A Geographical Organizing Of Steampunks? Is it possible?

[Captain Brandsson]

I know the SCA is very historical, but Amtgard has no set time so long as what you do is either prior to circa 1600 and/or swords and sorcery based.

As the Professor says, we are not re-enactors.

Perhaps we should look to an "alternative present".  2008 as we would prefer it to be?

[OldProfessorBear]

How about ...

The Syndicate for Chronosynclastic Anomalization?

[Jack Corvus]

I would suggest that in any form of this we should make it clear that we are using the culture, scientific, and aesthetic principles found in these time periods and not the time periods themselves. Steampunk is not Victoriana, although the lines between the two blur. Some people place Steampunk squarely in the late 1800's, some place it in the present using alternate history, and some place it on entirely seperate worlds or vast far-spanning futures utilizing the aesthetics of this time period.


Differentiating between timeperiod and aesthetics is what would seperate us from historical re-enactors such as the SCA (which I am a member of) and place us into the creative realm where we belong.

[atriusofdni]

I would suggest that in any form of this we should make it clear that we are using the culture, scientific, and aesthetic principles found in these time periods and not the time periods themselves. Steampunk is not Victoriana, although the lines between the two blur. Some people place Steampunk squarely in the late 1800's, some place it in the present using alternate history, and some place it on entirely seperate worlds or vast far-spanning futures utilizing the aesthetics of this time period.


Differentiating between timeperiod and aesthetics is what would seperate us from historical re-enactors such as the SCA (which I am a member of) and place us into the creative realm where we belong.

If I'm wrong in my thinking let me know, but for the alternate past or even alternate earth would it be along the lines of lets say full metal alchemist where alchemy evolved not engineering like it did here. So would it be wrong to say that for this (the larp): Would it be possible that the people of earth never had a technology revolution past the adding machine?

As with any larp its not just the era i.e. industrial revolution era for this, or medieval era for amtgard and the SCA, its also the people and how they act there personas out to fit into the game, the backstory that fits the persona, the way one acts out the persona as any of us LARPers well know if you don't act the persona lets say at a renfaire or something like that your gonna have problems with the people believing that you are from that era. So it comes down to this can we make people believe that we are acting out an alternate history or an alternate earth? sorry if I'm not making much sense but I hope i was on the right path with this.

[Captain Brandsson]

I think that it is of utmost importance that the setting be as open to interpretation as possible.
Certainly each chapter may have it's theme and leanings, but the ability for every steampunk to find a little something for themselves should be there.

The SCA has history, Amtgard still retains it's "old style" D&D roots in many ways, but steampunk is a varied genre that lacks a universally accepted touchstone.

I say we keep the setting vague... 

But if we decide we do want to create a collective culture then perhaps we could borrow an idea from GURPS fantasy.
For those unfamiliar, that setting presented a seperate world that had it's own indiginous fantasy folk, but it also pulled humans from our Earth during periods of history who immediately set about creating communities based on what they knew.  Thus we had elves and orcs, but also human civilizations that were almost identical to historical ones.
In our context, it's a new world that pulls folks from different eras and even different worlds.  Physics works a bit differently and thus steamtech rules (and exhibits unique properties, even). 

[atriusofdni]

gurps or hero might be a better bet as they have a better mythos then useing a larp i think we were all thinking that well it's a larp we should base it off a larp and thats where we were wrong 

[Captain Brandsson]

gurps or hero might be a better bet as they have a better mythos then useing a larp i think we were all thinking that well it's a larp we should base it off a larp and thats where we were wrong 

Honestly, I’m not even thinking about the LARP end of things… yet.
Despite my experience, LARPing is not an activity I’m particularly interested in these days, but would like to promote, support and even contribute to as best I may.
What I am very interested in is establishing what we, as a group, we want to represent and how.

[Jack Corvus]

This is precisely my point. There is no backstory to steampunk. There is no one consistent story we can stick to, nor should there be. We don't need rules or story, and for some of us we are certainly not interested in LARPing. Don't get me wrong, if you are good on ya and have fun. Don't expect me to start acting like Lord Dingleberry the fourth just because its fun for you. Steampunk is and should be so varied as to attract everything from the DIY engineers to the LARPers to the writers (like myself.)

Certainly within this context we could hold events that are themed to a world. If someone wants to hold an event that is themed to their world, then obviously part of the fun of that event is taking part in that. Someone else might want to host an event entirely about DIY laptops and have no backstory whatsoever. All of these things should and could be options.

Rather than thinking of this as a group of people reenacting a thing, think of it as a group of people interested in the same general idea and seeing how we individually live out that idea is part of the fun of it all.

[Captain Brandsson]

Corvus and I seem to be more or less on the same page, but what say the rest of you?

[Master Murdoch]

That sounds very plausable to me.

[Watson]

I say I wish there were a town where all the steampunkers would live and literally have the whole town dressed under steampunk apparel, like the renaissance fair, but it never ends. I would totally live there .

[Captain Brandsson]

One thing at a time, Watson.  One thing at a time. 

[atriusofdni]

I to agree with Mr. Corvus i think I think that I've been danceing around the truth the whole time

[femonky]

If we're going to state a specific time period, and I suggest we do, I would say the beginning of the Regency to the end of World War One would be a good period.  As for a name, I've been thinking the Imperial Artificers' Society would be a good name.  What say you?

