The Great Guild Meeting

[Tokala]

Alright, I'd like people that have an objection to the way Steampunk and Brassport are currently running to contact me either through PM or MSN. I don't particularly want to get into things on the board as my thoughts aren't completely organized, and I find it much easier to speak one on one with points listed in logical orders. If anyone would like to speak with me more on the issue, MSN is currently the easiest way for me to communicate.

[Rider]

[glow=red,2,300]Power =/= technology.

We have a guild full of mages that could blast us out to oblivion at any given moment. But they don't 'cause they're goody-two-shoes.

The Steampunks have little to no magic. Every other guild has mages.

'nuff said.[/glow]

[Draco]

Hmm... I never seen Moltara City before. I just checked it out, pretty cool A tad dark, but from what I read it's underground.... So that, with Elizabethan style homes, and a bit of sunshine, may look nice ^_^

Anyways... The tech that Brassport has put out isn't all that big. The largest amount of tech so far are the large flying ships, powered by alchemy based steam. Gil has adopted some of the workings of The Choppa into the PM, but which is the only hybrid of powers.

Weaponry... The most they have are some basic turret's. The fire power of a individual is close to nothing. So far I haven't read of any character carry a gun who is Steampunk. Gil bearly revealed he has throwing knives and katars (wrist blades). If anything the highest amount of power a Steampunk may hold, is in fact a pistol I think. The alchemists for the most part, so far haven't rally been in the story, only use their powers for tech and inventing. They might be able to use it to fight, but would be the under powered compared to a normal Mage (maybe same level as mage trainee). They're just a little creative in what they may be able to do.

If Gil was to get into a Fleet Ship, he would be overwhelmed. He would love it, but also hate it. Mostly because he knows he would never be able to create or work with the tech in it. And chances are, he might not be able to pilot it, even though he's a expert pilot and a fast learner. This may hold true to a lot of other characters or future made characters.

Now for releasing the tech to other guilds... In most cases, they may allow it (unless a guild wide meeting decides to limit the tech distributed). I was thinking for the most part that the only tech that leaves Brassport in the near future will be the Merc Base, if they still wish for help rebuilding, and possibly a train route? Face it, it's to long of a walk to get everywhere. I'm still thinking how to make that work, but it still wouldn't happen until after GWIII.

So similar to how the Fleet can limit themselves back to a certain level, Steampunk can also limit themselves in some way if people believe them to be over powered or over-teched.

[Tokala]

Draco has it just about right. I was planning a train route to some of the more major locations if people were amiable (face it, the steam engine kind of has to happen.)

As far as the alchemists, they're mostly useless if you consider a combat sense. Alchemy circles in Brassport are for the most part stationary, as creating movable ones takes far more effort. (It may have gotten lost in the smoke of GWIII, but Athar is basically the only one with a portable circle, stitched into his cloak, and that killed several of the students he needed to help make it.)

Zepplins... not that big a deal when you consider spaceships and choppers flying around.

Guns... Yes, they could exist, yes they would be about on par with flintlocks, maybe a less accurate and a little more reliable.

Honestly, this is an issue that I think is best resolved by the Steampunkers themselves, but if people severely disagree, a full long discussion can be had. (And may the Gods have mercy on our souls)

[Rider]

[glow=red,2,300]The thing is, it'd be good for business for them to spread their technology, bottle and sell it.

It would be terrible for security. These people just landed on another plane when they didn't even think it was possible. They're not going to trust anyone enough to sell them their science. Not even their allies.[/glow]

[Deleted]

I agree with Rider. When you think about it, it is up to the RPer themselves. A guild is only as powerful as the guildpeople within so as long as no one godmodes then there isn't a problem. If issues arise in the future then we can deal with them then.

