redstripe Posted August 2, 2009 Report Share Posted August 2, 2009 I know in the writing I did for the book, I was really trying to emphasize the victorian (an urban setting distinct from the frontier "wild west" setting,) horror (especially cosmic horror,) and steampunk and retro-futurism. I talk a lot about the research done on the extinct culture of Malifaux (science being an element of Victorian and steampunk genres) and about revelations beyond the capacity of humans to concieve (a defining element of cosmic horror.) Haha, did anyone believe any of that? Man, I just wrote about a bunch of ice-cold femme-fatales and barney badasses kicking ass and taking names. I even had one of the characters invent a new curse word. Now, that's literature! (Oh, I also snuck in a reference to Mallory, in there. That's romantic literature, punks!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AoM Posted August 3, 2009 Report Share Posted August 3, 2009 Lol, I wasn't complaining, mostly wondering, as I knew very little about deadlands before working on Malifaux (still don't know much except what Wikipedia told me, lol). Also I think I've been thinking a lot about Steampunk the last couple weeks as I brainstorm for the next expansion...we need to see who builds the Peacekeepers after all. Ramos, for example, tends to have everyone agree that he's steampunk. I don't see very much steampunk about him at all. He uses so much electricity and the look of his spiders are way too high tech to look steampunky to me. But I'm not up in arms about it trying to sway everyone's opinion against him representing steampunk. I don't have anything to add to the genre discussion. I just wants me my Peacekeeper! Eric, stop teasing me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keltheos Posted August 3, 2009 Report Share Posted August 3, 2009 For me, visually, I tie it strongly in with the Weird West and dark Victoriana themes. Take Victorian London, and the Old West, Now tie a big rope around a butte in New Mexico and Trafalgar Square, then pull the two locations together so they're overlapping in theme/setting/style and you get closer to what I've always envisioned Malifaux being. Think Wild Bill Cody and Jack The Ripper rubbing elbows in a dusty saloon in the Badlands or taking in a production of Hamlet on Drury Lane and you'll see where I'm leaning. The Ripper's England and the waning Wild West weren't all that far apart chronologically to where the only thing separating them was the distance. And, the best part, since it's Wyrd's creation it doesn't have to tie directly into a theme. It may have some of the trappings of the Old West or Victorian London, or even our Earth, but it moves past them and makes the setting uniquely its own with the ancient civilization and endless City that is Malifaux. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redstripe Posted August 3, 2009 Report Share Posted August 3, 2009 And, the best part, since it's Wyrd's creation it doesn't have to tie directly into a theme. It may have some of the trappings of the Old West or Victorian London, or even our Earth, but it moves past them and makes the setting uniquely its own with the ancient civilization and endless City that is Malifaux. Also, there are zombies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AoM Posted August 3, 2009 Report Share Posted August 3, 2009 Selling points I've used to tease people with during playtesting: If you like zombie hookers, this is the game for you. If you like sexy latin chicks with guns, this is the game for you. If you like crazy men who punch people with dynamite, this is the game for you. If you like crazy rednecks with shotguns AND you like gremlins, this is the game for you. If you like robotic constructs that are half zombie, half machine, this is the game for you. If you like evil children, this is the game for you. If you just want to run a list made entirely of women who do nothing but kick everyone's ass without breaking a sweat, this is the game for you. Seriously, what doesn't this game have? Oh yeah, that's right. No pirates AND no ninjas. Thank goodness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBugKing Posted August 3, 2009 Report Share Posted August 3, 2009 Also, there are zombies. Everything is better with zombies. And dead hookers that solve issues with sheer force of numbers. There are those themes as well as steampunk elements. NE, I'll have to disagree with you to some extent about Ramos not really being Steampunk. He is partly machine and builds steam (And soul stone) powered constructs. The fact that they have a Mecha look to them does not change the fact that there is a mix of high technology tinted with magic set in a Victorian setting. It is NOT classic Steampunk for certain where everything has a relatively unfinished look to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarrazon Posted August 3, 2009 Report Share Posted August 3, 2009 BUT it does have samurai. Zombie samurai at that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AoM Posted August 3, 2009 Report Share Posted August 3, 2009 I love how you went from casual interest to needing boxes from 2 factions, Sarr. There are a few more steampunk pieces coming, I believe. I'm hoping for one of those to come out at Gen Con. (or is that 3 of those?