Victorian Sci-Fi

[oldskoolrebel]

Hello rivet-lovers, steam-junkies and 'Nef nuts!

For a while now I've been looking at all the glossy pictures of Victorian Sci-fi and been truly mystified. I think I'm beginning to see the attraction but I'm struggling with the context. Just exactly what is the inspiration for your wonderful adventures?.

Colin is/was planning a VSF campaign in Savageworlds, and I must admit I was a little interested. However having a quick look through this board I've been surprised to see that it is largely played as a wargame. Hmm I'm now a little more confused. Can some one explain?



Please 

Cheers
Confused Andy

[Plynkes]

I'm with you. For me VSF is about adventures and interesting stories, and is much more suited to role-playing and small scale narrative-based skirmish games. But that's just personal taste.



Edited to remove grumpy old fart comment about VSF that added nothing to the discussion but negative waves. Always with the negative waves, Moriaty. 

[Dewbakuk]

I'd suspect the original inspiration for people is the writings of Jules Verne, ERB and HG Wells. Things like War of the Worlds, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Warlord of Mars etc, all of which (unlike the film version) are based in the Victorian period (or near as damn it before someone says something about WotW).

It's essentially a forwarding of technology while keeping to the victorian ideals and aesthetics.

After that, we grab an idea and run with it A good example that's easy to show is my VSF Venus campaign background at the top of this board.

[Malamute]

Colin is/was planning a VSF campaign in Savageworlds, and I must admit I was a little interested. However having a quick look through this board I've been surprised to see that it is largely played as a wargame. Hmm I'm now a little more confused. Can some one explain?



Please 

Cheers
Confused Andy

I think its easily suited to either RPG games, small skirmishes or equally the larger battles that have graced this forum.

If you look back over the last year we have been playing several ongoing campaigns. One is Dewbakuk's lovely Venus setting and the other is England invaded.

However the real reason for the large games you have seen is the excuse to get all our toys onto the table at the same time

[Gluteus Maximus]

Hello rivet-lovers, steam-junkies and 'Nef nuts!

For a while now I've been looking at all the glossy pictures of Victorian Sci-fi and been truly mystified. I think I'm beginning to see the attraction but I'm struggling with the context. Just exactly what is the inspiration for your wonderful adventures?.

Colin is/was planning a VSF campaign in Savageworlds, and I must admit I was a little interested. However having a quick look through this board I've been surprised to see that it is largely played as a wargame. Hmm I'm now a little more confused. Can some one explain?



Please 

Cheers
Confused Andy

Being able to use conventional troops from my all-time favourite period, alongside pretty well anything else I decide to throw in ( dinosaurs, ridiculously implausible machines, Lord Of The Rings "Moria Orcs" as Troglodytes, flying monkeys, insane oriental masterminds, fictional detectives etc etc)

Suitable for small-scale RPGs or overblown hollywood-style epic battles. You can use historical uniforms etc or invent your own. Likewise with countries. Dr Who also often visits the Victorian era, so you can stick him and Cybermen in there too, if you wish.

Really, it's perfect for people who have a vivid imagination, as unlike "proper" SciFi or fantasy it doesn't really suffer from the pre-conceptions forced on us from Hollywood or the world's leading gaming hobby empire 

To quote some silly sportswear adds - Just Do It!

 

[Mancha]

On this subject of what was and what might have been, I heard an interesting story on National Public Radio (NPR) yesterday about Charles Babage's Difference Engine, which never was, but almost (and eventually) came to be.  The commentator suggested that had he been able to complete it, there might have been a steam-driven technological revolution.  Here's the story if anyone's interested:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=121206408

[Skrapwelder]

Check out William Gibson's book The Difference Engine in which just such a scenario is detailed. If I recall correctly the British empire immediately puts Babbage's device to the task of cataloging all available information about anyone they care to for the purposes of national security. Hmmm

I got the opportunity to see the engine here in California when the exhibit first opened. Very impressive.

[Red Orc]

Being able to use conventional troops from my all-time favourite period, alongside pretty well anything else I decide to throw in ( dinosaurs, ridiculously implausible machines, Lord Of The Rings "Moria Orcs" as Troglodytes, flying monkeys, insane oriental masterminds, fictional detectives etc etc)...

Seconded. I do all of those, having an RPG campaign set on Atlantis (actually a version of Brian Lumley's Primal Continent of Theem'hdra) where Victorian adventurers and adventuresses (including a platoon of late Victorian British Line Infantry) mix with energy-gun wielding Atlanteans, Wild West outlaws, Dr Who, superheroes, villains with submarines, sinister magicians, Detectives with deerstalkers, lizard men as Deep Ones and lots of orcs and goblins saying "no, no, we're Morlocks really".

And dinosaurs of course, gotta have dinosaurs.

[Gluteus Maximus]

Check out William Gibson's book The Difference Engine in which just such a scenario is detailed. If I recall correctly the British empire immediately puts Babbage's device to the task of cataloging all available information about anyone they care to for the purposes of national security. Hmmm

That could never happen in reality though, with our open and free society  

[Gluteus Maximus]

Seconded. I do all of those, having an RPG campaign set on Atlantis (actually a version of Brian Lumley's Primal Continent of Theem'hdra) where Victorian adventurers and adventuresses (including a platoon of late Victorian British Line Infantry) mix with energy-gun wielding Atlanteans, Wild West outlaws, Dr Who, superheroes, villains with submarines, sinister magicians, Detectives with deerstalkers, lizard men as Deep Ones and lots of orcs and goblins saying "no, no, we're Morlocks really".

And dinosaurs of course, gotta have dinosaurs.

That's my kinda place 

[Red Orc]

Thanks Gluteus, your posts on here were one of the things that convinced me I wasn't completely mental to go for it. Or, if I was, it was at least an illness that we shared 

[Gluteus Maximus]

Thanks Gluteus, your posts on here were one of the things that convinced me I wasn't completely mental to go for it. Or, if I was, it was at least an illness that we shared 

I can't possibly comment 


 

[OSHIROmodels]

There's something Grand about VSF, it's hard to explain what it is and it varies for different people but I think some of it stems from the fact that the Victorians themselves pretty much started the whole sci-fi/fantasy aspect of life and everything has come on from there.

Maybe 

cheers

James

[Skrapwelder]

It's a fine madness.

Really it is. I was just looking at a bunch of Tartars I ordered from The Assault Group for one of my Renaissance armies and thinking: "You know, if I just gave them Remingtons they'd be perfect light cavalry for my Tsarists."

[Sinewgrab]

A fine madness indeed.

For me, it was the ability to try and build steam-driven fantasy, and combine many of the models I love the look of, and combine them with my desire to challenge my own ability to scratchbuild things, as well as repurpose already completed models. For example, my Norwegian Forces now include:

Brigade Models Belgians (they were the closest uniform I could find to the 1890 Norwegian uniform)
Pulp Figures mad scientists
a Reaper Iron Golem
Warmachine Khador warjacks
2 scratchbuilt Aeronefs
Warhammer fantasy Dwarf Gyrocopters with replaced pilots (more Belgians as pilots with Maxim Guns added)
Pulp Figures Gyro-pirates and Cloud Hoppers (to crew the 'Nefs)
Warhammer 40k Tanks
Foundry Thor figure
Demonblade Walkers
and some other bits and stuff...

And it also allowed me to do a Martian game recently that included Star Wars prepaint Tusken Raiders, Bronze Age Red and Green Martians, and my Norwegians. It was a kick in the pants.