As for Hunty's list, our first priority should be 6 and 7. Getting some rules set in solid stone and actually enforcing them makes things much easier. Everyone knows where they stand. ^_^

[Huntress]

Well, the thing with Steampunk is, it can be applied to anything and everything you ever care to think of. Steampunk guns? Doable. Steampunk trains? Sure thing. Steampunk computers? Heck yes. Steampunk giant spider mechas? Yes, if mostly because nobody's yet told Will Smith to stop acting. Steampunk is a kind of idea, one that isn't confined to any era in particular. And at the same time, the guilds are pretty firmly confined to a high fantasy setting. What I'd basically like to avoid here is all sorts of modern technology seeping in with the excuse of "it's steampunk, so it's okay" because that's just not what the spirit of the guilds is about. Otherwise we could pretty easily get a huge Wells-esque metropolis of brass and gears right next to Dunburrow and that'd instantly kick the entire guildworld forward in time for a couple centuries, leaving the old less-advanced-by-default guilds behind in the dust. And then we'd have to pimp our equipment and characters to keep up and basically lose the flavor our guilds have now.

Long story short, we'd have to set in stone what kind of tech level to have in the guilds and what not to have. For instance, airships are cool by me. A railroad network, not so much. That's the modern-day industrial revolution right there and would inevitably bump the technological level forward, much like it did in the real world.

[Tokala]

I did make sure to specify that I was talking about Victorian Steampunk all the way through the creation process of the Guild.

That being said, computers are tended to shy away from in the Steampunk genre, unless we start talking about modded computer cases which make them look like boilers, but which aren't part of this discussion.

Also, High Fantasy does not usually include moon-bases and high science fiction.

High Fantasy and industrial revolution are actually much easier to mix than you would think. Industrial Revolution time-period is the reason vanilla steampunk exists, end of story on that one. Yes there are sub-genres that involve greece, but that's again... not what we're talking about here.

[Draco]

I agree that we need to discuss how far the tech should be.

I figured that most of the tech would remain in the city, similar to how Fleet keeps most of their stuff in their base. However if someone from another guild was to visit, they would now be in the middle of it, but that is their choice to come. The rest of the tech might leek out, either sold freely, smuggled, or black market.

The train idea was just a idea to me It seemed like fun ^_^ We could do a steamboat transport instead maybe.

Ships, there doesn't seem to be a huge problem with them. I personally picture the ships similar to some of the ones you see in the Final Fantasy series ^_^ Why have a large balloon that can pop and kill us all? XD

Alchemists. Like Toka said, not good for battle. It doesn't mean there aren't any. I mean some FMA style alchemists could be around, but mostly aren't known right now. Maybe with some influence from the mages they might start to appear that way, which would be cool

---

If we do end up having a IC Guild Meeting like discussed a while ago, then there can be some type of talk about a limit of tech being distributed out of the Steampunk and SpaceFleet Guild.

So if there is any real worry about it, they could be slapped with some type of fine or just have other guilds really angry at them.

[Deleted]

Mar 6, 2010 16:57:03 GMT -5 Tokala said:

I did make sure to specify that I was talking about Victorian Steampunk all the way through the creation process of the Guild.

That being said, computers are tended to shy away from in the Steampunk genre, unless we start talking about modded computer cases which make them look like boilers, but which aren't part of this discussion.

Also, High Fantasy does not usually include moon-bases and high science fiction.

High Fantasy and industrial revolution are actually much easier to mix than you would think. Industrial Revolution time-period is the reason vanilla steampunk exists, end of story on that one. Yes there are sub-genres that involve greece, but that's again... not what we're talking about here.

I disagree. High Fantasy is anything that is very far from modernity so Spacefleet, although technologically advanced, actually fits into the guildverse and the nerfed technology allows an even playing field.

But the Steampunk and Merc guilds do present an issue. I quote Hunty here: "The Industrial Revolution and the modern era were set off by, quite simply, speed. Distances no longer mattered because there was the railroad and steamships. That's what killed the oldie days. And that's what I suspect would kill the current oldie guilds. I mean, put a knight against a steam train and imagine the outcome."