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nerdelemental Posted August 4, 2009 Report Share Posted August 4, 2009 Everything is better with zombies. And dead hookers that solve issues with sheer force of numbers. There are those themes as well as steampunk elements. NE, I'll have to disagree with you to some extent about Ramos not really being Steampunk. He is partly machine and builds steam (And soul stone) powered constructs. The fact that they have a Mecha look to them does not change the fact that there is a mix of high technology tinted with magic set in a Victorian setting. It is NOT classic Steampunk for certain where everything has a relatively unfinished look to it. Yeah, that's actually my point. If we're talking about genre, then by definition it's about the expectations the reader/audience, etc., has to be fulfilled by the experience. You can justify Ramos, as I have, too, and say he doesn't fit the classic version of steampunk but this is just a variation of it. To that, I say that's exactly how to successfully use genre. Fulfill expectations but make changes. If you alter too much then it isn't the genre anymore and might irritate the viewer expecting some of those expectations to get fulfilled and getting irritated that they weren't. In teaching this I use Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope to illustrate my point. SW is way more of a high fantasy with minor wild west genre elements than it is true science fiction. But the setting is so much in the science fiction realm that viewers immediately accept it as science fiction and usually don't even think about the rescue of the princess held in the fortress of a powerful evil wizard by knights in shiny armor. That's part of SW's success. Like I said, many say "Ramos is Steampunk" and I don't try to dissuade that thought. Rasputina fulfills my expectations of a steampunk image more than Ramos does, but it's my hope that Keltheos has it the best of all of us in this thread: elements of wild west meets London gas light and new ground is struck in this new game. It's a strong part of the appeal. Jack the Ripper, resurrected from the dead, faces off against a spell slinging Billy the Kid who fires a bolt of electricity from one hand while quick drawing his colt with the other. neat. That's what I want. I don't know diddly about this "Deadlands". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redstripe Posted August 4, 2009 Report Share Posted August 4, 2009 There may be argument as to whether Ramos is steampunk or not, but steampunk is certainly an aspect of the setting. The Hollow Marsh Pumping Station might as well be the steampunk capital. The Holister's Automata Orchestra provided music for its founding gala and Saint Genevieve, embodied in brass, watches over its six giant steam pumps along with her fellow saints, standing atop its six towering smoke stacks. Six giant flywheels turn endlessly aside these pumps, decorated in detailed filigree, each wheel depicting a scene that describes a legend or myth associated with water. Lead pipes stretch throughout the landscape, connecting the Hollow Marsh Facility with dozens of mining sites in the area. The Facility keeps these mines dry, despite the marshy landscape, making these shafts safe from flooding that would otherwise drown unfortunate miners. These pipes converge at Hollow Marsh, water drawn by its enormous pumps to be released into the glassy effluent pond behind. These pipes also provide the infrastructure for a simple telegraph system that allows the mines to communicate with each other in order to better respond to emergencies and to coordinate the collection of soulstone ore. Within Hollow Marsh can be found the offices of the Miners and Steamfitters Union and of Doctor Ramos, himself. His office looks as if it were the aftermath of a great cyclone, detailed schematics strewn throughout. A vistor to this office, with an eye for the technical, might discover the M&SU's designs are less than altruistic and the devices rendered in the Union machine shops can have little to do with mining innovation. There is one project, in particular, that is of great interest to me, described in arcane blueprints at this office, but I'll leave you to discover the nature of that endevour in the pages of the Malifaux rule book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angus Khan Posted August 4, 2009 Report Share Posted August 4, 2009 Fantastic teaser, Red, thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nilus Posted August 4, 2009 Report Share Posted August 4, 2009 Jack the Ripper, resurrected from the dead, faces off against a spell slinging Billy the Kid who fires a bolt of electricity from one hand while quick drawing his colt with the other. neat. That's what I want. I don't know diddly about this "Deadlands". The funny thing is I think I played in a Deadlands game that had almost exactly what you just described. Like others have said. Given the time frame(not sure if that's the right descriptor as Malifaux isn't earth, maybe Time style) of both games(IE Old West for us Yanks, while still near Victorian across the pond), The addition of Horror and magic(especially