What is steampunk?

Round 19's theme is "steampunk".
Wtf is it?







;) ;)
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bronzey jewellery and antiques and shit...
Post edited December 09, 2011 at 11:39:56 PM by Zero
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Steampunk is a sub-genre of science fiction, fantasy, alternate history, and speculative fiction that came into prominence during the 1980s and early 1990s.[1] Steampunk involves a setting where steam power is still widely used—usually Victorian era Britain or "Wild West"-era United States—that incorporates elements of either science fiction or fantasy. Works of steampunk often feature anachronistic technology or futuristic innovations as Victorians may have envisioned them, based on a Victorian perspective on fashion, culture, architectural style, art, etc. This technology includes such fictional machines as those found in the works of H. G. Wells and Jules Verne, or the contemporary authors Philip Pullman and China Mieville.
Other examples of steampunk contain alternative history-style presentations of such technology as lighter-than-air airships, analog computers, or such digital mechanical computers as Charles Babbage and Ada Lovelace's Analytical engine.
Various modern utilitarian objects have been modded by individual artisans into a pseudo-Victorian mechanical "steampunk" style, and a number of visual and musical artists have been described as steampunk.
got bored after the first 5 words. me + history = FUUUUUUUUUUUUUU DAT!!!
tl;dr

what is it?
"This is a good question that is difficult to answer.

To me, Steampunk has always been first and foremost a literary genre, or least a subgenre of science fiction and fantasy that includes social or technological aspects of the 19th century (the steam) usually with some deconstruction of, reimagining of, or rebellion against parts of it (the punk). Unfortunately, it is a poorly defined subgenre, with plenty of disagreement about what is and is not included. For example, steampunk stories may:

Take place in the Victorian era but include advanced machines based on 19th century technology (e.g. The Difference Engine by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling);
Include the supernatural as well (e.g. The Parasol Protectorate by Gail Carriger);
Include the supernatural and forego the technology (e.g. The Anubis Gates by Tim Powers, one of the works that inspired the term ‘steampunk’);
Include the advanced machines, but take place later than the Victorian period, thereby assuming that the predomination by electricity and petroleum never happens (e.g. The Peshawar Lancers by S. M. Stirling); or
Take place in an another world altogether, but featuring Victorian-like technology (e.g. Mainspring by Jay Lake).
“It’s sort of Victorian-industrial, but with more whimsy and fewer orphans.”
- Caitlin Kittredge
There are probably plenty of other combinations I’ve forgotten, but that’s steampunk as a genre in a nutshell. Steampunk has also cross-pollinated its way into other genres, so there is steampunk romance, steampunk erotica, and steampunk young adult fiction. I haven’t spotten any steampunk picture books yet, but I won’t be surprise when I do.

And it isn’t just written fiction anymore. There are steampunk games (e.g. Bioshock II), steampunk graphic novels (e.g. League of Extraordinary Gentlemen), and even steampunk movies (e.g. Sherlock Holmes) and TV shows (e.g. Warehouse 13). There is even steampunk music and steampunk performance art.

“To me, it’s essentially the intersection of technology and romance.” – Jake von Slatt
But steampunk has become a lot more. What with all the cool contraptions in the stories, it was only natural that some people would decide to make some of them (or at least things like them). Thus, steampunk gadgets came into the real world. People has “steampunk’d” everything from computers, desks, telephone, watches and guitars to cars, motorcycles, and whole houses. These objects can vary from a grungy look of a forgotten antique to the shiny overwrought newness of a Victorian gentleman’s club. Think brass and copper, glass and polished wood, engraving and etching, and details for the sake of details. So, steampunk is also a design aesthetic.

“Steampunk is what happens when goths discover brown.” – Jess Nevins
This aesthetic carries over into personal style with both clothing and jewelry being made in a “steampunk” style. The clothes are not exactly Victorian, adding in technological bits or hints of a more adventurous life than a typical Victorian citizen likely enjoyed.

So, steampunk is a genre and a design aesthetic.

But wait, there’s more! Steampunk has a philosophical angle as well, which is somewhat of a combination between the maker ideals of creativity and self-reliance and the Victorian optimistic view of the future. This last bit has led to accusations that steampunk includes a fair amount of empire worship, which is a reasonable concern. Another criticism has been that steampunk focuses on the best of the past and quietly sweeps the bad (i.e. slavery, child labor, widespread disease, etc.). Again, this may be a valid criticism and it is somethat that steampunk will have to address. Paul Jessup’s piece “The Future of Steampunk” offers a good discussion of these issues.

Final answer: steampunk is a genre AND a design aesthetic AND a philosophy."
ok translated, steampunk is like a having a iphone build in the year 1630 with theyre common technology, wich would lead you to this
steampunk-iphone.jpg
is like having a electric guitar when there wasnt even guitars in the world
steampunkguitar.jpg

or if like king arthur had his own computer
steampunk_lcd_01.jpg

its including science fiction therms, or future therms into the past, like laser pistols 600 years ago
or electric cars 600 years ago, or ime travel machines 600 years ago
Post edited December 09, 2011 at 11:48:35 PM by hugosilva
like this movie ?

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Seriously, I thought you had to have internet to be on Autemo?
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Some men just want to watch the world doing burnouts... :P
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we actually duscussed steampunk a lot on the chopperbuild forum

this sentence is from wiki > Steampunk is a sub-genre of science fiction, fantasy, alternate history, and speculative fiction that came into prominence during the 1980s and early 1990s.[1]

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[img]http://i1000.photobucket.com/albums/af125/trapperdude01/steampunk001.jpg?t=1317928663[/img]

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now for the contest > to really capture the steampunk theme you have to make something mechanical looking with worked open visible moving parts , copper details , leathers , giving it the impression its from the past while its actually modern (one option)

we can discuss steampunk for ages but google has so many good examples of steampunk
its all there too find for your self :)

you can even opt for omething like this (yes zykotech this is for you lolz)

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