Union.

• Do you know who invented the alternating current that powers our homes and industry across the world? Or were you raised on the Cult of Edison?

• Do you know the name of the farm-boy who invented television - arguably the invention that has had the greatest impact on 20th century America?

• What do you know of the history of America's expansion into the West?

• Do you remember the match that lit the tinderbox of The Great War? How did the resolution of that conflict set the stage for World War II?

• What do you know about the Constitution - the foundation that it provides and how it has been used and abused over the centuries?

• What do you know about the treatment of minorities on American soil?

  Yeah, most Indian tribes got a raw deal. Do you know any of the details? Have you heard of the Trail of Tears?

  How about the continued harassment of the Mormons that drove them farther and farther West? Do you know about the regulations locking up Japanese Americans in camps during WW II?

These writings, and Steampunk role-playing games allow us to exercise our imaginations, correct historical injustice, and generally engage in experimental history.

What could be more fun and educational?