''GURPS Steampunk'' is a

role-playing game A role-playing game (sometimes spelled roleplaying game, or abbreviated as RPG) is a game in which players assume the roles of player character, characters in a fictional Setting (narrative), setting. Players take responsibility for acting out ...

sourcebook written by William H. Stoddard and published by

Steve Jackson Games Steve Jackson Games (SJGames) is a game company, founded in 1980 by Steve Jackson, that creates and publishes role-playing, board, and card games, and (until 2019) the gaming magazine ''Pyramid''. History Founded in 1980, six years after the cr ...

in 2000. The supplement facilitates play in the

steampunk Steampunk is a subgenre of science fiction that incorporates retrofuturistic technology and Applied arts, aesthetics inspired by, but not limited to, 19th-century Industrial Revolution, industrial steam engine, steam-powered machinery. Steampun ...

genre using the ''

GURPS The ''Generic Universal Role Playing System'', or ''GURPS'', is a tabletop role-playing game system published by Steve Jackson Games. The system is designed to run any genre using the same core mechanics. The core rules were first written by St ...

'' system. Upon publication, the book won the

Origins Award The Origins Awards are American awards for outstanding work in the gaming industry. They are presented by the Game Manufacturers Association (GAMA) at the Origins Game Fair on an annual basis for games released in the preceding year. For example, t ...

for "Best Roleplaying Supplement". As the most detailed definition of the genre at the time, it was also credited with reifying the attributes of steampunk. ''GURPS Steampunk'' was accompanied by licensed publications in the world of '' Castle Falkenstein'' and followed by supplements by Jo Ramsay and

Phil Masters Phil Masters is a British role-playing game designer and author. Career Phil Masters' writing credits in role-playing games go back to ''White Dwarf'' Magazine #20 and the ''Fiend Folio'' of ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons''. Masters wrote about h ...

. Since 2016, SJG has published additional releases in the genre, compatible with ''GURPS Fourth Edition''.

GURPS and steampunk

is the Generic Universal RolePlaying System, a tabletop

role-playing game system A tabletop role-playing game (TTRPG or TRPG), also known as a pen-and-paper role-playing game, is a kind of role-playing game (RPG) in which the participants describe their characters' actions through speech and sometimes movements. Participants d ...

designed to allow for play in any setting, created by

in 1986.

Steampunk Steampunk is a subgenre of science fiction that incorporates retrofuturistic technology and Applied arts, aesthetics inspired by, but not limited to, 19th-century Industrial Revolution, industrial steam engine, steam-powered machinery. Steampun ...

is a

science fiction Science fiction (often shortened to sci-fi or abbreviated SF) is a genre of speculative fiction that deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts. These concepts may include information technology and robotics, biological manipulations, space ...

subgenre Genre () is any style or form of communication in any mode (written, spoken, digital, artistic, etc.) with socially agreed-upon conventions developed over time. In popular usage, it normally describes a category of literature, music, or other for ...

concerned with 19th-century industrial steam-powered or clockwork machinery, bringing the modern or futuristic concepts of robotics, computers, or other ahistorical machines into the

Victorian era In the history of the United Kingdom and the British Empire, the Victorian era was the reign of Queen Victoria, from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. Slightly different definitions are sometimes used. The era followed the ...

''GURPS Steampunk''

''GURPS Steampunk'' was published on November 1, 2000, written by William H. Stoddard, and edited by Alain H. Dawson. Stoddard was an editor for scientific publications and for ''Prometheus'', the

Libertarian Futurist Society The Prometheus Award is an award for libertarian science fiction given annually by the Libertarian Futurist Society. American author and activist L. Neil Smith established the Best Novel category for the award in 1979; however, it was not awarde ...

newsletter. He cites

Michael Flynn Michael Thomas Flynn (born 24 December 1958) is a retired United States Army lieutenant general who served as the 24th U.S. national security advisor for the first 22 days of the first Trump administration. He resigned in light of reports tha ...

Prometheus Award The Prometheus Award is an award for libertarian science fiction given annually by the Libertarian Futurist Society. American author and activist L. Neil Smith established the Best Novel category for the award in 1979; however, it was not award ...

-winning book, ''In the Country of the Blind'', as one of his main inspirations for ''GURPS Steampunk''. Stoddard had previously contributed to other GURPS publications, but this was his first book main author credit. He would later become the president of the Libertarian Futurist Society, and the principal author of other GURPS books, including the fourth edition versions of ''

GURPS Fantasy ''GURPS Fantasy'' is a ''Genre Toolkit'' source book which was first designed by Steve Jackson and published by Steve Jackson Games in 1986 for the ''GURPS'' role-playing game. It presented a magic system for the game as well as background info ...

'' and ''

GURPS Supers ''GURPS Supers'' is a superhero roleplaying game written by Loyd Blankenship and published by Steve Jackson Games. The first edition was published in 1989. Contents ''GURPS Supers'' is a supplement of rules for comic-book superhero characters and ...