I agree with here. We've got knights, pirates and ninjas who are three of the original guilds, highly loved by all and highly outclassed unless we have some sort of guideline. My silly boyfriend decided it'd be fun to have a choppa but that is way out there.

So, for each guild, I propose the following.
Mercs: No modern transport or weaponry. 15th/16th century stuff kinda like the pirates have.
Ninjas, Pirates: Pretty obvious
Knights: Sort of obvious. Medieval stuffs which DID include crossbows so I guess they're ok.
Spacefleet: Kinda hard to put a lid on. I guess it is up to the individual fleeter to make sure they're not godmoding, and if they are, it is up to the other fleeters to tell them to tone it down a bit? *shrug*
Steampunk: Airships, awesome gadgets, alchemy = all fine. Most of it is fine by me except trains. I love trains, but they don't seem to fit with the guilds. D:

[Celestial]

That sounds pretty reasonable, Sarn, and will probably do well with the characterisation of each guild.

And for Mages, up to the individual to do decide what to do but with magic?

Also, would it be a good idea for each guild to have an envoy to the others? It would promote guld interaction and allow for diplomacy to go easier. Perhaps have some people multi-guild or have a random NPC? I know we discussed a Mage/Knight envoy (whose NPC design I'm working on. >>;; ) but each guild having an envoy to the other guilds would be pushing it, or not?

[Shadaras]

I'll just say that I'm of the same general opinion about Steampunk as most people seem to be, and that yes, I'm watching this thread, just not posting because I can't really think of things right now.

Mar 6, 2010 18:20:16 GMT -5 Celestial said:

That sounds pretty reasonable, Sarn, and will probably do well with the characterisation of each guild.

And for Mages, up to the individual to do decide what to do but with magic?

Also, would it be a good idea for each guild to have an envoy to the others? It would promote guld interaction and allow for diplomacy to go easier. Perhaps have some people multi-guild or have a random NPC? I know we discussed a Mage/Knight envoy (whose NPC design I'm working on. >>;; ) but each guild having an envoy to the other guilds would be pushing it, or not?

Envoys would be lovely. I've pretty much retired Shade as a character and she's the head of the Knights' envoys/diplomacy people, so I can do whatever with Knightly envoys to other guilds.

[PFA]

Okay, might as well jump in with my Merc-flavored two cents here.

Dumbing down the Merc technology is not going to really do anything on my end since Jernath uses mostly bow, arrow and daggers... but I know that a good 90% of the guild was made up of a more modern flavor back in the day when it was more active. And frankly, I think it's gonna be a little tricky convincing that 90% to trash their guns just for the sake of fitting in with guildverse.

That said, I'm not really sure what we should do on the technological end of things. Frankly, I didn't realize it was even a problem. I think as long as guild members know their bounds and don't pwn everyone with godmode powerz, it shouldn't be too much of a problem, should it?

Of course, maybe I just don't know what I'm talking about here. XD;

[Celestial]

I don't really see why Mercs cannot be a mixed bunch when it comes to technology, since mercenary work tends to attract all sorts of people and we cannot regulate that. So it would be better to have a grey area of sorts when it came to the Merc guild.

After all, The Author is technically a merc and she is technology. xD

[Draco]

I actually agree with Sarn's guidelines They seem really reasonable. The only one I don't agree with is the Mercs.

A Merc can technically be ANYONE. So there is a good chance a rouge Ninja, a rouge Fleeter, a Pirate sick of the sea, maybe even a Steampunk soon, can all be a Merc. With the character comes what ever tech, weaponry, or knowledge that came from their previous guild (even if they never played that character IN that guild). Of course they could also be people who never joined a guild (straight from a village, town, or farm). Maybe they dig through the trash of other guilds and steal stuff?

I believe the Mercs to be the melting pot of the guilds, and may have a little bit of everything a little. I admit that they had some really high tech stuff before, and I thought the Chopper was out of place (now its property of Steampunk ;p). But now that their original base blew up, maybe things can change a little.