Hi. I’ve started writing a game in where it is a steampunk world, with two major nations involved.
First one is the Western World. Their power-base is technology and superior military weapons.
The second nation is the Eastern World. Their power-base is their larger population and their almost fanatical belief in their way of life.
There are other nations: in fact there is a third nation where the game starts off. Your character is going to be in a school. Either you are from the Eastern World or Western World (so far no central world, but I might add it if there is enough interest in such a choice) enrolled in a school that is trying to increase relationships between the two nations. Are you going to choose a side you join, or are you going to stay neutral? Choose between the Eastern, Western, or the nation of your school. Are you a practical politician, a peace making diplomat, an honourable warrior, a blood thirsty general, a ruthless business man?
Well that’s the gist of it. Right now I’m not sure if I’m even going to finish the game. But I decided to throw up a preview and see if anyone would be interested in playing this if it came out.
(The title The Lion, the Bear and the Dragon are based on the symbols of the three real nations that will best reflect the three sides you can align with. England (The Lion) for the West. Russia (The Bear) for the Central. China (The Dragon) for the East. So far I haven’t picked out the names I will be using in the story. And yes the order of the names reflects where they would relate to eachother on a map.)
Sounds like a lark. How strictly are you sticking to our world, as a foundation? Geographically, at least, - although also historically and politically, as a matter of curiosity, would also be interesting.
Geographically yes. Culturally I will be to a certain extent (at least to the English, Russian and Chinese). Those three are the cultures I’m most familiar with, which is why I choose them. There will be differences: For example: While the Chinese live in large family units (even to this day) due to their largely agricultural background, the introduction of technology to the Eastern World would break that trend, as they industralize. While they remain more agricultural then the West, there is a movement to smaller families, something that will have an impact on the game as China is moving forward with this process. The effects of this would mean some of the traditional family structures would be unbalanced, and traditions (such as worshipping of the ancestors which derives from the large family heirachy) would either change or be destroyed.
Politically, right now I have them generalized as three Empires. However as I work further into the game, I will be able to make each one unique with their own form of bueacracy. For example, traditionally the wealthy in British history would earn their way up the Beaucracy. That will be reflected in the game. However the Russian Royalty (due to the fact that in game Russia developed much differently) won’t have a monopoly on the Beaucracy, which allows for more open competition. For the Eastern World the Beaucracy is based on Meritocracy.
Of course this is just how things stand now. Expect it to be much different as time goes by.
I love steam punk so questions
¨Could i play as a noble women
Could i ve evil and caused the war to increased my wealth.
Imagine im a Lion noble woman with international business i could provoke a war between Bear and Dragon to sell my wares to a war price or smugly with opium? it was a victorian practice created wars to sell wares
@Drazen the opium war darling they obliged Chines sell opium and consume indian tea. Japan oblidge open ports . It was a inteligent policy i love victorian england you could feel proud of it.
That’s the plan yes. So far I have four classes: Noble (Traditionally landed rich) Upper (So called new rich) Middle (Workers who do not do manual labor i.e shop owners) Working class (Workers who do manual labor, like factory workers) and the Poor.
And yes you can do things that can be considered evil like have a business while influcing events towards war.
Your character is completely customizable. Well almost.
@MaraJade The ‘Nemesis’, especially, was something to be proud of, in that conflict. Could be quite relevant to the Steampunk theme, here, actually: An ironclad, steam-powered “Devil Ship”, complete with heavy guns and a rocket launcher. Certainly gave their junks a good thrashing, heh heh.
There is however no morality meter. More like your companions/friends will react different each time you make a decision. Lastly, there will be certain expectations of your character depending on gender and social class. Fulfill those roles and traditionalists will love you. Don’t, and well not so much. But the radicals will.
Also I plan same-sex relationships. However unlike the rest of options I’ve made an executive decision that being gay, straight, or whatever will have no effect on either traditional or radical. It’s more about who you romance more then what gender they are.
Iron steam power and corsets I love Victorian age i would be a happy noble with my marvelous london clothes ploting wars to the glory or queen and my pocket. Also there would be flying balloons powered by steam?
I was thinking in the Verne I dont know english name Five weeks in balloon? probably not the ones usin hot air to up and down. Verne create one to cross Africa coast to coast in 5 weeks. They ballon or globe it was incredibly. I love Verne inventions
The Hidenberg was a Zepplin. Huge balloons that floated across, propelled by some form of motor. This is the most common form of balloon transportation mentioned in steampunk.
Glad to hear it.
This project will take a while due to the scope of it plus I’m still learning how to use the choicescript.
But hopefully I can at least get a starting scene set up by the end of next week.
Great Game CoG, eh? Welp, looks like I’ll need another place on my sidebar…
These sorts of settings, themes, and locales has always been a been fascinating for me. And considering I’ve spent years RPing in a setting that draws a lot from it, and have spending the last several weeks fighting off Indian Mutineers and mowing down Madhists, this seems almost custom-made for me. I always do think The Great Game has been far more important than anybody really gives it due for, so I look forward to how this goes.
No questions for me about which nation I’ll probably side with (Drazen and Cataphrak can probably guess), but I do have a few questions. What sort of ideas for endings did you have? Do you have any idea how large and long this will be? Will you have the opportunity to play as-say- an Honorable General, a Blood Thirsty Businessman, a practical warrior, a peace-making politician, or a ruthless diplomat?
Also, will you be able to consider mixing and matching between those, considering how a lot of people tended to wear different hats at the same time? Like the General having invested in a stake of the local companies, being tasked with playing the diplomat or politician to locals nearby, and having to prove him/herself a warrior when the enemy gets close enough?
And also, what role do you think ideological conflict and PR will have? I mean, historically the British and Russian Empires were separated by far more than just flags, and how free they were had a decisive effect on how things played out even though they both did a lot of the same sorts of things (crimes included). The British public were quite uneasy about a lot of imperial adventures and atrocities and significant casualties were a quick way to scandalize the government. Likewise, the Russians had far greater leeway in regards to that because of how they could control dissent, but at the same time risked (and eventually saw) the entire situation imploding from-say- massive losses and defeats inflicted by the British-led Western Allies in the Crimean War (or the Central Powers in WWI). And of course, you had the “Cold Warriors” even at the time who believed what was being fought out as essential to protect and cement their ideology and spread the word of the “Right” way to govern along with “Civilization.” I was wondering if that would have any effect.
Anyway, if there is any way I can help do not hesitate! This is definitely one I’ll keep an eye on.
@Turtler To answer your first question: I do have some endings in mind. Right now though I’m keeping my options open.
Second Question: This will be as large as it needs in order to make it work. It’s going to take time, it’s an ambitious project. But I’ve got the whole plot down (i.e. the major events of the story that are outside the characters control), and I’m going to keep on working on it.
Third Question: Absolutely. There are honorable generals and peace-making politicians. I just used the one’s above as examples
Fourth Question: There will be mixing. Though mixing will be limited. A politician can have a business and be a general, but he can’t be a politician and a traveling merchant. Since being a politician requires being in your home nation to make decisions in your parliament/council/whatever.
Fifth Question: Ideology will play a huge role. There are Socialists, Communists, Fascists, Democrats (as in pro Republic/Democracy. Not referring to liberals) The major thing is Radicalism/Traditionalism. The more you stray from what is expected of you from your background, the more radical you are percieved, whether or not this is true.
Hopefully I answered all your questions.