'', as well as creating ''GURPS Social Engineering'', which won an

ENnie Award The ENNIE Awards (previously stylized as ENnie Awards) are awards for role-playing game (RPG) products (including game-related accessories, publications, and art) and their creators. The awards were created in 2001 by Russ Morrissey of EN World ...

in 2012. ''GURPS Steampunk'' is a genre book, providing information about the steampunk setting, but relying on the GURPS Basic Set for much of the play mechanics. It starts with extensive factual information about the

Victorian Age In the history of the United Kingdom and the British Empire, the Victorian era was the reign of Queen Victoria, from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. Slightly different definitions are sometimes used. The era followed th ...

, before going into campaign possibilities that arise from steampunk technology and alternative histories and their. It uses the existing GURPS Technology Level mechanics, but introduces the concept of a diversion, specifically setting most GURPS Steampunk campaigns at TL5+1 (the historical Age of Steam plus the ahistorical innovations, which have many of the effects of later technology levels). It ends with four possible

alternate histories Alternate history (also referred to as alternative history, allohistory, althist, or simply A.H.) is a subgenre of speculative fiction in which one or more historical events have occurred but are resolved differently than in actual history. As ...

for suggested campaigns, each with a date of divergence from real history: Etheria, with interplanetary travel; Iron, a

dystopian A dystopia (lit. "bad place") is an imagined world or society in which people lead wretched, dehumanized, fearful lives. It is an imagined place (possibly state) in which everything is unpleasant or bad, typically a totalitarian or environmenta ...

Marxist Marxism is a political philosophy and method of socioeconomic analysis. It uses a dialectical and materialist interpretation of historical development, better known as historical materialism, to analyse class relations, social conflic ...

industrial timeline; Qabala, with

golems A golem ( ; ) is an animated anthropomorphic being in Jewish folklore, which is created entirely from inanimate matter, usually clay or mud. The most famous golem narrative involves Judah Loew ben Bezalel, the late 16th-century rabbi of Prague. ...

; and Providence, with a religious secret society. ''GURPS Steampunk'' received the 2000

for Best Roleplaying Supplement. Though not the first, it was the longest and most detailed definition of the steampunk genre to that point, and was followed by a number of steampunk settings for other roleplaying games. It was reprinted multiple times, including in

hardcover A hardcover, hard cover, or hardback (also known as hardbound, and sometimes as casebound (At p. 247.)) book is one bookbinding, bound with rigid protective covers (typically of binder's board or heavy paperboard covered with buckram or other clo ...

in 2002, and received a 1.3 version update in 2018.

GURPS licensed steampunk publications

''GURPS Difference Engine''

The 1990 novel ''

The Difference Engine ''The Difference Engine'' (1990) is an alternative history novel by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling. It has been described as an early work of the steampunk genre, and is regarded as having helped to establish that genre's conventions. It ...

'' by

William Gibson William Ford Gibson (born March 17, 1948) is an American-Canadian speculative fiction writer and essayist widely credited with pioneering the science fiction subgenre known as cyberpunk. Beginning his writing career in the late 1970s, his ear ...

and

Bruce Sterling Michael Bruce Sterling (born April 14, 1954) is an American science fiction author known for his novels and short fiction and editorship of the ''Mirrorshades'' anthology. In particular, he is linked to the cyberpunk subgenre. Sterling's first ...

, is often credited with popularizing the concept of steampunk. In 1991 and 1992, Sterling and Jackson respectively announced ''GURPS Difference Engine'', an adaptation of the setting of the novel for the role-playing game, as "in the works". However the author working on the book died during its development, and although '' Space: 1889'' contributor Mark Clark held discussions with SJG about submitting a proposal, by 1997 the project was defunct.

''GURPS Castle Falkenstein''

In the second half of 2000, SJG released another ''GURPS'' steampunk offering: ''GURPS Castle Falkenstein'', by

James Cambias James Cambias (also as James L. Cambias) is an American science fiction and fantasy writer and tabletop game designer. Biography Born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana, Cambias became interested in space and astronomy at a young age. He rec ...

and

. '' Castle Falkenstein'' was a highly original role-playing game by

Mike Pondsmith Michael Alyn Pondsmith is an American Role-playing game, roleplaying, Board game, board, and video game designer. He founded the publisher R. Talsorian Games in 1982, where he developed a majority of the company's role-playing game lines. Pondsm ...

, which offered Victorian adventure in an alternate history where Steampunk technology operated alongside magic, and faerie races enriched the setting. The original game had largely ended production by the time Steve Jackson licensed the property from

R. Talsorian Games R. Talsorian Games (RTG) is a designer and publisher of role-playing game books and accessories. Originally based in Berkeley, California, the company was moved to Renton, Washington, in 1997. Their titles include the ''Cyberpunk'' series and sev ...

, engaging designers with previous experience in both ''GURPS'' and ''Castle Falkenstein'' to produce the ''GURPS'' adaptation. According to Masters, the goal of the project was not to adapt ''Falkenstein''s original mechanics to ''GURPS'' so much as to present its ''New Europa'' setting as a backdrop for ''GURPS'' players; nevertheless, a new magic system is included to satisfy the setting's unique requirements. and was praised by some critics.