That's a good name. I was working on
The Victorian Romantic Society for the Chronometrically Irresolute
Thanks for the link to the amtgard (sp?)
I'll look into it when I get home tonight. The fact that this thread has grown so fast means we might be able to oganize something for real..for fantasy?.. I dunno..

[girl1919]

Corvus and I seem to be more or less on the same page, but what say the rest of you?

I'm not quite sure what the benefits of having a governing body would be, thats not already being created through grassroot doings. What exactly, quantifiably, would be different?   Steampunk is so free-form that I'm having troubles grasping what exactly you hope to accomplish?  If it's promotion and encouragement for propagating all facets of steampunk, I surely support it; I'm just unsure as to how it would work.

From my experience with the SCA, concerns itself with social hierarchies and has proscriptive rules regarding a time period.* 

Are you thinking about either of these things?  Or is it simply about encouraging more events and gatherings for people to go to?  Or just a definitive source for planning and getting the word out about events? 

Maybe create semi-formal Guilds tailored to specific things?  Such as a LARP guild, a music guild, a tourism guild, etc.  That way you could belong to one or several, organize events, have discussions?  Have a general resource to identify events that are happening and organize activities?

Never a fan of the rules,
D.


* Not a bash on the SCA.  Fine for people who like it, but I'm not one of them.  My experience with the SCA that it can be the land of "no, you aren't doing that right" and social hierarchies.

[Captain Brandsson]

Fair points, Miss.
I suppose that is what , partly, is what is up for discussion and debate.
Beyond “could it be done”, there are the questions of benefit and purpose.
Were I to have my way, the goal would be to create a network as opposed to a hierarchy that could pool resources on various scales to create various steampunk-themed activities…  from workshops, to games, to tea.
References to the SCA and such, for me, come into it so A.) a successful genre organization can be referenced and B.) despite a lack of ultimate meaning, it’s fun organize as guilds, crews or research teams…  even little “nations”.
While those who fancy LARP will no doubt have rules, or those who enjoy competitions may set criteria, the only real rule… as I see it…  would be “Contribute positively as you see fit”.
Nor would we seek to be the “be all and end all” of steampunk, but rather something (hopefully) fun and interesting that steampunks can engage in when they choose to.

[Jack Corvus]

... is it simply about encouraging more events and gatherings for people to go to?  Or just a definitive source for planning and getting the word out about events? 

I would say these two things. For instance I could organise all teh steampunk events I wanted but how is the general populace going to know about them. Even if its nothing more than a section of this forum, having a place where one can find resources like the map that was created on another thread, knowing who has expertise in your area. One of the benefits of the SCA is that for any task I want to do I have easy access to wide variety of people who are capable, and credible, who can do them.


As far as heirarchy, I would see no reason why we shoudl have such, unless individual groups want it. In the SCA part of the re-enactment part necessitates a certain heirarchy. No different than if you started an engineers guild and you had ranks etc. For some people this gives them a certain level of success in fantasy that they haven't had in life and they get carried away. For the most part my friends and I ignore these people.

[Captain Brandsson]

I’ve got it!
The Guild of Anachronistic Intent!

[Dr. Oliver Cross]

The organization as I envision it is very much, from what I can distill from his postings, the same as Mr. Corvax presents it.  As for a name, I still favour the Imperial Artificers Society, but any name we can generally agree on would work for me.  (Actually, I originally thought of the Imperial Ratcheteers Society, but then I realized the acronym for same would be IRS....)

[atriusofdni]

Department of Redundancy Department? nah i like the IAS that was suggested earlier

[Captain Brandsson]

Would the "Artificers" references sound to specific to craftspeople?
A more encompassing, yet simple, name might be better...  Like "The Steam League" or some such.

Within "The League" there could be guilds, societies and whatnot for all manner of persuits.

[femonky]

I like that idea.
The over Arching League is responsible for bringing the guilds and crews and whatnot together for major meetups...
Now... what next?

[atriusofdni]

i just had a thought my friends... if we were to divide by area i think the best bet would be to go by population of personas so we could divide it like this Airship<Port<Town<City<State for something airship based for a navel based one Steam Boat<Port<Bay<Coastal City<State

[lorien_stormfeather]

I'm part of an airship only when the fancy strikes.

I agree that there is no need for a general banner, over seers of any kind or even "guidelines".
Groups will grow organically geographically, or not, all by themselves. They should be able to arrange and govern themselves as needed, desired or deemed necessary.

Air ships/boats/trains/townships/orgs and their crews will come and go.

It might be fun to have a tounge-in-cheek membership card, stickers etc. but not taken seriously.
we're playin kids...

Spare me from snobbish discussions of what is period "Steampunk". It most certainly is not "period" correct, but in fact out of period/place, an alternate universe in my definition. Keep it creative.

If you want structure go join the SCA, ren, victoriana or other re-enactor guilds. Yes, I've many years experience with these. and one will find good people and bad just like any group, so it is not them I reject, but the idea that guidelines like these groups have even applies to Steampunk.

Self expression, freedom, friends and fun are what are important to me...just call me a costume slut.

[BaronPablo]

On the name, not all of us are Imperials.