steam punk and undead elements) and you start stomping around the same pond genre wise. No worries though, its a big pond with plenty of stories and ideas. Those unfamiliar might assume Malifaux is just like Deadlands but anyone with more then a passing interest will see plenty of differences. That being said Deadlands is a fine game(both Classic and Savage World) and Malifaux is a very original setting for a mini game. It's not like people are comparing you guys to Rifts or Synnibar or FATAL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AoM Posted August 4, 2009 Report Share Posted August 4, 2009 Within Hollow Marsh can be found the offices of the Miners and Steamfitters Union and of Doctor Ramos, himself. His office looks as if it were the aftermath of a great cyclone, detailed schematics strewn throughout. A vistor to this office, with an eye for the technical, might discover the M&SU's designs are less than altruistic and the devices rendered in the Union machine shops can have little to do with mining innovation. Damn, TBK. Even Redstripe's blowing your cover now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBugKing Posted August 4, 2009 Report Share Posted August 4, 2009 Damn, TBK. Even Redstripe's blowing your cover now. Right. Well at least I have cover and I would have you all note that it states that not ALL the designs are of altruistic nature. The fact that they are not is simply a response to Guild encroachment and hostilities. How would one protect the innocent if you appease the oppressors and step aside. Force must be met with an equal or greater force. Otherwise the Guild would simply steamroll the Arcanists into oblivion and the miners and steamfitters would begin dieing in great numbers again. The guild can claim that their actions are in the interest of the common person but their despotic actions are really designed to keep the commoner down and make the rich richer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WEiRD sKeTCH Posted August 4, 2009 Report Share Posted August 4, 2009 It's not like people are comparing you guys to Rifts or Synnibar or FATAL WHY WOULD YOU MENTION FATAL??!!!1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBugKing Posted August 4, 2009 Report Share Posted August 4, 2009 Who IS this guy? Has anyone HEARD of this WS guy? Talk about a blast out of the blue! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WEiRD sKeTCH Posted August 4, 2009 Report Share Posted August 4, 2009 You cut me to the quick Bug. To the quick! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBugKing Posted August 4, 2009 Report Share Posted August 4, 2009 You cut me to the quick Bug. To the quick! I dunno. The whole Ban NE got boring. So now I think we are going to pretend that you don't exist. It's only for another two weeks. The everyone will be too busy to give anyone besides me Dan or Eric a hard time for the stuff we missed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keltheos Posted August 4, 2009 Report Share Posted August 4, 2009 I was told I wouldn't have fingers pointed at me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redstripe Posted August 4, 2009 Report Share Posted August 4, 2009 Well at least I have cover and I would have you all note that it states that not ALL the designs are of altruistic nature. First of all, not being altruistic and being subversive are not the same thing. They could be making bongs in those machine shops. Second, Ramos is responsible for a number of innovations that have drastically improved the survivability of miners working in Malifaux. The Hollow Marsh Pumping Station might be the greatest manifestation of that, but he is also responsible for the development of the Mechanical Canary, a simple device that has prevented many accidents. Why I'm trying to defend TBK, I have no idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keltheos Posted August 4, 2009 Report Share Posted August 4, 2009 You must be tired. Ppl should check out page 7 of my painting thread...just sayin'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isoulle Posted August 4, 2009 Report Share Posted August 4, 2009 WHY WOULD YOU MENTION FATAL??!!! Because hurting people is the only way he can derive joy from life since his spirit was crushed by the drudgery and meaninglessness of his existence... Just saying is all... ... BTW who are you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nilus Posted August 4, 2009 Report Share Posted August 4, 2009 Because hurting people is the only way he can derive joy from life since his spirit was crushed by the drudgery and meaninglessness of his existence... Tis true, I am a ball of rage trapped in the shell of a man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WEiRD sKeTCH Posted August 4, 2009 Report Share Posted August 4, 2009 Tis true, I am a ball of rage trapped in the shell of a man. More like a nut... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBugKing Posted August 4, 2009 Report Share Posted August 4, 2009 I LOVE DEADPOOL! Who posted this Gem? These posts keep showing up out of nowhere. Do we have a poltergeist? More like a nut... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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