''GURPS Castle Falkenstein: Ottoman Empire''

''GURPS Castle Falkenstein: Ottoman Empire'', by Masters, was another steampunk offering, released in 2002 under the same license as ''GURPS Castle Falkenstein''. Unlike most GURPS system conversions, this book introduces new material at the frontiers of the ''New Europa'' setting that had not been included in R. Talsorian publications, presenting game statistics for the original ''Castle Falkenstein'' game as well as ''GURPS''. In his "Designers Notes" for the book, Masters reveals that the book originated in a draft he had written for R. Talsorian before they shut down the line. Masters was therefore able to publish the material he had previously developed, while adding ''GURPS'' statistics; in spite of the alternate history and steamtech elements, the book emphasizes the potential of adventures based on the documented culture and history of the

Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empire, was an empire, imperial realm that controlled much of Southeast Europe, West Asia, and North Africa from the 14th to early 20th centuries; it also controlled parts of southeastern Centr ...

GURPS Third Edition steampunk supplements

''GURPS Steam-Tech'' was a 2001 supplement providing ideas, and game statistics, for alternative history inventions for steampunk games. In the style of the historical ('' GURPS High-Tech'' and ''Low-Tech'') and futuristic ('' Bio-Tech'' and '' Ultra-Tech'') tech guides published for GURPS, ''Steam-Tech'' presents fictional machines to be incorporated in a variety of settings and campaigns within the genre. Stoddard selected and compiled the work of 33 authors, including Jo Ramsay and Phil Masters who authored other Steammpunk supplements for GURPS. Developing analytical engines and other counterfactual technologies raised questions about the rules for technological design included in other GURPS publications, and ended up clarifying the machinery rules for ''GURPS Steampunk''. ''GURPS Screampunk'' was a short supplement also published in 2001, written by Jo Ramsay, which presented a combination of steampunk and

gothic horror Gothic fiction, sometimes referred to as Gothic horror (primarily in the 20th century), is a literary aesthetic of fear and haunting. The name of the genre is derived from the Renaissance era use of the word "gothic", as a pejorative to mean m ...

elements for roleplaying. This crossover had seldom been touched by previous game publications. Although Gothic horror literature flourished in the decades preceding the Victorian era in which most of the Steampunk genre is set, the book makes the case that invoking Gothic aspects can help compensate for weaker or more superficial aspects of steamtech storytelling. ''Screampunk'' was praised by reviewers for the instruction it offered on including gothic horror themes in roleplaying games - advice that was seen as applicable outside of GURPS.

GURPS Fourth Edition steampunk supplements

was the main author of the following GURPS Fourth Edition works, published in electronic format. ''GURPS Infinite Worlds: Britannica-6'' is a steampunk-inspired campaign setting written in 2008, an alternate history world within the

GURPS Infinite Worlds ''GURPS Infinite Worlds'' is a supplement for the Fourth Edition of the ''GURPS'' role-playing game, published by Steve Jackson Games in 2005 in games, 2005 and written by Kenneth Hite, Steve Jackson (US), Steve Jackson, and John M. Ford. It ex ...

game universe. Masters describes it as TL5+2, diesel-electric (rather than steam), and

Regency era The Regency era of British history is commonly understood as the years between and 1837, although the official regency for which it is named only spanned the years 1811 to 1820. King George III first suffered debilitating illness in the lat ...

rather than Victorian. ''GURPS Steampunk 1: Settings and Style'' was an October 2016 book, the first in a numbered series updating the ''GURPS Steampunk'' rules for GURPS Fourth Edition. The intent was to reflect the changes both in GURPS and in steampunk that took place since the original publication in 2000. The book includes a review of sources - both historical and steampunk fiction - and advice on using the setting in a roleplaying campaign. ''GURPS Vehicles: Steampunk Conveyances'' followed in August 2017. While ostensibly part of the GURPS Vehicles series, ''Steampunk Conveyances'' is linked in to ''GURPS Steampunk 1: Settings and Style'' both thematically and explicitly in the text. It provides fourth-edition statistics for a number of vehicles, including some from the original ''GURPS Steampunk'' book. ''GURPS Steampunk 2: Steam and Shellfire'', published in November 2018, is a listing of technological gadgets other than vehicles. It updates old examples to the fourth edition of GURPS while also introducing new ones. ''GURPS Steampunk 3: Soldiers and Scientists'' followed in February 2019. It focuses on steampunk

characters Character or Characters may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Literature * ''Character'' (novel), a 1936 Dutch novel by Ferdinand Bordewijk * ''Characters'' (Theophrastus), a classical Greek set of character sketches attributed to Theoph ...

, providing notes and creation templates for people from the setting. ''GURPS Steampunk Setting: The Broken Clockwork World'' is a short campaign setting about a steampunk based alternate reality crossing to our world, released in July 2020.

Reviews

*'' Backstab'' #27

References

External links

* {{Official website, http://www.sjgames.com/gurps/books/steampunk/ Alternate history role-playing games Campaign settings

Origins Award winners Role-playing game supplements introduced in 2000 Steampunk role-playing games